Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
Fascinating
This is an intriguing book based on the actual disappearance of Agatha Christie. The motivations and characterizations are completely believable, and the writing is engrossing.
This is an intriguing book based on the actual disappearance of Agatha Christie. The motivations and characterizations are completely believable, and the writing is engrossing.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! These words ring so very true in the story that Marie Benedict allows to unfold one page at a time. Although it started a tad slow for me it quickly picked up and the mystery began to pull me in. A story about a woman who decides to take her power and authority into her own hands! A story worth reading.
I am a huge Agatha Christie fan and was not going to miss out on this. It was a decent read and I loved learning some bits of her life; however, it was not as riveting as I had hoped.
Would really like to give this two and a half. It was just meh. Despite being a huge Agatha Christie fan, I found it difficult to find any way to relate to anyone in the story. The book was a quick read at least.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book went back and forth between the history of Mrs Christie and her disappearance. I liked the back and forth of the time frames and I enjoyed the ending of what caused her disappearance.
Actual Rating: 2.75 Stars
I finished this book mostly because the premise was interesting to me and continued to hold that interest until the end. The explanation for Agatha’s disappearance as presented by Benedict was crafty - just like the plot of a Hercule Poirot novel. I liked how the two plots converged (I wasn’t a fan of the flip flopping at the beginning, but by the end it made sense). I also appreciated the idea of Agatha taking back control over her life. But…obviously, I had some issues. Every single character was flat. There was an attempt to develop Agatha, but it was rushed and seemingly popped up out of nowhere. Archie and Agatha were equally unlikeable, as were a majority of the minor characters. It was hard to root for Agatha because of this. (I’m also not sure how similar fictional Agatha was to real Agatha…but it is fiction so I won’t ding Benedict too much for that.) Additionally, the writing style was very much tell, not show. (I will fully admit that I’m probably a little too snobby when it comes to that.) Archie and Agatha’s feelings were stated or explained, not really seen through their actions, which made it difficult for me to really connect with the story. Overall, not a bad read. But I probably won’t seek out any of Benedict’s other works.
I finished this book mostly because the premise was interesting to me and continued to hold that interest until the end. The explanation for Agatha’s disappearance as presented by Benedict was crafty - just like the plot of a Hercule Poirot novel. I liked how the two plots converged (I wasn’t a fan of the flip flopping at the beginning, but by the end it made sense). I also appreciated the idea of Agatha taking back control over her life. But…obviously, I had some issues. Every single character was flat. There was an attempt to develop Agatha, but it was rushed and seemingly popped up out of nowhere. Archie and Agatha were equally unlikeable, as were a majority of the minor characters. It was hard to root for Agatha because of this. (I’m also not sure how similar fictional Agatha was to real Agatha…but it is fiction so I won’t ding Benedict too much for that.) Additionally, the writing style was very much tell, not show. (I will fully admit that I’m probably a little too snobby when it comes to that.) Archie and Agatha’s feelings were stated or explained, not really seen through their actions, which made it difficult for me to really connect with the story. Overall, not a bad read. But I probably won’t seek out any of Benedict’s other works.
reflective
medium-paced
Fascinating look at Agatha Christie’s life as an author, mother and wife. This novel shines light on Christie’s disappearance, offering a plausible solution to what really happened during the 11 days this best-selling author was missing.
slow-paced
⭐2.5
"As I reread it for a final time, it occurred to me that we are all unreliable narrators of our own lives, crafting stories about ourselves that omit unsavory truths and highlight our invented identities."
This is the tale of what exactly transpired the 11 days where Agatha Christie went missing and the events the lead up to that mysterious first day of disappearance. Even though Agatha Christie has an autobiography and was very well known, no one is exactly sure what happened and why she disappeared.
I am someone who isn't super familiar about Agatha Christie, only truly aware of her novels. So many times I had to look up names on google to figure out how they were connected to the famous mystery author. Benedict does a great job explaining the connection with the people who were very close to her but there is somethings I was not aware of before looking it up. I was so clueless, I wasn't aware that Christie wasn't her maiden name and that she was married twice!
The story is separated 50/50 with the present day of Agatha missing and everyone looking for her (following her husband), and the past (Told by herself).
And sadly, I found one half rather lacking and had to really force myself through it. I didn't particularly like how one of the characters were written which made it hard to get through those parts. This is purely my own opinion since it made sense of the time and I do like the development the story took by the ending.
However, I do not find myself being able to reread this due to this fact. Enjoyable first read to see where the story lead and see how Benedict perceived the events but would probably be a slug to get through a second time.
"As I reread it for a final time, it occurred to me that we are all unreliable narrators of our own lives, crafting stories about ourselves that omit unsavory truths and highlight our invented identities."
This is the tale of what exactly transpired the 11 days where Agatha Christie went missing and the events the lead up to that mysterious first day of disappearance. Even though Agatha Christie has an autobiography and was very well known, no one is exactly sure what happened and why she disappeared.
I am someone who isn't super familiar about Agatha Christie, only truly aware of her novels. So many times I had to look up names on google to figure out how they were connected to the famous mystery author. Benedict does a great job explaining the connection with the people who were very close to her but there is somethings I was not aware of before looking it up. I was so clueless, I wasn't aware that Christie wasn't her maiden name and that she was married twice!
The story is separated 50/50 with the present day of Agatha missing and everyone looking for her (following her husband), and the past (Told by herself).
And sadly, I found one half rather lacking and had to really force myself through it. I didn't particularly like how one of the characters were written which made it hard to get through those parts. This is purely my own opinion since it made sense of the time and I do like the development the story took by the ending.
However, I do not find myself being able to reread this due to this fact. Enjoyable first read to see where the story lead and see how Benedict perceived the events but would probably be a slug to get through a second time.