As a huge fan of Agatha Christie and her mysterious disappearance, I had high hopes for "The Christie Affair." It was slow, confusing, and boring in the beginning but I held on in case it got better. It did get better when speaking of Christie's disappearance but quickly I became bored again. This is told from the perspective of the mistress who is very unlikable and, I will use the term again, boring. There was hardly any talk of Christie. The other character's were dull and the timelines were difficult to follow. I listened to the audiobook and was not a huge fan of the accents/character voicing. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

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!



Audio thoughts:

I was able to listen to an early copy of this one and the narrator, Lucy Scott, does a fantastic job bringing the story to life. I found myself completely engaged in the story and ended up listening to this one in one day! Lucy really brings her A-game to this narration, giving each character their own unique personality and infusing just the right amount of tension and emotion into her voice as needed.

20th century. Famous Author. Love affair. Mental breakdown. Disappearance. That's a recipe for a good story, which is why we are seeing the story of Agatha Christie's mysterious disappearance pop up more and more. I felt the plot this book took was reminiscent to the works of Mrs Christie, having murder and twists. I think it was brilliant to be reading from the viewpoint of the Mistress, however, the pictures it painted of the cast, particularly Agatha who was loyal, loving, and brilliant, was unkind and almost seemed spiteful. The thread here turned gloom and highlighted a fictional past of trauma that made me uncomfortable and I felt, was unnecessary. I give the Author credit to her imagination but will be on the hunt for a kinder representation of a woman whom I admire ❤

I want to start with the narration of this book was excellent. That’s the only reason I made it 50%.

I did not like Nan and just didn’t care. Cheating is something I’m not a fan of reading about. I was hoping for a lot more Agatha in this book based on the title.
I’m happy this author gets recognition from Reese’s book club and I hope there are lots of people who enjoy this book - it just want for me.

Many authors have tackled the tale of what happened to Agatha Christie during her brief disappearance. Perhaps the first account one reads is the bar which sets the stage for what they believe truly happened. I think this is why I was unable to enjoy this story. I first read the Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict, and found myself comparing those events to the ones Nina de Gramont supposes occurred. At first, I was resistant to hearing the story told from Nan's perspective, As events unfolded, I did find myself pulled in, but still resisted the notion that this was the true account. I did, however, enjoy the last 2 hours of the book more than the earlier portion.

The mystery behind the brief (planned?) disappearance of Agatha Christie after she discovered her first husband's plans to divorce her is probably one of the most fascinating stories. But this fictional spin on the back story and historical events leading up to that time is a brilliant creative endeavor on Nina de Gramont's part. Told from the perspective of Archie Christie's mistress, the tale unfolds with details spanning the first World War into the days of Agatha's disappearance. The finale was nothing short of amazing.

This was just too long on audio for me to be captivated in.

I think reading it was a better option for me. I also tend to have a hard time with accents on audio.

However the story itself was just okay.

A modern twist on a classic Agatha Christie mystery. Nina de Gramont is spinning a dramatic tale around the 11 days Agatha Christie went missing in 1926, and even though it is the character of Nan O'Day that drives the story (with a nice little whodunnit mystery thrown in, as a nod to Christie's trade mark) everything is neatly wrapped up, to fit with the very few facts that are known about those 11 fateful days.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen to this ARC. I highly recommend the audiobook.

“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.

This book is a slow burn that takes a while to build up the background to the story, but it really pays off in the second half. It starts out as a beautiful period piece evocative of the roaring 20s, complete with piano interludes, and goes on to imagine what happened in the unexplained 11 day disappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926. I read The Mystery of Mrs. Christie just a few months ago so I though I had some idea what it was about but I was so wrong! This is a unique and mysterious story, and an amazing piece of work from a debut author. It's mostly narrated by Mr. Christie's mistress, but there are also some chapters from Agatha and other points of view. The characters in this mystery are intricately developed and the story is so carefully woven I did not see what was coming at all! This book was a wonderful surprise all round.

The audiobook narration by Lucy Scott is also perfect for the period, I listened to it at a slower than normal pace because I was so enjoying the atmosphere. I could imagine living in the 1920s, complete with period costumes and attitudes towards women!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I was exited and intrigued by the description of this book. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. At times it was interesting, but I found the writing style to be clumsy and confusing. The story tries to do too much and got away from the mystery that drew me to the book. What mystery is left is given away by the narrator, giving the reader nothing to look forward to. 2.5 stars.

Are you limited as far as fiction in historical fiction goes ? That is my #qotd and one I am struggling with reviewing this book.
I am normally not a fan of books that create an alternative reality of true history and real people not just filling in blanks but actually creating a new character where a real one exists, but with this book the author has created a brilliant work of historical mystery with a lovely sense of place and setting in 1920s England.
The story of Agatha Christie’s famed disappearance is told from her husband’s mistress’s point of view. The mistress in this book does not align with the historical mistress and later wife of Archibald Christie, Nancy Neele, but is a completely fictionalized character Nan O’Dea with her own complicated and moving backstory. Her backstory makes her much more than a reviled home wrecker and much more of an character to root for and hope she finds her own kind of happiness. The mystery borrows a little from Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study In Scarlet but it is definitely it’s very own well plotted story. I enjoyed this imagined version of Agatha Christie’s disappearance and this glimpse into the 1920s holiday, spa and bath culture - as well as the heavier topics touched upon homes for unmarried mothers, forced adoption, the lingering effects of WWI especially in soldiers even the Spanish Flu were dealt with without making light of things but also without leaving the sphere of entertaining reading.
Great for lovers of historical mysteries - if you are trying to just get a background on Agatha Christie’s life it may be more advisable to read her memoirs even though she does not shed light on the days of her disappearance.
The audiobook for this book is read by Lucy Scott who has voiced Jane Austen’s writing for the BBC, so definitely an expert in her field.

The Christie Affair, by Nina de Gramont, is loosely based around the 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie. It is told from the perspective of Agatha's husband's mistress. I expected the plot to be primarily about Christie's disappearance. Instead, the book mainly focuses on the life of the mistress, Nan O'Day. Because of the way Nan is portrayed throughout most of the novel, I had little sympathy for her. The book was painfully boring and it wasn't until I was 80% finished that the story actually picked up and was mildly interesting. Some people may enjoy The Christie Affair, but it just didn't do it for me. Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my opinions.

What an interesting take on the mystery of Agatha Christie’s eleven day disappearance! This started super slow and I wasn’t really sure where it was going but once the twists were revealed I was engrossed. I assumed this would be more about Agatha but it really is a story about Nan, Archie’s mistress. Agatha POV is also told by Nan and at times Nan makes Agatha seem very uncaring (makes sense if she only knows her through what Archie tells her). Archie is an absolute bridge troll though and completely undeserving of any woman. Lucy Scott narrates and does a lovely job with the various characters. I couldn’t shake how much she sounded like Olivia Coleman in The Crown when she spoke as Agatha. Mystery fans will like this new spin on this famous story.

The Christie Affair AUDIO by Nina de Gramont is one of the best books I've listened to lately. It is the story of Agatha Christie's missing 11 days. It is fiction, of course, but as good an explanation as any other. It is written from the viewpoint of Archie Christie's girlfriend, Nan, and also features her life story. It is creative and intelligent and heart breaking. It has several themes but one is a mother's love and where it might take one. The characters were well developed and interesting. Christie came to be the most popular author in the world, but these were early days, when she had just written a couple of books. It was also a lesson in national hysteria, her disappearance provoking a nation-wide search comprised of hundreds of police and volunteers. It ended in amnesia, but did it really? She never spoke of those days the rest of her life.

A well-written book, the prose was lovely and flowed well. The pacing of the novel was perfect as was the character development as much of the novel was told in memory, Nan's memories. We came in touch with the Magdalen homes in Ireland in the early 20th century as well as residue from the Great War. The Christie Affair was full of the mores of the time period and how they affected people. It was definitely a multi-layered book. Kudos Ms de Gramont.

The narration by Lucy Scott was gentle and consistent. She has a lovely voice with a refined English accent, very easy to understand. Scott is a renowned actress from film and television, as well as from a number of audio books and could not have been a better choice for this book.

I was invited to listen to a free e-Audio version of The Christie Affair by MacMillan Audio, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #macmillanaudio #thechristieaffair #ninadegramont

What a fascinating take on the Agatha Christie disappearance mystery. The Christie Affair novel focuses less on Agatha Christie and more on Nan O’Dea, a fictional character loosely based on Nancy Neele, Archie Christie’s mistress and second wife.

Told in two timelines: one of a young Nan and the day leading up to Agatha’s disappearance and the 11 days that followed. Agatha is much more a side character, but Nan is a powerful and well-developed character that you will find yourself caring for.

I was engrossed in Nan’s backstory as a young girl and then young woman. In her story, she finds true love and finds a way to seek revenge when what she lives for is taken away. It’s an interesting take on why and how Nan ended up Archie’s mistress.

It’s available today so add it to your list!

Last but not least, many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this early listening copy! I listened to the audiobook version- the narrator was perfect.

Thank you NetGalley and McMillan Audio for this advance audio copy.

In December of 1926, the famous English writer Agatha Christie disappeared for eleven days. Though she was found, the mystery has not been solved to this day. This novel is a reimagining of the events during the time of her disappearance. The story is told from the perspective of Nan O’Dea, the woman who was having an affair with Agatha’s husband Archie Christie.

Shortly after Archie tells Agatha that he wants a divorce to be with Nan, Agatha vanishes, leaving their young daughter with their nanny. Agatha’s photo is circulated in all the papers and there’s an all- out manhunt. Nan decided to lay low in a spa-type hotel were she meets several lovely couples. Then one night a murder takes place.

Nan reflects on her earlier days- family, love and a devastating loss through flashbacks. There’s quite a bit of back and forth between timelines that seemed a little muddled to me. Perhaps because I listened to the audio version.

Nina de Gramont has an excellent imagination and her take on this mystery was well crafted. I enjoyed the many layers of this story, especially the unlikely bond between Agatha and Nan and the discovery of the events that connected them. This story has mystery and romance, and of course a murder to solve. I was so distracted with Nan’s story that I never even picked up on any clues.

This book was so good. It was a historical fiction account of the disappearance of Agatha Christie. This has always been a thing of fascination for me so I enjoyed this fictionalized version. I loved the audiobook!

I'm a massive fan of Agatha Christie. I read through her books as comfort reads and love the movies. I think her skill at weaving a tale and making us dislike so many of the characters that we can't decide which one we think is guilty is truly impressive. I've always wondered about those 11 days that she went missing.

This book didn't put any pieces of the puzzle together.

The Christie Affair is told from the perspective of Nan, the mistress of Agatha's husband Archie. She asks Archie to tell Agatha that he's leaving her so he can be with Nan. He does. Agatha gets upset and goes off on her own for a while. This book then proceeds to have Nan tell us what happened, with some back story about Nan's childhood. . It's obviously a work of fiction, and not pretending to be fact, but I didn't enjoy hearing the fabricated musings of where Agatha was from the lips of the woman who broke up her marriage with her husband. I didn't find Nan an interesting character and didn't really care about her backstory.

I guess I'm just such a fan of Agatha, who was already attempting to work in a male-dominated field and had just been cheated on, that I don't really want to hear what someone else is guessing happened to her. I hope she took some time to herself and drank and smokes and danced and had a grand old time. Yes, yes, I know the police were looking for her and it was a waste of resources, but she deserved it.

The writing was great and the imagery was lovely. The narration was even toned and lilting but did tend to get a bit monotonous at times. I enjoyed the accent work and didn't find it forced. The voicing of other characters was distinct without being comical. The audiobook quality was top notch.

I’m not even certain where to start with this review. This book has left me completely baffled to the point that I am not fully certain what just happened. We very quickly learn that our narrator, Nan O’Dea is having an affair with Agatha Christie’s husband, hence the name of the book. The concept of a book being about an affair from the mistress’s point of view is interesting, but from the very beginning you get the impression that there is more to than just an affair. Nan seems weirdly interested in Agatha’s life and it’s not for the reason you think.


There is just so much going on in this book. The first half is unbelievably depressing to the point that I debated not going on. Nan’s backstory broke my heart and made me want to scream “I hate men!!!” from the top of a mountain somewhere. Nevertheless, I just had to know what was going to happen. With each new chapter, I felt like I knew less and less what this book was about. I think I said “WTF” about 25 times throughout the whole book because of how all over the place it felt. It went from the affair to Agatha’s disappearance (which both really happened) to this long, odd string of events that took place inside a hotel.

The way that Nan’s backstory was tied back into Agatha Christie’s life made my head spin. It was a truly fascinating story, but I felt like there was too much going on. I’m doing everything within my power not to spoil anything, so all I’ll say is that if the book had just been about the affair and why Nan did what she did, and left out everything with the hotel, I would have liked it better. That part just seemed like a huge sidetrack from the main story that really confused me. I also wanted to hit Nan over the head several times, but tragic characters are some of my favorites.


Though I had some serious doubts, I did actually enjoy this book in the end. I felt like I had no idea what was going on until the very end, but I believe that was on purpose. I do highly suggest looking into the trigger warnings, because there is some seriously dark stuff in this book, but I didn’t feel like it was in a disturbing or over the top way. It was just a sad, complex story with an odd ending that makes me wish I had someone to talk about it with.

Narration
Lucy Scott did a fantastic job with this narration! She had so many different accents for each of the characters, and it really felt like each person got their own voice. She also did a wonderful job with the emotions in the books. I could feel everything the characters were saying. This is truly one of my favorite kinds of narration! Scott really acted out each of the parts and it made listening to the story that much better.