Hidden Sins

Agatha Christie Investigates #2

by Alison Joseph

Summer, 1925

Life is starting to go back to normal after the shock of the Great War.

Agatha Christie, now a successful crime author, is holidaying in Cornwall.

And when her husband, Archie, has to leave early, she decides to use her alone time to work on a romance novel.

But it isn’t long before she finds herself thrown back into the world of murder and intrigue.

A fellow guest at Agatha’s hotel is murdered in the early hours of the morning, and all the guests become suspects.

Knowing her expertise at plotting mysteries, the locals soon call upon Agatha to help unmask the killer.

Agatha soon discovers that there is far more going on in the sleepy Cornish town than first meets the eye. Her enquiries unearth tales of ghosts, secret affairs and mysterious ship wrecks.

Tension escalates amongst the residents of the hotel when they realise that the murderer is somewhere in their midst.

And everyone starts to display signs of guilt.

Can Agatha Christie unmask the identity of the killer before anyone else becomes a victim?

And what other Hidden Sins will she unearth in her investigation…?

‘Hidden Sins’ is the second in a new series of murder mysteries, in which famous authoress Agatha Christie takes time out from writing to investigate real crimes. It follows on from ‘Murder Will Out’.

“Wickedly clever - written with a sharp eye and elan. Guaranteed to make every Agatha Christie fan smile.” - Peter James

‘Christie herself is the fulcrum of this highly diverting piece, delivered with all the quirky skill that is Joseph’s trademark.’ - Barry Forshaw, Crime Time.

‘Hidden Sins’ has not been authorised by Agatha Christie Ltd, and it is a book about Agatha Christie, not by her.

‘clever and intriguing - a must for all Agatha Christie fans’ - Peter James

Alison Joseph is a London-based crime writer and radio dramatist. She is the author of the series of novels featuring Sister Agnes, a contemporary detective nun based in South London, and has written numerous plays for radio, including the adaptations of Simenon's Inspector Maigret series broadcast on BBC Radio 4. She is currently chair of the Crime Writers Association.

Genres: British Literature

181 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 2015

About the author

Alison Joseph was born and brought up in London. She studied French and Philosophy at Leeds University, and then worked in local radio in Leeds as a producer and presenter. She moved back to London in 1983 and worked for a Channel 4 production company, making short documentaries. In 1985 she set up her own company, Works on Screen. Productions included Through the Devil's Gateway, a series about women and religion presented by Helen Mirren, which was broadcast by Channel 4 in 1989. A book of the series was published by SPCK. Sister Agnes became a reality with the publication of Sacred Hearts in 1994. This was followed by The Hour of Our Death (1995), The Quick and the Dead (1996), A Dark and Sinful Death (1997), The Dying Light (1999) and The Night Watch (2000). All the Sister Agnes books are published by Endeavour Press and Allison & Busby in the UK, and the first three are also available in German.
Other novels include Dying to Know (published by Endeavour Press), featuring D I Berenice Killick. Alison is also the author of two novellas in which (a fictional) Agatha Christie is the detective. They are Murder Will Out and Hidden Sins, both published by Endeavour Press. The third is due out Autumn 2016.

Alison has also written short stories for Radio 4, for YOU magazine, for Critical Quarterly and for various women's magazines, as well as abridging novels for Radio 4's Book at Bedtime and The Late Book, including the award-winning production of Captain Corelli's Mandolin. She is the author of about twenty-five plays for BBC Radio 4. Her most recent short story is Samir's Lament, available on Kindle Singles.

Alison lives in London.

Reviews

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is trouble in paradise...

Summer, 1925

Life is starting to go back to normal after the shock of the Great War.

Agatha Christie, now a successful crime author, is holidaying in Cornwall.

And when her husband, Archie, has to leave early, she decides to use her alone time to work on a romance novel.

But it isn’t long before she finds herself thrown back into the world of murder and intrigue.

A fellow guest at Agatha’s hotel is murdered in the early hours of the morning, and all the guests become suspects.

Knowing her expertise at plotting mysteries, the locals soon call upon Agatha to help unmask the killer.

Agatha soon discovers that there is far more going on in the sleepy Cornish town than first meets the eye. Her enquiries unearth tales of ghosts, secret affairs and mysterious ship wrecks.

Tension escalates amongst the residents of the hotel when they realise that the murderer is somewhere in their midst.

And everyone starts to display signs of guilt.

Can Agatha Christie unmask the identity of the killer before anyone else becomes a victim?

And what other Hidden Sins will she unearth in her investigation…?

This the second book in the Mrs Agatha Christie Investigates series.

Another enjoyable well plotted and written mystery. That has plenty of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.

If you like the review and would like to read reviews on other books I have read, visit my blog at www.finalchapterreadersgroup.wordpres... like, comment and follow.

[Damaskcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agatha Christie is on holiday in Cornwall with her husband but he needs to return to work and she stays on at the hotel for a few more days. She is enjoying her solitude and is planning a different type of book from her successful crime novels. This one is going to be a romance.

Then her peaceful holiday is interrupted by a murder. One of her fellow guests is shot early one morning on the tennis courts. He was engaged in researching a biography of a chemist who worked in camouflage during the Great War. Could his murder have anything to do with this?

Unwillingly Agatha finds herself drawn into the investigation even though she would much rather work on her book. Suspects seem to want to confide in her and use her as a go between to pass information on to the police.

I enjoyed this short novel featuring the real Agatha Christie as an amateur detective. I think the author has caught her personality very well. She sits in the background and watches her fellow guests and the way they behave and of course works out what happened, who did it and why they did it. This is the second book in a series but can be read as a standalone novel.

[Lizzie Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Hidden Sins’ by Alison Joseph
Published by Endeavour Press Ltd, 16 August 2015. ISBN: 978-1-5170-3587-7

Holidaying in Cornwall with her husband Archie, Agatha Christie, now a successful crime writer, decides to write a romance when Archie announces that the golf here is sub-standard and that the office needs him.

Wondering the lanes in reflective mood Agatha ponders her book’s hero, maybe a Captain, a brave, military type.

Rather than her dining alone Mr Finch the hotel manager seats her with Frederick and Nora Collyer where Agatha learns that Frederick is writing a biography of the late Dr Ernst Adler a famous chemist whose knowledge and work on paint as camouflage, was used during the war. Whilst Nora Collyer is quiet and elegant Agatha quickly labels Frederick as a bully.

Agatha muses on the relationships at a nearby table, Mr Farrar, Mrs Blanche Winters, a slightly older woman and her teenage daughter Sophie. Also, a sporty young man called Sebastian Travers who seemed to be the girls tennis coach. And, sitting alone at another table, an older military type man.

The following morning Agatha awakes to learn of the death of one of her fellow guests in the early hours of the morning. And all the guests become suspects.

Arriving to take charge of the investigation are DCI Reginal Olds and Sergeant Brierley of the Cornwall
Constabulary. Also suddenly on the scene is Dr Adler’s widow, who it appears, knows Mr Tyndall, the military type man very well. Over the past two years Frau Adler has become friendly with the Collyers.

The book is rich in characters, all of whom it becomes apparent have secrets. Tensions arise which Agatha learns relate to papers in the possession of Frederick Collyer which belong to Frau Adler. And hovering over it all is the shadow of the Great War, which may hold the key to the many secrets harboured by the suspects.

Although Agatha continues to write her romance book, this keen observer of human nature finds herself drawn into the mystery. But can she find the killer?

Mystery, murder, camouflage, and above all romance, this book has it all. A very clever story, brilliantly plotted and most highly recommended.
------
Reviewer Lizzie Hayes
Hidden Sins is the second in a new series of murder mysteries, featuring author Agatha Christie. The first in the series was Murder Will Out.

[CJ Browne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the description for this book I thought what a neat idea – and it was. A novel that turns Agatha Christie into an amateur detective. Although it is the second of a series, Hidden Sins is just as good as a stand-alone, covering the period just after the first world war. Agatha would have been in her early twenties and has the sleuthing characteristics of watchful waiting, and intuitive analysis as she finds herself alone in a hotel in Cornwall, where she is expected to solve a murder of one of the other guests. She’d prefer to be writing her first romance. We are given extracts of this and it doesn’t seem to be going that well – probably the distraction of knowing a murderer is close by. The writing is very atmospheric and I loved the Christie-like setting of a grand and somewhat faded cliff top hotel, providing the perfect ‘locked room’ scenario. A very enjoyable read.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is really enjoyable and as this book was based on an episode in Cornwall for me this was even better.
My only slight niggle is that the reporters would not have been from Truro and Exeter but Truro and Plymouth. I assume therefore that Alison Joseph does not come from this area.

[Gowri N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this one, mystery and all! The setting of Cornwall is especially beautifully captured. The deduction is solid (for the most part) and the clues all make sense. As in the first book in the series, the author does tend to over-complicate things, but this one (#2) is much better than the first and that at least shows she is improving her craft.

To enjoy it, read it without comparing it to anything by the real Mrs.Christie. :)

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting, fascinating and good old fashioned whodunit. I love that Agatha Christie herself is involved in the stories. They're so much fun to read. I love the time period it's set in - so many poor damaged souls, those poor soldiers. I love series so much I've already downloaded, book 3!

I totally recommend this series!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was an improvement on book 1 - both are readable but I wonder if they would have been better/less contrived if they hadn’t incorporated Agatha Christie - apart from the name selling I am not sure what she adds to the story

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever little post WW1 mystery with Agatha Christie as the key character.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good short summer read. Agatha investigates another murder while writing a new book.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1925 Cornwell. Agatha Christie is on holiday when one of the guests is murdered. A man writing a biography of a noted chemist, Dr Adler.
An enjoyable cozy mystery