The Mysterious Affair at Styles

A couple of days later, Arthur receives a letter from Evelyn Howard asking him to ascertain Emily’s attitude towards a reconciliation. Mary Cavendish continues to spend time with Dr. Bauerstein, despite her husband John’s jealousy.

On Monday, July 16th, eleven days after Arthur’s arrival, the house prepares for a bazaar, which goes well. The following morning, Emily Inglethorp is in a good mood, and that afternoon she takes Arthur and Lawrence to a luncheon party. She drops the two men off in town, where they visit Cynthia at the dispensary. Arthur notes affection between the shy and reserved Lawrence and the outgoing Cynthia.

Outside of the post office, Arthur runs into an unexpected acquaintance—Hercule Poirot. Poirot is a short, neat little man who was a notable detective in the Belgian police force. He and seven of his countrymen are refugees fleeing the German invasion of their homeland; they have been staying in town through the charity of an organization headed by Emily Inglethorp.

Back at Styles Court, Emily Inglethorp is writing letters. She commands Dorcas, her maid, to bring her stamps and light the bedroom fire, though it is a hot July day. Later, Arthur accidentally overhears Mary and Emily arguing—Mary accuses Emily of “shielding him” (18). Cynthia repeats gossip concerning an earlier argument between Emily and her husband Alfred.

After a curt and silent dinner in which Emily Inglethorp eats very little and immediately retires to her room, Dr. Bauerstein arrives unannounced. Alfred Inglethorp, who has evening business with an estate agent, walks Dr. Bauerstein back to town.

Around five in the morning, Emily Inglethorp moans in pain loudly enough to wake the household. There are three entrances to Emily’s room: from the hallway, from Alfred Inglethorp’s room, and from Cynthia’s room on the other side. All three doors are bolted from inside Emily’s room. Alfred Inglethorp is nowhere to be found.

Using collective effort, Arthur and the two brothers break down the hallway door. As Emily suffers, John orders brandy be brought up. Arthur notes a look of silent horror on Lawrence’s face, which is turned towards some undisclosed location on the far wall. As Emily Inglethorp convulses in pain, a fully dressed Dr. Bauerstein enters the room. Soon after, Emily calls out for her husband and dies.

Dr. Wilkins, Emily’s regular physician, arrives and declares the death a matter of natural causes, though Dr. Bauerstein, a toxicologist, notes that the convulsions were “of a peculiar violence” (24). The two doctors consult in private, and soon after ask for and receive John’s permission for a post-mortem examination. Mary is particularly upset at the suggestion that Emily might have been poisoned.

Arthur suggests that the famous detective Poirot should be allowed to investigate the case. Lawrence objects, but John grants permission. Arthur immediately grabs a book on strychnine poisoning and goes to enlist the notable Belgian refugee.

On his way to town, Arthur runs into Alfred Inglethorp. Distressed, Alfred announces that he forgot his latchkey, and that he stayed overnight with his business associate in order not to disturb the household.

Arthur hurriedly explains the situation at Styles Court to Poirot. Poirot cautions level-headedness and assures his friend that they will “arrange the facts, neatly, each in its proper place” (29). Hearing the whole tale, he admonishes his friend for not informing him of whether or not Emily Inglethorp “ate well” on the night before the murder, as such a fact would be relevant to the type of poison used against her (30); Arthur struggles to maintain intellectual pace with Poirot.

At Styles Court, Poirot notes as relevant a muted quality to the family’s grief. He performs a thorough examination of Emily’s room, noting that many people have trampled through it since the death. Soon after his examination, he itemizes seven important clues to Arthur: a coffee cup deliberately ground to powder; a case with a key in the lock, which Poirot takes; a still-damp cocoa stain on the floor; a piece of green fabric taken from the bolting mechanism of the door leading to Cynthia’s room; a spot of candle grease not matching any candle in the room; a burned fragment of a will found among the ashes in the fireplace; and a scrap of paper upon which variants of the word “possessed” have been written. Poirot says that he will keep an eighth clue to himself.

Poirot takes a long look at the garden, and then interviews Dorcas about the exact times she served refreshments. Dorcas recalls an argument between Emily and Alfred the day before, concerning marital disgrace and potential scandal. She saw a letter in Emily’s hand, but not where it went or what it said. Dorcas notes that the key to her mistress's case was lost yesterday, even though Poirot just found it in the case’s lock. Further inquiry reveals that Emily Inglethorp’s sleeping powders, a potential source of poison, ran out two days ago. Poirot corroborates exact times and services with another household maid, Annie.