The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie is set in an English manor house, Styles, owned by the Cavendish family. It's surprising to see characters waltzing around in wardrobe a la mode 1915. In fact, February should be mystery month. After a slow start, the "funny little man" makes his first appearance on the screen. As such, it’s a big moment in the history of old-fashioned detective fiction. “THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES” (1990) Review As a long time reader of Agatha Christie’s novels, I have been well aware of her first novel that was published in 1920, namely “The Mysterious Affair at Styles”. In fact, February should be mystery month. The books are much better. Agatha Christie's first novel and it shows, a somewhat convoluted story with too many red herrings and even an unneeded trial at the end, written by the bored writer during the First World War ( the Great War) no surprise when rejected by the publishers until 1920. Nearby, Hercule Poirot has been staying in a house provided by Mrs Inglethorp, along with other Belgian refugees. This TV version has to cram it in at fairly high speed. But let's just imagine how, hmm. Mainly Hercule Poirot and Miss (Jane) Marple mysteries, but short story collections and many plays, too. June 18, 2011 Opening sentence: “The intense interest aroused in the public by what was known at the time as ‘The Styles Case’ has now somewhat subsided.’. The Mysterious Affair at Styles … Pity so much of it took place in a rural setting where pesky things like grass can get in the way. What do the clues add up to? She also saw the arrival of Belgian refugees during WWI, which gave her detective his background. So far this is my favorite Christie novel, but I have only read three which leaves me well short of knowing which are her best. and themselves in a way that is memorable and applicable to a variety of audiences. One of my favourite HP and Captain H novels. In the book, you have time to take all this in and can look back if necessary. Despite the name of the book being 'The Mysterious Affair At Styles' the word 'the' is, for some reason, left out. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt is a quintessential coming of age story viewed through the grimy, unyielding, and sometimes downright heartbreaking lens of poverty. And how wonderful of you to wait until page 230 to finally shed light on all your absurd behavior throughout the book, and to justify and the red herrings and narrative padding! The Mysterious Affair at Styles contains many of the characters that Hercule Poirot fans will come to know well – not only Hastings but Detective Inspector James Japp of Scotland Yard. The Mysterious Affair at Styles is no different in that sense, but it was Agatha Christie who helped make this format of mystery cliché so when this novel was released, it is hard to judge whether this was still a fresh style. Everything about this "letter" reveals this as Agatha Christie's beginner's work, although as I said in all other respects her story is well-thought-out, intriguing and surprising. Illustrated? Many little details and clues are well-thought-out, but (and here we are going into "spoilers" territory) an illogical central contrivance is hard to ignore. I can't pinpoint it but there have been too many gray days even without the snow on the ground. Having met before in Belgium, Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings run across each other again in the English country, where they have to solve a perplexing crime - the poisoning of the owner of the huge manor where Hastings was staying as a guest. He is shown kindness by wealthy local resident Emily Inglethorpe, so when she is found dead in mysterious circumstances – with seven potential killers in the mix – he puts his little grey cells to good use and finds out what really happened. As a mystery, Styles doesn’t measure up to peak Dame Agatha, though it has its considerable charms. Lots of characters and motives, misdirection, clues that can have multiple interpretations, and a villain who actually had a plan. A wonderful beginning to my one of the favourite detective series of all time after Sherlock Holmes. ( Log Out /  This is a "MUST READ! I often think it would have been nice if they'd have run this as a pilot, to set the characters up, and explain Poirot's back story, but it fits in really well nonetheless. By any standards it is an assured and well written debut novel and, considering the period it was written, it is also remarkably undated. The ensemble cast is superb. Beginning with the introduction of poor dimwitted Lieutenant Hastings watching film footage of war from a projector that looked and sounded like a machinegun. On that note, what better way to spend the lingering winter days with the Queen of Crime, Dame Agatha Christie herself. "Nature is untidy. Overall, The Mysterious Affair at Styles is an irresistible, appealing and entertaining murder mystery. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Bill Sherman is a Books editor for Blogcritics. EXCERPT: We strained and heaved together. This is the first published novel of Agatha Christie, and the first to feature her famous detective character, Hercule Poirot. Now the murder case set in the majestic estate of Styles home of a wealthy woman Emily Inglethorp 70, she recently married a man twenty years her junior, no reason to state people are dubious of his motives and ardor. Mystery books have a real format and often are cliché. 2 Comments Don't get me wrong this is a highly entertaining book for the mystery fan, though with a little more experience the eagle will fly. Two things come to mind... (1) It's a good thing I wasn't alive when she died because I would have been so miserable to be around. Ok. Let's get down to business. It takes the mind of Poirot to put them together. When Poirot's benefactor, Mrs. Inglethorp dies mysteriously one night, Poirot and Hastings work together to investigate the matter. But of course, it could only be so in the classic style of a fiendish murder mystery! Just when I thought Agatha couldn’t impress me anymore, she always does. And the way he thinks! Agatha Christie died in 1976, and I was born the following year. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. The Mysterious Affair at Styles is her first case that introduced Hercule Poirot to the world, and, as usual, Dame Christie did not disappoint. (2) Since I was born just about a year later, I'm wondering if maybe a small part of her lives on... as I love her genius and her works of literature... and I can re-read her books over and over again wit. The household is in a state because of the mother's recent marriage to a strange man 20 years her junior. Spring is mercifully around the corner and with it sun and happier reading times ahead. Most authors' work gets better with time - if Christie gets better than this then I have some treats in store! Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2010, As with all of the early Poirot episodes and movies, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" is a top-notch production with fine attention to detail. Not her sort of occasion, at least later in life, and perhaps not really her class. You have entered an incorrect email address! The cause of death - poisoning. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Agatha Christie herself commented (I think in her autobiography) that she had perhaps overloaded this, her first book, with clues.

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