The concept of this book was unique to me but it fell flat. The narrator did a good job distinguishing between characters though. For me the story was just really slow. Not terrible, but not quick get into. Historical fiction fans may like the details provided though. I loved the little clothing, buildings, decorations, and time period descriptive text.

I really like #ThisChristieAffair. I thought the character were well written and I was curious where they were going to end up. Bravo to #NinaGramont for writing this story. I enjoyed listening to #LucyScott. A very fine narrator. Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillianAudio for giving me the chance to listen to this one. I will be suggesting this book tomy friends and family.

I was intrigued by this title because it reminded me of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie.

I will say, I did like the route this story took because it gave a fictional imagining of where Agatha Christie was and what she was doing during her disappearance.
The low rating though is due to the extremely dull and slow pace of the novel. This really centered around the mistress of Mr. Christie and the woman he was leaving Agatha for.
But there were a lot of secrets and ulterior motives behind the seemingly simple situation.

I give it credit for creativity, but the execution nearly caused me to DNF this novel.

Boy, do I have extremely mixed feelings on this one. If I had the option, I would give it “?” out 5 stars.
I went into this cautiously. I'm a big Agatha Christie fan. Going to Greenway (her home in the later part of her life) was one of the best things I did in my time in England. I've heard theories about her mysterious disappearance that range from "it was a mental breakdown" to that one episode of Doctor Who where a giant alien wasp is to blame. So, I was excited for a fun novel about her disappearance, but I don't always love historical fiction. And unfortunately, this book ended up reminding me why.
There’s a lot of things to like in this book. Nina de Gramont's writing is solid. I got the audiobook and there were lines I found myself repeating after I heard them because I just wasn't quite done with them. There's a fun little Agatha Christie style mystery tucked away in here. There are a lot of Easter eggs for Christie fans. For example, anyone who's read And Then There Were None will find the names Armstrong and Marston amusing. There's also Arabella (sp? again I had the audiobook so no idea how to spell anything) Oliver—a name that sounds a lot like Ariadne Oliver.
Best of all, there's an A++ Arthur Conan Doyle gag that had me cracking up multiple times. And it's based in fact! Arthur Conan Doyle did really think that he could find Agatha Christie, not by playing Sherlock Holmes as you might guess, but rather by consulting the spirits. He gave the spirits a pair of her gloves as though ethereal bloodhounds would catch her scent. They did not, it seems, as ACD concluded she had left the realm of the living just a day or two before she was found.
If the whole book had been like that, I would’ve had a great time. As it was, I spent a lot of the second half frustrated. (Note: I’ll try and make this as spoiler-free as I can, but you will learn a little about the plot here. No mystery spoilers at all! I wouldn’t do that to you).
So, Agatha isn’t the main character of this book. The main character is Nan, the woman Archie Christie leaves Agatha for at the start of the novel. The Nan we encounter is an extremely fictionalized version of the real Nancy Neele. Nan is the narrator throughout the whole novel, even when it’s in really, really close 3rd person of a different character. This might be an audiobook issue, the print copy might have some typeface-style solution to this, but there were really jarring moments where you’re in Archie Christie’s head and he’s thinking about Nan in 3rd person (“Nan should do xyz”) and then suddenly Nan swoops into Archie’s head as “I” and it’s very discombobulating.
The first point where this book made me go “oh no,” came at the very beginning. There is a fade-to-black sex scene featuring Agatha and Archie. I don’t want to be a prude here, but I think of Agatha Christie as the grandmotherly looking old lady she is in her author picture in the back of all the paperbacks. I don’t really want to think about her trying to use her sexiest outfit to win her husband back, thank you. Also, I just always find sex scenes about real people, even if they’ve been dead for years, just kind of embarrassing. I can’t help feeling that if you got in the Doctor’s TARDIS, went back to the 1920s and told Agatha Christie what someone would one day write about her she might need a fainting couch.
My real frustration with this novel is something I know a lot of people will love about it (and that’s fine! People like different things! Don’t let me rain on your parade). It’s a pregnancy story. Again. I really did not expect this from anything I read about the book. Agatha was not pregnant when she disappeared and was already a mother, so I was wholly unprepared for how big a deal pregnancy and motherhood, or lack thereof, is to the plot.
Obviously, motherhood is a big deal—especially back in a time when that was the main measure of a woman’s worth. But really, just once, I would like to pick up a work of historical fiction written by a woman with a female main character, where pregnancy doesn’t really come into it. I’m sure there must be some out there, but I’ve yet to find them (will happily take recs in the comments). Just once, I want to read about a woman from the past who does not wax rhapsodic about leaking breastmilk.
And oh my god does Nan wax rhapsodic about breastmilk. There were what felt like whole hours of this audiobook dedicated to her talking about how it felt to be pregnant, and how strong her love for the father is even when he’s nowhere to be found, and how unbreakable the bond between a mother and her baby is, and how they can always sense each other—and oh my god I just couldn’t take it anymore. About 70% of the way through the book I had to pause and go do something else because it was just too much. It was also so damningly unoriginal it gave me violent flashbacks to The Lost Apothecary, a novel I would like never to revisit.
I guess being pregnant makes navel gazing easier. I just really would like to read less about it.
But even the pregnancy plotline I’m a little torn about. In between the purple prose, there’s actually a really intense and heartbreaking story about being in one of the unspeakably cruel Catholic institutions for unwed mothers in Ireland just after World War I. It just didn’t get as much screen time as Motherhood Thoughts TM.
The end I obviously can’t say much about without spoilers, but I can say some characters make interesting and wild decisions I have trouble seeing any human make. I have twice as much trouble suspending disbelief when one of the characters doing bizarre things is supposed to be Agatha Christie.
In all, I think I like the giant alien wasp version of her disappearance better.

Note: I got an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. (And they definitely got one.)

I placed a request to read based on the cover and the synopsis. I don't repeat the synopsis or give spoilers. Also, I did have the audiobook.

This story is just not for me. I was disheartened upon seeing I was at 48%. I thought are you kidding me? How? What did I miss? I read the synopsis and realized I am fatigued mentally. With a heavy heart I will add, I'm bored and the narrator couldn't save this one.

The cover is beautiful and I like the time period. Also, I don't recall any profanity and that is absolutely appreciated. I do thank the author, Nina de Gramont, for finding other words and leaving open the option of responsibly playing the audio on a speaker.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for accepting my request to read and review The Christie Affair.

#NetGalley
#MacmillanAudio
#TheChristieAffair

Agatha Christie went missing for eleven days in 1926 and The Christie Affair details a theory of the story of her disappearance. Christie's husband, Archie, leaves her for his young mistress, Nan O'Dea who may not be all she seems.

I admittedly do not know much about Agatha Christie's life. I enjoy her novels and had heard of her disappearance, but I have no idea how much of this story is true and how much is fiction. That said, I don't really care. I thought it was a deliciously good mystery all the same.

I really liked the character of Nan and enjoyed getting to know her in hints and guesses through the chapters. She was such a complex character and I didn't really know what her motivation was until the very end. The author really kept me guessing.

Nan, in addition to being mixed up with the Christies and being the quintessential gold digger, may somehow be connected to a murder that takes place at the spa where she is enjoying a holiday. Nan just has a lot going on and she's hard to figure out on a lot of levels.

I really enjoy a good twisty mystery so I could not put this one down. I listened to the audiobook version and the narration and sound quality were great. Highly recommend.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this advance reader copy. This is my unbiased, honest review.

Reminiscent of a Marie Benedict historical fiction, The Christie Affair is fictional account of the disappearance of Agatha Christie as told by her husband's mistress. This tale was as much fun as the movie made about the event, full of intrigue and mystery and a surprisingly likable narrator. Nan O'Day has her own reasons for breaking up the marriage of Archie and Agatha Christie, and they aren't what you'd think. Nan reminisces about her traumatic past and lost loves and ties that in with the disappearance of the famous writer. A fun and quick historical fiction, with a touch of mystery thrown in for good measure.

I enjoyed the book, but I enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Lucy Scott even more. A good narrator can bring out certain nuances and emotions that sometimes as a reader you can’t, Lucy Scott did this beautifully. I especially loved the bittersweet moments between Nan and Finbarr. So sweet!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! And the audiobook was incredible!!! I’ll be honest, as a HUGE Agatha Christie fan (and as a woman), I was super nervous about reading a story from the perspective of the woman who “stole” Agatha’s husband. BUT. Nina de Gramont did a phenomenal job of weaving together an incredible story that had me captivated from the first chapter.

There was so much respect for Agatha Christie in this story and so many wonderful nods to her books, which I absolutely loved. And on top of that, de Gramont wove together a fictional tale of intrigue that involves murder, mystery, betrayal, and deep love.

The Christie Affair is so pro-women and also highlights some really hard themes (such as sexual assault and infant loss) that women have battled through over the years, which I found so well done and such a important element to this story. There were times that this story absolutely broke my heart, but I found myself so incredibly captivated by each storyline, each powerful character and never wanted it to end.

I never expected to ever read a fictional account about Nan & Agatha and to come out truly loving both women. But this fictional take was so masterfully told, I found myself almost wanting this to be the truth. That deep down, somewhere, there was more to the story than just a selfish man leaving his vivacious wife for someone more “contained.”

The story of Agatha’s disappearance has always been one of my favorite stories, (I mean, who doesn’t love a woman who disappears after her husband tries to leave her and then goes on become the world’s best selling author of all time), and this was such a brilliant take on those events.

The Christie Affair is a fictional account of what may have happened during the true event of Agatha Christie's 11 day disappearance in 1926. The premise being that after being told by her husband that he was leaving her for his mistress, Nan O'Dea, that Agatha left the house and their young daughter and disappeared.. Her car was found, but she remained missing. Author Nina de Gramont uses Nan as her narrator. It is from her fictionalized perspective that we are taken through what may have happened during those 11 days. .
As Agatha Christie never spoke of what happened during that time, claiming that she did not remember, any account would have to be fictional. but the story as told in the The Christie Affair does not seem to fit the woman that we know as Agatha Christie. The book is really Nan's story, not Agatha's. She hypothesizes in great detail all the actions that Agatha would have taken as well as her motives, although she did not really know Agatha, except through the ranting of Arthur Christie, Nan's lover.. The story felt to be more of an explanation in search of absolution on the part of Nan. Perhaps if my expectations were less focused on Agatha, I may have enjoyed the book more.
Moving past my expectations, the book is an interesting tale. I think would have enjoyed it as a story more if it were total fiction than if it were trying to be based on the Christie tale. There are some big leaps in the plot, but there are some fine moments in it as well. .
My thanks to NetGalley for the advance recording of this audiobook.in exchange for my honest review.

A 1920’s murder mystery starring Agatha Christie…great premise right? I had high hopes for this one but I have a couple of issues.

This story chronicles Agatha Christie’s disappearance through the eyes of Nan O’Dea, the mistress of Archie Christie. It turns out this book is all about Nan not Agatha really. We find out what her motives are for breaking up a marriage.

I loved how atmospheric this book was. It has me wanting to read more about the roaring 20’s. The biggest issue I had was this book was told through multiple POVs that changed so quickly and without warning. It was hard to know who was telling the story and this confused me. I also took issue with the slow pace of the book.

I recently became intrigued by the days and events surrounding Agatha Christie going missing. I read a fictional account from her point of view so I knew I had to read the counter point of view. It did not disappoint! Although it took me a little bit to get into the story, I did end up loving it and definitely recommend it.

Finished this today and loved it! The Christie Affair by @ninadegramont is a novel about the 11 days that author Agatha Christie went missing in the 1920s. In a wild twist, the story is told from the perspective of Agatha’s husband’s mistress making it an intriguing historical fiction novel. Highly recommend! (This is also a @reesesbookclub book this month!) Thanks to @netgalley for allowing me to review.

The audio on this was very well done. The concept of the book was very interesting, but I did find myself having a bit of a hard time keeping storylines straight. Even so, the characters were engaging and I overall enjoyed the reading experience.

Really interesting take on an obscure period where renowned author Agatha Christie went missing. LOVED the inclusion of Magdalene houses in Ireland. I find this topic super interesting but not often explored. Relatable characters and thorough details on settings. The tone changed in the conclusion and I didn’t love that, but very intriguing read over all that I would recommend.

I’ve read another fictional tale about the 11 days Agatha Christie went missing and enjoyed it. I was curious on how the Christie Affair would tackle this and was very pleasantly surprised by its unique spin.

Told by Nan, Archie Christie’s mistress an eventual second wife, we see a different side to the disappearance as well as what may have occurred during that time. I heard one review described this as a more character driven novel. I would agree with that until the last 1/3 of the story upon which some of Ms. Christie’s murder mystery style infuses the tale.

The book started out slow for me but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. There was one plot thread that drove me crazy but not enough to distract from the story. I listened to the audiobook and read the DRC thank you St. Martin’s press. The narrator did a fabulous job bringing the characters to life and I would highly recommend listening to this book.

The Christie Affair is a story loosely based on the eleven days that Agatha Christie went missing. It is written through the eyes of Agatha Christie’s mistress and in truth, is mostly a story about her life, and not so much Agatha’s.

I went into this book not really knowing what to expect. I have actually never read an AC novel, nor had any interest in Agatha Christie, but somehow, I was still drawn to this novel and I am glad that it ended up in my lap (so to speak).

The general storyline is that Archie, Agatha’s husband tells his wife that he is leaving her for another woman, Nan O’Dea. Immediately afterward, Agatha disappears and a huge search happens in order to find her. The narrator goes back and forth from the timeframe of Agatha being gone to in the past of Nan’s life.

Although there were some parts that felt long and drawn out, I really ended up liking the book! I loved the twists at the end and I definitely didn’t see them coming. The character build-up is done well and you really enjoy and empathize with the characters, (even the mistress). I would rate this 3.5stars.

The audio version was well done! I definitely would listen to another book read by Lucy Scott.

Thank you, NetGalley for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont explores what might have happened to Agatha Christie during her 1925 disappearance. Told from the perspective of Agatha's husband's mistress, we are introduced to a scenario that would have been interesting but is not true. This story is more fiction than history which did not bother me as much. It still leaves you wondering what might have happened to Agatha during this time. Set in 1925 during the disappearance, there are also flashbacks to when Nan, the mistress, was growing up and what happened in her life. Why was Nan adamant about marrying Archie when he was already married to Agatha? How did Nan's past shape her present state?

An interesting read that was slow at times. Overall a solid read that I would recommend to others who may be interested in what might have been in the life of Agatha Christie.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mystery and intrigue based on an historical event, truly befitting the Queen of the Mystery. Told mostly from the POV of the “other woman”, this is a captivating and creative tale that draws you in and keeps you spellbound as you listen to the backstory of the unexplained 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie after her husband Archie asks for a divorce as he is having an extramarital affair with Nancy Neele (O’Dea in this story). This is a two-fold story, that of the disappearance of Agatha Christie and that of the life of Nancy Neele. While it is the story of Agatha, who is a woman one would never underestimate, this is also the story of Nan, who really gives Agatha a run for her money when it comes to being smart and wily in her approach to life and what she truly wants. It has some twists and turns with many unexpected events that gives the reader pause. Delightful!

I loved this book. I had read previously “The Mystery of Mrs. Christie” by Marie Benedict so with previous knowledge about Agatha Christie’s mysterious disappearance, this only enhanced my enjoyment of this book written by Nina de Gramont. I appreciated hearing the POV from Nan, showing her as a complex character worthy of her having a part in an Agatha Christie novel. The reader can’t but help to sympathize with Nan as a tragic character. DeGramont did a wonderful job with her creative license in her conjecture of what may have happened in Christie’s disappearance and how it related to Nan’s backstory. To top it off, there is an additional murder mystery as the search for Agatha is on. As a reader, it kept me engaged.
Read (or listen to) this book about strong women who want to be in charge of their destiny. I was fortunate to be able to listen to the audiobook version to the delightful English narrator which added so much to the ambiance of this book. I rate it a 5 out of 5.

“ A long time ago, in another country, I nearly killed a woman.” So begins The Christie Affair by Nina De Gramont @ninadegramont and, from the very first sentence, I was hooked.

Most true Agatha Christie fans know that she was missing for twelve mysterious days in 1926 and that she never divulged the truth about where she was, what she was doing, or who she was with. She only responded that she couldn’t remember.

The Christie Affair imagines one possible scenario, and what a story it is. Each twist and turn is crafted in a way that made me think that it was perfectly plausible. If you love Agatha, or even if you love factually-based historical fiction with a good mystery thrown in, The Christie Affair might be perfect for your TBR.

The narrator for the audio version of The Christie Affair is perfect! Every inflection made me feel like I was inside the story!