The Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie- is one of her most successful novels. A Train. A crime. Numerous suspects; nearly everyone has a defense. But hold on, and everyone has a purpose. How did this murder happen, which seems to be impossible? Hercule Poirot is the one who knows!
I came across this book as a part of an assignment of mine, and oh my God, never have I ever taken any assignment this seriously! I found this novel so awesome that I read many other Hercule Poirot novels. It was one of the best reading experiences of my life.
Hercule Poirot, our Belgian detective, is traveling on the Orient Express when a snowfall causes the train to come to a complete stop. The following morning, it is found that a passenger was fatally stabbed inside his closed compartment. Snow outside makes it obvious that the murderer must still be aboard the train, and Poirot must identify who it is.
Hold up! There’s more ahead. Keep on reading!
The Murder on the Orient Express| Book Review
About the Author
Agatha Christie
It’s no exaggeration to say that Christie is widely regarded as the queen of mysteries. Her long writing career produced almost 60 books and 14 short tales. With more than two billion books sold, she has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the best-selling mystery author of all time. After receiving six rejections in a row, her literary career took a while to get going.
Her fortune changed in 1920 after publishing her Hercule Poirot-starring novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles. In addition to her work, Christie is well-known for going missing for 11 days in 1926 due to her marriage. Christie worked in hospital dispensaries throughout World Wars and enlisted, where she learned about poisons frequently appearing in her novels.
As a result of her second marriage to archaeologist Max Mallowan, she learned new information that she later included in her writings.
According to UNESCO, Agatha Christie has been translated more than any other author. With over 100 million copies sold, her book And Then There Were None is one of the best-selling books ever. Her books and Christie’s stage drama The Mousetrap also hold the record for the longest opening run.
Book Overview| The Murder on the Orient Express
Full Title: The Murder on the Orient Express
Author: Agatha Christie
Genre: Crime Fiction
Publishing Date: 1 January 1934
Page Count: 274
Series: Hercule Poirot (#9)
Themes: The Morality of Murder
Main Characters: Hercule Poirot, Edward Ratchett, McQueen, Countess Andrenyi, Mary Debenham, Mrs. Hubbard, Princess Dragomiroff, Bianchi, Colonel Arbuthnot, Greta, Foscarelli, Dr. Constantine, Count Andrenyi, Hardman, Hildegarde, Beddoes, Pierre Michel
Setting: 1934 is the setting for Murder on the Orient Express. Most of the remaining action occurs within the Orient Express’s carriages after an avalanche in Yugoslavia blocks it, but the game initially starts in Istanbul, Turkey.
Description:
The renowned Orient Express is stopped as it passes through the hilly Balkans just after midnight by a snowdrift. For this time of year, the opulent train is unexpectedly packed by morning. There is one less person on board. An American businessman who had been stabbed a dozen times lies dead in his compartment with a sealed door from the inside.
None other than Detective Hercule Poirot is among the passengers on a trip. Poirot, alone and in a boat with a killer, must find the murderer so they cannot retaliate.
Book Summary| The Murder on the Orient Express
In the story, Monsieur Hercule Poirot is a quick, rational Belgian private detective with an ornate, waxed mustache. Because it was written and set in the 1930s, some of the terms and vocabulary are archaic, and Poirot uses many French words and phrases.
After completing a case, Poirot checks into a hotel in Turkey, where he is having supper, when he discovers an American tourist with what appears to be animal eyes and an air of evil about him.
On the Orient Express the following day, the same man asks Poirot to take up his case because he claims his life is in danger. The individual, who goes by the name Ratchett, offers Poirot a sizable sum of money, but Poirot declines.
Poirot responds that he dislikes his face when Ratchett asks why. Poirot hears unusual noises coming from other carriage compartments during the night, and the next morning he finds Ratchett dead in his compartment after being stabbed twelve times.
The plot continues with Poirot questioning every passenger in the same carriage as Ratchett to determine which claims are real or fake. Monsieur Bouc, the chairman of the train company, who is also on the train, requests Poirot to conduct an investigation.
My Takeaway From the Book
Is it okay to kill a guy even if the law has cleared him of all charges? This is one of the book’s central themes. Is it ever acceptable to murder a man? The book implies that murder is acceptable in certain situations, according to Poirot and the passenger.
The Armstrong family is resolved to murder Ratchet and stop him from harming any more children because he evades prosecution in the US. Twelve people concur that a person is guilty of the crime, that person is still at large, and that it is, therefore, okay to murder him if the offense is heinous.
Although there are emotional costs—the majority of the novel’s slaves are in tears—the Armstrongs are successful overall and are unlikely to face punishment for their crime.
Now, this is something I and all of us have known from the very beginning murder is a crime and is wrong under any circumstances. Still, things like these make us question our beliefs, especially when the writer has such a convincing writing style.
What Did I Think of the Book?
This book walks you through Hercule Poirot’s analysis of the case from start to finish. Because of this, it appears that you are also a detective. The writing is also quite clear and sharp. This book follows a locked-room murder mystery, one of the most interesting types.
There is nowhere for the suspects to go. Thus one of them must be the guilty party. What comes next is a suspenseful whodunit with a marvelously twisting plot, red herrings, and intriguing individuals who all have something to conceal. I was astounded by the ingenuity of the solution and how the clues had been present all along when it was finally disclosed.
Ratings
This book holds a rating of 4.5 stars.
Conclusion| The Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
This book is a fantastic mental exercise. The plot of this novel includes numerous twists and turns, keeping you eagerly anticipating what will happen next. Anybody who appreciates a good mystery should read this book.
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