Nina de Gramont’s latest release, The Christie Affair, examines one version of possible events surrounding one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century. What mystery could that be? The one revolving around Agatha Christie’s 11-day disappearance in December 1925. Due to be released on February 1, 2022, by St. Martin’s Press, The Christie Affair examines one woman’s reasons for destroying another woman’s family and for stealing her husband.
I want to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Christie Affair. All opinions presented here are solely mine.
CW/TW: kidnapping, murder, rape, physical assault
Synopsis from Goodreads
“A long time ago, in another country, I nearly killed a woman.
It’s a particular feeling, the urge to murder. First comes rage, larger than any you’ve ever imagined. It takes over your body so completely, it’s like a divine force, grabbing hold of your will, your limbs, your psyche. It conveys a strength you never knew you possessed. Your hands, harmless until now, rise up to squeeze another person’s life away. 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.”
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?
Positives
The descriptions of all the settings, whether it be Styles or the Timeless Manor or the convent, it is easy to picture them. You can feel the wind on your face while you’re walking the beaches or the trails around the hotel. The forest around the manor is easy to picture, and even imagine what it would be like in the summer when the leaves are on the trees.
The cast is relatively diverse, considering the time the book covers. As it is set post-World War I, the men who served are described in various ways. Finbarr has lost the joy and sparkle he used to have in his eye, and Chilton has lost the use of one arm due to injury. Even Archie seems to have lost a bit of himself in the war. And Mrs. Leech, being from the Caribbean, is used to having people frown down on her due to her skin color.
Negatives
My biggest issue with the book was that it felt so disjointed. The reader flips from 1925, the present time for the book, back to 1919-1920 when Nan was in the convent. The scenes in the convent felt a bit off with how they were written. But they are essential to explaining Nan’s actions throughout the book.
My Opinions
As a huge Agatha Christie fan, I have always wanted to know what happened over those 11 days she was missing. She was of such importance that she became the focus of a nationwide search. And this was before she had become famous as an author. Yes, Christie had published some books before her disappearance; but most were published in the following years.
It is also no secret that she and her first husband, Archie, had a tumultuous marriage that ended with his affair with a woman he met while golfing. His mistress was often part of family functions initially, so much so that she and Agatha may have been friendly at one point.
In these points, de Gramont kept true to the book. While the author may have changed the names of some parties involved, she kept the base story true.
But this novel is more about the story of Nan O’Dea than it is about Agatha Christie. While it is an interesting story and one that is plausible, it wasn’t totally what I expected. I struggled with some of Nan’s flashbacks because they didn’t fit quite right when they were in the story. Nor did the bits of foreshadowing, if that’s the proper term.
Overall, this is an enjoyable read about a woman named Nan O’Dea who just so happened to be connected to Agatha and Archie Christie in 1925.
Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.
Nice review. Amazon’s Prime has a couple of shows on her right now. I have a post coming up on this book and rivals.
Have you read Marie Benedict’s book The Mystery of Mrs. Christie? I think you’d prefer it to this, since she imagines the reason why Christie went missing – which is also plausible.
I haven’t read it yet, but I do own a copy of it.