Memory is a funny thing: when I began reading The Mysterious Affair at Styles I thought I would remember who the murderer was. I actually remembered who Agatha Christie wanted me to think was the murderer, and despite being able to recall a few significant plot points, I was genuinely please to have overestimated myself. This proved to me that despite having already read this book and watching the ITV David Suchet television adaptation, Christie still delivers a good read and a few surprises.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles gives you just enough information and character to keep the story going. Although there are a few twists on the way, Christie cleverly doesn't withhold much in terms of plot; instead it is reader's natural desire to outwit her that conceals the murderer's identity.
This book, aside from introducing Poirot and Hastings, also introduces (Chief) Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard. His character also appears in Christie's next book, The Secret Adversary. I wonder if she has an entire back story for Japp and how much she'll reveal over the course of her writings? I almost wish she had written a biography for him; I think there would some interesting information there.
I enjoyed the relative simplicity of Christie's depiction of Poirot in The Mysterious Affair at Styles. This is early on and she hasn't written herself into any corners yet. Hasting as the slightly hapless old boy allows readers to acknowledge and move past Poirot's quirky idiosyncrasies without dwelling on them. The writing style to me was clean and straight forward. It is easy to see why Agatha Christie became the "Queen of Crime".
Book: The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)
Detectives: Poirot, Hasting, Japp
Observations: How do you lock a busted down door?
Verdict: Fantastic! Four Stars!
Next: The Secret Adversary
