The Mysterious Affair at Styles introduces Hercule Poirot, Inspector (later, Chief Inspector) Japp, and Arthur Hastings. Hercule Poirot, a Belgian refugee of the Great War, is settling in England near the home of Emily Inglethorp, who helped him to his new life. His friend Hastings arrives as a guest at her home. When Mrs. Inglethorp is murdered, Poirot uses his detective skills to solve the mystery.

Styles launched Agatha Christie’s writing career. Christie and her husband subsequently named their house “Styles”. Hercule Poirot would go on to become one of the most famous characters in fiction. Decades later, when Christie told the story of Poirot’s final case in Curtain, she set that novel at Styles.