I am a die-hard Agatha Christie fan. It all began when I read her book ‘And then there were none‘. That book was an eye-opener, for crime-fiction was never my genre. Of course, like any other kid, I used to devour Nancy Drew series from the school library (There wouldn’t be a single ND book without my Roll No: stamped on it!), but it ended there. It was only later that I read Agatha Christie and since then there was no looking back.
I confess that I first heard of this title ‘Murder on the Orient Express‘ when it was made into a movie. And I am someone who cannot watch a movie before I read its book(if applicable!), barring the Twilight series. So this time when I went on a train journey, I thought there couldn’t be a better time to read this title.
Yes, like any other Agatha Christie novel, the blurb had piqued my interest. Read along and you’ll know why.
Plot:
Hercule Poirot boards a train from Syria to Istanbul after solving a crime. All he wants to do is relax and recoup but he is called back to London on an immediate basis. Poirot boards that night’s train, the Simplon Orient Express. He is soon approached by Samuel Ratchett, an American millionaire who fears for his life. However, Poirot refuses to help even though he was offered large amounts of money. And the reason he gives is, ‘I do not like your face’. 🙂
Next morning, Poirot discovers that Ratchett has been murdered in his compartment, stabbed multiple times, his door locked from inside.
A train. A murder. Multiple suspects.
The murderer is still on-board as the train is stuck due to a snowdrift. And who but Hercule Poirot is assigned the task of finding the culprit!
Review – Murder on the Orient Express:
Whoa!
The moment I finished reading the book I thought, “Damn! This thing is a masterpiece!”. There isn’t any modern technology involved; it is all about having a keen eye for things and deducing from the clues. Well, that’s what makes it an old-fashioned classic murder mystery!
I was engrossed in the book from the word go, for I was trying to find the murderer as the story progressed. I thought it was a cake-walk since the book was designed as such, divided into three main sections – the Facts, Evidence, and Solution.
The book is set in the 1930s and that meant I had to constantly resort to search engines to help translate many of the French phrases used in the book. The characters are well etched and I was in awe of Agatha Christie’s character description and her signature humor – “At the small table, sitting very upright was one of the ugliest old ladies he had ever seen. It was an ugliness of distinction – it fascinated rather than repelled“.
The plot is so crisp and no. I couldn’t guess the ending.
Was it a Wow moment when I found the culprit? Yes, it was. But was I completely bowled over? Maybe not.
And that’s the reason why Murder on the Orient Express does not take the place of my favorite Agatha Christie novel. It is still And then there were none.
The below lines are one of my favorites.
“The impossible could not have happened, therefore the impossible must be possible in spite of appearances.”
“I am not one to rely upon the expert procedure. It is the psychology I seek, not the fingerprint or the cigarette ash.”
“I believe, Messieurs, in loyalty—to one’s friends and one’s family and one’s caste.”
Do I Recommend?
Of course! I will recommend the book to all Agatha Christie fans. It’s a perfect crime investigation!
Rating:
5 on 5.
Go ahead and pick up this book on Amazon: Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express
Details of the Book | |
Title: Murder on the Orient Express | Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers |
Author: Agatha Christie | ISBN: 9780007119318 |
Genre: Crime Fiction | No: of Pages: 274 |
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are honest, unbiased, and my own. No, I didn’t receive any monetary compensation for the review.
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Soumya says
The ending had me go “Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat”! Such a brilliant book this is. The story telling, the characters, all so well etched out.
Bikram says
I remember watching the movie. Even the movie is brilliantly made .. and as u say the book surely is a masterpiece.
Rachna Parmar says
I love Agatha Christie books. I really can’t recall if I have read this one. I must get my own copy to find out if I did.
Shantala says
I haven’t read anything by the author, but after reading your review, I’ll definitely pick And then there were None, first.
Lata Sunil says
I loved the book. But I havent read, And then there were none. It will be rectified soon.
Leo says
Definitely one of her best works. Enjoyed it very much. 🙂 I am not sure if the movie can do it justice. But will watch soon.
BellyBytes says
I have read all Agatha Christies as a teenager as at one time she was my favourite author. When I re-read some of her books now,I find that she has worked the book backwards – it’s not really hard to find out the murderer if you read between the lines. It’s been a long time since I read a Christie so perhaps I’ll hot foot it down to the library and borrow this book . The old paperback edition that I had first read!
Ramya Abhinand says
Shalini this is my all time favourite Agatha Christie. I loved the way the whole investigation was conducted. The deep thinking Hercule Poirot who’s thoughts most seldom guess.. The clues leading us else where and finally its like boooom… the culprit!!! A fantastic revelation of the whole crime
Kala Ravi says
Haven’t read this one, and your review sounds terrific! I love Agatha Christie and this is being added to my tbr!
Jitendra Mathur says
Christie has always been my favourite and I have also written reviews of many of her novels. Murder on the Orient Express is a masterpiece by all standards. And your review is a reflection of the passion with which you have read it. Compliments.