Maxim Jakubowski's view...

The novel that introduced both Christie and her immortal creation Hercule Poirot. Still as ingenious all these years later as we follow the quaint detective display his incomparable powers of detection.

If you like Agatha Christie try Ngaio Marsh
Maxim Jakubowski recommends: The Ngaio Marsh Collection by Ngaio Marsh

Synopsis

With impeccable timing Hercule Poirot, the renowned Belgian detective, makes his dramatic entrance on to the English crime stage. Recently, there had been some strange goings on at Styles St Mary. Evelyn, constant companion to old Mrs Inglethorp, had stormed out of the house muttering something about 'a lot of sharks'. And with her, something indefinable had gone from the atmosphere. Her presence had spelt security; now the air seemed rife with suspicion and impending evil. A shattered coffee cup, a splash of candle grease, a bed of begonias all Poirot required to display his now legendary powers of detection.

Reviews

'Almost too ingenious ! very clearly and brightly told.' Times Literary Supplement

'Very well contrived.' Sunday Times

'Altogether a skilful tale and a talented first book.' Daily News

'The most ingenious and absorbingly interesting tale of sensations and mystery we have read for a long time.' Bookman

'Well written, well proportioned, and full of surprises. Lovers of good stories will, without exception, rejoice in this book.' The British Weekly

About the Author

Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Her first novel, ‘The Mysterious Affair at Styles’, written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. She is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and another billion in 44 foreign languages. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 19 plays, and six novels under the name of Mary Westmacott and saw her work translated into more languages than Shakespeare. Her enduring success, enhanced by many film and TV adaptations, is a tribute to the timeless appeal of her characters and the unequalled ingenuity of the plots. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation