The Secret Adversary - Agatha Christie

Title: The Secret Adversary

Author: Agatha Christie

Genre: mystery

Format: PDF

Published: 1922

This was my first Agatha Christie book from the Tommy and Tuppence series. I’ve read most of the Miss Marple and Poirot series, but somehow I didn’t know about Tommy and Tuppence. It is one of her earliest books, published in 1922. The plot is set in 1919 in Britain. Young couple, two friends from childhood, Tommy Beresford and Prudence “Tuppence” Cowley formed “The Young Adventurers, Ltd.” to earn some money. Their first case, to find Jane Finn, young lady last seen on a sinking boat with top secret papers given to her by an unknown man. Also, there is Mr. Brown, a mysterious identity, who is believed that is responsible for Jane Finn missing and international espionage, a mysterious person who wants that papers so badly. But who is Mr. Brown?

Take Five - Renee Pawlish

Title: Take Five

Author: Renee Pawlish

Genre: crime, mystery, short stories

Published: October, 2011

Format: Kindle

Five mystery tales set in Colorado.

Sarah Spillman, a sassy Denver police detective.

Reed Ferguson, a witty private eye with a love of film noir and Humphrey Bogart.

Kay, a computer nerd with revenge on her mind.

When I finished reading this book, I thought, this collection of mystery tales can be easily turned into a tv show. Sarah Spillman is a detective. She has the leading role in three out of five stories. Wherever she goes, crime is after her. New cases are always there, even when she goes on vacation.  Reed Ferguson is a private investigator  who has a case of a stolen valuable baseball card. Kay has a colleague who always finds a way to disrespect her.  Three great characters, five great stories.  All of them are well written, making you think who dunnit. Just one of the stories seemed unfinished to me. Some of the supporting characters are  funny, some weird, but that is just making the story very entertaining. It's a quick read, very enjoyable. I'm giving four stars just because I wanted the stories to be a little bit longer, to enjoy more reading them. 

My opinion: 4 /5

Taken - Tony Talbot

Title: Taken

Author: Tony Talbot

Genre: Mystery, drama

Published: January, 2011

Format: Paperback

This is a story for a boy living wealthy life on a Greek island. Amon Russo lives in a huge villa. His parents are very rich, he doesn't have to go to school, there are tutors for him at home. But that is just the surface.

Under the surface, it's a whole different story. Amon doesn't have any friends. He is not allowed to have friends. His eyes are in different colors, so he is wearing contact lenses. People of the island are afraid of him. According to the local legend, having different color of the eyes is bad luck, he must have something demonic in himself. His parent are weird. Everything has to be so "perfect".

Until one day Amon starts to see cracks in his life. 

He spent his entire life on a Greek island, but he wasn't allowed to learn Greek. The channels on TV in English are off.  No one can see him without his contact lenses. People around his father start to disappear.

His parent are hiding him. Why? And from what?

What is really going on around here?

The story was full of twists. There were turn-overs on every page. There was drama and tension until the last page. You never know what is truth, and what is lie. I was expecting more dramatic end, but that was it. Somehow, it looked unfinished, but that was just my opinion. There were some questions for me left unanswered. I didn't find the answer of the most important one: "Why?" Why his parents did that to him? There was no love. They didn't love him. Why was he taken in the first place, after all?  

What I liked were the vivid descriptions of the island. Olive trees, sea, beach, synonyms  for a perfect life.  Also, I liked the way the feelings of the boy were described. Sixteen-years-old falling in love for the first time, his sexual awakening, it was well written. Overall, I liked the story. 

My opinion: 3 / 5