The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie, 1929

 

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Series: Superintendent Battle #2 (of 5)

 

Major characters:

• Jimmy Thesiger
• Gerald Wade, the late sleeper, victim #1
• Loraine Wade, his half-sister
• Bill Eversleigh
• Ronny Devereux, victim #2
• Lord Caterham, owner of Chimneys
• Lady Eileen Brent, "Bundle", Lord Caterham's daughter
• Tredwell, butler
• MacDonald, gardener
• Sir Oswald and Lady Marie Coote, renters of Chimneys
• Rupert Bateman, Sir Oswald's secretary
• George Lomax, "Codders", a cabinet minister

Locale: near London

Synopsis: Gerry Wade was known for sleeping late. At a country house party hosted by Sir Oswald and Lady Maria Coote, Wade's friends decide to play a trick on him and stash eight alarm clocks around his bedroom. He fails to rise in the morning, and is found dead. Seven of the clocks have been lined up on the mantle, and the eighth is found outside on the lawn.

Jimmy Thesinger (Gerry's friend ), Loraine Wade (Gerry's half-sister) , and Lady Eileen Brent, a.k.a. "Bundle" (daughter of the country house owners) team up to try and find the murderer. Bundle is driving to London and thinks she has hit a man (Ronny Devereux) but investigation shows he was shot. 

Several mentions of 'Seven Dials' lead the investigation to the Seven Dials Club in the district of the same name. Bundle locates a secret meeting room in the club, and infiltrates the secret Seven Dials Society; in which the seven members disguise their identity by wearing clock face masks, each set to a different number.

Review: A thoroughly enjoyable and fast-moving tale, with Bundle as the take-charge star investigator. There are lots of humorous episodes, including elderly George Lomax's repeated marriage proposals to Bundle; and the time she feigned unconsciousness and just relished listening to everyone being concerned as they hovered over her. It was fun trying to match up the members of the Society (known only as numbers 1-7) with their real identities, and of course, the big reveal of the true nature of the Society. Agatha had a bit of fun leading the reader off in several directions - such as does Seven Dials refer to the seven clocks on the mantle, the London district, the club in the district, or the seven dial masks on the Society members? Sevens and dials abound throughout.

You may also enjoy this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block.