Review: Murder on the Orient Express

Well, that was quite the hiatus - but I'm back!

My last post was talking about how I was in a reading slump and it pretty much lasted through the remainder of the year. Nothing was exciting me and I was so uninspired by what I was reading; however, since 2018 has started, I can say that I got back into my reading groove. Furthermore, I've read some great books since the year started...including Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie.

I decided to purchase this book late last week when I remembered that I wanted to watch the movie that came out late last year. Interestingly enough, it wasn't until I was halfway into the book, that I realized that I have seen the movie before - an older version but nonetheless.

Agatha Christie, "The Queen of Mystery", writes a classic whodunit of a train murder mystery. Her favorite sleuth, Hercule Poirot, boards a train and is propositioned by a gentleman by the name of Ratchett, who believes that his life is in danger. Shortly after Poirot declines his offer, Ratchett is found dead in his train car. Who killed him? Why would anyone want him dead? Why would Ratchett feel as if his life was in danger? Was it another fellow passenger? Or could it have been a stranger?

Although I remembered watching the movie many years ago, I did not remember the events or the outcome of those events on the train, so I caught myself trying to work the mystery out with Poirot. If Christie's other mysteries are anything like this one, you will never be able to solve what happened because Poirot keeps key details to himself until he begins explaining his theories to others...at the very end. Nevertheless, when the mystery of who killed Ratchett was revealed, my mouth was hung slack in surprise.

While I enjoyed this book, it was not necessarily memorable for me in the sense that I am dying to read her other books. It could quite possibly be because of the fact that when I think of Agatha Christie, I think of Jessica Fletcher from Murder, She Wrote and I HATED that show (haha). Anywho...if anyone has read any of her other books, please comment as to which ones I should start next! I'd also love to hear what you thought of this book and its movie(s). I haven't seen the 2017 version yet, but it is on my never-ending list of things to watch.

Until we read again...