Murder on the Orient Express

Background (Book Description):

"One of Agatha Christie’s most famous mysteries, Murder on the Orient Express was inspired by two real-life crimes and the author’s own experience being stranded on the Orient Express during Christmas of 1931. While traveling to Paris, a wealthy American is stabbed to death in his cabin on the Orient Express. With the train stuck in a snowdrift, there is no easy escape for the killer. Fortunately, detective Hercule Poirot is aboard and launches a clever investigation into the curious assortment of passengers, of whom each seems to have a motive."

Thoughts on the Case (My Partial Review):

*Sigh* Yet again I am sad to say that I didn't finish the book in time for the review/discussion date. Sorry! However, this time I'm halfway through the book instead of 1/3 of the way through, so that's something. ;)

I'm really enjoying these Agatha Christie books, though! Murder on the Orient Express is such an intellectually engaging/stimulating story! I absolutely love trains, so I really love this book's setting. And I love that in the second part of the book the reader is provided a map of the train car where the murder took place. I ended up writing on the map to try and help my mind sort things out. ;) Plus, I've been underlining some great lines in both of the Agatha Christie books I own (this one and Death on the Nile). Great stuff!

I apologize again for not having a complete review of either Christie book for you. But suffice it to say that I'm quite intrigued by both books so far, and I'm becoming a big fan of Poirot (both these books and this latest season's episodes on PBS Masterpiece).

Later that same day...

I finished the book! And wow - what a story! While there's not a lot of action, there's plenty of thinking and discussion, as well as some grand plot twists and surprises. While Death on the Nile is the first book by Agatha Christie that I started, Murder on the Orient Express is the first one by her that I've finished, and I loved it! Poirot's insights into the various characters, as well as his solution for this mystery, make him quite the remarkable and intriguing hero. I'm excited to finish Death on the Nile now, as well as to watch more of Poirot's brilliance via my new DVD collection of the latest Poirot season from PBS Masterpiece. ;)

(Cover image and book description from Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers.)