Some found the book slow-paced and occasionally challenging, but this didn't discourage them from recommending it. Marie Benedict presents a wonderfully engaging and thrilling answer to that mystery with twists and turns worthy of any Christie whodunit (Barbara E). The mystery of Agatha Christie's 11-day disappearance in December, 1926 has persisted to this day. Many pointed out that Benedict adopts a style similar to that of Christie's own novels, making the story a treat for dedicated fans of the author.īlending events from Agatha's life with a writing style familiar to fans of Christie's novels, Marie Benedict pays homage to Christie's detective fiction (Shawna). I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and I think the dual-timeline approach works well for the most part (Rebecca H). My detective skills were not ahead of the author's (Theresa P)! The circumstances, attitudes and emotions which motivate the actions of the characters are well-developed in the chapters dealing with the earlier time frame and the novelist's imagination fills in the gaps in what is known about the real-life events. The two voices alternating in the novel are well done, and held a bit of surprise for me in the second part. Readers enjoyed the dual-timeline approach and how the story alternated between Agatha and Archie. Benedict's novel covering this disappearance twists like a double helix: Chapters narrated by Agatha covering her life in flashbacks from October, 1912, when she first met Archie, to December 14, 1926, when she reappeared after her 11-day hiatus, intertwine with chapters narrated by Archie, which cover his day-to-day experience from Saturday, December 4, when her car was found by a cliff, to her being discovered over a week later, safe and well at an upscale seaside hotel (Julia E).

This cleverly structured, well-researched, fast-paced, skillfully written fictionalized account focuses on a famous 11-day period in Christie's life, when the already well-known author disappeared without a trace, after a shouting match over a Friday breakfast with her husband, Archie Christie. Christie by Marie Benedict, notable author of previous historical fiction such as The Other Einstein and Lady Clementine, earned an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from our First Impressions reviewers.

A work of historical fiction based on the true story of Agatha Christie's mysterious disappearance and her turbulent first marriage.

The mystery of mrs christie book review