Beyond the Bookshelf: Partners in Crime

Agatha Christie is best known, of course, for the mysteries of her two most famous sleuths, Hercule Poirot and the irrepressible Miss Marple. In fact, however, her own favorite recurring heroes were the couple of Tommy and Tuppence.

Against the backdrop of the 1950s and the Cold War, the Beresfords are a comfortably off, suburban young couple, who seem ill-suited for sleuthing. Tommy (David Walliams) would rather throw his energies into entrepreneurial schemes—such as beekeeping and wholesaling wigs—but the far more bored and daring Tuppence (Jessica Raine) keeps dragging him into one adventure after another.
Now, Acorn Media has released a 2-disc set of their escapades that are rightly described by UK media as “stylish” and “sparkling.” In these new BBC adaptations of two Christie novels, the Beresfords get caught up in spy-craft, with Soviet hit men, stolen atom bombs and such.
It’s international espionage that’s afoot—largely thanks to Tommy’s uncle, Carter (James Fleet), who is an enigmatic senior in British intelligence, and repeatedly manages to ensare his nephew.
There is more humor and more action in the stories of Tommy and Tuppence than in Agatha Christie’s novels of Poirot and Miss Marple—sometimes downright melodrama. Christie’s deft touch with plot and character, however, are unmistakable. For Christie fans, Partners in Crime offers a both a change of pace and the comfortably familiar. British mystery fans that haven’t been introduced to Tommy and Tuppence are in for a real treat.

DVD: Partners in Crime starring David Walliams and Jessica Raine. RLJ Entertainment, 6 episodes on 2 discs, approximately 335 minutes.

For the Best of British Eating: The Good Food Guide 2016

From Port Isaac to Scrabster, The Good Food Guide reviews more than 1,200 eating emporiums every year across Britain. The best-selling restaurant guide in the UK is now in its 65th year; for many the Guide has become an indispensible companion to the British dining scene, not only in London and principal cities, but market towns and villages as well.

Entertaining reviews offer tips on best dishes, good values and exceptional wines in meaningful, colorful narratives. Entries offer complete contact information, a guide to price range and a rating of their cooking on a scale of 1-10. A perfect 10 in the Guide is a recognized accolade for any British chef. On a scale where a 3 indicates a worthy dining destination, there aren’t many of those given.

Unlike many such dining guides, every year The Good Food Guide is compiled from scratch, and all inspections are done anonymously. All entries are fully indexed, and there is an atlas of clear maps showing the locations of all the reviewed cafes, pubs and restaurants.

For foodies, The Good Food Guide can certainly enhance your travel experience, and may even offer meaning and purpose to your itinerary. Whether you want to find the best in modern British cuisine, French classics, exceptional pub grub, Iberian tapas, seafood or great Indian curries, there is no more useful handbook.