From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

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

Agatha Christie

Start date: January 1, 2025

Finish date: January 31, 2025

Discussion: Group Challenges

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Group Challenges

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) by Agatha Christie
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last updated Sep 02, 2025 12:08AM

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) - SPOILER Thread
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What Members Thought

Oct 03, 2020 Brenda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: golden-age-mystery-etc

I thought this was a fun read. The first pairing of Poirot and Hastings. The mystery itself was quite good, I thought I’d had it figured out several times and sort of had a clue from the beginning but got occupied in everyone else’s stories.

Hastings and Poirot are quite fun. I love how they think the other is quite inept. And as we see, Hastings really can be obtuse.

I thought the book engaging, the mystery plausible and appreciated the amusing dialogue and interactions that had me laughing out ...more

11 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

Feb 08, 2017 Nanosynergy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries-thrillers-espionage, british, reviewed, fiction-1920s, fiction, series, 2017read, 2020read

The first book in Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series. He is as prim and distrusting as Christie's Miss Marple character. Poirot is a former Belgian detective now living in England. Poirot's friend, Hastings, is visiting Emily Inglethorp of Styles when she is murdered. Poirot is pulled in to help solve this challenging case. ...more

1 like · 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

Jun 05, 2020 Mary Ann rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020

I hadn’t read an Agatha for who knows how long. This was delightful and a break from my string of talking cats solving murders in California books.

1 like · Like · see review

May 09, 2021 Charlotte (Buried in Books) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, agatha-christie

The first book by Agatha Christie and the first appearance of Hercule Poirot. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, a very quick read and a very clever story.

Who poisoned Emily Inglethorp? There are a number of likely candidates but only Poirot can unmask the killer.

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