The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Imagination is a good servant, and a bad master.

Nevertheless, in view of the world-wide notoriety which attended it, I have been asked, both by my friend Poirot and the family themselves, to write an account of the whole story. This, we trust, will effectually silence the sensational rumours which still persist.
I will therefore briefly set down the circumstances which led to my being connected with the affair.

We had a good yarn about old times, and it ended in his inviting me down to Styles to spend my leave there.

couched in the tele­graphic style.

con­ver­sa­tion

Her con­ver

stentorian tones, and had a large sens­ible square body, with feet to match

pleas­ant-look­ing wo­man of about forty, with a deep voice

pain­ful, grip

is an ab­so­lute out­sider, any­one can see that