The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot Mysteries) - Softcover

Christie, Agatha

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1602067910 ISBN 13: 9781602067912

Publisher: Cosimo Classics, 2007

Synopsis

First published in 1920, The Mysterious Affair at Styles was Agatha Christie's first novel. It introduced the world to Hercule Poirot, Christie's Belgian detective, who would go on to be featured in 39 of her novels. The mystery begins with the death of Emily Inglethorp at Styles, a manor in the English countryside. Captain Hastings, a guest at the house, calls upon his friend Poirot to help investigate. The obvious suspect is Emily's husband, who stood to inherit a large fortune upon her death. But the timeline doesn't quite work out, and Poirot must delve further into the lives and motivations of the family living at Styles to uncover who could have poisoned Emily with strychnine and why. Fans of the genre will enjoy introducing themselves to or rediscovering Agatha Christie, considered one of the great mystery writers of all time, with this classic tale of whodunit from the golden age of mystery. British novelist DAME AGATHA CHRISTIE (1890-1976) wrote more than 80 books, and is most famous for mystery series featuring detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She is the best-selling fiction writer of all time, with more than one billion copies of her books sold in the English language, and another billion in 103 other languages.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Here is the famous first case that launched the legendary career of Hercule Poirot and his ingenious creator Agatha Christie, now the most popular mystery writer of all time, as well as the world's best-selling author (over two billion copies of her books are in print). With The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Agatha Christie's cerebral and eccentric Belgian detective steps out of retirement and into the limelight of a classic mystery.

Styles Court is a magnificent English manor house owned by a rich, strong-willed matron who, to the dismay of her stepson, has recently married a fortune hunter. The scene is set for death by violence. The murder of the mistress of Styles Court is so baffling, so cleverly-plotted, that it challenges even the skill of Hercule Poirot, notwithstanding the legions of tiny gray cells that take residence in his ever-so-fertile mind.

From the Inside Flap:

Who poisoned the wealthy Emily Inglethorpe, and how did the murderer penetrate and escape from her locked bedroom? Sus-pects abound in the quaint village of Styles St. Mary--from the heiress's fawning new husband to her two stepsons, her volatile housekeeper, and a pretty nurse who works in a hospital dispensary. Making his unforgettable debut, the brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is on the case.
"The key to the success of this style of detective novel," writes Elizabeth George in her Introduction, "lies in how the author deals with both the clues and the red herrings, and it has to be said that no one bettered Agatha Christie at this game."

About this edition

• Publisher: Cosimo Classics
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1602067910
• ISBN 13: 9781602067912
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 168