The work of Agatha Christie is something I feel like I should be more familiar with. Unfortunately, I have only read one of her books, and it was And Then There Were None, which is fantastic. So I was drawn to Marie Benedict's The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, which speculates what happened when the up-and-coming mystery author disappeared in December of 1926, only to suddenly reappear unharmed ten days later.
The Situation: It is 1912 and young Agatha Miller is at a dance where she meets Archibald "Archie" Christie, a handsome and somewhat intense man who insists on flouting nearly all social graces if it means he can be near Agatha. While she admits to herself that there is an attraction, Agatha must also keep in mind the young man with whom it was already settled that she would one day marry. Eventually, the increased love and passion she feels for Archie wins out, and the two enter into a marriage that already proves it will be anything but normal. Fast forward to 1926, and Mrs. Christie has received acclaim and renown for her mysteries. But on December 3rd, Agatha disappears, seemingly vanishing into the countryside, and all that is found is her car and some clothes. There is also the letter she wrote and left for her husband, the one he does not want anyone to see. It seems the relationship between Agatha and Archie was not what she thought it would be when they first married.
The Problem: Of course, the prime suspect is her husband Archie, with whom she was overheard having a heated disagreement earlier that morning. The story of their married life unfolds in one narrative, told from her point of view, where it becomes clear that Archie is not the man and husband Agatha thought he was. A second narrative told from Archie's point of view shows the progression of the investigation, and how no matter what he says or does, he manages to look incredibly guilty. Archie wants nothing more than to hide their marital troubles, including his affair, but every attempt to keep secrets hidden is thwarted, and the investigators seem intent on pinning everything on him. As the two timelines meet, the clues surrounding Mrs. Christie's disappearance only come together to point to Archie, and while he is desperate to escape any and all notice, he must play the part, if only to keep his secrets hidden.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel that focuses specifically on the ten days Agatha Christie went missing in 1926, as well as her marriage and relationship with her first husband, Archie. When the real Agatha Christie disappeared, the novelist reappeared ten days later, having remembered nothing. The event is not even mentioned in her autobiography, and doctors diagnosed her as having a genuine loss in memory. In the book, Agatha's disappearance is made to look like one of her novels by the author herself, and the main character, and suspect, is her husband. An investigation follows, the clues are slowly revealed, and what unfolds is something resembling the puzzles Agatha liked to have in her novels. With chapters alternating between her story of their marriage, and his story of the investigation, the book eventually reveals the full picture of their life together.
My Verdict: Basing a fictional story on a real event that happened to a real person in history, and a famous one at that, is a brilliant move. There is currently no definitive explanation to what happened to Agatha Christie during her disappearance, other than the unsatisfying explanation of memory loss. So I enjoyed being able to go along with Benedict in exploring what may have happened. Unfortunately, the resulting ending was much less interesting than I would have hoped, and I do not fully believe it is because it is only a speculation. Also, there is a certain disconnect between Agatha's story and Archie's story, and it would be easy to explain it away as part of the overall disconnect in their marriage, but that does not quite satisfy either. The book serves its purpose as an intriguing mystery, but the overall product leaves something to be desired.
Favorite Moment: I enjoyed any moment that proved to Archie that he is not as in control of the situation as he wishes to be.
Favorite Character: Charlotte's main job is to help take care of Rosalind, the Christie's only child, but she also serves as Agatha's secretary. She is a side character that does not feature too prominently, and while she is loyal to the family, and agrees to keep some secrets, she will only act in Rosalind's best interest, even if it means betraying the people who pay her.
Recommended Reading: I recommend And Then There Were None, as well as The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins if you are looking for a much darker mystery.
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