“Ingenuity at its height … the idea is utterly novel, the setting a model of realism, and the characters a versatile, attractive crew.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
All over the world Agatha Christie is hailed as the queen of crime and ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ just proves that she is considered rightly so. This book is a perfect specimen of her enthralling, fast paced and refreshing way of writing.
Agatha created Hercule Poirot in her first novel, ‘The Mysterious Affair at Styles’. ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ has the same protagonist, a little Belgian detective with a curlicue mustache.
For as mundane a setting as a train the book happens to be utterly exciting leaving its readers suffering through the torment of not knowing and keeping them guessing till the very end. As Poirot is returning from ‘A Little Affair in Syria’ he finds it difficult to find a reservation in the luxurious train, the Orient Express, which happens to be surprisingly full for a normally slack time of the year.
Somehow Hercule manages to board the train but a little after the midnight somewhere between Vincovi and Brod, the train runs into a snowdrift and comes to halt. By the morning there was one passenger less as the millionaire Mr. Simon Ratchett lies dead in his compartment. Cause of death, multiple stabs with his door locked from inside.
Isolated by the storm with a killer midst, the adventure of finding the murderer begins amongst a dozen of passengers. The structure of the book is well defined and wonderfully taut.
The book is must read for all the mystery lovers and well if you are not one give the book a try, you might change into one.
Reviewed by:
Indrima Upadhyay
Added 13th July 2016
