Book Review: Destination Unknown

What? A spy thriller from Agatha Christie? Yes, you read it right. Here's what happens in the story - a number of prominent scientists from across several nations disappear without a trace and intelligence bureaus are trying hard to locate them without any success. In such a situation, when another British scientist Thomas Betterton reportedly vanishes, secret agents begin to tail his wife Olive in an attempt to extract any possible clue that could lead them to her husband's whereabouts. Unfortunately a plane crash results in her death.

Destination
Unknown

Meanwhile, Hilary Craven, a deserted wife and bereaved mother, who tries to end her own life by an overdose of sleeping pills in a Casablanca hotel room, is interrupted in her suicide bid by secret agent Jessop to undertake a dangerous mission which could be a much more thrilling way to die!

The novel, modelled on the true life defection of two physicists to the erstwhile Soviet Union, is your typical spy thriller on the lines of Robert Ludlum, only that this one comes across as naive and simplistic. The plot is fairly interesting but is equally unexciting in parts, especially during the climactic portions. Also present in lesser amounts is the mystery element for which Christie is well-known for.

But Christie knows she is stepping into uncharted waters and so she cleverly masquerades all the above deficiencies with a roller-coaster adventure ride that gets superb purchase from the suspenseful atmosphere she successfully creates. Abound with neat twists to keep you engrossed, the characters are believable and likeable, particularly the Craven character whom you cannot help rooting for as she achieves her zest for life and finally finds her true love. Don't look for logic or mystery, and in doing so, Christie's Destination Unknown can be adequately entertaining!