

Hercule Poirot #1 • Agatha Christie
Hercule Poirot unravels poison, betrayal, and wartime secrets at the Styles country estate.
In Agatha Christie’s debut mystery, a tranquil English country house is shattered when its wealthy mistress dies suddenly under suspicious circumstances, and a circle of relatives and guests find themselves under an accusing glare. Narrated by Captain Hastings, the investigation brings in the meticulous and eccentric Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, whose razor-sharp observations, theatrical methods, and attention to human psychology tease out hidden motives and small but telling clues. With wartime shadows, simmering family tensions, and a classic locked-room feel, Styles is a masterful puzzle: elegant, atmospheric, and impossible to put down without guessing how every piece will fall into place.