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Westmapod: Agatha Christie's Secret Identity

Who is Mary Westmacott? 

This is an Agatha Christie podcast with a twist - because she wrote the books in secret! 

Join Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown from The Swinging Christies, for this book club-style, limited-series discussion podcast about these six fascinating books.

Maybe if we unlock the secrets of Mary Westmacott, we will better understand the Queen of Crime herself, Agatha Christie…

Christie Time

Join Mark and Gray as they reflect back on a wonderful season celebrating the Mary Westmacott books - the pseudonymous novels of Agatha Christie. Can they finally answer the question: who is Mary Westmacott?WE'VE WRITTEN A BOOK! You can pre-order The Swinging Christies: How Agatha Christie Conquered the 1960s ⁠NOW⁠!Stay subscribed to the Westrmapod feed for potential bonus episodes… you never know…!You can find us on Instagram ⁠@Christie_Time⁠. Our website is ChristieTime.com. We are also on Bluesky at ChristieTime.com. Our YouTube account is @Westmapod. Please subscribe to the podcast so you’re notified every time an episode drops. And do also stay subscribed to our other podcast, The Swinging Christies, for monthly episodes over there!Please also consider giving us a star rating and/or reviewing us on your podcatcher of choice.Westmapod is a Christie Time project by Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown. Our artwork is designed by Tom Double.00:00:00 - Opening titles00:01:15 - Introductory chat00:03:56 - Our reflections00:20:15 - The return of the MAILBAG!00:54:20 - Who is Mary Westmacott?01:01:00 - Pre-order our book, how to get in touch, closing titles01:03:51 - CodaSpoilers - all the Mary Westmacotts!

Reflections

It’s the sixth and final Mary Westmacott novel: The Burden. (But not the final Westmapod episode, so stay subscribed!)Join Gray and Mark as they unburden themselves of their thoughts about the experience of reading this startling hidden gem of a novel! What a way to close out a run of exceptional writing from Mary Westmacott, aka Agatha Christie.We’re not done yet! We’ll be reconvening for a special Reflections episode where we’ll be taking stock of all six books and reading and responding to our listener messages. So do get in touch ahead of our Reflections episode, which will drop in due course... WE'VE WRITTEN A BOOK! You can pre-order The Swinging Christies: How Agatha Christie Conquered the 1960s ⁠NOW⁠!You can find us on Instagram ⁠@Christie_Time⁠. Our website is ChristieTime.com. We are also on Bluesky at ChristieTime.com. Our YouTube account is @Westmapod. Please subscribe to the podcast so you’re notified every time an episode drops. And do also stay subscribed to our other podcast, The Swinging Christies, for monthly episodes over there!Please also consider giving us a star rating and/or reviewing us on your podcatcher of choice.Westmapod is a Christie Time project by Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown. Our artwork is designed by Tom Double.00:00:00 - Opening titles00:01:11 - Introductory chat00:03:34 - The Burden00:04:02 - The context of The Burden00:21:45 - The structure of The Burden00:33:55 - Autobiographical elements00:52:16 - Laura’s story01:04:57 - Llewwelyn’s story01:13:33 - If you liked this, try that01:18:11 - Next episode, how to get in touch, closing titles01:21:10 - Coda

The Burden

It's a special bonus episode! A Daughter’s A Daughter - good novel, even better play? In a Westmapod first we’re discussing the original play version of A Daughter’s A Daughter, written by Agatha Christie, and how that became a Mary Westmacott novel. Join Mark and Gray as they investigate what changes were made, and what this play teaches us about who ‘Mary Westmacott’ truly is…Read along with us! Each episode drops fortnightly, on Tuesdays. You have until Tuesday 23 June 2026  to read the play script of A Daughter’s A Daughter, and until Tuesday 7 July 2026 to read the final Mary Westmacott novel: The Burden!WE'VE WRITTEN A BOOK! You can pre-order The Swinging Christies: How Agatha Christie Conquered the 1960s ⁠NOW⁠!You can find us on Instagram ⁠@Christie_Time⁠. Our website is ChristieTime.com. We are also on Bluesky at ChristieTime.com. Our YouTube account is @Westmapod. Please subscribe to the podcast so you’re notified every time an episode drops. And do also stay subscribed to our other podcast, The Swinging Christies, for monthly episodes over there!Please also consider giving us a star rating and/or reviewing us on your podcatcher of choice.Westmapod is a Christie Time project by Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown. Our artwork is designed by Tom Double.00:00:00 - Opening titles00:01:20 - Introductory chat00:04:35 - A Daughter’s A Daughter play00:05:23 - The context of A Daughter’s A Daughter play00:24:05 - The differences between A Daughter’s A Daughter play and novel00:41:40 - A Westmacott stage trilogy?00:46:34 - If you liked this, try that00:48:00 - Next episode, how to get in touch, closing titles00:50:35 - CodaTW: Mentions of drug use

A Daughter's A Daughter play

Mark and Gray are back! And this time they’re discussing the fifth and penultimate Mary Westmacott novel, A Daughter’s A Daughter. Is this the most Agatha Christie-ish of the Mary Westmacotts? Was Agatha inspired by her real family life for this novel? At the end of the day, a daughter’s a daughter, Mark’s Mark, and Gray’s Gray!Read along with us! Each episode drops fortnightly, on Tuesdays. You have until Tuesday 23 June 2026  to read the play script of A Daughter’s A Daughter, and until Tuesday 7 July 2026 to read the final Mary Westmacott novel: The Burden!WE'VE WRITTEN A BOOK! You can pre-order The Swinging Christies: How Agatha Christie Conquered the 1960s ⁠NOW⁠!You can find us on Instagram ⁠@Christie_Time⁠. Our website is ChristieTime.com. We are also on Bluesky at ChristieTime.com. Our YouTube account is @Westmapod. Please subscribe to the podcast so you’re notified every time an episode drops. And do also stay subscribed to our other podcast, The Swinging Christies, for monthly episodes over there!Please also consider giving us a star rating and/or reviewing us on your podcatcher of choice.Westmapod is a Christie Time project by Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown. Our artwork is designed by Tom Double.00:00:00 - Opening titles00:01:03 - Introductory chat and discussion of Mark’s book covers00:03:40 - A Daughter’s A Daughter00:04:04 - The context of A Daughter’s A Daughter00:24:48 - The structure of A Daughter’s A Daughter00:39:01 - Autobiographical elements of A Daughter's A Daughter00:50:39 - Familial love01:09:11 - Romantic love01:21:18 - If you liked this, try that01:23:30 - Who is Mary Westmacott?01:28:32 - Next episode, how to get in touch, closing titles01:31:50 - CodaSpoilers, besides A Daughter’s A Daughter - A Pocket Full of Rye 

A Daughter's A Daughter

Mark and Gray head to St Loo (or its possible real-life counterpart, Torquay in Devon!) to discuss The Rose and the Yew Tree. This is the fourth Mary Westmacott novel - and the secret is out! The world finally finds out who Mary Westmacott really is. So where does Agatha Christie go from here? Is this the end of the road for Mary Westmacott…?Read along with us! Each episode drops fortnightly, on Tuesdays. You have until Tuesday 9 June 2026  to read book 5, A Daughter’s A Daughter!WE'VE WRITTEN A BOOK! You can pre-order The Swinging Christies: How Agatha Christie Conquered the 1960s ⁠NOW⁠!You can find us on Instagram ⁠@Christie_Time⁠. Our website is ChristieTime.com. We are also on Bluesky at ChristieTime.com. Our YouTube account is @Westmapod. Please subscribe to the podcast so you’re notified every time an episode drops. And do also stay subscribed to our other podcast, The Swinging Christies, for monthly episodes over there!Please also consider giving us a star rating and/or reviewing us on your podcatcher of choice.Westmapod is a Christie Time project by Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown.00:00:00 - Opening titles00:01:06 - Introductory chat00:03:16 - The Rose and the Yew Tree00:03:38 - The context of The Rose and the Yew Tree00:25:32 - The structure of The Rose and the Yew Tree00:43:37 - The autobiographical elements of The Rose and the Yew Tree00:54:19 - Politics and Politicking01:07:08 - Finally, a romance?01:25:21 - If you liked this, try that01:28:55 - Who is Mary Westmacott?01:32:38 - Next episode, how to get in touch, closing titles01:35:12 - CodaSpoilers, besides The Rose and the Yew Tree - Giant’s Bread, Death on the NileTW: discussion of sexual and physical assault

The Rose and the Yew Tree

Gray and Mark are joined by the internationally-beloved Agatha Christie expert, host of the smash-hit All About Agatha podcast - not to mention their very good friend - Kemper Donovan to discuss Absent in the Spring! What will Kemper, Mark and Gray make of Absent in the Spring, which Agatha Christie herself ranked among the very best of her novels. Is this the best Mary Westmacott? Listen on to find out!Read along with us! Each episode drops fortnightly, on Tuesdays. You have until Tuesday 26 May 2026  to read book 4, The Rose and the Yew Tree!WE'VE WRITTEN A BOOK! You can pre-order The Swinging Christies: How Agatha Christie Conquered the 1960s ⁠NOW⁠!You can find All About Agatha podcast here, and links to Kemper’s books can be found via his website here. To sign up to the All About Agatha Patreon, where parts of this episode debuted, visit this link.You can find us on Instagram ⁠@Christie_Time⁠. Our website is ChristieTime.com. We are also on Bluesky at ChristieTime.com. Our YouTube account is @Westmapod. Please subscribe to the podcast so you’re notified every time an episode drops. And do also stay subscribed to our other podcast, The Swinging Christies, for monthly episodes over there!Please also consider giving us a star rating and/or reviewing us on your podcatcher of choice.Westmapod is a Christie Time project by Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown.00:00:00 - Opening titles00:01:06 - Introductory chat00:02:40 - Absent in the Spring00:03:02 - The context of Absent in the Spring00:23:24 - The structure of Absent in the Spring00:38:44 - The autobiographical elements of Absent in the Spring00:52:33 - Psychoanalysis01:16:29 - Adultery01:31:08 - If you liked this, try that01:38:16 - Who is Mary Westmacott?01:40:56 - Next episode, how to get in touch, closing titles01:47:51 - CodaSpoilers, besides Absent in the Spring - The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Endless Night

Absent in the Spring, with Kemper Donovan from All About Agatha

Welcome back to Westmapod, and welcome to Tenerife! Join Mark and Gray, sunning themselves, and discussing Unfinished Portrait, the second novel Agatha Christie wrote under her secret alter ego, Mary Westmacott! Will Unfinished Portrait give us a new insight into who Agatha really was? Is it worth a read? Was it just an excuse for a holiday? Listen on to hear.Read along with us! Each episode drops after a fortnight, on Tuesdays. You have until Tuesday 12 May 2026 to read book 3, Absent in the Spring!WE'VE WRITTEN A BOOK! You can pre-order The Swinging Christies: How Agatha Christie Conquered the 1960s ⁠NOW⁠!You can find us on Instagram ⁠@Christie_Time⁠. Our website is ChristieTime.com. We are also on Bluesky at ChristieTime.com. Our YouTube account is @Westmapod. Please subscribe to the podcast so you’re notified every time an episode drops. And do also stay subscribed to The Swinging Christies for monthly episodes over there!Please also consider giving us a star rating and/or reviewing us on your podcatcher of choice.Westmapod is a Christie Time project by Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown. Artwork designed by Tom Double.00:00:00 - Opening titles00:01:03 - Introductory chat00:06:41 - Unfinished Portrait00:12:54 - The context of Unfinished Portrait00:20:31 - The structure of Unfinished Portrait00:30:41 - The autobiographical elements of Unfinished Portrait01:04:18 - Art & Artistry01:15:39 - A portrait of Dermot01:28:45 - If you liked this, try that01:16:02 - Who is Mary Westmacott?01:33:29 - Next episode, how to get in touch, closing titles01:36:36 - CodaSpoilers, besides Unfinished Portrait - The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Endless NightTW: discussions of coercive control and abusive relationships, suicide

Unfinished Portrait

In the first full episode of Westmapod, Gray and Mark read and react to Giant’s Bread, the first novel Agatha Christie wrote under her secret alias, Mary Westmacott! Will Giant’s Bread give us a new insight into who Agatha really was? And is it worth a read? Listen to on to hear!Read along with us! Each episode drops after a fortnight, on Tuesdays. You have until Tuesday 28 April 2026 to read book 2, Unfinished Portrait!WE'VE WRITTEN A BOOK! You can pre-order The Swinging Christies: How Agatha Christie Conquered the 1960s NOW!You can find us on Instagram ⁠@Christie_Time⁠. Our website is ChristieTime.com. We are also on Bluesky at ChristieTime.com. Our YouTube account is @Westmapod. Please subscribe to the podcast so you’re notified every time an episode drops! And do also stay subscribed to The Swinging Christies for monthly episodes over there!Please also consider giving us a star rating and/or reviewing us on your podcatcher of choice.Westmapod is a Christie Time project by Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown. Artwork designed by Tom Double.00:00:00 - Opening titles00:01:05 - Introductory chat00:02:29 - Giant’s Bread 00:03:33 - The context of Giant’s Bread, autobiographical elements00:28:31 - The structure of Giant’s Bread00:41:52 - Music & Genius00:52:30 - Emotions & Relationships01:01:00 - Faith & Antisemitism01:14:10 - If you liked this, try that01:16:02 - Who is Mary Westmacott?01:17:47 - Next episode, how to get in touch, closing titles01:21:01 - CodaSpoilers, besides Giant's Bread - Swan SongTW: discussion of suicide, discussion of antisemitism and antisemitic language quoted

Giant's Bread

It’s the introductory episode of Westmapod: Agatha Christie’s Secret Identity with co-hosts Gray and Mark (aka Christie Time, from The Swinging Christies podcast)!The alter ego of best-selling novelist Agatha Christie, Westmacott wrote six fascinating novels - and in this bookclub-style limited series, we will be going book-by-book to answer to question: who is Mary Westmacott?Read along with us! Each episode drops after a fortnight, on Tuesdays. You have until Tuesday 14 April 2026 to read book 1, Giant’s Bread!WE'VE WRITTEN A BOOK! You can pre-order The Swinging Christies: How Agatha Christie Conquered the 1960s ⁠NOW⁠!You can find us on Instagram ⁠@Christie_Time⁠. Our website is ChristieTime.com. We are also on Bluesky at ChristieTime.com. Our YouTube account is @Westmapod. Please subscribe to the podcast so you’re notified every time an episode drops! And do also stay subscribed to The Swinging Christies for monthly episodes over there!Please also consider giving us a star rating and/or reviewing us on your podcatcher of choice.Westmapod is a Christie Time project by Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown. Artwork designed by Tom Double.00:00:00 - Opening titles00:00:58 - Introduction to Westmapod00:02:45 - Who is Mary Westmacott?00:08:41 - The six Mary Westmacott books00:14:46 - What are we looking to discover?00:19:25 - Series plan, next episode, how to get in touch00:22:34 - Closing titles00:23:31 - Coda