The Mysterious Affair at Styles: Difference between revisions

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Detective novel by [[Agatha Christie (Creator)|Agatha Christie]]. It was the first novel she wrote and the one where [[Hercule Poirot|that Belgian detective of hers]] was introduced. [[Mistaken Nationality|Or was he French?]] You know who I mean- that [[Funny Foreigner|funny little man]] with the egg-shaped head and the [[Berserk Button|ridiculous moustache.]] Written (and set) during [[World War One]] but first published in 1920.

The novel is narrated in first person by Lieteunant Hastings, who, returning invalided from World War I, is invited by his childhood friend John Cavendish to the family manor, Styles Court. On his arrival there, he meets John’s stepmother Emily, a [[Apron Matron|generous but difficult woman]] who has recently married Alfred Inglethorp, [[May December Romance|a man much younger than her]]. Hastings also meets John’s beautiful but enigmatic wife, Mary Cavendish, his nervous brother, Lawrence Cavendish, the mysterious Doctor Bauerstein, Mrs Inglethorp's companion Evelyn Howard, and her young protégé Cynthia Murdoch.

The novel is narrated in first person by Lieteunant Hastings, who, returning invalided from World War I, is invited by his childhood friend John Cavendish to the family manor, Styles Court. On his arrival there, he meets John’s stepmother Emily, a [[Apron Matron|generous but difficult woman]] who has recently married Alfred Inglethorp, [[May-December Romance|a man much younger than her]]. Hastings also meets John’s beautiful but enigmatic wife, Mary Cavendish, his nervous brother, Lawrence Cavendish, the mysterious Doctor Bauerstein, Mrs Inglethorp's companion Evelyn Howard, and her young protégé Cynthia Murdoch.

Poirot is introduced as a retired Belgian detective and an old friend of Hastings’s. He is a war refugee staying at a village near Styles Court and meets Hastings coincidentally. When Mrs Inglethorp dies, displaying symptoms alarmingly like those of strychnine poisoning, Poirot is asked and agrees to investigate the case.

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* [[Kissing Cousins]]: Alfred Inglethorp and Evie Howard.

* [[Last Minute Hookup]]: Cynthia and Lawrence.

* [[Obviously Evil]]: Alfred Inglethorp is seen as this. Of course, to the [[Genre Savvy]] reader that's a clue that he could not possibly have done it, then he displays evidence that he didn't do it, and then the even savvier Poirot finds out that [[~~Its~~ a Long Story|he did it after all]].

* [[Obviously Evil]]: Alfred Inglethorp is seen as this. Of course, to the [[Genre Savvy]] reader that's a clue that he could not possibly have done it, then he displays evidence that he didn't do it, and then the even savvier Poirot finds out that [[It's a Long Story|he did it after all]].

* [[Perfect Poison]]: Subverted.

* [[Red Herring]]: Lots.