How Agatha Christie Revolutionised The Use of Poison in Crime Stories
The Choice of Strychnine in ‘The Mysterious Affair at Styles’ Was Unusual for its time
Published in 1920, The Mysterious Affair at Styles is Agatha Christie’s first novel that came from a dare from her sister Madge who challenged her to write a story.
The story begins when Hastings is sent back to England from the First World War because of an injury.
He is then invited to stay with his old friend John Cavendish and his family.
Everything is fine until John’s step-mother, Mrs. Inglethorp, dies from poisoning.
Hercule Poirot, another old friend of Hastings, then comes to investigate this case.
Poison in Agatha Christie’s Works
“Christie seemed to have a major fascination with using poison as a way for murder. In fact, over 30 characters met their death with a poison in her works.”
During Christie’s time, and specifically during the time of this novel, poison was easy to find in British homes.
People would have them in their bathroom cabinets, their kitchens, and even their gardens. Pharmacies would sell poison as medicine, and doctors would…
