The mystery of Mrs. Christie : a novel. [adult book discussion kit]

Format:

Book (regular print)

Title:

The mystery of Mrs. Christie : a novel. [adult book discussion kit]

Other title(s):

Adult book discussion kit : Mystery of Mrs. Christie

Author:

Benedict, Marie author

ISBN:

9781492682721

Publication:

[Newberg, Oregon : CCRLS, 2021]

Physical Description:

10 books (272 pages ; 24 cm), 1 discussion guide ; in container.

General Note:

Includes author's note, reading group guide, and a conversation with the author.

Plastic tote containing ten copies of the title.

Edition of book used: Naperville, Illinois, Sourcebooks Landmark, an imprint of Sourcebooks, [2021]

Summary:

In December 1926, Agatha Christie goes missing. Investigators find her empty car on the edge of a deep, gloomy lake, 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 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? -- From dust jacket.

Local Note:

For use by CCRLS libraries only. Not available for inter-library loan.

Personal Subject:

Christie, Agatha, 1890-1976-Fiction.

Christie, Agatha, 1890-1976. (OCoLC)fst00033432

Subject(s):

Missing persons -- Fiction.

Novelists, English -- Fiction.

Book discussion kit.

Genre:

Biographical fiction.

Historical fiction.

Mystery fiction.

Novels.

Detective and mystery fiction.

Fiction.

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Newberg Public Library	BOOK KIT BENEDICT	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

"A stunning story... The ending is ingenious, and it's possible that Benedict has brought to life the most plausible explanation for why Christie disappeared for 11 days in 1926."--The Washington Post

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Only Woman in the Room returns with a thrilling reconstruction of one of the most notorious events in literary history: Agatha Christie's mysterious 11-day disappearance in 1926.

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?

Agatha Christie novels have withstood the test of time, due in no small part to Christie's masterful storytelling and clever mind that may never be matched, but Agatha Christie's untold history offers perhaps her greatest mystery of all.

Fans of The Secrets We Kept, The Lions of Fifth Avenue, and The Alice Network will enjoy this riveting saga of literary history, suspense, and love gone wrong.

Other Bestselling Historical Fiction from Marie Benedict:

Lady Clementine

The Only Woman in the Room

Carnegie's Maid

The Other Einstein

Author Notes

Marie Benedict is a well established lawyer at two of the country's premier law firms. She graduated magna cum laude from Boston College with a focus on Art History and History. She is also a cum laude graduate of Boston University School of Law. Marie had a passion for unearthing the hidden historical stories of women. She followed this passion and began her writing career. Her first historical novel was "The Other Einstein", which recounts the story of Albert Einstein's first wife, a physicist, and the role she may have played in his theories.The other novels in this series include Carnegie's Maid, and The Only Woman in the Room. She also writes historical novels as Heather Terrell. Those titles include: The Chrysalis, The Map Thief, and Brigid of Kildare.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (4)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Benedict (Lady Clementine) delivers an uneven novel of what might have happened to Agatha Christie during the 11 days in 1926 when she famously went missing. Chapters alternate between a memoir manuscript purportedly written by Christie, and the story of Christie's husband, Archie, who becomes a suspect in her disappearance. No one knows what really happened, and the clever premise here is that Christie vanished deliberately so as to ensnare Archie in a trap as payback for his infidelities. The saccharine manuscript, beginning in 1912 with the line, "I could not have written a more perfect man," chronicles Agatha and Archie's courtship and early years of marriage, and her efforts to please him. More satisfying are the chapters in which a heinous Archie emerges and is forced to follow Agatha's instructions in a letter in order to escape prosecution ("How do you want this story to end? It seems to me that there are two paths from which you can choose, the first involving a softer landing than the second, though neither are without bumps and bruises, of course"). As the investigators begin to suspect foul play, thanks to phony clues left by Agatha, Archie is forced to admit compromising truths. While the manuscript chapters won't ring true with Christie fans, the story makes for good fun. (Jan.)

Kirkus Review

In December 1926, mystery writer Agatha Christie really did disappear for 11 days. Was it a hoax? Or did her husband resort to foul play? When Agatha meets Archie on a dance floor in 1912, the obscure yet handsome pilot quickly sweeps her off her feet with his daring. Archie seems smitten with her. Defying her family's expectations, Agatha consents to marry Archie rather than her intended, the reliable yet boring Reggie Lucy. Although the war keeps them apart, straining their early marriage, Agatha finds meaningful work as a nurse and dispensary assistant, jobs that teach her a lot about poisons, knowledge that helps shape her early short stories and novels. While Agatha's career flourishes after the war, Archie suffers setback after setback. Determined to keep her man happy, Agatha finds herself cooking elaborate meals, squelching her natural affections for their daughter (after all, Archie must always feel like the most important person in her life), and downplaying her own troubles, including her grief over her mother's death. Nonetheless, Archie grows increasingly morose. In fact, he is away from home the day Agatha disappears. By the time Detective Chief Constable Kenward arrives, Agatha has already been missing for a day. After discovering--and burning--a mysterious letter from Agatha, Archie is less than eager to help the police. His reluctance and arrogance work against him, and soon the police, the newspapers, the Christies' staff, and even his daughter's classmates suspect him of harming his wife. Benedict concocts a worthy mystery of her own, as chapters alternate between Archie's negotiation of the investigation and Agatha's recounting of their relationship. She keeps the reader guessing: Which narrator is reliable? Who is the real villain? A compelling portrait of a marriage gone desperately sour. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

In 1926, famed mystery novelist Agatha Christie is reeling from her beloved mother's death and the discovery that her husband, Archie, wants a divorce in order to marry his mistress. After a vicious fight with Archie, Agatha vanishes. Despite a police investigation and a massive search, no one knows what befell Agatha until her reappearance 11 days later. She claimed amnesia. Like others before her, including Andrew Wilson, Benedict offers a fictional take on what happened during Christie's disappearance. One story line proceeds from Archie's point-of-view as he faces a media circus, the total destruction of his privacy and reputation, and rampant suspicion that he murdered his wife. Meanwhile, Agatha recounts their relationship in a flashback, from beginning to bitter end. This is less a mystery than the chronicle of a well-meaning woman who chose her life partner poorly and finally tires of his contempt and responds in spectacular fashion. It takes a lot to turn Agatha's desperation into anger, but once that transition occurs, girl power advocates will find satisfaction in the solution she crafts to her man problem.

Library Journal Review

On December 3, 1926, famous mystery writer Agatha Christie disappeared after an argument with her husband. Eleven days later, she was found at a hotel where she had registered under the last name of the woman with whom her husband was having an affair. She claimed amnesia and never spoke of it again. To this day, the mystery remains unsolved. Now, with a deft hand, Benedict imagines a complex and highly satisfying time line of what might have happened. As with her previous works such as Lady Clementine and Carnegie's Maid, the author brings the period to life. As the story moves from present to past and back again, Benedict spins a tale worthy of the grande dame of mysteries from bare facts. Others have imagined her story--such as Andrew Wilson in A Different Kind of Evil. This newest vision is a worthy addition to the canon of fiction about the mysterious Mrs. Christie. VERDICT Mystery lovers, especially fans of Christie's works, as well as those who enjoy period pieces, will find this an engrossing fictional answer to a real historical mystery.--Pamela O'Sullivan, Coll. at Brockport Lib., SUNY