The mysterious affair at styles is a detective novel by british writer agatha christieit was written in the middle of the first world war in 1916 and first published by john lane in the united states in october 1920 and in the united kingdom by the bodley head john lanes uk company on 21 january 1921 styles was christies first published novel it introduced hercule poirot inspector . Directed by ross devenish with david suchet hugh fraser philip jackson beatie edney hastings renews his friendship with poirot and involves him in the mysterious poisoning of the mistress of a manor house married to a man twenty years her junior. The mysterious affair at styles meeting hercule poirot dame agatha christie was born agatha mary clarissa miller on 15 september 1890 in torquay devon south west england and lived a very full life until her death by natural causes on 12 january 1976 during those eighty five years the lady published sixty six novels and fourteen short story . The project gutenberg ebook of the mysterious affair at styles by agatha christie this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the united states and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever