If there was a book I wanted to love, it was this. When Agatha Christie went missing in 1926, she was discovered in the town where I grew up: Harrogate, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. In the almost 100 years since then, Harrogate has thrived – partly – on the story of Christie’s disappearance. The annual Crime Writing Festival takes place at the hotel where she was found: The Old Swan, formerly known as the Swan Hydropathic Hotel. She never gave an explanation as to how she ended up so far from her home in the south of England, although some theories have been put forward. The Christie Affair sounded – to me - like a novel based on some of that speculation. I was looking forward to reading a book set in 1920’s Harrogate. Did Christie stay in her room, never venturing out, or did she explore the spa town? Would I read of her tasting the waters and visiting the famous Bettys café on Cambridge Crescent? Would she walk past the War Memorial erected in 1923 and pay her respects to the dead?

If that’s a book you want to read, you’ll be as sorely disappointed as I was.

The first thing to notice is that The Christie Affair is written in the voice of Nan O’Dea, Colonel Christie’s mistress. Which would be fine when Nan recounts her past, except she also describes events she doesn’t witness. In some cases, she reports what Archie Christie has told her, but she also describes events and emotions she couldn’t possibly know. Nan believes she’s a reliable narrator but how can she be? She likens herself to one of Agatha’s fictional detectives, putting the puzzle pieces together, but a detective doesn’t put words in people’s mouths. In a court of law, much of what she says would be dismissed as speculation or hearsay. Might this book have been better if it had been written in a broader third person perspective?

This book also falls short when it comes to character names. Agatha and Archie Christie are known by their real names. For some reason, however, other historical people have their names changed. Notably, Nan O’Dea’s real name was Nancy Neele, something most Christie afficionados know. Why was it changed? Was it because of certain actions fictional Nan undertakes during the story? I don’t want to spoil anything, but some of the events described could be charged as defamatory.

On a personal level, I was disappointed by the lack of Harrogate landmarks. No one goes to Bettys (opened in 1919), and no one discusses the sulfur water, or spa treatments, in any great detail. At one point, Nan describes the Harrogate library as “small and cozy.” I always found the Harrogate library, built in 1906, to be rather cavernous.

I wanted to give up on this book more than once, the first time I wasn’t even one-fifth of the way through. But I wanted to see how it would end. When and where would the attempted murder – described in the book’s overview – take place? There’s a stunner of a reveal towards the end, worthy of the first Mrs. Christie herself. I wish this novel had been totally fictional, “inspired by Agatha Christie’s famous disappearance.” Perhaps I wouldn’t have been as disappointed.

One last thing: I read an Uncorrected Digital Galley of The Christie Affair, in which there isn’t an Author’s Note. Is there one in the published copy? I would’ve liked to know why the author wrote in the manner she did. Why do some characters keep their real names? Why was the hotel name changed? Why are some biographical details different to known facts? Was the author able to visit Harrogate or did she have to do her research online due to the pandemic? If I knew the answers to these questions, perhaps my enjoyment of the novel would have improved dramatically.

Disclaimer: Although I received an Uncorrected Digital Galley of this book from the publisher, the opinions above are my own.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Historical Fiction

This is historical fiction with mystery elements. The story takes place in the year 1926 when the author Agatha Christie disappeared for eleven days. This is the story of what made her disappear and all the reasons behind it. Her husband Archie Christie has informed her that he loves someone else and that he wants a divorce. Agatha was devastated by that and had to do something to save her marriage.

I’m a huge fan of Agatha Christie’s books so when I saw The Chrisite’s Affair I added it to my TBR. I liked the story and was intrigued by the premise a lot but unfortunately, this was majorly narrated by the other woman, Nan. It was more about her perspective than Agatha’s. I came for Agatha and most of what I got was about Nan. I didn’t like her perspective a lot. She was painting a picture of Agatha that felt like coming out of jealousy rather than truthness. This is honestly how I felt. At some point in the book, the shift in perspective confused me a bit, especially because during her hiding Agatha uses the same surname as Nan. So that might cause a mixup of POVs to readers.

Overall, this was an entertaining reading experience. Christie fans might be somehow disappointed because they are reading this book due to her name. However, the intriguing storyline and the few surprises will make it a pleasurable reading for you.

Many thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.

TBh, I am not a Agatha Christie fan so I had to do some research before I began reading this book.
Not knowing much about the life of author Agatha Christie, I’m sure I missed many of the connections between this fictional story about the character Agatha Christie, and her real life. It seemed a little strange at first, and I was put off by the first few chapters, but eventually I became more engrossed, and ended up enjoying it. It reminded me of Agatha Christie mysteries I’ve read, which I’m assuming was the author’s intent.

This is a fun tale of the time when Agatha Christie disappeared. This includes mystery, lovers, outlaws and revenge that is totally enjoyable and spell-binding which makes it very hard to put down. What happens when and does the end justify the means?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read another by Nina de Gramont. She has such a way to tell stories.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for an ARC of this book.
#Netgalley #StMartinsPress

Not knowing much about the life of author Agatha Christie, I’m sure I missed many of the connections between this fictional story about the character Agatha Christie, and her real life, but I imagine true fans of her work will appreciate this in a richer way. I found it an enjoyable read. It seemed a little weird at first, and I was put off by the first few chapters, but eventually I became more engrossed, and ended up enjoying it. It reminded me of Agatha Christie mysteries I’ve read, which I’m assuming was the author’s intent.

This new release is the Reese's Book Club pick for February and a must-read for Agatha Christie fans!

This historical mystery is based on Agatha Christie's actual disappearance in 1925. It's a fascinating event that's never been fully explained, and this book brings in additional characters and fills in fictional details to build a story around it.

In true Agatha Christie fashion, I didn't predict the ending, despite the clues that were left along the way. It felt a bit slow at times, but I still recommend for anyone who loves historical fiction or mysteries!

Read this if you liked Murder on the Orient Express or The Secret Life of Violet Grant.

This is an unusual historical fictionalization, in that so little is known and so much speculation has taken place over the facts of Agatha Christie’s brief disappearance in the summer of 1926.

I particularly liked the unusual point of view of the narrator of the story. An intrinsically unlikeable character, the “Other Woman,” was made much more relatable as she told her story over the course of the book.

This mystery story about the Queen of Mystery was a great read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

From my blog: Always With a Book

I’ve become quite obsessed with anything to do with Agatha Christie and so of course as soon as I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. It seems that Agatha Christie’s disappearance has become quite the “it” topic lately!

I first heard about the disappearance of Agatha Christie when I read Marie Benedict’s The Mystery of Mrs. Christie. I really enjoyed that one and how she structured the book. What I love about historical fiction is reading different accounts of the same event and that is why I had no issues picking this book up. Yes, it covers the same event, yet because it is historical fiction, there is that leeway for the author to take the factual events and tie then in with their own fictional ones and I have to say, I really liked how Nina de Gramont structured her story – it was a very different take than Benedict’s.

This one is told primarily from the point of view of Nan O’Dea, who was Agatha Christie’s husband’s mistress. She gives us not only Nan’s backstory and what was going on in Agatha’s life leading up to the disappearance, but a possible new theory as to why Agatha might have disappeared in the first place. Most of the story is told in that time period, but we do move back to Nan’s past. This part of the storyline might have you questioning why it is included at first, but I promise you it does eventually make sense.

Agatha Christie’s disappearance only lasted 11 days and then she chose not to speak of those days ever again. That is why there is so much mystery surrounding this disappearance and I’m loving that there is such an interest in this topic right now. I’ll read whatever books come out about it as I find it so fascinating and this one really did keep my interest from start to finish. If you like mysteries with just the right intrigue, this one is for you!

My furry friend joined me as a sped through Nina de Gramont’s new novel, The Christie Affair, and wow. What a book–it’s mysterious, gripping, and unique. This is a fictional take on Agatha Christie’s mysterious real-life disappearance in 1926, narrated by Nan O’Dea, Agatha’s husband’s mistress. The novel covers the 11 day disappearance but also travels back in time so readers learn more of Nan’s story. There are layers of mystery that I wasn’t expecting. It’s emotional (TW: child loss, rape). And it’s written and framed in a way that I found fascinating. Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC. This was published yesterday and I would definitely add this to your TBR pile.

#thechristieaffair #ninadegramont #netgalley #historicalmystery #reesebookclubpick #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #newbooks #catsofinstagram

This book has so much potential for me. I love historical fiction and I thought this would be so intriguing. I just found it very slow and not grabbing my attention enough to keep going.

Nina de Gramont delivers a captivating, thought-provoking treat in THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR, rich with character and suspense. An intensely observed and intelligent read: the pages will fly! High recommended.

I've always been fascinated by Agatha Christie's disappearance and I absolutely loved this take on that time period! This book has a something for everyone. This is a thrilling historical mystery. Un-put-down-able!

3.5 stars rounded up

I have been a fan of Agatha Christie since I was a kid and a fan of historical fiction since about the same time. This book married two of my favorite things together in a fascinating way. This story focuses on the very real disappearance of Agatha Christie on December 3, 1926. The story is narrated by Nan O'Dea who is a facsimile of the very real mistress that Ms. Christie's husband had. I wish that this book had focused more on the disappearance of Agatha as opposed to Nan's backstory. It was interesting to find out the motives of Nan but I found myself wanting more out of the story. The entire thing was a little bit underwhelming to be completely honest. This book had such a great premise and I just felt that the plot didn't live up to it. The writing was really good, I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

On a cold December night in 1926, Agatha Christie disappeared, leaving her car, her fur coat and her belongings behind. No trace of her was found for 11 days even though the police force was alerted to search in several surrounding counties. This is a fictional account of what happened in those 11 days. mostly from the perspective of Mr. Christie's mistress, named Nan O'Dea in this book.
The story goes from 1926 during the affair and after the disappearance, to Nan's past life growing up and meeting the love of her life, Finbar, in Ireland. What would cause this woman to give up her love and start an affair with a married man, especially one she doesn't seem to even like, much less love? This story follows the account and by the end everything falls into place.
I had a hard time getting into this book, and it wasn't until about 60% through that it caught my attention and then I couldn't put it down. By the end, I really enjoyed it and it was well worth continuing reading.
I received a complimentary advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

“The Christie Affair“ by Nina de Gramont takes places in 1926 and delves into the true life event of author Agatha Christie’s disappearance. When her husband, Archie, tells Agatha he is leaving her for his mistress, Nan, Agatha mysteriously disappears. While Agatha never tells us what transpired in the eleven days she was missing, this book took an interesting take on things.

The fictional story is told primarily by Nan. She explains why she began the affair with Archie and explores secrets of her past. I felt this is done in a matter that was intended to excuse her behavior, which I didn't appreciate.

In attempts to stay out of the public view during the search for Agatha, Nan goes to a nice hotel to wait it all out. Coincidentally, while she is there, a newly married couple is murdered, and another mystery transpires.

In a few ways this book does mimic the true events that took place leading to Agatha’s disappearance, but I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. Their behaviors seemed very selfish, and much of the plot line was unnecessary. Nan paints a very interesting story, but I wanted more from Agatha! There are so many wonderful and interesting plot points, but they left me with many questions.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Agatha Christie has a story to tell, well actually Nan O’Dea has a story to tell. Nan O’Dea has caught the attention of Agatha’s husband and plans to marry him. As with any story it is not quite that simple of a story.
Nina de Gramont, the author, did an amazing job with the twists and turns, the truths and the lies, the victories, and the losses in the life of Nan O’Dea. She has her reasons for needing to be part of Archie Christies life. Her need to be in his life is so real and so heartbreaking. I knew throughout the entire story that there was more to Nan’s story than was being told.

The Christie Affair is a wonderful mystery telling the story of a well-known mystery author. I enjoyed learning more about her life. A cheating husband in 1920’s is very much like a cheating husband in the 2020’s, yet the mistress and the wife have very unique stories to tell in this book, during this time.

This book was not at all what I thought it was going to be! It’s told from Nan’s, the mistress, POV which was really interesting. I had a love/hate relationship with her, more hate than love at first because she is the reason Agatha’s husband left her, and I’ll always feel sorry for the wife first. With every story I have read the more you learn about the hated character the less you hate them, and that’s true with this story.

It was heartbreaking to read Nan’s story, but it was so important to the story. There were events that unfolded that I did not piece together, and I thought it was genius.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by this story, and I would recommend it!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a gifted copy of The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont. All opinions are my own.

The Christie Affair follows Agatha Christie during her eleven days she went missing and follows Nan O'Dea in her present and past. The story is told by Nan and it is her version of what happened during those eleven days.

I loved Nan's backstory and would have loved a book about a women named Nan and her story. The fact that she was Archie Christie's mistress made it hard for me to follow Agatha's storyline. Nan wasn't behind the closed doors but she told Agatha's story. This is just a personal preference and I can see where Christie fans might enjoy this creative imagination of what might of happened during those eleven days.

I do appreciate that author did not include any spoilers to Agatha Christie's books. As a reader and Christie fan this is greatly appreciated.

My favorite part of historical fiction based on real people is the author's notes. Sadly, this one does not contain author's notes.

General Fiction (adult)
Historical Fiction
Release Date: February 1, 2022

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review! I love historical fiction and this story deals with multiple different time lines. There is so much intrigue behind Agatha Christie and her very private life, It was so interesting to hear this "perspective"

In 1926, renowned mystery author Agatha Christie disappeared for eleven days. When found, she claimed not to remember anything, a story she stuck to for the rest of her life. From there the mystery is filleted down to its two main players, Agatha and husband, Archie, into which is inserted a fiction arguably far more interesting than the actual events. What is known is that Archie and Agatha argued on December 3, 1926, after which he left to spend time with his mistress, Nancy Neele, and Agatha disappeared without a trace. Agatha did not stay missing, so we have the beginning and the end; but what about the middle?

Recalling her earlier life, our fictional Nan recounts her childhood, her teenage pregnancy, her forced convent incarceration, her daughter’s birth, and Finbarr’s (Nan’s childhood sweetheart and the baby’s father) ignorance of her whereabouts, even after her escape. Despite her undying love for Finbarr, Nan sets her sights on Archie Christie, winning him over with ease. Thus begins the tangled web of Nan’s introspective story, gradually shedding light on her choices and motivations.

Readers are immediately drawn to the congenial Nan as she talks informally to us, sometimes questioning whether we have figured something out before she has had time to explain it, sometimes asking us to defer judgment and just listen. In 1926, the complex supporting cast plays out their roles superbly in a cleverly contrived plot. Through young Nan’s ordeal, we get an unpleasant immersion in Irish history―Catholic convents, abused girls, molestation by priests, endless punishment for fabricated sins, forced adoptions, and pious nuns who turn a blind eye.

An engrossing work which lends itself well to circumstances Agatha herself chose to stay mum about, and which remains one of England’s most fascinating unsolved mysteries.