by Agatha Christie, adaptation by Anna Lee
- Murder Mystery
- Crime
- Thriller
- Classic
Believe it or not, this was my first audiobook. I’ve always found it hard to listen to audiobooks because I’ve had that old-fashioned notion that it’s not really reading. However, seeing their rise in popularity, I’ve started to come around to the idea. And why not start with a classic Agatha Christie adaptation?
The Mysterious Affair at Styles is set during wartime in 1914 in the English countryside. Captain Hastings (voiced by Himesh Patel) visits Styles Court—the family home of his old friend Emily Inglethorp—for a restful break from the war. But when Emily is mysteriously murdered, Hastings finds himself entangled in solving the case.
The story follows the famous Poirot (voiced by Peter Dinklage) and Captain Hastings as they work together to uncover who killed Emily Inglethorp. True to Agatha Christie’s style, there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing.
This particular audiobook features a star-studded cast, including Peter Dinklage and Himesh Patel, alongside Harriet Walter, Jessica Gunning, Phil Dunster, Rob Delaney, John Bradley, Vivian Oparah, and Patsy Ferran.
While the casting is impressive, I felt the story was slightly over-acted at times—almost too scripted to feel natural. Still, I enjoyed the performance overall and stayed engaged until the end. Peter Dinklage, in particular, stood out with his interpretation of Poirot, consistently enhancing the character’s famous accent.
The pacing was great, and at just 4 hours long, this audiobook was manageable, easy to follow, and kept me engaged throughout.
Personally, I think I prefer listening to books being read rather than dramatised versions, but that’s just my opinion. As a fan of Agatha Christie’s original works, I cherish her writing style. That said, I understand how an adaptation like this might appeal to someone less inclined to read the books.
I would recommend this audiobook to fans of dramatised storytelling or those who enjoy murder mysteries but don’t particularly like reading Agatha Christie’s original books. However, I wouldn’t recommend it to book enthusiasts who prefer sticking to the original material, as it might feel like it’s “cheating” or altering the story too much.
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