On a chilly December 1926 evening, the 36-year-old Agatha Christie vanished from her English estate in Sunningdale, Berkshire. While the famed author reportedly left a note that claimed she had gone on vacation, the discovery of her car suggested otherwise.

She was already famous in 1926 but it was rather the beginning of her career so many people claimed it was a publicity stunt; but authorities suspected murder.

The vehicle was found at the edge of a quarry not far from her home, abandoned with its hood up and lights on. Inside sat Christie’s fur coat, her old driver’s license, and a bag of clothes. There was no sign of the woman herself.

News of Christie’s disappearance spread quickly, and a massive manhunt commenced. Over a thousand officers and 15,000 volunteers combed the countryside while dredge teams scoured the surrounding lakes and streams. A fleet of biplanes searched from the skies – the first in England’s history for a missing person case.

Even fellow mystery writers joined in on the hunt. Dorothy L. Sayers visited the crime scene, later using her observations as inspiration for Unnatural Death. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle presented one of Christie’s gloves to a medium in hopes of enlisting spirits to solve the mystery.

Politician William Joynson-Hicks was pointing at Christie's husband. Christie’s disappearance had become a national obsession, and many suspected murder. Colonel Archie Christie, writer's husband, had an affair with a younger woman named Nancy Neele, and made no attempt to hide this from his wife. On the day of Christie’s disappearance, the couple reportedly quarreled after Archie announced that he planned to spend the weekend with his mistress.

Agatha Christie remained missing for 11 days. Then, on December 14th, she was finally found – not in a shallow grave but hiding out at the Swan Hydropathic Hotel in Harrogate, England. A local musician spotted her, having recognized her face. Christie was relaxing in a SPA under the name of her husband's mistress- Neely. Years after the incident writer said she just had enough and left in a trans-like state to calm her nerves.