Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review,.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Every story has its secrets.
Every mystery has its motives.

“A long time ago, in another country, I nearly killed a woman. It’s a particular feeling, the urge to murder. It takes over your body so completely, it’s like a divine force, grabbing hold of your will, your limbs, your psyche. 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.”

The greatest mystery wasn’t Agatha Christie’s disappearance in those eleven infamous days, it’s what she discovered.

London, 1925: In a world of townhomes and tennis matches, socialites and shooting parties, Miss Nan O’Dea became Archie Christie’s mistress, luring him away from his devoted and well-known wife, Agatha Christie.

The question is, why? Why destroy another woman’s marriage, why hatch a plot years in the making, and why murder? How was Nan O’Dea so intricately tied to those eleven mysterious days that Agatha Christie went missing?

Review:

I didn't quite know what to expect when I requested this book.  I do find the mystery of Agatha Christie's disappearance really intriguing.  As I started to read the novel, I thought this was going to be a domestic drama about how society women in the 1920's had to put up with entitled men.  And while this was a theme in the book, there was so much more going on.  

There are really two stories happening at once.  We do follow Agatha as she disappears for about ten days.  But the far more interesting story is that of Archie Christie's mistress, Nan O'Dea.  While in reality there was no Nan O'Dea (he did leave Agatha for a woman named Nancy Neele), the author creates a character that is so complete, I had to hit Google to see if this was actually Archie's mistress.  As we learn about Nan's backstory, we begin to understand that her reasons for being with Archie are greater than just finding a well-heeled husband. 

Then the book takes another turn.  Someone dies at the hotel where both Agatha and Nan are staying.  Was it just a tragic accident... Or was it Murder?  Yes, this book does become a murder mystery.  Predictable?  A bit.  But there were lots of twists and turns that made this solving this crime fun to follow.  This was both a sharp commentary on what the lives of women were like in Great Britain in the 1920's, and a clever mystery that I think Agatha Christie would have loved.  

What I Liked:

Characters:

Agatha, in the time when the book takes place, is not yet a famous novelist.  Although she is starting to publish a few books, her husband Archie doesn't really take her seriously.  Since we, the readers, know how successful she will eventually be, we cannot help but see the irony of just how little he thinks of her.  We know Agatha will get the last laugh.  But, we can also see how deeply his actions affect his wife.  Women, especially those in "Society", were expected to put up with infidelity.  When Archie leaves Agatha, he has the gall to tell her not to make a scene so as not to hurt his mistress's reputation!  

At first, Agatha is devastated by the betrayal.  She leaves to give herself time to think.  What will she be if she is not Archie's wife?  It felt like her life was over.  I loved that she finally realized that she was better off without him.

Nan is Archie's mistress.  Usually, I have very little sympathy for women who get involved with married men.  But, the author made Nan such a whole character, I eventually understood why she made the choices she did.  Nan's backstory goes all the way back to her childhood, and her first love.  Their story is a tragedy that was probably very common ,all due to WWI.  

Storytelling:

The storytelling is a slow burn. There are many flashbacks in the story that explain who the characters are.  At first I found this a bit frustrating.  What does Ireland have to do with the story? But, everything is done with a purpose.  Much like all the little details in Agatha Christie novels.  They all have meaning.  This tactic really reeled me in and made me heavily invested in the outcome of the story.

Mystery:

What book about Agatha Christie would be complete without a death!  At first, it appears that Agatha is dead, and Archie is the prime suspect.  And his plan to keep his affair out of the spotlight fails spectacularly.   I was very happy to see this slime-ball squirm. 

Then there are two deaths at the spa where Agatha (and Nan) are staying.  There are many small details in the scenes leading up to the deaths that become important later in the story.  The mystery is what ties all the stories of the book together.  This was so like an Agatha Christie mystery which made it incredibly entertaining, and satisfying.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date: February 1st, 2022

Author:  Nina de Gramont

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press

Genre:  Historical Fiction/Mystery

Page Length:  320 Pages 

Source: NetGalley

Format:  E-book

Recommendation:  A murder mystery wrapped in a historical fiction novel, this was quite entertaining.  I highly recommend this book.