The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Annoyed that Poirot continues his investigation without taking him into his confidence, Arthur does his own investigating, learning through rumor that there have been frequent, mysterious visitors to the beautiful young Mrs. Raikes from Styles Court over the course of the last month. Poirot pins down the exact time of arguments that took place on the day of the murder.

At the coroner’s inquest the cause of death is determined to be one grain (equivalent to about 64 milligrams) of strychnine. When she ingested the poison remains a mystery, however, as she was served after-dinner coffee with a light meal at eight in the evening and did not show symptoms until five in the morning. Since her coffee cup was smashed, there is no way of analyzing its contents. There was no strychnine in the cocoa she drank.

At the inquest, Lawrence insists that the death might have been caused naturally or accidentally. This assertion is puzzling, as Lawrence has studied medicine. Mary Cavendish is very cagey and curt as she recounts the argument she overheard between Alfred and Emily concerning a marital scandal. To no one’s surprise, Evie Howard speaks up, still insisting on Alfred’s guilt.

Everyone at the inquest is astonished, however, by the testimony of the chemist’s shop employee, who insists that he sold strychnine to Alfred Inglethorp on the day of the murder and presents a registry book in which Alfred signed his name. Taking the stand, Alfred calmly insists he never bought the strychnine in question, though he cannot produce an alibi. Alfred also denies having an argument with his wife. He does admit to preparing his wife’s coffee, which Dorcas served. In short, his preliminary defense appears quite meager.

The inquest concluded, Poirot reconnects with Inspector-Detective Japp of Scotland Yard (the London police force), with whom he has worked before. The Scotland Yard men are convinced of Alfred’s guilt. Poirot cautions Japp not to enact the arrest warrant until he’s had a chance to visit Styles Court with him. Japp stands by Poirot’s judgment and experience.

Poirot explains to Arthur that the evidence against Alfred is too “cut and dried” to be satisfying (86). He points out how easy it would be to pass oneself off as Alfred Inglethorp, who wears singularly dark clothing, a black beard, and glasses. Poirot draws attention to Lawrence and Mary, both of whom acted peculiarly during the inquest. Plus, why was Dr. Bauerstein completely clothed at 5:00 am, the time of the murder, and how did Cynthia sleep soundly in the room next door during the whole loud affair?

The Scotland Yard men and Arthur accompany Poirot to Styles Court, where Poirot sets chairs out for the whole family. There, Poirot informs Alfred Inglethorp that he is suspected in the murder of his wife. Alfred reacts with shock.

It is then that Poirot states that he can produce “no less than five witnesses” (93) who can attest that they saw Alfred Inglethorp escorting the beautiful young Mrs. Raikes, a farmer’s wife, to her home at 6:00 pm on Monday. This corresponds to the exact time Alfred was ostensibly purchasing strychnine from the chemists. Alfred Inglethorp’s alibi for the most devastating evidence against him appears to be airtight.

Alfred corroborates both Poirot’s assertion that he was at Mrs. Raikes’s house, confessing that he hadn’t mentioned it at the inquest due to rumors of his infidelity. This supposed infidelity, Poirot informs the group, was the subject of Alfred’s and Emily’s argument on the day of her death. Satisfied that no arrest is yet warranted in the case, Japp investigates the house.

Poirot expresses disappointment in Japp’s method and reacts with fury when Arthur informs him that Dr. Bauerstein had been present in the home the day after the murder. “That alters everything—everything!” Poirot declares (96). He begins to corroborate the true clues and sweeping away the distractions. The only two suspects who definitely didn’t serve the coffee were Cynthia and Mary. Arthur wonders why the investigation has focused very little on Evie Howard; though Poirot dismisses the idea out of hand, he does suggest that he’s been keeping “certain little ideas” about Evie to himself (99). Poirot gives Arthur a cryptic message to give to Lawrence: “Find the extra coffee cup, and you can rest in peace” (100). He adds that he had the cocoa analyzed again, utterly baffling his friend.

After Emily’s funeral, Alfred moves out of the house to an inn in town. To the annoyance of the family, newspapers begin to report the murder. Dorcas remembers seeing a piece of green cloth in a costume box in an attic. Examining it, Poirot and Arthur discover cloth matching the type found in the bolt in Emily’s door, as well as a black stage beard perfectly matching Alfred’s real beard.

Later, Poirot takes Evie Howard into his confidence, asking for her to ally with him to find Emily’s killer. Evie is put off at first, unhappy that Poirot let Alfred escape arrest. In conversation, Poirot vaguely suggests another’s guilt. Evie appears at least partially mollified by this secret suspect, though she showily exclaims that Poirot “must be mad to think of such a thing” (106).