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The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot, #1)

Agatha Christie

Start date: January 1, 2025

Finish date: January 31, 2025

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What Members Thought

Mar 16, 2009 Susan in NC rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, reread

12/30/24 reread: I knew I must have reviewed this book, I’ve read it many times, just different versions (kindle, paperback, audiobook - really wish GR would combine the reviews, I just wrote a review of the paperback!)

February 2020: I really enjoyed this reread, and can’t believe this was Agatha Christie’s debut novel - the first appearance of her famed detective, Hercules Poirot.

I have read this several times, so this time added the audiobook with Hugh Fraser (frequent Poirot sidekick, Captain 12/30/24 reread: I knew I must have reviewed this book, I’ve read it many times, just different versions (kindle, paperback, audiobook - really wish GR would combine the reviews, I just wrote a review of the paperback!)

February 2020: I really enjoyed this reread, and can’t believe this was Agatha Christie’s debut novel - the first appearance of her famed detective, Hercules Poirot.

I have read this several times, so this time added the audiobook with Hugh Fraser (frequent Poirot sidekick, Captain Hastings, in the BBC adaptations for television). He is my favorite narrator for Poirot mysteries, as he adds the humor and incredulous tone so many fans expect of Hastings as he accompanied Poirot on his adventures, bemused and several steps behind the brilliant detective, just as we, the loyal fans, have been for 100 years now! (Yes, this debut came out in 1920, although it was set during World War I.)

Our narrator, Captain Hastings, opens the tale as a soldier invalided home from the front; he has no near relations, and is casting about for a place to spend his remaining sick leave, when he meets an old friend, John Cavendish.

John is older, but Hastings had spent summers at his country house, Styles, as a boy; he is invited down for a visit by John, who explains his strong-willed, generous stepmother is busier than ever with war work, and has remarried an unsuitable younger man. Hastings heads down, is made comfortable among the denizens of the household, and promptly falls for his host’s beautiful wife at first site (he was always falling in love in these early novels, being of a rather romantic, chivalrous nature- in a very proper, upright British gentleman-sort-of-way!)

So, the elderly matriarch, Mrs. Inglethorpe, rules the roost in her benevolent way, her new husband seems dedicated, if rather standoffish, and the household chugs along with everyone doing their bit for the war effort. Early one summer morning there is a commotion from the old lady’s rooms, the house party try to get in to assist her, but the doors are bolted, they must break down the door - but they’re too late, she’s dead from poisoning.

Luckily, Hastings remembers his dear friend, Hercule Poirot, is staying in the village with several other Belgian war refugees. He asks his friend to investigate, and we are off to the races! The investigation begins, soon drawing in the attention of Scotland Yard in the form of Inspector Japp, another recurring character we fans will come to cherish (I had forgotten he also made his first appearance in this debut!)

I enjoyed this Kindle edition because it offers the original unpublished courtroom appearance by Poirot, along with the drawing room reveal the detective (and Christie) became famous for, unmasking the killer in front of all the suspects after laying out his proof of the case.

A remarkable debut, and a delightful trip down memory lane for this longtime fan! I will continue rereading Poirot’s first cases, as I joined the Reading the Detectives group at the end of 2018, too late to reread the first cases with the gr0up, but I have really enjoyed revisiting Poirot throughout 2019 and into this year. ...more

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Feb 12, 2008 Nancy Oakes rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-fiction, crime-fiction-uk, mystery-series-first-novel, classic-mystery-fiction

First introduced in this novel in 1920, Hercule Poirot (who I can never picture as anyone but David Suchet anymore!!) is a retired Belgian detective who has settled in the English village of Styles St. Mary. Poirot is brought into the case because a woman who had done a great favor to a few of his fellow countrymen after WWI is killed. It is here that he rekindles his friendship with one Arthur Hastings, who will go on to become Poirot's number one sidekick friend as the later books appear.

The d ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Dec 08, 2020 Marcella rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: murder-mysteries, 2020-25-book-challenge, fiction

I intended to listen to this book as I went to sleep, but wouldn’t you know it, I couldn’t turn it off until it was finished. The British audiobook narrator is exceptionally good with the accents and voices. Can’t beat the Queen of Crime (except of course for the casual racism, antisemitism, and homophobia).

2 likes · Like · see review

May 23, 2018 Bronwyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: novels, mystery-detective-suspense, audiobook, title-j-r, european, by-women, author-a-i, 2018-reads, series

Really good mystery and a great introduction to Poirot! How have I not read this before? :)

2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 27, 2020 Tracey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, mystery, private-eye

I like Poirot even though he annoys me prodigiously; I hate Hastings because he's just such a prat; I love Christie because she conveys the latter, along with Poirot's cleverness, so neatly through Hastings's own narration; and I like Phoebe Judge even though she's a far from perfect narrator. One of the few positive things to happen this year. ...more

1 like · Like · see review