The Man in the Mist: A Tommy & Tuppence Short Story

Tommy & Tuppence #2.08

by Agatha Christie

The rather disgruntled pair of Tommy and Tuppence are sequestered in the Grand Adlington Hotel, having made a pig’s ear out of their latest case. But, while mournfully sipping cocktails, with Tommy oddly dressed as a parson, they are gleefully accosted by their old acquaintance Mr. Bulger, who has London’s most beautiful stage actress, Gilda Glen, in tow. Featherbrained and a little confused, Gilda takes Tommy for a real clergyman and scrawls out a desperate note to meet him away from the hotel. While Tommy and Tuppence mull over the note, in storms an old flame of Gilda’s, claiming he wants to wring someone’s neck. When the duo turn up at the meeting place, all hell breaks loose.

Genres: Mystery, Agatha Christie, Short Stories, Audiobook, Crime, Fiction, Cozy Mystery

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Agatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.

This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.

Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this Agatha Christie short story on audio, around 30 minutes long, featuring Tommy and Tuppence. After hearing of a ghost, the pair are walking in a mist on their way to catch a train, only to come across a murder with an obvious suspect. Only nothing is as it appears, with Tommy working out the fiendish truth.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The married crime duo are in a restaurant licking their wounds after failing to solve their latest case, when they run into their old friend, Bulger. He introduces them to a famous actress, which then leads to a murder mystery involving a story about a ghostly policeman that appears out of the mist.



As with most of the Partners in Crime short stories, Tommy & Tuppence try to mimic a famous literary detective to help them solve the case. In this one, Tommy is dressed as G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown. At first, actress Gilda Glenn thinks that Tommy is a real priest. But this is due less to Tommy's acting abilities and more to the fact that Gilda is a bit stupid.



When the actress is later murdered in her sister's home, the main suspect is an old lover who loudly made threats to kill her in public.
What. An. Idiot.
Of course, Tommy and Tuppence don't think he's the real culprit, but who else could have done it?



Not one of my favorites but still a decent way to kill 15 minutes.

Read in the short story collections Partners in Crime & A Deadly Affair.

[Lovely Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

A woman is found dead in a closed room after others hearing her cry out

[Tgordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost feel bad adding a short story to my reading goal for the year as I’ve read two in the past day so I guess I’m upping my goal to account for them.

I may have a new obsession Christie! This story was fun and entertaining but most of all I’m learning that her writing style is so smart! I feel smarter reading them!

This one was a no I had no idea one! One day I hope soon I will be smarter about my ideas of who done it!

[Tony Hisgett · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice little twist at the end, but this was too short to be really interesting. Also the reason I like the Tommy and Tuppence stories, is because of the way Tuppence often surprises people with her intelligence and deductive reasoning skills. In this short story she is barely visible.

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best Tommy & Tuppence adventure, with several mysterious threads fusing together against a proper gothic backdrop.
The detection was also worthy of a John Dickson Carr story.
Recommended.

[Elias Jabbour · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the twist at the end.

[Alyson Walton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, my first Tommy and Tuppence novella and its fell a little flat. Think this Is more due to my obsession with Poirot and he not being in this that I didn't enjoy it so much!

[eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

i LOVE ME a twist and this had such a twist! i love you agatha christie your brain is brilliant

[Brianna Bello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately I didn’t find this super entertaining. I was confused for a bit until they went into more detail. I was however surprised by the ending. Definitely thought the murderer was someone else so that’s why it’s 3 stars. The ending got me for sure.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tommy and Tuppence meet a mysterious woman at lunch one day. She sends them a note and asks them to visit her as they may be able to help. On their way to the house where she is staying, they run into a policeman who seems to appear out of the mist. As they chat, an angry man runs up to the house, bangs on the door and storms in. When Tommy and Tuppence arrive in the house, they are greeted by the mistress of the house, who happen to be the woman’s sister. She says that her sister is seeking a divorce from her husband. Together, they find the woman dead. They all all assume that the angry man who barged into the house was her husband and that he killed her when in fact it was the policeman who was her husband and the murderer.

[As You Wish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was good, I thought I had it figured out but really had a surprise at the end. I’m starting to wonder if there is a full-length Tommy and Tuppence book to read. I would like something that’s a bit more drawn out with these two.

[writer...]

#SavvyReadathon I do like these Tommy & Tuppence stories in audio [Partners in Crime]

[Joop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een TT verhaal dat wel redelijk is. Beetje vreemd eind.

[Michelle Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

What else can you expect from Agatha Christie. Wonderful

[Ruchika Pahwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice story!

[Amani · Rating 3 out of 5]

*2.5

[Cindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just a short story and was pretty good but not as suspenseful as some of her other work. Ages 12+

[Alison Alice-May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a spare hour, so who better to spend it with than Tommy and Tuppence. This is a classic short story by the fantastic Agatha Christie.

Tommy is dressed as a Roman Catholic priest as he and Tuppence mourn their last bungled case. He is recognised by an old friend Mr Bulger who is accompanied by beautiful actress Gilda Glen. Gilda isn’t the brightest, and she thinks Tommy is a real priest despite what Mr Bulger tells her.

Tommy and Tuppence are running late for their train. On their way to the station they hear a scream. There is an obvious suspect. But all is not as it seems. Tommy cleverly works out the truth.

Great Agatha twist in the end. Fabulous.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book of the summer holiday challenge, agree that it is really short, however, that’s what I needed to get back into audiobooks, Hugh Fraser’s reading is evocative and usual high standard & I could envision the story with the TV cast easily and it was a pleasant quick read that was cleverly done escape without feeling the need to guess throughout

[maryam :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook and found the reading quite pleasant! Tommy and tuppence, being the dynamic duo, never fails to entertain me. However, this seemed like quite an obvious turn by the queen of mystery herself Agatha Christie. I’m used to a radical swerve in plot but this seemed fairly predictably. Not entirely stereotypical though and still a great read.

[Anirudh Mannattil · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is most impactful is the dialogue uttered by Tommy - "Policemen are human beings too".

More often than not, we fail to realize this profound statement and instead view the police as a mere force of protection; these are noble men who are willing to lay down their lives for our safety and security.

Please, the next time you see a policeman, view them with respect.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tommy & Tuppence 02 Partners in Crime

My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too short to be really interesting and gripping. Maybe this is a sign that I should give trying Tommy and Tuppence stories as, each time, I feel let down or I DNF.

[Teri B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely short story with this mysterious twist. Just loved to dip back into Agatha Christie.

I listened to this short story on audiobook from my local library. The rendition by Hugh Fraser was very much enjoyable and flawless.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why was Tuppence so quiet? She barely had any lines...
I liked the story itself. Solution was insanely simple.
Tommy is a priest outfit and therefore being mistaken as a priest was hilarious.
Ends very abruptly.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A jolly good “who done it” story. Found it rather tense. Tommy and Tuppence are walking through a forest in the mist and happen upon a Police Office. They go visit Glenda, but, she’s been murdered. But, by who, and why?

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent short story, despite my stumbling over the ending of it. The scenes segued like clockwork, and the Tuppence couple delivered their lines eloquently. I highly recommend this short story.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time I have read this short short story featuring that investigatorial couple, Tommy and Tuppence. Very beautiful, very stupid actress is murdered. It is obvious who did it. Then Tommy tells who really did it, and I wanted to slap myself for not seeing the solution.

[Seth Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very surprising.