A novel take on the disappearance of Agatha Christie.

This is a well-crafted novel based on a real-life mystery where the truth is unknown to anyone in the present day. As such the author can do more or less as she likes and her chosen course is an interesting one, showing the way that women tend to form alliances in stressful situations rather than making enemies. This is true, sometimes; it may even be true quite often, but it’s definitely not always true.

It will also be controversial in that the story suggests that Irish independence was, if not built on hypocrisy, far too tolerant of hypocrisy and injustice from the outset and for decades afterwards, right up to the nineteen seventies and in some cases beyond. Single mothers had fewer rights than criminals and institutions for them genuinely were worse than jails. The author tries to soften the blow by pointing out that England and the United States also had institutions of equivalent function, but these were never quite as bad, never had such a complete grip and certainly did not endure for anything like as long. Although, anyone seeking the Roman Catholic Church at its absolute worst on this particular subject in the 20th century should look to Franco’s Spain and Galtieri’s Argentina and not Ireland.

This is a mystery story where the usual moral certainties have been altered: the men who have survived the Great War, even those in high authority, are perfectly willing to fudge the truth and even break the law in order to minimise actual harm while the “fallen” women are willing to break the law in order to obtain justice for themselves and their children, whether the latter are lost or dead. Crimes against humanity make other crimes seem perfectly reasonable.

This novel deals kindly with Agatha Christie whilst possibly taking liberties with the unknown facts, but it deals kindly from a 21st century viewpoint. Which is why I can’t give it a five-star recommendation.

It is a well-known fact that Agatha Christie went missing for 11 days in 1926, but she never told anyone where she went or what happened. Archie, Agathas husband, had many affairs and we learn about her mysterious disappearance and eventual whereabouts from Nan O’Dea, the latest mistress who is expecting to become Archie’s next wife. Realising that once the press find our about her existence she also disappears. In flashbacks we learn that she is of English/Irish descent and as a schoolgirl and young lady lived in Ireland where she fell for Finbarr - a farmer’s son and old school friend. As war begins Finbarr enlists, gets wounded and is sent home seriously ill and not expected to survive. By this time Nan realises that she has a problem and her condition leads to her being disowned by both her parents and Finbarr’s family. The convent to which she retreats takes in many girls in her condition and, once their babies are born, new homes are found for them. As soon as she can, she flees from the convent and makes her way back to London and a new life leading to the eventual encounter with Archie. Astonishingly Nan and Agatha almost accidentally join forces whilst “on the run” and one thing leads to another. This is a mystery that Agatha Christie herself could well have written. It holds the reader enthralled and in true Christie style finishes with a real twist in the tale!

I looked forward to readingbthis based on it using Agatha Christie's disappearance. To a degree, it worked for me in that I could understand why a woman would leave an unhappy marriage.
What was problematic was Nan's narration, particularly when relating events she guessed had happened, having not been there. Along with the concept of lucid living it made the plot feel too convenient in places and unbelievable.
Still, it is well written and entertaining.

Absolutely fabulous. Simply stunning. It took me down avenues I wasn't expecting and that made it so entertaining.

Agatha Christie’s disappearance for eleven days in 1926, when the 36 year old writer left her Berkshire home for an unknown location, continues to fascinate critics. It has been varyingly interpreted as a publicity stunt, a mental health crisis brought on by the death of Christie’s mother, or Agatha Christie’s desperation after her husband revealed an affair. In this novel, De Gramont opts for the third possibility and develops a fictional imagining of Archie Christie’s lover: Nan O’Dea. From the outset of the novel, it is clear that this enigmatic fictional creation will take centre stage, and that her back story is both bleak and powerful, including an unwanted pregnancy, Nan’s forced admission to a bleak convent, and her almost-murder of another woman. In doing so, De Gramont manages to create not just a compelling fictional memoir, but also a sensitive portrayal of a historic period that was utterly bleak for many women. With its empathetic and spellbinding writing around its desolate subject matter, this is an astounding novel that I whole-heartedly recommend to other readers. Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers, for the ARC that has allowed me to produce this honest and unbiased review.

The entire concept of The Christie Affair is just catnip for any mystery loving reader. Bringing together scandal, history and touches of romance, de Gramont has cooked up a tantalising concoction you won’t be able to get out of your head.

Right from that dramatic, impactful and gripping opening, I was hooked. The narrative style was so fascinating, I loved how it offered a different perspective and light on an infamous mystery. For me, the way de Gramont wove in this excellent murder mystery into a poignant, touching and surprisingly beautiful story was pure brilliance. The pace just keeps ratcheting up as you discover more and more of this tangled web. I loved all the tiny touches and flourishes that she sprinkles into the story, adding this literary feel to it and an air of the period that is so heady and entrancing.

I loved how many different strands are threaded together to formulate this rich, complex story. There’s a tragic backstory that delves into incredibly dark territory and the history of Ireland. The history this is based on boils my blood and you can tell the respect and nuance de Gramont brings to it. There’s this sense of righteous anger and karmic justice that looms over the whole affair. I loved how layered and intricate the story was.
All of this culminates in a fascinating discussion of privilege, history and autonomy. At the same time, you have this excellent murder mystery running in parallel to Agatha’s own disappearance. Eventually all these threads come together in an explosive and genuinely shocking turn of events. There is no clear cut sense of right and wrong here, straying into that morally gray territory I love.

The Christie Affair brings together an infamous mystery with a wonderful, poignant and truly beautiful story. It speaks to the trauma buried in your past and the lengths to which someone will go in order to reclaim what is theirs.

"The Christie Affair" by Nina de Gramont is a brilliant imagining of "what happened" during those days when Agatha Christie disappeared in 1926. We'll never know the truth so this is a pretty good go at what could have happened. Some excellent characterisations and back stories, especially of Nan. Her life in the Covent/Orphanage with her illegitimate child was heart-breaking but a good reminder of how tough Ireland could be on unwed mothers. Looking forward to the tv/film adaptation.

This is a bit of an issue odd one. As others have said, I got quite distracted from the story by wondering how much of this was and wasn’t true. The story would have stood up really well if it hadn’t been about Agatha Christie. I also couldn’t quite decide if I cared enough about the mystery part when it suddenly appeared about half way through.

Having said all of that, it was well written and quite thought provoking in places. As I say, a bit of an odd one!

I am a massive fan of Agatha Christie. I've read all her books, most of them multiple times and eagerly snap up anything that references her. Thus, I was intrigued by this book, which promised a new take on her famous disappearance. When I started reading it I was very confused because some of the names didn't fit with what I knew of the story: Nancy Neele had become Nan O'Dea and Agatha's daughter, Rosalind had become Teddy. Although the blurb made it clear that the story was a fictional account of events, the change of names threw me a bit.

It rapidly became apparent, that Agatha's disappearance was actually a vehicle to allow Nan's own story to be told and what a compelling story it was, touching on some of the most horrific and heartbreaking aspects of Irish women's history. The story is well told and is incredibly moving. However, I felt at times that the Christie angle could almost have been dispensed with, or at least completely fictionalised with different character names for the protagonists. I think Nan's story is strong enough to stand on its own and I wondered if the decision to mesh it with the real story of Agatha Christie's disappearance was a marketing one (which i would 100% understand). If this was the case, it worked! I picked this book to review because of the Christie link but having read it, part of me feels it's a shame that some people might not fully appreciate the beauty of Nan's story because the Christie one is so famous and overshadows it.

I wanted more of both stories. Agatha felt more like a peripheral character, which is odd given that it's her name on the cover. If there had been more of her though, I would probably have felt cheated of Nan's story! The stories do blend well together, but it was difficult at times to separate out what I knew of the facts of the case from the fictional story in front of me.

I realise this makes it sound like I am lukewarm about the book. Let me be clear - I'm not. It's an enjoyable read and De Gramont is clearly a very talented writer. Her plotting is superb and the stories are woven together well. Yes, as some other reviews have pointed out, there are unlikely coincidences, but this is fiction - there are meant to be! I enjoyed the book and the unravelling and resolution of the sub-plot mystery was particularly satisfying. I found myself warming to Nan in spite of my desire to dislike her at the beginning and her motives were utterly convincing.

The blurb has been changed from what it was when I first saw it and it now makes it much clearer whose story is being told. This was a sensible decision from the publisher/author as it gives a much better idea of the book and readers will be better prepared for the contents. I think if you approach this book as a complete work of fiction and separate it from any prior knowledge of Christie's disappearance, it's a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Review will be published on my blog 20th January 2022

The Christie Affair takes a real event - the eleven day disappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926 - and attempts to explain it. This then, is a novel based on fact but despite this there is very little that is true in it apart from the basics. These are that Christie disappeared after a fight with her husband, that her car was found abandoned the next day and that she was found in a hotel in Harrogate. The rest is pure supposition.

I think I would have preferred this if it was a total work of fiction. As it is, I found myself distracted by wondering what was and wasn't fact. In this story, Christie's disappearance is very much linked to her husband's lover (who is given a different family name here) and indeed Nan's story (Nan being Col. Christie's lover) was very compelling bringing in as it did the terrible history of unmarried mothers in Ireland. If the book had been about another (fictional) woman's disappearance it would have in my opinion, worked much better as the way Agatha behaved doesn't seem all that likely for a woman of her class at that time. And it has to be said the murder that is in included isn't quite up to Christie's standard. For all that though, it was a pleasant enough read but it could have been so much better. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is a retelling of Agatha Christies disappearance in 1926, it tells the story through the eyes of Nan O’Dea. Agatha went missing for 11 days and no one actually knows why. Was it a mental breakdown or fugue state, as she had not long lost her mother and then found out that her husband was having an affair, was it a publicity stunt or revenge.

I enjoyed this book right from the first page. It kept me intrigued and wanting me to turn the pages. But i dont know if thats because i am an ardent Agatha Christie fan.

All in all i would say its a great book, written well, it has great pace and characterisation, but i would rather of seen it from Agatha’s point of view.

Agatha was the queen of mystery but she was a mystery in herself too.

I would like to thank netgalley for an early copy of this book, for an honest review.

Sadly I don't think this book was for me which was really upsetting as I love the story of Agatha Christie and I wanted this fictional story to keep me intrigued.

I fell into the trap of not realising that this story was going to be written in the typical writing style of the early 1900s. In addition I also felt that the story would interest me more personally as I did not expect as much of the story to focus on Nan as much as it did.

Sadly this story is not one for me

I loved this. I loved the way the narrator swoops in and out, sometimes being there in person, sometimes imagining what the other people MUST have done, even though she has no idea really... it held my attention right the way through.
Recommended heartily.

I love Agatha Christie books, so was intrigued when this was supposed written about her and her life. The story revolves around the days she apparently went missing. Love the mystery surrounding it. A good read.

Absolutely glorious!!! Downtown abbey meets Agatha Christie in this brilliantly written novel. Combining the mysterious disappearance of the famous author, fictional characters gravitating in her orbit and the lush English countryside , this book is a true masterpiece punctuated by moments Christie could have written herself. A must read for any whodunnit aficionado and to be quite frank for any reader looking for a brilliant and intoxicating book.

I enjoyed this fascinating novel that fictionalises the famous disappearance of Agatha Christie I will be writing a longer piece for my blog, but I wanted to get my thoughts down quickly. This was a complex tale told through the eyes of Nan - Archie Christie’s mistress - an Irish woman whose pursuit of Archie had been so successful he decided to leave Agatha and divorce her, in order to marry Nan. This is only one part of the jigsaw that makes up the full story the author is telling, ranging back and forth and touching on various viewpoints, with the central figure never quite clear and the importance of peripheral figures more vital than I first realised.

We travel back to WW1 and it’s terrible effects on the years that follow, never knowing that the peace they’d achieved was a mere interval of respite where recovery was barely possible. Nan is born of an Irish family, living in London, but is sent back to visit relatives in County Cork in summer since childhood. There she forms a friendship with Finnbarr, a dark Irish boy who has an affinity with animals, particularly his sheepdog Alby. Over the years their friendship grows into love and she is sure they will marry. A chance meeting on Armistice Day is a passionate interlude which leads to Nan being pregnant. Believing their marriage to be only a formality, Nan steals some money, laid aside by her Mum in case one of her daughters gets herself into trouble, and travels to Ireland and the farm. There she finds that Finn is delirious with fever from the Spanish Influenza brought back by returning soldiers. Denied by his family and with Finn thought to be at death’s door, she ends up in a Catholic Home for unmarried mothers. This place is really the genus of the story, because this isn’t Agatha’s tale, despite her being famous and disappeared.

Meanwhile, as Christie disappears, we’re taken to a hotel in Yorkshire where Nan goes to stay and take a break before the transition of living with Archie. It’s a spa hotel with healing springs, two sets of newly wed couples and an Inspector Chiltern who has been sent to search for Mrs Christie. I loved the historical detail of the story - the Magdalene Laundry section is particularly harrowing. I loved how playful the structure was, not quite revealing it’s genre. Is it a love story, an autobiography, or a detective novel? I also loved going back and forth in time, slowly picking up new threads of the story. I had no idea how they would come together, but loved the way they did.

I was interested to read this book as I am a big fan of Agatha Christie. The story is a gripping one, which cleverly intertwines the story of Agatha Christie's disappearance, with a fictional one. This doesn't quite work, as the Agatha portrayed in the book seems rather implausible, but it is an entertaining idea. I also found the Americanisms in the book (e.g. fit not fitted) rather irritating.

The mystery of author Agatha Christie’s 11 day disappearance is the stuff of legend. It launched the largest missing person’s search of the age, with aeroplanes being used to search for a person for the first time. When she was finally found staying in a hotel she claimed she had no memory of how she got there or what had happened since she left her child and husband at home.

In today’s age of monitoring technology, social media and citizen journalism it’s hard to imagine how something like that could happen. That makes Nina De Gramont’s imagining of the circumstances behind the mystery all the more attractive.

Based on the reported facts of the time, and lifting inspiration from Christie’s novels, autobiography and historical circumstances, Nina De Gramont has created a wonderful blend of fact, fiction and supposition. The story is told from the perspective of a fictionalised version of Archibald Christie’s mistress. The woman he went on to marry after Agatha returned from her disappearance and subsequently divorced him on the grounds of adultery.

Her story, Nan O’Dea in this fictional version, includes the way unmarried mothers of this time were treated.

There’s also a murder mystery in the hotel where Agatha is found, star-crossed lovers and a tale of revenge. But, it’s the core story of these two women - Agatha and Nan - which really grips the imagination.

This is a fictionalised account of the 11 days that author Agatha Christie disappeared in 1926 with no explanation.

It took me a few chapters to get into this book, but when I did I was hooked. It’s very well written and keeps you turning the pages. It is a real mixture of genres, with some romance, a murder mystery and a more traditional historical fiction style. There was also a very well done twist at the end that came together nicely.

I really enjoyed the way Christie was portrayed in this and I also liked the character of Nan despite her actions.

This is the first novel I’ve read by de Gramont and it was a real treat. It’s published in the UK on 20th January and is definitely worth picking up.

AD - This copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926 has been an enigmatic and entertaining idea to weave thoughts around for years. This book does not however really resolve this mystery; it focuses on Nan O’Dea, Colonel Christie’s lover. It is a complex tale and we weave from 1926 back to Nan’s teenage years in Ireland and although we gain a greater insight into Nan’s motives we don’t gain an understanding of Agatha’s intentions or what prompted her prolonged disappearance.
We are however given a couple of murders to solve, an inspector who does not take the task of finding Mrs Christie as seriously as he should and a very strange reason for the Nan’s interest in Agatha’s husband. The novel was well written and kept me engaged to the end but I did not feel convinced by the plot or the way in which Agatha Christie conducted herself.
Many thanks to Net Galley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.