The Mysterious Affair at Styles

The Mysterious Affair at Styles is a detective novel by Agatha Christie. It is Christie's first published novel, and introduces Hercule Poirot, Inspector Japp and Lieutenant Hastings. The story is told in first person by Hastings, and features many of the elements that, thanks to Christie, have become icons of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. It is set in a large, isolated country manor. There are a half-dozen suspects, most of whom are hiding facts about themselves. Also, there are a number of red herrings and surprise plot twists. The novel is set in England during World War I at Styles Court, an Essex country manor (also the setting of Curtain, Poirot's last case). Upon her husband's death, the wealthy widow, Emily Cavendish, inherited a life estate in Styles as well as the outright inheritance of the larger part of the late Mr. Cavendish's income. Late one night, the residents of Styles wake to find Emily Inglethorp dying of what proves to be strychnine poisoning.