A Talent for Murder

In December 1926, mystery writer Agatha Christie’s disappearance from her Berkshire home led to a massive search and speculation that she had taken her own life after discovering that her husband, Archie, was having an affair. She surfaced at a Yorkshire hotel 11 days later. Wilson (The Lying Tongue) effectively imagines a different scenario in this twisty thriller. At a London Underground station, Christie, who’s been under a lot of strain, collapses on the platform. A doctor, Patrick Kurs, comes to her assistance. Kurs, who seems to know a lot about Christie’s personal life, persuades her to join him for a cup of tea at a nearby café, where he demands that she murder his wife at a time when he, the obvious suspect, would have an alibi. In exchange, he promises to stay quiet about Archie’s infidelity. Afraid that the publicizing of her husband’s affair will devastate her seven-year-old daughter, Christie agrees to cooperate and vanish, even as she schemes to find a way out of her desperate bind. Wilson fully realizes the potential of this ominous setup. Agent: Clare Alexander, Aitken Alexander Associates. (July)