The Mysterious Affair at Styles is a detective novel written by Agatha Christie, first published in 1920. The novel introduces the character of Hercule Poirot, a Belgian detective who is called upon to solve a murder at Styles Court, a country house in England.
The story is narrated by Captain Hastings, a friend of Poirot's who is staying at Styles Court as a guest. The victim is Emily Inglethorp, the wealthy mistress of Styles Court, who is killed by a poison unknown to science. As Poirot investigates the case, he encounters a cast of suspects, including Emily's husband, Alfred Inglethorp, her stepson John Cavendish, and her lover, Lawrence Redding.
As Poirot delves deeper into the mystery, he discovers that each of the suspects has a motive for wanting Emily dead. Alfred stands to inherit a large fortune upon Emily's death, while John and Lawrence both have romantic connections to other women that would be threatened by Emily's continued presence.
Despite the many clues and red herrings scattered throughout the novel, Poirot is eventually able to solve the mystery through his exceptional powers of observation and deduction. In the end, it is revealed that the killer is not one of the obvious suspects, but rather a lesser-known character with a surprising connection to the victim.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles is a classic example of the mystery genre, with a complex plot, intriguing characters, and a satisfying resolution. It is a testament to Christie's skill as a storyteller and her ability to keep the reader guessing until the very end.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
Now that is a curious circumstance, my friend. A promising beginning, which bears fruition. He wished to be arrested. What I'd really try to get across is why you need to read ANY of her works, and then why I'd suggest this one: 1. Arthur an amateur with misguided thoughts has discovered a genius, and all his skepticism disappears, so do the quite impressed people at Styles Court. When a wealthy heiress is murdered, Poirot steps out of retirement to find the killer. I don't live there, only visited it.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles Quotes
This book contains many of the characters that Poirot fans will come to know well — not only Hastings but Detective Inspector James Japp of Scotland Yard. Or is it simply his hypnotic mustache, perhaps? It's the first in the series. The lady is no old fool just the wrong man she selects and soon regrets but the factual cliche states love is blind. In the coming days, Poirot and Hastings find a fake beard in a box of dress-up clothes in the attic at Styles—an important detail, since Poirot suspects that somebody impersonated Alfred when buying the strychnine from Mr. Who's responsible, and why, can only be revealed by the master detective himself. The mere fact that Hastings aspires to become a detective hints at the excitement and suspense that will soon overtake Styles Court. The novel thus begins by creating a suspenseful atmosphere, as readers prepare to learn what happened.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
As the master detective makes his way through the list of suspects, he finds the solution in an elaborately planned scheme almost impossible to believe. However, her money will be distributed according to her own will, which she changes at least once a year; her most recent will favours Alfred, who will now inherit her fortune. But there is just something about him. The Mysterious Affair at Styles is her first case that introduced Hercule Poirot to the world, and, as usual, Dame Christie did not disappoint. Inspector Japp, the investigating officer, considers Alfred to be the prime suspect, as he gains the most from his wife's death. .