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The Christie Affair
Nina de Gramont's The Christie Affair is a beguiling novel of star-crossed lovers, heartbreak, revenge, and murder—and a brilliant re-imagination of one of the most talked-about unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century.
Every story has its secrets.
Every mystery has its motives.
“A long time ago, in another country, I nearly killed a woman. It’s a particular feeling, the urge to murder. It takes over your body so completely, it’s like a divine force, grabbing hold of your will, your limbs, your psyche. There’s a joy to it. In retrospect, it’s frightening, but I daresay in the moment it feels sweet. The way justice feels sweet.”
The greatest mystery wasn’t Agatha Christie’s disappearance in those eleven infamous days, it’s what she discovered.
London, 1925: In a world of townhomes and tennis matches, socialites and shooting parties, Miss Nan O’Dea became Archie Christie’s mistress, luring him away from his devoted and well-known wife, Agatha Christie.
The question is, why? Why destroy another woman’s marriage, why hatch a plot years in the making, and why murder? How was Nan O’Dea so intricately tied to those eleven mysterious days that Agatha Christie went missing?
Every story has its secrets.
Every mystery has its motives.
“A long time ago, in another country, I nearly killed a woman. It’s a particular feeling, the urge to murder. It takes over your body so completely, it’s like a divine force, grabbing hold of your will, your limbs, your psyche. There’s a joy to it. In retrospect, it’s frightening, but I daresay in the moment it feels sweet. The way justice feels sweet.”
The greatest mystery wasn’t Agatha Christie’s disappearance in those eleven infamous days, it’s what she discovered.
London, 1925: In a world of townhomes and tennis matches, socialites and shooting parties, Miss Nan O’Dea became Archie Christie’s mistress, luring him away from his devoted and well-known wife, Agatha Christie.
The question is, why? Why destroy another woman’s marriage, why hatch a plot years in the making, and why murder? How was Nan O’Dea so intricately tied to those eleven mysterious days that Agatha Christie went missing?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2022
About the author
Nina de Gramont
8 books805 followersNina de Gramont's latest novel, The Christie Affair, is an international and New York Times best seller, and the Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick for February, 2022. Nina is also the author of a collection of short stories, Of Cats and Men, as well as the novels Gossip of the Starlings and The Last September. She has written several YA novels (Every Little Thing in the World, Meet Me at the River, The Boy I Love, and -- under the pen name Marina Gessner -- The Distance From Me to You). Nina teaches creative writing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She lives with her daughter and her husband, the writer David Gessner.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,227 reviews
January 29, 2024
Delightful, Wild Ride
On December 3, 1926, Agatha Christie was told by her husband that he was leaving her for another woman, a Nancy Neele. Agatha Christie hopped into her car and drove off, only to have her car discovered abandoned with her clothing and driver's license inside. Agatha Christie disappeared for 11 days. Finally, on December 14, 1926, she was discovered at a hotel staying under the name Mrs. Tressa Neele.
The Christine Affair is a piece of historical fiction from the point of view of Nancy Neele or referred to as Ms. Nan O'Dea in the novel. Nan has a very interesting backstory which reminded me of The Handmaid's Tale. Nan's story was so gripping that I wasn't sure why it wasn't a standalone book as Nan's story seemed to overpower the story about Agatha Christie's disappearance. The book overall was a delightful, wild ride with excellent character development and surprises along the way, and I am looking forward to reading it again.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
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On December 3, 1926, Agatha Christie was told by her husband that he was leaving her for another woman, a Nancy Neele. Agatha Christie hopped into her car and drove off, only to have her car discovered abandoned with her clothing and driver's license inside. Agatha Christie disappeared for 11 days. Finally, on December 14, 1926, she was discovered at a hotel staying under the name Mrs. Tressa Neele.
The Christine Affair is a piece of historical fiction from the point of view of Nancy Neele or referred to as Ms. Nan O'Dea in the novel. Nan has a very interesting backstory which reminded me of The Handmaid's Tale. Nan's story was so gripping that I wasn't sure why it wasn't a standalone book as Nan's story seemed to overpower the story about Agatha Christie's disappearance. The book overall was a delightful, wild ride with excellent character development and surprises along the way, and I am looking forward to reading it again.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
December 16, 2021
A 5-star premise with a 3-star plot
3.5 stars
“Authors created problems, they didn’t solve them.”
The Christie Affair is a mystery centered around the sensational and scandalous chain of events that led to Agatha Christie’s disappearance for 11 days in 1926. Told through the eyes of Agatha Christies’ husband’s mistress, a story of secrets, revenge, and lust emerges, resulting in a startling murder.
The day after Agatha's husband Archie Christie tells her he is divorcing Agatha and leaving her for his mistress, Agatha Christie disappeared without a trace for 11 days. Her car was found abandoned by the side of the road with her possessions left inside. Thought to be dead, a nationwide search was launched to find the missing mystery writer. What happened to AC during this time is imagined by Nan O’Dea, Archie’s mistress, and the woman who caused it all.
Told from Nan’s point of view, I didn’t enjoy the narrative style. Relying on her imagination, Nan tells the reader what happened to AC. She rationalizes by speaking to the reader and explaining why this is ok. She paints an almost cartoonish picture of Agatha Christie, who comes across as an eccentric, borderline obsessive, and hysterical woman with no regard for her child or others in her life.
I love the idea of this book. What happened to AC and why she left is a compelling storyline. However, this book focuses on Nan and her rationale for stealing Archie away from Agatha. Nan’s story is both interesting and horrifying; however, the two storylines don’t meld. The two parts are competing against one another.
There are a lot of unanswered questions and plot holes. Pieces come together in the end and paint a picture of how the events connect in an AC-style mystery. However, to get there, one has to overlook many coincidences and unexplained events. The Christie Affair is an ambitious undertaking with potential, but it left me wanting more.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
“Authors created problems, they didn’t solve them.”
The Christie Affair is a mystery centered around the sensational and scandalous chain of events that led to Agatha Christie’s disappearance for 11 days in 1926. Told through the eyes of Agatha Christies’ husband’s mistress, a story of secrets, revenge, and lust emerges, resulting in a startling murder.
The day after Agatha's husband Archie Christie tells her he is divorcing Agatha and leaving her for his mistress, Agatha Christie disappeared without a trace for 11 days. Her car was found abandoned by the side of the road with her possessions left inside. Thought to be dead, a nationwide search was launched to find the missing mystery writer. What happened to AC during this time is imagined by Nan O’Dea, Archie’s mistress, and the woman who caused it all.
Told from Nan’s point of view, I didn’t enjoy the narrative style. Relying on her imagination, Nan tells the reader what happened to AC. She rationalizes by speaking to the reader and explaining why this is ok. She paints an almost cartoonish picture of Agatha Christie, who comes across as an eccentric, borderline obsessive, and hysterical woman with no regard for her child or others in her life.
I love the idea of this book. What happened to AC and why she left is a compelling storyline. However, this book focuses on Nan and her rationale for stealing Archie away from Agatha. Nan’s story is both interesting and horrifying; however, the two storylines don’t meld. The two parts are competing against one another.
There are a lot of unanswered questions and plot holes. Pieces come together in the end and paint a picture of how the events connect in an AC-style mystery. However, to get there, one has to overlook many coincidences and unexplained events. The Christie Affair is an ambitious undertaking with potential, but it left me wanting more.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 6, 2022
The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
I came to this book knowing that it is historical fiction. As I read it I adapted to the fact that it's so much more fiction than historical which was fine with me. I stopped comparing what I know about Agatha Christie's real life to what I was reading. I've only read one of Agatha Christie's stories (so far) but I've been fascinated with her life and I enjoyed her depiction here.
This is Nan O'Dea's story, a fictional character very loosely based on Archie Christie's mistress and second wife. For the most part, Nan is speaking to us as she tells the story and we learn about her life from an early age. We also learn about her motivation to be a part of Archie Christie's life, even though it means being a partner in destroying his first marriage. Nan presents Agatha in a much more flattering light than Archie and if this had been a different story they could have easily been good friends, I think. But that's the fictional Agatha, I'm talking about, an Agatha that I like to pretend could have kept following the path she was on at the end of the book
The story deals with a variety of timelines and locations but they were easy for me to follow. There are two fictional men, in the story, that I liked very much. Their presence, and my hope that their brief happiness could continue, is what kept me so interested in the happenings. As Nan writes her thoughts, she knows her future and can't change the future of one of the men but allows us to imagine the future of Agatha and the other man. Of course, this only works for the fictional Agatha because the real Agatha's history is already written.
Pub: February 1, 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
I came to this book knowing that it is historical fiction. As I read it I adapted to the fact that it's so much more fiction than historical which was fine with me. I stopped comparing what I know about Agatha Christie's real life to what I was reading. I've only read one of Agatha Christie's stories (so far) but I've been fascinated with her life and I enjoyed her depiction here.
This is Nan O'Dea's story, a fictional character very loosely based on Archie Christie's mistress and second wife. For the most part, Nan is speaking to us as she tells the story and we learn about her life from an early age. We also learn about her motivation to be a part of Archie Christie's life, even though it means being a partner in destroying his first marriage. Nan presents Agatha in a much more flattering light than Archie and if this had been a different story they could have easily been good friends, I think. But that's the fictional Agatha, I'm talking about, an Agatha that I like to pretend could have kept following the path she was on at the end of the book
The story deals with a variety of timelines and locations but they were easy for me to follow. There are two fictional men, in the story, that I liked very much. Their presence, and my hope that their brief happiness could continue, is what kept me so interested in the happenings. As Nan writes her thoughts, she knows her future and can't change the future of one of the men but allows us to imagine the future of Agatha and the other man. Of course, this only works for the fictional Agatha because the real Agatha's history is already written.
Pub: February 1, 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
January 22, 2022
3.5 STARS
A fictional account of the real Agatha Christie disappearance on Friday 3 December 1926 at around 9:30 p.m.
As a Christie fan, I had to read this one and find out more about the night the mystery writer vanished. There are some fascinating images of the news articles on the web.
The story is narrated by Miss Nan O'Dea, the mistress of Agatha's husband, Archie. It is a fascinating and shocking fictional account of what she tells (or imagines) happened and why.
Unfortunately, the book focuses much more on the mistress, Nan, than Mrs. Christie (who seems like more of a secondary character). Nan (the home-wrecker) tells her story and she has quite a past which includes her own suffering and hardships. She believes she has insight into why Christie disappeared without a word.
I was shocked by the ending twist, you will see it coming because of a very revealing hint, but still stunning. "It was Hamlet, who said, "One may smile, and smile, and be a villain."
It falls a bit flat, but still has some engaging chapters and a murder mystery, of course. "What some call murder, others might call justice."
Thanks to NG and the publisher for my advanced copy. OUT February 1, 2022
A fictional account of the real Agatha Christie disappearance on Friday 3 December 1926 at around 9:30 p.m.
As a Christie fan, I had to read this one and find out more about the night the mystery writer vanished. There are some fascinating images of the news articles on the web.
The story is narrated by Miss Nan O'Dea, the mistress of Agatha's husband, Archie. It is a fascinating and shocking fictional account of what she tells (or imagines) happened and why.
Unfortunately, the book focuses much more on the mistress, Nan, than Mrs. Christie (who seems like more of a secondary character). Nan (the home-wrecker) tells her story and she has quite a past which includes her own suffering and hardships. She believes she has insight into why Christie disappeared without a word.
I was shocked by the ending twist, you will see it coming because of a very revealing hint, but still stunning. "It was Hamlet, who said, "One may smile, and smile, and be a villain."
It falls a bit flat, but still has some engaging chapters and a murder mystery, of course. "What some call murder, others might call justice."
Thanks to NG and the publisher for my advanced copy. OUT February 1, 2022
March 7, 2022
The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont is a 2022 St. Martin’s Press publication.
The eleven days that Agatha Christie went missing is one of the most debated 'unsolved' mysteries of all time.
While the frantic search was on for Christie, the possible catalyst for her disappearance was her husband Archie’s infidelities. Archie had apparently fallen in love and asked Agatha for a divorce, not long after the passing of her mother. Who had Archie fallen so hard for that he was willing to break up his marriage? Who was ‘Nan O’Dea’ and why did she set out to lure Archie away from his wife?
This novel is a very crafty imagining of what might have happened during the eleven days, in 1926, when Agatha Christie vanished. Here, Agatha must share the spotlight with 'Nan', who recounts her life leading up to Agatha’s disappearance, her upbringing, her life in Ireland, and the sad circumstances of war that disrupted her life and future, which has led her to this point.
This narrative will take readers by surprise as one goes from disliking the calculating femme fatale who had the audacity to steal Agatha’s husband, to becoming a sympathetic character one is tempted to root for- but only cautiously.
The mystery of Agatha Christie’s disappearance is endlessly fascinating to me. I admit, though, that I have never found myself all that curious about Archie’s second wife and have never considered what her personal circumstances might have been.
This story reveals ‘Nan’s' motive for going after Archie- and it's one you might not suspect- though the clues are there all along. The mystery within a mystery, and the drama surrounding Agatha’s lengthy disappearance, combined with Nan’s personal story meshes together to make a fascinating and compelling, and simply fabulous story.
I got all wrapped up in this story. It is very well written, though one will have to stay focused to keep up with the timelines and narratives. The characters are well-drawn, with police inspector Chilton being a personal favorite.
I knew this was going to be a good book before I even read the first page. I just had a good feeling about it. But I had no idea I would step into a world this rich and luxurious. Wow!
I was absolutely riveted to the drama, so entrenched in Nan and Agatha’s competition that it took me by surprise when I found myself mired in a novel of suspense. Well, duh! We are talking about Agatha Christie here. How very diabolically clever!
The author did a fantastic job of approaching this age-old mystery from a fresh perspective and handled the material with much respect, while ending the story in a slightly bittersweet, but appealingly pleasant way.
I couldn’t help but love every single delicious page of it!!
4.5 stars
The eleven days that Agatha Christie went missing is one of the most debated 'unsolved' mysteries of all time.
While the frantic search was on for Christie, the possible catalyst for her disappearance was her husband Archie’s infidelities. Archie had apparently fallen in love and asked Agatha for a divorce, not long after the passing of her mother. Who had Archie fallen so hard for that he was willing to break up his marriage? Who was ‘Nan O’Dea’ and why did she set out to lure Archie away from his wife?
This novel is a very crafty imagining of what might have happened during the eleven days, in 1926, when Agatha Christie vanished. Here, Agatha must share the spotlight with 'Nan', who recounts her life leading up to Agatha’s disappearance, her upbringing, her life in Ireland, and the sad circumstances of war that disrupted her life and future, which has led her to this point.
This narrative will take readers by surprise as one goes from disliking the calculating femme fatale who had the audacity to steal Agatha’s husband, to becoming a sympathetic character one is tempted to root for- but only cautiously.
The mystery of Agatha Christie’s disappearance is endlessly fascinating to me. I admit, though, that I have never found myself all that curious about Archie’s second wife and have never considered what her personal circumstances might have been.
This story reveals ‘Nan’s' motive for going after Archie- and it's one you might not suspect- though the clues are there all along. The mystery within a mystery, and the drama surrounding Agatha’s lengthy disappearance, combined with Nan’s personal story meshes together to make a fascinating and compelling, and simply fabulous story.
I got all wrapped up in this story. It is very well written, though one will have to stay focused to keep up with the timelines and narratives. The characters are well-drawn, with police inspector Chilton being a personal favorite.
I knew this was going to be a good book before I even read the first page. I just had a good feeling about it. But I had no idea I would step into a world this rich and luxurious. Wow!
I was absolutely riveted to the drama, so entrenched in Nan and Agatha’s competition that it took me by surprise when I found myself mired in a novel of suspense. Well, duh! We are talking about Agatha Christie here. How very diabolically clever!
The author did a fantastic job of approaching this age-old mystery from a fresh perspective and handled the material with much respect, while ending the story in a slightly bittersweet, but appealingly pleasant way.
I couldn’t help but love every single delicious page of it!!
4.5 stars
February 1, 2022
Agatha Christie was a well known author writing sixty-six novels as well as fourteen short stories. Her name was known far and wide so when quite mysteriously Agatha went missing for eleven days, everyone was in an uproar. Certainly this disappearance was the stuff of Mrs Christie's novels. One thousand policemen joined in the search as well as civilians and the famous Arthur Conan Doyle and Dorothy L. Sayers.
The newspapers had a field day wondering what happened and of course adding some spectacular items to the disappearance. Her car was found near a pond called The Silent Spring so this place definitely of intense interest. Scouring the lake, Agatha was not found. Her husband, Archie, was also a suspect as he was a philanderer and had a mistress. However, Agatha with all the people looking remained wherever she was until she was found at a hotel named Harrorgate supposedly not remembering a thing. She had changed her name assuming that of her husband's mistress. She seemed to be enjoying life and had met a number of upper class people who frequented that hotel.
In this book, Nina de Gramont visualizes for the reader what might have transpired. Of course, one must acknowledge that all of this is conjecture, but I found it to be clever conjecture indeed. This is a strange tale and of course over the years many have guessed as to the cause. However, Agatha went to her grave without letting anyone know what had really happened over the eleven days.
I enjoyed the story and the guessing game the author led us through. Although somewhat long, it was an entertaining story that kept me busy during a long car ride home.
Thank you to Nina de Gramont, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this story that will publish on February 1, 2022
and that cover is gorgeous!
The newspapers had a field day wondering what happened and of course adding some spectacular items to the disappearance. Her car was found near a pond called The Silent Spring so this place definitely of intense interest. Scouring the lake, Agatha was not found. Her husband, Archie, was also a suspect as he was a philanderer and had a mistress. However, Agatha with all the people looking remained wherever she was until she was found at a hotel named Harrorgate supposedly not remembering a thing. She had changed her name assuming that of her husband's mistress. She seemed to be enjoying life and had met a number of upper class people who frequented that hotel.
In this book, Nina de Gramont visualizes for the reader what might have transpired. Of course, one must acknowledge that all of this is conjecture, but I found it to be clever conjecture indeed. This is a strange tale and of course over the years many have guessed as to the cause. However, Agatha went to her grave without letting anyone know what had really happened over the eleven days.
I enjoyed the story and the guessing game the author led us through. Although somewhat long, it was an entertaining story that kept me busy during a long car ride home.
Thank you to Nina de Gramont, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this story that will publish on February 1, 2022
and that cover is gorgeous!
August 29, 2021
3.5 stars
‘Please call me Agatha’ entreats Mrs Christie to Nan O’Dea, her husband Archie’s mistress and she’s far too well bred to call Nan out for the betrayal. When Archie tells Agatha he is leaving her for Nan, could this have been the catalyst for Agatha’s disappearance between 3rd and 14th December 1926? What are the reasons given? Memory loss - a sort of fugue state following crashing her car? A nervous breakdown following the death of her mother? A publicity stunt? Embarrassment over the ‘affair at Styles’? Who knows. This novel imagines a very creative scenario seen through the eyes of Nan O’Dea.
First, the positives..... well, it’s creative! Nan is a believer in lucid dreaming and that’s what the book feels like, so I guess you can say it’s well imagined and as it’s from Nan’s perspective it suits that. . It’s definitely well written, the author is clearly very talented and stylistically it effectively matches the 1920’s time period. As the plot progresses it has the feel of a Christie novel and has all the elements of it such as a mystery (obviously!), a detective, revenge and a bit of romance chucked in for good measure! Some of the characterisation is good, Nan, Agatha and Archie though I think it’s fair to say that he doesn’t come out of it well. He’s best dumped frankly!
However, I don’t want Nan’s story which is what we mostly get, I want Agatha’s. The story is very complex, it deviates and becomes scattergun taking a very meandering path and at times it’s hard to follow why we are where we are! I don’t like the narration much either or Nan for that matter and that gets muddling as Nan’s life before 1926 get intertwined with events of December 1926. As it’s from Nan’s perspective how can she know or presume to know things about Agatha? She’s not her friend and everything she knows is via Archie. Hmmm. How can she know what’s in Agatha’s head which is what I hope for.
Overall I so want to love this book as the great authors disappearance has fascinated people for nearly a century but I just like parts of it. We’ll never know the truth and maybe we shouldn’t as it’s Agatha’s business not ours. If you want a different take on the events in Harrogate over those eleven days then this book may well be for you.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan/Mantle for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
‘Please call me Agatha’ entreats Mrs Christie to Nan O’Dea, her husband Archie’s mistress and she’s far too well bred to call Nan out for the betrayal. When Archie tells Agatha he is leaving her for Nan, could this have been the catalyst for Agatha’s disappearance between 3rd and 14th December 1926? What are the reasons given? Memory loss - a sort of fugue state following crashing her car? A nervous breakdown following the death of her mother? A publicity stunt? Embarrassment over the ‘affair at Styles’? Who knows. This novel imagines a very creative scenario seen through the eyes of Nan O’Dea.
First, the positives..... well, it’s creative! Nan is a believer in lucid dreaming and that’s what the book feels like, so I guess you can say it’s well imagined and as it’s from Nan’s perspective it suits that. . It’s definitely well written, the author is clearly very talented and stylistically it effectively matches the 1920’s time period. As the plot progresses it has the feel of a Christie novel and has all the elements of it such as a mystery (obviously!), a detective, revenge and a bit of romance chucked in for good measure! Some of the characterisation is good, Nan, Agatha and Archie though I think it’s fair to say that he doesn’t come out of it well. He’s best dumped frankly!
However, I don’t want Nan’s story which is what we mostly get, I want Agatha’s. The story is very complex, it deviates and becomes scattergun taking a very meandering path and at times it’s hard to follow why we are where we are! I don’t like the narration much either or Nan for that matter and that gets muddling as Nan’s life before 1926 get intertwined with events of December 1926. As it’s from Nan’s perspective how can she know or presume to know things about Agatha? She’s not her friend and everything she knows is via Archie. Hmmm. How can she know what’s in Agatha’s head which is what I hope for.
Overall I so want to love this book as the great authors disappearance has fascinated people for nearly a century but I just like parts of it. We’ll never know the truth and maybe we shouldn’t as it’s Agatha’s business not ours. If you want a different take on the events in Harrogate over those eleven days then this book may well be for you.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan/Mantle for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
July 30, 2022
"The Christie Affair" by Nina de Gramont is a clever blend of fact and fiction!
Archibald Christie's mistress, Nan O'Dea, has an allure he can't seem to resist. The attraction is so entrancing, Archie has decided to tell his fiercely loyal and well-known wife, Agatha, he plans to divorce her and marry Nan. Soon after their conversation, Agatha disappears without a trace and a frantic search ensues.
Agatha's car is found abandoned; her possessions left inside the vehicle. Where is she? Does Archie know? Is Nan involved? Is it possible Agatha has been kidnapped?
I have never read an Agatha Christie novel but I do know of her infamous and mysterious disappearance in 1926. She went to her grave without a word as to why it happened. This story introduces a creative answer for Agatha's questionable disappearance but it's more about the mistress than the wife.
This story is told through the first-person POV of Nan O'Dea and casts an unflattering light on Agatha Christie as the reader begins to sympathize with Nan's in-depth personal history. This divisively written story makes it easy for this to happen. I know because I had this reaction as I listened to the audiobook.
The narrator, Lucy Scott did a fantastic job of voicing that kept me entertained through the entire story. Her voice has an enchanting overtone much like the captivating Nan O'Dea has over Mr. Christie. Nice touch!
There are many layers, unexpected twists, and interesting characters as the story unfolds. Perhaps it's written to feel a bit like an Agatha Christie Mystery novel. Only I'm looking for more about Agatha and a little less about Nan. It begins to feel too long, drawn out, and although I was engaged for the entire listen, the story began to feel muddled.
3.5 stars for the story, 4 stars for the audiobook averaging 3.75 stars.
Archibald Christie's mistress, Nan O'Dea, has an allure he can't seem to resist. The attraction is so entrancing, Archie has decided to tell his fiercely loyal and well-known wife, Agatha, he plans to divorce her and marry Nan. Soon after their conversation, Agatha disappears without a trace and a frantic search ensues.
Agatha's car is found abandoned; her possessions left inside the vehicle. Where is she? Does Archie know? Is Nan involved? Is it possible Agatha has been kidnapped?
I have never read an Agatha Christie novel but I do know of her infamous and mysterious disappearance in 1926. She went to her grave without a word as to why it happened. This story introduces a creative answer for Agatha's questionable disappearance but it's more about the mistress than the wife.
This story is told through the first-person POV of Nan O'Dea and casts an unflattering light on Agatha Christie as the reader begins to sympathize with Nan's in-depth personal history. This divisively written story makes it easy for this to happen. I know because I had this reaction as I listened to the audiobook.
The narrator, Lucy Scott did a fantastic job of voicing that kept me entertained through the entire story. Her voice has an enchanting overtone much like the captivating Nan O'Dea has over Mr. Christie. Nice touch!
There are many layers, unexpected twists, and interesting characters as the story unfolds. Perhaps it's written to feel a bit like an Agatha Christie Mystery novel. Only I'm looking for more about Agatha and a little less about Nan. It begins to feel too long, drawn out, and although I was engaged for the entire listen, the story began to feel muddled.
3.5 stars for the story, 4 stars for the audiobook averaging 3.75 stars.
February 8, 2022
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I wasn't ready to like a side chick and understand why Nan went the lengths she did. Her final trip to Ireland was heartbreaking. It reminds me of the fact this happened to thousands of women around the world. Also, if we are not careful, history can repeat itself. So while not in my usual genre, I recommend!
November 30, 2021
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 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.
February 24, 2022
I read Nina de Gramont’s The Last September when it came out. She visited our local book festival, and my mother-in-law asked us to buy it for her. I did something I don’t typically do; I read the book before I gave it to her. 😬
Anyway, de Gramont is a local author, and when I saw it was about families and mental health, I knew I had to read it. I could not put it down. I have been eagerly awaiting a new book from her. The Christie Affair is entirely different from The Last September, but as with the former, de Gramont’s emotional writing shines.
Agatha Christie disappeared for about 11 days and never provided any explanation for where she was. The Christie Affair is de Gramont’s fictional explanation. It’s told by Nan, Agatha Christie’s husband’s mistress. The book truly centers on Nan and her story in the foreground. What I loved most is there was a murder mystery within the story that had an Agatha Christie feel to it. I think her fans will catch the nod.
I would love to know what happened during those eleven days and why. This well-written and engaging story only added to the intrigue of one of world’s most famous and well-loved authors.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifetarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Anyway, de Gramont is a local author, and when I saw it was about families and mental health, I knew I had to read it. I could not put it down. I have been eagerly awaiting a new book from her. The Christie Affair is entirely different from The Last September, but as with the former, de Gramont’s emotional writing shines.
Agatha Christie disappeared for about 11 days and never provided any explanation for where she was. The Christie Affair is de Gramont’s fictional explanation. It’s told by Nan, Agatha Christie’s husband’s mistress. The book truly centers on Nan and her story in the foreground. What I loved most is there was a murder mystery within the story that had an Agatha Christie feel to it. I think her fans will catch the nod.
I would love to know what happened during those eleven days and why. This well-written and engaging story only added to the intrigue of one of world’s most famous and well-loved authors.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifetarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
November 9, 2021
Hair pullin', name callin', smacks with the back of the hand, and cocktails thrown.....
Now that's what you'd expect when the wife encounters the paramour. But ladies were ladies back then even if their backdoor antics spoke otherwise.
The Christie Affair introduces us to London in December of 1926 when Agatha Christie will run up against the truest of shocking storylines involving herself, her husband Archie, and Miss Nan O'Dea. Archie, the despicable cad, confronts Agatha that he is leaving her. Our Agatha never saw it coming. Agatha has sold more copies of her novels than anyone else on Earth.....yet she should have had Hercule Poirot riding next to her for the reveal. Begging, pleading, and acts of desperation fill the room. Aggie.....just cut the creep loose.
And just the day before, Agatha had lunch with Nan O'Dea. And Agatha picked up the tab.
Nina de Gramont takes quite the liberty in her telling. The Christie Affair should have been entitled The O'Dea Affair. De Gramont leads with Nan O'Dea as the voice of her novel. Yes, we are at the receiving end of the paramour's point of view in all things. And that voice leads to very treacherous behavior. We'll get a deeper understanding (though fictional) of what led to the disintegration of the Christie marriage. And De Gramont reveals a transformation of Agatha Christie in the process.
De Gramont takes us back to County Cork, Ireland in 1919 where the young Nan O'Dea will be residing with the Sisters of Mercy Convent. Nan will be among those "wayward girls" brought back into the fold by the so-called "kindly" nuns. I must tell you that De Gramont should have written an entire novel gleaned from this setting alone. Her descriptors are raw and revealing and give somewhat of an insight into the coming of age of Nan O'Dea. There's an abundance of happenings.
And then we are thrust into the mystery of Agatha Christie's disappearance in 1926 shortly after finding out about her husband's affair. She went missing for eleven days. Her car was found on the side of the road with no Agatha. Later, Agatha claimed no memory of what had happened to her during those lost days. She refused to speak of it thereafter. Now that would have been one of her best-selling novels had she considered writing her memoir.
Nina de Gramont is a splendid writer. No doubt whatsoever. She was adventurous to take on the point of view of "the other woman" in this famous affair. She must know that the vast majority of readers would be Team Agatha so there's not a lot of sympathy for Nan O'Dea. Other books have been written in regard to Agatha. The Christie Affair is an interesting take on a very intriguing mystery surrounding one of the most famous fictional writers of the time.
I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Nina de Gramont for the opportunity.
Now that's what you'd expect when the wife encounters the paramour. But ladies were ladies back then even if their backdoor antics spoke otherwise.
The Christie Affair introduces us to London in December of 1926 when Agatha Christie will run up against the truest of shocking storylines involving herself, her husband Archie, and Miss Nan O'Dea. Archie, the despicable cad, confronts Agatha that he is leaving her. Our Agatha never saw it coming. Agatha has sold more copies of her novels than anyone else on Earth.....yet she should have had Hercule Poirot riding next to her for the reveal. Begging, pleading, and acts of desperation fill the room. Aggie.....just cut the creep loose.
And just the day before, Agatha had lunch with Nan O'Dea. And Agatha picked up the tab.
Nina de Gramont takes quite the liberty in her telling. The Christie Affair should have been entitled The O'Dea Affair. De Gramont leads with Nan O'Dea as the voice of her novel. Yes, we are at the receiving end of the paramour's point of view in all things. And that voice leads to very treacherous behavior. We'll get a deeper understanding (though fictional) of what led to the disintegration of the Christie marriage. And De Gramont reveals a transformation of Agatha Christie in the process.
De Gramont takes us back to County Cork, Ireland in 1919 where the young Nan O'Dea will be residing with the Sisters of Mercy Convent. Nan will be among those "wayward girls" brought back into the fold by the so-called "kindly" nuns. I must tell you that De Gramont should have written an entire novel gleaned from this setting alone. Her descriptors are raw and revealing and give somewhat of an insight into the coming of age of Nan O'Dea. There's an abundance of happenings.
And then we are thrust into the mystery of Agatha Christie's disappearance in 1926 shortly after finding out about her husband's affair. She went missing for eleven days. Her car was found on the side of the road with no Agatha. Later, Agatha claimed no memory of what had happened to her during those lost days. She refused to speak of it thereafter. Now that would have been one of her best-selling novels had she considered writing her memoir.
Nina de Gramont is a splendid writer. No doubt whatsoever. She was adventurous to take on the point of view of "the other woman" in this famous affair. She must know that the vast majority of readers would be Team Agatha so there's not a lot of sympathy for Nan O'Dea. Other books have been written in regard to Agatha. The Christie Affair is an interesting take on a very intriguing mystery surrounding one of the most famous fictional writers of the time.
I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Nina de Gramont for the opportunity.
January 21, 2022
There are more important things than finding the murderer.~Hercule Poirot
Real life is complicated. Thus, an episode like the mysterious 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie nearly a century ago has given us not one, but two entertaining books. Is there room for both books in the life of a reader or does reading one sufficiently settle the issue? I would say, the more the merrier. This new release from Nina de Gramont has a dreamy quality to it. Early on the concept of lucid dreaming is introduced and at times our principal narrator seems to be carrying that concept forward into her waking life. One thing I appreciated about this book was the creativity in using Archie Christie's mistress as the primary voice. Thus we have the opportunity to view Agatha from the outside for the most part. I also loved the way the twists and turns of the plot are an homage to the many plots that we have enjoyed from Agatha Christie's pen. One note of warning: the Catholic Church, the marriage sacrament, and adoption are given some hard knocks. My rating is 3.5 rounded up.
Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Real life is complicated. Thus, an episode like the mysterious 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie nearly a century ago has given us not one, but two entertaining books. Is there room for both books in the life of a reader or does reading one sufficiently settle the issue? I would say, the more the merrier. This new release from Nina de Gramont has a dreamy quality to it. Early on the concept of lucid dreaming is introduced and at times our principal narrator seems to be carrying that concept forward into her waking life. One thing I appreciated about this book was the creativity in using Archie Christie's mistress as the primary voice. Thus we have the opportunity to view Agatha from the outside for the most part. I also loved the way the twists and turns of the plot are an homage to the many plots that we have enjoyed from Agatha Christie's pen. One note of warning: the Catholic Church, the marriage sacrament, and adoption are given some hard knocks. My rating is 3.5 rounded up.
Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2023
Note: I received a free copy of this book. In exchange here is my honest review.
I wouldn’t say I was well versed with the Agatha Christie disappearance story, prior to picking this up. 🤓 So it was entertaining to do some of my own research on it. It’s always interesting to read fiction based on a realistic event. It definitely causes some wonder….🤔
Thank you @goodreads @ninadegramont and @stmartinspress #goodreadsgiveaway
I wouldn’t say I was well versed with the Agatha Christie disappearance story, prior to picking this up. 🤓 So it was entertaining to do some of my own research on it. It’s always interesting to read fiction based on a realistic event. It definitely causes some wonder….🤔
Thank you @goodreads @ninadegramont and @stmartinspress #goodreadsgiveaway
February 2, 2022
How many times can this premise (what really happened when Agatha Christie went missing?) be reexamined before it gets old? Apparently I haven't gotten to that point because I really liked this book and it kept me guessing until the end.
January 29, 2022
3/3.5 stars
On December 3, 1926 Agatha Christie went missing for 11 days after her husband informed her he was in love with another woman and wanted a divorce. What happened during those days? What caused her disappearance? There are multiple theories - revenge, publicity stunt, amnesia, grief, etc.
Nan O'Dea (based on Nancy Neele, Archie's mistress and second wife) was Archie Christie's mistress. In this book she tells her story. Why she began the affair, what her life before Archie was life, what she experienced as a young woman, and why she wanted to steal Archie away from Agatha.
Nan talks about Agatha as if she knows her and what happened and is happening in Agatha's life. It's an interesting story telling technique but left me underwhelmed at times. I loved the premise of this book. They synopsis was intriguing. But I wanted to know more about Agatha. Nan is an interesting narrator and her reasons for wanting to steal Archie away, but I just wanted something more.
Three stars means I enjoyed the book. It was time well spent even if the book didn't completely wow me. I thought the narrator of the audiobook did a good job.
***How about that beautiful cover!
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
On December 3, 1926 Agatha Christie went missing for 11 days after her husband informed her he was in love with another woman and wanted a divorce. What happened during those days? What caused her disappearance? There are multiple theories - revenge, publicity stunt, amnesia, grief, etc.
Nan O'Dea (based on Nancy Neele, Archie's mistress and second wife) was Archie Christie's mistress. In this book she tells her story. Why she began the affair, what her life before Archie was life, what she experienced as a young woman, and why she wanted to steal Archie away from Agatha.
Nan talks about Agatha as if she knows her and what happened and is happening in Agatha's life. It's an interesting story telling technique but left me underwhelmed at times. I loved the premise of this book. They synopsis was intriguing. But I wanted to know more about Agatha. Nan is an interesting narrator and her reasons for wanting to steal Archie away, but I just wanted something more.
Three stars means I enjoyed the book. It was time well spent even if the book didn't completely wow me. I thought the narrator of the audiobook did a good job.
***How about that beautiful cover!
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
February 14, 2022
3.5/5
Nina de Gramont's The Christie Affair is a fictionalized account of a chapter from the renowned author Ms. Agatha Christies’s own life. On December 3, 1926, Ms. Agatha Christie disappeared from her home leaving her husband and young daughter behind only to resurface eleven days later at a hotel in Harrogate where she had been staying under an assumed name. Needless to say, her disappearance made national news and led to a nationwide search. To this day there is no public knowledge of the events that transpired over those eleven days.
As the story begins we meet Colonel Archibald (Archie) Christie who is embroiled in an affair with Miss Nan O’Dea. Agatha is aware of the relationship between Nan, whom she knows and her husband Archie but remains hopeful that her marriage can be saved.
“She loved her husband. After twelve years of marriage, she loved him blindly and hopefully, as if in her thirty-six years of life she’d learned nothing about the world.”
Archie, leaving on a weekend with Nan, informs Agatha of his intentions to leave her and end their marriage. Shocked and heartbroken, Agatha packs her bags and drives off in her car leaving her daughter with Honoria, her secretary and her daughter’s nanny, and a note for Archie. She is nowhere to be found and subsequently, the discovery of her abandoned car leads to a nationwide search for the missing author. Archie is distraught, the police get involved, the disappearance makes national news with famous figures like Dorothy Sayers and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle also contributing to the efforts. Nan is asked to lay low for sake of public image. She travels to Harrogate and books a stay at the Bellefort Hotel and Spa where we meet a host of interesting characters and another mystery is introduced into the narrative.
The story is narrated by Archie’s mistress Miss Nan O’Dea (a character based on Ms. Nancy Neele who would late become Archie Christie's second wife). The timeline shifts between the past and present with much of the past narrative focused on Nan’s story beginning from her early years with her family in England, summers spent in Ireland on her Uncle’s farm and her first love Finbarr Mahoney and gradually we are made aware of how her past ties in with her relationship with the Christies and the events unfolding in the present. The present-day narrative (also told from Nan’s POV) follows Nan , Agatha and all the other characters through the duration of Ms. Christie’s disappearance.
“In the history of the world there’s been one story a man tells his mistress. He doesn’t love his wife, perhaps never loved her at all. There’s been no sex for years, not a whisper of it. His marriage is absent passion, absent affection, absent joy. A barren and miserable place. He stays for the children, or for money, or for propriety. It’s a matter of convenience. The new lover is his only respite.”
This story, for the most part, revolves around the themes of love, marriage, infidelity and revenge. I found the element of mystery within a mystery quite interesting. In fact, I enjoyed this second mystery (reminiscent of Agatha Christie's work) more than the primary narrative. I would have enjoyed this novel more had there been more focus on Agatha’s story. Though the book is titled "The Christie Affair”, at times it seemed Agatha Christie was in a supporting role with Nan O’ Dea as the protagonist of the novel. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but in which case, I would say the title of the book is more than a tad misleading. Having said that, this is a well written novel with engaging characters and backstories that give us a window into the life and times in pre and post-WWI England, a heartbreaking account of how unwed mothers were treated in the convents of Ireland (there is also a mention of the infamous Magdalene Laundries) and of course an interesting though fictitious take on what the famous author was up to while the whole country was searching for her.
Nina de Gramont's The Christie Affair is a fictionalized account of a chapter from the renowned author Ms. Agatha Christies’s own life. On December 3, 1926, Ms. Agatha Christie disappeared from her home leaving her husband and young daughter behind only to resurface eleven days later at a hotel in Harrogate where she had been staying under an assumed name. Needless to say, her disappearance made national news and led to a nationwide search. To this day there is no public knowledge of the events that transpired over those eleven days.
As the story begins we meet Colonel Archibald (Archie) Christie who is embroiled in an affair with Miss Nan O’Dea. Agatha is aware of the relationship between Nan, whom she knows and her husband Archie but remains hopeful that her marriage can be saved.
“She loved her husband. After twelve years of marriage, she loved him blindly and hopefully, as if in her thirty-six years of life she’d learned nothing about the world.”
Archie, leaving on a weekend with Nan, informs Agatha of his intentions to leave her and end their marriage. Shocked and heartbroken, Agatha packs her bags and drives off in her car leaving her daughter with Honoria, her secretary and her daughter’s nanny, and a note for Archie. She is nowhere to be found and subsequently, the discovery of her abandoned car leads to a nationwide search for the missing author. Archie is distraught, the police get involved, the disappearance makes national news with famous figures like Dorothy Sayers and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle also contributing to the efforts. Nan is asked to lay low for sake of public image. She travels to Harrogate and books a stay at the Bellefort Hotel and Spa where we meet a host of interesting characters and another mystery is introduced into the narrative.
The story is narrated by Archie’s mistress Miss Nan O’Dea (a character based on Ms. Nancy Neele who would late become Archie Christie's second wife). The timeline shifts between the past and present with much of the past narrative focused on Nan’s story beginning from her early years with her family in England, summers spent in Ireland on her Uncle’s farm and her first love Finbarr Mahoney and gradually we are made aware of how her past ties in with her relationship with the Christies and the events unfolding in the present. The present-day narrative (also told from Nan’s POV) follows Nan , Agatha and all the other characters through the duration of Ms. Christie’s disappearance.
“In the history of the world there’s been one story a man tells his mistress. He doesn’t love his wife, perhaps never loved her at all. There’s been no sex for years, not a whisper of it. His marriage is absent passion, absent affection, absent joy. A barren and miserable place. He stays for the children, or for money, or for propriety. It’s a matter of convenience. The new lover is his only respite.”
This story, for the most part, revolves around the themes of love, marriage, infidelity and revenge. I found the element of mystery within a mystery quite interesting. In fact, I enjoyed this second mystery (reminiscent of Agatha Christie's work) more than the primary narrative. I would have enjoyed this novel more had there been more focus on Agatha’s story. Though the book is titled "The Christie Affair”, at times it seemed Agatha Christie was in a supporting role with Nan O’ Dea as the protagonist of the novel. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but in which case, I would say the title of the book is more than a tad misleading. Having said that, this is a well written novel with engaging characters and backstories that give us a window into the life and times in pre and post-WWI England, a heartbreaking account of how unwed mothers were treated in the convents of Ireland (there is also a mention of the infamous Magdalene Laundries) and of course an interesting though fictitious take on what the famous author was up to while the whole country was searching for her.
January 12, 2023
3.5 stars
Agatha Christie
Every mystery book lover knows Agatha Christie, the best-selling English author who crafted ingenious plots for her many whodunits. Christie had a mystery in her own life as well.
The facts are as follows: In December, 1926 Agatha's husband Archie Christie announced he was divorcing Agatha to marry his mistress. The next day Agatha vanished, and her car - containing a suitcase with her clothes - was found perched above a chalk quarry.
There was a hue and cry throughout England, and a massive police search for the missing writer. Eleven days later Agatha was found in a hotel in Harrogate, Yorkshire, claiming she couldn't remember what happened.....and Agatha stuck to that story for the rest of her life
In this book, author Nina de Gramont fashions a fictional tale about Agatha's disappearance.
*****
The story is narrated by Nan O'Dea, the 'other woman' in Archie Christie's life.
Agatha Christie's husband of twelve years, Archie Christie, is besotted with Nan O'Dea - with whom he's been having an affair for a couple of years.
In December 1926 Archie tells Agatha he wants a divorce, as he's determined to marry Nan. Upper class British women like Agatha are expected to keep a stiff upper lip, but Agatha is devastated. The next day Agatha vanishes, leaving the Christie's school age daughter Teddy in the care of her nanny.
Agatha Christie when she was a young woman
Agatha Christie with her little daughter
Agatha is already a famous writer, and her disappearance reverberates throughout Great Britain. Police around the country are put on alert, and Agatha's picture is in newspapers everywhere. Many people, including Archie, fear that Agatha is dead, perhaps having taken her own life.
The police use dogs to hunt for Agatha Christie, fearing she might be dead
Nan is fully aware of the pain she's caused Agatha, with whom she's well acquainted. Nan and the Christies travel in some of the same social circles, and Nan has been a guest in the Christies' home. Nevertheless Nan purposely set out to wrest Archie away from Agatha, for reasons of her own.
Much of the book is Nan's backstory, which is rather tragic. Nan was raised in a working class family in England, and spent many summers with relatives in Ireland, working on their farm. As a girl, Nan lost a beloved older sister and fell in love with an Irish boy called Finbarr, who went off to fight in World War I.
Finbarr survived the fighting but came down with the terrible Spanish Flu, and - for various reasons - this was dreadful for Nan. Nan uses this history to justify breaking up the Christies' marriage.
In any case, Nan makes herself scarce when Agatha disappears, since Archie doesn't want Nan drawn into a public scandal. So Nan checks into a classy hotel/spa in Harrogate.
As luck would have it, a husband and wife in the resort die under suspicious circumstances while Nan is in residence. A policeman named Chilton, who's in the area searching for Agatha Christie, is assigned to investigate the deaths of the couple, which at first glance looks like a murder-suicide.
Meanwhile, Agatha also happens to be in the vicinity of Harrogate, having an adventure of her own.
Agatha tries to stay under the radar, but some people think she looks a lot like that writer whose photo is in the newspaper. 😃 After eleven days Agatha is found, none the worse for wear except she has 'amnesia' about her disappearance. To say more would be a spoiler.
In some ways the plot mimics a REAL Agatha Christie story, with plenty of surprises and twists, and an unexpected murderer revealed at the climax.
I enjoyed the story but didn't like most of the main characters - including Agatha, Archie, and Nan - who are self-serving and badly behaved. I do applaud the book for addressing problems faced by women of the time, many of whom had little control over their own lives.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Lucy Scott, who does a fine job.
Thanks to Netgalley, Nina de Gramont, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
February 9, 2022
This is the second book I've read lately about the 11 day disappearance of Agatha Christie back in 1926. The first one was Marie Benedict's "The Mystery of Mrs. Christie" and I thought it set the bar very high, so the fact that I liked this one even more makes it an automatic all-the-stars read for me!
The historical bare bone facts are simple - in 1926, Archie Christie, Agatha's husband, informs her that he is having an affair and wants a divorce. He then leaves for a weekend away with his mistress. Agatha also leaves her home in Berkshire after leaving three notes - one being to her husband which he never divulged what it said. She then goes missing, and her car is found abandoned. After 11 days and a massive manhunt, Agatha is found but she claims to not remember what happened. The rest is all conjecture. In this book, de Gramont, takes a whole different approach and tells the story primarily from the POV of Archie's mistress, Nan O'Dea, although there are some chapters from Agatha and some other POVs. The book is initially a slow burn that switches from present to past - with the past going back to Nan's teenage years in Ireland and also to the backstory of Agatha’s life leading up to the day of her disappearance. From that timeline, the potential theory as to why Agatha might have disappeared in the first place and why Nan was so dogged in her pursuit of Archie comes to light in a fascinating manner. The second half of the book picks up the pace and never slows down.
In many ways, this book takes a polar opposite view of Benedict's but oddly, I found de Gramont's version much more imaginative and exciting! I also loved how she added an additional murder mystery to the plot - very Christie-esque. I also liked the connection between Agatha and Nan, as I think it added a lot of understanding and dimension to both characters. All of the characters are so well developed though (even though I can't say that I liked Nan really but her storyline worked, so it didn't really bother me), and the plot is so tightly woven that even while I figured out most of it along the way, there were still a few moments that caught me off guard!
In the end, this debut work was a wonderful surprise. The reviews seem to be all over the place with this one, but I think if you go into it realizing that it is more a story about the mistress and the reasons behind the affair than about Agatha Christie's disappearance, you won't be disappointed!
The historical bare bone facts are simple - in 1926, Archie Christie, Agatha's husband, informs her that he is having an affair and wants a divorce. He then leaves for a weekend away with his mistress. Agatha also leaves her home in Berkshire after leaving three notes - one being to her husband which he never divulged what it said. She then goes missing, and her car is found abandoned. After 11 days and a massive manhunt, Agatha is found but she claims to not remember what happened. The rest is all conjecture. In this book, de Gramont, takes a whole different approach and tells the story primarily from the POV of Archie's mistress, Nan O'Dea, although there are some chapters from Agatha and some other POVs. The book is initially a slow burn that switches from present to past - with the past going back to Nan's teenage years in Ireland and also to the backstory of Agatha’s life leading up to the day of her disappearance. From that timeline, the potential theory as to why Agatha might have disappeared in the first place and why Nan was so dogged in her pursuit of Archie comes to light in a fascinating manner. The second half of the book picks up the pace and never slows down.
In many ways, this book takes a polar opposite view of Benedict's but oddly, I found de Gramont's version much more imaginative and exciting! I also loved how she added an additional murder mystery to the plot - very Christie-esque. I also liked the connection between Agatha and Nan, as I think it added a lot of understanding and dimension to both characters. All of the characters are so well developed though (even though I can't say that I liked Nan really but her storyline worked, so it didn't really bother me), and the plot is so tightly woven that even while I figured out most of it along the way, there were still a few moments that caught me off guard!
In the end, this debut work was a wonderful surprise. The reviews seem to be all over the place with this one, but I think if you go into it realizing that it is more a story about the mistress and the reasons behind the affair than about Agatha Christie's disappearance, you won't be disappointed!
October 19, 2021
I won this book from Goodreads and this is my own, frustrated review.
Where to begin? I appreciated this book, but it irritated me as a reader and writer. I likened it to having a strip of Ductape in your hair and each time the following things happened, ripping it off a bit at a time.
When you read a book, you are hearing the story through first person (I), or one or more of the characters, or all of them. This author began in first person, and when ready to switch to another point of view, did not start a new chapter, oh no, just started in someone else's head without warning or explanation. Rrrrrriippppp. This happened so often I lost track of how many times it occurred. It became confusing and disruptive to the point where I couldn't read more than about 10 pages at a time with the frustration.
It even got to the point where when in a character's scene, who is relating third person what he saw.....here comes the narrator into the middle of a paragraph pretending to know what he was thinking.....rrrrrripppp. I can see how the story is enriched in knowing everything that went on, but confusing the reader, and jarring them in and out of the story is not the way to do it. At least start a new chapter when you change point of view. Or do something other than just switch without warning, or context.
Then there were the miracles: the coincidences that could never have occurred joining parts of the plot together. Not a rrrrippppp but more like "am I really seeing this?" reaction. Example: on p142 the second tier character miraculously finds Agatha Christie--- in all of England--- it was too pat, too much of how they could have possibly have found her was left off.
Because when you pick up this book, and read the blurb, you are expecting a mystery, again, it isn't what you would expect. Instead, there is plenty of time spent on the internal dialog of the main protagonist with so many point of view interruptions, you might wonder IF the plot will advance...... until the last line of a chapter.... when the protagonist, in several chapters, hears a scream... rrrrrrippppp, so you keep reading.
I lost track of the unjustified plot leaps. An example: why was the protagonist off on a planned holiday to that particular obscure hotel where most of the last part of the book occurs (we find out in about 100 pages)...how did the love of her life find her in that off the beaten track in a place where they had never been...I'm not sure if this one was ever explained.
The veracity of the main narrator, Nan, tests not just your patience, but your belief. Example: on p169 she inserts remarks and opinions in her point of view in between Archie and Owen's conversation. Then the narration is overlaid by the other 3rd person narration,..... are your eyes spinning? Nan lists what she doesn't know at the time as being kept from her by Chilton--- which makes no point of view sense.
As if she was everywhere reporting this story, she even passes judgement on Chilton's thoughts as if inside his brain. The Ductape is off, at this point.
But there is a payoff: About 60% into the book, I gave up on logic and went with it, no matter where. There actually was a mystery that deepened, as did the drama. The "Timeless Manor" was aptly named and represented the unlikely (trust me) things that followed. The last fifth of the book brought this up to three stars because it at least provided closure, if an odd one.
If, you are oblivious to point of view, and do not mind rereading lines as you become confused, then I recommend this book.
Where to begin? I appreciated this book, but it irritated me as a reader and writer. I likened it to having a strip of Ductape in your hair and each time the following things happened, ripping it off a bit at a time.
When you read a book, you are hearing the story through first person (I), or one or more of the characters, or all of them. This author began in first person, and when ready to switch to another point of view, did not start a new chapter, oh no, just started in someone else's head without warning or explanation. Rrrrrriippppp. This happened so often I lost track of how many times it occurred. It became confusing and disruptive to the point where I couldn't read more than about 10 pages at a time with the frustration.
It even got to the point where when in a character's scene, who is relating third person what he saw.....here comes the narrator into the middle of a paragraph pretending to know what he was thinking.....rrrrrripppp. I can see how the story is enriched in knowing everything that went on, but confusing the reader, and jarring them in and out of the story is not the way to do it. At least start a new chapter when you change point of view. Or do something other than just switch without warning, or context.
Then there were the miracles: the coincidences that could never have occurred joining parts of the plot together. Not a rrrrippppp but more like "am I really seeing this?" reaction. Example: on p142 the second tier character miraculously finds Agatha Christie--- in all of England--- it was too pat, too much of how they could have possibly have found her was left off.
Because when you pick up this book, and read the blurb, you are expecting a mystery, again, it isn't what you would expect. Instead, there is plenty of time spent on the internal dialog of the main protagonist with so many point of view interruptions, you might wonder IF the plot will advance...... until the last line of a chapter.... when the protagonist, in several chapters, hears a scream... rrrrrrippppp, so you keep reading.
I lost track of the unjustified plot leaps. An example: why was the protagonist off on a planned holiday to that particular obscure hotel where most of the last part of the book occurs (we find out in about 100 pages)...how did the love of her life find her in that off the beaten track in a place where they had never been...I'm not sure if this one was ever explained.
The veracity of the main narrator, Nan, tests not just your patience, but your belief. Example: on p169 she inserts remarks and opinions in her point of view in between Archie and Owen's conversation. Then the narration is overlaid by the other 3rd person narration,..... are your eyes spinning? Nan lists what she doesn't know at the time as being kept from her by Chilton--- which makes no point of view sense.
As if she was everywhere reporting this story, she even passes judgement on Chilton's thoughts as if inside his brain. The Ductape is off, at this point.
But there is a payoff: About 60% into the book, I gave up on logic and went with it, no matter where. There actually was a mystery that deepened, as did the drama. The "Timeless Manor" was aptly named and represented the unlikely (trust me) things that followed. The last fifth of the book brought this up to three stars because it at least provided closure, if an odd one.
If, you are oblivious to point of view, and do not mind rereading lines as you become confused, then I recommend this book.
September 26, 2021
I had much higher hopes for this book. If it wasn’t our book club read I probably would have DNFd it!
I felt the links to real life people tenuous and that it was disrespectful to Agatha’s memory. Without all of that it probably would have been an ‘ok’ book on its own.
As it was sold as ‘The Christie Affair’ there was a distinct lack of Christie…
Overall found it difficult to follow the characters and timelines which left me a little bored and skim reading!
2/5.
I felt the links to real life people tenuous and that it was disrespectful to Agatha’s memory. Without all of that it probably would have been an ‘ok’ book on its own.
As it was sold as ‘The Christie Affair’ there was a distinct lack of Christie…
Overall found it difficult to follow the characters and timelines which left me a little bored and skim reading!
2/5.
February 10, 2022
2.5 Stars for The Christie Affair (audiobook) by Nina de Gramont read by Lucy Scott.
I think the premise to this book is really interesting. This should have been a 4 or 5 star review. What happened to Agatha Christie during those missing days. But this story is just too convoluted for me. I like the idea of having celebrities in the story but for me, AC just wasn’t enough of the focus.
I think the premise to this book is really interesting. This should have been a 4 or 5 star review. What happened to Agatha Christie during those missing days. But this story is just too convoluted for me. I like the idea of having celebrities in the story but for me, AC just wasn’t enough of the focus.
February 1, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
As the title suggests, this book has to do with famed mystery writer, Agatha Christie. However, the tale is not told entirely from her perspective. Instead, we meet Nan O’Dea, the woman who is actually having an affair with Arthur Christie. That’s right, the first husband of Agatha Christie. As the story begins, Arthur is promising Nan that he is finally going to tell his wife that he is leaving her. This is something that he does and soon after Agatha disappears. As the country mobilizes to find the authoress, Nan relishes readers with a tale of the present investigation and her very troubled past in Ireland.
Admittedly, I wasn’t quite sure of the novel as I began. As interested as I was in Agatha, I wasn’t quite sure where I stood on the subject of Nan. Was her story worth knowing? As I kept on turning the pages, I quickly realized that I was being baited on a hook and that I wouldn’t get any answers if I stopped now. By the end of the novel, I felt myself quite satisfied with the tale and eager to pass on my recommendations to other readers. Although the novel will not be out until February, I imagine it will still be a conversation piece for most of 2022.
Publication Date 01 /02/22
Goodreads review 08/01/22
As the title suggests, this book has to do with famed mystery writer, Agatha Christie. However, the tale is not told entirely from her perspective. Instead, we meet Nan O’Dea, the woman who is actually having an affair with Arthur Christie. That’s right, the first husband of Agatha Christie. As the story begins, Arthur is promising Nan that he is finally going to tell his wife that he is leaving her. This is something that he does and soon after Agatha disappears. As the country mobilizes to find the authoress, Nan relishes readers with a tale of the present investigation and her very troubled past in Ireland.
Admittedly, I wasn’t quite sure of the novel as I began. As interested as I was in Agatha, I wasn’t quite sure where I stood on the subject of Nan. Was her story worth knowing? As I kept on turning the pages, I quickly realized that I was being baited on a hook and that I wouldn’t get any answers if I stopped now. By the end of the novel, I felt myself quite satisfied with the tale and eager to pass on my recommendations to other readers. Although the novel will not be out until February, I imagine it will still be a conversation piece for most of 2022.
Publication Date 01 /02/22
Goodreads review 08/01/22
March 1, 2022
Prior to this book I knew nothing about the disappearance of Agatha Christie. And I found this version of the story quite fascinating. I’ll admit at the beginning I thought the story was moving slow, but stick with it. Parts 2 & 3 read super fast and is where the story gets really interesting. Also in the beginning I wasn’t too fond of the story being told from Nan’s (the mistress) perspective. Yet by the end of the book it makes perfect sense and was quite brilliant by the author to structure the book this way. Whether this is what truly happened or not, it’s a fascinating story and one you should read. And makes me want to read some Agatha Christie novels!!
My thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2022
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.
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.
January 7, 2022
3 or 3.5 stars. Over the course of this novel, more than one character says they prefer to read mysteries to romance. This has some mystery, and maybe technically some romance, but this book is too sad and melancholy for romance.
What this seems to be about is Agatha Christie, who famously went missing for 11 days. She was only a moderately successful author at the time, but apparently lots of English police officers were charged with looking for her. She disappeared after her husband, Archie, told her he was leaving her for another woman. We’re told all this from the perspective of the other woman, who obviously can only guess and imagine things she wasn’t present to witness herself or hear from the people who actually lived the experiences—and people lie all the time from omission or the way things get lost in translation—I don’t mean spoken language necessarily, but the way we can misinterpret body language or situations.
This is ultimately a downer of a book, which, in addition to a fictionalized account of Agatha Christie going missing, is also about the evils of the way some organized religions choose to control women, shaming them or using them for its own purpose.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel, which RELEASES FEBRUARY 8, 2022.
What this seems to be about is Agatha Christie, who famously went missing for 11 days. She was only a moderately successful author at the time, but apparently lots of English police officers were charged with looking for her. She disappeared after her husband, Archie, told her he was leaving her for another woman. We’re told all this from the perspective of the other woman, who obviously can only guess and imagine things she wasn’t present to witness herself or hear from the people who actually lived the experiences—and people lie all the time from omission or the way things get lost in translation—I don’t mean spoken language necessarily, but the way we can misinterpret body language or situations.
This is ultimately a downer of a book, which, in addition to a fictionalized account of Agatha Christie going missing, is also about the evils of the way some organized religions choose to control women, shaming them or using them for its own purpose.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel, which RELEASES FEBRUARY 8, 2022.
September 26, 2021
I cannot get my head around this book at all. Considering it's called "The Christie Affair" there isn't a huge amount of Agatha in it. Protagonist Nan is clearly intended to be based on Nancy Neele, though I can't imagine the second Mrs Christie's relatives are overly enamoured with the portrait presented of her here. If the author had simply built a book from the storyline around Nan, then I imagine it would have been a decent read. As it stands, the link to Agatha Christie feels tenuous at best and downright disrespectful at worst. Clearly this book wasn't for me.
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 25, 2024That happy little yellow Reese’s Book Club sticker generally means I’m going to hate it, but for some reason I tried anyway.
Exciting premise but I was bored to death by the writing, flat characters, POV, and overall execution. DNF.
Exciting premise but I was bored to death by the writing, flat characters, POV, and overall execution. DNF.
December 25, 2021
In 1925, Nan O'Dea infiltrated the wealthy, rarified world of author Agatha Christie and her husband Archie. A world of London town houses, country houses, shooting parties and tennis matches. Nan O'Dea became Archie's mistress, luring him away from his devoted wife. In every way, she became part of their world - first, both Christies, Then just Archie.
The story is told from Nan O'Dea's perspective. She's a fictional character, but based on someone real. This story is part fiction, part truth. We learn of Nan O'Dea's early life in Ireland and England, in the care of the nuns and the priests. The story also covers the period of the eleven days when Agatha Christie went missing.
What a complex tale this really is. I liked the authors style in writing this book. Filled with intriguing characters, we also get the backstory to why was so set on getting her claws into Archie Christie. This is a story of lust, secrets and revenge.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #PanMcMillan and the author #NinadeGramont for my ARC of #TheChristieAffair in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told from Nan O'Dea's perspective. She's a fictional character, but based on someone real. This story is part fiction, part truth. We learn of Nan O'Dea's early life in Ireland and England, in the care of the nuns and the priests. The story also covers the period of the eleven days when Agatha Christie went missing.
What a complex tale this really is. I liked the authors style in writing this book. Filled with intriguing characters, we also get the backstory to why was so set on getting her claws into Archie Christie. This is a story of lust, secrets and revenge.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #PanMcMillan and the author #NinadeGramont for my ARC of #TheChristieAffair in exchange for an honest review.
February 1, 2022
Ever since my teenage years, I've been an Agatha Christie fan, devouring most of her Poirot and Marple books at least once, as well as watching several television series and movies. I began rereading the Marple collection last year and when I'm done in a few months, I'll head back over to Poirot. Once news of Nina de Gramont's book, The Christie Affair, released, I immediately marked it TBR and later grabbed a copy from NetGalley. I was curious how the story would unfold, given it's told from the POV of Agatha's husband's mistress and focuses on the ~10-day disappearance of the famous mystery writer, Agatha Christie, herself.
Let's start with the good things. I admired the writing style and perspective very much. Nan O'Dea is an intriguing character in her own right, and given all the backstory that was added, she's a compelling character and 'rival' to Agatha, i.e. a fine match of villains and suspects that we'd see in one of Christie's books. The author, de Gramont, makes her readers empathize with Nan's situation despite her intentional affair with a married man. On its own, the story is interesting... why is a husband cheating, where did he meet Nan, how were Nan and Agatha friends, et al.? When I forgot that this was in part focused on Agatha's disappearance, I relaxed into the story and enjoyed it a lot.
On the flip side, there were a few areas that were inordinately vague and confusing. The story generally focuses on Nan, but it seems to switch perspective and POV in the same paragraphs where I had to keep rereading to determine if the author was telling the section from Agatha's or Nan's perspective. What makes it even harder is that Agatha uses the last name O'Dea when she's hiding out, as does Nan for part of it, and the distinguishing factor is Miss or Mrs. O'Dea. Then... one character is involved with both of them, and I couldn't tell if he was playing games or didn't quite know the full story of each woman's secret. It felt as if there were a great plot but the techniques needed tightening up to help the reader stay in the right voice. Some vagueness is good for suspense but it was so much that I honestly couldn't keep it straight and sometimes just skipped the page until I got pulled back into the reality.
Overall, I give it 3.5 stars for the fresh POV, the intriguing backstory, and the ingenuity in mapping reality to several stories from Agatha's actual books. I would read more by the author too.
Let's start with the good things. I admired the writing style and perspective very much. Nan O'Dea is an intriguing character in her own right, and given all the backstory that was added, she's a compelling character and 'rival' to Agatha, i.e. a fine match of villains and suspects that we'd see in one of Christie's books. The author, de Gramont, makes her readers empathize with Nan's situation despite her intentional affair with a married man. On its own, the story is interesting... why is a husband cheating, where did he meet Nan, how were Nan and Agatha friends, et al.? When I forgot that this was in part focused on Agatha's disappearance, I relaxed into the story and enjoyed it a lot.
On the flip side, there were a few areas that were inordinately vague and confusing. The story generally focuses on Nan, but it seems to switch perspective and POV in the same paragraphs where I had to keep rereading to determine if the author was telling the section from Agatha's or Nan's perspective. What makes it even harder is that Agatha uses the last name O'Dea when she's hiding out, as does Nan for part of it, and the distinguishing factor is Miss or Mrs. O'Dea. Then... one character is involved with both of them, and I couldn't tell if he was playing games or didn't quite know the full story of each woman's secret. It felt as if there were a great plot but the techniques needed tightening up to help the reader stay in the right voice. Some vagueness is good for suspense but it was so much that I honestly couldn't keep it straight and sometimes just skipped the page until I got pulled back into the reality.
Overall, I give it 3.5 stars for the fresh POV, the intriguing backstory, and the ingenuity in mapping reality to several stories from Agatha's actual books. I would read more by the author too.
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