Agatha Christie's most famous murder mystery, reissued with a striking new cover designed to appeal to the latest generation of Agatha Christie fans and book lovers. 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.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Need it be said - the little grey cells solve once more the seemingly insoluble. Mrs Christie makes an improbable tale very real, and keeps her readers enthralled and guessing to the end." Times Literary Supplement "A brilliantly ingenious story." Dorothy L. Sayers, Daily Herald "Ingenuity at its height ... the idea is utterly novel, the setting a model of realism, and the characters a versatile, attractive crew." Woman's Journal "A piece of classic workmanship .. exquisite and wholly satisfying." News Chronicle
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Back Cover
"The murderer is with us–on the train now . . ."
Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. One of his fellow passengers must be the murderer.
Isolated by the storm, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man's enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again . . .
--This text refers to an alternate Mass Market Paperback edition.
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More About the Author
Agatha Christie was born in 1890 and created the detective Hercule Poirot in her debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920). She achieved wide popularity with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) and produced a total of eighty novels and short-story collections over six decades.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
56 of 61 people found the following review helpful
By K. H. ZAINAL
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Ah, yes. The world famous case of the "Murder on the Orient Express" (MotOE). It is so famous, even people who have never read Christie know who did it. I first read it 12 years ago even though someone had already revealed to me the identity of the murderer. I've never forgiven him. But I read it anyway to find out for myself how Agatha Christie constructed the story in order to fool her readers.
Christie was probably inspired by the true story of the 'Lindbergh baby' kidnapping. Charles Lindbergh (he who flew across the Atlantic alone) had an infant child who was kidnapped and murdered even after the ransom had been paid.
The background to MotOE is also similar to the Lindbergh case. The victim is revealed to have been involved in a kidnap-murder case a few years back and got away with it. Was he punished for his crimes at last? Was he murdered for something totally unrelated? Or was he a victim of mistaken identity?
The usual suspects remind one of the typical English drawing room murder mysteries: an English colonel, a Russian princess, a count, a beautiful mysterious woman...they are all here. And Hercule Poirot has to discover who the murderer is and why, all by using his "little grey cells, mon ami."
The revelation in the final pages will surprise the reader yet it will not strain belief too much. MotOE has been accused of being incredulous and downright silly but I disagree. Those who feel that way probably forgot that they are reading a fiction novel. I am sure one will find it a lot of fun if only to find out who from among the varied cast did it. You'll be gobsmacked, I assure you :)
The solution will also show the reader why MotOE is famous in its uniqueness and has never been copied (no writer dares to).
Another Agatha Christie mystery that features an incredible revelation and giving an "I would never have guessed that" feeling to the reader is "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd". Both the Ackroyd and the Orient Express books should be in the Murder Mysteries Hall of Fame, if there is one.
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
If I had to select a single Christie novel to read again for the first time, this would be my choice; more than twenty years after my first encounter with the novel I can still recall my complete amazement. I strongly urge those who have not seen the film version to avoid it until you have experienced the sheer pleasure of being being tricked by the master trickster herself. For MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, superlatives are not enough.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
One problem with audiobooks is the dialogue. Very often an author does not supply the "he said/she said" before or after each quotation and the listener is often at a loss as to who is speaking. David Suchet, the ultimate Poirot, gets around this by using a different voice for each character. He had accomplished this in his reading of the complete "Death on the Nile" for Audio Partners and he does it again with a superlative <Murder on the Orient Express> for that same label.
This set was designed for a release to coincide with the CBS dramatization of the classic whodunit, but Audio Partners need not have bothered. That telecast was an utter disaster with a lusterless Poirot, a cast that for the most part could scarcely create a character, and an updating of the decor (among other ludicrous changes) to the present. So the older film with its starry cast can rest unchallenged; but the public is entitled to enjoy the original and this audiobook is just the ticket.
Christie uses the usual "closed environment" setting (an island, a cruiser, a train) to give us a small number of suspects; and then she hits us with Poirot's "gather everyone together while I explain the solution" scene. One of the gimmicks of this novel is that Poirot comes up with two solutions! But for the sake of those very few who do not know the ending, I will say no more. And even for those who do, there is always the joy of Suchet's reading.
I have the CD edition, a format that makes it difficult to find where you last left off since each full chapter is usually given a single track number. Here Audio Partners has thoughtfully broken each chapter into several tracks so you pretty much can get back to where you were with a minimum of trouble. Tapes, of course, stay where they are--and are much better for use in autos.
So by all means choose this as your next purchase, and do not forget the "Death on the Nile" offering while you are about it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
This book is a page-turner.
It keeps you eager to know who it was throughout the entire book.
I think I'd have rated it 5 stars if I hadn't guessed who the murderer was before the end of the book. Read more
I think I'd have rated it 5 stars if I hadn't guessed who the murderer was before the end of the book. Read more
Published 3 days ago by CH
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful edition
Never read an Agatha Christie novel but was inspired to purchase one from watching a Doctor Who episode. Read more
Published 15 days ago by Chris Conklin
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Wonderful Classic!
This is one of the most creative stories written by Christie. The slow pace eventually picks up and continues to build until the mystery is solved.
Published 17 days ago by Murray T Myers II
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love these old stories
I bought this to read on my way to Istanbul to get myself into the mood. I love these old Agatha Christie novels. Read more
Published 19 days ago by dllesf13
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
Agatha Christie puts together a wonderful thought-provoking book. As she leads you through a maze of lies and red-herrings, you barely have time to stop and look back. Read more
Published 27 days ago by Nancy Combs
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good story
Story is not exactly as the book that the students are reading a long with. Narrator is funny with his voices.
Published 1 month ago by Sue Buresch
5.0 out of 5 stars
climax is unbelievable.....
excellent book.. a must read.
very cleverly structured... good momentum builder... excellent..
even in 2013 its a worth read. good one...
very cleverly structured... good momentum builder... excellent..
even in 2013 its a worth read. good one...
Published 1 month ago by Raju Nair
5.0 out of 5 stars
A True Classic!
A real page turner! I read this book about 30 years ago so I forgot most of the plot. My Bookclub Group has taken up reading the classics and picked 'Murder on the Orient... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Joni Davis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Novel
A well written novel that forces you to pay attention to the details! I had the chance to read this while I was on a train! Fun!!
Published 1 month ago by Cecil A. Grant, Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book!
This book was in excellent condition and Agatha Christie is the best writer out there! I would definitely recommend this to all mystery readers!
Published 1 month ago by Lindsay
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 2
books:
100
books
cite this book:
See all 100 books citing this book
- Death on the Nile (Hercule Poirot Mysteries) by Agatha Christie in Front Matter
- Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie in Front Matter
- Narratives in Popular Culture, Media, and Everyday Life by Arthur Asa Berger on 7 pages
- Crime Films (Genres in American Cinema) by Thomas Leitch on 7 pages
- Popular Culture Genres: Theories and Texts (Feminist Perspective on Communication) by Arthur Asa Berger on 6 pages
- on 4 pages
- Detective Fiction and the Rise of Forensic Science (Cambridge Studies in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture) by Ronald R. Thomas on page 15, page 259, and page 273
See all 100 books citing this book
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