The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict  288 pages

One of the most highly reported disappearances of the 20^th century is from 1926 and has largely been forgotten. That is where author Marie Benedict excels—exploring the past. In this, Benedict’s fifth novel, up and coming mystery writer Agatha Christie has seemed to vanish from the face of the earth. Her abandoned car is found near Silent Pool---“a small spring-fed lake,” that Agatha found inspiring, but no sign of her. Suicide is quickly ruled out.

She turned up eleven days later in an elegant, nearby hotel. Where she had been, and why, has, still in 2021, not been explained. Even Agatha did not address the event in her autobiography.

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie is written in two of my favorite styles---dueling timelines and multiple viewpoints---are fictionalized diary entries. The first is a section called “The Manuscript”---which I didn’t understand why---is from Agatha’s point of view from 1912 to current day, which is 1926. It revolves around her courtship and subsequent marriage and life with Archie Christie, and her budding career.

The second section is from Archie’s viewpoint and takes place in December 1926.  It revolves around his coping with his wife’s disappearance, their child, their marriage, his mistress, and the fact that he is the police’s prime suspect.

A third, overarching section, only has one entry, but it dictates Archie’s every move during those eleven days. Agatha left Archie a letter in which she states that if he doesn’t do exactly as the letter says, he will never see her again. The police only learn of the letter near the end of the eleven days, which heightens their suspicions. However, Archie had burned it, so the police have no idea what Agatha could have written, which only fueled their suspensions.

 I’m a huge fan of Benedict’s work, but I was truly disappointed in this one. There was no real tension, no sense that Agatha was in any real danger. Even Archie didn’t seem to care much about Agatha and was more worried about his reputation. The “supposed” reason Agatha left was lame. The Mystery of Mrs. Christie receives 2 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

The Pull of the Moon

The Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg  193 pages

Elizabeth Berg has written a total of 24 books. The Pull of the Moon was her fourth. With a couple of nonfiction titles here and there, she mostly writes contemporary fiction for women.

Nan and her husband, Martin, are well-off, some would say rich, and their daughter has gone off to college. But as Nan turns 50-years old, something is missing. It’s more than that her periods have stopped. She feels as if life as passed her by.

Leaving a note off Martin, she takes off on a road trip. Following wherever the road takes her, she drifts along, trying to sort out what she truly feels. Every day, as promised, she send a letter to Martin to let him know that she is safe.

I like the way this book is written. It opens with her first letter to Martin, then is followed by her diary entries (it’s not stream of consciousness). The reader never hears from Martin. This is only Nan’s story.

Personally I thought the plot was a silly. There’s not much of a story arc and, for me, no reason, to turn the page. Yet I read every one of them, hoping to some real insight. Nan might have fit the stereotypical 1950s woman, but in 2014, it misses the mark.

I give The Pull of the Moon 3 out of 5 stars.