# John Cavendish — The Mysterious Affair at Styles character guide > John Cavendish in The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Mr. Cavendish, Cavendish, Mr. John Cavendish, Monsieur John **First appearance:** 0002-i-i-go-to-styles ## Who they are The elder son of Styles Court, a genial country squire whose easy charm masks mounting debts and a marriage straining under his mother's purse strings. ## Relationships ### [Hercule Poirot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/hercule_poirot) _professional_ Poirot interviews John as a suspect and later clears him, working alongside him to solve the crime. ### [Mary Cavendish](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/mary_cavendish) _family_ John and Mary are unhappily married, with tension and infidelity straining their relationship. ### [Emily Inglethorp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/emily_inglethorp) _family_ Emily is John's stepmother, and their relationship is tense due to her new marriage and control of the estate. ### [Evelyn Howard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/evelyn_howard) _friendship_ Evelyn and John are allies in their distrust of Alfred, sharing information and suspicions. ### [Hercule Poirot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/hercule_poirot) _professional_ Poirot interviews John as a suspect and later clears him, working alongside him to solve the crime. ### [Evelyn Howard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/evelyn_howard) _friendship_ Evelyn and John are allies in their distrust of Alfred, sharing information and suspicions. ### [Hercule Poirot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/hercule_poirot) _professional_ Poirot interviews John as a suspect and later clears him, working alongside him to solve the crime. ### [Emily Inglethorp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/emily_inglethorp) _family_ Emily is John's stepmother, and their relationship is tense due to her new marriage and control of the estate. ### [Mary Cavendish](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/mary_cavendish) _family_ John and Mary are unhappily married, with tension and infidelity straining their relationship. ### [Evelyn Howard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/evelyn_howard) _friendship_ Evelyn and John are allies in their distrust of Alfred, sharing information and suspicions. ### [Mary Cavendish](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/mary_cavendish) _family_ John and Mary are unhappily married, with tension and infidelity straining their relationship. ## In the story ### [The Mysterious Affair at Styles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/chapters/the-mysterious-affair-at-styles) Mrs. Inglethorp's stepson, who is concerned about his stepmother's marriage. ### [I: I Go to Styles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/chapters/i-i-go-to-styles) Invites Hastings to Styles; expresses resentment towards his stepmother's new husband and financial difficulties. ### [III: The Night of the Tragedy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/chapters/iii-the-night-of-the-tragedy) Takes charge of the crisis; agrees to postmortem and to Hastings' plan to involve Poirot. ### [IV: Poirot Investigates](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/chapters/iv-poirot-investigates) John meets Hastings and Poirot outside the house, looking weary, and expresses the family's desire for no publicity. He gives Poirot the keys to the locked rooms. ### [It Isn't Strychnine, Is It?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/chapters/v-it-isn-t-strychnine-is-it) Organizes funeral arrangements; discusses the will with Poirot and Mr. Wells; expresses discomfort about Alfred Inglethorp. ### [Fresh Suspicions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/chapters/viii-fresh-suspicions) Expresses relief at Inglethorp's departure; discusses financial arrangements for keeping up Styles; notes the awkwardness of having misjudged Inglethorp. ### [IX: Dr. Bauerstein](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/chapters/ix-dr-bauerstein) Angry about detectives searching the house, discusses Bauerstein's possible motive with Hastings. ### [The Arrest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/chapters/x-the-arrest) Informed by Hastings of Bauerstein's arrest; decides to keep it quiet for the moment; later tells Mary the news. ### [XI: The Case for the Prosecution](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/chapters/xi-the-case-for-the-prosecution) On trial for the murder of his stepmother; pleads not guilty; his defense is reserved. ### [XIII: Poirot Explains](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/chapters/xiii-poirot-explains) Reunited with Mary after being cleared of suspicion; his arrest was part of Poirot's plan to restore their marriage. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters/john_cavendish - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mysterious_affair_at_styles_se/characters