"The Mysterious Affair at Styles" Quiz

Answer: Sussex

Hastings is invalided home from World War One, and a friend of his, John Cavendish, invites him to stay at Styles Court. John is married and also has a younger brother, Lawrence. They all live at Styles Court, which belongs to John's stepmother Mrs Emily Inglethorp. Emily has recently married Alfred Inglethorp who is many years younger than her, which is not popular with the other inhabitants of Styles Court.

Answer: July

Hastings likes Mary Cavendish, John's wife, immediately, and also Cynthia Murdoch. Cynthia lives at Styles, her mother was a friend of Mrs Inglethorp's, but she isn't really one of the family. Cynthia works in the dispensary of the local hospital. There is also Evelyn (Evie) Howard, Mrs Inglethorp's secretary and a distant relation to Alfred Inglethorp.

Answer: Rest cure

Doctor John Bauerstein has had a nervous breakdown. He is a London specialist, an expert on poisons. He is a good friend of Mary Cavendish. It is rumoured that Alfred Inglethorp is having an affair with Mrs Raikes, a local farmer's wife.

Answer: At the post office

After visiting Cynthia's dispensary with Lawrence, Hastings goes to the local post office and meets an old friend, Hercule Poirot. Poirot is a retired Belgian police detective and also a refugee staying in the village of Styles with seven other Belgians. Mr Inglethorp goes out after tea with Doctor Bauerstein who has called in unexpectedly. Mr Inglethorp takes his latchkey with him, so nobody needs to wait up.

Answer: Cynthia's

Lawrence awakens Hastings; his mother seems to be ill but her door is bolted. The door is finally broken down, Mrs Inglethorp is in bed, she seems to be having some sort of attack. With her dying breath she utters her husband's name. Doctor Bauerstein, who was passing, cannot help her. Mr Inglethorp is not home yet. Hastings asks John's permission to tell Poirot about the death.

Answer: Strychnine poisoning

As Hastings makes his way to Poirot, Mr Inglethorp returns to Styles. He had stayed at his friend's as he realised he did not have his latchkey after all. Poirot agrees to investigate the death. It is suspected that strychnine was added to Emily's coffee at teatime but she did not die until much later.

Answer: An empty box of sleeping pills

Poirot and Hastings find various clues as well as a fragment of a will in the grate. Poirot and Hastings also find a piece of paper with "possessed" written on it, in various sentences and in various ways. Dorcas the parlour maid overheard a quarrel between Mr and Mrs Inglethorp the day before, and also that Mrs Inglethorp mislaid her keys to the dispatch case too, so she had a new one made.

Answer: John

Poirot finds five coffee cups, from the night before, and takes a sample from each. Lawrence believes that his mother's death is due to heart failure. Mrs Inglethorp left her fortune to John in her last will but now it goes to her husband since she married. Poirot calls to the gardener; he and the under gardener signed a piece of paper for Mrs Inglethorp only the day before, and also went for a will form for her.

This was the will which was burnt in the grate.

Answer: Cocoa

At the inquest Mr Mace, the chemist, admits to selling strychnine to Mr Inglethorp the evening before the death. He had said it was to poison a dog, and he also signed the poison register. Mr Inglethorp denies doing so, and shows that his signature is different to the one in the poison register. We are also introduced to Detective Inspector James (Jimmy) Japp, who has worked with Poirot before. Poirot believes somebody was pretending to be Mr Inglethorp at the chemist, buying the strychnine.

Answer: Espionage

Later Dr Bauerstein is released with no charge, but John Cavendish is arrested before Poirot explains everything. The murderer was Alfred Inglethorp and his accomplice - who pretended to be him who purchased the strychnine at the chemist - was none other than Miss Evelyn Howard.

They were distant cousins, but they were also lovers, who planned to profit from Mrs Inglethorp's death. Poirot says that he and Hastings may hunt again one day. I hope you have enjoyed my quiz...look out for more soon!