Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-arc of this book.

I struggled with this book for the first half of it. I felt like the narrator, who is Nan O'Dea was an unreliable narrator of sorts. I was never really sure what to think of her. I found it interesting to read about Nan and her upbringing and her tragic love story and how that eventually led her into the arms of Archie Christie. I am not a fan of cheating so it was hard to get behind this character. However, there is a mystery that unfolds in this book at the same time that Agatha Christie goes missing and to watch that unravel was really fascinating. I like that the narrator lets us know that she has the power to end this story however she likes and I personally liked the way it ended.

There were parts of the novel that were drawn out and writing that was confusing at times. I had to remind myself who the narrator was when she was speaking in first person. It threw me off a few times.

There are themes in this story of infidelity, abuse, rape, religious abuse and misconduct, and murder.

The important fact to remember when reading this book is that it is fiction and not the actual event of Agatha Christie's eleven-day disappearance in 1925. Although Ms. Christie never gave full details of those eleven days, there are many facts that are of record.
I enjoyed this book for the fiction that it is. There is Nan who is determined to marry Archie Christie and Archie is besotted with Nan. There is Nan's background and several mysteries to be solved. There is Agatha but really this is Nan's story. There are side characters of Finnbar, Chilton and the Leeches who add drama to the story as well as some very coincidental happenings. But Nan's harrowing background is what has set everything in motion.
If you are an Agatha Christie fan this fictionalized look at the author May or may not be welcome.

I really enjoyed this fictionalized account of just what happened to Agatha Christie during the days she disappeared in 1926. The mistress/second wife as an unreliable narrator was a terrific twist. I loved the elements of breaking the fourth wall to the reader as well.

Just know that a lot of liberties were taken with the details and facts and such (for example the real life Nancy Neele Christie had a son and the fictional Nan O'Dea Christie had a daughter with Archie Christie) but it was still an enjoyable read.

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law

It appears that I’m in the minority with regards to my opinions on this book.

I was so excited to snag this one. I love Agatha Christie and think the time she was missing fascinating. I’ve read other books about that time in her life and they’ve been entertaining.

This one was such a slog. I kept finding other things to read before picking this one up. Nan was unlikeable and I finally found myself wanting to read around the 80% mark. Not sure if that was because I was excited to be so close to finishing or because it was getting interesting. The twist towards the end wasn’t that surprising to me at all. And there was a disappointing end.

I know many people will love it but it wasn’t for me. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

The Christie Affair chronicles the time that famous writer, Agatha Christie, disappeared following her husband demanding a divorce from her. Archie Christie, in love with another woman (Nan O'Dea, our narrator for the story).. Archie confronts Agatha, requesting a divorce. She leaves her home in desperation and disappointment, and once found, refused to say where she had spent the missing days. This book chronicles that missing time, as well as the story of Nan O'Dea, mistress to Archie, and the catalyst for the Christie's breakup.

Generally, I thought this story was creative, and so many of the plot lines were creative and fell seamlessly into place with the telling of the story. There were wonderful surprises ("twists") that I never would have guessed myself until they were upon me. I really enjoyed the story being told from the point of view of Nan. This added to the mystery of the book, and definitely made the book easier to read.

I haven't read anything by this author before, but would definitely love to delve into any other novels she has written. It was refreshing to read historical fiction that didn't focus on the World War II era.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for honest review..

I've held off on rating this as I optimistically thought I'd return to it after reading something else that caught my eye, but it's been months now and it's time to accept that this just didn't pull me into its world the way I was hoping it would. The premise of setting Agatha Christie within her own mystery is truly brilliant, but I didn't connect to the characters. I think it's a massive challenge to empathize with a character who is knowingly breaking up a marriage, and I kept bumping against the significantly more fictionalized than historical rendering.

In the end, I really enjoyed this novel, however, my interest didn't pique until the third and final part of the book so I can't give this one more than three stars.

Archie, Agatha Christie's husband, is in love with his mistress, Nan. On the evening before he is going to leave Agatha for Nan, Archie foolishly gives his wife false hope. So when he breaks the news to Agatha the next morning, not only is she heartbroken, embarrassed, and devastated, but she is also blindsided having thought she won him back. Spiraling from the shock, Agatha flees - and so begins the mystery of her eleven-day disappearance. Told from the perspective of Archie's mistress, Nan, we learn what happened during those eleven days and the events that led up to them.

Everything came together really well and there were mysteries strewn throughout the novel that I wasn't expecting or looking for. However, because they were unexpected for me, much of the novel felt like unnecessary character development and background and I struggled to maintain interest.

Admittedly, I don't have much knowledge of Agatha Christie nor have I read any of her books. I think had I been more connected to the author, I would have enjoyed this book much more and been less surprised by the format/pacing.

If you're a fan of Agatha Christie or particularly love historical fiction, I definitely recommend.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.

I did not hear about Agatha Christie’s mysterious disappearance until it was a Buzzfeed video, so I was eager to read this book. The Christie Affair follows Agatha’s ten day’s missing through the perspective of her husband’s lover, Nan O’Dea.

I can happily say that I read way more mysteries than historical fiction, and I loved the blending of the two in this book. This book cuts between the ten days of Agatha Christie’s disappearance and the events that lead the mistress to her current situation. I would have never thought that reading this story from the point of view of the other woman would be a thing I could stand, and yet…The author did a fantastic job of teasing out details early on that made it easy for me to not only solve the mystery but root against what I know actually happened.

This book has a cleverly dropped-in mystery balanced with an examination of the role’s women were able to inhabit at the time. Book Clubs are going to love this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont is a story centered around the famous disappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926. Agatha Christie is one of the most famous mystery writers of the 20th century. When she was last seen on December 3, 1926, her disappearance was the type of mystery you would expect Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple to be able to solve. She would be located on December 14, 1926 at the Swan Hydropathic Hotel with no memory of how she got there or why she was there. Those eleven days would be debated for years as Christie refused to answer any questions about that time. Perhaps the greatest mystery wasn’t her disappearance at all, but what she discovered. Nan O’Dea was Archie Christie’s mistress. A woman who lured him away from his devoted and very famous wife. But why? Why destroy another woman’s marriage? Why hatch a plot years in the making? Why resort to murder? How was Nan tied to Agatha Christie’s disappearance? A story of star-crossed loves, heartbreak, revenge and murder.
Agatha Christie was the first mystery writer I had read and her disappearance has always been a point of fascination. And I looked forward to reading The Christie Affair as a possible explanation of what happened. Ms. de Gramont’s story is marketed as a “brilliant re-imagination of one of the most talked about unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century.” However, it fails to deliver. I was bored and confused from the start. The story is told from the perspective of Nan O’Dea, the fictionalized version of Nancy Neele, the real life mistress and second wife of Archie Christie. An omnipotent narrator, Nan is able to tell the reader about scenes where she is not present and the thoughts and feelings of other characters, which was very off-putting. In my opinion, the 2008 Doctor Who episode, “The Unicorn and the Wasp,” did a much better job at an fantastical and imaginative explanation about the famous author’s disappearance. The Christie Affair is less about Agatha Christie and more about Nan. I do not recommend The Christie Affair .

The Christie Affair is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

A What-If Tale of Agatha Christie’s Disappearance

In December 1926, Agatha Christie disappeared. What happened during that time is still unknown. This is an historical fiction recreation of the events. Agatha’s disappearance was triggered by her husband Archie telling her that he was leaving her and getting divorce. Archie had been having an affair with Nan O’Dea. He planned to marry her In reality his mistress and second wife was Nancy Neele.

The story is told from Nan’s point of view. In the opening she is presented as a scheming home-wrecker, a rather unattractive character. However, Nan has a backstory. It’s tragic and it drives her desire for the kind of life Archie offers. Of course, since this is a Christie story there is a mystery that is solved at the end.

The book is well written. However, there were several aspects that were not what I expected. The period was true to life, but I had expected more about Agatha. Instead the novel focuses on Nan. Although Nan becomes more sympathetic as we learn more of her story, I never completely got over my initial dislike.

This story is more than a murder mystery. The novel is character driven and explores the strength of love and loss.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

One of the greatest mysteries of our time solved! This is a great read, a really compelling page turner that anyone would love.

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.

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