A love story and a mystery, all tied up with an Agatha Christie bow? Yes, please. Garmont writes an intriguing historical fiction novel about the Christies and it's one you simply can't put down.

This one was too long. We focused on too many unimportant things that made this kind of a drag to read.

A beautifully written mystery given from a very unusual perspective. I highly recommend!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the pleasure of reading.

This was definitely not what I thought I was getting myself into once I started to read. I was hoping that since this book is the "Christie" affair, it might be more about Agatha Christie. Instead, the play on words in the title means we hear very little about Agatha herself and much more about her husband's mistress, Nan O'Dea, from whose perspective this story is told. I wasn't particularly interested in Nan's life, to be honest, and I was a little disappointed that there was so little about what actually happened during Agatha Christie's disappearance. But I suppose we'll never really know what happened during that time, so this fictional speculation is just that--another speculation. I will say I liked the mystery that was added in as a nod to Agatha Christie's writing. This book is certainly not bad, it's just not what I thought it was going to be and I think readers need to read the back cover before diving in.

The Christie Affair covers the 11 days in 1926 that Agatha Christie went missing. In an interesting turn, the story is told from the perspective of Archie Christie’s mistress. Agatha disappears after getting the news that her husband is leaving her for his paramour of two years.
Nan O’Dea isn’t real but is based on a real person. Nan narrates the story and as she even says, “you may well wonder if you can believe what I tell you about things that occurred when I myself was not present.” She gives us a plausible reason and the story does work with her as the narrator. We’re given both her background along with Agatha’s. To be honest, Agatha is more of a secondary character in this story. Do not go into this expecting Agatha to be front and center. If you do, I fear you will be disappointed.
The book encompasses a little bit of everything - a quest, a murder mystery, a romance. I was pleased by the two twists towards the end. And equally pleased by the imagined ending. De Gromant does a good job of giving the murder portion of the story the feel of an Agatha Christie novel. I enjoyed the characters as they all came across as real, despite the sometimes dreamlike state of the story. I applaud her ability to make Nan into a likable character, given that she is “the other woman”.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Nan O’Dea already had a history when she met and had an affair with Archie Christie, husband of Agatha Christie.

The infidelity on Archie’s part caused his wife to disappear for 11 days with everyone thinking Agatha had killed herself.

The story of Agatha Christie's disappearance was very interesting, and I wasn’t aware this happened.

Agatha’s story was enjoyable. Nan’s story was not enjoyable at first but became better especially when secrets about her emerged. She wasn’t a nice person or should I say she was a calculating person.

As the story unfolds, we get to know Agatha through the author’s detailed, fluid writing style. We also learn about Nan and her plans.

There are a few twists and surprises, and overall THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR was good.

The way Ms. de Gramont wrapped up the book was clever.

Historical fiction fans and Agatha Christie fans will enjoy this book very much. It will also be enjoyable for those who didn’t know the facts about Agatha Christie's disappearance and her husband’s infidelity. I only knew her as a terrific author. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Agatha Christie would have been proud of this story. It has all the elements of a good mystery - characters who intrigue, likeable and not so likeable characters, settings, lots of red herrings for the reader to follow.

When Agatha Christie seemingly vanished into thin air in 1926 and was missing for 11 days, it was a media sensation. Reporters swarmed to the area where she had last been seen, police forces called in additional policemen and they worked around the clock to uncover her whereabouts. Her husband had to remember to play the grieving spouse, while feeling like he was getting off the hook and would be able to pursue his own life - after a suitable period of grieving, of course.

While the author has taken liberties with Agatha's husband's lover, turning her into Nan O'Dea, and creating quite a story around her as well as Agatha, it all comes together to make a cracking good mystery.

Does The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont refer to the actual affair Agatha Christie’s husband Archibald had with Nancy Neele, fictionalized as Nan O’Dea in the book, or does it refer to the 11-day disappearance of the crime novelist that she was never able to explain? Whichever, the book reimagines that famous vanishing from the point of view of the mistress.

Nancy/Nan wormed her way into the Christies’ lives by befriending both the wife and the husband, much like Pauline Pfeiffer did with Hadley and Ernest Hemingway...and in the same year, 1925. Both women became the mistress before being able to assert Mrs. before the famous last names. Agatha and Nancy met while working on a committee to design and organize a children's section of the 1925 British Empire Exhibition in Wembley.

The distress caused by Nancy/Nan’s luring away Agatha’s husband is thought to be the impetus for Agatha to disappear for 11 days, which was a mystery that fascinated readers of her work. Her husband was even a suspect in the possible murder of “the lady novelist,” who had not yet reached a high level of fame. On the other hand, Agatha spent little time on this episode of her life in her autobiography other than to call it a case of temporary amnesia.

While at times de Gramont seems to borrow from the movies and other stories about this time in Agatha’s life, the author takes the plot to where it has never gone before, hinted at in the opening line, “A long time ago in another country, I nearly killed a woman.” Not only is this work of historical fiction a look at what happened to Agatha during the time she seemed to have evaporated from her life, it is also a murder mystery with a subplot about poor pregnant unmarried girls in Ireland, what happened to their babies, and the thirst for revenge and resolution for these women.

Nina de Gramont is an associate professor of creative writing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. The author of a collection of short stories, Of Cats and Men, she has written three adult novels as well as several YA novels under the pen name Marina Gessner. She lives in coastal North Carolina with her daughter and her husband, the Pushcart Prize-winning writer David Gessner.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting November 28, 2021.

I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

This novel was very well written and executed! Leading the reader in a completely opposite direction from what was expected, it was a great take on what might have happened. Two very strong, determined female characters make strides to achieve their life goals, but in very different ways. Great book!

Oh my goodness, what a well written book! The Christie Affair is a book you most definitely want to add to your TBR list/pile. Alternating between two timelines - the 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie in December 1926, and a period 7-12 years prior - the story is narrated by Nan O’Dea, the mistress of Agatha Christie’s husband, Archie. While Agatha’s disappearance was a very real event, and one she never discussed for the rest of her life, the rest of the story, and its characters, are purely fictional.

Although I figured out the mystery and motives of Miss O’Dea pretty early on, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. I highly recommend reading this book.

I really enjoyed reading this, the book is well-written and the premise is amazing. It's historical fiction at it's finest and the story is great.

Wonderful writing mixed with skillful plot. Very interesting to have Nan serve as narrator as well as her full story exposed. Interesting to privy Nan’s perception on what she believed transpired.

I enjoyed the book, utterly entertaining and adept BUT I was really hoping to gather MORE from Agatha. Despite my curiosity, I did feel as if I was an intruder on their marital matters, I felt as if none of this was frankly my business, far too intimate to eavesdrop upon the love triangle actually fearsome quintet.

Characterization was well done.

Despite a tinge of disappointment the stellar writing and nimble talent from the authoress far made up from what I was hoping for. A pleasant surprise indeed. Unexpected and well done, thunderbolt.

I really enjoyed this creative take on Agatha Christie's eleven-day disappearance. Told from the perspective of the affair partner of Christie's husband, this novel weaves some true facts of the novelist's disappearance with compelling fiction created by de Gramont. It was nice to see Agatha depicted as a woman reclaiming her agency. not just as a spurned or broken woman. This novel is less about Christie, and more about how tragedies like WWI and Irish mother-and-baby homes shaped the survivors. I'd definitely recommend this to fans of historical fiction and mysteries.

4.5 Stars! This book was practically perfection! I literally loved every second of this book and could not get enough. I had to borrow time for all parts of my life to sneak and find time to read this absolutely anywhere and everywhere. I knew nothing about Agatha Christie prior to reading this book, but I want to know everything now.

I am blown away! This book is a hidden gem! It is told from the mistress' point of view and you think you will hate everything about this woman, but in the end you have a whole new point of view that you never expected to have. My only gripe is that the ending left me wanting. I did not want what the author wanted to give us, a false happy ending. I wanted to know the real ending especially since this is about real people. I wanted to know how it ended for everyone in real life.

Aside from that I cannot sing the praises of this book enough! Highly highly recommend!!!! Twisty and crazy, keeps you on your toes and wanting more, long after the story ends.

Agatha Christie - before JK Rowling she topped the list of best-selling authors. But for Mrs. Christie, there was more to the story than wildly successful mystery novels - she once caused quite a stir when she disappeared herself. The Christie Affair by Nina e Gramont works through this tantalizing episode and adds in feminism, history, and page-turning intrigue. The story allows for all the what-ifs and what-maybes that delve into what happens to humans after the unthinkable transpires. Excellent use of plot twists and red herrings. LOVED.

I really wanted to love this book. I love historical fiction. I love when an author takes a true event and reimagines it. The Christie Affair sounded like my kind of book. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into it. I liked the premise but felt it moved so slow. I found myself bored, and when I get bored, I'm tempted to DNF the book. I didn't though.

As slow as it went for me, I did push on. Thankfully, around the 70% mark of the book, the story really came together and ended strong.

The Christie Affair tells the story about the 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie. But it also tells the story of Nan O'Dea, the mistress of Arthur Christie. I found Nan's story more enthralling than the actual disappearance of Agatha Christie.

With the strong ending, it ended up being a 3-star read for me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for my honest review..

3.5 stars. An extremely creative spin, based upon Agatha Christie’s actual disappearance for eleven days that has mystified people for decades, a disappearance that may have been caused by Agatha’s husband (Archie), his affair with Nan O’Dea, and his telling Agatha that he is leaving her. De Gramont tells this story not from the viewpoint of Agatha, but from that of Nan, and what follows is a haunting tale of mischief, romance, vendetta, and a bit of murder thrown in for good measure.

If you are an Agatha Christie fan, you should enjoy this one — even though the focus is on Nan and there is not a whole lot of Agatha in it. Nonetheless, it is a good, satisfying read.

Archie Christies' mistress Nan, tells this story that centers around the days in 1926 Agatha Christie disappeared. She never told anyone where she was or what she did. This is the fictional story of what may have happened during those missing days.

I might have enjoyed this more if I was able to read it at longer sittings. As it was, I read a chapter here and a chapter there making the story choppy. My fault, not the author's.

I love historical fiction and this was a fun read into the period of an author I have loved. I'd be happy if this was indeed the read story.

The Christie Affair is not as much about Agatha Christie, but her husband's fictional mistress. The author uses Agatha's disappearance to frame the story and past life of Archie Christie's mistress Nan O'Dea. The mystery in the novel is slight, but the author does a great job of making Nan mysterious as she reveals different layers that make up that character. I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel and as a huge fan of Agatha Christie, it was an interesting interpretation layered with fact of her disappearance. The cast of characters are rich, three-dimensional, and each has specific role in uncovering the truth. I applaud Nina de Gramont's take on Agatha Christie and I look forward to reading her next novel.

3.5/5 stars!

<b>The Christie Affair</b> is a historical fiction novel that I quickly jumped on based on the title and the cover without really focusing on the synopsis to learn what it’s about. I found it to be an interesting novel as it allowed me to know a little bit more about the renowned author, Agatha Christie, and a hypothesis about why she may have have disappeared for 11 days. As I knew very little about Agatha Christie herself, I was surprised to learn that she had indeed disappeared for 11 days with no rhyme or reason why.

The story de Gramont portrays as a potential fictional hypothesis as to what led up to and happened during Agatha’s disappearance through the eyes of Nan O’Dea is a good one.

The writing style was a bit different then what I had expected. It was written as though Nan knew everything that was happening with other characters, in thought and action, as if she was always present or all-knowing, which I found to be a bit weird.

The plot itself is filled with multiple twists and turns that I didn’t expect and overall comes together nicely at the end. However, I have to admit, I did not enjoy the middle aspect of the novel, say from 35-65% of it. I found it to be monotonous and dull. I would have much preferred a story focusing on the ‘star-crossed lovers’ rather than Agatha and Archie. That being said, by the end of the novel I began to understand the reasoning behind all the information shared once the plot came to its end.

For the characters… I didn’t ever really care for Agatha or Archie. I found them to be flat and they left a lot to be desired. I developed a love-hate relationship with Nan. Nan’s character was more developed than the rest, but I have to say, I didn’t particularly like her, especially as we neared the end of the novel.

All in all, it was a decent read.

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, St Martin’s Press, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own. Upon publishing of this novel, I will also be posting my review to Amazon Canada.</i>