The Mysterious Affair at Styles is the first mystery 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.
Styles introduced Poirot, Inspector (later, Chief Inspector) Japp and Arthur Hastings.Neither Hastings' first name nor rank is given in this novel Poirot, a Belgian refugee of the Great War, is settling in England near the home of Emily Inglethorp, who helped him to his new life. His friend Hastings arrives as a guest at her home. When Mrs Inglethorp is murdered, Poirot uses his detective skills to solve the mystery.
The book includes maps of the house, the murder scene and a drawing of a fragment of a will. The true first publication of the novel was as a weekly serial in The Times, including the maps of the house and other illustrations included in the book. This novel was one of the first ten books published by Penguin Books when it began in 1935.
Styles was well received by reviewers in the UK and the US at initial publication. An analysis in 1990 was positive about the plot, considered the novel one of the few by Christie that are well anchored in time and place, a story that knows it describes the end of an era, and mentions that the plot is clever. Christie had not mastered cleverness throughout her first novel, as "too many clues tend to cancel each other out"; this was judged a difficulty "which Conan Doyle never satisfactorily overcame, but which Christie would."
The story features many of the elements that have become icons of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, largely owing to Christie's influence. It is set in a large, isolated country manor. There are a half-dozen suspects, most of whom are hiding facts about themselves. The plot includes a number of red herrings and surprise twists.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles launched Christie's writing career. Christie and her husband subsequently named their house Styles. Hercule Poirot would go on to become one of the most famous characters in fiction. Decades later, when Christie told the story of Poirot's final case in Curtain, she set that novel at Styles.
Composition and original publication Agatha Christie began working on The Mysterious Affair at Styles in 1916, writing most of it on Dartmoor. The character of Hercule Poirot was inspired by her experience as a nurse ministering to Belgian soldiers during the First World War and by Belgian refugees living in Torquay.
The manuscript was rejected by Hodder and Stoughton and Methuen. Christie then submitted the manuscript to The Bodley Head. After keeping the submission for several months, The Bodley Head's founder, John Lane, offered to accept it provided that Christie make slight changes to the ending. She revised the penultimate chapter, changing the scene of Poirot's grand revelation from a courtroom to the library at Styles. (Some modern editions of the published book also include an appendix with the original unpublished alternative ending set in the courtroom. It is very similar to the final version in content, with dialogue from other characters replaced by dialogue from the Judge and Sir Ernest Heavywether.) Christie later stated that the contract she signed with Lane was exploitative.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles was also said to have been inspired by a real-life murder case in Mussoorie, India.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published by John Lane in the United States in October 1920 and by The Bodley Head in the United Kingdom on 21 January 1921. The US edition retailed at $2.00 and the UK edition at seven shillings and sixpence (7/6).
Plot summary During the First World War Arthur Hastings is on sick leave from the Western Front and is invited to stay at the manor house of Styles Court, in Essex, by his old friend John Cavendish.
On the morning of 18 July the Styles household wakes to the discovery that Emily Inglethorp, the elderly and wealthy owner, has died. She had been poisoned with strychnine. Hastings ventures out to the nearby village of Styles St Mary to enlist help from his friend Hercule Poirot. Emily's household includes her husband, Alfred Inglethorp — a younger man she recently married; her stepsons (from her first husband's previous marriage), John and Lawrence Cavendish; John's wife, Mary Cavendish; Cynthia Murdoch, the daughter of a deceased friend of the family; and Evelyn Howard, Emily's lady's companion.
Poirot learns that on Emily's death John is to inherit the manor property, in accordance with his father's will. However her money will be distributed according to her own will, which she changes at least once a year. Her most recent will favours Alfred, who will now inherit her fortune.
On the day of the murder Emily had been arguing with someone, suspected to be either Alfred or John. She had been distressed after that and apparently made a new will, but no one can find any evidence of it. Alfred had left the manor early that evening and stayed overnight in the village. Meanwhile Emily had eaten little at dinner and retired early to her room, taking her document case with her. When her body is found the case had been forced open. Nobody can explain how or when the poison was administered to her.
Inspector Japp, the investigating officer, considers Alfred to be the prime suspect, since he gains the most from his wife's death. Poirot notes that Alfred's behaviour is suspicious during the investigation. He refuses to provide an alibi and denies purchasing the strychnine in the village, despite evidence to the contrary. Although Japp is keen to arrest him, Poirot intervenes by proving he could not have purchased the poison—the signature for the purchase is not in his handwriting. Suspicion now falls on John, next to gain from Emily's will and without an alibi for the murder. Japp soon arrests him: the signature for the poison is in his handwriting; a phial that contained the poison is found in his room; a false beard and a pair of pince-nez identical to Alfred's are found within the manor.
Poirot's investigations exonerate John of the crime. He establishes that the murder was committed by Alfred Inglethorp, with aid from his cousin Evelyn Howard. The pair pretended to be enemies but were romantically involved. They added bromide, obtained from her sleeping powder, to Emily's regular evening medicine. This caused the low level of strychnine in the medicine to precipitate to the bottom of the bottle, making the final dose lethal. The pair then left false evidence that would incriminate Alfred, which they knew would be refuted at his trial. Once acquitted, he could not be tried for the crime again if genuine evidence against him was found, under the law of double jeopardy. The pair framed John as part of their plan. Evelyn forged his handwriting, and the evidence against him was fabricated.
Poirot explains that he prevented Japp from arresting Alfred because Poirot could see that Alfred wanted to be arrested. Emily's distress on the afternoon of the murder was because she had found a letter in Alfred's desk while searching for stamps. Emily's document case was forced open by Alfred when he realised she had the letter. He then hid the letter elsewhere in the room to avoid being found with it. Thanks to a chance remark by Hastings, Poirot finds the letter in Emily's room. It details Alfred's intentions for Evelyn.
Characters Hercule Poirot – Renowned Belgian private detective. He lives in England after being displaced by the war in Europe. Asked to investigate the case by his old friend Hastings. Hastings – Poirot's friend, and the narrator of the story. He is a guest at Styles Court while on sick leave from the Western Front. Inspector Japp – A Scotland Yard detective, and the investigating officer. He is an acquaintance of Poirot at the time the novel is set. Emily Inglethorp – A wealthy woman in her 70s and the wife of Alfred Inglethorp. She inherited her fortune and her home of Styles Court on the death of her first husband, Mr Cavendish. She is the victim of the case. Alfred Inglethorp – Emily's second husband and 20 years younger than she is. Considered by her family to be a spoiled fortune-hunter. John Cavendish – Emily's elder stepson, from her first husband's previous marriage, and the brother of Lawrence. John has known Hastings for many years; he formerly practised as a barrister and is currently a country squire. It is he who invites Hastings to Styles near the beginning of the story. He is having problems in his marriage to his wife, Mary. Mary Cavendish – John's wife and a friend of Dr Bauerstein. Lawrence Cavendish – Emily's younger stepson from her first husband's previous marriage and the brother of John. Known to have studied medicine and qualified as a doctor. Evelyn Howard – Emily's lady's companion and a second cousin of Alfred Inglethorp, of whom she nevertheless expresses a strong dislike. Cynthia Murdoch – The daughter of a deceased friend of the family. She performs war-time work in a nearby hospital's dispensary. Dr Bauerstein – A well-known toxicologist living not far from Styles. Dorcas – A maid at Styles. Loyal to Mrs Inglethorp.
Dedication
The book's dedication reads: "To my Mother".
Christie's mother, Clarissa ("Clara") Boehmer Miller (1854–1926), was a strong influence on her life and someone to whom Christie was extremely close, especially after the death of her father in 1901. It was while Christie was ill (circa 1908) that her mother suggested she write a story. The result was The House of Beauty, now lost, which hesitantly started her writing career. Christie later revised the story as The House of Dreams and it was published in issue 74 of The Sovereign Magazine in January 1926 and many years later, in 1997, in book form in While the Light Lasts and Other Stories.
Christie also dedicated her debut novel as Mary Westmacott, Giant's Bread (1930), to her mother who, by that time, had died.
Literary significance and reception The Times Literary Supplement (3 February 1921) gave the book an enthusiastic, if short, review, which stated: "The only fault this story has is that it is almost too ingenious." It went on to describe the basic set-up of the plot and concluded: "It is said to be the author's first book, and the result of a bet about the possibility of writing a detective story in which the reader would not be able to spot the criminal. Every reader must admit that the bet was won."
The New York Times Book Review (26 December 1920) was also impressed:
The review of the novel in The Sunday Times of 20 February 1921 quoted the publisher's promotional blurb concerning Christie writing the book as the result of a bet that she would not be able to do so without the reader being able to guess the murderer then said, "Personally we did not find the "spotting" so very difficult, but we are free to admit that the story is, especially for a first adventure in fiction, very well contrived, and that the solution of the mystery is the result of logical deduction. The story, moreover, has no lack of movement, and the several characters are well drawn."
The contributor who wrote his column under the pseudonym of A Man of Kent in the 10 February 1921 issue of the Christian newspaper The British Weekly praised the novel but gave away the identity of the murderers. To wit,
The Bodley Head quoted excerpts from this review in future books by Christie but understandably did not use the passages that gave away the identity of the culprits.