This book was not what I was expecting. I was expecting it to lean much more into the mystery side of Christie's disappearance. But instead, it focuses on this other story that weaves into Christie's disappearance. Christie felt like an afterthought. Like the writer was forced to write about her disappearance and instead took a story she's always wanted to tell and jammed it into those historical events.

There were portions of this that had a very compelling story of this other woman. I really did enjoy some of the twists and turns that it took. But was Christie's disappearance the right framework for this story? It felt like she put it there to sell books rather than serve the story. 🤷‍♀️

This book was not for me. I have read many of Agatha Christies book and thought this was an interesting premise, but I just couldn't get into the book.

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Title: The Christie Affair
Author: Nina de Gramont
Narrated by: Lucy Scott
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Length: Approximately10 hours and 23 minutes
Source: Review Copy from NetGalley. Thank-you!

Where did Agatha Christie go when she disappeared for eleven days in 1926? What books have you read recently with Irish characters or settings?

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont is the Brenda Novak Book Group selection for March. I am looking forward to the meeting and interview with the author next week.

The Christie Affair takes place during the eleven days that Agatha Christie disappeared in 1926. I thought this book was about Agatha Christie, but it is actually about Nan O’Dea. Nan O’Dea is Archie Christie’s mistress, and she narrates the novel. Why would Nan want to marry an already married man? The novel goes back and forth between the past that brought Nan to this point and where Agatha and Nan end up during the disappearance.

This ended up being a good book for March as much of Nan’s past story was set in Ireland. She had a great love, Finbarr who fought in the first World War. She became pregnant with his child after his return from war. As he is struck down with the flu epidemic, his parents take the unwed Nan to a convent to have her baby. It is a traumatic experience.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and the story was very engaging, especially once I let go of my preconceived notions that this was a book about Agatha Christie. It is historical fiction, but it is about real people. It fictionalizes the lives of two real women, which I don’t know how I feel about. I’m used to the story being true and the fiction part filling in the details. In this book, fiction is made up about both characters and Agatha’s daughter. I also wondered why everyone wanted Archie Christie. He had no redeeming qualities.

The best parts of the book were unraveling the mystery of Nan, why she would want Archie Christie, and the romance between her and Finbarr. The mysterious deaths at the spa and how it tied into everything were like an Agatha Christie novel.

Lucy Scott was an entertaining narrator of the audiobook that kept me engaged.

Overall, The Christie Affair was a good historical mystery about Archie Christie’s mistress.

This was a DNF at 56% for me. Whyyyy am I like this? Why do I struggle so hard with not finishing a book!? Is it because I feel like I’m going to miss one of the great ones? Maybe I think if I just keep going, I’ll end up loving it and be so happy I finished?! Ughhh the struggle is real.

Anyway, The Christie Affair sounded so fab! I couldn’t wait to listen to this one! I enjoyed the beginning quite a bit, but then the story just stalled for me and it could not hold my interest. I wasn’t invested in the characters and, quite frankly, I didn’t care what was happening or where the story was going. I gave it my all but ultimately this was a DNF for me. The narration was enjoyable though.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun read. It felt a little slow at the time, but all and all pretty entertaining. The story is told from the perspective of the woman who steals Agatha Christie"s husband and takes place during the days Agatha goes missing. The characters felt well developed, and I cared about them. The story keeps moving and keeps the reader engaged. Would recommend.

The Christie Affair is an imaginative telling of not only Agatha’s missing days but also the life of Archie’s mistress ‘Nan O’Dea’ and a pair of mysterious deaths that could have been plucked straight from one of Dame Christie’s novels. Told from Nan’s POV, I initially was annoyed with Nan (I mean, she IS the other woman!) but found a soft spot for her by the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the historical aspects, specifically the Magdalene Laundries - Roman Catholic institutions in Ireland where “fallen women” were housed. With well-developed characters and clever plot twists, The Christie Affair is a brilliantly creative story that will hold your attention from beginning to end and maybe make you wish that you could spend a few days in a posh British spa-town. Excellent to see some book recommendations in the Acknowledgments at the end which I’ve added to my TBR.

I absolutely loved this book! This is the story of the missing days of Agatha Christie, told from the perspective of the woman who stole her husband! But it's complicated... you won't end up hating the narrator. This was such a surprising and unique perspective, and it was absolutely brilliant. I loved both of the women in this book, and I was completely taken by surprise at the plot twist. I never saw it coming because I wasn't looking for it.

This novel is compelling, heartwarming, and kept me turning pages. I cared about the characters and couldn't wait to see what happened. The author did a fantastic job not only with character development but plotting, and the story was complex and riveting. I will definitely read more books by Nina de Gramont. This is a work that readers of historical fiction, mystery, and romance will enjoy. And it is a tale of loyalty and female friendship. Thank you to Netgalley for my advanced audio copy. The narrator did a fantastic job and added depth to the story. I loved this book!

I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I wasn't ready to like a side chick and understand why Nan went the lengths she did. Her final trip to Ireland was heartbreaking. It reminds me of the fact this happened to thousands of women around the world. Also, if we are not careful, history can repeat itself. So while not in my usual genre, I recommend!

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Pretty cool book! if there are more books like this i would love to read them, would buy.

The Christie Affair is a fictionalized speculation of what really happened during the 11 days in 1925 when Agatha Christie disappeared and then returned with no explanation.

This book was a slow starter for me, but that was because I have a strong aversion to infidelity and found Nan's perspective difficult to stomach until I knew the character better. The story pace picks up and turns into a real Christie-esqe tale of ensemble characters, a hotel, and murder. So fun! The perspective ping-pongs between Nan and Agatha, mostly, with a couple of others thrown in. Nan's tale was drawn out a bit too long and could've been condensed, but this opinion may be affected by my anti-infidelity bias. There was a bit of suspense to the book, but not the kind of suspense that makes me stressed out until I know what happens so it was enjoyable. This was an interesting and imaginative take on what may have happened during Christie's still mysterious disappearance.

I really enjoyed the narration and would listen to her again.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio version of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third fictional account of Agatha Christie’s 11 day disappearance in December of 1926 that I have read. This being said, the author managed a rather unique story - more fiction based than historical fiction. The characters are loosely based on real persons.
What really made this book stand out was the fact that she took a very different viewpoint - that of the mistress. There were similarities to the other books, such as maintaining the timeline, the main event leading up to Agatha’s disappearance - her husband’s request for a divorce so that he can marry his mistress and his wanting it to be secret to protect her.
Where the author managed to make this story entirely her own was in the narration. At times, it was very difficult to feel anything other than anger towards Nan. I found her very selfish and self-serving. It was hard to put yourself into her shoes for most of the book. I found myself wanting to stop reading about two-thirds of the way through. However, I powered on and have zero regrets. So, if you find yourself feeling the way that I did, keep reading!
The author did a very good job of giving you Nan’s complete motive, while being completely delusional, is very understandable from her perspective. The story comes full circle and left me feeling quite satisfied in the end.
The narration by Lucy Scott was very well done - pleasant to listen to and her narration lent well to the intrigue.

When I first saw this book come across my page, I knew I had to read this suspenseful book about the queen of suspense, Agatha Christie! I've known little of her story, and really enjoyed hearing more about it, even through a work of fiction.
I listened to the audiobook version and while the narrator helped bring the story to life, I feel as if I missed a bit of the narrative and details. Told from the perspective of Mr. Christie's mistress, The Christie Affair documents her backstory, her relationship with the Christies, and the 11 day disappearance of Agatha herself. Having never known this before, it was a very interesting listen that left me wanting to investigate more.
While I did enjoy the audiobook, I think I will likely read the physical book at some point to really get a good grip of the story.
I do recommend The Christie Affair and I look forward to more from author Nina de Gramont.
Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and auther Nina de Gramont for the advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review!

Reviews being published to Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon* and B&N*.

*awaiting approval

This book is less about Agatha Christie and more about Nan O’Dea, Agatha’s husband’s paramour. I imagine things were handled in a different way in the mid-1920s. I know I would not have reacted as Agatha did when finding out her husband was leaving her for another woman. In fact, I DIDN’T respond that way when my husband did the same thing! The author has done an excellent job of weaving a fictional tale surrounding Agatha Christie’s mysterious disappearance.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Loved the narrator's voice here - she brought variance and emotion to each character without going crazy overboard. This was an absolute delight listening. The writing was vivid and atmospheric, and I was engaged by both the characters and the plot. The settings ring with authenticity. After an earlier reading of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, this was a fascinating flip to the perspective. Alternately poignant and satisfying, I highly recommend for those who like historical fiction!

A rather interesting imagining of what might have taken place during those mysterious days when famed author Agatha Christie simply disappeared without a trace.

Contains mature scenes. Of course, the plot is entirely based on Archie Christie having an affair, and how this mistress became entangled in Agatha's disappearing act. It all does play out in a rather captivating way.

The audiobook is put together very well. Excellent narrator. Enjoyed the listening experience.

Recommended for: Adults
Suitable for: Ages 16 and up

I really wanted to like this one but it just didn't do it for me. The narrator was good but that was about the only thing that kept me engaged with the story. I found it extremely dull and boring the majority of the time. I was hoping for an exciting, interesting story about Agatha's disappearance but ended up disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

Some how this book didn't really engage me. I think it was partly because the storyline was of the type that goes along two timelines, and develops toward a conclusion where the two merge. I personally am not a fan of this type of writing, though it seems to be very common, and popular, these days. I also was not fond of the dialogue going down paths of the character's thoughts and what-ifs and if-onlys. It was as if the narrator was in the mind of each of the characters and it was sometimes confusing to tell what was real and what was not. Maybe that was the point. It did have a very Agatha Christie ending. It was an okay read for me, and I predict it will do well among the masses. I'm glad I read it.

I know a book is going to be good when it begins like this:

“A long time ago, in another country, I nearly killed a woman. It’s a particular feeling, the urge to murder. It takes over your body so completely, it’s like a divine force, grabbing hold of your will, your limbs, your psyche. There’s a joy to it. In retrospect, it’s frightening, but I daresay in the moment it feels sweet. The way justice feels sweet.”

Part mystery, part biographical fiction, The Christie Affair is a clever, mesmerizing read written by a talented novelist. Nina de Gramont brilliantly weaves together two storylines, that of Agatha Christie, and the backstory of her husband’s mistress, Nan O’Dea. I read the book and listened to the audiobook. Both were splendid. 4.5 stars.

Synopsis:

The Christie Affair is a reimagining of one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century. At 9:30 pm on December 3, 1926, English crime novelist Agatha Christie kissed her sleeping seven-year-old daughter, Rosalind, goodnight and then she climbed into her car and drove off into the night. She would not be seen again for 11 days. More than a thousand police officers, hundreds of civilians, and even airplanes searched for her. Rumors circulated that she had either committed suicide, been murdered by her philandering husband, or disappeared as a publicity stunt to promote her new book. Christie never spoke about the missing eleven days of her life

Published Date: February 1, 2022
Genre: Biographical fiction, historical fiction, historical mystery
Read-alikes: The Seven Husbands or Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline, Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict.

Told partly from the voice of the other woman, Agatha Christie, and Archie, we get another fictionalized account of the biggest mystery Agatha Christie wrote, that of her own disappearance. Perhaps it's the enduring legacy of Agatha Christie and the loyalty I feel to the amazing books she wrote, but I couldn’t help but asking myself, “Do I really want to know, fictionalized or not, about the mistress that helped to tear the Christie’s marriage apart? This very fictionalized account that as far as I know has no hint of reality to the real mistress takes you on a journey through timelines to discover what it is that makes people do what they do. I listened to the audiobook and while the narrator did a good job of changing her voice to represent different characters, I found it difficult to follow because of the amount of characters in each of the time period storylines. If you want a story about the motivations that complicate lives and love then this may be a book you want to check out. I couldn’t finish but am glad I tried it out. Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of the audiobook for an honest review.