The Christie Affair

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'Literally out-Christies Agatha' - Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal 'Storytelling at its very finest' - My Weekly Nina de Gramont's The Christie Affair is a stunning novel which reimagines the unexplained eleven-day disappearance of Agatha Christie that captivated the world. In 1926, Agatha Christie disappeared for 11 days. Only I know the truth of her disappearance. I'm no Hercule Poirot. I'm her husband's mistress. Agatha Christie's world is one of glamorous society parties, country house weekends, and growing literary fame. Nan O'Dea's world is something very different. Her attempts to escape a tough London upbringing during the Great War led to a life in Ireland marred by a hidden tragedy. After fighting her way back to England, she's set her sights on Agatha. Because Agatha Christie has something Nan wants. And it's not just her husband. Despite their differences, the two women will become the most unlikely of allies. And during the mysterious eleven days that Agatha goes missing, they will unravel a dark secret that only Nan holds the key to . . . *A REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK* *Instant New York Times bestseller* 'Scintillating' - Daily Mail 'Romance, enigma and wit in bucketloads' - Elizabeth Macneal, bestselling author of The Doll Factory 'A genuine marvel' - Kristin Hannah, bestselling author of Firefly Lane 'Ingenious' - AJ Pearce, bestselling author of Dear Mrs Bird

Reviews

Nina de Gramonts beautifully written imaginative history of Agatha Christies disappearance plays out alongside a parallel murder mystery that could have flowed straight from the pen of the great AC herself. An inspired tapestry of fact and fiction places the story perfectly in its historical context. The result is a novel that literally out-Christies Agatha. An exciting, moving and delightful read -- Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal
I was enthralled, moved and entertained by The Christie Affair. This is a book which has it all romance, enigma and wit in bucketloads. Whats more, its devilishly good plot could out-do those written by Agatha Christie herself -- Elizabeth Macneal, bestselling author of The Doll Factory and The Circus of Wonders
Elegant, ingenious and hugely enjoyable, Nina de Gramonts The Christie Affair is both an infamous mystery wonderfully explored, and a compelling story of love, adversity, determination and hope -- AJ Pearce, bestselling author of Dear Mrs Bird and Yours Cheerfully
The Christie Affair is a genuine marvel. An astonishingly clever novel that manages to be both a deeply satisfying mystery and a profoundly moving story about lost love and the many ways in which grief can shape ones character. Full of unexpected twists and written in beautiful prose . . . Nina de Gramont takes this thread of a story and weaves it into a rich and vibrant tapestry -- Kristin Hannah, bestselling author of Firefly Lane and The Four Winds
A completely fascinating and fabulous piece of storytelling. I paced myself as I did not wish to miss one detail of its clever and twisty plot. Bravo to the skill and imagination of the author -- Elizabeth Buchan, author of Two Women in Rome
A delightful puzzle of a book, so cleverly constructed but with real heart and soul. The ingenious yet playful mystery keeps you turning the pages right till the end, but the real treasure of the book is the poignant tragedy buried deep in its core. Such a moving and satisfying read -- Mary Paulson-Ellis, author of The Other Mrs Walker and Emily Noble's Disgrace
An intriguing tale of love and tragedy with a plot as ingenious as one of Agatha's own mysteries * Daily Mail *
A scintillating, speculative tale that takes in lost love, revenge, Irish mother-and-baby homes and a double murder at an upmarket spa in Harrogate * Daily Mail *
The story unfolds in a series of carefully placed vignettes you may find yourself reading and rereading, partly to get the details straight, partly to fully savour the well-turned phrases and the dry humour, partly so the book wont have to end, damn it. Devilishly clever, elegantly composed and structured simply splendid -- Kirkus (starred review)
I loved this novel. A clever re-imagining of what happened in the days when Christie disappeared as well as a stunning murder mystery which will keep the reader guessing. The Christie Affair is stylish, compelling and multi-layered, exploring the themes of love, loss, revenge and sacrifice, tugging at our emotions as the truth is revealed. An original and captivating read that has stayed inside my head -- Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing Girl and The Hiding Place
Pulls off the trick of being both a gripping mystery and a stirring story about lost love * Good Housekeeping *
The Christie Affair is a pitch-perfect hat-trick of a novel, delivering a fascinating glimpse into history, with the sensational and unexplained disappearance of Agatha Christie, a layered and completely satisfying murder mystery, and a moving, emotional rendering of love, loss, revenge and redemption all with effortlessly stunning prose. I loved every page, and will be recommending this to everyone I know! -- Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife and When the Stars Go Dark
A delight: intriguing, fast-paced and elegantly written. Nina de Gramont takes you on an adventure through the English countryside with as many twists and turns as, well, an Agatha Christie novel. The unlikely alliances, complex motivations and jaw-dropping surprises will keep you riveted until the very last page -- Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train and The Exiles
Nina de Gramonts skilful storytelling is exceeded only by her tenderness for her characters, and I was swept up, turning the pages and savouring them, too. This is a cracking good read -- Therese Fowler, author of A Good Neighborhood
Immersive, reflexive and propulsive, The Christie Affair is an extremely impressive literary debut which reveals its hidden themes and secrets through a narrative dance brilliantly done. This tale of two very different women who want the very same things in life forges surprising bonds both with its characters and the reader, deliciously subverting our notions of what makes a heroine, mother, writer and wife -- Natalie Jenner, author of The Jane Austen Society
Nina de Gramonts novel shines on so many levels, its hard to keep count: as an ode to Agatha Christies legacy, as a dashing love story, and as a tribute to complicated, determined women. Magnificent -- Fiona Davis, author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue
I read [The Christie Affair] in a single sitting . . . The story combines dark pasts, dangerous liaisons and unforeseen twists into a masterful work reminiscent of one of Christies enigmatic works. The Christie Affair is both enthralling and beguiling, and will keep readers guessing until the very last page -- Pam Jenoff, author of The Lost Girls of Paris
Ingeniously plotted . . . This book is so much more than a cleverly plotted mystery with incredibly moving, multi-layered stories about lost love, second chances, hope and revenge, this novel is storytelling at its very finest * My Weekly *
A clever, highly original, mesmerizing tale filled with strange and unexpected turns and [de Gramont] concludes it in an unexpected but wholly satisfying manner. With its superb writing, strong characterizations, and wonderfully imaginative plot, this is a must-read -- Booklist (starred review)
Gripping . . . [A] series of unexpected twists and turns that Christie herself would be proud of . . . Theres no better time to hunker down with this cosy murder mystery which packs a surprising emotional punch * Readers Digest *
An ingenious premise * Daily Express *
Inventive * The Sun *
Devilishly clever * Metro *
A delight for fans of both the queen of crime writing and whodunits in general . . . Clever and twisty . . . a real page turner and it felt most apt that the queen of crime should appear as a character in crime novel as herself * The Hunts Post *
Heartbreaking, and yet also hopeful * Living North (Yorkshire) *

Author Bio

Nina de Gramont lives with her husband and daughter in coastal North Carolina, where she teaches Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her interest in writing about Agatha Christie began in 2015 when she first learned about the famous author's eleven-day disappearance. Christie's refusal to ever speak about this episode particularly intrigued Nina, who loves the fact that someone who unravelled mysteries for a living managed to keep her own intact. The Christie Affair is her fourth novel.