Purporting to advance a theory that explains Dame Christie’s eleven-day disappearance in the 1920s, The Christie Affair reads at first much like the absorbing works of Paula McLain and Gaynor Arnold: solidly researched historical fiction that sensitively explores the emotions of the women involved in turbulent events. *This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.I admit that when I first started reading this book, I expected a fairly tame historical mystery graced by the fictional presence of the grandmaster of mystery writing herself, Agatha Christie.

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Read more: 5 Books to pull you out of your reading slump The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont is published by Mantle, RRP £16.99, Available on Amazon £12.99 The novel is Mantle’s lead title for 2022, and film rights have already been sold to Miramax-an indication of Nina de Gramont’s masterful plotting, which is sure to translate beautifully to the screen.Īs the January nights continue to close in early, and the grey skies show no sign of clearing just yet, there’s no better time to hunker down with this cosy murder mystery which packs a surprising emotional punch. There are no scarlet women or saintly wives to be found here-simply two remarkable individuals (and unlikely allies) navigating the tragedies of life in post-war England, with a healthy dose of whodunnit thrown in. The real triumph of the novel is that it not only satisfies readers with a plausible and engaging theory of what might have happened during those 11 days, but also offers up a fascinating study of two complex women and their unlikely kinship, as Nan’s dark secret is unravelled. Remarkably, Nina de Gramont did not need to delve into the imaginary world for these tidbits-the then Home Secretary William Joynson-Hicks did put pressure on police to find the writer, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle really did seek the help of a clairvoyant to find Agatha using one of her gloves as a guide. Over the course of the novel, we come to understand Nan’s purpose in setting her sights on the enigmatic novelist and her husband, and even rooting for our unlikely heroine as she sets out on her quest for justice.Īlong the way, we are met with a series of unexpected twists and turns that Christie herself would be proud of, and a string of extraordinary cameos from some of the most prolific figures of the day. The result is a plot which jumps between the “present” days of the missing person investigation in 1926, and Nan’s own history-from her tough East End upbringing, her escape to the Irish countryside, and the heartbreak she endures in the aftermath of the Great War.

Nina de gramont the christie affair