The Mysterious Affair at StylesThe Mysterious Affair at Styles
Score Classic
What it's about
Hercule Poirot, a refugee of the Great War, is living near Styles Court when its wealthy owner, Emily Inglethorp, is poisoned. Suspects abound: her much younger husband, resentful stepsons, a companion, a young nurse and a visiting poisons expert.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's the first Hercule Poirot mystery.
You'll love it if you liked
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
The Murder at the Vicarage
And Then There Were NoneGood to know
It's the best place to start with Poirot.
By the numbers
- Readers28 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller33 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #459 of the 623 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #760 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2428 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by Agatha Christie
And Then There Were NoneThe Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Curtain
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The Godfather
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Crime and Punishment
The Pillars of the Earth
In Cold Blood
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Quick answers
Is The Mysterious Affair at Styles worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,428 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Mysterious Affair at Styles about?
Hercule Poirot, a refugee of the Great War, is living near Styles Court when its wealthy owner, Emily Inglethorp, is poisoned. Suspects abound: her much younger husband, resentful stepsons, a companion, a young nurse and a visiting poisons expert.
How long does it take to read The Mysterious Affair at Styles?
About 5 hours (206 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Mysterious Affair at Styles?
If you liked it, try The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie or And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.