Book Review: The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
Author: Marie Benedict
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Rating: 3 Stars
Read: January 2021
The 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.
Sourcebooks Landmark
The Review
The Mystery of Mrs Christie by Marie Benedict a fast, entertaining read that imagines the story of Agatha Christie’s still unexplained 11-day disappearance. This book is a great fit for people who are fans of Agatha Christie, as it recreates her life as imagined by the author. I personally like historical fictions that imagine unknown parts of history, so I enjoyed this.
The book switches between “The Manuscript,” which tells the story of Agatha and Archie’s relationship and marriage, and present day, which follows Archie dealing with the ramifications of Agatha’s disappearance. “The Manuscript” is written from the point of view of Agatha, which I think is interesting and entertaining. We get a limited third person POV of Archie during the present day sections. Because of that, I think further emphasizes that we are getting Agatha’s story, not anyone else’s. This book imagines why Agatha did what she did all those decades ago.
If you’re not a Christie fan, then I’m not sure how enjoyable this book would be. The writing isn’t the strongest, and some parts were kind of cringe-y, to be honest. The end felt a little rushed, even though I knew what would happen. But overall, it’s a fast beach or vacation read. I put this under the category of “borrow from the library.” The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict is out now!
Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Book
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