What can one say about Agatha Christie and her iconic detective Hercule Poirot that hasn’t been said before? The series continues to enthral readers after so many years due to its timeless, intricate plots, and the sleuth’s own eccentricities. One of his best-known outings is Murder on the Orient Express.
The novel, first published in 1934, maintains its place as a classic closed room mystery and has been adapted for both TV and the big screen. Both had memorable turns by Albert Finney, Alfred Molina and David Suchet respectively portraying Poirot.
Now, Poirot, played this time, by the thespian Kenneth Branagh, will be riding the Orient Express soon. And Harper has brought out a new edition with a special cover.
The novel’s plot unfolds in a closed railway compartment. Poirot is returning to London after cracking a case in Aleppo. He boards the Orient Express in Istanbul. During the journey, Poirot is approached by an American, who seeks his help, because his life is in danger. Poirot refuses to help him. The next day, the American is found stabbed to death with his room locked from inside. There are 13 other passengers in the compartment, apart from Poirot and his sidekick, Captain Hastings. Any one of them could be the killer, but it could very well be someone else too, who carried out the crime in the night and then got off the train at some station. Some clues are found, but they only add to the overall confusion. It is a complex puzzle, which will turn out to be a good workout for the Belgian detective’s ‘little grey cells’.
The book’s motive for murder was a very infamous case in 1920s. Nowadays, most people remember Charles Lindbergh as a legendary aviator, and an anti-semite. But his life was marked by a personal tragedy, a crime, which continues to vex people after 85 years. In 1932, Lindbergh’s baby son, Charles Lindbergh junior was kidnapped from his nursery. The Lindberghs soon received a note asking for a ransom. After the Lindberghs paid the money, a trucker found the child’s body. He had been battered to death. The police’s investigation led to a maid at the residence committing suicide. Eventually, one person was arrested, tried and executed. All of these events are echoed in the novel and form part of the motive.
The plot, appearing contrived to the extreme at first glance, is actually made much more convincing and riveting by Christie. So, if you are planning to commit a perfect murder, just ensure Hercule Poirot is not your co-passenger.
Name: Murder on the Orient Express
Author: Agatha Christie
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 274
Price: Rs. 299
