Destination Unknown (Agatha Christie Mysteries Collection (Paperback))

This is a good, not great, standalone novel published in the 1950s. It is a mystery adventure novel with some surprises. I liked it and enjoyed it as a light listening experience.I enjoy all Agatha Christie novels. I have a particular affinity for her standalone novels. I purchased this novel on kindle because it is a standalone. I also purchased the accompanying audiobook. I read and listened simultaneously. This audiobook was very faithful to the written text. Miss Christie’s writing style makes for a very good audiobook. It is clearly written, clever, but not overly complicated. I liked it a lot.In the event that one is looking for another standalone by Miss Christie, my personal favorite standalone remains “The Pale Horse”.In summary I really liked this novel as a light reading experience. It makes a good audiobook. In the event enjoys Agatha Christie as I do and wishes to consider a contemporary novel that reminds me of Miss Christie, one might consider “Murder in Old Bombay”. Thank You for taking the time to read this review.

Another great read! Quite different from her well-known Perot and Ms. Marple stories.. I always enjoy her strong female lead characters.

I liked the premise of the story — a woman about to commit suicide is diverted by an offer of a mission that will probably end in death. She accepts, and the intrigue begins.I was disappointed not to encounter any of the witty dialog I love in Agatha Christie’s English village murder mysteries. Also missing are the amusingly eccentric characters. The story moves along like an earnest spy thriller, with good guys pitted against some mysterious evil that could be political or criminal or both. The intrigue I think is okay, although I don’t read spy thrillers as a rule, so I’m not a judge. I read this book out of fondness for Christie.Some plot elements seem farfetched and feel a bit dated. Destination Unknown was first published in 1954.Murder does finally enter the picture, and the ending is quite twisty. So even though this is not among my favorite Christie novels, it’s clever and readable.

The plot is unique, but for an Agatha Christie story the overall book was a disappointment. There was never the sense of mysterious danger that often pervades a Christy novel. The revelations at the end were fairly tame and predictable. The heroine never appeared to be in real danger. I did not understand the true mission of the leprosy treatment center, except that some elderly fabulously rich man intended to make himself even richer by selling the services of the scientists whom he had tempted to join the leprosy treatment facility as researchers in various branches of scientific endeavor. There was apparently a much more sinister purpose, but it is not explained. Even so, the book provides light, enjoyable reading and is recommended.

A new favorite read from a great author! Can't believe this is my first read of this suspenseful book!! Excellent. I'm spoiling NOTHING, but go read it now.

Agatha Christie's 1954 stand-alone novel " Destination Unknown (Mr. Jessop series Book 1) " is a spy thriller instead of a detective mystery. It's a well done book that focuses on aspects of the Cold War (with a bit of a twist). Outside a the occasional paragraph of un-translated French that authors of Christie's era like to dump on us, the only thing that bothered me was that the ending was just a tad weak. Besides my desire that Christie would have followed the protagonist just a bit further after the end, the fact that she basically ignored a protagonist/antagonist conversation that she could have used irked a bit. Still, all-in-all, I'm rating it at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5.Note: AFAIK, this is the only book that Jessop appears in. So, I have no idea why Amazon lists the book as Book 1 in the Mr. Jessop series.

No longer wishing to live, Hillary embarks on an adventure, not knowing her end. Christie spins a tale which resembles a maze that has one doubting there is a way out.

A fantastical novel of intrigue. I like the idea of someone being saved from suicide by being given an altruistic purpose.Probably highly unrealistic, but still, it keeps the interest and the ending is surprising and satisfying.

Intelligent, questioning, and thoroughly entertaining – 5 StarsThis novel, first published in 1954, is a far-cry from the ‘comfortable’ cosy mysteries that the author is so famous for. Beginning with the disappearance of several notable scientists, Jessop, a key investigator, comes across a woman planning to take her own life. Finding Hilary Craven to be a resourceful and intelligent woman, Jessop persuades her to take the place of Olive Betterton, the wife of a missing scientist. Jessop believes Olive was on her way to join her husband, and by using Hilary Craven as a ‘plant’, he hopes to get to the bottom of the ‘brain-drain’ mystery…For me, the novels of the 1950’s often reveal more about Christie than her earlier work. Firstly, Christie empowers the female characters in this novel. From dutiful wives, to eminent scientists, and our heroine as an undercover agent, all are portrayed as having a clear choice over their own destiny. Secondly, the novel repeatedly highlights a distrust in those who hold political and economic power. ‘Destination Unknown’ offers the reader the constant challenge of working-out what motivates the characters, and with Christie so skilled in the art of subterfuge, it’s not surprising that in this novel there are few who can be taken at face-value.While the plot might be considered implausible, it actually reflects many of the preconceived ideas held by the public in that period. Distrust of scientific advances, the motivations of those in Eastern Europe, and the increasing involvement of African and East Asian countries in changing the shape of the global economy are all grist to the Christie mill. Even adding the unpredictable twist-in-the-tale ending for which Christie became so well known, this novel remains one of my favourites. It’s an engaging read, but also one that challenges the political and social norms of the period, and illustrates the changing status of women during the 1950s. Fascinating stuff!

Although Agatha Christie is my all time favourite author, I must admit that I prefer her murder mysteries to her adventure stories of plucky heroines and derring-do. However, this 1954 spy story does, indeed, contain a plucky heroine; although one who is lost when we first meet her. Hilary Craven has certain similarities with Christie's own past - she had one daughter (although in Hilary's case, her young daughter has died) and, like Agatha herself, Hilary's husband had left her for another woman. Lost and depressed, Hilary Craven is planning to commit suicide when Mr Jessop introduces himself and asks her to take part in a secret mission.Scientists are going missing and Jessop asks Hilary to pose as Olive Betterton, the wife of a missing scientist, and discover his whereabouts. It is believed she was going to meet him and so, plunged again into life, Hilary sets off for an unknown destination. Of course, this novel was inspired by the defections of scientists to Russia, but this is a fairly light look at such events and Christie, as so often, manages to give her heroine a happier ending than that originally planned for her.

Agatha Christie was an author who wrote about her story subjects with an amazing knowledge.This is a very crisply written novel set just after the second war, concerning brilliant scientists in all fields of scientific research of the era, along with the covert operations of - for want of a better word - Spies.This story reminded me of a John le Carre novel, but without the subterfuge that was prevelent in them.I very highly recommend this Christie story. It is light years away from the relatively safe world of Saint Mary Mead and Poirot's elegant flat!

Hilary Craven has nothing to live for, her husband divorced her after a long illness, her daughter died. She's travelled to Casablanca to run away from it all only to realise that she can't run away from herself. Setting out to end it all she is spotted by Jessop.Jessop has a better idea for Hilary, a different way she can risk her life and perhaps she will find the will to carry on. So Hilary becomes Olive Betterton, wife of the missing scientist Tom setting out on a journey to track down the organisation that is stealing the top scientists in their fields. Will she survive the journey and can she rescue Tom?Not a typical murder but definitely a mystery. It's still full of the cunning twists and turns, clues slipped into the background, still just a perfect tale.

I've been reading Agatha Christie novels for many years and remain a fan. I've got to the age now where I've read almost all her work but every now and then I find one I haven't read before and what a treat that is.Destination Unknown is a mystery and adventure story, I enjoyed it very much.