The Murder on the Orient Express

Hercule Poirot #10

by Agatha Christie

One of Agatha Christie’s most famous mysteries, Murder on the Orient Express was inspired by two real-life crimes and the author’s own experience being stranded on the Orient Express during Christmas of 1931. While traveling to Paris, a wealthy American is stabbed to death in his cabin on the Orient Express. With the train stuck in a snowdrift, there is no easy escape for the killer. Fortunately, detective Hercule Poirot is aboard and launches a clever investigation into the curious assortment of passengers, of whom each seems to have a motive.

Genres: Mystery, Classics, Fiction, Agatha Christie, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

198 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1934

About the author

Agatha 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)

Reviews

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m pretty astounded by how much fun this was.

I mean, this may be just me, but “early-to-mid-twentieth century mystery about train crime” doesn’t exactly scream nonstop thrill ride. But here we are!

I’m also not sure why it took me so long to write this review (two months, to be exact, so actually not that long for me but still) but again, here we are.

I don’t actually really want to say much on this book, which is astounding in its own right because my number one hobby is making up various excuses for me to wax romantic on various subjects and generally listen to myself.

But! In this case, that would be bad. Because a lot of the rad-ness of this book is due to the twist, but the Last Thing I Ever Want To Do is spoil this twist for you. Maybe this book will not sound fun because of my saintly consideration of your twist enjoyment, but you should just tuck away in your head that it’s completely cool ok???

Let’s discuss the very limited number of things I won’t feel bad about disclosing.

For one thing, the way this is constructed is very fun?? It takes you through the thought process of Hercule Poirot (Extremely Cool Belgian Detective - capitalized due to its being his official, government-ordained title) as he analyzes the sitch. So it kind of feels like you’re a detective too, and if that’s not the dream I don’t know what is.

If you can look me in the eyes (but please don’t, I’d like to keep these relationships strictly internet-based thanks) and tell me you wouldn’t drop everything immediately in order to become a detective and/or international spy full time, you are not someone I’m interested in knowing thanks.

Agatha Christie’s writing style is also really sharp and clean (which I can detect but nevereverever apply to myself, apparently). That’s probably why her books aged so well. This one definitely did, at least.

I think some people were rubbed the wrong way (horrific expression my apologies) by the constant discussion of race/nationality as an inherent and generalized part of people’s individual psychology. That would’ve upset me, probably, if it weren’t applied to e v e r y b o d y. Like, if white people got the easy way out, one, what else would be new, and two, that would be the worst ever.

Instead, every point of origin mentioned (Africa, England, America, France) is given its own psychoanalytic significance. Which is honestly interesting to read about, if only from a historical standpoint.

Are you guys proud of me for how well I remembered this book after two months??? I am visibly prouder of myself for remembering three things about a novel I genuinely enjoyed than most scientists are after major breakthroughs.

Which is incredibly on-brand for me.

Bottom line: Quick fun historical well-written! I could’ve replaced this whole review with those adjectives and been much more convincing.

---------------
pre-review

THAT WAS AMAZING THAT WAS AMAZING THAT WAS AMAZING!

(I hope you read that in Aziz Ansari's voice. Reevaluate your life if otherwise.)

review to come

---------------
currently-reading updates

my hobbies include: hopping on bandwagons

[Yun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder on the Orient Express is arguably Agatha Christie's most famous Poirot story, and for good reason.

Our Belgian detective is aboard the fabled Orient Express when a snowstorm stops the train on its tracks. When morning comes, it is discovered that a passenger has been stabbed to death in his locked compartment. With the snow outside, it becomes clear that the murderer must still be on the train, and it is up to Poirot to figure out who it is.

This is my favorite type of murder mystery—a locked room. The suspects have nowhere to go and the guilty party must be one of them. What follows is a brilliantly twisty whodunnit with red herrings and interesting characters who all have something to hide. And when the solution is revealed, I'm blown away by the cleverness and how the clues were there all along.

The only quibble I have is that Poirot goes and interviews each person one by one, which is then recorded in detail. This format is pretty common in quite a few Poirot books, but it isn't my preferred style. It can get boring and repetitive to hear each person describe the same event with just a slightly different spin. But that's usually over soon enough, and then we can get back to the exciting parts.

I first started reading Agatha Christie in 8th grade, partly to learn English and partly because my younger self found murders fascinating. Thus began my love affair with Agatha Christie and she remains one of my favorite authors of all time. Often books we enjoy in our childhood do not hold up to rereadings as an adult, but this one sure does.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
Death on the Nile
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
~~~~~~~~~~~~

✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

When all the other little girls wanted to be princesses - do you know what I wanted to be? And no, it wasn't a vampire, either... it was...


HERCULE POIROT'S SIDEKICK!!!



The fact that I actually took the time to edit my face into that picture should tell you something about a) my Poirot love, and b) the kind of hopelessly boring day I have suffered through :D

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Agatha Christie novel and it definitely did not disappoint! I was not expecting that ending, which is obviously a good thing in a murder mystery story, but I am proud of myself for picking up on some other clues. I am so impressed by how she was able to weave this intricate of a story in only 200 pages and I can't wait to pick up another one of her novels in the future!

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars to Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. I chose to read this Christie spectacular after finishing "And There Were None." She's such a treasure - never disappoints.

A train. A murder. Multiple suspects. Nearly an alibi for everyone. But wait, there's a motive for everyone. How did this seemingly impossible murder occur? Hercule Poirot knows.

Well, I'm glad he did because I was stumped! But with good reason as this plot twist will have your knickers locked down (and not just in a bunch!).

The plot is just too delicious. The characters are just fascinating. No modern day electronics. No ability to research anything other than by asking questions. And Christie wrote this nearly 100 years ago. That's why it's a 5 for me -- it's pure good storytelling without anything in the way.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder on the Orient Express is one of Agatha Christie's most well-known and beloved works.



Adapted numerous times for radio, film and television, in addition to inspiring countless writers and filmmakers, most people have at least a cursory understanding of what this story entails.

A classic whodunit, with Christie's signature-styling, this is one of the stories that sealed my fate as a Reader.



I adore Hercule Poirot and grew up binging Christie's works. I read this book as a child, and of course, have watched a couple of the movie adaptations.



In spite of that, I still had a rollicking good time reading this again. There is something so satisfying about the ending of this one. I could never dream up a better conclusion.

I think if you are looking to get into Christie's books, this is an excellent starting point as I feel it is a perfect example of her method!



Highly recommend!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023
I don't know why, but I tear up at the end of this one. every. single. time.
It's not a sad a book and there are zero reasons for me to sniffle, but it always happens. Am I the only one?
I can't be the only one, can I?



2016
If you've never read one of her books, this one sums up the Agatha Christie experience quite nicely.
As in: a lot of her mysteries are seemingly unsolvable.
Don't bother trying, because it will only infuriate you when you find out that the answer to the whodunnit is something far-fetched & entirely unbelievable.
And yet...you believe it.
Roll with it, I say! Just trust that the little Belgian detective will eventually make everything all right, and settle in for a cute (albeit old-timey) mystery.



I'm not gonna bore you with a plot synopsis, but if you're a fan of stories that take place on trains, child killers getting shanked, and plenty of stereotypes thrown in for good measure...then this is the book for you!

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're on a train (or boat, or island), planning to commit a nice, unsolvable murder, and you find out Hercule Poirot is one of the guests . . . Just change your plans. That is all.



I'd like to know if anyone has ever solved this particular murder mystery. It's mind-boggling, and deservedly one of Agatha Christie's better-known books.

[Mohammed Arabey · Rating 5 out of 5]

*للقطارات سحر غامض تحدي الزمن*
دائما يلهب خيال المبدعين. والت ديزني رسم ميكي ماوس لأول مرة في القطار، جي كي رولينج فكرت في ملحمتها هاري بوتر اثناء ركوبها القطار
اجاثا كريستي استلهمت رائعتها جريمة قطار الشرق السريع في رحلة لها علي متن ذلك القطار المهيب العابر للدول والقارات


*وللرواية البوليسية سحر غامض تحدي الزمن*
واجاثا كريستي لها روائع في هذا المجال، وجريمة قطار الشرق السريع احدها
بعربة قطار ملئ بالشخصيات المختلفة المتباينة..وامرأة غامضة ترتدي كيمونو احمر تجوب العربة ليلا

لدرجة انه بعد 75 عاما من كتابتها سيحولها كينيث براناه -بروفيسر لوكهارت في هاري بوتر ومخرج اعادة سندريلا لديزني من عامين- لفيلم جديد ضخم في 2017

برغم من ان فيلما تم انتاجه من قبل لكنه هذه المرة سيقوم هو، برناه، بدور المحقق بوارو وجوني ديب في دور راتشيت...الذي ستدور حوله الاحداث
مع ميشيل فايفر، مدام جودي دانيش وغيرها من النجوم المتالقين

لتكون بجانب انها من أهم الروايات البوليسية التي باعت الآلاف النسخ، تم تحويلها للسينما والراديو والتلفزيون بل ولعبة فيديو

** القــصـــة **
~~~~~~~~

مع 13 شخصية بعربة قطار نوم من قطارات الشرق السريع المتجهة من اسطنبول الي لندن، ينجح بوارو بصعوبة ان ينضم لهم في حجز مكان بها، الفضل لصديقه وأحد رؤساء شركة قطارات النوم السيد بوك ، وهناك أيضا الدكتور الذي سينضم لهم للتحقيقات
القطار يتوقف بسبب الجليد...وجريمة قتل تحدث لشخصية حاولت الاستنجاد من قبل ببوارو ولكنه لم يرق له من اول وهلة


وتبدأ التحقيقات الكلاسيكية ... لتلك القضية المعقدة
والتي لا تنفك تزداد تعقيدا بمختلف روايات الركاب المختلفين في النوع والجنس والعمر والطبقات الاجتماعية بشكل رهيب

السيدة شبارد الظريفة تؤكد أن أحدهم كان بحجرتها
واقاويل مختلفة عن شخص متنكر في ملابس مراقب عربة قطار قصير اسمر ذو صوت نسائي
وبوارو نفسه وغيره يلمحون امرأة غامضة غريبة طويلة ترتدي رداء نوم احمر ذو نقوش يابانية تتجول بالعربة ليلا

ياللغموض، ياللغرابة
ياللتعقيدات التي تواجه بوارو
وتواجهنا معه


وبشكل روتيني ناخذ اقاويل الركاب ، نفتش حقائبهم، يجلس بوارو ليفكر
تعمل خلايا عقله الرمادية
يضغط علي الجميع بناء علي ملاحظاته
يكتشف حقائق
يفجر مفاجأت
وربما تلك هي اللغز الوحيد الذي ينتهي بحلين مختلفين تماما
فإيهم ستختار

لا تقلق لم أحرق لك شيئا
ولنر لمحة من الشخصيات

------------

** الشخــصــيـات **
---------

الشخصيات الأثني عشر غاية في التباين والغرابة

بوارو عبقري كالعادة بخلايا عقله الرمادية

السيد بوك صديقه الوسيم صاحب شركة عربات قطار النوم يحاول ان يفكر معه طول الوقت بشكل رزين لا يخلو من النمطية

السيدة شببارد تقريبا كانت افضل شخصية وجميل ان تخيلتها بشخصية ميشيل فايفر التي ستقوم بدورها..الحوار كان ظريف جدا وكوميدي خفف كثيرا من قتامة ورعب جو الاحتجاز في القطار مع الجثة

الانسة ماري شخصية بسيطة ولكنها قوية بنفس الوقت، تصويرها اعجبني جدا وللاسف دار حولها الكثير من الشك

الاميرة العجوز دراجومروف بعنجهيتها المحببة للنفس، وقولها ان القدر هو الذي رتب وجود المحقق البارع بوارو في ذلك التوقيت

والسيد راتشيت الذي سيحيرنا طوال الأحداث

--------------

** جو الأحداث **
----------

كما قلت، للقطارات سحر
بالاخص اذا كنت ستقضي فيه وقتا ، اياما بلياليها، مع شخصيات مختلفة

وللقطارات هيبة ورهبة
مازلت أتذكر تلبية ابي اخيرا لطلبي لركوب القطار الذي كنت احب عندما ياخذني لمحطة مصر لرؤيته..وبمجرد ان تحرك ونحن علي متنه بدأ الهلع واصرخ وابكي واقول لا اريد ان أسافر -رغم ان المحطة التالية الي بعد 10 دقائق ولكن كيف لي ان اعرف وقتها-
ولكن الرهبة الاكير مع الشعور بالاحتجاز من الجليد العاصف

وقد جائت فكرة الرواية عندما حدث الأمر في قطار الشرق كانت تستقله اجاثا كريستي وقد احتجزته الامطار والسيول 24 ساعة كاملة مع ركاب مختلفين استلهمت منهم تلك الشخصيات في قطار روايتها
وزادت عليهم جثة ومراقب عربة قصير غامض وامرأة طويلة بالكيمونو الاحمر اكثر غموضا


☆☆☆☆☆

وكما قلت للروايات البوليسية سحر
وتقريبا هذه الرواية في بناءها السردي كانت كلاسيكية وبسيطة، بلا أحداث واماكن كثيرة...بل 95% من الاحداث تدور في مكان واحد، القطار المحتجز، في غرفة الطعام أغلب الأحداث... بل وتدور في يوم وليلة تقريبا

ومع ذلك حبكتها معقدة ورهيبة لا تصدر الا عن ملكة الجريمة والغموض

يظهر جدا اجواء المعاصرة لوقت كتابة الرواية، 1934، الاختلافات السياسية في الثلاثينات، كذكر عصبة الامم، عداوة مستترة فجة بين الامريكان والانجليز المحافظين غالبا بسبب خلافات مابعد الحرب العظمي
وكذلك عمل الكثير من الاجانب ببغداد وحلب، سوريا والعراق، والكولونيل الانجليزي المقيم اغلب الوقت بالهند

بل وأن تيمة اختطاف الاطفال الموجودة هنا مبنية علي حدث اختطاف طفل في 1932 وانتحار المربية برغم تبرئتها

☆☆☆☆☆

وأعود لما قلته من قبل، لاجاثا كريستي نفسها سحر

فرغم الشعور انها رواية قديمة، او كلاسيكية البناء، حيث حتي يغلب علي اغلب الحوارات التي يقولها الشخصيات شئ من التطويل احيانا
رغم كل هذا فإنني ظللت مشدودا طوال الاحداث، لا تطويل غير مبرر ولاحشو...كل شئ في مكانه

والصفحات الاخيرة نجحت في رسم ابتسامة كبيرة علي وجهي، ظلت تتسع حتي كدت أن اضحك بصوت عالي في القطار -ترام الرمل- حتي اغلقت الرواية ونزلت المحطة ظلت تلك الابتسامة للنهاية العبقرية حقا والغير متوقعة

فلتلك النهايات...سحر


محمد العربي
في قطار الشرق السريع لثلاث ليالي من 5 اكتوبر 2016
الي 7 اكتوبر 2016

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A train stopped at midnight in the snow.
A dead body found in a compartment.
Twelve stab wounds leave no doubt it was murder.
And Hercule Poirot, tasked with solving the crime, is certain the culprit is a passenger on the Orient Express.

The first clue that Murder on the Orient express will be a laborious read arrives shortly after the murder victim is discovered. Among the clues is a scrap of paper which reads “– member little Daisy Armstrong.” From this clue, Poirot leaps to an illogical conclusion that serves as the foundation for the remainder of the book.

The message on the scrap of paper leads Poirot to assert that the murder victim is a man named Cassetti who is wanted for the murder of an innocent girl named Daisy Armstrong. This connection makes about as much sense as finding a scrap of paper that reads, “– member Ms. J.K. Rowling” and assuming the person it belonged to is the long-lost fourth child of the world-renowned author. Poirot makes the connection between the scrap of paper and the murder victim with unbearable convenience.

Equally baffling is Poirot’s assertion that the murderer could not have exited through the open train window because there are no footprints in the snow. Is it so unfathomable that the murderer might have gone out the window and sidled along the train or even climbed atop it? Such oversights leave readers to wonder if Christie intends to misdirect her audience or if her leading man isn’t as bright as he first appears.

Poirot dismisses probable explanations, clings to his illogical assumption about the murder victim, and proceeds to investigate the crime by interviewing every passenger on the train in a designated room. He regales each passenger with his outlandish conclusion, stating it as stone-cold fact, and observes their reactions. Reading through the same set of questions over and over again is a wearisome act, one that grows more tiresome when one remembers that characters could very well be lying, making the entire exercise feel like wasted time.

When this repetitive process finally concludes, Poirot then interviews every passenger again while digging through their luggage in their individual compartments. Couldn’t he have interviewed them in their compartments to begin with? Was it necessary to drag out this process?

After Poirot completes his lengthy interview process, he regales his audience with the solution to the mystery. Those hoping to solve the case themselves will be sorely disappointed, as Poirot’s ability to pinpoint the murderer is dependent on information that’s unavailable to the reader, and the answer to who stabbed the victim borders on absurd. However, despite the improbability of the reveal, Christie’s book leaves a lasting impression because of the uncomfortable questions it raises about justice.

Murder on the Orient Express is a tedious read that reaches an unlikely, albeit unexpected, conclusion – one that lingers because of its themes.

[Nayra.Hassan · Rating 5 out of 5]

من الصعب حقا ؛أن تقرأ رواية بوليسية ممتازة لمرتين

[Tina Haigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, ladies and gentlemen, that was fantastic! I mean, what can I say? Agatha Christie was a genius. So is David Suchet who narrated the audiobook (and played Poirot in the TV show).

This story is set on a filled to capacity train, heading from Stamboul (Istanbul) to London. It's the middle of winter and the snow has built up on the tracks and forced the train to a standstill on its way through Yugoslavia (an area that is now in Croatia). This is when the murder is discovered, which luckily for me (I can be impatient) happens within the first 50 pages.

There are so many characters in this. It was a little difficult to keep them all straight but Suchet's voices helped. Let's start with the characters who aren't suspects. We have, naturally, Hercule Poirot, detective extraordinaire, Monsieur Bouc, the Wagon-Lits director, and Poirot's old friend, Dr. Constantine, a doctor on the train, Pierre Michel, the conductor of the Stamboul-Calais coach, and Ratchett, the victim. Bouc is the one more quick to jump to conclusions whereas Poirot is very methodical and waits till he has all the information and all the clues fit before committing to the assignment of guilt.

Now for the possible murderers. Of course, all of the passengers on the train are suspects. We have Hector MacQueen, Ratchett's secretary, Edward Masterman, Ratchett's valet, Mrs. Hubbard, Greta Ohlsson, Princess Dragamiroff and her maid, Hildegarde Schmidt, the Count and Countess Andrenyi, Colonel Arbuthnot, Mr. Hardman, Antonio Foscarelli, and Mary Debenham. There are lots of interviews, collecting of evidence, and taking notes. I liked how Poirot, Bouc, and Dr. Constantine kept going over the evidence with each other. The repetition of the clues helped me keep track of all of them. With so many suspects the evidence kept going in circles and making my head spin. I had a few theories but for the first time ever one of them was right! I didn't know why I was right until Poirot started to piece things together but once he did the answer was quite clear. I felt like the conclusion was the proper way to end the story as well.

Agatha Christie never fails to impress me with her ingenuity. I plan on reading many more of her novels in the near future. As Poirot would say, I pray you, join me.

[Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

”The train, it is as dangerous as a sea voyage!”

So, this was my first Agatha Christie book and considering how much fun I had while I read it, it definitely won’t be my last. ;-)

Yes, you read correctly and your mind didn’t play tricks on you:

I had F.U.N!!!

I actually enjoyed reading this so much I constantly found myself giggling with delight! *lol* I swear there’s nothing better than a mystery or a puzzle you need to solve and I guess in this particular case it might have even been both! ;-P
There were so many hints and inconsistencies that my head was literally spinning but being the curious person I am, I still tried my very best to be perceptive and to collect all those little treats. XD
By the end of the book I felt like a squirrel, gathering all the pieces until I was finally able to make sense of them! *lol* And somehow, I don’t even know how, I actually did it!!! ;-P

Maybe to watch eight seasons of “Castle” and all the Sherlock Holmes series and movies eventually paid off? Who knows!? *LOL*

All I know is that I solved the mystery and I’m so damn happy I’m still grinning and laughing like crazy!!!
24 hours after finishing the book! XD

”Bughouse – that’s what this business is – bughouse!”

Yes, I couldn’t agree more and since I don’t want to spoil anyone who still wants to read the book, I’ll write down my thoughts in this nice and tiny spoiler section! *lol*
Detectives you’ve been warned! ;-P

The solution and ending:
”If so and so is lying, on what point are they lying and what is the reason for the lie?”

I don’t even know how often I asked myself this question throughout the entire book, it must have been pretty often though! *lol* I was always certain that it was more than one person who killed Ratchett and at some point I suspected everyone to be the murderer. XD
Even the doctor and the conductor! Haha!

And I think it was exactly that moment when I finally realised that I was right, because as soon as I thought it, I instantly latched onto the conductors testimony and from there on everything fell into place. ;-)

I knew he must have lied and therefore been involved in the crime and then I thought about all those little hints I collected so carefully. The weapon in the spongebag, the mention of the actress, the door that was open, the incriminating pipe cleaner, the familiarity between Colonel Arbuthnot and Mary Debenham, the number of wounds on the victim and especially the remarkable difference of those mentioned stab wounds, … the list could go on and on! *lol*

Once I made the connection with the Princess, it wasn’t all too hard to figure who the Countess was and after analysing every character that was on the train I came to the same conclusion as Poirot! ;-) Sure, there were some clues and hints I didn’t get, but in the end it seems like I was able to find the most important ones. XD

I think the only thing I didn’t like was the ending. >_<
It was rather abrupt and the righteous woman in me wasn’t okay with the way things were handled. I mean yes, it seems like Ratchett was a monster and they all had a very good reason to end his life. (Some more than others…) I don’t like the idea that they were let off the hook so easily though. I mean it was murder after all! There should have been a consequence. If everyone would take the law into their hands our society would fall into pieces! There’s a reason we have laws and courts.
Well, that’s just my subjective opinion though. I know some people will say it’s just a book and that’s okay with me! ;-) I just felt a need to point it out because it really left a bad taste in my mouth. XD Guess that’s the superhero in me speaking. *lol*

All things considered I really enjoyed “Murder on the Orient Express” and I can easily recommend it to everyone who loves to get their mind into a knot! *lol* This book most certainly will keep you on your toes! Be careful not to slip! ;-P

[Brina · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023: My daughter discovered Agatha Christie this year. I’d like to say that she is following in my footsteps. We have read a lot of the same mysteries this year and enjoyed bouncing ideas off of each other. When I mentioned that my junior high teacher introduced me to Agatha Christie at the same age she is now, she agreed to finally read my favorite one of them all. It is this case, what I call Christie’s opus that got things started for me back in seventh grade, and I am thrilled to be passing my love for that famous Belgian detective onto my daughter. A bonus is that I caught intricacies this time around, but it’s only been five times. One of these times I might actually solve a case before Hercule Poirot, or maybe I won’t or he wouldn’t be Hercule Poirot.


2019: It is three days before Chanukah break and my house will be full. Thankfully, even if it’s for four and a half days, all my kids are off at the same time. That 875 page Pulitzer winner, as much as I’d love to read it, admittedly is not going to happen. Between cleaning and guests and the football team that graces my avatar here, I do not have much “brain power” left for anything that requires higher level thinking. A favorite author Anna Quindlen notes that reading leads to rereading leads to writing, and the librarian at check out told me that there is nothing wrong with rereading a book if it’s a choice between that or not reading at all. Mysteries have long been my preferred palette cleanser of choice in between denser reads. A quick whodunit allows me to think without thinking too much, especially if the author follows a formula. In this hectic time I decided to turn my ultimate comfort reading author, the Queen of Crime, Dame Agatha Christie.

According to my edition of Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie has been published more than all but two books in history, Shakespeare and the Bible. She first introduced her famous Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot in the 1920s in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and added Miss Jane Marple to the world in the 1930s. I have been reading Poirot cases or watching the David Suchet television shows for years. Christie’s books are from nearly one hundred years ago and are harmless enough to allow middle school children to read. I first exposed my oldest daughter to Poirot two years ago and she admits that Christie is the easiest classic to follow. My first taste of Poirot was in seventh grade language arts class when I read Murder on the Orient Express for the first time. Written in 1934, it is the standard barer for all of Poirot’s cases and has been adapted to the big screen twice. Knowing the outcome reading for a third time allowed me to look at the intricacies of the case rather than focusing on whodunit, making this reading all the more enjoyable.

Hercule Poirot is traveling through the Bosporus when a telegram from London recalls him. The Belgian detective encounters an acquaintance Monsieur Bouc in an Istanbul hotel lobby who assists him in securing passage on the fabled Orient Express. Although it is the winter, all sixteen compartments on the train are booked, yet Bouc insures Poirot a spot on the trip. As with other cases, detecting seems to find Poirot wherever he is, whether it is vacationing on a beach or visiting a friend in a rural village. Somehow a murder just has to happen when Poirot is present, as though the murderer is trying to outsmart the Belgian sleuth, stating “come find me, tell me how you know what just occurred.” Of course, within the first twenty four hours of the full Orient Express trip through Europe, a man is murdered. Even more conveniently, the train runs into a snow drift and is stalled so the murderer has no way of escaping. Monsieur Bouc enlists Poirot’s help in solving the case, and he uses his little gray cells to outsmart both his assistants and the perpetrators of this crime.

Because I know who murdered Mr Ratchett, I focused instead on the little details from Poirot’s body language to how he detected of each of passengers was telling the truth or not. At the scene of the crime, a note stated “remember Daisy Armstrong.” Poirot fills us in that this had been a horrendous case of kidnapping and murdering a baby, starting a ripple effect in which the rest of the family died. Anyone associated with the family was heartbroken, and the victim on the train is none other than the Armstrong murderer under an assumed name. Poirot figured this out immediately and began to piece together who could be associated with the crime based on the characters of all stripes who happened to be on the train with him. I have always been most intrigued with the actress Linda Arden and the H on a handkerchief that Poirot figures out the identity of the owner steps before anyone else. Even those who work with him are amazed at how he determines who did what, often stopping him during explanations to say, “this cannot be true.” Alas, as Poirot would say, it is true mon cher, and that is why he has been the world’s most famous detective for decades.

Dame Agatha Christie paved the way for generations of crime writers, who admit to admiring her work. In many cases Christie purposely leaves out a clue until the end so that her readers would have to read the entire case guessing whodunit. This usually takes place more with Miss Marple, but Poirot has had his experience withholding evidence as well. Usually the cases leave me baffled and when I read for the first time years ago, the ending here left me scratching my head. Now, I can envision the end to the 1970s version of the movie and say aha, Poirot is absolutely correct. Even when the Queen of Crime deliberately leaves out a clue, her mysteries rank among my all time favorites. Both Poirot and Miss Marple allow me to use my little gray cells without overthinking in between denser reads. Murder on the Orient Express ranks as one of my all time favorites and is always a pleasure to revisit, especially during the more hectic times in my life.

5 stars

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wahoo! I'm finally going to read a Poirot book! I have the complete blu-ray box set and love this series so much! And now I get start on one of the books! =) ♥



The wonderful Hercule Poirot can not ever go on any holidays without someone being murdered. But, never-the-less he will figure it out.



And a murder has taken place upon the Orient Express.



The man murdered in named Ratchett, but we find out later on in the story this is an alias. Poirot has simply uncovered that the murderer is on the train - not escaped out the window into the snow they are trapped in as the murderer would want us to believe.

Poirot interviews all of the passengers, makes a list and the little grey cells start to formulate.

Ten Questions

On the paper was written:
Things needing explanation

1. The handkerchief marked with the initial H. Whose is it?
2. The pipe cleaner. Was it dropped by Colonel Arbuthnot? Or by someone else?
3. Who wore the scarlet kimono?
4. Who was the man or woman masquerading in Wagon Lit uniform?
5. Why do the hands of the watch point to 1:15?
6. Was the murder committed at that time?
7. Was it earlier?
8. Was it later?
9. Can we be sure that Ratchett was stabbed by more than one person?
10. What other explanation of his wounds can there be?



Now, I have already seen all of the shows and movies so I know what happened and I think the ending is bloody brilliant! I'm not going to give out the spoiler to those that have not read this yet, but I think it's the perfect murder and I loved the outcome. And I was so proud and happy with Poirot's conclusion. You will just have to read the book or watch the show to find out why I say that, brilliant!



"Then," said Poirot, "having placed my solution before you, I have the honour to retire from the case . . . "

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fear it is impossible to say too much about this book without spoilers. Because of this I will be brief so you can never go back and say, "I would have loved this book, but that Matthew guy from Goodreads ruined it for me!" So, here is my quick but hopefully useful review.

This is a classic mystery. You like mysteries? You have to have to read this!

Characters are great! So much fun meeting and learning about them all.

Current mysteries have nothing on Christie. This is very intricate and very fun to watch the clues be put together and the solution come into focus. But, now I am getting too close to spoilers.

Read it! It's good!

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

i cant even begin to tell you how much it bothers me that i had the audacity to start a series with book 10… but ive heard each book can be read as a standalone and this is the most popular poirot story, so i really need to get over it. lol.

maybe its because i committed the sin of seeing the film before reading the book, but i found this to be very average. not overwhelming, not underwhelming. just whelming. so lets break it down.

pros:

- the straightforward way the characters are presented, how the crime is introduced, and all the evidence that is gathered makes for a very easy way to follow poirots deductions. some may say its pretty formulaic, with each chapter being an interview of a different suspect, but i think it works.

- even though i already knew “whodunnit,” i still think the mystery/crime itself is creative, especially with it being confined to one location/setting.

cons:

- the writing is soooo bland and sterile. there is no introspection or descriptive narrative. its very matter-of-fact dialogue and informative action and thats it. i mean, i tend to prefer dialogue-heavy stories, but this is too much. even for me.

- poirot. hes such a jerk! are we meant to like him? because i cant stand him.

- each of the twelve suspects feel like carbon copies of each other. i mixed up who was who so many times.

overall, a great story for the time period it was written and i would love to ride the orient express one day, but i guess im still a sherlock kind of girl.

↠ 3 stars

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me back to my tomboy, chubby, book-worm teenage version of myself.

Best thing about those days not having a crush on boy bands, having ridiculous style, worst music taste, winning boys at the soccer games. It was coming to home from a long school day, devouring too much sweet pastries which could help you climb at the roof and dance all night, taking my books and locking myself to my room with them. At those days I discovered Agatha Christie books and my mean spirit. I read them at nights, appeared at the school with my vampirella image to lose the rest of my chances to attract any boy (don’t worry, I’d already lost it after kicked most of their asses! They had been already running away from me to cry to their moms.)
I read them at the school times, during classes and bribed my teachers with my amazing thriller collections to get better grades. Guess what! I became valedictorian!

But some of my friends and my family members started to steal my books so as a precaution I started to write the killer’s name in the middle of the book and I left the books those places they could have been easily snatched! (They thought they were so smart!)

It was painful experience to find your favorite Christie novel. I always chose Hercule Poirot over Miss. Marple. But some books were also deliciously thrilling and they truly gave me so much fun without those expert detectives! As my favorite book I always tried to choose between “Murder of Roger Ackroyd” , “And then there were none”, “Murder on the Orient Express”, “Five Little Pigs” and “Death on the Nile”

Now after watching the remake of “Murder on the Orient Express” (I highly recommend you to watch 1974 version of the movie adaptation with brilliant Hercule Poirot composition of Albert Finney. He created a more reliable version of Belgian detective! I have been never being a great fan of Peter Ustinov’s or Kenneth Branagh’s versions even though they are one of the greatest actors) and I decided to reread some Christie books to decide which one is my favorite. (At least I wasn’t drunk when I made my decision like the time I decided to reread Twilight and as a result I was saved to performed hara-kiri to myself.)

So the famous detective finds himself on the Orient Express with a killer on board because an rich American named Ratchett was stabbed 12 times! Their train is stopped by the snow storm. This is a complex, challenging, one of the most different cases of Mr. Poirot because any one can have a motive to kill Ratchett who lied about his criminal identity.

I remember that I changed my mind at least dozen times when I read this book at the first time. I am not going to advocate myself by saying I was too young, naïve and living without my spidey spider senses! But guess what, if I read this book at the first time RIGHT NOW, I cannot find whodunit again! So there’s no progression about my grey cells’ functioning capacity, sorry Mr. Poirot, I had eat more hard boiled eggs and stop watching Bachelor episodes which kill the rest of my remaining ones.

This was incredibly captivating, mysterious, smart, exciting book. I think it is my first choice of Christie books and I love to read over and over again! I’m not gonna give spoilers or send you hard copy of it( I cannot guarantee I can help myself not to write murderer’s name in the middle. Old habits die hard) So please if you didn’t watch one of the movies or you didn’t read any other Christie books, pick this one, enjoy it and send me Sprinkles cupcakes (at least a dozen) as an appreciation gesture.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second Agatha Christie's book and I was not disappointed.

In fact I like this one better than the other books by the author which I have read before (which is again unfair to compare with!).

Part of the Hercule Poirot mystery series but I would say you do not have to read from the very first book of the series or you have to continue one book to the next one.

The plot has been crafted so well, the mystery hidden till the last few pages.
And it was such a cosy read for me.

The writing style is very easy to follow. Even with a myriad number of characters, it won't be difficult for a reader to get on with the story.

Of course, as the title depicts there was a murder during the four trian journey and the whole plot revolves around solving the mystery of who the murderer would be.

I really enjoyed this one. Recommended for all.
And even if this book is a part of the Poirot series, like me you can start with any of the book in the series.
This one will stay with me forever.

[Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book mostly in preparation for the 2017 film adaption, but I've always been curious about Agatha Christie. She's been recommended to me multiple different times over the course of my life, but I never felt the time was quite right to pick up one of her novels until now.

The premise is very straightforward; master detective Hercule Poirot happens to be aboard the Orient Express rail car when one of the passengers is killed in the night. He is then set to the task of solving the crime while the train is excavated from a surprise snow drift.

Because this is such a short mystery novel, I believe it's best to go in with as little outside knowledge as possible. In fact, there's only one thing I really want to focus on in this review and that is this. I did not guess the murderer.

That is probably the biggest compliment a reviewer can pay to a mystery novel. I didn't even know what the hell was going on for most of this novel if I'm being perfectly honest.

Now, call me an idiot if you feel so inclined, but I personally thought the mystery was very well written. Especially given that we discover clues in time with Hercule Poirot & are limited to knowing only what he knows. The conclusion of this novel took it to a place I never would've conceptualized & it was such a fun ride getting there.

As for the rest, I recommend you pick this up and discover it for yourself. A very approachable murder mystery novel with a classic feel & unique twist!

[Lisa of Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My First Agatha Christie Novel!

One of my family members recommended this book so top of the reading list it went.

This is a Sherlock Holmes style book with the main character, Detective Hercule Poirot, methodically investigating a murder that occurred on board a train. Which of the passengers committed the crime or was it someone else altogether?

This is a very short book, and Christie writes in such a way as to compel the reader to discover what happens on the next page. Murder on the Orient Express is a joy to read!

The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Electronic Text – Free through Libby
Audiobook – Free through Libby

Connect With Me!
Blog Threads BookTube Facebook Insta My Bookstore at Pango

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

2012 review: Hercule Poirot, book #10 is one of his most famous and without doubt a modern classic. There is a murder on the Orient Express, and then the train gets stranded in snow, giving Poirot the perfect setting to investigate the murder, as all suspects are stuck on the train, but without any collaborative evidence being provided with no mail, telephony or external contact. A wonderful red herring and twist filled mystery deserved of its classic status! A 'locked-room' murder investigated in a 'locked-room' environment! 7 out of 12.

[Luís · Rating 5 out of 5]

Agatha Christie's novels are not simple little detective novels; they are, in fact, real puzzles that allow readers to strain their brains.
Whether Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple is responsible for elucidating the crime, both have an extraordinary gift of observation. They know how to perceive the slightest sign of deception or downright the most incredible lies from highly recommendable people.
The Orient Express crime is a closed-door investigation; a man is murdered one night in a train compartment blocked by snow, which no one can enter or leave.
Hercule Poirot is on board, and he will have to show a lot of flairs to find the end of this strange affair.
Of course, he shares his discoveries with us as the investigation progresses, and above all, the meager elements that he sows, like cheese crumbs, make readers little mice eager to find the big chunk of Cheddar cheese till the end.

[Francesc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agatha Christie no deja de sorprenderte en cada una de sus novelas. Aquí, nos plantea un enigma-asesinato en un tren donde cada uno de sus "turistas" tiene algo que esconder. La mirada de Poirot irá marcando el ritmo del trayecto del Orient Express a través de la extinta Yugoslavia.
Dudo mucho que alguien no haya visto la película de Sidney Lumet. En mi caso, no me ha ayudado ya que el desenlace no tenía ningún misterio para mi. Quería saber si la película era fiel o no a la novela. No he visto otra adaptación cinematográfica, pero, en este caso, es idéntica.

Agatha Christie never ceases to amaze you in each of her novels. Here, he raises a riddle-murder in a train where each of his "tourists" has something to hide. Poirot's look will set the pace of the Orient Express journey through the extinct Yugoslavia.
I doubt that anyone has seen the Sidney Lumet movie. In my case, it has not helped me since the outcome had no mystery for me. I wanted to know if the movie was true or not to the novel. I have not seen another film adaptation, but, in this case, it is identical.

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a confession to make. I’ve never read an Agatha Christie novel. Why is this a big deal, you might be asking yourself if you have also never jumped on the Christie train. (Train? Get it? Because this entire book takes place on a train! *laughs forever at own joke*) Well, I’m a life-long bookworm, with a degree in English literature to prove it. And Agatha Christie is the unarguable queen of an entire genre. Did you know that Agatha Christie is the best selling novelist of all time, second only to the Bible and the works of Shakespeare in terms of sales? Because I sure didn’t. I knew that she was a big deal in the mystery genre, but bestselling novelist of all time? I was unaware. But I know now, and have now taken my first step to rectifying my oversight.

So the question is: what did I think of my first Christie novel? I loved it! This was the tenth installment of the Hercule Poirot series, but thankfully it was a perfect place to start. From what I’ve gathered, each Poirot novel stands perfectly well on its own, and that was definitely the case with Murder on the Orient Express. This little novel was published in 1934, and it has aged incredibly well. Even though the book was published 83 years ago, the language was incredibly simple and easy to sink into, and the plot was super engaging. I loved that all of the suspects were confined to the train with Poirot and the victim, and that Poirot had no outside assistance to aid his crime solving. Also, that ending was a complete surprise to me. I usually manage to guess plot twists and endings, especially in murder mysteries. I didn’t guess this ending, and it was refreshing.

The characters were wonderfully varied. Some of them tended to almost be caricatures, but always for a reason. The star of the book, Poirot, actually took a back seat to the other characters, but this was very purposeful. Poirot is a more laid-back and introverted person than many famous detectives, which works incredibly well for his line of work. When people don’t notice you, it’s easy to observe things they’d prefer remained hidden.

Sherlock Holmes has always been my favorite detective. I’ve read every single novel and short story Conan Doyle crafted about the famous man with the mind palace, and I am completely addicted to the BBC show starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Seriously, I’ve watched each episode at least half a dozen times. Not that there are many episodes to watch… *sobs in a corner* That being said, I already love Hercule Poirot. I don’t know that he’ll ever quite equal Sherlock, but I fully intend to give him every opportunity. I will be reading more Christie novels, and soon.

For more of my reviews, as well as my own fiction and thoughts on life, check out my blog, Celestial Musings.

[Annemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 🌟

This was my first, but definitely not my last, Agatha Christie book, and I truly loved it!
It was a wonderful mystery that kept me guessing the whole way through.
I really liked the structure of the novel. Each character getting their own chapter was a genius idea, it really helped me to get to know them. All of them seemed realistic and well developed, which was surprising, considering the amount of people and the rather short length of the book.
The writing style was very atmospheric and enjoyable to read. It matched the genre perfectly.

[[ J o ] · Rating 4 out of 5]

“But I know human nature, my friend, and I tell you that, suddenly confronted with the possibility of being tried for murder, the most innocent person will lose his head and do the most absurd things.”

This was my first ever read of an Agatha Christie novel and my very first formal introduction to Hercule Poirot, the indomitable Belgian detective. It is perhaps the most famous of the Poirot novels and, being English and being a voracious bookwyrm, I was acutely aware of this book. My mind has nothing but David Suchet when anyone mentions Poirot and there is no one that comes to mind quicker when one mentions Agatha Christie. The two are intertwined so perfectly the one could not exist without the other.

However, despite the fame and fortune of the title, I had no idea of any spoilers. I knew the plot, vaguely: a train-the Orient Express no less-trapped in snow; a murder and several suspects; no police, only the egg-shaped cerebral deductions from a peculiar man. I find it quite something that I've never come across the ending to this novel, but then, I have not seen the film and despite my love of David Suchet I have never sat myself down and watched it. Other things seemed more important.

“Hercule Poirot addressed himself to the task of keeping his moustaches out of the soup.”

The plot itself is by this century tired and old, yet Christie's writing keeps it fresh and wonderful. There is no great ingenuity here, no advanced plot devices and no wiley tropes to bulk out the text. It is a pure and simple mystery crime novel that is executed to the highest degree. There are no pointless tangents, nor indeed do we get in to the mind of the killers. We are simply thrust in to the very capable hands of Hercule Poirot, and my did he delight me.

“He went out of the compartment and returned a few moments later with a small spirit stove and a pair of curling tongs. "I use them for the moustaches," he said, referring to the latter.”

It was this quote that endeared me toward Poirot more than anything else. The beginning of the novel did not hold my attention: a murdered American on a stranded train? It is not completely compelling. I put the book down for two weeks whilst my boyfriend visited to gain relief from the 40 degree heat of France. I didn't pick it up again for another couple of weeks for no particular reason.

Happily, and as you can tell, I did. The beginning was nothing particular, but the ending was stellar. Fondly, I guessed the killer correctly, but only after two previous guesses had been dismissed: this was just over half way when the links were just beginning to join. Christie has a wonderful way of wrapping you around her little teases, gently pushing you in to Poirot's mind as he too goes through the possibilities that you are also pondering.

The ending gave me a satisfaction I did not know I needed. The ending of a book is not always what I strive to enjoy: I do not mind spoilers and, though I never actively seek them out, there is no twitter outrage from me about them. The journey is the key to any novel or story, if it were not then we would all be content with the beginning and ending only.

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

All aboard to the mystery!


WILL THE REAL POIROT PLEASE STAND UP?

My visual memory of the famous fictional detective Hercule Poirot is the actor Sir Peter Ustinov, yes, I know, he doesn’t look like he’s described on books (and even according Agatha Christie’s daughter, he doesn’t behave on screen like the book detective) but when I was a kid, I’ve never read any Agatha Christie’s novels, meanwhile I have watched several of the theatrical films and TV movies made by Peter Ustinov and along with watching him in several Biblical movies, well, that image stuck in me.

Curiously enough, I remember watched the 1974’s adaptation to film of Murder on the Orient Express but I didn’t remember that Ustinov wasn’t in that particular adaptation but Albert Finney. As I told you, the image of Ustinov stuck quite deep in my memories.

I haven’t watched the recent work by David Suchet, that thinking about the actor, he looks indeed like it should be look like the fictional Hercule Poirot.

However, now in the incoming (November 2017) new adaptation where Kenneth Branagh will perform the famous detective, and while certainly he doesn’t look like Ustinov, Finney or Suchet, I trust in the great acting skills and carisma of Branagh to deliver an amusing new version of the Poirot.


TRAPPED WITH A MURDER!

Not always, but it’s cleat that Agatha Christie enjoyed to find amusing ways to keep trapped her characters in a scenario where they were unable to leave the place and well knowing that a murderer is between them and even sharing space with the corpse.

You can find similar trap-like situations in other books like Death on the Nile (having Poirot investigating that case too) and the famous And There Were None, for example.

Here, in Murder on the Orient Express, the cast of characters are trapped in a train (The Orient Express, duh!) due a snowfall, in the middle of nowhere, so they can’t get out, and a murder is committed.

Due the crime is in 1934, they haven’t ways on the train to communicate with anyone asking for help (for the crime or the snowfall), and the responsibility to find a culprit for the murder is up to the famous Hercule Poirot, that coincidentally get aboard, in the last minute, on the equally famous Orient Express.

This is challenge to Poirot in the mental field, having to trust in the testimonies of strangers but...

...also he should do a balance between law and justice…

…since not all crimes need to be really solved…

…while other crimes deserved sharp justice.


LYING MYSELF

When I watched the trailer of the incoming new adaptation (November 2017) of Murder on the Orient Express, I knew that it was about time to read the original novel finally, and before of the premiere of the new film.

I’d watched the 1974’s adaptation when I was a kid, sometime that a local TV station did a cycle of Agatha Christie’s mystery movies (theatrical and made-for-TV alike) and while I hadn’t remember many details,…

…well, the solution is so epic (don’t worry I won’t spoil it!) that it stuck in my head as deep as the image of Ustinov (not matter that he wasn’t in that particular adaptation!).

So, for reading this novel, I had to lie myself and keeping engaged at the speed of the developments in the book, without thinking how it was solved, and you know what?...

…it worked!

Since I enjoyed a lot the reading of the book, not matter that I had clear how it’d end (again, I won’t spoil it! Trust me! Geez!), I had fun analyzing the clues exposed, trying to figure out how Poirot would be able to come to his own conclussions.

This is an entertaining reading and rather quick to do.

[Nora Currie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved everything about this mystery! I loved all of the characters and how they were all so different! One of the problems that I had with the book is that I have seen the latest movie version with Kenneth Brannaugh as Poirot and Johnny Depp as the man who is murdered so I had a hard time adapting to the idea that the man Johnny Depp played was described as an elderly gentleman with false teeth in the book. This is one of the best mystery novels that I have ever read in my entire life. I thought that Poirot was goofy, fabulous and a genius. This is only the fourth book that I have read with him as the detective. I have also read: Black Coffee which is a play about him, a collection of short stories about him and The A. B. C. Murders which I also highly recommend. I loved that the book took place on a train and that it is set during winter so it defintely felt cozy and yet creepy at the same time.

[Bionic Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

In late 1928, the author Agatha Christie made her first journey on the elegant, luxurious train, the “Orient Express”. The experience was to stay fixed in her mind. A few months later, in February 1929, the same locomotive—the Orient Express—was stranded in a blizzard near Cherkeskoy, Turkey, for six days.

A third experience with the Orient Express, two years later in December 1931, was to prove so memorable that it inspired one of her most popular crime novels, Murder on the Orient Express. Agatha Christie was once more aboard the Orient Express train, this time returning from her husband’s archaeological dig at Nineveh. However, flooding from severe rainfall had washed sections of the track away, and the train was at a standstill for twenty-four hours. Not only did this experience find its way into her fiction, but according to her biography, several passengers on the train inspired both the plot and the characters in Murder on the Orient Express. An American, Mrs. Hilton, for instance, lay behind her creation of the appalling (but very entertaining)“Mrs. Hubbard”.

One other true-life incident was to prove crucial to the plot of this novel, and this was the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh’s son in 1932, two years earlier. The kidnapping of “Daisy Armstrong” is lifted almost entirely from the Lindbergh case. A very young child, the first to be born to a wealthy high-status family, was kidnapped for a huge ransom, directly from her crib. The mother was already pregnant with another child. The ransom was paid, but the child was found dead soon afterwards. All these facts are included. Even the destiny of one of the suspects is identical. A maid, who was rather chatty, was suspected of involvement in the Lindbergh crime. Although she was innocent, she killed herself after being interrogated by the police.

Incorporating so many elements of a recent high profile case into her novel, adds a feeling of authenticity. Even now the case remains famous, and an emotive one in the public’s consciousness. Since Murder on the Orient Express is, in some ways, extremely fanciful, this direct mirroring of real life helps its believability.

The novel was first published in 1934, and originally titled “Murder in the Calais Coach” in the USA, before being published under its more familiar title of Murder on the Orient Express in the UK, later the same year. Once again, we are to enjoy the company of the Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. This is his tenth appearance in the oeuvre. This time, Poirot is there at the start, en route from an earlier case, and travelling on the Taurus Express from Aleppo in Syria to Stamboul (now Istanbul). As always, he notices those around him, and we too enjoy anticipating the return of these two, a Colonel Arbuthnot, and an edgy young woman, Mary Debenham. They of course, dismiss him without further thought:

“A ridiculous-looking little man. The sort of little man one could never take seriously … The little man removed his hat. What an egg-shaped head he had.”

By the end of the day, the train has been delayed, and Poirot is staying overnight at the Tokatlian Hotel in Stamboul. But there he receives a telegram prompting him to return to London, because of a development in an ongoing case. Immediately, he asks the concierge to book a first-class compartment on the Simplon-route Orient Express train, which is to depart that night. Oddly the train is fully booked. However, a chance meeting with a friend of his, a fellow Belgian, Monsieur Bouc, enables him to obtain a second-class berth. Monsieur Bouc is a director of the railway, and happens to be travelling on the same train.

We meet the passengers on the train as the action unfolds. As well as the aforementioned Mrs Caroline Hubbard, the English governess Mary Debenham, and the upright military man, Colonel Arbuthnot, we meet several more passengers who are to accompany us on our journey through this book. The French conductor of the Wagon-lit: Pierre Michel, is to take care of the passengers. An unpleasant elderly American businessman: Samuel Ratchett, is in the centre of the train, and the centre of the plot. Travelling with him are his American secretary: Hector McQueen, and his valet: Edward Henry Masterman. Other passengers are Hildegarde Schmidt: a German Lady’s maid to the haughty Russian Princess Dragomiroff, who is also travelling. There is Antonio Foscarelli: an Italian Ford car salesman, Greta Ohlsson: a missionary teacher who prompts the hilarious aside from the twittery Mrs Hubbard “Poor creature - she’s a Swede!”, and the Count and Countess Adrenyi. Finally, there is Cyrus Bethman Hardmann: a travelling salesman for typewriter ribbons who reveals his true identity during Poirot’s interview, to be an American private detective. There are 13 passengers in all, plus a mysterious “A.M. Harris” who has not arrived, and Poirot and his friend. Such an odd assortment of passengers causes Poirot to ponder and reflect:

“All around us are people, of all classes, of all nationalities, of all ages. For three days these people, these strangers to one another, are brought together. They sleep and eat under one roof, they cannot get away from each other. At the end of three days they part, they go their several ways, never, perhaps, to see each other again.”

The businessman, Mr Ratchett, approaches Poirot, attempting to hire him as a protector, because he has received threatening letters and believes his life is in danger:

“He was a man of between sixty and seventy. From a little distance he had the bland aspect of a philanthropist. His slightly bald head, his domed forehead, the smiling mouth that displayed a very white set of false teeth, all seemed to speak of a benevolent personality. Only the eyes belied this assumption. They were small, deep set and crafty. Not only that. As the man, making some remark to his young companion, glanced across the room, his gaze stopped on Poirot for a moment, and just for that second there was a strange malevolence, and unnatural tensity in the glance.”

Poirot is not tempted. Despite the huge amount of money the man offers, Poirot does not take to the man at all:

“What’s wrong with my proposition?”
Poirot rose. “If you will forgive me for being personal—I do not like your face M. Ratchett.”

And dramatically describes Ratchett to his friend:

“The body—the cage—is everything of the most respectable—but through the bars, the wild animal looks out.”

Agatha Christie continues to stack up the elements which make a classic golden age mystery. On the second night of the journey, in Belgrade, two extra coaches are added to the train. Monsieur Bouc gives up his first-class compartment to Poirot, and moves to a different coach himself. Everything is arranged, as the compartment now belonging to Poirot adjoins one in which a murder victim is travelling. Yes, there must be a murder, in this closed train. What’s more, the train is halted by a snowdrift near Vincovci, on the very evening of the murder. Nobody can now get in, and nobody can get out either. As Poirot so succinctly puts it at the end of chapter 5:

“The murderer is with us—on the train now …”

By this time we are about a quarter of the way through the novel. Murder on the Orient Express is a highly structured—perhaps even overstructured—piece of writing. There are 3 parts: “The Facts”, “The Evidence”, and “Hercule Poirot Sits Back and Thinks”. Each part contains between 8 and 15 chapters. The middle section devotes one chapter to each of the passengers. We know of Poirot’s predilection for “order and method”, and in several novels we are presented with a list of events, suspects’ movements, or questions arising, all ostensibly through the diminutive detective’s making of lists, and invited to reason it out for ourselves. This time the development is even tighter, and the writing just a little too dry because of it.

However, the case is intriguing and puzzling in the extreme. I have read this novel several times over the years, and seen a few dramatisations too, so the audacious explanation is well known to me, and no longer a surprise. This is a little sad, as I cannot now remember my feelings on a first reading, but am sure I must have been amazed.

Poirot has no access to the outside world, and is directed by his friend Monsieur Bouc to investigate the case in the absence of the official police. When they arrive, he will hand over whatever he has discovered. This suits Poirot admirably. He is always scornful of those who examine clues minutely, since he believes in the supreme power of the “little grey cells”:

“‘… we have none of the facilities afforded to the police. We cannot investigate the bona fides of any of these people. We have to rely solely on deduction. That, to me, makes the matter very much more interesting. There is no routine work. It is a matter of the intellect.’”

It is a nice slant on the approach of consulting detective Sherlock Holmes, in the novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which Agatha Christie clearly emulated. Sadly Captain Arthur Hastings, who acted the same role as Doctor Watson, does not appear in Murder on the Orient Express. However, his part is well played by Monsieur Bouc, and a later addition, Doctor Constantine, who conducted a formal examination of the body.

Hence the final third of the book. Poirot puts together all the clues, and there are many! In splendid classic mystery fashion, the glass of the victim’s watch has smashed, thereby stopping the watch at the exact time of the murder. In the compartment are found various items, including a pipe cleaner, a button from a uniform, a spent match, a burnt fragment of a letter, a dainty handkerchief, and so on:

“And most conveniently she leaves her handkerchief behind!” said Poirot. “Exactly as it happens in the books and on the films—and to make things even easier for us it is marked with an initial.”

“Does a man who commits suicide stab himself in ten—twelve—fifteen places?” he asked. Poirot’s eyes opened. “That is great ferocity,” he said. “It is a woman,” said the chef de train, speaking for the first time. “Depend upon it, it was a woman. Only a woman would stab like that.”

As each clue is found, Poirot seems to become more gleeful, yet the director of the railway, the doctor—and it has to be said, the reader—become increasingly confused. As Monsieur Bouc comments:

“‘Lies—and again lies—it amazes me the amount of lies we had told to us this morning.’
‘There are still more to discover,’ said Poirot cheerfully.’”

“If you confront anyone who has lied with the truth, they usually admit it— often out of sheer surprise. It is only necessary to guess right to produce your effect.”

Various people are reported as having moved through the train on the evening of the murder. One wore a scarlet kimono, festooned with dragons, another was a “small dark man with a womanish voice—and eventually the murder weapon itself was found—amid great hysteria. Can Poirot put all these disparate elements together, sort out fact from fiction, and work out who committed the heinous crime? Of course he can! Naturellement! Hercule Poirot is a private detective par excellence:

“‘I am not a Yugo-Slavian detective, Madame. I am an international detective.’”
‘You belong to the League of Nations?’
‘I belong to the world, Madame,’ said Poirot dramatically. He went on ‘I work mainly in London.’”

There are quite a few little humorous additions such as this, from Agatha Christie. Here is another such, when Poirot fully expects Hector MacQueen to know of his famous detecting skills, and recognise his name, but is crestfallen at MacQueen’s reply:

“Why, it does sound kind of familiar—only I always thought it was a woman’s dressmaker.”

Or this:

“‘Miss Debenham is a pukka sahib.’”
Dr. Constantine queried …
“‘It means,’ said Poirot, ‘that Miss Debenham’s father and brothers were at the same sort of school as Colonel Arbuthnot.’”

For those who know the story, and perhaps also those who are a dab hand at solving these sorts of complex cases, there are indicators in the early part of the text, that Poirot is well on the way to solving the case, and merely needs a little confirmation. Here is one, as stated by Colonel Arbuthnot, half way through the novel:

“‘Trial by jury is a sound system.’
Poirot looked at him thoughtfully for a minute or two.
‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I am sure that would be your view.’“ .

“One cannot complain of having no clues in this case. There are clues here in abundance”

But for Poirot, who has formulated a theory quite a few chapters ago, they confirm his suspicions:

“This compartment is full of clues, but can I be sure that those clues are really what they seem to be?”

At the end, Poirot, “neat, spruce and dandified as ever …” pompously persuses the possible and the impossible, and pronounces:

“The impossible cannot have happened, therefore the impossible must be possible in spite of appearances.”

The police are presented with two possible alternative solutions to the savage murder. And we know precisely which one they will pick.

This is a novel with an unforgettable ending. Once again Agatha Christie has appeared to write a solid formulaic golden age murder mystery—and then she takes the reader’s breath away by breaking all the rules. If it were not for the tightness of the form of the novel, which restricts more interesting writing, this would be one of her best novels, and a five star read. But most of us, much as we like to try to guess “whodunnit”, need a little more than a set of boxes to tick.

Nevertheless, Hercule Poirot has, by this tenth novel a substantial and loyal following, who indulge peccadilloes such as his superlative moustaches, with humour and great affection:

“He went out of the compartment and returned a few moments later with a small spirit stove and a pair of curling tongs. ‘I use them for the moustaches,’ he said, referring to the latter.”

“Hercule Poirot addressed himself to the task of keeping his moustaches out of the soup.”

On then, to the next adventure of Monsieur Hercule Poirot!