The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie
First published 1920.
This is the first ever detective novel written by Agatha Christie, and also the first to introduce the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, along with his regular associates Hastings (who acts as narrator) and Inspector Japp. It is amazing, knowing how many Poirot books Agatha Christie would write, that the character is already so fully formed in this first entry. It is also interesting to note how well written this entry is, too. The twists and turns are suitably twisty and turny, and still seem to make sense in hindsight, and Poirot is suitably clever enough.
As far as set up is concerned: Hastings is visiting with a friend, John Cavendish, at Cavendish's family home, now run by Cavendish's step-mother, who has remarried since Cavendish's father died. A suitable number of suspects is on hand when the step-mother dies, seemingly by poison. Hastings calls Poirot (staying nearby) to investigate, and the mystery begins to unfold.
Where the book is a little different from later Poirot novels is in its time setting: this book, written in 1920, is set during the First World War, with Hastings noting that he is on sick leave from the Front. Although this doesn't greatly affect the plot, the time period is noticeable, in terms of how the characters act, their views on society (a few characters dismissively refer to one character as a "Polish Jew"), and the sense of the gradually fading but still important upstairs/downstairs divide (there are a number of servants at Styles, who are quickly dismissed from proceedings and are never even considered as suspects).
I didn't really know what to expect going into this book; I am obviously a fan of Christie's books, but wasn't sure whether the fact that this was her first detective novel would mean it was the lesser work of an author finding her feet. I'm sure some could find fault with aspects if they wished to, but for me, it was a very enjoyable read, with a satisfying, and even slightly optimistic (for a murder mystery) ending.
I liked it a lot.
Completed 25 September 2025.
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