I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book.. What a great read it ducks you in right away and I couldn't put it down until finished. Highly recommend

Once I adjusted to the first person narrative by Nan, the mistress, I started to enjoy the story for the fiction that it is. It was interesting, with lots of twists and unexpected plot changes. But now I want to go find a book that tells the true story of Agatha Christie's disappearance.

It's extraordinary how the plot of this book works so perfectly.

Agatha Christie disappeared in 1926 from her home in England for eleven days causing a huge uproar from the public wondering what happened. Her husband, Archie, just prior to that time declared that he wanted a divorce and after he left the house, so did she. Archie was notified by the police when they found her car abandoned off a Surrey road with a few personal items inside. But she was missing. The author gave this story a spin by writing from the perspective of his mistress, Nan.

The book is focused on the well-known disappearance of Agatha with the reader trying to once again piece together the puzzle. Yet, what makes this unique is the story of Nan's background which turned it into a totally engaging plot. It was filled with unexpected moments of romance and emotional heartbreaks from a period of time during and after the Great War with the hardships for those in England and Ireland. Agatha's agent said, "Nothing in life unfolds the way you think it will. Does it?"

This book has it all -- love, suspense and the contrast and strength of two women in love with Archie. It makes me cringe with some dark parts of the past. It was said that, "worry tends to give way to such emotions." The characters and the setting made me feel like I was there. It was written with a lot of imagination from the author to make it feel real. The cover conveys perfectly the feeling of the story. Highly recommended.

My thanks to Nina de Gramont, St. Martin's Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book with an expected release date of February 1, 2021.

Unfortunately due to file issues, I was unavailable to read this or download it. Would love another opportunity. Please email me!

I can't thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley enough for this fresh, exciting historical fiction ebook copy!

The Christie Affair by Nina is a wonderful, fresh, mystery book.
I was thrilled when I seen I was approved this read.
The gripping, suspense novel had me engaged from the first page till the very end.
The Christie Affair depicts what could have happened during the short time frame Agatha Christie was missing. I thought this was so exciting to get to dive into and read about. The history behind this was so well done. I couldn't have been happier with the way this book turned out.
This is one story any book lover will not want to miss.
Five amazing stars from me.

Now St. Martin's Press..... Bring on more reads please. 😘

This book blew me away! I cannot say enough good things about this book. A total page turner. You will love it. Every word, every page just kept my interest and kept me pulled in since the first page. So many well developed characters - most likable and some just tragic lost souls. The Christie Affair is set to be published in February 2022. Go put this novel on your list of books to read in 2022.

This book is about the time in Agatha Christie’s life when she went missing for 11 days. Did you know about this time in Agatha’s life? I didn’t. No one knows what happened during those 11 days either. This books speculates what happened and what a tale! The surprising part is that this book is told from the point of view from Agatha’s husband’s lover - the lover he divorced Agatha for. It pushes into human behavior and why people do what they do. I did not know what to expect when I started this book. My interest in this book was piqued after I had heard a podcast review of it from an author. The last part of the book blew me away as everything began to unravel - It felt like I was reading an Agatha Christie Novel!

I’ve posted a review on goodreads and will blurb about it on my Instagram book blog. This is the best book I’ve read this year!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. A murder happened almost a century ago in England. There was more questions than answers when trying to solve the case. This book dragged a little bit at times.

“The Christie Affair” was a fun book. While I have read a number of Agatha Christie’s books, I knew nothing about her personal life. So I was surprised to learn that in December 1926 she mysteriously disappeared for eleven days. The author has incorporated elements of what is known about the disappearance — Archie Christie having an affair with a secretary, Agatha Christie disappearing and her car found abandoned with some of her belongings in it, the nationwide manhunt, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle helping with the search briefly, and the discovery of Agatha Christie in a hotel in Yorkshire and claiming not to remember what happened to her.

However, she has crafted a fictional story about what happened during those eleven days, told through the recollections of Nan O’Dea, the mistress, who in the story was staying in the hotel in Yorkshire for reasons of her own. The story alternates between the present and Nan O’Dea’s past, which involved some very tragic and traumatic events that altered the course of her life. The story involves multiple mysteries and murders, and some very good and unexpected surprises. There is lots more I could say about the book, but I want to leave plenty of surprises for the reader.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

First thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Truth be told, I have never read an Agatha Christie novel (although I know my mother did), but the description of the novel intrigued me. I was not disappointed. The story tells of the 11 days that Agatha Christie went missing the day after her husband tells her he wants a divorce. It is told through the narrative of his mistress.

No one really knows where Agatha Christie was or did during those 11 days because she refused to talk about it - so you have to take this story with a grain of salt and just go with it. If you do, I promise you you will be in for a wonderful roller coaster of a ride!

This is the second novel that I have read in six months regarding the “Mysterious” disappearance for 11 days of Dame Agatha Christie back in 1926, early in her very prodigious career. Interestingly, “The Christie Affair” is told from the POV of husband Archie Christie’s mistress, Nan (AKA Nancy Neele). This is a different take, and while it is a very fictionalized account, it provides a great look at the time-period - a time when life was so very different for women than our present. I found it interesting and a quick read, although the “twist” seemed a bit unbelievable. A few "Easter Eggs" can also be discovered by familiar readers. Recommended for those who either love this time-period or are fans of Agatha! My thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the e-ARC via widget, which I was gifted in exchange for my honest opinion. This review to be published on pub date on Amazon. - link to come!

I was unfamiliar with the ten day disappearance of Agatha Christie or her life. Basically my knowledge of her was that she was a mystery writer. This book is part fiction and part truth as her disappearance is explained by her husband’s mistress. Added to this mysterious disappearance is also the story of Nan , Agatha’s husband mistress who details her early life in Ireland and her time spent in England in the care of nuns and priests. Another mystery is unravelled as the book progresses . I enjoyed the book . It was a love story on many different levels.

CW- pregnancy, death, physical and emotional abuse, infidelity, war, murder
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The Christie Affair seeks to answer this age old question from the perspective of Agatha’s husband’s mistress- Where did Agatha Christie go for those missing 11 days?
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Before going into this book, I had really never heard of the disappearance of Agatha Christie. That subject is so fascinating, and I definitely am planning to read more about this and learning more about it in general.
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That said, I did have some issues with it. This book is very heavy, and if you are not expecting that it can be really rather shocking. Please please check the content warnings for this one.
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I also thought it was really slow. Even though there was stuff happening, I just really couldn’t get invested in the story. Part of that, however, was because I didn’t find the reason that Agatha disappeared very strong.
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Overall, this was a solid historical fiction book, but not anything to write home about.
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

It turns out the least interesting thing about this book was the affair between Nan and Archie. I liked the past stories and explanations of why things happened in the present in the story. There were some parts that dragged a bit though.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second historical fiction account I've read about Agatha Christies' disappearance. This version is told by her husband's mistress, Nan O'Dea. The story in itself is a mystery and could easily have been written by Christie herself. Adding to the scene we come upon the wonderful world of the wealthy. Set in 1926 there are London townhouses, country homes, tennis parties, all so very la-de-da. In the midst of this are the Christies...Archie having an affair and wanting a divorce, Agatha in complete denial and in love with her husband. Was this the straw to break the camel's back...is that why she disappeared.? The mystery was never solved and the author of this book gives us a great deal to contemplate. In any event, the book was enjoyable. My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

The story is told from Nan O'Shea's point of view, who was Archie Christie's mistress. He was Agatha Christie's first husband. O'Shea tells the story of the time when Agatha went missing for eleven days. Peppered throughout the novel is her story before she met Archie, when she lived in Ireland with her father's brother's family during summers, and in England with her family in the rest of the year.

I liked the memories of her life before she became involved with Archie. That plot was the most interesting to me, especially as I like learning about characters through memories or flashbacks. The two plots overlap as the story progresses, and we learn how she came to be Christie's mistress and what prompted all her decisions. As a reader, you're offered more and more information as you read, until you can't help but let yourself be reeled in. The story is gripping and it kept me interested to the end. However, I didn't like the ending, specifically the tone at the end. It was as if she brushed everything under the rug, and it didn't match the Agatha throughout the novel with the Agatha she portrayed at the end. Nor, does it match the narrator with the Nan O'Shea in the end. I also didn't like when the author addressed the reader directly; it didn't suit the story.

I liked the author's style. I can tell she studied her sentences, and worked over and polished. There are quotable sentences, some of them good and smart, some slightly cliche, but we know how cliches are actually just truth plainly stated. I did like the narrative voice - Nan is a good story teller. Offering bit of the future early and thoughout the novel made me see it a rather sad novel, but not so as to stop me from reading and enjoying the novel.

Although I learned through my Wikipedia search (just call me scholar!) that most of the characters don't have the names of the real-life people, nor is what happened in the novel true for the most part, there is the lingering question of "what if...?" I like stories that exploit the mystery, no matter how far-fetched it seems. From a story point of view, it's a good story, starting from little bits known for sure, and spinning a tale. I got to learn more about Ireland*, about young women taken to nunneries to have their illicit babies, all thanks to Nan's story. As I read an advanced copy of the novel, there wasn't any note from the author saying how she came to write this particular story, about this particular happening in history. I do hope in the final version some explanation is included, as it'd be very interesting for history and historical fiction lovers.

Now I really want to read Agatha Christie's Autobiography, in which, by the way, she says nothing about her 11-days disappearance. So intriguing!

Wow! This book is phenomenal. It is gripping, intriguing, haunting, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "The Christie Affair", I was whisked back in time, and went on such a journey with this story.

This is the first book I have read by Nina de Gramont, and it certainly will not be my last. Her writing style is incredibly engaging, visceral, and atmospheric. She pulls the reader into the world of her story from the very first page, and I was hooked from the beginning. Furthermore, I could truly envision each and every moment throughout this novel. This book explores much about human nature, even though at times it may be difficult to read due to what occurs in the story. Ms. de Gramont brilliantly weaves historical fiction with fiction. Full of twists and turns, this book will hook you from the first page to the last.

This story is told mostly from the perspective of Nan O'Dea, the mistress of Archie Christie, who is Agatha Christie's husband. Surrounding many of her decisions, as well as the 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie, this book explores many themes. I do not want to say too much in this review as I do not want to spoil anything. I will simply say, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat turning the pages as you wait to see what happens next. Full of mystery, and much more, you won't want to put this book down.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, it is incredible. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The scores and scores of Agatha Christie fans (like myself) will enjoy this fictional "unveiling" of the story behind Ms. Christie's very mysterious disappearance during the mid nineteen twenties.

Nina de Gramont weaves a very complex tale that meanders a bit before completely absorbing the reader in its mystery, vendetta, and romance. There were aspects of this book that totally beguiled me. . . . and others that befuddled me. . . but the author manages to draw her stories and characters together too a very satisfying conclusion.

Fans and scholars have questioned the veracity of Christie's tale of "amnesia" for almost 100 years now--to no avail. It is an unsolved mystery unless we accept the standard account as factual. Ms. de Gramont has chosen to create an interesting back-story for Archie Christie and his mistress that adds interest to this historical mystery.
Netgalley provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in return for a candid review.

This book was altogether not what I had expected! What I HAD expected was simply another spin at Agatha Christie's disappearance. Her reasons, if she had any, or her mental condition re-explained; the 'fugue', she experienced. What I got was the turbulent, captivating, and heart-wrenching story of a wholly reinvented mistress (Nan O'Dea) and later second Mrs. Christie. A story, that treated Agatha's disappearance as almost coincidental, merely a framework in which Nan's lifework could come to fruition. That is not to say that Agatha's secret was not explored and dealt with - not at all - she was just not the main protagonist in this tale. What a delightful surprise!

The author takes us gradually through Nan's traumatic past, her happiness, suffering, and despair. Emotions that will churn for a lifetime, develop into obsessions, and eventually shape her actions. I found myself deeply sorry for Nan, although the rational actions she devised based on deluded imaginings evoked little sympathy from me. Nevertheless, I was wholly sucked in by her character: she was so alive, so determined, so prepared to sacrifice in order to succeed with what she felt needed to be done that I couldn't but understand her position.

There is love and abuse, birth and murder, sleuthing and ignoring and, of course, we know the ending in stark colour and meagre facts: the mistress becomes the wife, the former wife leaves the scene - at least the Christie marriage, if not the name and the fame. But that, too, might be different at the emotional level...

I was totally drawn in by this book, even though the plot became increasingly fictional, and at times somewhat absurd. It almost seemed to me as if the author wanted to establish her story firmly in the realm of fiction, not a serious treatment of a factual occurrence. This supposition is reinforced by the author's speaking to the reader directly towards the end as if to say: don't take all this for real; this is MY story, and it goes where I directed it, and will end where I feel is the right point.

This is a great book, part psychological thriller, part romance, part historical fiction, told in lively, intelligent prose, and comes wholly recommended by me.

My sincere thanks to St. Martin's Press for this riveting eARC!

This was such a fun read. I recently read another historical fiction account of Agatha Christie’s disappearance, but I found this version more entertaining. Told from the perspective of Nan O’Dea, we follow along as Agatha is found, discover Nan’s secret reason for pursuing the married Colonel Christie, and become entwined in a murder mystery to boot.

A wonderful twist on true events that blew my mind at the end.

I've read Agatha Christie's books, but never heard of when she went missing for a short while. The rumors around that time are incredible within itself, but this story takes what was a strange event and molds it into a wonderful fictional story that kept me guessing the whole time.

Nan is a wonderfully complex character, with dark secrets and a painful past. We hear her story of heartache mixed throughout the main plotline, but it wasn't until the end that its purpose was truly revealed. A mystery within a mystery, and such a glorious one at that.

A must read for fans of Christie, or a good historical mystery.

My review will be live on my blog Book Confessions on 8-18-21.