murder on the orient express mini-review! // my favorite poirot so far

Agatha Christie is one of the most prolific writers of all time. So of course, with me being the height of what is commonly referred to as *ahem* culture, has officially read five of her books. Yes, five! And what a wonderfully grand number that is! All joking aside, I’ve actually taken it upon myself to read at least one Christie a year, and Murder on the Orient Express just so happened to be my pick for 2021.

Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must identify the murderer—in case he or she decides to strike again.

The funniest thing about Agatha Christie’s novels is that you’re never quite sure how and why you’re so dumb. I’m happy to report that I felt slightly proud of myself for guessing the who of it all. Unfortunately, that spiraled into many clever details that I was not in fact privy to.

this is one of the most well-plotted books i’ve ever read.

It’s the type of book that you instantly know deserves a reread considering that a clue is planted on every page. Literally. Christie’s writing prowess is truly a once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment. Every character was brought to life with distinct personalities. I know that she inspired Clue, but you just get the feeling that you’re watching an intricate Clue game unfold.

That being said, this book is very self-contained. By which I mean, someone is murdered on a train. Our lovable Belgian detective Hercule Poirot interviews everyone on the train in an attempt to solve the mystery. So if you’re looking for action, you won’t really find that here. However, the character studies create such a fascinating atmosphere, and there are some ending twists that really serve to punctuate a surprising ending.

Out of all the Hercule Poirot books, this is one the one that I think has captured me the most so far. The audiobook narrator did so many lovely voices and accents, it kept me intrigued. Overall, I’d give this 4/5 stars! Tell me: have you read this? Or seen the movie?

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