This book was my second Agatha Cristie book. I did not finish this book at one day. Instead, it took me around a month. Why? Since I would like to read just a chapter a day so that I could appreciate and digest the plot more. This story was very brain challenging. Most readers would like to guess who the murderer was. Tried to lay out all the facts. Tried to link all the facts. Tried to picture what had been occurred. Tried to get the motivations. Tried to repel the ambiguity. Tried to justify some nonsense facts. Tried to use time line or character oriented method to unveil the fact. Tried to reconstruct the murder scene. And most importantly, tried to beat Hercule Poirot. (it was the fun part in reading detective novels)
Allow me to brief the story of the mysterious affair at Styles. Poirot was there as a refugee. His best friend, Hastings, was invited to be a guest at a big house at Styles by his friend, John Cavendish. Hastings saw some interesting facts in the Cavendish family. John's stepmother, Emily Inglethorp, was a wealthy old woman. Somehow she was a dictator in this family. She put great amount of control over the family. Emily re-married to Alfred Inglethorp, who was much younger than Emily. Mary Cavendish, John's wife, was a pretty woman. But, her coldness and pride repelled people. It seemed like Mary and John had some issues. Lawrence Cavendis, John's younger brother, was an artist type. Shy, quiet. He had a medicine degree but somehow did not go for doctor sort job. Evelyn Howard, Emily's companion, seemed having a problem in getting along with Alfred. Cynthia Murdoch, a pretty and healthy young girl, lived with the Cavendish family. Cynthia seemed quite easygoing. She was working at a lab.
At the murder day, a quarrel was overheard between Emily and someone else. Then, it seemed like Emily was depressed afterwards. She decided to revise her will. She retired earlier to her room with the document and her document case. But, no one knew if this task had been done. Because Emily was poisoned at the same night and no revised will was discovered. The case was found forced open but no will was inside. Only a piece of burned paper was found in a fireplace in Emily's room.
Alfred left Styles earlier in the evening and stayed overnight in the nearby village. He had a perfect alibi. He was a prime suspect for his 
wife's murder. But his alibi was so strong that no one could prove his link to the death. Doctor said Emily was administered with some strychnine. But no one in the house knew when or how the strychnine was be given to Emily.
wife's murder. But his alibi was so strong that no one could prove his link to the death. Doctor said Emily was administered with some strychnine. But no one in the house knew when or how the strychnine was be given to Emily.People's descriptions were somehow contradicting each other. Some members turned quite pale when Japp, the Scotland Yard, and Poirot inquired them. What was hidden? Many covered facts were forced to be shown. Of course, these facts shed some light. Gave out motivations surly. Alfred was found presenting in a drug store for strychnine some days before the death. John was found possessing some strychnine as well. Cynthia had access to strychnine at her lab. Lab claimed some strychnine was missing. Lawrence gave some untrue statements. Why? The house looked more and more mysterious.
Besides, you saw some psychology games. True murderer tried to take advantage of double jeopardy. True murderer tried to smoke the death. Some tricks succeeded to lead Japp and Poirot to a wrong track. Some tricks made innocent people got arrested.
I do not want to spoil your pleasure. So, I stop here. This book was quite entertaining and rich. A nice choice for some boring time.
