The piece of paper helps Poirot work out the murderer's motive. Many years earlier, American gangster Cassetti kidnapped three-year-old Daisy Armstrong. Cassetti collected a significant ransom from the wealthy Armstrong family, then revealed that he had already killed the child. Sonia Armstrong, Daisy's mother, who was pregnant with her second child, went into premature labor upon hearing the news and died, along with the baby. Her grieving husband, Colonel Armstrong, shot himself, and Daisy's French nursemaid, Susanne, was accused of aiding Cassetti and committed suicide, only to be found innocent afterwards. Cassetti escaped justice through corruption and legal technicalities, and fled the country. Poirot concludes that Ratchett was actually Cassetti. Whoever had answered the conductor was not Ratchett, as Ratchett did not speak French.

The Times Literary Supplement of 11 January 1934 outlined the plot and concluded that "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." [7] Having said that, although I can't say I enjoyed this book, I didn't hate it either. It is well-written and compelling. It kept me guessing right up to the ending which seemed an appropriate homage to the original story. 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.Binge! Agatha Christie: Nine Great Christie Novels". Entertainment Weekly. No.1343–44. New York City: Meredith Corporation. 26 December 2014. pp.32–33. One thing that always features in my Christmas reading is a mystery - whether it's revisiting M. R. James ghost stories for the nth time, or a Christmas-themed murder mystery. This book certainly fits the bill with its deliberate reference to Agatha Christie's title, and Christmas thrown in. The first night featured a storyline true to the original text, but set in Japan in 1933. In this version, the train Orient Kyuukou ran from the western city of Shimonoseki to Tokyo, with the train stopped by a small avalanche near Sekigahara, Gifu. Fleming, Mike Jr. (29 September 2016). "Johnny Depp To Star in 'Murder On The Orient Express' At Fox' ". Deadline Hollywood. Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation . Retrieved 29 September 2016.

Another sweltering month in Charlotte, another boatload of mysteries past and present for overworked, overstressed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. On the journey, more or less half the book, involves setting up the characters. We have Meg, a social media influencer, her aggressive reality television show partner, some students, a belittled father, an elderly woman with her adoring son, and some others. When the train is detailed and a body found, it is up to Roz to solve the crime. 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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Poirot Facsimile Edition (Facsimile of 1934 UK first edition), 4 September 2006, Hardcover, 256 pp. ISBN 0-00-723440-6

When I started this novel, I expected a nice Christmas cozy with all the trimmings but this is definitely not that. First, the only connection to Christmas is the time of year but it hardly factors into the story. Second, it was a long and sometimes draggy ride to the first murder which doesn’t occur until about a third of the way into the story. And there is nothing cozy here. This is a very dark tale with several references to rape, sexual, emotional and physical assaults as well as descriptions of a high risk pregnancy. All told I would be happy to recommend to anyone looking for a Christmas based crime novel. There are a number of themes involved in the story but I really enjoyed Murder on the Christmas Express. Ritman, Alex (5 December 2016). "Ballet Star Sergei Polunin Lands Roles in 'Murder on the Orient Express,' 'Red Sparrow' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles, California: Eldridge Industries . Retrieved 5 December 2016. 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. Barnard, Robert (1990). A Talent to Deceive – an appreciation of Agatha Christie. New York City: Fontana Books. pp.199–200. ISBN 0-00-637474-3.The light-hearted tone, cheerful banter, festive puzzles and the cover all suggest a Christmassy comfort read and the frequently darker content completely jars with that feel. The content simply doesn't match the tone. This is the perfect Christmas book. Get it for yourself to read when the nights are cold and dark and give it as a present. To everyone!’ MARTYN WAITES 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!

Murder in the Calais Coach". EBSCOhost. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014 . Retrieved 23 November 2012. Coignard, Jerome (28 February 1934). "Books – and Their Makers". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, New York: Everything Brooklyn Media. p.20 . Retrieved 23 March 2015. This is my second book by this author, both based around Christmas. This mystery has a very Golden Age feel, with events taking place on a train. We have Roz, a retired ex-detective, heading to Scotland for the birth of her first grandchild. She has a difficult relationship with her at times, feeling she has put her career first and still having issues with coming to terms with events when she was young and about to become a young mother herself.It will be up to you, and any of your passengers you trust, to solve the mystery of the diamond and what could soon be a literal pile of bodies aboard your journey. Along the way you’ll be joined by Dr Errol Earhart, who discovered the diamond, as well as the mysterious Marie amongst others. As the journey, and story, unfolds around you make sure to keep your eye on even the smallest details– they just might save a life. Or at least solve a case.