mcsquared987

[mcsquared987]

Mysterious Affair at Styles — Ch 5

Alright… I might actually be pretty good at this. Some information we’ve gotten in this chapter not only supports my theory, but even amends it in some way — although at the risk of contradicting other evidence. It feels nice that I might be slightly ahead of Poirot, although I can’t get too cocky. And I am definitely glad to NOT be a Hastings. His pompous attitude in this chapter was a little bit baffling, to be honest. 🤣

Lots of drama in this chapter! Good to see the return of Evie, and understandable that she is rightfully pissed at what happened and wants justice. (That being said, I was offput by that backhanded compliment Poirot gave her about not being beautiful… how strange of him. I best not hope that he says more things like that behind people’s backs.) As well, some characters were definitely dropping little hints left and right about how trustworthy they think they are… all red herrings of course to get an average reader like me to think could they be the murderer?! Probably not, they are still reeling from what’s happened.

The fact that we learn about Cynthia’s connection to the sleeping powders and Poirot’s hint at something being put in her coffee is proof to me that the murderer was responsible for her condition… mainly with the purpose of getting able to get past her door, while being free to make as much noise as possible. There however can be a possibility that Emily left her door unlocked by accident, and that the murderer entered that way thus making the endeavour pointless. So, my thoughts on this are that both could have happened: the murderer entered via the passage, but must have left through Cynthia’s door. I’ll elaborate on what that entails soon.

Even though I got some supporting information, I was however also blinded by what Poirot figured out in regard to the new will Emily made, and how she got her gardeners to 'witness’ it via signature. (Is that how it works? I am no expert in that stuff. 😅) Anyway, I did NOT see that coming… but given that the evidence was largely hidden from us even if hinted in the previous chapter, I’m not going to knock myself for it. My question is that if Emily wrote a new will after her argument with Inglethorp, why did she burn it soon afterward? Did she change her mind about this amended will, or did something happen in between her writing it and doing it… like talking to Mary, for example?

Anyway, here’s the timeline of events. Just a couple of thoughts from the end of the chapter:

I am slightly concerned about what Poirot is thinking. I think it’s fair to believe that he would be heavily fixated on Inglethorp’s clothes (considering that attire might be important to the green fabric in the door and that he’s pretty sus), but I have no idea what he’s going on about the temperature. Is it related to the candlegrease, or how much the coffee/rum evaporated in the night?? I have to hope this doesn’t wreck my theory somehow.

The fact that someone was able to break into the room when it was locked and take what was in the case really only supports the idea that there is a way in and out that is not connected to the passage… and if it’s not the window, I’m willing to bet it is still Cynthia’s door.

John’s explanations surrounding the will, while depressing, are not surprising. I knew that will was going to be a big point of contention, and someone has definitely gone to extremes over it. Whoever they are, they probably haven’t bailed yet because there is not much evidence to suggest that they are the culprit — or they’re waiting for something, like new evidence at the inquest or the funeral where the will’s contents will be finalised. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I still believe it’s pretty likely to be Inglethorp.

So with that all being said, here’s some amendments to the timeline I made to reflect this information compared against each other. (Everything theoretical is in blue.)

Up to the evening itself, everything remains the same — but with the context of events from prior that may explain Emily’s actions with the will. I am only hoping that we get some info from Mary at some point so she can explain what she was talking to her about, so we can explain why the will was burned. Emily must have changed her mind at some point about what was in it, surely?

Now, my main part of the theory is still largely unchanged. (Case in point, I still have no damn idea how they got through Cynthia’s door… mm.) But the crucial difference, I’m willing to believe, is that the murderer was probably in the room after Emily woke — and likely had to improvise after she bolted the door without seeing them. As I write this, I realise that a lot of this stuff really relies on Emily not being able to hear a damn thing… but I still think that something like it is what happened. Despite the times in the top corner, I bet Emily was probably awake for five minutes at the most before she started being affected by the poison.

I guess we will have to wait for the inquest to be sure. If it is still believed that Emily was poisoned before she ever went into her room, and it turns out to be strychnine… then there’ll probably be some confusion. We’ll see.

Hoo boy, that was a lot! If you like what you see, let me know. And stay tuned for more.

[mcsquared987]

Mysterious Affair at Styles — Ch 4

Ah, it's great to have someone as lovely as Poirot on the case! This is really the only novel I've read that has had him, but this is already the making of a detective that is refreshingly different from all the other ones I'm sure was more prevalent at the time — Sherlock Holmes being a stark example. Poirot is kind, not quick to make assumptions despite probably knowing a few folks in this case, and is very observant and clever. The only issue I might have with him (which was also the case with Sherlock) is that he is probably going to withhold important information to make things dramatic for the reveal at the end. I have to hope that he doesn't have anything that will destroy any theories I have...

This was a shockingly huge chapter. There were lots of info gathered at the crime scene of course, but also two seperate testimonies and additional clues and deductions on top of all that. I have painstakingly recorded as much as I can to show you here in this post, probably the most intensive it will ever be for this whole book.

We have the expanded map here — on the left, the wider corridors. (I'll try not to forget them in case it becomes important.) And on the right, Emily Inglethorp's room with all the clues that were found. My thoughts on observations and discussion between Hastings and Poirot during investigation:

The smashed coffee cup. Frankly, I think when Poirot refers to the possibility that it didn't have strychnine... it could be that the cup was smashed purposely to throw off how Emily was poisoned — especially since the impact was much more forceful than the reading lamp, which was only broken into two.

How then was Emily poisoned? It's pretty likely that Hastings is right and that it was the saucepan where Emily got her rum and cocoa... correlated with Annie having seeing some kind of 'salt' in it. Poirot's hesitance however is giving me pause. (Is he onto something, or is he waiting for more concrete evidence? He didn't seem to be affected when he tasted the cocoa.)

The coffee stain on the floor near the window... as much as I am unsure, I do think that this might be coffee that Emily spilled between when she went into the room and when she had the cocoa. Until I hear otherwise, I assume that it is not only a red herring — but possible proof that her coffee was never poisoned.

The sleeping powder, or rather the absence of it. I think this can tell us two different things — one, Emily is probably a light sleeper and woke up in the night right before her death. (That might have been when she had the rum.) Two, if there's no sleeping powder in the box... there is a possibility that it may have been used in someone else's drink without their knowledge. Someone... like Cynthia???

The fabric in the door, the candlegrease, the despatch-case... these all come together to indicate that the murderer, whoever they are, must have been in this room after the passage door was bolted and likely before Emily woke up. They probably had a candle, and attempted to steal the will with little luck — and they most likely come in through the door of Cynthia's room while she was drugged. How did they do that when the door was bolted? ... er, no idea yet. 😅 But I definitely think they found a way — and they haven't told anyone else. I hope we get a clue that proves me right!

The will, burned in the fire grate. Done by the murderer? No, I'm pretty certain that this was something that Emily did far before the rest happened... when the fire in her boudoir was lit earlier by Dorcas, and after she had yelled at Inglethorp and Mary. The fragment of the will found in the grate proves that it is indeed a will, the motivation the murderer has to obtain it... and the additional 'possessed' handwriting that Poirot discovered at the end of the chapter suggests it even further. (Possessed = inheritance) I would not be surprised if the two clues were compared to confirm this.

And here are Dorcas' and Annie's testimonies respectively. They are very solid and correlating of all the events leading up to it, so there is not as much to talk about — but possible confirmation of some of my theories.

Dorcas' interactions with Emily before her death (including her conversation with Alfred) absolutely lines up with a narrative of Emily choosing to burn the will that she created — that probably has Inglethorp in it. Is that what Mary meant when she said she was 'protecting him?' What is the scandal that everyone keeps on dancing around?

Annie might be a unwilling accomplice in the poisoning of Emily... although only time will tell if that was indeed strychnine on the tray or not. The routine of the saucepan indicates an ample opportunity. And also, her observations of Emily's room are a definite sign that she was not left alone that night.

There is a fourth letter that Emily wrote that Annie does not remember, so there is a good chance that it is someone she doesn't know. Possibly an authority or someone related to the scandal? If someone comes swinging by in the next few days, I think we will find that person.

Okay, so with that all being laid out: I will construct a theory surrounding everything, including in relation to the crime scene. (I do not believe I have enough information to make an informed guess about everything leading up to it or who did it, but it's VERY likely to be Inglethorp.)

Up above are the events I've assumed, compared against what we know so far. Is it perfect? No, it absolutely is not... but it is a good start considering how much we know! I won't be surprised if not everything is what it seems. And I assume that there will be lots of things that work hard to disprove it, too... but this is what I'm starting with, and I'm pretty proud of it.

I can't wait to continue this! Meanwhile, if you like what you see, let me know. And stay tuned for more.

[mcsquared987]

Mysterious Affair at Styles — Ch 3

Welp, that fell apart quickly.

Man, the last hours of Emily Inglethorp's life must have been AWFUL. Suffering seizures all alone in her room, with not even her darling Alfred to protect her... which only makes him more suspicious of possibly having killed his fiancé, but that's a seperate matter. May all future deaths in the Agatha Christie universe be far more swift. (Hopefully.)

I won't speculate too much on whodunnit yet! We are not at the stage where we have clues or testimonies, which I feel is probably what we would need for the basis of a theory. In the meantime however, I've taken notes of things I noticed about the three rooms on the map given to us, along with the timeline of events that have occurred from Hasting's point of view.

The first timeline shows the rough half an hour in which everything took place, and the second (far less important) shows the aftermath. Anything highlighted in orange is stuff I've decided to take as evidence — or something I should keep in mind! Hopefully I didn't miss anything important from the text, but that's a problem for future me.

Here is the map of all the locations given so far! Some thoughts on things I've noticed:

Bauerstein happening to show up at the right time is not weird at all, totally... but thinking about it — if he somehow was the killer, it might have been far more suspicious for him to not show up at all. I'm not counting him out, though!

Inglethorp's absence is concerning, too. I think the timing of where some of these characters have been is purposeful in making them seem more suspect than they might turn out to be...

Something happened to Cynthia... right? The fact that it was at the same time as Emily suggests to me that what she got might have been a consequence of what was used to poison Emily. (Also, her door being bolted is gonna be important later, I know it.)

Lawrence saw something and didn't like it — so that means it's going to be important. Either that, or he got constipation I guess.

Phew! That was a lot. Now I'm glad we get our first proper introduction to Poirot as he helps us make sense of all this. But based on the evidence for now, I will just say that Inglethorp or Bauerstein is most likely to have done it — and the method for how is most likely a result of the previous night.

But we'll find out more soon. Thanks for reading! If you like what you see, let me know. And stay tuned for more.

[mcsquared987]

Mysterious Affair at Styles — Ch 2

I really like how this chapter basically leans into the mystery. Agatha Christie is over here just straight up telling us, "Yeah, you know what's going to happen." It doesn't make us feel like we're being left in the dark — nor will it make the characters seem silly for not anticipating what's about to happen, I think. If the murder came after everything from the last chapter, maybe... but this feels much more organic.

Things are spicing up! Not much happened on the 16th like I thought it would, as implied by the title and Hastings' introduction... but I still think some small part might be relevant to everything on the 17th and beyond. Emily Inglethorp's performance being so close to her death kind of indicates some shift in the family dynamic that has led to the arguments between her and Alfred, as well as her and Mary. Did someone find out something that led to those? We will have to see... but until something happens, everything is circumstantial.

Let's get the family tree out of the way, as there's not much — I only added Dorcas (Emily's servant) and added a new connection between Poirot and Cynthia, who know each other. This implies that Poirot will be able to ask her for more information about her dispensary? Then maybe we will know if something came from there the day before the murder, like what Cynthia did before leaving it with Hastings and Lawrence.

And here's the added parts of the timeline — a LOT, I know. But after the murder happens, I don't think the days will be as jam-packed... I don't know, we'll see. Highlights:

Mary's time with Bauerstein — which she has told Hastings never happened. Is she lying about that, and does it matter? Until I get an answer, I'll leave that event as uncertain.

Mary's conversation with Emily. I think I might know what she wants, if my assumption about this murder surrounding inheritance turns out to be correct. But I'm not too sure who she thinks Emily is shielding... John, Lawrence, Alfred? That's up to the jury.

Anything orange is listed as some form of evidence, and Hastings insisting on the tea in Emily's hands having not been drunk — that is clearly going to be important later. I have marked it.

Of course, I do not know how much of this will be relevant... after all, the murder hasn't even happened yet. Once it does, then I'll be able to stop recapping these events and start making deductions! Then, I'll cry as Christie finds ways to subvert my expectations, probably. :/ But in the meantime, I'm looking forward to when everything goes wrong...

Thanks for reading this! If you like what you see, let me know. And stay tuned for more.

[mcsquared987]

Mysterious Affair at Styles — Ch 1

Alright, this is it! The beginning of a little book club blog where I attempt to read and document every Agatha Christie novel I can in order to attempt to solve it. And then, I'll likely review and rate the book at the very end.

We start with the very first novel Christie ever wrote, which is also the only one I've ever read to completion almost two years ago. I know a few of the details, but my memory is very hazy — so this will be a good chance to refresh it, as well as to establish the format I will be taking for this blog in regards to all the other books!

This should be fun. Keep reading to see me cover the first chapter... and if you're interested in following along, feel free to follow. :)

Based on what I know of Agatha Christie, I am aware that she has gone much further than any other in the murder mystery genre to become immortalised as the queen of crime. I am seeing the roots of that in her writing in these first chapters: I think the mystery will be pretty straightforward, and most of the characters can be summed up in one or two traits. But that simplicity makes it work — and they are still written to appear at least human in the way they talk to each other, even if they keep on dropping obvious hints that something is going to go wrong. I mean, how many times can they keep referring to poison in the same line as the death of Ms. Inglethorp? It's almost like a Greek tragedy.

Hastings is also a pretty neat narrator, seeing that the prose is blissfully composed of mainly facts and insights from him and the other characters, without slowing down the plot at all. I really like that! — especially while it's all written with the perspective of hindsight. Like he implies in the beginning, I can really see Hastings giving most of this as a statement in court. I am aware that he won't be present in every story however, so I am curious to see what will replace him later on. (Maybe it's for the best that he doesn't somehow end up in EVERY murder lol.)

All being said, I also do see things that have not aged well for this book — mainly for example, how Miss Raikes is described and the distrust the English characters have towards her. Not great. For her sake, I at least hope that her role in all this will be minor.

This is the beginning of the timeline I have created that will mark the progress of events. It's pretty small for now, but HAVE NO DOUBT that it will balloon out significantly. Most of the chapter is setup to introduce the characters and lay the framework for the murder in Ch3, so there's not much to talk about at the moment. But soon...

And here's the main family tree. My impression: I think a core part of the motivation for the murder will absolutely be about the inheritance of Styles, which seems to have been ripped away from John (and Mary) and Lawrence. And poison has to be the method too, from all the clear hints to it, to Cynthia being a dispensary and there also being a doctor who has a CLEAR knowledge of poisons. However, I think that doctor is very much a red herring. I think he may be more crucial to solving the mystery.

Okay, I think that's everything! As I go on, there will be more mystery solving and less discussion of what I think about the book. But this chapter serves as an excellent introduction.

Thanks for reading this! If you like what you see, let me know. And stay tuned for more.