NOTE: This book contains spoilers for Agatha Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.”

Agatha Christie becomes entangled in a real-life murder mystery when a fellow writer dies during a Detection Club gathering. Suspicion falls on Christie when she disappears, leaving Eliza Baker, assistant to Dorothy Sayers, to uncover the truth before it’s too late.

This is a fun start to a new series. The large cast of characters was a little overwhelming at first, but I quickly caught on. The mystery is fun, and I loved the ending. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This story is a 1920s murder mystery, but Agatha Christie is one of the suspects, rather than the author, along with other well-known names like Dorothy L. Sayers and G. K. Chesterton.

The main characters are Eliza – master chess player, reluctant new secretary to the Detection Club and part-time undercover spy – and Theo – also a superb chess player, secret heir to aristocracy, would-be author and secretly in love with Eliza. So they both have plenty to uncover and investigate before a single death occurs!

Within the fictional murder mystery plot, the author cleverly weaves in events (as well as people) from real life, with the Detection Club bickering over the ‘fairness’ of Agatha Christie’s famous novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (one of my favourites and not at all ‘cheating’! This story does give away the plot of that one, but if you’re a Christie fan then you will have definitely already read it), and Agatha Christie disappearing for days only to turn up in a spa, just as she did in 1926 in reality (and this book doesn’t offer an answer to that real-life unsolved mystery).

I really liked Eliza’s drive and her no-nonsense, brusque attitude, which contrasted well with Theo’s affability and imagination, and their chemistry together was really sweet. I did actually solve the main mystery before the reveal this time, but the story set up plenty of other puzzles too, from whether the lovebirds would ever declare their feelings to why Dorothy Sayers had to rush off in a hurry. And there is an espionage sub-plot which is introduced sporadically throughout the story but not developed further until a teaser at the end, so the story clearly sets up some intriguing plot threads to lead the reader into sequels.

In fact, the only real issue I had with this book was Eliza’s dismissive attitude towards mystery fiction, which – as a massive fan – thoroughly irritated me! Perhaps Theo can open her mind towards it, via “Emily and Leo”?

Minor difference of opinion with the main character aside (!), this was a really fun murder mystery and I love that the setting involves books and writers (including two of my personal favourite crime queens), so I would definitely read more from the Detection Club and Kelly Oliver in future.

This was great fun and I will definitely look for more novels by Kelly Oliver! Street-wise Eliza, tired of playing chess for money at the Gambit Club, gets a job at the Detection Club where she meets such luminaries as Dorothy L. Sayers and Anthony Berkeley Cox. When Neville Lively is suddenly murdered, Eliza and her handsome literary sidekick Theo take on the case but the search for motives is difficult.

They become involved in many adventures, including looking for Agatha Christie, who has suddenly disappeared. This was an interesting part of this enjoyable book.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I’ve been eager to read this book ever since I heard about it and it did not disappoint. Eliza Baker is in desperate need of a job, and she manages to snag one as the assistant to Dorothy Sayers, famous author and secretary of the Detection Club. When one of the members is murdered at one of the meetings in a closed room, Elisa takes on the challenge to solve the crime. Eliza is a wonderful amateur sleuth, and she has some background with the police which comes in handy. The mystery is compelling and unpredictable and hearkens to the Golden Age of British Mystery. A delightful read!

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As we all know, I loved a cosy mystery and can read them in no time at all. This lived up to that and I devoured it. I love the main character, Eliza, who was bright but so dim in some situations. The Detection Club were, as you’d expect, full of themselves and not a clue between them. Eliza’s background working for Scotland Yard means she’s instinctively curious when one of the club members dies at a dinner and initiation ceremony. Can she solve it before the police can?

As with all good detectives, she has a great “sidekick’ too, in the form of Theo who harbours secret feelings for her and wonders if he can carry on helping without making his feelings known. I loved this sub-story, it was so cute.

I’m looking forward to this series carrying on and will be keeping my eye out for more for sure.

As a fan of Agatha Christie (and someone trying to read more of her books this year), I couldn’t resist this one. While it’s not one of her actual works, I loved the premise of Christie herself being caught in a mystery. The writing style was engaging, and the 1920s literary scene added so much charm. I also enjoyed Eliza as the investigator and apparently this will be a series, so I can’t wait to see where it goes next. A cosy, fun and clever historical mystery.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The story:
It is 1926, and Eliza Baker is just about making ends meet hustling for money at the Gambit Chess Rooms. But when the role of assistant to the secretary of the newly-formed Detection Club comes her way, it turns out not only to be a chance of a more steady income, but also to test her own investigation skills…

When an initiation ceremony ends in murder, Eliza seems to be the only one interested in some real-life sleuthing. When celebrated club member Agatha Christie goes missing, she’s assumed to be the guilty party… but Eliza isn’t so sure. With friend and aspiring writer Theo Sharp, she sets out to find the killer – but will a self-confessed mystery novel hater be able to uncover the truth?

My thoughts:
“The Case of the Christie Conspiracy”, by Kelly Oliver is the first in her new Detection Club Mystery series, and from the title alone I hoped this would be one I’d enjoy!

Anyone who’s a fan of golden age crime will recognise some of the real-life authors that are characters in this story, with the likes of Dorothy L Sayers, Anthony Berkeley Cox and GK Chesterton making appearances, alongside Agatha Christie herself, of course.

Set at the time of Christie’s much-publicised 11-day disappearance, this story follows Eliza as she takes up the position of assistant to Sayers – secretary of the Detection Club. Eliza has been persuaded to take the role by her sister Jane. Jane works for MI5, and there are rumours that someone among the club’s membership is giving away military secrets... But when an initiation ceremony ends in murder, Eliza is determined to work out what happened.

Helping her is aspiring mystery writer Theo Sharp, who harbours secret feelings for Eliza of which she is completely oblivious. I got real ‘Tommy and Tuppence’ vibes from these two, and their budding romance added an extra layer to the main murder mystery plot.

This was a fun read, and it was enjoyable to imagine how these real-life authors would act in the midst of a real crime. While this story wraps up nicely, there’s also plenty of scope for future books, and I look forward to seeing how this series develops!

Eliza is living in her sister's small flat. She needs to get a job to help with costs and hopefully move out. When the job as assistant to the secretary of the Detection Club comes up she applies. On the second meeting that she attends, her friend Theo, is going to undertake his initiation ceremony.
Things don't go to plan and one of the members is shot dead when the lights are out and no one knows who is responsible.
One of the authors, Agatha Christie doesn't feel well and asks to be taken home. She disappears after that, her car found abandoned at Newlands Corner. The police think that Felix, a publisher is responsible as Eliza uncovers evidence that he was defrauding the dead man.
She is not entirely convinced that he is a murderer and follows the clues until she, with Theo's help, uncovers the truth.
A pleasant read.

As a fan of Agatha Christie, I was immediately drawn to this book by the title, and it did not disappoint! Agatha was not as central to the story as I had anticipated, but that was not a bad thing. There was enough of the Queen of Mystery to tickle my fangirl fancy but not so much as to overshadow the main characters. And I absolutely fell in love with main characters Eliza and Theo! They were the perfect team with Eliza as the logical one and Theo as the creative, and their backstories added layers of depth yet to be unveiled.

I loved the combination of historical figures in the Detection Club and the infamous 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie. Having read about her disappearance, this was a fun twist on what happened in December of 1926.

The mystery itself is quite cozy without any particular thrill or gore. It had a very Christie-esque feel about its tone, though I solved this one before the end (and I don't usually solve Agatha's). I prefer a mystery that I can't solve, but it was fun all the same. In the end, it was Eliza and Theo that kept drawing me back into the story every time I picked up the book. I am excited to see where this series goes!

Eliza Baker has little interest in the world of fiction, least of all the increasingly popular Agatha Christie. But in order to get a job as assistant to the secretary of the Detection Club—a gathering of murder mystery enthusiasts and authors—she'll have to learn about Christie's work and make nice with her. But on the night the club accepts Eliza's old friend Theo as a member, complete with an overly dramatic initiation ceremony, a man is killed under mysterious circumstances. And the lead suspect seems to be Ms. Christie herself!

While Scotland Yard is on the case, Eliza Baker puts all her talents—both as a clever chess player and as a former member of the force—to the test. While she's leery of "deduction" a la Holmes, the literary-minded Theo makes a bet with her regarding which of them can find the killer first. But the case is a convoluted one. Rather than not enough evidence, there seems to be too much; nearly everyone present seems to have both a motive and a (literal or figurative) smoking gun. Worse still, Agatha Christie has disappeared. Has a guilty murderess fled the scene, or is her life also in danger?

The Case of the Christie Conspiracy weaves real-world history through its narrative, pairing the early days and real members of the Detection Club with the mystery of Christie's eleven-day disappearance. There are hints that Eliza could be a returning sleuth herself, with Theo on deck as a will-they-won't-they paramour and her spy sister Jane asking for further monitoring of the mystery authors. Fans of Christie, and of cozy mysteries, will definitely want to give this one a look. The mystery itself is intriguing and, while astute readers may guess the ending early, the journey is still an enjoyable one.

The start of a new historical cosy mystery series based on the Detection Club, a real-life organization of crime writers in London. The mystery is in the traditional style of the real authors story's and features Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers and other authors of the time however they are not the main character's of the book and in fact couldn't solve a mystery unless they wrote it! I did like the use of Agatha Christie’s famous 1926 disappearance as part of the plot. The main character is Eliza Baker and I didn't feel we really got to know her yet and her helper is Theo Sharp a would be writer who is also in quite taken with Eliza so we have the start of the required romance.. Hopeful we will find out more about them as the series develops, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A cute little historical cozy centering on the Detection Club, a real-life organization of crime writers in London. The mystery is nicely plotted, very traditional, and I liked the use of Agatha Christie’s famous 1926 disappearance as part of the plot.

It’s a light, quick read with not a lot of depth and sometimes the romance felt a little cheesy, but overall it’s easy to follow and enjoyable.

‼️ BE WARNED the book discusses The Murder of Roger Ackroyd extensively. If you haven’t read it yet, this book will spoil it for you.

I've read several other novels by Kelly Oliver - in her "Fiona Figg" series.

This book - the first in a new series - is a cosy murder (sounds incongruous I know!) novel. set in London in the 1920s.

The main character - Eliza Baker - is a determined young lady and aspiring writer, trying to make her way in London. Her sister (who works for the secret services) helps her to get a job - which turns out to be assisting the real-life author Dorothy L Sayers with the recently established "Detection Club". As Eliza has previously worked with Scotland Yard, she has valuable skills to offer, and together with her friend Theo (a mysterious chess ace), sets to work investigating a murder - and the disappearance of none other than Agatha Christie.

I enjoyed this novel. The premise was interesting - though the timelines have been tweaked to fit the plot (the Detection Club wasn't formed until later). I liked the way that real-life characters appear throughout the story - a feature of other novels by Kelly Oliver. The inclusion of the chess club was also interesting - and given the popularity of the "Queen's Gambit" tv series I was familiar with some of the terminology.

My only small complaint is that the language used is not entirely correct - featuring many Americanisms, and phrases that would not have been used in 1920s Britain - so a good editor needs to winkle those out in future if aiming at the UK market.

Recommended for fans of "cosy mystery" novels.

This would be an ideal novel to take on a journey or on holiday. I'm looking forward to reading about further adventures of Eliza and Theo.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

The Case of the Christie Conspiracy is a fun twist on Agatha Christie that will delight readers from the first page to last. What would happen if Agatha was suspected of foul play? Everyone assumes her guilt, save for Eliza Baker, an assistant to the Detection Club of London. Follow her as she tries to prove Christie's innocence and all the delightful twists and turns that follow.

An interesting and I felt, a different style for the author.

I enjoyed the intrigue and setting (1926) and having such an interesting person as a suspect for the murder was exciting!

Who was the killer, how did it happen and will Eliza Baker find out the truth?

A witty and fun mystery! Looking forward to book 2!

Agatha Christie is about to embark on a new gripping murder case. But this time she's not the author - she's a suspect.

Set in 1926. As a huge fan of Agatha Christie's books, so when I saw this book, I just had to read it. I do like a crime mystery that's set in a bygone era. Eliza Baker got a job as the secretary to Dorothy Sayers, who was the secretary for a group of mystery authors in the Detection Club. Agatha Christie was a member of the club. But when a club member is shot, Agatha Christie is the prime suspect.

This book is a mixture of fact and fiction. This well-written story had me quickly turning the pages. It's clever;y crafted, the characters are well-developed, and likeable, the pace is steady. This is a quick read.

Published 16th February 2025.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #KellyOliver for my ARC of #TheCaseOfTheChristieConspiracy in exchange for an honest review.

The Case of the Christie Conspiracy is set in 1926. Eliza Baker is a former Scotland Yard investigator and forensics expert, but she left the force after losing her partner in a situation she felt was her fault. Unemployed and living with her sister, who works for MI5, at the start of the book, Eliza earns petty cash playing chess. Her friend, Theo Sharpe, lines up an interview for her with Dorothy Sayers for a position as assistant to help with Dorothy's responsibilities as Secretary of The Deduction Club. When one of the members is murdered at a Club dinner, Eliza takes it upon herself to investigate. The mystery and solution were high points of this book, twisty enough that it took some time to put together. There are many anachronisms, however, including the fact that The Deduction Club had not been founded by 1926, and on the sum they irked me. While I am all for strong female characters, Eliza is a bit too brash and "perfect" for my liking. Furthermore, in an era when women were often treated with bias, sexism and misogyny, Eliza only receives admiration and respect, even from the Scotland Yard detective assigned to the case, which just didn't ring true to me. The ending sets up a second book in the series and I'll probably give it a chance since I did enjoy the mystery in this one.x

First of all, I loved the premise of this book, taking the real Detection Club formed in 1930, with members such as GK Chesterton, Dorothy L Sayers and Agatha Christie herself. And then we have Christie's famed mysterious disappearance, which was never explained. And so we have a mystery where a Club member is shot dead in the dark at a Detection Club meeting, and the day after, Agatha Christie goes missing, a handkerchief with her initials found by the body.

There's competition to solve the case between Eliza Baker - orphan, former war time police officer, now newly appointed assistant to the club Secretary - and her friend Theo Torrent Sharp - aspiring writer. The two regularly hang out at a chess club in London, and both are strong minded and competitive. The novel frequently plays on the contrast of the two characters - Theo being more of a more artistic creature, Eliza favouring more rational logic and science.

It was fun to see the Queen of Crime being under suspicion rather than orchestrating murders in writing, and looking forward to seeing how this series develops.

A quick, mystery with plenty of historically accurate details. It is well written, with a satisfying ending.

A fun quick read.

The main character is Eliza who alongside her friend Theo is trying to solve a murder.

There's a setting of a chess club and the famous authors in the Detection club, although Agatha Christie is mentioned in the title she only makes a limited appearance.

Often the language and phrasing used didn’t feel realistic for England or the 1920s which I found quite jarring and distracting, but it wouldn’t necessarily put me off reading other books by this author and I’ll look out for the next in the series.