Have you ever wondered why even the smallest detail can crack the deadliest case? Welcome to Styles Court, a stately manor tucked away in the English countryside—a setting as elegant as it is treacherous. When the wealthy matriarch Emily Inglethorp is discovered dead from strychnine poisoning, the household descends into suspicion and fear.

With the doors locked, the witnesses unreliable, and the clues conflicting, the mystery seems unsolvable. But when Captain Hastings calls upon his friend, the recently retired Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, the investigation takes a sharp turn. What follows is an ingenious unraveling of alibis, a dissection of deception, and the first stunning display of the "little grey cells" that would go on to define Poirot’s legacy.

In her debut novel, Agatha Christie introduces readers to the detective who would become a legend. With her signature flair for misdirection and plot twists, Christie constructs a puzzle that is as clever as it is gripping—a narrative that challenges readers to match wits with a master.

What you’ll discover

• The Birth of Hercule Poirot Witness the debut of one of mystery fiction’s most beloved detectives.
• A Brilliant Locked-Room Puzzle Explore a murder that defies logic, where every clue leads to deeper intrigue.
• Christie’s Trademark Twists and Turns Test your deduction skills as motives shift and alibis unravel.
• Atmosphere, Suspicion, and English Charm Step into a world of upper-class drama, subtle deceit, and sharp intellect.
• A Masterpiece of Classic Whodunit Fiction This edition presents a crisp, faithful rendering of the original 1920 mystery that launched a genre-defining career.