I have been into thrillers lately … Murder on The Orient Express, by Agatha Christie, 1934 I had to re-read this classic Agatha Christie novel after recently seeing the Kenneth Branagh movie version. I have always been a huge fan of David Suchet and his version of Christie’s most famous detective, Hercule Poirot. I was initially horrified at the promotional photos of Branagh’s take on the inimitable Belgian’s famous ‘stache, but I actually enjoyed his lively take on the character. Maybe some of that enthusiasm […]
Death on a train
Internationally famous private detective Hercule Poirot is on his way back to England after solving a mystery in Syria. He decides to take the Orient Express for part of his journey, only to discover that despite the train normally being quite empty during the winter season, it’s so fully booked in first class that he has to stay the first night in a second class cabin. Poirot is approached by one of the passengers, a Mr. Edward Ratchett, who claims he has many enemies and […]
Dreamy Murder on the Orient Express
A friend of mine and I were discussing spooky books, something fitting for October and the season of Halloween. We both have read a preponderance of Stephen King, and she came up with this book as something on her “to read” list that could fit the bill. I read plenty of Agatha Christie back in the day, though only Miss Marple, so Hercule Poirot was a new venture for me. It is worth noting that I went the audio route for this book, which was […]
I literally just said mysteries are silly
And this mystery is a little silly. It holds up, but it can actually be kind of taxing to read because he prose is so thin and flimsy at times that there’s so little to hold onto. But I was reading this (for the first time, even though I’ve seen the 1974 film and read several of her others) because I was interested in the possibility of teaching this book with a group of special ed 12th graders this year. The class is technically British […]