Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie

(Originally posted to Instagram on October 23, 2024)

I know I promised mostly scary/horror books this month, but it’s also a stressful time of the year. I was in the mood for something cozier. And anyway, murder is spooky right? I think it works as an October book (though admittedly it’s a stretch), but even if it doesn’t, I very much recommend giving this a read.

At this point, nobody needs me to explain why Agatha Christie mysteries are the best. She’s one of the most (if not the most) famous mystery writer of all time. She puts the clues right there in plain sight. She signposts them in very clever ways so there’s no “cheating.” Even if you’re way off on guessing the mystery (I usually am), you still feel like an active participant in the story.

A couple of things this book does that I really enjoyed:

1./ Nobody travels like Hercule Poirot. The dining scenes make you feel like you need to up your own kitchen game. Boarding the train makes you long for high-speed rail in the US. You want to dust off your passport and travel the world. It’s great.

2./ Poirot doesn’t make anyone feel stupid. He tries to solve the murder alongside his friend M. Bouc and Dr. Constantine, and he never makes either of them seem stupid. He admits several times that it’s a perplexing and difficult case. Consequently, he doesn’t make ME feel stupid, which I appreciate.

3./ Her characters are all fairly well realized. There are a lot in this book, so obviously they can’t all be Jean Valjean. Even the side characters have a lot to reveal. But as you learn the ins and outs of the case, who’s lying, why they’re lying, and what they’re actually up to, you feel like part of the gang. It’s a lovely atmosphere to drink in.

4./ The conceit of a murder on a stopped train stuck in a snowpass in the middle of nowhere is brilliant. So obvious now that it’s been done, but just diabolically clever.

So yeah, give this a read. I plowed through it in a hurry. It’s an older book, but it reads like a contemporary. Pick it up asap.