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Summary: One of the best murder mysteries ever written
Review: "Murder on the Orient Express" is probably one of Agatha Christie's best known mysteries, thanks largely to the excellent movie based closely on the book, but it's also one of her best mysteries on its own. Here is Hercule Poirot, the rotund Belgian detective, whom we meet in the restaurant car "trying to keep his mustaches out of the soup" as the Orient Express is about to begin its run across Central Europe. Also on board are an English governess, a British colonel, an American pseudo-philanthropist and his multilingual secretary, a Russian grande dame, a Hungarian count, a garrulous American matron of certain age, and others representing various countries and nationalities. During the night, one of the passengers is found murdered in his bed, and we learn the next morning that the victim was a vicious child kidnapper and murderer who richly deserved what he got. But who gave it to him is the mystery to be solved. It's the typical English parlor mystery transplanted to the exotic setting of the Orient Express, and it's a brilliant switch. Enter Poirot, sifting through the facts, half-facts and outright inventions, until the mystery is unraveled and we find out not only whodunit, but also who Poirot's fellow passengers really are. It's one of Christie's most satisfying novels, perfectly crafted, concisely written, and totally on target from first to last.
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Summary: One of the best mysteries ever written--seriously!
Review: This beautifully crafted murder mystery ranks among Agatha Christie's finest. The dapper Belgian detective finds himself investigating the murder of an American businessman on board the Simplon Orient Express. The death occurs in a a manner that implicates one of the twelve passengers in the Stamboul-Calais coach. Poirot carefully interviews the suspects, all of whom have cast-iron alibis. The case appears impossible to solve, until Poirot, using nothing but his wits and a few tiny, seemingly insignificant clues (including a monogrammed handkerchief, a pipe-cleaner, and a Hungarian passport), assembles one of his most brilliant explanations.MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is not just another Agatha Christie book. The plotting is as skillful and ingenious as her best, filled with even more baffling twists and turns than usual. This novel has even more to offer, however: a delightful international cast of characters, an entertaining train setting, and gripping suspense. This is edge-of-your-seat reading from the world's foremost mystery writer.
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Summary: A great twist at the end
Review: Inspector Poirot is at first confused by the murder which occurs while he is on the Orient Express. The man who is murdered is traveling under a false identity as Mr. Ratchett, while he is actually the man who murdered a baby in a notorious case in America. While Poirot questions each person, he begins to form an opinion as to the solution to the murders. His friend M. Bouc becomes increasingly confused as he hears the passengers' testimonies, and some stories seem to contradict others. He changes his mind several times as to who he thinks is the murderer while Poirot remains ever confident that he has the solution. This is one of Christie's best-known works and it was made into a movie many years ago. It is recommended reading!
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Summary: Murder on the Orient Express
Review: The novel Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, is a riveting and impelling book which chronicles the adventures of a adroit detective traveling on an unusually crowded train, The Orient Express, at the time of a murder. When this detective, M. Hercule Poirot, takes on the investigation, he realizes immediately that the killer is a deceitfully clever and ruthless individual who leaves a trail of false clues designed to keep him off track. The suspects, a diverse, international collection of travelers, are marooned by a snowstorm, preventing the escape of the murderer. M. Poirot takes the passenger's testimony, examines evidence, and through flawless logic and ability, begins to unravel the crime. The story builds up slowly, gathering momentum as it approaches its startling, spellbinding conclusion.
Through an intriguing plot, an unusual setting, and realistic, detailed descriptions, the author makes this an appealing book to read. The plot is somewhat slow in unfolding, yet the emergence of unexpected evidence and revelations compel you to keep reading. In addition to the plot, the atypical setting of this book, depicted with detailed imagery, focuses your attention as you seek to uncover hidden clues. The characters are brought alive through detailed depiction of their appearance, personality, and manner of speech.
I would highly recommend this book to people who enjoy mysteries and crime stories that are not too scary or violent. M. Poirot is a intriguing main character who takes you through the evidence as if you were actually the detective trying to piece the puzzle together. Yet one can hardly predict the incredible and thrilling resolution to this mystery! Thus, for people who savor suspense and enjoy trying to put clues together to solve crimes, this is an exceptional book to read.
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Summary: Enjoyable to read on a vacation.
Review: "Murder on the Orient Express" is another old fashioned mystery, thoroughly without modern detective methods. Though it is not as tense as "And Then There Were None," it is still full of anticipation. I did find it gratuitously wordy. If you do not read too much into the story, then you'll solve the crime in no time. The ending will make you wonder if it is justifiable (and then you'll remember this is a work of fiction). A good read for a vacation - I recommend.
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Summary: The Best Book Ever
Review: I LOVE THIS BOOK! When I was an eighth grade, we had to do a book report on a mystery from the school library. I ended up grabbing this book at the last minute just because I needed one. I've never regretted it. This book has introduced me to Agatha Christie and this is her at her best.
You have a wide assortment of nationalities all stuck on a train, on which a murder has just occured. Hercule Poirot happens to be on the train and takes up the case. His only clues are a match, a burned note, a handkercheif, a pipe cleaner, & a broken watch. Poirot manages to solve the case with just those four clues and information from interviews with the passengers.
I'm typically pretty good at solving mysteries half way through the book. Here, I was stumped. One page made me certain it was a American and the next it was an Italian. And then there's the HUGE twist at the end. I didn't see it coming and you probably won't see it coming. Unlike many mysteries, this twist actually made sense and was the perfect solution to an apparently perfect crime!
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Summary: Christie's Most Famous, For a Good Reason
Review: Reading Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express is like calling up an old friend. It is alway a familiar comfort. This book is so perfectly Christie. All of her favourite character types are here as suspects and the action is stripped down to Poirot simply interviewing one of these suspicious characters after another in his own inimitable style. The solution is joyous, but almost sublimely ridiculous, and many of the clues with which Poirot uses to solve the crime are denied to the reader but still this is one of Christie's more elegant reads (to speak nothing of the perfect film version which even improves on the book). This is the one to pick up and read again and again to get away from any of the stresses of a long day. Simply the best.
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Summary: If you are only going to read one mystery in your life...
Review: this would be a good choice. MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is one of the most well known mysteries of all time, and for good reason, it is brilliant. The story begins with Hercule Poirot beginning a journey on the famed Orient Express. His fellow travelers are a mixed lot; an American businessman and his secretary/assistant and his valet, a Russian Princess and her maid, a Hungarian Count and Countess, a governess, a missionary, a British military man returning from India and two salesman, one American and the other Italian. On the second night out one of the group is murdered, murdered several times over by multiple stab wounds. The train is also snowbound. Poirot quickly discovers that the murderer must still be on the train and works to solve the crime before the train is freed and the killer able to escape, or kill again. He soon learns that the victim is not exactly who he seems, and in fact was connected with a famous kidnapping/murder case. MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is an example of how Christie took the events of her day, in this instance the Lindbergh kidnapping, combined with her own experiences (she traveled on the Orient Express many times) to write her novels. Christie also pushed the rules of detective fiction in this one, as she did in THE MURDER OF ROGER AKROYD earlier and would again later in AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (TEN LITTLE INDIANS), to come up with a novel solution.
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Summary: Murder of Confusion
Review: Murder On the Orient Express was a story about a detective by the name of Hercule Poirot. While he was on a train going to London, a murder occurred, and he was asked to step in to try to solve it. With every person on the train a suspect, you'll never believe the twisted ending.
My opinion of the book was that I didn't like it very much. The plot was simple, but it got confusing for me with all the different characters that were involved. It was difficult for me to understand, and keep everything straight. I most certainly didn't enjoy it. I would not recommend this book, unless you want to be bored to death.
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Summary: Great mystery with an amazing twist ending
Review: The Murder on the Orient Express is a great mystery book. Perroit interrogates everyone on the train. If you like Agatha Christie books, you'll love this. The ending has a really awesome twist that you'll never expect. If you enjoy this book, I urge you to definitely read And Then There Were None.
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