The eleven-day disappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926 shocked everyone, making headlines everywhere. Nan O’Dea was less surprised, however, having just told Archibald Christie the timing was wrong for him to leave his wife, Agatha, despite being more than ready to assume that title herself. Agatha’s disappearance after Archibald’s announcement that he wanted a divorce leaves both Archibald and Nan in a precarious situation, as of course Archibald is the first one the police suspect of something nefarious. Nan has a story of her own to tell, as she knows secrets about those eleven days the rest of the world was never told… until now.

Nina de Gramont gives us a fictionalized version of the real-life Nancy Neele, the infamous “other woman” in Agatha Christie’s first marriage. I have to admit I started reading THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR with every intention of justifying my dislike for Nan. Instead, Nina de Gramont drew me in and helped me empathize with Nan and her story. Her situation is heartbreaking, albeit fictional, and I can’t help but even now wonder if the events could have been true.

Nan is present for part of the days of Agatha’s disappearance, but she also makes up what she thinks likely happened, making her a very unreliable narrator. It’s interesting to see the twists she puts on Agatha’s disappearance and how it intertwines with Nan’s own personal history and choices. We flash back to Nan’s earlier years and her experiences in Ireland were both unexpected and part of what helped me care for her character, even as her own adult actions shattered the world of Agatha.

I love the day-by-day narration, as Nina de Gramont builds the tension in the story line. Even as we know that Agatha is eventually is found alive and healthy and that she later gets married and flourishes as an author, we still sit on edge as we wonder why. After all, the allure of most mysteries is the why behind the events and oh wow, does Nina de Gramont offer one heck of a good reason for Nan O’Shea’s otherwise despicable behavior.

I love all things Agatha Christie and Nina de Gramont more than lived up to my expectations. Not only does Nina de Gramont offer readers a stunning new twist for the mysterious disappearance, but she also humanizes one of the supposed villains of the real-life mystery.  THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR is a spectacular and intriguing story about the lengths people will go to over both love and grief.