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BBC Radio 4 Poirot
Murder on the Orient Express
An international cast of suspects, all passengers on the crowded train, are speeding through the snowy European landscape when a bizarre and terrible murder brings them to an abrupt halt. One of their glittering number lies dead in his cabin, stabbed a mysterious 12 times. There is no lack of clues for Poirot—but which clue is real and which is a clever plant? Poirot realizes that this time he is dealing with a murderer of enormous cunning and that in a case fraught with fear and inconsistencies only one thing is certain—the murderer is still aboard the train waiting to strike again. . .
John Moffatt stars as Hercule Poirot, with a stellar cast including Joss Ackland, Sylvia Syms, Francesca Annis, and Siân Phillips. It was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 28 December 1992 to 1 January 1993.
2 CDs. 2 hrs 10 mins.
John Moffatt stars as Hercule Poirot, with a stellar cast including Joss Ackland, Sylvia Syms, Francesca Annis, and Siân Phillips. It was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 28 December 1992 to 1 January 1993.
2 CDs. 2 hrs 10 mins.
3 pages, Audio CD
Published January 1, 2006
119 people want to read
About the author
Michael Bakewell
72 books6 followersMichael Bakewell (7 June 1931 – 11 July 2023) was a British radio and television producer and radio playwright.
His work included adapting The Lord of the Rings (with Brian Sibley) into a 1981 radio series for the BBC and a series of 27 adaptations of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot stories broadcast between 1985 and 2007 by BBC Radio 4.
He was born in Birmingham, England. After graduating from Cambridge in 1954, he was recruited by the BBC's Third Programme. He became the first Head of Plays at the BBC in the 1960s.
His work included adapting The Lord of the Rings (with Brian Sibley) into a 1981 radio series for the BBC and a series of 27 adaptations of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot stories broadcast between 1985 and 2007 by BBC Radio 4.
He was born in Birmingham, England. After graduating from Cambridge in 1954, he was recruited by the BBC's Third Programme. He became the first Head of Plays at the BBC in the 1960s.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
December 16, 2025
How often can you say you've read/listened to a book seven times and still enjoy it as much as the first? I can, and this is the book. The characters are sublime, the plot is marvellous, and the ending is perfect, Bravo Agatha!
UPDATE FOR 2025 RE LISTEN
I needed a comfort book to listen to. This is my second favourite AC (the 1st being death on the nile), and I couldn't resist.
The BBC dramatisations are very good quality and I just love the setting, hearing the people chatter on the train and the noise of the train itself. warmed my heart, this did.
UPDATE FOR 2025 RE LISTEN
I needed a comfort book to listen to. This is my second favourite AC (the 1st being death on the nile), and I couldn't resist.
The BBC dramatisations are very good quality and I just love the setting, hearing the people chatter on the train and the noise of the train itself. warmed my heart, this did.
December 13, 2019
So, I chose to rate this book as 3.5 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐, however, since half star ratings are not possible here, I bumped up my rating to 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
In her day, Agatha Christie was the Queen of Mystery, however, (And, I apologize in advance to any die-hard Agatha Christie fans out there,) I feel that her books and plots have been surpassed in recent years.
This is not through the fault of the author, it is just that in this day and age, we have such fascinating and compelling forensics that Agatha Christie probably never would have believed to be possible. This allows for more complexity in the telling of the tale.
In her day, Agatha Christie was the Queen of Mystery, however, (And, I apologize in advance to any die-hard Agatha Christie fans out there,) I feel that her books and plots have been surpassed in recent years.
This is not through the fault of the author, it is just that in this day and age, we have such fascinating and compelling forensics that Agatha Christie probably never would have believed to be possible. This allows for more complexity in the telling of the tale.
January 22, 2012
I've been listening to the Audio CD for the last week on the ride to and from work. I don't recall ever having actually read the book. My mother was a great fan of mysteries, and I remember reading - I think - Mrs. Pollifax On Safari by Dorothy Gilman when I was a kid. But for me Agatha Christie was always better watched in one of the many movie adaptations than read.
What's most striking about this audio version is the reading by David Suchet - the at-the-moment quintessential Hercule Poirot. He pretty much nails every character, and you're not often scrambling to figure out who's speaking.
What's most striking about this audio version is the reading by David Suchet - the at-the-moment quintessential Hercule Poirot. He pretty much nails every character, and you're not often scrambling to figure out who's speaking.
October 31, 2023
Ahh, I love this so much 😆😍😭 And I swear, that ending will get me every time!
July 17, 2017
I listened to the dramatized version of this book and I must say it was very well done. The train is stranded in a snow storm and a murder has been committed. The detective interviews each of the passengers and comes to surprisingly and satisfying conclusion. I really enjoyed this story and will be looking for more by Agatha Christie.
June 26, 2020
I'm utterly incapable of reviewing this book. I've been soaked in so many Agatha Christie books for so long that her style defines how I view anything else in the field. Not to mention that I can no longer read any Poirot books without being positively swayed by memories of David Suchet's interpretation of the Poirot character. I can't remember not knowing the plot of this book, and can't see it objectively.
However, one thing I can do is talk about the tale of two audiobooks. I usually avoid listening to abridged audiobooks like the plague, but when I saw my library offered both the unabridged version and the BBC radio play version, I made an exception. The radio play is much shorter, at only 2:18. Whereas the unabridged book version is 6:37. I decided to listen to the abridged radio version first, somewhat like watching the movie first and then reading the book. The idea was to see (as a writer) what additional details the book contained that the radio version decided weren't worth keeping in, and (as a reader) how much any such deletion bugged me. After all, I usually dislike movie adaptations of books because they so often cut what I thought was important.
The short answer is: I loved the radio play! John Moffat makes an excellent Poirot, and afterward I learned that he did 24 other Poirot productions for BBC, which now I'm curious to hear. The other actors were also quite good, and the minimal sound effects unobtrusive while adding ambiance. Since it's all acted out, all we get is dialogue. I had assumed we'd lose a lot of important bits that way but not really; it turns out that a great deal of this book is dialogue to begin with, including probably half of what was cut. The radio play hewed fairly closely to the book for the first half or so, with the exception of acting out a bit of prologue, which worked well. The radio play offers all the same character interactions and clues, with the exception of some more detailed descriptions of actions (who searched whose luggage etc.). The most obvious of the cuts were several scenes and partial scenes in the last third or so of the book where Poirot discussed the case with his friend Monsieur Bouc, the railway director who helps him with the investigation. I noticed that several minor details of the plot were outlined here that had not shown up in the radio play (for instance, how they positioned the private investigator near the "wrong" end of the train car, where he could offer testimony that no innocent passengers or staff from the adjoining car had entered). But nothing that struck me as crucial for understanding the key elements. In fact, one change struck me as an improvement: in the book, Mrs. Hubbard has a long monologue at the end where she explains what everyone did, but in the radio play the various characters tell their own parts, giving them a closure that's only hinted at in the book.
Of course I highly recommend the book, and the unabridged audiobook. But I'm pleased to be able to recommend the BBC radio play as well! More Christie in more delightful forms, huzzah!
However, one thing I can do is talk about the tale of two audiobooks. I usually avoid listening to abridged audiobooks like the plague, but when I saw my library offered both the unabridged version and the BBC radio play version, I made an exception. The radio play is much shorter, at only 2:18. Whereas the unabridged book version is 6:37. I decided to listen to the abridged radio version first, somewhat like watching the movie first and then reading the book. The idea was to see (as a writer) what additional details the book contained that the radio version decided weren't worth keeping in, and (as a reader) how much any such deletion bugged me. After all, I usually dislike movie adaptations of books because they so often cut what I thought was important.
The short answer is: I loved the radio play! John Moffat makes an excellent Poirot, and afterward I learned that he did 24 other Poirot productions for BBC, which now I'm curious to hear. The other actors were also quite good, and the minimal sound effects unobtrusive while adding ambiance. Since it's all acted out, all we get is dialogue. I had assumed we'd lose a lot of important bits that way but not really; it turns out that a great deal of this book is dialogue to begin with, including probably half of what was cut. The radio play hewed fairly closely to the book for the first half or so, with the exception of acting out a bit of prologue, which worked well. The radio play offers all the same character interactions and clues, with the exception of some more detailed descriptions of actions (who searched whose luggage etc.). The most obvious of the cuts were several scenes and partial scenes in the last third or so of the book where Poirot discussed the case with his friend Monsieur Bouc, the railway director who helps him with the investigation. I noticed that several minor details of the plot were outlined here that had not shown up in the radio play (for instance, how they positioned the private investigator near the "wrong" end of the train car, where he could offer testimony that no innocent passengers or staff from the adjoining car had entered). But nothing that struck me as crucial for understanding the key elements. In fact, one change struck me as an improvement: in the book, Mrs. Hubbard has a long monologue at the end where she explains what everyone did, but in the radio play the various characters tell their own parts, giving them a closure that's only hinted at in the book.
Of course I highly recommend the book, and the unabridged audiobook. But I'm pleased to be able to recommend the BBC radio play as well! More Christie in more delightful forms, huzzah!
August 10, 2012
1/5 The Belgian sleuth's train sets off, but one passenger aboard will never arrive.
2/5 A passenger lies murdered, but luckily the Belgian sleuth is aboard the snowbound train.
3/5 The Belgian sleuth becomes convinced that the murderer is still aboard the train.
4/5 The Belgian sleuth discovers that one of the passengers is lying to him.
5/5 Time is against the Belgian sleuth, as he battles to unmask the murderer's identity.
Nachdem Poirot einen Mord in einem Asgrabungscamp (Murder in Mesopotamia) gelöst hat, möchte er sich gerne ein wenig in Konstantinopel umsehen. Ein dringendes Telegramm jedoch, beordert ihn zurück nach London, so dass er den nächsten abgehenden Orient Express besteigt. Eigentlich sollte der Orient Express um diese Jahreszeit so gut wie leer sein, nur diesmal ist er ausgebucht. Dennoch hat Poirot Glück, denn einer der Passagiere taucht nicht auf, so dass für ihn doch noch ein Platz frei ist.
Gegegn ein Uhr nachts fährt der Zug in einen Schneewehe und bleibt stecken. Ein großes (Un-)Glück, denn an Bord des Zuges wurde ein Mord begangen. Mr. Ratchett, Poirots Zugnachbar, wurde mit zwölf Messerstichen ermordet.
Dieses BBC4 Hörspiel aus dem Jahr 2004 basiert auf dem gleichnamigen Kriminalroman von Agatha Christie und ist das neunte Hörspiel der Reihe, schließt also in Murder in Mesopotamia an. Dennoch ist der Fall in sich geschlossen, man muss weder die Figuren noch die anderen Fälle kennen, dieser Mord steht für sich ganz alleine.
Dieser Kriminalfall ist zu Recht ein Klassiker des Kriminalromans und wurde auch im wahren Leben teils erfolgreich nachgeahmt. Sauber ermittelt, werden dem Leser und Hörer alle Fakten präsentiert, nicht verschwiegen jeder hat die Chance selber auf die Lösung zu kommen. Der Fall ist wunderbar verwickelt, aber dabei trotzdem logisch nachvollziehbar, auch als Hörspiel. John Moffatt ist wie schon in den anderen Hörspielen der Reihe, ein wunderbarer, nicht überzogener Hercule Poirot, der einem, anders als in einigen Verfilmungen, nicht auf die Nerven geht. Das Hörspiel ist sehr puristisch. Sehr gute Soundkulisse, aber ohne nervigen Soundtrack, anders als bei vielen deutschen Hörspielen, die immer irgendwelche Musik in Hintergrund dudeln haben. Vor jeder Folge eine kurze Zusammenfassung durch den Schaffner, der das bisher ermittelte kurz zusammenfasst (da merkt man, dass die Hörspiele für das Radio (BBC4 extra) produziert wurden und an aufeinanderfolgenden Tagen liefen).
Fazit: Wunderbare Hörspielereihe. Sehr gelungen mit ausgezeichneten Sprechern.
2/5 A passenger lies murdered, but luckily the Belgian sleuth is aboard the snowbound train.
3/5 The Belgian sleuth becomes convinced that the murderer is still aboard the train.
4/5 The Belgian sleuth discovers that one of the passengers is lying to him.
5/5 Time is against the Belgian sleuth, as he battles to unmask the murderer's identity.
Nachdem Poirot einen Mord in einem Asgrabungscamp (Murder in Mesopotamia) gelöst hat, möchte er sich gerne ein wenig in Konstantinopel umsehen. Ein dringendes Telegramm jedoch, beordert ihn zurück nach London, so dass er den nächsten abgehenden Orient Express besteigt. Eigentlich sollte der Orient Express um diese Jahreszeit so gut wie leer sein, nur diesmal ist er ausgebucht. Dennoch hat Poirot Glück, denn einer der Passagiere taucht nicht auf, so dass für ihn doch noch ein Platz frei ist.
Gegegn ein Uhr nachts fährt der Zug in einen Schneewehe und bleibt stecken. Ein großes (Un-)Glück, denn an Bord des Zuges wurde ein Mord begangen. Mr. Ratchett, Poirots Zugnachbar, wurde mit zwölf Messerstichen ermordet.
Dieses BBC4 Hörspiel aus dem Jahr 2004 basiert auf dem gleichnamigen Kriminalroman von Agatha Christie und ist das neunte Hörspiel der Reihe, schließt also in Murder in Mesopotamia an. Dennoch ist der Fall in sich geschlossen, man muss weder die Figuren noch die anderen Fälle kennen, dieser Mord steht für sich ganz alleine.
Dieser Kriminalfall ist zu Recht ein Klassiker des Kriminalromans und wurde auch im wahren Leben teils erfolgreich nachgeahmt. Sauber ermittelt, werden dem Leser und Hörer alle Fakten präsentiert, nicht verschwiegen jeder hat die Chance selber auf die Lösung zu kommen. Der Fall ist wunderbar verwickelt, aber dabei trotzdem logisch nachvollziehbar, auch als Hörspiel. John Moffatt ist wie schon in den anderen Hörspielen der Reihe, ein wunderbarer, nicht überzogener Hercule Poirot, der einem, anders als in einigen Verfilmungen, nicht auf die Nerven geht. Das Hörspiel ist sehr puristisch. Sehr gute Soundkulisse, aber ohne nervigen Soundtrack, anders als bei vielen deutschen Hörspielen, die immer irgendwelche Musik in Hintergrund dudeln haben. Vor jeder Folge eine kurze Zusammenfassung durch den Schaffner, der das bisher ermittelte kurz zusammenfasst (da merkt man, dass die Hörspiele für das Radio (BBC4 extra) produziert wurden und an aufeinanderfolgenden Tagen liefen).
Fazit: Wunderbare Hörspielereihe. Sehr gelungen mit ausgezeichneten Sprechern.
September 21, 2017
A little hard to get into at first because I was listening in the car and some of the ambient noise on the recording made it hard to follow a few of the characters. But once it got going, it was a wonderful mystery with a surprise ending!
September 25, 2024
An especially well produced BBC full cast adaptation of this Christie work. No matter what film production you've seen, or if you've read the book or listened to the eaudio book reading, this story is always of interest. The gist of the story is fully explicated within a 2 hour abbreviation. Sian Phillips emotes over the top as the Countess Dragomiroff. John Moffatt's Poirot distinguished, pragmatic, patient. Nice to hear Andre Marin's voice too.
January 23, 2011
I first read this in 8th grade as a class assignment. It was good then -- I've actually never found a better mystery story, though I don't go out of my way to look -- but being able to speak French makes the reading considerably smoother this time around.
The problem with audiobooks is that is difficult to go back and check things, and the clues that are left to the reader are subtle. I completely missed MacQueen's motive for the crime (and upon reading Wikipedia, it is the weakest motive, and somewhat suspect), and find it difficult to believe that the family cook and chauffeur would willingly commit murder for their employer so long after the fact; right after, yes, even right after the trial that acquitted the murderer, but three years later? Not even with her family members do I really buy that. You move on. It never stops hurting, but you can't sustain that murderous rage because it eats you from the inside out. They would all be significantly darker, sicker people if they had made it three years without coming to any peace in their minds.
Murder mysteries and stories of crimes of passion often suffer from this, and I'm inclined to forgive it because so many authors, thank goodness, do not know whereof they speak. Fortunately murder is not so widespread that many authors have firsthand experience of it. I do believe that most of us are capable of committing murder in the first blush of rage and revenge. But to think that it doesn't profoundly affect the person, that they are an innocent victim meting out justice? Is simply naive. The effects are tremendous, and it's rare to find any murder story or revenge story that addresses them realistically.
The problem with audiobooks is that is difficult to go back and check things, and the clues that are left to the reader are subtle. I completely missed MacQueen's motive for the crime (and upon reading Wikipedia, it is the weakest motive, and somewhat suspect), and find it difficult to believe that the family cook and chauffeur would willingly commit murder for their employer so long after the fact; right after, yes, even right after the trial that acquitted the murderer, but three years later? Not even with her family members do I really buy that. You move on. It never stops hurting, but you can't sustain that murderous rage because it eats you from the inside out. They would all be significantly darker, sicker people if they had made it three years without coming to any peace in their minds.
Murder mysteries and stories of crimes of passion often suffer from this, and I'm inclined to forgive it because so many authors, thank goodness, do not know whereof they speak. Fortunately murder is not so widespread that many authors have firsthand experience of it. I do believe that most of us are capable of committing murder in the first blush of rage and revenge. But to think that it doesn't profoundly affect the person, that they are an innocent victim meting out justice? Is simply naive. The effects are tremendous, and it's rare to find any murder story or revenge story that addresses them realistically.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2010
4.0/5.0
Hercule Poirot мөрдөгчийн хэргүүдийн тухай цувралын 9 дэх тууж. Агата Кристигийн детектив зохиолууд дундаас хамгийн их хүмүүсийн сонирхолыг татдаг туужуудын нэг. Ер нь хамгийн сонирхолтой нь гэж дүгнэгддэг. (Би яг бүх туужуудыг нь уншиж амжаагүй л байна)
Мөрдөгч Пароу Сир-ээс Истанбулд ирнэ. Зочид буудалдаа очих үед Лондонгоос яаралтай ирэхийг хүссэн захидал ирсэн байх бөгөөд Истанбулд хэд хонох төлөвлөгөөтэй байсан Пароу тэр шөнөдөө Лондонг чиглэсэн Дорнын Хурдан Галт тэргэнд сууна. Энэхүү аялал 3 өдрийн турш үргэлжлэх бөгөөд Дорнын Хурдан Галт тэрэг бол Дундад Азиас Европ орох хамгийн хурдан бөгөөд хамгийн аюулгүй тээврийн хэрэгсэл юм.
Галт тэргэнийн Пароу-ын суусан тэргэнд детектив өөрөө, түүний найз - тухайн компанийн захирал, эмч гурваас гадна сонирхолтой 13 хүн зорчиж байна. Эхний шөнө цас ихээр орох бөгөөд галт тэрэг урагшлах боломжгүй болж зогсоно. Түүний дараах өглөө галт тэрэгнээс 1-р зэрэглэлээр зорчиж байсан баян аялагчийн цогцосыг өөрийнх нь бүхээгнээс олно.
Мөрдөгч Пароу галт тэргэнд зорчиж явсан бусад 12 хүнийг сэжиглэх бөгөөд нэг нэгээр нь тэдэнтэй ярилцаж эхэлнэ.
Хохирогчийн жинхэнэ нэр, тодорхойлтыг олох бөгөөд мөрдөгч алуурчин 1, 2-р зэрэглэлээр зорчиж байгаа 12 хүний дунд байгаа гэдгийг баттай мэдэж байлаа.
Энэ бол зүгээр л нэг хүчирхийллийн аллага байгаагүй бөгөөд жинхэнэ хэрэг дээрээ хэний хэн болохыг таниулсан моралын, мөн итгэл үүргийн хэрэг болж төгсөх болно.
(Спойлердмооргүй байгааг ойлгож байгаа биз дээ)
Hercule Poirot мөрдөгчийн хэргүүдийн тухай цувралын 9 дэх тууж. Агата Кристигийн детектив зохиолууд дундаас хамгийн их хүмүүсийн сонирхолыг татдаг туужуудын нэг. Ер нь хамгийн сонирхолтой нь гэж дүгнэгддэг. (Би яг бүх туужуудыг нь уншиж амжаагүй л байна)
Мөрдөгч Пароу Сир-ээс Истанбулд ирнэ. Зочид буудалдаа очих үед Лондонгоос яаралтай ирэхийг хүссэн захидал ирсэн байх бөгөөд Истанбулд хэд хонох төлөвлөгөөтэй байсан Пароу тэр шөнөдөө Лондонг чиглэсэн Дорнын Хурдан Галт тэргэнд сууна. Энэхүү аялал 3 өдрийн турш үргэлжлэх бөгөөд Дорнын Хурдан Галт тэрэг бол Дундад Азиас Европ орох хамгийн хурдан бөгөөд хамгийн аюулгүй тээврийн хэрэгсэл юм.
Галт тэргэнийн Пароу-ын суусан тэргэнд детектив өөрөө, түүний найз - тухайн компанийн захирал, эмч гурваас гадна сонирхолтой 13 хүн зорчиж байна. Эхний шөнө цас ихээр орох бөгөөд галт тэрэг урагшлах боломжгүй болж зогсоно. Түүний дараах өглөө галт тэрэгнээс 1-р зэрэглэлээр зорчиж байсан баян аялагчийн цогцосыг өөрийнх нь бүхээгнээс олно.
Мөрдөгч Пароу галт тэргэнд зорчиж явсан бусад 12 хүнийг сэжиглэх бөгөөд нэг нэгээр нь тэдэнтэй ярилцаж эхэлнэ.
Хохирогчийн жинхэнэ нэр, тодорхойлтыг олох бөгөөд мөрдөгч алуурчин 1, 2-р зэрэглэлээр зорчиж байгаа 12 хүний дунд байгаа гэдгийг баттай мэдэж байлаа.
Энэ бол зүгээр л нэг хүчирхийллийн аллага байгаагүй бөгөөд жинхэнэ хэрэг дээрээ хэний хэн болохыг таниулсан моралын, мөн итгэл үүргийн хэрэг болж төгсөх болно.
(Спойлердмооргүй байгааг ойлгож байгаа биз дээ)
January 19, 2021
*Reviewed for The Libraries NI Book Blog*
One murder, a train full of suspects, few clues and a detective on board with a self-appointed mission to solve the mystery.
Detective Hercule Poirot is one sassy man. I’ve read one of the other Poirot series and found it dull at times but this BBC dramatisation of Murder on the Orient Express was fantastic! A talented set of cast with a spectacular performance and production. I especially loved John Moffat’s version of Poirot; his sarcastic tch tch whilst listening to the suspects narrate their tale of lies cracked me up.
The thing with Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries is that she keeps you at the edge of your seat with all the “who did it guesses” when in truth your guesses are almost always wrong. The BBC audiobook is my first contact with this book and I am glad I chose this adaptation as my source to get familiar with it. It was a captivating and entertaining story from the start.
I highly recommend this to those who require their crime-mystery palates to be satiated.
“What is wrong with my proposition?”
“If you would forgive me for being personal… I do not like your face, Mr. Ratchett.”
One murder, a train full of suspects, few clues and a detective on board with a self-appointed mission to solve the mystery.
Detective Hercule Poirot is one sassy man. I’ve read one of the other Poirot series and found it dull at times but this BBC dramatisation of Murder on the Orient Express was fantastic! A talented set of cast with a spectacular performance and production. I especially loved John Moffat’s version of Poirot; his sarcastic tch tch whilst listening to the suspects narrate their tale of lies cracked me up.
The thing with Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries is that she keeps you at the edge of your seat with all the “who did it guesses” when in truth your guesses are almost always wrong. The BBC audiobook is my first contact with this book and I am glad I chose this adaptation as my source to get familiar with it. It was a captivating and entertaining story from the start.
I highly recommend this to those who require their crime-mystery palates to be satiated.
October 16, 2017
At the last minute, and through the intervention of the owner of the railroad, Poirot makes it onto the Orient Express. But a murder happens, the train is trapped in a snowdrift, and and he is asked to investigate. The snowdrift is significant because otherwise it would have crossed the Italian border some time in the early hours of the morning and most would assume the assassin had escaped. Trapped in the snowdrift, no one could have got off the train.
***
Given the most recent movie version, I think everyone pretty much knows this story by now.
In one sense it’s very unlike her usual stories; quite egalitarian.
This production is very good. And the story is of course, excellent.
5 stars
***
Given the most recent movie version, I think everyone pretty much knows this story by now.
In one sense it’s very unlike her usual stories; quite egalitarian.
This production is very good. And the story is of course, excellent.
5 stars
August 23, 2010
My umpteenth re-reading--but first listening experience--of one of my favorite mysteries of all time, and a classic from the grand dame of mystery. The Orient Express, a train heading out from Istanbul, is trapped by a snowstorm in the mountains of Yugoslavia. A man is killed--a man who, a few hours previously, had tried to hire Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, to find the person who was after him. Poirot had told him he wasn't interested but then is asked by the head of the railway company (who happened to be on board) to investigate the man's death. Which Poirot does with his usual flair and cunning mind.
Excellent book, and wonderfully read by David Suchet, who portrayed Poirot on the TV series. He does the other voices brilliantly too.
Excellent book, and wonderfully read by David Suchet, who portrayed Poirot on the TV series. He does the other voices brilliantly too.
May 4, 2011
I've read the print version of this book before, and the plot is interesting, although I was unhappy with the ending. In my view, justice should left in the hands of the authorities. It is not the place of private citizens to decide who should or should not be prosecuted for crimes. (Note: All of the authorities in question in this book are reasonably civilized, so an innocent person being unjustly convicted by an unfair system is not an issue.)
My opinion of the book was not improved by this audiobook version read by David Suchet, who plays Hercule Poirot on television. Suchet's voices, especially of different (foreign) accents, were campy and unconvincing. I mean, his Poirot was fine, obviously, but his Americans and Swedes and Hungarians were just too stereotypical.
My opinion of the book was not improved by this audiobook version read by David Suchet, who plays Hercule Poirot on television. Suchet's voices, especially of different (foreign) accents, were campy and unconvincing. I mean, his Poirot was fine, obviously, but his Americans and Swedes and Hungarians were just too stereotypical.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2010
Despite being a fan, I had never actually read this one. I'm glad I did. It is intelligent, compelling, and one of her best. Without giving too much away, a man is killed on a train, the Orient Express of the title, and everyone in the car becomes a suspect. Knowing how it ended didn't lessen my enjoyment one bit. I also recommend the movie version staring Albert Finney and Lauren Bacall. In my opinion it is one of the only times a movie lives up to the book.
May 15, 2018
This is one of my favorite Agatha Christie books, and when I saw that it was narrated by David Suchet I knew I had to give it a try. It's an excellent performance of a wonderfully written book. It made for great listening while I was stitching.
November 6, 2012
Really creative mystery, not your typical outcome. Some deeper issues at play as well. Super enjoyable.
March 5, 2016
Loved this book! The setting was wonderful, characters full of life and kept you guessing!
dnf
February 2, 2017Didn't realise the audiobook I borrowed from the library was a full cast dramatisation. I'd prefer to listen to the original book. So if I can find a copy, I'll try this again another time.
June 28, 2017
Definitely worth listening to. Enjoyed the dramatization. Good story with a great plot.
October 17, 2017
I’m not usually a fan of full-cast dramatizations, but this one was good. I enjoy this story in its many forms, including this one.
Read
March 12, 2023I had seen the movie before so I knew how it ended but this was still great. Really enjoyed the narrators, they did fantastically!!⭐⭐⭐⭐
October 4, 2020
Audio - BBC Radio version - my introduction to Agatha Christie.
December 4, 2023
I enjoyed this. I really love the way Christie develops the mystery with interesting characters. The plot was a bit predictable overall though. I would recommend this but still think And Then There Were None is better!
July 16, 2024
52 Book Club 2024 Summer Reading Challenge- Prompt: Featuring the 'Butterfly Effect'
This is a perfect way to re-experience an amazing feat of planning and execution, but the full book is still my favourite Poirot mystery (so far...)
This is a perfect way to re-experience an amazing feat of planning and execution, but the full book is still my favourite Poirot mystery (so far...)
December 11, 2024
I truly love BBC radio dramatizations. They make for a quick audiobook with a full cast and sound effects! It’s also an entertaining way to immerse yourself into the world of Agatha Christie. My favorite BBC dramatization is still And Then There Were None!
November 8, 2022
All versions of this classic "who-dunnit" have their own charm on the story. This was a radio drama which gave it yet another spin to its telling. Very well done.
August 6, 2023
Just a classic murder mystery innit 🕵️♂️🔎
( a great audio adaptation though)
( a great audio adaptation though)
February 27, 2024
Better than the Branagh film by a mile
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