The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

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Manufacturer: Marie Benedict
Brand: Mystery, Historical Fiction
Brew: Paperback
Steeping Time: 336 pages
Tea Service: Personal Choice
Strength:

Synopsis: In December 1926, Agatha Christie goes missing. Investigators find her empty car on the edge of a deep, gloomy pond, the only clues some tire tracks nearby and a fur coat left in the car–strange for a frigid night. Her World War I veteran husband and her daughter have no knowledge of her whereabouts, and England unleashes an unprecedented manhunt to find the up-and-coming mystery author. Eleven days later, she reappears, just as mysteriously as she disappeared, claiming amnesia and providing no explanations for her time away.

The puzzle of those missing eleven days has persisted. With her trademark historical fiction exploration into the shadows of the past, acclaimed author Marie Benedict brings us into the world of Agatha Christie, imagining why such a brilliant woman would find herself at the center of such murky historical mysteries.

What is real, and what is mystery? What role did her unfaithful husband play, and what was he not telling investigators?

Looking at other reviews, folks either absolutely love this book, or they hate it with a vengeance.

I happen to fall into the ‘loved it’ category. I’m a huge Agatha Christie fan, and I’ll jump at the chance to read anything that minimally relates to her. I stumbled across The Mystery of Mrs. Christie while on vacation in Vermont (purchased here: https://www.bridgesidebooks.com/ ), and I finished it before we got home.

Agatha Christie indeed disappeared in early December of 1926. She was missing for eleven days and the country was thrown into an incredible search to find her. When she reappeared, she claimed amnesia, that she remembered nothing. The rest is unknown.

That’s where Marie Benedict steps in.

In The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, she crafts a story of what could have happened. Put the emphasis on could have. She isn’t claiming that the book is truly what happened. In fact, it says ‘novel’ right on the cover. So dive into this story and enjoy the ride. Since I don’t know the ins and outs of Agatha’s real life, I didn’t see a problem with any of the details, including dates, names, deaths, burials, ect. Others, however, have pointed out many historical inaccuracies. If you’re looking for a biography/autobiography, this isn’t it. This story is pure historical fiction at its finest, a fictional story based on a real one.

The book switches between two viewpoints, Archie (Agatha’s husband) and the manuscript, a document written by Agatha that details her entire relationship with Archie. While no one can top the incredible Agatha herself, this book read similarly to an Agatha Christie novel. You are fed tidbits of information, piece by piece, as the whole picture slowly comes into view. A breadcrumb trail, if you will.

I devoured this book.

It read very easily and I enjoyed the pacing. Some might call it slow, but it didn’t feel slow to me. Most of the complaints about The Mystery of Mrs. Christie are that they feel Agatha wasn’t accurately portrayed. All of those reviewers also said they didn’t finish the book, which is where their problem lies. As with every Agatha Christie novel, you don’t know everything until the end, and this book is just the same. Everything you think you know could very well be wrong. Leave it to Agatha to have the final twist.

Again, I’m a massive Agatha Christie fan. I really enjoyed this novel about what might have happened during those mysterious eleven days in the waning light of 1926. Of course, we’ll never know the truth, but I think this story is a good option.

If you enjoy mysteries and historical fiction, I think you’ll like The Mystery of Mrs. Christie just as much as I did.

Have you read The Mystery of Mrs. Christie? Leave a comment and let me know what you thought about it! Want to read it for yourself? Click here to get a copy of your own.
Cheers,
Lydia