The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha ChristieSynopsis: “With impeccable timing Hercule Poirot, the renowned Belgian detective, makes his dramatic entrance on to the English crime stage.

Recently, there had been some strange goings on at Styles St Mary. Evelyn, constant companion to old Mrs Inglethorp, had stormed out of the house muttering something about ‘a lot of sharks’. And with her, something indefinable had gone from the atmosphere. Her presence had spelt security; now the air seemed rife with suspicion and impending evil.

A shattered coffee cup, a splash of candle grease, a bed of begonias… all Poirot required to display his now legendary powers of detection.”

My Review

I enjoyed this audiobook, the first book that introduces the world to Hercule Poirot, set of course, in a English country house.

It was a good whodunnit full of those infamous Agatha Christie red herrings! Everyone was suspicious and had secrets to hide, which made me keep changing my mind about who the murderer was. Of course Poirot just happens to be in the area where the murder happens, and his friend Captain Hastings is staying in the actual house.

I saw a dramatised version of this a few years ago, and was quite sure that I knew who the murderer was. However because of those red herrings I kept changing my mind. I was partly right when the big reveal came but I’d forgotten the twist which made it more enjoyable.

I’ve listened to almost all the Poirot books so it was really interesting to hear this very first one and to see how Agatha Christie went on to develop the infamous characters.  It amused me immensely how Hastings thought that he was a much better detective that Poirot, as if! Also how Poirot had already worked out Hastings’ idea that pretty women can’t possibly be guilty of murder, something that continues throughout the series!

Hugh Fraser’s narration was superb, he is definitely the voice of this series.

Highly recommended if you enjoy golden age murder mysteries on audio!

Book 7 of 20 Books of Summer 2024