The Mysterious Affair at Styles
The Mysterious Affair at Styles, published in 1920, is Agatha Christie's first detective novel. It serves as the introduction to Hercule Poirot, Belgian inspector extraordinaire. Egg-headed with nicely kempt mustaches, Poirot is one of the most famous and long-lived characters in detective fiction. When Christie's final book featuring him was published in 1975 (a year before her death), he would be the only fictional character to be given an obituary in the New York Times: 6 August 1975 "Hercule Poirot is Dead; Famed Belgian Detective."
The Mysterious Affair at Styles is set in England during World War I at Styles Court, where the widow Emily Cavendish has inherited her deceased husband's estate. Eventually she marries the much younger Alfred Inglethorp, while her two stepsons - John and Lawrence - John's wife, and several other people come to live at Styles. Plenty of potential suspects for the crime! When Emily turns up dead one night, the case begins, and John, who'd inherit the whole lot, is right in Poirot's sights. But who really done it? What transpires is the first classic case which would launch Christie's fabulous career, chock full of red herrings and surprising plot twists.
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M Garana
April 05, 2013
Fun read. Easy and enjoyable. Very much the expected Christie. Yikes a racist comment in it- but mild for time. Irrelevant to story just a weird insight into another time. Try not to be put off. I'm grateful that things are better now.
Abigail Minks
March 23, 2013
I loved the mystery and suspense!! Very well written, of course! :)
Caroline Limbonhai
January 06, 2013
Well written. Suspenseful but also funny. Very entertaining.
Josiah Beach
January 01, 2013
DONT DOWNLOAD! There are tons of Missing pages, total waste of time and very frustrating. Gives free books a bad name
Linda Bieniewicz
October 07, 2012
Quite entertaining. A good old fashioned mystery.
Alaa Stalingrad
September 18, 2012
I love mysterious.
Judy Manning
September 01, 2012
Agatha is the queen of mystery! Her books are always captivating and involved.
Andrew Greene
August 20, 2012
great book, read it in one sitting. im a bit biased tho, im a big fan of ms christies hercule poirot character. would recommend to any murder mystery fan.
Susan Vazquez
July 24, 2012
This was a story I had not read. Loved it.
Anne Kastanis
July 16, 2012
Enjoyable Hercule Poirot mystery.
Karen Choquette
July 09, 2012
Engaging story that makes it hard to put the book don
Drih P
July 01, 2012
Just missing some pages in the end of chapter.. But its awesome! I'd read it again someday.
Junette Reyes
May 23, 2012
It was a good read. This copy was incomplete, however, seeing as some parts within the story were missing. I had to look for the complete story elsewhere.
Jessica B
April 16, 2012
A real page turner!
Claudia Tang
April 02, 2012
MISSING PAGES especially right at the end of chapters.
Erick Miranda
March 21, 2012
I'm about read it :)
Omar Jimenez
March 09, 2012
Perhaps one of the best books I've ever read, i was indeed with the book.
Mary Kay Smith
March 05, 2012
Love her books. She was the best.
Hilary Claridge
February 18, 2012
There is a huge chunk missing from page 185......very disappointing and rather defeats the purpose of reading what is meant to be a whole BOOK.
Megan Wilson
February 17, 2012
I loved it!
Abbigail Dodd
February 14, 2012
Haven't read it
Sarah Seaton
February 09, 2012
You will not be disappointed
Sierra Simmons
May 30, 2011
Absolutely wonderful. As is always the case with agatha the plot was twisted, I was confused and unsure the whole time, yet at the end it all inexplicably made sense! Bravo!