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The Mysterious Affair at Styles, with eBook

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Set in Essex in the English countryside, The Mysterious Affair at Styles is one of the great classic murder mysteries. The victim, Mrs. Emily Inglethorp, is the wealthy mistress of Styles Court. After an evening of entertaining family and guests, she is found poisoned in her locked bedroom. The long list of suspects includes her gold-digging new husband, her stepsons, her best female friend, and a visiting doctor. As luck would have it, a brilliant, if rather eccentric, detective is among the company at Styles.


In this, her first published mystery, Agatha Christie introduces her beloved Belgian inspector Hercule Poirot, who methodically pieces together the intricate evidence of this bewildering crime. From his very first appearance, Poirot amuses audiences with his oddly fastidious habits—then astonishes them with the power of his razor-sharp mind. Christie keeps listeners guessing as to the murderer's identity until Poirot finally presents his ingenious solution to this landmark mystery.
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  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Agatha Christie launches the legendary career of Hercule Poirot with this classic tale of intrigue. Did one of the Cavendish brothers poison their stepmother, Mrs. Iglethorp, or was it her new husband? Nadia May reads with such a delightful English accent, intonation, and careful pacing that the suspense and drama build gradually. Each character is easily distinguishable and a treat to listen to, especially Poirot. This baffling tale with many characters is a bit difficult to follow but well worth the effort. The compulsion to discover the truth is motive enough for all listeners. S.C.A. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      Christie's first mystery is a must for vintage mystery fans. Hercule Poirot's strong accent is amusing and fits the fussy, little man. Some of the voices of the large cast of suspects blend together, but it matters not. S.G.B. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      Hercule Poirot's first case, like so many of his others, involves money, greed and murder. David Suchet, who plays Poirot on PBS's "Mystery," clearly had a ball taking on all the rest of the characters, as well, in this rendition. The story is told through the voice of Mr. Hastings, whose unwitting pomposity is so dead-pan as to be hilarious. The various family members are both distinctive and representative of that particular class of the British that we expect from Christie. Suchet as Poirot sparkles, skipping over the pages with his fussy manners, elegant mustache and Belgian accent. S.F. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      Mrs. Cavendish's murder throws the entire household under suspicion, necessitating the sleuthing skills and keen logic of Hercule Poirot to solve the crime. David Case meets the challenge of performing seemingly endless variations of vocal tones and speech patterns. Case's remarkable talent for imitating different British classes and dialects brings the characters to life. With finely tuned deftness to each character's vocal requirements, Case smoothly moves from character to character without the slightest mistake. His French (oops, Belgian!) accent adds depth and substance to detective hero Poirot, again proving Case's versatility and skill. A captivating performance for a classic mystery. P.A.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      This classic Agatha Christie whodunit is brought to life with style by narrator James Warwick. As the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot investigates a suspicious death in Britain at the time of the Great War, the plot unfolds, complete with red herrings. Warwick's characterization of Poirot is spot-on, allowing his Belgian accent and pedantic character to shine through. He characterizes the key protagonists with affection, and his use of accents and intonation helps listeners follow the twisting plot. The interview between publisher and narrator at the end of the audiobook brings additional insight to the listener. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

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  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:770
  • Text Difficulty:3-4

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