First Line Friday — The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

9 Sep

Happy Friday! My book club read The Christie Affair a few months ago. This fictional account that speculates on what happened during the weeks Agatha Christie went missing in 1926 was very interesting, but focused more on other characters than Christie herself. I picked up The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict at my local indie book store to get yet another take on the mystery surrounding the Queen of Mysteries! Now to find time to actually read it. 😉

Here’s the first line:

The letter flutters on the desk, almost keeping time with the footsteps thundering across the floor.

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.

3 Responses to “First Line Friday — The Mystery of Mrs. Christie”

  1. Cindy Davis September 9, 2022 at 2:31 pm #

    I have heard mixed reviews about this one. I will be curious to hear your thoughts. Have a great weekend!

  2. Paula Shreckhise September 9, 2022 at 3:02 pm #

    That disappearance was very curious!
    My first line comes from Worthy of Legend by Roseanna White:
    The sea was vengeance. The sea was justice. The sea was the hand of the Almighty, stretched out to slap and strike.

  3. Nicole Santana September 10, 2022 at 1:09 am #

    I’m currently reading Worthy of Legend by Roseanna M. White. It’s SO good!
    “The end of the evening was at long last in sight, which lured Emily into relaxation. Too soon, however.”
    Hope you have a good weekend!

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