Murder On The Christmas Express: All aboard for the puzzling Christmas mystery of the year

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Cooper, John; Pyke, B A, eds. (1994). Detective Fiction – the collector's guide (2ed.). London, England: Scolar Press. pp.82, 86. ISBN 0-85967-991-8. Arrive promptly at Pedley Street Station and be prepared to board. You’ll be seated in one of the train’s eight booths, with each booth seating eight guests. From the very moment you step aboard, be wary. Although a train journey seems innocent enough, the fact that the recently discovered Jewel of the Empire is being transported on your journey may throw a spanner or two in the works. Worse than the fact a precious diamond might go missing is the troubling rumour that someone on board has something much more ghastly planned. Everyone is a suspect on The Murder Express…including you! An engrossing and heart-warming mystery. Like a glorious Christmas chocolate – beautiful on the outside with a richly dark centre. Perfect to curl up with on cold winter nights’ MARION TODD While inspecting the passengers' luggage, Poirot is surprised to find the label on Countess Andrenyi's luggage is wet and that her passport is smudged, Schmidt's bag contains the uniform in question, and Poirot's own luggage contains the red kimono, recently hidden there. Hubbard herself finds the murder weapon hidden in her sponge bag. Poirot meets with Dr. Constantine and Bouc to review the case and develop a list of questions. With these and the evidence in mind, Poirot thinks about the case, going into a trance-like state. When he surfaces from it, he deduces the solution.

The setting is somewhat less exotic than the Orient Express - here it's the sleeper train from London to Fort William - but there's the same opportunity for a tight band of suspects and there's the convenience of a train that gets derailed in a snowstorm, isolating the suspects and the detective - in this case a newly retired Met detective inspector, heading up to Scotland because her daughter's about to give birth.

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Busch, Anita (5 January 2017). "Willem Dafoe Joins Ensemble Cast Of Fox's 'Murder On The Orient Express' ". Deadline Hollywood. Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation . Retrieved 5 January 2017. The 18 suspects are an interesting bunch, but their characterisation is sketchy and I found it quite hard to form an opinion on the identity of the murderer and their motives. But Benedict is bang up to date with the inclusion of same sex couples, a person called Sam who uses the pronoun they, and a famous social media influencer. I learned quite a lot!

I lived with this - it was never hugely intrusive, but the thing that finalised my mixed feelings about the book was the ending. There's an interesting twist at the end - but the reaction to that twist is to totally lose any sense of justice being done. It just felt wrong. Having said that, it's good that the author is trying to create positive representation, even if it is done in a clunky and expositional way. I'm definitely going to grow up to be a crone! It is possible to write amazing older characters (for example) without them constantly turning to face the camera and announcing with a wink how they are flouting societies expectations. Keep the characters, but with less of the sermonising. N'Duka, Amanda (25 January 2017). "Manuel Garcia-Rulfo Boards 'Murder On The Orient Express'; Vivica A Fox Joins 'The Mafia Aint Dead' ". Deadline Hollywood. Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation . Retrieved 27 January 2017. The Full 'Murder on the Orient Express' Cast Includes Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, More (UPDATE)". Moviefone. 29 September 2016 . Retrieved 3 October 2016. Dr. Stavros Constantine: a Greek physician, who, after the murder, determines Ratchett's time of death.

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The next morning, with the train still stalled, Bouc informs Poirot that Ratchett has been murdered and the murderer is still aboard, having no way to escape in the snow. As there are no police onboard, Poirot takes up the case. With help from Dr. Constantine, Poirot examines Ratchett's body and compartment, discovering the following: the body has twelve stab wounds, the window had been left open, a handkerchief with the initial "H", a pipe cleaner, a flat match different from the ones Ratchett used, and a charred piece of paper with "member little Daisy Armstrong" written on it. Binge! Agatha Christie: Nine Great Christie Novels". Entertainment Weekly. No.1343–44. New York City: Meredith Corporation. 26 December 2014. pp.32–33.