First, an admission. I clicked to review this thinking it was a follow-up to another book I'd recently read where Agatha Christie was a very alive character set in her time frame. Imagine my surprise to discover that Christie, who actually plays a much larger role in this book then the one I'd read, is a, well, ghost. Oops. My mistake. One I'm glad I made. I found myself much more caught up in this story than I'd imagined I'd be and enjoyed it a great deal. Ghost Christie is still on top of her sleuthing game, not to mention remembers all her poisons well. She's someone I wouldn't mind knowing, even if I had to settle for the ghostly version.

I won't delve deeply into the plot. It's in that book blurb I neglected to read. It involves a ghost showing up in Tory Van Dyne's beloved Mystery Guild Library and saying she's bored in the great beyond and is there to help Tory solve a murder, one that hasn't happened yet. Unfortunately, whatever knowledge of the murder she may have had in the great beyond doesn't follow along to the library's dedicated Christie room. Of course, there's a murder. Next thing you know Tory and Christie are being joined by one of the most unlikely sleuthing groups you could imagine. There's Tory, of course, her quirky, self-absorbed socialite/actress sister Nic, Tory's snarky librarian friend, a poorly dressed (in Tory's opinion) NYPD detective, and, no lie, an eleven-year old computer wiz with a father who not only isn't fazed by his daughter's new friends but looks like Colin Farrell. There's even a romance brewing, albeit it's set on slow burn given Tory's own demons. As for the spirited Christie, who is visible to all and quite physically there, she's both listener and sharer of info, not to mention quotes from her books.

That's all I'm saying other than, no surprise, there's another murder. Nic seems to be a likely target and, surprisingly, shows a side of her that hasn't really been visible until near the end. I liked these quirky, less than perfect characters. Heck, even the wealthy Van Dyne family's chauffeur is personable,. As for Agatha Christie, let's face it, while unsure of who she is, all the others find her quite comforting with her ability to listen and offer concern. The setting was fun, both the library room created to mirror Christie's real-life office, and the New York setting added fun as we tackle how to get around in one of the most crowed cities in the world. You'll even get to meet library "cats" Patience and Fortitude. If you don't know about them, you will when you finish. Thanks to #BerkleyPublishingGroup for giving me this unexpectedly delightful early look. Hoping this is the start of a series. Well done!

The following review was posted on Goodreads on 06.04.25:

I've really been digging funny, lighthearted mysteries lately. MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY is just such a novel. It's fun, entertaining, and enjoyable. Not only is the book's premise delightful, but the main characters are interesting and appealing; the plot is complex and twisty; and the prose is upbeat and clever. Add to all that a delicious bookishness that speaks right to my nerdy, mystery-loving heart and, well, you can see why I found this novel so pleasing.

My one complaint with MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY is that there are A LOT of characters to keep track of as well as quite a bit of extraneous details. This made the tale a tad confusing for me at first. It also makes the novel lengthier than it needs to be at 368 pages. In spite of this, I was never bored with the book. I wouldn't exactly call it a page turner, but it's definitely engrossing and engaging. A little word snipping would have served it well, though. Even still, I really enjoyed this one. I look forward to the next adventure with the enigmatic Mrs. Christie and her NYC sleuthing pals.

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), violence, and depictions of illegal drug use

A book conservator from a socialite family, her aspiring actress cousin, a precocious 11 year old, a NYPD detective, a very exacting librarian, and the ghost of Agatha Christie team up to solve a murder, which is quickly followed by another, and a couple attempts at murder. Chock full of references to both haute couture and Christie novels, this is a fun ride (even if the reader picks up on some of the things our sleuths miss).

I absolutely loved this magical cozy mystery with Agatha Christie as a main character. I loved the setting of Washington Square, and given the magical realism element to the plot, it made the setting seem quite magical as well. As a huge Christie fan, I appreciated how the author wove the quotes and elements from books and stories into this novel. The mystery itself was intriguing and well-plotted. I thought this book was brilliant, and I would love to see a sequel.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and what a treat for fans of Agatha Christie! A great cast of characters including Broadway actresses, eccentric relatives, New York ladies who lunch, and sociopaths. Fingers crossed it will be the start of a new series.

I absolutely fell in love with this book. I do hope it starts a series. I am a big Agatha Christie fan, but not as much as some. I loved the whole Library and Mrs Christie, the mystery, the characters. But I have to say my absolute favorite character is Mairead!!!

“Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library” by Amanda Chapman is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Ms. Chapman did a wonderful job of blending mystery and paranormal. Hopefully there will be more meetings of Agatha, Inc. and we can tag along with Tory and company.

Once I got past the rather pedantic beginning, I thought it was a pretty good mystery with the twist of making a long-dead favored author a very active character. It just didn't make it to the top of my list the way I had expected, even though it is set in NYC.
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected digital proof from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Pub Date Aug 26, 2025 #debutnovel #cozymystery
#MrsChristieattheMysteryGuildLibrary by @amandachapmanauthor #MrsChristieBk1 #NetGalley @berkleypub #berkleybookstagram #dameAgatha #librarymuseum #ghost #nyc #sleuthing

A delightful mystery that will hopefully become a series -- perfect for Agatha Christie fans, as well as any cozy mystery lover. Tory is the black sheep of a wealthy, eccentric New York society family. Instead of partying and making a splash on social media, she's chosen to quietly oversee her late grandmother's pet project -- a historic recreation of Agatha Christie's library, which is open to the public as a museum. One day, Tory walks into the library and sees an older woman who says she IS Agatha Christie. Tory plays along, but as events unfold, she begins to realize that this may actually be THE Agatha Christie, back from the afterlife. When Tory's famous society cousin Nic is accused of murder, Tory, along with Agatha and a fun cast of characters, works to clear her name. Lots of fun and definitely recommended.

What a delightful take on a mystery by the Queen of Crime that includes her in it! Amanda Chapman's novel includes "locked doors", poison and evil deeds along with quotes from Christie's writings. The other characters were perfect for carrying the story along, making it a fun weekend read.

I loved the quirky cast of characters in this murder mystery presided over by the ghost of the Queen of Crime herself. Agatha Christie appears in New York's Mystery Guild Library, shocking its book conservator and resident recluse, Tory van Dyne. Mrs. Christie insists there is a murder to be solved, and she turns out to be correct. Enter more librarians, a precocious Irish tween (and her dog), and a dishy NYPD detective, and the game is afoot! The mystery is nicely twisty and the characters are fun and memorable. I do hope for more from Mrs. Christie and friends.

Pros: I probably would not have selected this book if it were not for the Agatha Christie inclusion. All of the characters contribute to the story and are likeable. Chapman's descriptions of Tory's place, the Christie room, and the New York Public Library were excellent. I enjoyed the final twist on the murders. The book is a fast, easy read.

Cons: As much as I like the idea of adding Agatha Christie to the mystery, it felt forced. For the first few chapters, Tory refers to Ms. Christie as "the So-Called Ms. Christie." This irritated me for a reason I can't explain. I was glad when it was finally dropped. Throughout, Ms. Christie quotes from her books and each time, either Tory or Adrian point it out in a way that I found tedious.

Overall, the book is worth the read. It is definitely for cozy mystery readers.

Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tory, a book restorer, residing in the top two levels of a family mansion that houses a private library discovers someone appears to be Agatha Christie in the library room that duplicates Christie's real library in England. Mrs. Christie claims to be bored in the hereafter and needs the stimulation of a good mystery. When Tory's cousin, Nic, a successful stage actress is traumatized when her agent is pushed onto the tracks of an incoming subway train shows up, the game is afoot. The ensemble cast includes a gorgeous detective, an 11 year old girl, library director Adrian, and a dog with the same name and look at the historical Agatha Christie's pub. Excellent mystery! I makes me want to go back read more Christie.

I actually found this book to be quite charming. I loved the characters and as an Agatha Christie fangirl enjoyed Mrs. Agatha inclusion in the story.

Oh dear, I now know how the murder victim on the Orient Express felt. First, the good. The Christie nuggets throughout and other mystery novel mentions are wonderful. Agatha’s character could have been a huge miss and is also wonderful…..
But, the first person is painful, the MC is painful, and the constant mentions of “my/our” family is/was so rich we can/did/do behave badly, absurdly, whatever is so out of step with the current world that it just reads as ghastly.

Thanks to NetGalley and the pub for an early peek.

Loved it! A fun homage to Agatha Christie. Tory is a reclusive book conservator at a mystery library in NYC who encounters a mysterious woman in the Christie room one evening at closing who has a strong resemblance to the Agatha Christie. And while it doesn't seem possible that a ghost has come to haunt the place, she is verry well-informed about poisons, motives and murders! This kept me turning pages and looks to be the start of a promising new series.

Tory Van Dyne is the most down-to-earth member of a decidedly eccentric old-money New York family. For one thing, as book conservator at Manhattan’s Mystery Guild Library, she actually has a job. Plus, she’s left up-town society behind for a quiet life downtown. So she’s not thrilled when she discovers a woman in the library’s Christie Room who calmly introduces herself as Agatha Christie, politely requests a cocktail, and announces she’s there to help solve a murder— that has not yet happened.

This is definitely one of my absolute favorite books of 2025 and it is only March!