What do you think?
Rate this book
The Early Novels: The Mysterious Affair at Styles / The Secret Adversary / The Murder on the Links
The first three novels of the Agatha Christie's world of murder-mysteries!THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLESAgatha Christie’s first ever novel. With impeccable timing Hercule Poirot, the renowned Belgian detective, makes his dramatic entrance on to the English crime stage.THE SECRET ADVERSARYAgatha Christie’s first Tommy and Tuppence mystery adventure. Tommy and Tuppence, two young people short of money and restless for excitement, embark on a daring business scheme – Young Adventurers Ltd. Their advertisement says they are ‘willing to do anything, go anywhere’. But their first assignment, for the sinister Mr. Whittington, plunges them into more danger than they ever imagined…MURDER ON THE LINKSAn urgent cry for help brings Poirot to France. But he arrives too late to save his client, whose brutally stabbed body now lies face downwards in a shallow grave on a golf course.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1923
171 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Christie
5,798 books75k 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
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 16, 2019
The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Secret Adversary and The Murder on the Kinks.
July 11, 2019
All three of the stories in this book were delightful to read, if it’s not weird to say that about a murder mystery? I’ve read a number of Agatha Christi books as a teen but I really enjoyed reading her first three mysteries in sequence as well as learning more about what inspired each story. The Secret Adversary is more of a spy story and is definitely my favourite so far. She has such a gift for unexpected twists!
May 11, 2023
Three novels in one book. The first 'Mysterious affair at Styles' is Christies first novel where we're introduced to Poirot & Hastings. Second is ' the Secret Adversary' the first Tommy & Tuppence novel and thirdly ' Murder on the Links' featuring Poirot & Hastings. All three books I've read before and really enjoyed. Very much written in the language of the time which adds to the settings of each book. Would recommend to anyone starting their Agatha Christie journey.
January 11, 2013
Agatha Christie is an author of great repute and the four books in this volume were not disappointing. All of them have a murderer who is almost impossible to guess because of her style of writing. I got it wrong every time. I really liked all the stories especially 'The secret adversary'.
May 24, 2025
Bought this book few years ago, but somehow hadn't picked it up, but read it this month and I loved it. I've read few of her other books previously most of which were Poirot, it was good to know where it all began. The Mysterious affair at styles was beautifully crafted and is a proof how talented Christie was. Hastings's and Poirot's friendship was also a highlight of this book. The secret adversary was a more of a suspense story, it introduces the characters Tuppence and Tommy, a great pair of normal friends who have some quite so not normal experiences. This was my most favorite among the three. The last one is 'murder on the links', we again meet our old friends Poirot and Hastings, although the plot felt a bit underwhelming but Poirot and his little grey cells shine through it.
March 30, 2021
Wonderful Collection of Agatha Christie
This is a great group of three Agatha Christie books. It's fun going back in time with these classic mysteries. The narration was great, the only complaint I had was the voice for detective Poirot which at times sounded a bit like a French pirate... outside of that I really enjoyed the books. If you like classic mysteries or are a fan of Agatha Christie then you'll love this set of three books, and for one credit you can't beat it!
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
This is a great group of three Agatha Christie books. It's fun going back in time with these classic mysteries. The narration was great, the only complaint I had was the voice for detective Poirot which at times sounded a bit like a French pirate... outside of that I really enjoyed the books. If you like classic mysteries or are a fan of Agatha Christie then you'll love this set of three books, and for one credit you can't beat it!
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
May 12, 2025
3 of Agatha’s First
This collection is a great introduction to 2 of her best series - Poirot and Tommy and Tuppense. All three stories are excellent who-dunits and classic period pieces. Plus the mysteries are full of delightful plot twists. I’m sure Christie fans have already read these classics but for those of you unfamiliar with her work (is that even possible) or would like to see what the legend is about, this is a great introduction and will hook you for sure!
This collection is a great introduction to 2 of her best series - Poirot and Tommy and Tuppense. All three stories are excellent who-dunits and classic period pieces. Plus the mysteries are full of delightful plot twists. I’m sure Christie fans have already read these classics but for those of you unfamiliar with her work (is that even possible) or would like to see what the legend is about, this is a great introduction and will hook you for sure!
April 10, 2022
audible:I was not too excited by the stories but the narration was ok.I do not think I'm a fan of the classics.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review
April 30, 2020
Just brilliant
It is a sublime experience to be an observer in this wonderful adventure. One of my best reading experiences. Cant recomend it enough!
It is a sublime experience to be an observer in this wonderful adventure. One of my best reading experiences. Cant recomend it enough!
April 4, 2025
Couldn’t put it down near the end of each story. My favorite was either secret adversary or murder on the slopes.
December 19, 2023
I could cry over how much I loved Tommy and Tuppence, "a bantering pair of 1920s bright young things who solve a mystery while falling for each other". I'm totally smitten 🤭 The Secret Adversary really was the standout story for me - so twisty and whip smart - and I want to read the following four books about the pair asap!
November 1, 2019
Eeeeeeehhhhhhh.....
I’m a fan of Agatha Christie, make no mistake. And Then There Were None is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read, and I really like Hercule Poirot as a character. As such, I thought this collection of Christie’s first three novels would be quite exemplary, especially since the first is a Poirot mystery!
Turns out it took Christie a while to get her writing groove.
Full disclosure: I only made it about 100 pages into the first book, and even though there’s only about 80 or so pages left, I can’t bring myself to finish it.
Why? Well, I literally keep nodding off whenever I try reading a few pages of it. I’m so uninterested in what’s happening, all I can think of while reading is how much more fun either sleeping or reading something else would be. Christie’s characters here are rather dreadfully written. No one has a unique voice, leading to me being very confused about which character is speaking at any one time, much less remembering which character is who.
Christie is amazing at mysteries, but the mystery here is presented so blandly that it hurts. The exact same information is reiterated so freaking many times in the span of a few pages that it became a slog of a thing to keep my eyes on.
On a personal note, I hated our POV character in this book. He was so snobbish and condescending towards Poirot (calling him old, senile, funny in the head, etc. ) and was so smuggishly convinced that he was right that I almost wanted him to be the villain so he could be taken down a peg or two.
The other two books could be much better, I suppose, but it hardly matters to me. I’m passing on finishing this one and would encourage you to find any of Christie’s innumerable later works; any would be better than this.
I’m a fan of Agatha Christie, make no mistake. And Then There Were None is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read, and I really like Hercule Poirot as a character. As such, I thought this collection of Christie’s first three novels would be quite exemplary, especially since the first is a Poirot mystery!
Turns out it took Christie a while to get her writing groove.
Full disclosure: I only made it about 100 pages into the first book, and even though there’s only about 80 or so pages left, I can’t bring myself to finish it.
Why? Well, I literally keep nodding off whenever I try reading a few pages of it. I’m so uninterested in what’s happening, all I can think of while reading is how much more fun either sleeping or reading something else would be. Christie’s characters here are rather dreadfully written. No one has a unique voice, leading to me being very confused about which character is speaking at any one time, much less remembering which character is who.
Christie is amazing at mysteries, but the mystery here is presented so blandly that it hurts. The exact same information is reiterated so freaking many times in the span of a few pages that it became a slog of a thing to keep my eyes on.
On a personal note, I hated our POV character in this book. He was so snobbish and condescending towards Poirot (calling him old, senile, funny in the head, etc. ) and was so smuggishly convinced that he was right that I almost wanted him to be the villain so he could be taken down a peg or two.
The other two books could be much better, I suppose, but it hardly matters to me. I’m passing on finishing this one and would encourage you to find any of Christie’s innumerable later works; any would be better than this.
August 31, 2013
I have just completed "Agatha Christie Omnibus - 1920s Volume One"
This contains her first three novels: a) The Mysterious Affairs At Styles. b) The Secret Adversary and c) Murder On the Links
A.C. Introduces Hercule Poirot as the detective in Sherlock Holmes tradition, in the first story. Captain Arthur Hastings as the chroniclers of the stories, the counterpart of Dr.Watson.
Too many evidences scattered causing more confusion, till Poirot solves the mystery. Somehow or other I was not impressed, being an ardent fan of Sherlock Holmes.
In her second story she introduces two young dauntless pair - Tommy and Tuppence - as detectives. This is a spy story. While reading the first few chapters, you feel that you are reading a P.G.Wodehouse story. The story is interesting throughout due to the Wodehousian style. I liked this very much.
In the third story, Hercule Poirot is reintroduced. This is better presented than the first one. But the story appeared to have ended and restarted at various places. The logic in analysing the evidences is good.
But A.C.abandoned the chronicler by marrying him off in this story.
I consider this as a collectors' edition, since this contains her first three novels
This contains her first three novels: a) The Mysterious Affairs At Styles. b) The Secret Adversary and c) Murder On the Links
A.C. Introduces Hercule Poirot as the detective in Sherlock Holmes tradition, in the first story. Captain Arthur Hastings as the chroniclers of the stories, the counterpart of Dr.Watson.
Too many evidences scattered causing more confusion, till Poirot solves the mystery. Somehow or other I was not impressed, being an ardent fan of Sherlock Holmes.
In her second story she introduces two young dauntless pair - Tommy and Tuppence - as detectives. This is a spy story. While reading the first few chapters, you feel that you are reading a P.G.Wodehouse story. The story is interesting throughout due to the Wodehousian style. I liked this very much.
In the third story, Hercule Poirot is reintroduced. This is better presented than the first one. But the story appeared to have ended and restarted at various places. The logic in analysing the evidences is good.
But A.C.abandoned the chronicler by marrying him off in this story.
I consider this as a collectors' edition, since this contains her first three novels
March 30, 2014
It was a good book and a very enjoyable one
September 3, 2023
Enjoyed re-reading all three - I had forgotten how Murder on the Links ended, so it was a nice surprise.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews