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Passenger to Frankfurt
by
Agatha Christie
spy thriller in a Kindle edition that was published by William Morrow Paperbacks on February 10, 2010 and has 292 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Secret Adversary, The Unexpected Guest, Partners in Crime, Three Blind Mice and Other Stories, The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories, The Murder at the Vicarage, "The Adventure of the Clapham Cook”, "The Million Dollar Bond Robbery", “The Submarine Plans”, “The Double Clue”
A standalone in a philosophical espionage thriller and revolving around Sir Stafford Nye, a not-too-successful diplomat.
My Take
It’s not an action-packed story nor individual character-driven, but more of a philosophical look at people’s wants and weaknesses.
It was weird reading an Agatha Christie set in the late 1960s. It was also fascinating to read of a time with all the riots and uprisings from students protesting Vietnam and so much more — and all from the political point-of-view of those already in power, although Christie uses third person global subjective point-of-view for a number of her characters. Yes, Sir Stafford’s is the primary perspective, but we do hear from others.
It was all too easy-going as events rumbled along. Christie could have done more to up the tension and drama. She certainly had the opportunities. Even the initial conflict of the woman wanting to “borrow” Nye’s passport was too easy. I had to think that Nye had a death wish. How did Christie figure on getting “Juanita” into her nursing position when her real-world self was so prominent? Why not use those “scary” encounters about Nye’s suits and his locations to bring the drama?
Christie is certainly realistic about the inability of politicians to actually accomplish anything . . . and of scientists bemoaning politicians’ inability to use their inventions for good. And a sad truism that politicians don’t want to hear the truth.
Passenger to Frankfurt was something of a muddle with the same politicians trusting and moaning about the same people. One of those areas where Christie could have amped things up, and didn’t.
Christie is right about the cycle of life in that youth always rebels and then they turn into their parents. She’s also right that you have to look beyond the obvious and discover who’s pulling the strings. She is scary about stating that people who get into the violence, get to loving it, can’t back away from it. Why criminals and politicians can’t use their brains for good, I don’t know.
“Politicians have a feeling that they have a kind of divine right to tell lies in a good cause.”
Oh, lord, I feel like Christie is prescient about events in the world today when she says “People never mind spending a great deal of money. It impresses them. It’s when you want to do things economically, they won’t play.” She goes on to talk about how we need to prop up people’s egos because they might have to earn a living. Yeah, so let’s be sure to give all the kids A‘s so they feel good about themselves. Oy.
Oh, lololol, Charlotte speaks a truth to Matilda when she says that workers are only the material, it’s really the leaders of the world that they want to unite, to create the world these wealthy people want. Christie also notes that those new religions that crop up are just as tyrannical as the old religions they intend to replace. She points out that people thought communism was a great idea back in 1919, that science would be the answer to everything, that Freud’s theories would end human misery, the wonder drugs and radioactivity that help and hurt, the pollutions brought by new industrial discoveries, and more.
One of my joys in reading vintage or historical tales is the opportunity to learn of that time period’s culture and manners. And it’s both sad and fun to listen to Matilda bemoan the changes, what with the grocer turning into a supermarket, that politicians need to have a little gaiety to them, her memories of morning and afternoon habits, and the changes government brings to wealth. I can certainly relate to some of what she says, as I experienced the change to England’s High Streets with supermarkets coming to town.
It’s a fascinating insight into Hitler’s rise to power, that he spoke so well that he persuaded others to his side. But that when you tried to analyze what he’d said, there was nothing there. It’s like Trump who keeps repeating the same things in the same speech and simply promotes hate. Like Hitler.
I have to like Shoreham, if only because he treasured Matilda’s ability to make him laugh and her commonsense, *grin*. Horsham and company like Nye because they believe he sees through the humbug, but then Christie muddles it up with contradictory statements. More muddling comes from the countess who has an interesting back history, which explains why she’s so useful in this role as well as the others she plays.
Christie’s hypothesis on the purpose of the drugs (because gaining wealth isn’t enough) to weed out the weak is interesting with science representing the new knowledge.
Okay, yeah, I liked the ending, but it was way too abrupt. I feel as though Christie cut out a chapter or two.
The Story
It starts with his bandit’s cloak, a great distraction when one is trying to slip through passport control.
It’s that unexpected twist in the passenger lounge at Frankfurt when a young woman confides in Sir Stafford Nye that someone is trying to kill her and then “steals” his identity.
Their paths cross again and again – and each time the mystery woman is introduced as a different person. Equally at home in any guise in any society, she draws Sir Stafford into a game of political intrigue more dangerous than he could possibly imagine.
In an arena where no-one can be sure of anyone, Nye must do battle with a well-armed, well-financed, well-trained – and invisible – enemy . . .
The Characters
Sir Stafford Nye, a.k.a. “Staffy” — the King’s Jester, is single, middle-aged, and a diplomat who’s not very successful in his career due to his need to make jokes in his life and his dress. Mrs Worrit is Nye’s housekkeeper/cook. Pamela is the sister who died some twenty years ago. Great-aunt Matilda, a.k.a. “Tilda” and that’s Lady Matilda Cleckheaton to you (her maiden name is Baldwen-White), is a great listener who hears more than you’d think. Amy Leatheran is Matilda’s assistant. The naughty but fun Sybil is one of Nye’s nieces. Nannie has troubles with Sybil. Horace had been a groom and has aged into place as Matilda’s chauffeur. The Hungarian Alexa had been a greats-something grandmother with a wild spirit.
Gordon Chetwynd presents well but is a fool and cheap. “A great one for making enemies in the wrong place.” Cedric Lazenby is the prime minister. The cautious Sir George Packham doesn’t do well at thinking. Leyland talks too much. Air Marshal Kenwood doesn’t trust politicians. Admiral Philip Blunt.
The committee of inquiry is behind-the-scenes attempting to find out who is pulling the strings and includes Henry Horsham and Colonel Pikeaway, who are in security and think well of Nye; Lord Altamount, who is an invalid with a great sense of honor who stands for England; Sir James Kleek, the son of one of Altamount’s oldest friends, is Altamount’s assistant; the useful “Mary Ann“, maid-of-all-work; the expensive but honest Mr Robinson is a money-man with his large yellow face, who lives in Stockbroker Tudor and prefers comfort to beauty; and, Colonel Munro.
Professor Robert “Robbie” Shoreham is an old and brilliant physicist friend of Matilda’s who abandoned Project B, a.k.a. Benvo, which has permanent effects. Lisa Neumann had been secretary and then assistant to Shoreham at the Leveson Foundation. Janet Ellis, who took over from Miss Bude, is the current on-call nurse for Shoreham. Leadenthal had been one of Robbie’s assistants. Dr McCulloch is Shoreman’s medico. I love Shoreham’s assessment of the “shock treatment”.
Professor John Gottlieb is with the Baker Foundation in Austin, Texas, and regrets the loss of Shoreham. Profess on the bottomor Eckstein may be brilliant as Britain’s top scientist, but he’s rather useless in this crisis.
Eric Pugh, a boring but faithful friend of Nye’s, has a knack for knowing things. Lady Lucy Cleghorn is interested in floral rarities. Daphne Theodofanous is supposed to be on the flight to Geneva. Sidney Cook, a passenger to South Africa, has a message waiting. Joan is a little girl who wants that panda. The vicar by Aunt Matilda is too sympathetic, keeping on that hideous organist. Winterton thinks Nye’s been up to something. Old Lord Gampion and Geoffrey Gouldman had to sell some of their paintings. The Reverend McGill, a Baptist minister, has a touch of hell fire about him. Sir John and Lady Aldborough, Frau von Roken, the uninteresting Mr and Mrs Staggenham (he’s the Minister of Social Security and president of PBF), Countess Renata Zerkowski, Signor Gasparo, Count Reitner, and Mr and Mrs Arbuthnot are guests at Milly Jean’s dinner party. Mildred “Milly Jean” Cortman is the extremely wealthy wife of the American ambassador, Sam Cortman. Dr Donaldson is Matilda’s “young” doctor. Elsa, another schoolmate of Matilda and Charlotte’s, married a Bourbon de Parme. Oh well. Squadron Leader Andrews comes in handy.
M Grosjean is the president of France. M Poissonier is part of the French government while M Coin is the Minister for Home Affairs. The Marshal has been above the law of France for many years, and he’s inflated with his own worth. Signor Vitelli is with the Italian government and bemoaning that the military and the justice department is on the side of youth. Herr Heinrich Spiess is with the German government and brings Dr Reichardt, a doctor who specializes in the brain and has an important secret.
In Malaya
Mrs Nathaniel Edge is not a fool when it comes to plain facts . . . even if she does have bees in her bonnet.
The Ring (of evil) includes Erdic Olafsson in Sweden, an industrialist who deals in armaments; “Demetrios” of Smyrna deals in drugs; Dr Sarolensky in Colorado is a physicist-chemist; Big Charlotte; and, “Juanita“, who is said to be dangerous.
The Grand Duchy of Liechtenstolz
Grand Duke Ludwig built the schloss in 1790 and is where the ENORMOUS and incredibly wealthy Gräfin Charlotte von Waldsausen née Krapp, a.k.a. Big Charlotte, a school friend of Matilda’s, now lives. Charlotte was once in love with the countess’ grandfather. Her mother was Big Belinda. Franz Joseph is the Young Siegfried, the son of Adolf Hitler and a blonde Englishwoman.
Petronella and Stephen both lead their particular crowds in this Revolution of Youth. The armed Youth Power troops hold large parts of the country. Chicago is under martial law. The Germans are experiencing a rise in Neo-Fascism, calling themselves the Super-Aryans. Much like us in America today. Clifford Bent and Roderick Ketelly are friends; one is the son of an oil king and another has an uncle who owns a chain of restaurants. Jim Brewster, another friend, is perpetually suspicious.
The Order of the Death’s Head was an SS organization under Hitler. Today, it’s practically Charlotte’s religion, as she hopes to gain masterhood through suffering and violence. Martin B (I’m assuming Christie means Martin Bormann) is part of Reichardt’s story. Karl Aguileros is the son of an Argentinian carpenter and a good-looking, blonde, German opera singer.
Crooked men include Charleston, Conway, and Courtfold.
The Cover and Title
The cover is split between a green teal top and the bottom is the brown of a suitcase with green bands for the brown strapping on the ends. An info blurb in black is at the very top. A leather handle pops up from the luggage to underline the author’s name (in white) against the teal background. I do like the luggage tag with Sir Stafford’s name on it, lol. The title is in yellow at the bottom.
The title is that initial encounter, the Passenger to Frankfurt.
