A random journey with Passenger to Frankfurt

I love starting my year with an Agatha Christie. They’re short, easy reading which is perfect for a summer holiday. This year, I took a journey with Passenger to Frankfurt and I have to say, it was a rather random book from this well known author. This marks book number one of my 2024 reading challenge.

Plot summary

Stafford Nye is an unorthodox member of the Home Office, who has missed out on promotions. He has too much of a sense of humour, and his colleagues don’t think him ‘sound’. But his rather boring life is changed when he meets a young woman at an airport on the way to Frankfurt. She begs him to let her take his passport and use it to escape certain death. Knowing nothing about her, Stafford agrees. This sets off a chain of events that leads Stafford to the heart of a plot to take over the world. But can this mysterious woman really be trusted?

A random premise that felt lost

I have to say that this isn’t the best Christie. Written in 1970, she introduces the book by saying that she has pulled the general premise from newspaper stories she was reading at the time. The general story line is that there is a wave of crime and violence being perpetrated by ‘youth’. These young people have been conned into running after violence and a new world order by wealthy, twisted people who hide themselves in secrecy. The plot is driven by a slightly updated version of Hitler’s vision of an Aryan race.

The 1970s were certainly a time of upheaval, with riots from students being a notable part of it. However, I find it hard to really get into this plot. It felt too far-fetched to me. Perhaps there was also a sense of an older person who couldn’t understand the young generation deciding that they must all be deluded fascists. I’m not sure if that’s really her motive. It could be that if I was reading it in 1970, I would feel that it was much more believable journey.

A disappointing ending to this journey

While I have reservations about the premise, could have been a very exciting and enjoyable spy thriller. However, there was too little explanation of the story. What were Stafford Nye and the mystery woman looking for? How did they find it? What was the result of the professor’s experiment? None of these are sufficiently explained. I hate to say it, but it felt badly written. As if she wasn’t quite sure how to explain or build on this spy narrative.

There is also a very out of the blue romantic conclusion. I don’t mind it. But there’s no build up at all. You are left feeling unsatisfied by the main plot, and then suddenly discover a wedding has been arranged. Odd.

In the end, this is not my favourite Christie. I had a similar feeling with The Big Four. Perhaps spy thrillers just weren’t her forte. But at least her murder mysteries are always a good time!