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The Mysterious Affair at Styles & Five Little Pigs: Two Bestselling Agatha Christie Novels in One Great Audiobook
TWO BESTSELLING MYSTERIES IN ONE GREAT PACKAGE! From the Queen of Mystery, The Mysterious Affair at Styles , in which Hercule Poirot solves his first case, and Five Little Pigs , where Poirot races to solve a case from the past. THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES Who poisoned the wealthy Emily Inglethorp and how did the murderer penetrate and escape from her locked bedroom? Suspects abound in the quaint village of Styles St. Mary—from the heiress's fawning new husband to her two stepsons, her volatile housekeeper, and a pretty nurse who works in a hospital dispensary. With impeccable timing, and making his unforgettable debut, the brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is on the case. FIVE LITTLE PIGS Beautiful Caroline Crale was convicted of poisoning her husband, but just like the nursery rhyme, there were five other “little pigs” who could have done Philip Blake (the stockbroker), who went to market; Meredith Blake (the amateur herbalist), who stayed at home; Elsa Greer (the three-time divorcée), who had her roast beef; Cecilia Williams (the devoted governess), who had none; and Angela Warren (the disfigured sister), who cried all the way home. Sixteen years later, Caroline’s daughter is determined to prove her mother’s innocence, and Poirot just can’t get that nursery rhyme out of his mind.
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Published January 11, 2022
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About the author
Agatha Christie
5,812 books75.4k followersAgatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 10, 2025
A Poirot Twofer.
I've already written separate reviews for each book, so if you're interested, I've left links to the longer version in the titles.
And while The Mysterious Affair at Styles has the honor of being Poirot's first book, I much prefer the story in Five Little Pigs. But you can't really go wrong with Poirot mysteries, so I'd still recommend both of them.
Mysterious Affair at Styles
Poirot is introduced in this book, so how can you not love it?!
Actually, pretty easily.
This simply isn't Agatha Christie's best work.
And that's mainly due to this being her first book. Yeah, so not only was she still figuring out who Poirot was, she was still figuring out this whole mystery writing gig. I mean, for her first stab at it, she did a phenomenal job. But if you go into this thing thinking you're going to get her best story, you'll more than likely be disappointed.
Sorry, Hercule.
Five Little Pigs
Poirot reopens a murder case that everyone assumes has been solved.
And solves it for real.
Because of course he does!
But don't let the title get your hopes up, there are no pigs in this story.
Recommended for fans of Agatha Christie.
I've already written separate reviews for each book, so if you're interested, I've left links to the longer version in the titles.
And while The Mysterious Affair at Styles has the honor of being Poirot's first book, I much prefer the story in Five Little Pigs. But you can't really go wrong with Poirot mysteries, so I'd still recommend both of them.
Mysterious Affair at Styles
Poirot is introduced in this book, so how can you not love it?!
Actually, pretty easily.
This simply isn't Agatha Christie's best work.
And that's mainly due to this being her first book. Yeah, so not only was she still figuring out who Poirot was, she was still figuring out this whole mystery writing gig. I mean, for her first stab at it, she did a phenomenal job. But if you go into this thing thinking you're going to get her best story, you'll more than likely be disappointed.
Sorry, Hercule.
Five Little Pigs
Poirot reopens a murder case that everyone assumes has been solved.
And solves it for real.
Because of course he does!
But don't let the title get your hopes up, there are no pigs in this story.
Recommended for fans of Agatha Christie.
April 7, 2024
Agatha Christie es increíble en su narración. Te adentra en cada una de las escenas como si la estuvieras viendo. Su recuento de los hechos te hacen sentir que estás siendo parte de lo que Hercule Poirot está experimentando.
Y mientras en mi cabeza iba descartando sospechosos, otros más se agregaban. Todo lo que iban diciendo iba acusando a los demás. Hasta que, al igual que Poirot, después de leer las cartas, todo hizo sentido y tenía al verdadero culpable.
Oh, pero cuando textualmente en el libro dijeron que "solo un tonto pensaría eso" me sentí confundida. Yo había unido cada pista. Las actitudes de los personajes encajaban perfectamente con mi teoría y había incluso sido confirmada por Poirot. O eso creía. Yo solo tenía una idea parcial de lo que había pasado.
¡Vaya! Agatha Christie lo había hecho de nuevo. Me había confirmado que ya lo tenía. Y ya lo tenía, pero solo me había dado la confianza de que yo sabía toda la verdad. Solo tenía una verdad a medias. Y terminó siendo la persona que menos esperaba. Pero, una vez que Poirot explica todo, tiene perfecto sentido. Todas las actitudes del asesino verdadero concuerdan con su personalidad y con lo que había narrado en su carta. Pero incluso así me sorprendió.
Quiero agradecer a Christie por haber escrito esta maravilla. Le dio la suficiente confianza a los lectores (a mí) para que nos creyéramos detectives y al final nos plantó los pies en la tierra. "¿Acaso creyeron que podían vencer a la maestra de los misterios? Pues yo soy la que los tiene a ustedes en la palma de mi mano". Algo así pienso que la autora debió estar pensando cuando planeó esto maquiavélicamente y amé que me bajaran de donde estaba. Es hermoso cuano un misterio se mantiene como misterio hasta que es revelado.
Y mientras en mi cabeza iba descartando sospechosos, otros más se agregaban. Todo lo que iban diciendo iba acusando a los demás. Hasta que, al igual que Poirot, después de leer las cartas, todo hizo sentido y tenía al verdadero culpable.
Oh, pero cuando textualmente en el libro dijeron que "solo un tonto pensaría eso" me sentí confundida. Yo había unido cada pista. Las actitudes de los personajes encajaban perfectamente con mi teoría y había incluso sido confirmada por Poirot. O eso creía. Yo solo tenía una idea parcial de lo que había pasado.
¡Vaya! Agatha Christie lo había hecho de nuevo. Me había confirmado que ya lo tenía. Y ya lo tenía, pero solo me había dado la confianza de que yo sabía toda la verdad. Solo tenía una verdad a medias. Y terminó siendo la persona que menos esperaba. Pero, una vez que Poirot explica todo, tiene perfecto sentido. Todas las actitudes del asesino verdadero concuerdan con su personalidad y con lo que había narrado en su carta. Pero incluso así me sorprendió.
Quiero agradecer a Christie por haber escrito esta maravilla. Le dio la suficiente confianza a los lectores (a mí) para que nos creyéramos detectives y al final nos plantó los pies en la tierra. "¿Acaso creyeron que podían vencer a la maestra de los misterios? Pues yo soy la que los tiene a ustedes en la palma de mi mano". Algo así pienso que la autora debió estar pensando cuando planeó esto maquiavélicamente y amé que me bajaran de donde estaba. Es hermoso cuano un misterio se mantiene como misterio hasta que es revelado.
July 4, 2022
I am fairly sure I have reviewed Styles at least once before so I am skipping it here
I hadn’t previously read the Five Little Pigs and I did and I liked it but I truthfully don’t recall a syllable of it
I just know as always Dame Agatha managed to misdirect me to the improper conclusion
A quick glance at another review had it coming back
A cold case a woman convicted perhaps incorrectly
Poirot gets all the principals back at the scene of crime to clear the dead woman’s name
I hadn’t previously read the Five Little Pigs and I did and I liked it but I truthfully don’t recall a syllable of it
I just know as always Dame Agatha managed to misdirect me to the improper conclusion
A quick glance at another review had it coming back
A cold case a woman convicted perhaps incorrectly
Poirot gets all the principals back at the scene of crime to clear the dead woman’s name
October 19, 2022
For "Five little pigs" only: one of Christie's best. Poirot examines a 16 year old murder case that everyone has already made up their minds about. He asks five people involved in the case to write down their recollections, setting up a Rashomon style retelling of different pieces of the same story, each colored by individual assumptions and perspectives. Rather than making consecutive accusations designed to fool the audience just for thrills, Poirot's final breakdown of events is logical and emotionally astute. Christie takes time to build up each side character's motivations, and the end result is rich in psychological analysis of human behavior.
May 11, 2022
[For Five Little Pigs] A condemned woman leaves a posthumous letter to her daughter that she was innocent of killing her philandering artist husband. The daughter asks Poirot to investigate. A very Rashomon performance by Christie who provides five different perspectives from the survivors of the fatal day. There’s a misdirection that affects the wife’s actions (and cleverly distracts the reader) and it’s all very brittle and nervy.
Here’s a question: what happens if you just don’t attend the big showdown meeting called by Poirot, Nero Wolfe et al? Especially if you’re guilty.
Here’s a question: what happens if you just don’t attend the big showdown meeting called by Poirot, Nero Wolfe et al? Especially if you’re guilty.
June 16, 2022
Only a review for Five Little Pigs
Hercule Poirot was on a cold case this time around. 5 suspects outside the convicted, 5 testimonies, all pointing to the accused.
It could be a but slow and dull at times but it was interesting to see how he put the evidence together based on eye witness testimony. I felt I should have known who it was but....I didn't want to go for the obvious and failed to guess correctly at the end haha
Overall, good read, but the end didn't satisfy me one bit. Poor Caroline deserved better. Her husband was a PIG, pun intended 😂
Hercule Poirot was on a cold case this time around. 5 suspects outside the convicted, 5 testimonies, all pointing to the accused.
It could be a but slow and dull at times but it was interesting to see how he put the evidence together based on eye witness testimony. I felt I should have known who it was but....I didn't want to go for the obvious and failed to guess correctly at the end haha
Overall, good read, but the end didn't satisfy me one bit. Poor Caroline deserved better. Her husband was a PIG, pun intended 😂
July 14, 2022
well done.
I read all the Miss Marple books over 50 years ago. Only now am I reading poison novels. And they should be read. Such good story lines! Admittedly old fashioned, slow action compared to modern murder mysteries. No gore. But the sum up is always so brilliantly done. Styles is a short read. Pigs is longer but, and I repeat myself, well done.
I read all the Miss Marple books over 50 years ago. Only now am I reading poison novels. And they should be read. Such good story lines! Admittedly old fashioned, slow action compared to modern murder mysteries. No gore. But the sum up is always so brilliantly done. Styles is a short read. Pigs is longer but, and I repeat myself, well done.
August 1, 2022
I had read The Mysterious Affair at Styles a year or two ago. So from this double volume I read only Five Little Pigs. It is a well-constructed mystery. Agatha Christie lays out all the clues in plain sight but leads you to interpret them incorrectly. The characters are real and vivid. This is a great read even if you have seen a dramatization of the story.
June 7, 2022
An interesting combination of two Agatha Christie books. The Five Little Pigs offers two versions that were published of Christie’s stories, so it’s a nice bonus. As always Poirot is at his best, and these are two of Christie’s best.
February 19, 2024
Well done
You can really tell the difference between Christie's debut novel and a later novel. Five Little Pigs was way better all around. But that does not mean that The Mysterious Affair at Styles is a bad book. Both are classics.
You can really tell the difference between Christie's debut novel and a later novel. Five Little Pigs was way better all around. But that does not mean that The Mysterious Affair at Styles is a bad book. Both are classics.
June 30, 2022
the clues are there, of course!
Five folks tell of their perspectives, each with a hidden detail. Then, the truth will out, but only as some Belgian brain cells connect the dots.
Five folks tell of their perspectives, each with a hidden detail. Then, the truth will out, but only as some Belgian brain cells connect the dots.
July 14, 2022
Needed a quick interesting read. This filled the bill.
July 22, 2022
Kindle book
January 8, 2023
Henri always solves the case
Agatha Christie always presents Mr. Poirot as an awkward but meticulous detective who always gets his person. Best of all in an enjoyable manner
Agatha Christie always presents Mr. Poirot as an awkward but meticulous detective who always gets his person. Best of all in an enjoyable manner
January 5, 2026
the story of five little pigs was really intriguing....first t time I ever read this story by Agatha Christie excellent read....
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December 19, 2023Loved the extras in the book
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews