In 1926, the world's bestselling author Agatha Christie vanished for 11 days, sparking a nationwide hunt. Historian Lucy Worsley has revisited the case, challenging long-held theories about the incident.
Christie, who wrote over 80 books and is outsold only by Shakespeare and the Bible, was at the height of her career when she disappeared. Her marriage to Archie Christie was in trouble, and she later wrote that she was 'at the beginning of a nervous breakdown'. Archie had confessed to an affair and wanted a divorce.
Contrary to popular belief, Christie did speak about the disappearance later in life. She described driving aimlessly and contemplating suicide, but said she realised she could swim too well to drown. Her car was eventually found crashed near a quarry in Surrey.
Worsley notes that Christie's accounts of the event often resembled her novels, but argues this does not mean she was lying. The mystery continues to fascinate fans, with many speculating that Christie staged the disappearance to frame her husband for murder.
