The Christie Affair

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I had much higher hopes for this book. If it wasn’t our book club read I probably would have DNFd it! 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 “The Christie Affair,” de Gramont explores the events surrounding Agatha Christie’s puzzling 11-day disappearance in 1926. The case made international headlines, including a handful in this newspaper: “Mrs. Agatha Christie, Novelist, Disappears From Her Home in England,” “500 Police and Planes Search for Mrs. Christie” and “Mrs. Christie Found in a Yorkshire Spa.” 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.Nan recalls her daughter being born and that she refused to sign papers allowing Genevieve to be adopted. Sister Mary Clare promises she will look out for Genevieve and that no one will adopt her. 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. British writer Juliette Towhidi is writing the adaptation. It’s also a positive sign that there is a writer attached. Inspector Chilton heads to the Christie home. He wonders if Agatha committed suicide. Archie tells Chilton he think she had a nervous breakdown. The parlor maid tells police there was another woman involved.

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. I listened to parts of this via audiobook. The narrator was good, and I think the story is easy to follow, which I tend to prefer for audiobooks. I thought the voice of the narrator — calm and easy listening — was well-suited for the type of story being told. Overall, a “recommend” if you’re considering listening to instead of reading this title. Chilton tells Agatha that he can’t keep covering for her and that she needs to reveal herself. Archie arrives at the Bellefort. He asks Agatha where she was and she says she can’t remember. He takes her home. 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 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. The Christie Affair is my favorite kind of story: a fresh take on a real-life event, layered with mystery and filled with breath-taking plot twists. Toss in the windswept English countryside and a tragic past, and I’m done for. Nina de Gramont’s novel shines on so many levels, it’s hard to keep count: as an ode to Agatha Christie’s legacy, as a dashing love story, and as a tribute to complicated, determined women. Magnificent." 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.