Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie

​Started: Saturday 2nd July 2022

Finished: Saturday 2nd July 2022

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

On Saturday I travelled up to London to see Beauty and The Beast at the London Palladium and with a four hours on a train, I wanted something I could really get stuck into.

I need a book small enough to fit in my bang, fast paced enough to lose myself in and lighthearted enough not to impact my mood and Murder On The Orient Express was perfect.

My second delve into the Agatha Christie catalogue, I’ve already labelled her books as “filler” books - perfect for one sitting and clever enough to keep me guessing without the dreaded Book Hangover.

Murder On The Orient Express sees the infamous Monsieur Hercule Poirot have an urgent recall to England, cutting his leisure time short. But oddly, the sleeper train is full, a strange and unexplained circumstance given the time of year. Through his years of connections, a temporary cabin is found to be shared with McQueen - the travel companion for Ratchett; and man with an evil face and a less than pleasant countenance.

By the second night, a murder has occurred and of course, none other than Hercule Poirot finds himself leading the enquiry.

As we learn of each of the travellers aboard the train, none of them are quite who or what they seem. Alongside his trusted acquaintances Monsieur Bouc and Dr Constantine, Poirot uses intellect and clever questioning just who is behind the crime.

I’m normally quite judgemental of easy reads. I see them as guilty pleasures and shy away from them; instead of enjoying them for what they are, I steer towards the more serious or stories of which there is something to learn from.

My only experience of Christie prior to this was Death On The Nile, another equally enjoyable tale that kept me wondering throughout.