An interesting and extremely entertaining take on Agatha Christie’s 11-day disappearance! The story is told from the perspective of Nan O’Dea (AKA Nancy Neele) who is Agatha’s husband, Archie’s mistress. The book starts slowly at first but builds in intensity and soon draws the reader in. Nan often directly addresses the reader and just when it seems strange that she would know details about events that she has no first-hand knowledge of, the author covers this by having Nan explain that she obtained the information later directly from Agatha, Archie and Detective Chilton.
The book proceeds with a day to day accounting of Agatha’s disappearance interspersed with Nan’s tragic backstory. The author gives us a completely unbelievable account of the disappearance which actually did take place but since details were never released, imaginations can go anywhere. In this version of the story, Nan and Agatha end up in the same village and events unfold that make the book hard to put down.
Nan and Agatha do encounter one another in the village and both are involved in side stories involving murder, romance and revenge. Everything comes together in a satisfying conclusion with just a hint of continued mystery.
The story is certainly unbelievable but extremely entertaining and imaginative. I will look forward to reading more by this creative author.

This was an original and entertaining mystery, with well-drawn characters and an interesting plot. Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Behind Agatha Christie’s disappearance in 1925 is a mystery. And behind that mystery is an affair. Her husband’s mistress, Nan O’Dea tells us the story.

As a mystery, this one was pretty good. You aren’t just looking into Agatha Christie’s disappearance, but there are some deaths along the way that unfold mystery upon mystery. I think I would have enjoyed this more if it was a complete fiction, instead of based on a real life event. I had a problem with the lines being blurred on what really happened and what was fictionalized. I was hoping for an afterword that explained this. Overall, it was still an entertaining and worthwhile read.

“The age of disappearing women. It has been going on forever. Thousands of us vanished, with not a single police officer searching. Not a word from the newspapers. Only our long absences and quiet returns. If we ever returned at all.”

The Christie Affair comes out 2/1.

This was such a fun book. I'm not always a huge fan of historical fiction, but I do love it when an author offers her own take on a historical mystery. Such is the case in The Christie Affair, which attempts to fill in the 11 day gap in which Agatha Christie seemingly disappeared and showed up in a hotel room with no recollection of what happened.
I've always been fascinated by that particular scenario, and this was a really captivating and twisty version of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, though the ending wasn't my favorite part.

You MUST go into this book without any wrong preconceived notions. For it is definitely not really a book about what Agatha Christie was doing while she was missing.

Instead, go into this book looking for an emotionally driven story about Nan O'Dea, the woman Agatha's husband left her for, who is the primary voice of the story. However, Agatha does play a part, so you won't be entirely disappointed if that was what you were looking for.

If you are wanting a story about loss and love, a little bit about a mystery, and a somewhat happy ending (no spoilers here as the true history of what happens to Agatha and Archie and Nan is well documented), you will not be disappointed. I grew to love the book more as I read it - to be fair it took me nearly half the book to really figure out what it was about, and to feel invested, but once I hit that mark the rest of the story flew by.

4 solid stars for great writing by the author. I would recommend it as the emotionally driven story that it is.

I received an ARC of this book as a reviewer for NetGalley.

Oh what a delightful book! It was a conundrum wrapped up in a mystery with historical fiction and romance. And what was truly amazing was that it could be all of those things successfully. This is a book that even Agatha would have enjoyed reading (well I hope so anyway). In the beginning I thought that Nan’s back story was just an introduction to her character and I maybe didn’t pay enough attention, which was a mistake because ultimately this is really all about Nan. And the author did a fabulous job rolling a really good story into the mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie - now that is creative. As the story develops and Chilton appears on the scene you get the feel of an Agatha Christie book, lots of characters all staying together with sudden deaths and things that are not quite what they seem. You can start to guess who the murderer is and tie up the loose ends but the solution stays just a little out of your grasp until that AH HA moment. I could nit pick a little with the change from Nan’s narration of events she was involved in to conversations that she would have no way of knowing what was said, but this is a minor detail and necessary to carry the story along. I received an ARC from the publisher St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley and I appreciate the opportunity to read this intriguing book.

I really enjoyed reading this book because I am so fascinated by the disappearance of Agatha Christie. I think the multiple POV’s was a great choice by the author because it moved the story along and you were able to read about the different thoughts of characters. I wouldn’t give this book a 5 star rating but it’s a solid 4. If you’re a mystery lover and even a conspiracy lover, I feel like you’d really love this.

In 1926 Agatha Christie famously went missing for 11 days; after resurfacing she maintained that she had no memory of what happened. This novel offers a twisty story of her disappearance and how it is tangled up with that of the women her husband was leaving her for. Told from the perspective of the mistress (Nan) the
story alternates from the days during Agatha's disappearance to Nan’s childhood/personal history.
Upon learning that her husband is leaving her for another woman, Agatha packs up her typewriter and leaves her home. When she fails to return a nation-wide manhunt ensues. Nan also leaves for the country to avoid any related scandal. Eventually inspector Chilton discovers both women and becomes ensnared in the drama.
I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t know what to expect with it being from the point of view of the mistress, however it really worked well. I loved that he story was about the complicated relationship between the women and not so much about the affair. In the classic style of Agatha Christie herself there are many plot-twists and all the seemingly unrelated people and events tie up perfectly in the end.
This is a great read to curl up with on a cozy evening! Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Many people have tried to figure out just what Agatha Christie did for a week when she disappeared. This book gives us another fictionalized theory, and it is an good story. There are some truly great parts of the story, and then there are some parts that just didn't work for me at all.

Agatha Christie's husband is leaving her for his mistress. She is distraught, and decides to go away, go anywhere, to lick her wounds and do some writing. She wrecks her car, and the police get involved, tearing her husband away from his weekend with his mistress. He regrets what he has done, but the end result (their divorce, his next marriage) is never is doubt. No one can find her and can't figure out what happened to her after she wrecked her car. Her trail just disappears.

The main narrator of the book is the mistress, soon to be the next Mrs. Christie, and she makes clear from the beginning that she does marry Mr. Christie, and that while she knows what happened to Agatha, it is a story she didn't share until now, out of respect for Agatha.

What worked: seeing Agatha as a person, not just a celebrity author; her decisions throughout the book; the relationships between people in the story.

What didn't work: the new Mrs. Christie's motives (without giving spoilers, it's hard to describe, but while I understand her primary motive, it seems there would be other ways to achieve her goal).

I liked the multiple narrators (you also hear from Agatha, the police officer and other important characters), and it helped move the story along. The ending is sweet, which is a good way to end this book, even if it feels a bit improbable!

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this novel.

This book was very interesting. I really enjoyed it. I had a little trouble occasionally thinking the story was being told by someone other than Nan, but usually I quickly got it. Lots of twists and surprises and great character development. Highly recommend. (I don’t give 5 stars unless it’s truly exceptional, but this is a solid 4.5)

After reading The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict, I was curious what more could be said about Agatha Christie's 11 day disappearance. This book is written from the perspective of Archie Christie's mistress, Nan O'Dea. Since the world does not know what really happened to Christie during those 11 days, author Nina De Gramont used her imagination to craft a story that is certainly plausible and entertaining. For another voice on the Christie missing days, I would highly recommend this book.

Who doesn't love a good Agatha Christie mystery? What about one starring the author herself!? Back in December of 1926 Ms. Christie disappeared for eleven days. This story is a reimagining of that time. Was it the soon to be ex-husband, Colonel Christie? Or was something more malevolent at play? Even though the book is fiction some of the people mentioned inside are very real and that added a bit of authenticity to the story and kept me interested. I liked that this book was unique in the fact that it was from the mistresses point of view and of course the fact that Agatha couldn't remember where she was for those eleven days because of "amnesia" really threw a spanner into the investigation and one thing is for sure, we will never find out what really happened over those eleven days.

I love when a historical fiction story is mixed with a mystery! This gave me a The Mystery of Mrs. Christie vibes! This story was told in the point of view of Agatha Christie's husband's mistress. The thrill completes the story! With its twists and turns, the page keeps turning. I am highly recommending this book to anyone who loves Agatha Christie and historical fiction fanatics!!

Agatha Christie. Probably the most revered female mystery writer to date. Everyone with an interest in her life knows that she disappeared for eleven days at one point. She gave no explanation, no one knew where she had been, and to this day it is unexplained. However, this wonderful tale takes that information and creates a terrific story of an affair, a scorned wife and an unapologetic mistress. A really great read. I will definitely revisit this book in the future!
Thanks to NetGalley for providing this copy in exchange for my unpaid, honest review.,

Never underestimate a mother’s love…

Nan O’Dea tells this captivating tale in her own words. She doesn’t sugarcoat the fact she almost killed a woman or that she planned the affair she’s now having with Agatha Christie’s husband. Her intent? To end their marriage, so she can become the next Mrs. Christie, but not for the reasons you may think.

Subjugation of women’s rights in the 1920s meant pregnancy out of wedlock was a horrific sin and must be kept hidden at all costs.

When Nan finds herself pregnant with the love of her life’s baby, and afraid of her father’s reaction, she makes her way to Ireland, sure that he will marry her and all will be well. But instead, she finds him on his deathbed. The parents ship her off to a convent for unwed mothers and that’s where the horror truly begins.

Years later, Nan is on a mission and the only one standing in her way is Agatha. Then the author goes missing and all of England is in an uproar.

This story is based on true events on Agatha’s disappearance and the ensuing manhunt. I was shocked by the cruelty shown by the nuns and priest, though there’s been proof of it over the years.

Nan is incredibly strong, considering all she’s been through, but I don’t agree with her final decision. I’ll let you read the book to find out what that is. Archie didn’t deserve to have either woman in his life- he’s a creep who thinks with his little head instead of listening to his heart.

I felt the most sorry for Finbarr, who loved Nan and only wanted to make her happy. This is one of those books that doesn’t end with a happy-ever-after. Instead, it leaves the reader with an aching heart and a sadness for lost loves.

“I voluntarily read an ARC of this book which was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.”

“The Christie Affair”, and by ‘Christie’ I mean ‘Agatha Christie’ could have been written by Dame Agatha herself. However, Nina De Gramont is the author of this superb mystery that will delight all readers, and especially fans of Agatha Christie.

Ms. Christie’s writings featured memorable continuing characters, who were well-placed in their time and settings and her plots were creative and relied on psychology. Author De Gramont has created a story that reflects all of the strengths of a Christie mystery. So what’s the book about?

The story is told by Nan O’Dea and takes place from just before World War I through 1926 and is set in Ireland and England. She is the mistress of Agatha’s husband, Archie, and soon to become his wife. (Yes, Agatha herself is front and center in this story.) On the evening of December 3, 1926, Agatha Christie drives away from her lovely home in the Berkshire’s and will not be seen again for 11 days. Although this is early in her writing career when she is not that well known, the mystery of her disappearance becomes national and international news. And her disappearance, which really occurred, has never been solved.

Author de Gramont has created a plausible solution to the mystery of Agatha’s disappearance with a spectacular swirl of a mystery, a la Christie. A troubled, but solid constable, and Nan, the character with a heartbreaking past, join a cast of English and Irish characters that would be at home in any Christie novel, at a Yorkshire spa. Murder ensues.

The twist and turns and lovely writing6 will keep any reader in his/her armchair. Each character is fresh and fascinating. The proper English lifestyle between the world wars is beautifully created.

“The Christie Affair” is destined to be a popular book and is at the top of my favorites list. Agatha Christie’s books sales total 4 billion. “The Christie Affair” deserves to do as well.

There have multiple factionalized and investigative stories about Agatha Christie’s 11 day disappearance in 1926 (at least 6 books, 2 films, a fairly recent NY Times article) so it seems there are fewer ways to approach a nearly 100 year old mystery. I am still waiting for the one that will be told via Twitter, Reddit, Tik Tok and a true crime podcast. Nina de Gramont’s twist is a story told by Archie Christie’s mistress. It’s been generally surmised that Agatha took off in an emotional state, seething about her husband’s affair, and whether totally planned or falling into an amnesia-like “fugue” state, the premise that Archie’s callousness played a role isn’t usually disputed.

Yet, this is a story about Archie’s mistress and how she got to the point in time that played a significant highlight in one of the greatest mystery writers of all time’s biography.

In a way, the story is similar to the imaginings of hidden historical trivia (why is the Mona Lisa smiling and where did the Girl with a Pearl Earring get her jewelry?). Who was the femme fatale who lured Archie away from Agatha?And why?

Nan (who we know early on will be Mrs. Christie #2) is devious and seemingly self-aware of her cruelty to her lover’s wife, and she begs us to consider her past before she was a “home wrecker”. We do get a sympathetic portrayal of the life Nan led early on and what possibly led to her present motivations.

I was a tad bothered by the narration — it’s totally Nan’s story, but there are long stretches where she’s telling us what Agatha was doing and thinking, so you do wonder how can we know if those parts are true or wholly imagined? In the back of mind I always wondered if Nan was some unreliable narrator. The book is divided clearly into “Here Lies Sister Mary” (Nan’s backstory) and “The Disappearance” which is mostly Agatha’s story. I’m not sure how I would have restructured it. The author, in fact, tries to address why we should trust Nan’s intrepetation of Agatha’s story, but it felt weak. I eventually got used to it, but when Agatha’s solo thoughts and actions were mentioned, I would often be re-annoyed and questioning the narrator.

The plot was very original and had an unexpected twist that redeemed the narration structure somewhat for me. If not for that, I’d have rated the book higher. 3.5 stars.

So you want more takes on the disappearance of Agatha Christie? Consider any of these:
Film “Agatha” (with Dustin Hoffman, Vanessa Redgrave, and Timothy Dalton) 1979 based on the 1978 book “Agatha” by Kathleen Tynan
“Agatha Christie and the Eleven Missing Days” by Jared Cole 1998
“Agatha Christie: The Finished Portrait” by Andrew Norman 2006
“The Woman on the Orient Express” by Lindsay Jayne Ashford 2016
“A Talent for Murder” by Andrew Wilson 2017 (4 book series)
PBS series “Agatha and the Truth of Murder” 2018
NY Times article “When the World’s Most Famous Mystery Writer Vanished” by Tina Jordan 2019
“The Mystery of Mrs Christie” by Anna Benedict 2020

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES That’s the protaganist’s sister Colleenand Mum have green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO. Beyond describing green hills, no horticultural crimes were committed

Historical fiction that looks at what might have happened in the 11 days Agatha Christie disappeared. The story is told by Agatha’s husband’s mistress. The reader is confronted with post traumatic stress from the Great War, consequences of unwed mothers during this time, and the differences between the wealthy and the poor. Great characters and I enjoyed the special relationships between the characters. Surprises abound.

I have mixed feelings about The Christie Affair. I love the idea behind it, and the first few chapters really captivated me.

At first, the perspective of Archie Christie's mistress was very compelling. However, as the book continued, I started to lose interest. The additional narratives, including Nan's flashbacks, kept the plot from moving forward. The story and timeline started to feel muddled. While Nan's perspective was initially interesting, I wanted to hear more about Agatha.

There's a lot to love here, especially the vivid 1920s setting, but I wish the plot was more focused.

The reason for Agatha Christie’s real-life eleven day disappearance in 1926 has never been revealed. “The Christie Affair” by Nina de Gramont is a fictionalized account of what took place as told by Nan O’Dea, the mistress of Agatha’s husband, Archie Christie.

As Nan’s story unfolds, we come to understand her reasons for wanting to marry Archie and the many interesting twists and turns in her life. This is cleverly revealed and the reader finds themselves in an engaging mystery more complicated and intriguing than Agatha’s disappearance.

The book brought to life the emotional heartbreaks from a period of time during and after WWI, the hardships for those living in England and Ireland, and the long term trauma of war on all concerned.

I enjoyed this book and thank Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.