Author: Marie Benedict
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: December 29th
Book Description: 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 husband and 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 exploration into the shadows of history, 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 a murky story.
What is real, and what is mystery? What role did her unfaithful husband play, and what was he not telling investigators?
A master storyteller whose clever mind may never be matched, Agatha Christie’s untold history offers perhaps her greatest mystery of all.
Rating: 3 1/2 Stars
Review: Marie Benedict delivers a fictional take on the mysterious week that Agatha Christie disappeared. I have heard this story for many years now, but Benedict blends history and fiction to tell this tale.
This story told in dual timelines, the days after Christie’s disappearance told by her husband, and the second, the years and days prior to her disappearance narrated by Agatha.
This is an intriguing tale that the author weaves. The dual timelines really work for this book. This is not about just about her time missing and the investigation, but at the heart it is about a marriage, the good and the bad.
My only wish for this book is that it went a little bit further than that week in the history. If you know Christie’s biography there is so more to this story, and the ending felt a little abrupt.
This is a fun and very quick read, and overall enjoyable. Fans of Marie Benedict will love this book. And fans of Agatha Christie who want to read more about her real life mystery are in a for a treat.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Obsessed Bookaholic 