RaveThe Historical Novel SocietyDe Gramont possesses an intuitive insight into the complexity of Christie’s talent and the fact that she was both a master of detective fiction and an astute portraitist of human fallibility, her twin talents honed during her marriage to Archie and the suffering caused by his lack of loyalty ... offers readers something far more captivating than a mere re-imagining of the author’s flight to Harrogate, providing instead a character study of two very different women—Agatha Christie and Nancy Neele (Nan O’Dea in the book)—in their opposing positions as celebrated writer and obscure lover, privileged wife and ostracized mistress. Into this clash of roles and personalities, De Gramont weaves a genius twist, an absorbing murder mystery with a lot of moving parts and a fabulous cast of protagonists. The great achievement of The Christie Affair consists in elevating Nan O’Dea above the stereotypical conniving gold digger readers might expect her to be, allowing her instead to come across as to a deeply thinking and feeling—if also misguided—woman, who has a very surprising, and far more compelling reason for destroying the Christies’ marriage than might be assumed. Intriguingly, it is motherhood, rather than romance, which holds the key to unlocking the mystery ... a wonderful study of the terrible antagonisms, as well as the intimate ties, that exist between wives and mistresses, and how each group might turn the tables upon the other. Prepare to be surprised.
Megan Campisi
RaveThe Historical Novel SocietySoon I became engrossed in this sumptuous Tudor banquet of a novel, savouring its charming, fairytale-like language and complex narrative. I have always been greedy for delicious writing and here it was, served up to me in generous helpings ... In addition to being enraptured with the sin eater, I fell in love with Campisi’s heroine. May is a wonderful character. Intelligent and embattled, she learns early how cruel a woman’s existence is, and we are invited inside her heart and mind in order to witness how she devises a way to transform herself from child-victim into mistress of her destiny ... a very physical novel, its centre the desiring, devouring, life-giving, murdering, and dying female body. I delighted in the woman’s viewpoint, as well as in the novel’s rich language.
