Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie is a classic 1930s mystery in which a person is murdered on a train just before it becomes stuck in the snow. Someone on the train is guilty of murder and Inspector Poirot must find the murderer without any high-tech gadgetry, instead relying upon observable fact, interviews of the suspects, and his powers of deduction.
You probably knew all that, but I'd completely forgotten the storyline, apart from "Murder on train; Poirot investigates," although I've seen the movie version that stars David Suchet (long, long ago). The novel edition shown above is a tie-in to the new movie release starring Kenneth Branagh as Poirot and a stunningly high-profile cast as the passengers and suspects.
You might be surprised to find out this is the first time I've read Murder on the Orient Express. I've never been a big fan of Agatha Christie but I do like to occasionally read a mystery as a change of pace, so I requested the book from HarperCollins for review. As it turned out, in spite of its classic status I felt about the same as I always do about Agatha Christie's books (meh), but there was one thing that particularly intrigued me and that was the details of the train, itself - the diagram of compartments, the description of the sleeping berths and dining car, etc. That part I enjoyed. And, the movie tie-in edition has a photo section, so there are shots of the train to refer to when the author mentions certain details, like the window bar.
Recommended, especially to mystery lovers - I may not be the best judge of Agatha Christie because I tend to dislike the kind of mysteries that involve someone hammering suspects with questions, but the descriptions of the train itself kept me going and I can see why Murder on the Orient Express is a classic. Its setting and the murder are definitely unique. And, now, looking back on a work that is at least 80 years old, you get a fascinating historical peek into of a mode of travel that has all but disappeared. I was also intrigued by a comment made by a German character about how her people were peaceful, an especially interesting remark in view of the events that took place in Germany within a handful of years after publication in 1934. I appreciated the movie photo section and now I definitely want to see the movie, if only for a better look inside the train.
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Oh man! We’re so alike. I haven’t read the book and don’t intend to but I had the exact same feelings about the movie. The plot was ho hum but I was in love with the train and sad that we don’t travel this way anymore. I’d definitely recommend the movie for you if only so you can see how beautiful the train was.
ReplyDeleteOh, cool, I'm glad you enjoyed seeing the train on the big screen. I'm trying to talk Husband into going. It's very difficult to get him to a theater. Yep, "Ho hum" is right. I don't think the story would have been all that interesting at all, if not for the setting. It's the train that makes the book special.
DeleteI prefer the Miss Marple books, but this is my all time favorite Agatha Christie. When I first read it, I was dumbfounded. I just reread it recently before I see the new movie and this time I was able to appreciate the clues provided. Thanks for this great review.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever read a Miss Marple book, although I did go through a phase during which I read nothing but mysteries and it lasted several years before I thoroughly burned out. Of the Agatha Christies I've read, I do think this one's the best. Thanks!
DeleteI read this one recently, too. I found it to be a quick, engrossing read. Nothing earth-shatteringly awesome, but entertaining. I was surprised by Christie's prose -- it's very business-like and efficient. No flowery descriptions for her! Overall, I think I prefer AND THEN THERE WERE NONE to MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS.
ReplyDeleteShe is definitely a clean, fairly minimalist writer. I'm just not the right audience for this particular type of book. Still, I enjoyed it for the change of pace and the setting and I have no regrets. I haven't read AND THEN THERE WERE NONE and I actually thought about that, as I was reading. I still want to give that one a go. Even though I'm not a big fan of her books, I like to read one on occasion.
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