"The Mysterious Affair at Styles" by Agatha Christie

HISTORY OF THE BOOK

The Mysterious Affair at Styles is the first detective novel by British writer Agatha Christie, introducing her fictional detective Hercule Poirot. It was written in the middle of the First World War, in 1916, and first published by John Lane in the United States in October 1920 and in the United Kingdom by The Bodley Head (John Lane’s UK company) on 21 January 1921.

Agatha Christie’s first novel was believed to be the result of a dare from her sister, Madge, who challenged her to write a story. The story begins when Hastings is sent back to England from the First World War due to injury and is invited to spend his sick leave at the beautiful Styles Court by his old friend John Cavendish. Here, Hastings meets John’s step-mother, Mrs Inglethorp, and her new husband, Alfred. Despite the tranquil surroundings Hastings begins to realise that all is not right. When Mrs Inglethorp is found poisoned, suspicion falls on the family, and another old friend, Hercule Poirot, is invited to investigate.

The novel received its first true publication as an eighteen-part serialisation in The Times newspaper’s Weekly Edition (aka The Times Weekly Edition) from 27 February (Issue 2252) to 25 June 1920 (Issue 2269). This version of the novel mirrored the published version with no textual differences and included the maps and illustrations of handwriting examples used in the novel. At the end of the serialisation an advertisement appeared in the newspaper, which announced, “This is a brilliant mystery novel, which has had the unique distinction for a first novel of being serialised in The Times Weekly Edition.

DAME AGATHA WRITES

Christie started writing the novel while she was volunteering in Torquay hospital dispensary during World War I. Her knowledge of medicines from this role resulted in poison naturally becoming the murder method used in her debut novel. After being rejected by six publishers, the manuscript for The Mysterious Affair at Styles was finally accepted by John Lane and The Bodley Head four years after its completion.

The story was first adapted for television in 1990 and transmitted on ITV in the UK as a special episode to celebrate Agatha Christie’s centenary year. David Suchet starred as Hercule Poirot and Hugh Fraser as Hastings as part of the series Agatha Christie’s Poirot. In 2005 the novel was adapted as a five-part serial for BBC Radio 4 in the UK with John Moffatt playing the role of Hercule Poirot.

The dust jacket of the facsimile book edition references the legend of how Christie started writing: ‘This novel was originally written as the result of a bet, that the author, who had previously never written a book could not compose a detective novel in which the reader would not be able to ‘spot’ the murderer, though having access to the same clues as the detective.’

MY REVIEW

When I think of “first novels” for some writers, they can either be great or it’ll be suggested to start with their later work because their earlier stuff isn’t as good. In the case of Agatha Christie, starting with The Mysterious Affair at Styles won’t set you back. In fact, it truly can be the stepping stone to her work that truly does get better. It’s a timeless classic. Written over 100 years ago but it had easily stood the test of time for writers of mysteries on how it’s done. The essential how-to manual for crafting suspects, sprinkling herrings (red or otherwise), and the best character to solve the crime with his little grey cells.

I’m a huge Hercule Poirot fan and by extension a fan of Agatha Christie and her other works. So, why did I pick this novel when I couldn’t picked any of her other more famous Poirot stories? One word; poison.

I could think of no better book to read and analyze than a story that involves a popular weapon of choice by Agatha Christie. Strychnine poisoning is such a terrible way to go but it can lead to stereotypes, which can lead to misdirection. All of these things come together wonderfully to give us a mystery worth Poirot’s interest.

His long time friend, Hastings, is invited to stay at Styles (I love how the large estates have such lavish names) while he’s recovering from a war wound. While staying at Styles the matriarch is poisoned in a house full of suspects. There’s her new (and younger) husband, her two stepsons, a wife of one of the stepson’s, a daughter of a family friend, and the matriarch’s companion. Most rich elderly women during this time period would have someone who waited on them hand and foot in their declining years. Not unusual.

With a houseful of possible killers, each of them with motives, most of them related to money, Poirot and his little grey cells are up for the challenge. One thing I loved about this novel is the addition of maps and other clues as part of the story. It’s an aspect of storytelling I hope to incorporate with my own mystery series some day.

I’ve watched all of the David Suchet as Poirot series, which helps me to read any of the novels because I can easily see him and hear him in my head as well. His soft spoken manner and attention to the little details his dear friend, Hastings, never seems to notice.

If you’ve never read a Poirot novel, you can’t go wrong with this one and what’s great about it is that it’s in the Public Domain, which means reading it for free just got easier.