Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Return to Form
Review: The Mystery of the Blue Train is not Agatha Christie's most famous or best train mystery, that would come a few years later, but it is a worthwhile addition to the Hercule Poirot series. It marks a return to the kind of mysteries Christie wrote best and away from the earlier spy thriller, The Big Four. This novel is full to bursting with interesting characters from secretaries to jewel thieves to countesses to companions for crusty old ladies, and all drawn with effortless skill by the author in a few simple strokes. There may even be a few too many characters for some reader's tastes as a few of them are quite obviously not actively involved in the plot but it is fun to watch the author parade the cast of characters all about the villas of the Riviera and the streets of Paris. A very nice Christie whodunit.
Rating: 
Summary: Weak by Agatha Christie Standards
Review: There's little doubt as to why Agatha Christie personally dislikes this book. Charming and warm though it is, this book is not the most exciting Christie book I've ever written.It's also amusing how M. Poirot always seems never to be too far from the murder scene, and how so many characters, Katherine, Knighton and Kettering, all have the same initial, K, as inscribed on the cigaratte box. As far as the mystery goes, it becomes very obvious very early as to who the culprit is. The character development in this book is vague at best; not the easiest of jobs considering that we meet a maid-to-riches girl, an american businessmen, semi-bankrupt British aristocracy, a fake French comte, a French dancer, and an old English lady who takes great pride in outliving her friend. Whilst not having a central character, the story has not central location either, as the scenes gaily skip from Paris, to London, to St Mary's Head, to the French riviera. Upon reading the book, I felt that Christie has made an almost half hearted effort to describe the dichotomy of the human nature. She has also, once again with little enthusiasm, tried to stick a love story in the book. Indeed, it is love that causes the criminal to give his game away pretty easily. In sum, if you want to read a book about the lifestyles of the rich and the famous between the wars, this book is a good read. If you are looking for a mystery, by Christie's own admission, this is the worst.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent vintage Christie
Review: This book was published in 1928 and is an expansion of the short story "Mystery of the Plymouth Express". The plot enters around an American heiress, her millionaire father, ne'er do-well husband, shady lover and others she comes into contact with on the famous Blue Train while traveling to the Riveria. The question becomes was she murdered for her jewels or were her jewels taken to cloud the motive of her murder? Katherine Grey (from the soon to be famous St. Mary Mead) was taken into the victims confidence and finds herself entangled in the mystery. Fortunately for her, Hercule Poirot was also a passenger on the train and sorts through the puzzle. Poirot is traveling without Hastings but we are treated to scenes with Georges the valet at the beginning of his career with Hercule. This book has held up surprisingly well considering it is nearing the century mark. It describes a way of life that is long past which could be confusing the 21st century reader who does not understand the stigma that had been attached to divorce, limited opportunities for women or personal servants but the core conflicts of the story remain current to today. The only flaws I see in this story are the number of subplots and secondary characters but this is more than made up for by the ending which has the typical Christie flair.
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