Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot #10) By: Agatha Christie

Plot:

Travelling on the Orient Express, Poirot is approached by a desperate American named Ratchett. Afraid that someone plans to kill him, Ratchett asks Poirot for help. Sadly the very next day Ratchett’s worst fears become reality, when he is found dead in his cabin, a victim of multiple stab wounds. With nothing but a scrap of paper to go on, Poirot must piece together Ratchett’s identity before he can establish which of his fellow passengers murdered him.

Review:

This is one of the most famous fictional murder mysteries and because of that I had the ending spoiled years ago. However, even though I knew ‘who done it’ I still really enjoyed the story. On the off chance anyone reading my blog doesn’t know the ending I won’t mention it because it’s that good.

It took me a while to finish this book. I’ve been in a reading rut lately and just haven’t been able to focus. I chose this book to get me out of my funk and by the end I think it might have worked.

Even though this book is older I had no difficulty understanding the language, though there was the occasional British reference that took a minute to process.

I loved Poirot as a character, the fact that he expected people to know who he was had me smiling. He’s nice but able to deduce things so much better than others and yet he still let’s them try.

I really love the whole gathering everyone together at the end and revealing the solution to the murder. It is one of my favorite tropes. Poirot does such a better job of it than Holmes, he doesn’t come off as an arrogant asshole, he’s merely put two and two together and figured out what everyone thought was impossible.

Murder on the Orient Express has been adapted, again, and will be released in theaters soon if it hasn’t been already. The casting looks great so hopefully they do this classic novel justice.

4/5