This novel is an early Christie creation that follows the adventures of Anne Beddingfeld from England to Africa as she tries to solve a murder that turns into a case of international espionage. Anne was a dutiful daughter while her anthropologist father was alive, but once he was deceased, her impulsive, emotional personality was unleashed. Her energetic character kept the action flowing, although a few too many coincidences flung the story into the realm of disbelief.

What I loved about the book was the 1920s ambience. Ocean liners to exotic destinations are always fun, especially when you don't know who is a villain and who to trust. Christie also did a wonderful job in keeping me guessing to the very end, so I found the story to have plenty of entertainment value.