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.
A stunning new novel that reimagines the unexplained 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie that captivated the world.
"A long time ago, in another country, I nearly killed a woman..." So begins The Christie Affair, told from the point of view of Miss Nan O'Dea, a fictional character but based on someone real. In 1925, she infiltrated the wealthy, rarified world of author Agatha Christie and her husband, Archie. A world of London townhomes, 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 a part of their world--first, both Christies. Then, just Archie.
The question is, why? And what did it have to do with the mysterious eleven days that Agatha Christie went missing? The answer takes you back time, to Ireland, to a young girl in love, to a time before The Great War. To a star-crossed couple who were destined to be together--until war and pandemic and shameful secrets tore them apart. What makes a woman desperate enough to destroy another woman's marriage? What makes someone vengeful enough to hatch a plot years in the making? What drives someone to murder? These questions and more are explored in Nina de Gramont's brilliant, unforgettable, lush, and powerful novel.
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