The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Title: The Mysterious Affair at Styles


Author: Agatha Christie aka Mary Westmacott

Publisher: HarperCollins PerfectBound

Copyright: 1920 (ePub edition March 2008)

ISBN: 9780061750083

Series: First of the Hercule Poirot mysteries

Synopsis (from agathachristie.com):

Invalided home from the First World War, Lieutenant Hastings finds himself in a convalescent home very much to his disliking. Thankfully his old friend John Cavendish invites him to spend the rest of his sick leave at his family home. The beautiful Styles Court is home to John’s step mother Mrs Inglethorpe, and her new husband Alfred. Despite the tranquil surroundings Hastings begins to realise that all is not right. When Mrs Inglethorpe is found poisoned a murder investigation begins, and who better to investigate than war refugee Hercule Poirot, a retired Belgian detective.

Comments:

This was the last of my reads for the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge, and I enjoyed it.  My strongest impressions are about the character telling the story, Hastings.  I liked him at first but as it went on... I marvel he could still walk about with such a big head.  And he could be so dense too.  Poirot was cool as a charming and amusing observer and, well, detective.  I'm glad I included an Agatha Christie story in my challenge (my first!), and I certainly must read more of the Hercule Poirot series at least.  I didn't get past the first few chapters of the first Miss Marple mystery (an earlier e-book vintage mystery attempt), but I'm going to try that in audio.

Footsteps in the Dark

Title: Footsteps in the Dark
Author: Georgette Heyer
Narrated by: Maureen O'Brien
Publisher: Sound Library - BBC Audiobooks America
Length: 8 hrs 18 min on 7 Discs
Copyright: 1932, 1990

Synopsis (from Audio Editions):

Here in this charming but ancient priory mansion, five people learn that they share the summer with a ghost – and another presence, which may turn out to be even deadlier. Things that go bump in the night take on a sinister air when they learn that a murder is committed. First published in 1932.

My thoughts:

The last time I read Georgette Heyer I said I might enjoy it more if it were audio.  And I did.  This was the only one of her mysteries that my library has on audio, but I'm going to request they purchase more because I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I think I "read" it faster listening than I have done when reading vintage mysteries, too. 

There was great humor, I found myself giving a laugh here and there throughout (good thing I mostly listened when alone).  I did guess the main bad guy, but not for any particular reason and that was more to the end.
I was charmed.

The Roman Hat Mystery: A Problem in Deduction

Title: The Roman Hat Mystery: A Problem in Deduction
Author: Ellery Queen (cousins Manford Bennington Lee and Frederic Dannay)
Publisher: International Readers League
Copyright Date: 1930 (Some places say 1929, but the library copy I read said 1930)
Pages: 325

So this was my second Vintage Mystery... It was slow going, not because it wasn't interesting, but because I just seem to be a slow reader when it comes to vintage writing. The story is interesting. A murder takes place in the Roman Theater (in New York) and Inspector Queen (and his son Ellery) work toward solving it. The subheading - a Problem in Deduction - is a huge part of this writing. Every detail is hashed and rehashed. Any additional discoveries or deductions must be carefully explained whether between themselves while trying to move forward with the investigation or to some other involved and interested party. I have to say I didn't care for all the references to Djuna, the Queens servant, being like a monkey.

Would I read another book in this series? Perhaps. I certainly want to try the TV show.

Why Shoot a Butler?

Title: Why Shoot a Butler?

Author: Georgette Heyer

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Copyright Date: 1933

Print Date: April 2009

ISBN: 9781402217951

Pages: 329

Book Description (from back cover):

 EVERY FAMILY HAS SECRETS, BUT THE FOUNTAINS' ARE TURNING DEADLY...

On a dark night, along a lonely country road, barrister Frank Amberley stops to help a young lady in distress and discovers a sports car with a corpse behind the wheel. The girl protests her innocence, and Amberley belives her — at least until he gets drawn into the mystery and the clues incriminating Shirley Brown begin to add up...

In an English country-house murder mystery with a twist, it's the butler who's the victim, every clue complicates the puzzle, and the bumbling police are well-meaning but completely baffled. Fortunately, in ferreting out a desperate killer, amateur sleuth Amberley is as brilliant as he is arrogant, but this time he's not sure he wants to know the truth...

Comments:

This is my first vintage mystery for the 2011 challenge and my second ever that I recall (the first being The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler — in audio with an awesome reading by Elliott Gould). Anyway, my impressions are scattered and many. =)

First, this was slow going for me at first. I think it was slightly due to being a British novel and mostly due to being vintage. It takes longer for me to read everything when I'm concentrating on what people are actually saying. Eventually, I got into it and things went much smoother. I think, however, that this would make a lovely audio read as well. If I didn't already own all the vintage mysteries I need for this challenge I might see about checking some out from the library in audio. Or maybe I will anyway.

But I'm getting off track. My feelings on a book often have a strong basis on the characters, and this one is no different. Mr. Frank Amberley is the amateur sleuth of the day, the guy you (the reader) are rooting for, the clever one who picks up on the smallest clues and is able to makes great bounding leaps to the correct conclusion of the mystery. He is also so arrogant and sure of himself that he not only makes the police out to be bumbling (as the blurb on the back of my copy says), but also me, the reader. Of course he has access to clues and information neither I nor the police do, and doles those clues out a bit at a time and with much condescension. It's amazing that I still liked him, but I did. I also liked his family and several others (including the poor bumbling police).

 And as for the story, beyond the slow start I found myself enthralled. In fact, at one point I was skimming ahead (unintentionally), only to realize on the next page or two that I had no clue what was going on and have to backtrack.

Overall, a motivating start to the challenge.