2017 Jul 15
“The murderer is with us – on the train now…”
Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. One of his fellow passengers must be the murderer.
Isolated by the storm and with a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer amongst a dozen of the dead man’s enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again…
Murder on the Orient Express is the tenth Hercule Poirot novel and it is easily one of Agatha Christie’s most popular novels. This is certainly due to two main reasons. Firstly, the setting of the story is entirely unique, with a murder committed, investigated and completely solved aboard a luxurious passenger train. Secondly, the mindboggling nature of the mystery, along with the shocking reveal (no spoilers!) is not alike any other mystery novel, not even Agatha Christie’s other work.
Christie’s novel has been adapted into a 1974 movie and an eagerly awaited 2017 film, of which the thrilling trailer has been released. As such, it is the perfect time to pick up this book and experience the story firsthand. The numerous characters are well-written, along with the many clues Poirot picks up along the way which contribute to solving the crime. A new reader will most definitely not guess the end reveal! After all, no one does a mystery better than Agatha Christie.
Rating: 4.8/5
