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Murder on the Orient Express and Other Hercule Poirot Mysteries
Hercule Poirot, the great Belgian sleuth who was the greatest creation of bestselling author Agatha Christie, brings his formidable skills of detection to bear on three bedeviling murder mysteries in Murder on the Orient Express and Other Hercule Poirot Mysteries.
Murder on the Orient Express—In his most famous case, Poirot must determine who of the passengers about the snowbound Orient Express is responsible for the brutal murder of millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett in his traveling compartment.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd—Generally regarded as one of the most influential novels in the history of crime fiction, this tale pits Poirot against a houseful of murder suspects, none of whom has a solid alibi for the night that its owner was killed.
Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case—In his final adventure at the country house Great Styles, Poirot plays cat and mouse with a five-time murderer, hoping to thwart his plans for a sixth kill.
Murder on the Orient Express—In his most famous case, Poirot must determine who of the passengers about the snowbound Orient Express is responsible for the brutal murder of millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett in his traveling compartment.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd—Generally regarded as one of the most influential novels in the history of crime fiction, this tale pits Poirot against a houseful of murder suspects, none of whom has a solid alibi for the night that its owner was killed.
Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case—In his final adventure at the country house Great Styles, Poirot plays cat and mouse with a five-time murderer, hoping to thwart his plans for a sixth kill.
624 pages, Leather Bound
Published September 29, 2017
About the author
Agatha Christie
3,934 books65.6k followersAgatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 20, 2022
This bind-up consists of:
- Murder on the Orient Express (mind-blowing! 🤯)
- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (I guessed who did it, but it was still good!)
- Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case (I'm not crying, you're crying!)
Having read the whole thing, I find it a strange choice to include the Last Case without including The Mysterious Affair at Styles, as it's almost a sequel - the setting is the same, and the characters refer to the previous case many times. And it's not like The Murder of Roger Ackroyd has any relevance to either the first or last work in the bind-up, so there seems to be no reason for this except oversight or randomness 🤷♀️
Generally, I'm not a big mystery reader. But Agatha Christie is a classic, so I do pick up her books from time to time and enjoy them. I had to jump through a lot of hoops to get my hands on this handsome leatherbound edition, as Barnes&Noble doesn't deliver to my country. But I'm glad I did - it's very pretty and I love the copper-sprayed edges!
It's kind of hard to review this because I picked it up before the war to take my mind off the news, not believing anything would actually happen. And then the war started when I was in the middle of the book. It took me months to pick it back up.
June 16, 2018
I have been an avid Agatha Christie fan since --FOREVER. So this is not the first time I've read MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. However, I never tire of Dame Agatha's intricate plots, her detective Hercule Poirot and the interesting locales she sometimes chooses for her mysteries. Of course, she was personally very acquainted with this train since she traveled on it many times with her archeologist husband. They've just made another movie of it, showing that people haven't tired of her story.
I'd like to take this opportunity to scold the BBC for messing with Dame Agatha's Jane Marple mysteries on Masterpiece Mystery. UGH UGH UGH. How dare they change the stories??? What demented scriptwriter thought he could change the beloved mysteries? I'd like to get the executive that made the DEPLORABLE decision in a room alone! (I must calm myself--getting heated here!)
Anyway don't watch the icky rewrites--I watched too and then started to gag. Joan Hickson did the last "honorable" productions of Miss Jane Marple, another of Agatha's detectives, my favorite.
So there you have my review and MY RANT!--:Lyn Cote
I'd like to take this opportunity to scold the BBC for messing with Dame Agatha's Jane Marple mysteries on Masterpiece Mystery. UGH UGH UGH. How dare they change the stories??? What demented scriptwriter thought he could change the beloved mysteries? I'd like to get the executive that made the DEPLORABLE decision in a room alone! (I must calm myself--getting heated here!)
Anyway don't watch the icky rewrites--I watched too and then started to gag. Joan Hickson did the last "honorable" productions of Miss Jane Marple, another of Agatha's detectives, my favorite.
So there you have my review and MY RANT!--:Lyn Cote
July 15, 2022
I overall really enjoyed the three stories included in this book. Some I liked more than others, but I really liked the variety between the stories.
I also thought it was interesting how in the first story Poirot had let the murders go and in the last story Poirot had to do the unimaginable and kill the murderer to make sure his crimes wont happen again.
Then for the POV, I liked how all three were somewhat different. In the first, you were in Porit's POV, the second was of Dr. Shepard who ended up as the murderer, and then lastly as Mr. Hastings who you could say was Poirot's side kick that was kept in the dark.
Overall was a great read and would love to read more Hercule Poirot mysteries.
I also thought it was interesting how in the first story Poirot had let the murders go and in the last story Poirot had to do the unimaginable and kill the murderer to make sure his crimes wont happen again.
Then for the POV, I liked how all three were somewhat different. In the first, you were in Porit's POV, the second was of Dr. Shepard who ended up as the murderer, and then lastly as Mr. Hastings who you could say was Poirot's side kick that was kept in the dark.
Overall was a great read and would love to read more Hercule Poirot mysteries.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2022
Ain’t no way anyone is this good at making educated guesses
October 22, 2023
This was really 3 books in 1 and I loved them all. Agatha truly is a genius when it comes to whodunnits
January 20, 2022
Imagine sitting in your room on a train and you were traveling to Istanbul when one moment suddenly the lights go out and someone on the train is dead. Only something this mysterious and crazy can happen in the novel called “Murder on the Orient Express” by Agatha Christie. On the Orient Express you have to be prepared because anything crazy could happen. Literally anything crazy could happen on this train! Good thing that Hercule Poirot is always there when a murder has happened especially on the train he was traveling to Istanbul. Taking notes while reading this story is highly recommended since keeping track of each of the murder's items and which people on the train could be connected to them in some way. Once you finish reading the Murder on the Orient Express there are two more enticing stories to read if you are still hungry for more of Hercule Poirot. “The Murder of Rodger Ackroyd” which is the next story is a story full of plot twist. I personally loved how this story went around in circles at times though within the first chapter of the book the point of view was somewhat confusing. I was thinking that it was in the point of view of Hercule Poirot which is how Agatha Christie writes in her mysteries but in “The Murder of Rodger Ackroyd” it was different point of view. The point of view matters a lot while reading the mystery because you may not know the true intentions of the person who is speaking, especially if it is in their point of view. The last story of this collection of Hercule Poirot Mysteries is Curtain: Poirot's Last Case. Reading Hercule Poirot's last case was a truly amazing mystery to read at the end of this collection. It gave a great sense of excitement and a bit of sadness to also realize that it was the great Hercule Poirot’s last case. I enjoyed the twists in this mystery especially since Agatha Christie did it on purpose to confuse the reader and see if they have been paying attention. I especially enjoyed the way Agatha Christie wrote the murders in each book because each murder would seem perfectly normal and never seemed suspicious at all. Personally my favorite book to read out of the 3 books would have to be Murder on the Orient Express. Two of my favorite scenes while reading Murder on the Orient Express would have to be the investigation held by Hercule Poirot and the realization of Hercule Poirot. The investigation part was a big turn in the story for me while reading it because of how detailed each question and answer was given when Hercule Poirot was interrogating the travelers. The thoroughly enjoyed way Agatha Christie wrote the interrogation scene because of how much detail was added into it along with all of the answers making actual sense. I also enjoyed the realization of who the murder is by Hercule Poirot since it seemed like such a suspenseful moment in history that I almost jumped up and screamed waiting to hear who the murder is. It is a big spoiler so I won’t go into much detail about the scene itself but I love how Agatha Christie was able to put so much excitement and suspense into just one scene in itself which is truly amazing. I enjoyed the ending of this book very much because of all of the characters and how big of a role they played in the story itself. I enjoyed how Agatha Christie made Hercule Poirot have a very posh language which was very fun to read. It is a very long book to read and you would need a lot of patience if you really want to enjoy this book. Though some of the characters didn’t have much of a development through the story which I was a little disappointed about, Agatha Christie made up for that with her dialogue of the characters. A very interesting take away I got from the book was that don’t trust anyone even if you may know them because nothing is what it seems to be. I love how the author makes you second guess yourself every time you are able to figure another clue. My honest rating of the book would be a 5 out of 5 because it exceeded my expectations, surprisingly. I would recommend my book to anyone who loves excitement and mystery though you would have to have a lot of patience to be able to read through the whole book.
November 1, 2019
Agatha Christie has been called "the queen of crime" for good reason. She was a prolific mystery writer, authoring 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections including the classic Murder on the Orient Express, which is so famous that even those who have never read it at least know the title. The Guinness Book of World Records lists her as the best-selling novelist of all time, with about 2 billion copies sold.
This volume brings together three of her Hercule Poirot novels, including the aforementioned, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (which her peers in the Crime Writers Association voted the best crime novel of all time in 2013), and Curtain, Hercule Poirot's last case, which she wrote during World War II and sealed in a bank vault for over 30 years, along with Sleeping Murder, Miss Marple's last case. Those novels were only published at the end of her life.
Christie was a master of the puzzle. She created intricate plots around crimes that leave both physical and psychological clues, with a host of characters all harboring secrets. These three novels show her at her best, as the brilliant Hercule Poirot sifts methodically through the clues while his hapless sidekick (Generally Captain Hastings but Dr. James Sheppard in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd) helps gather in the clues without comprehending their real meaning.
Rather than summarize the stories, I'll leave it to you to read them. They are all well worth your time.
P.S. You may notice it took me a long time to read them myself, but that was because of a lunatic schedule interrupted by a the process of downsizing our home. I spent a couple of months not reading much of anything. It's not a reflection on Christie's work!
This volume brings together three of her Hercule Poirot novels, including the aforementioned, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (which her peers in the Crime Writers Association voted the best crime novel of all time in 2013), and Curtain, Hercule Poirot's last case, which she wrote during World War II and sealed in a bank vault for over 30 years, along with Sleeping Murder, Miss Marple's last case. Those novels were only published at the end of her life.
Christie was a master of the puzzle. She created intricate plots around crimes that leave both physical and psychological clues, with a host of characters all harboring secrets. These three novels show her at her best, as the brilliant Hercule Poirot sifts methodically through the clues while his hapless sidekick (Generally Captain Hastings but Dr. James Sheppard in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd) helps gather in the clues without comprehending their real meaning.
Rather than summarize the stories, I'll leave it to you to read them. They are all well worth your time.
P.S. You may notice it took me a long time to read them myself, but that was because of a lunatic schedule interrupted by a the process of downsizing our home. I spent a couple of months not reading much of anything. It's not a reflection on Christie's work!
April 3, 2019
I LOVE AGATHA CHRISTIE MYSTERIES!!! She has such a way of forming a mystery. They are misleading, but still keep you on the right track, but in the end you still never expect the result!!!
March 28, 2021
No hay palabras para describir el final
4.8
4.8
January 12, 2022
I absolutely loved this book! I don't usually reach for mystery novels, and its never been my favorite genre. But this book has changed my view on murder mystery novels! Would recommend to absolutely anyone!
February 10, 2020
Murder on the Orient Express: 5 stars (2017)
Curtain: 4 starts (2019)
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: 3 starts (2014)
Curtain: 4 starts (2019)
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: 3 starts (2014)
December 14, 2019
Absolutely fantastic, every single time!!
July 20, 2022
I will never not be in love with leather-bound classics. The aesthetic, the golden pages, the beautiful sleek turquoisey color? Ah, I'm in love!!! <3
And now, for the volumes therein...
Murder on the Orient Express:
Began Reading: July 15th, 2022
Finished Reading: July 19th, 2022 at 7:15pm.
Rating: 5 stars - it's really a stellar case. Don't believe the hype though...go into the book with zero expectations and just enjoy yourself. :)
Thoughts:
This reread has definitely cemented Mrs. Caroline Hubbard as my favorite character. Her parts of the story never failed to bring a smile to my face.
But enough with the spoiler tags. Go read it yourself! Don't read anything about the book until you pick it up...in fact, why are you here reading my review instead of reading this amazing classic? Go pick it up! Trust me, it is worth a read. Or two. Or three...
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd:
Began Reading: July 19th, 2022
Finished Reading: Not Yet
Rating: Not Yet (I have read this before, but I want to rate this edition specifically).
Thoughts:
The first time I read this book was I believe sometime earlier this year...though it may have been last year. During that point in time, I had been so caught up in reading various Agatha Christie mysteries that I felt very confident in my ability to judge which character was to be the guilty party in this situation. In fact, my arrogance was such that at an early point in this story I actually googled who the murderer was in this story and, suffice it to say, I WAS RIGHT! However, that did ruin the rest of the book for me with regards to the mystery surrounding the killer - so I beg of you, if you were ever to look up a spoiler for a book, this is by far the worst one you could possibly choose to look up any spoilers for. SO DON'T DO IT. Don't repeat my mistakes!
The narrator of this tale, Dr. Sheppard, invites the reader into a very different sort of book than one penned by the blundering and foolish Hastings. Sheppard's manner is less open and less pompous, but definitely more certainsure and, dare I say it, chilling? I guess you'll have to read the book to find out if your impressions of Dr. Sheppard - and every other character - follow in this same manner. ;)
Curtain: Poirot's Last Case
Began Reading: Not Yet
Finished Reading: Not Yet
Thoughts:
This is the only novel in this compilation that I had not previously read before my purchase of this compendium. However, since this be his last case EVER (?!?!), I concluded that it was definitely worth the investment.
Happy reading! <3
And now, for the volumes therein...
Murder on the Orient Express:
Began Reading: July 15th, 2022
Finished Reading: July 19th, 2022 at 7:15pm.
Rating: 5 stars - it's really a stellar case. Don't believe the hype though...go into the book with zero expectations and just enjoy yourself. :)
Thoughts:
This reread has definitely cemented Mrs. Caroline Hubbard as my favorite character. Her parts of the story never failed to bring a smile to my face.
But enough with the spoiler tags. Go read it yourself! Don't read anything about the book until you pick it up...in fact, why are you here reading my review instead of reading this amazing classic? Go pick it up! Trust me, it is worth a read. Or two. Or three...
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd:
Began Reading: July 19th, 2022
Finished Reading: Not Yet
Rating: Not Yet (I have read this before, but I want to rate this edition specifically).
Thoughts:
The first time I read this book was I believe sometime earlier this year...though it may have been last year. During that point in time, I had been so caught up in reading various Agatha Christie mysteries that I felt very confident in my ability to judge which character was to be the guilty party in this situation. In fact, my arrogance was such that at an early point in this story I actually googled who the murderer was in this story and, suffice it to say, I WAS RIGHT! However, that did ruin the rest of the book for me with regards to the mystery surrounding the killer - so I beg of you, if you were ever to look up a spoiler for a book, this is by far the worst one you could possibly choose to look up any spoilers for. SO DON'T DO IT. Don't repeat my mistakes!
The narrator of this tale, Dr. Sheppard, invites the reader into a very different sort of book than one penned by the blundering and foolish Hastings. Sheppard's manner is less open and less pompous, but definitely more certainsure and, dare I say it, chilling? I guess you'll have to read the book to find out if your impressions of Dr. Sheppard - and every other character - follow in this same manner. ;)
Curtain: Poirot's Last Case
Began Reading: Not Yet
Finished Reading: Not Yet
Thoughts:
This is the only novel in this compilation that I had not previously read before my purchase of this compendium. However, since this be his last case EVER (?!?!), I concluded that it was definitely worth the investment.
Happy reading! <3
October 11, 2023
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie is THE "Whodunit?" story. As a result of Christie's flat-out making, if not codifying so many tropes in this story, it is not surprising. The story also just….end. They solved it, and that's that. One reason many modern adaptations add so many extra plot elements is to make it more intriguing to a modern audience, the same reason modern Sherlock Holmes uses original material.
Hercule Poirot, the famous Belgian detective, is ready to return from a case in Syria when he is snowbound on the Orient Express. He is disturbed in his sleep by dead quiet and a passing figure in a red kimono, and when he awakes, a male passenger named Samuel Ratchett is found dead, having been stabbed 12 times. Poirot discovers he was a notorious American gangster named Lanfranco Cassetti, who had kidnapped and murdered a three-year-old heiress. The mystery begins to unravel as he realises that 12 of the other 14 passengers and the train's conductor have connections to the dead man and the family of the child that man murdered.
It's a fascinating deconstruction of the "Everyone is a suspect" trope. The only characters who are not suspects are Poirot himself, who was hearing some of the critical events of the murder and was asleep through others, and M. Bouc and Dr Constantine, who were incapable of being in the place of the murder at the time of the murder. When Cassetti first speaks to Poirot, he claims that he has enemies. Poirot notes that a man in a position to have enemies is unlikely to have only one.
Unusually for Christie novels, this one and its well-known film adaptations cover less than two days - three if Poirot's travels on the Taurus Express from Syria to Istanbul are included. The book begins with Poirot seeking passage on the eponymous train. A passenger is murdered that night, and Poirot investigates the case the next day, solving it sometime in the afternoon or late morning.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was the book that propelled its author to fame and is still widely regarded as one of her finest and certainly among her most notable. Even the twist remains controversial as of today. The story could be easier to adapt, and who can blame them? The twist ending that is famous amongst mystery buffs relies heavily on several quirks of the first-person perspective narration.
Mrs Ferrars, a wealthy widow in a quiet English village, has taken her own life. Local industrialist Roger Ackroyd, who was romantically involved with Mrs Ferrars, confesses in private that his lover had admitted to him that she murdered her bullying, abusive, drunken husband with poison...and that someone had found this out, ruthlessly blackmailing her and driving her to suicide. Now, a letter in the post from Mrs Ferrars is about to reveal all—but before Ackroyd can learn and expose the culprit's identity, he is found dead in his study, stabbed viciously in the neck with his ornamental dagger. An open-and-shut case uncovers a likely suspect, but the village has, by chance, a new resident: Hercule Point, the noted detective, who has retired to the countryside to grow vegetables. His legendary "little grey cells" intrigued by the case, Poirot soon discovers that all is not as it seems...
The titular murder was committed almost entirely on the fly, as the murderer had hardly any time to plan it. It is a testament to the killer's intelligence that what plan there was was highly effective and would've worked if Poirot hadn't become involved. The killer's reveal wiped the floor of literary scholars as of this day. And without giving it away, it's a clever and unique take on how we view storytelling.
Curtain: Poirot's Last Case is, as the title suggests, the final story to feature the detective, Hercule Poirot. The novel was written by Christie in the 1940s and locked away, as she was unsure of her survival during WWII and wanted a proper conclusion for Poirot. She authorised its release shortly before her death.
Arthur Hastings, Poirot's "Watson" from the early days, is at loose ends, feeling adrift after the death of his beloved wife. He happily accepts an invitation from Hercule Poirot for a reunion and comes to Styles Court, which is now run as a hotel, only to find that Poirot is in feeble health and is confined to a wheelchair. The elderly and disabled Poirot tells his old friend Arthur Hastings that one of the guests at the house is a serial killer, whom he calls "X", and he must act quickly to thwart the killer of their prey before it is too late...
Hercule Poirot, the famous Belgian detective, is ready to return from a case in Syria when he is snowbound on the Orient Express. He is disturbed in his sleep by dead quiet and a passing figure in a red kimono, and when he awakes, a male passenger named Samuel Ratchett is found dead, having been stabbed 12 times. Poirot discovers he was a notorious American gangster named Lanfranco Cassetti, who had kidnapped and murdered a three-year-old heiress. The mystery begins to unravel as he realises that 12 of the other 14 passengers and the train's conductor have connections to the dead man and the family of the child that man murdered.
It's a fascinating deconstruction of the "Everyone is a suspect" trope. The only characters who are not suspects are Poirot himself, who was hearing some of the critical events of the murder and was asleep through others, and M. Bouc and Dr Constantine, who were incapable of being in the place of the murder at the time of the murder. When Cassetti first speaks to Poirot, he claims that he has enemies. Poirot notes that a man in a position to have enemies is unlikely to have only one.
Unusually for Christie novels, this one and its well-known film adaptations cover less than two days - three if Poirot's travels on the Taurus Express from Syria to Istanbul are included. The book begins with Poirot seeking passage on the eponymous train. A passenger is murdered that night, and Poirot investigates the case the next day, solving it sometime in the afternoon or late morning.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was the book that propelled its author to fame and is still widely regarded as one of her finest and certainly among her most notable. Even the twist remains controversial as of today. The story could be easier to adapt, and who can blame them? The twist ending that is famous amongst mystery buffs relies heavily on several quirks of the first-person perspective narration.
Mrs Ferrars, a wealthy widow in a quiet English village, has taken her own life. Local industrialist Roger Ackroyd, who was romantically involved with Mrs Ferrars, confesses in private that his lover had admitted to him that she murdered her bullying, abusive, drunken husband with poison...and that someone had found this out, ruthlessly blackmailing her and driving her to suicide. Now, a letter in the post from Mrs Ferrars is about to reveal all—but before Ackroyd can learn and expose the culprit's identity, he is found dead in his study, stabbed viciously in the neck with his ornamental dagger. An open-and-shut case uncovers a likely suspect, but the village has, by chance, a new resident: Hercule Point, the noted detective, who has retired to the countryside to grow vegetables. His legendary "little grey cells" intrigued by the case, Poirot soon discovers that all is not as it seems...
The titular murder was committed almost entirely on the fly, as the murderer had hardly any time to plan it. It is a testament to the killer's intelligence that what plan there was was highly effective and would've worked if Poirot hadn't become involved. The killer's reveal wiped the floor of literary scholars as of this day. And without giving it away, it's a clever and unique take on how we view storytelling.
Curtain: Poirot's Last Case is, as the title suggests, the final story to feature the detective, Hercule Poirot. The novel was written by Christie in the 1940s and locked away, as she was unsure of her survival during WWII and wanted a proper conclusion for Poirot. She authorised its release shortly before her death.
Arthur Hastings, Poirot's "Watson" from the early days, is at loose ends, feeling adrift after the death of his beloved wife. He happily accepts an invitation from Hercule Poirot for a reunion and comes to Styles Court, which is now run as a hotel, only to find that Poirot is in feeble health and is confined to a wheelchair. The elderly and disabled Poirot tells his old friend Arthur Hastings that one of the guests at the house is a serial killer, whom he calls "X", and he must act quickly to thwart the killer of their prey before it is too late...
July 31, 2019
Overall, I liked the book. I like the detective format and the disappointed feeling I had at the ending of the book was probably mainly due to the fact I forced myself to read all three stories in a row.
Christie's stories have a common setting in which the story meanders through and the characters have seemingly unimportant interactions with a lot of noise and minor details. UNTIL it actually turns out there was a clue hidden in the whole encounter. Often one sentence or word that ends up shedding a whole new light on the case. Entertaining, surely, because in the end, when the murder is solved, you feel like you could have done it yourself had you JUST paid a bit more attention and linked clues together.
Hercule Poirot is not a typically likeable person. He's full of himself and clearly thinks less of people who are not as smart as him. However, although he is flawed, he is likeable in his eccentricity and talent for solving crimes.
Murder on the Orient Express was the one that kept me on the edge of my seat. I knew from the movie what the plot was going to be. But still, I enjoyed gathering all the info and linking it together. By far the best story in my opinion.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd had high hopes for me because it has been rated as Christie's top story. There was a lot of noise, fill up and irrelevant story telling that made my mind wander off at times. But the outcome of the story caught me so off guard, dropping my heart in my shoes, that I did not mind the slow build up. Marvellous story! And probably, at the time, unprecedented.
Poirot's Final Case was a major letdown for me. Perhaps it was the fact that I had already read two stories with similar build ups in the days before, but this story was incredibly tedious. The clue felt unimpressive and the whole story a bit rambled and incoherent.
Overall, I would definitely read another Christie story, but definitely not for a long while to come.
Christie's stories have a common setting in which the story meanders through and the characters have seemingly unimportant interactions with a lot of noise and minor details. UNTIL it actually turns out there was a clue hidden in the whole encounter. Often one sentence or word that ends up shedding a whole new light on the case. Entertaining, surely, because in the end, when the murder is solved, you feel like you could have done it yourself had you JUST paid a bit more attention and linked clues together.
Hercule Poirot is not a typically likeable person. He's full of himself and clearly thinks less of people who are not as smart as him. However, although he is flawed, he is likeable in his eccentricity and talent for solving crimes.
Murder on the Orient Express was the one that kept me on the edge of my seat. I knew from the movie what the plot was going to be. But still, I enjoyed gathering all the info and linking it together. By far the best story in my opinion.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd had high hopes for me because it has been rated as Christie's top story. There was a lot of noise, fill up and irrelevant story telling that made my mind wander off at times. But the outcome of the story caught me so off guard, dropping my heart in my shoes, that I did not mind the slow build up. Marvellous story! And probably, at the time, unprecedented.
Poirot's Final Case was a major letdown for me. Perhaps it was the fact that I had already read two stories with similar build ups in the days before, but this story was incredibly tedious. The clue felt unimpressive and the whole story a bit rambled and incoherent.
Overall, I would definitely read another Christie story, but definitely not for a long while to come.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2018
Murder on the Orient Express, based on the novel by Agatha Christie
7 out of 10
The original material is outstanding - the master of suspense, mystery, detective stories has created a legendary novel.
The classic train is stopped by the heavy snow in the middle of nowhere and a loathsome man is killed...
Edward Ratchett aka Johnny Depp.
The famous actor gives a rather bad performance and he is not the only one.
It seems from one point on that all the travelers had a reason to kill the vicious Ratchett.
Evidently, they initially pretend to have no idea who the dead man was.
Hercule Poirot aka Kenneth Branagh, who shares with Sherlock Holmes the title of most popular, best known detective in the world, is on the Orient Express and we can expect him to solve the case, no matter how complicated, even if there are multiple assassins.
This newest adaptation for the big screen seems inferior to previous ones, especially the one directed by Sydney Lumet.
The celebrated creator of Dog's Day Afternoon, The Hill, the Network and other classics has written an excellent book:
Making Movies in which he talks about the aforementioned films, including his Murder on the Orient Express.
As for the one directed by Kenneth Branagh, well, it ben fits from the acting of
Judy Dench, Derek Jacobi, Michelle Pfeiffer, Willem Dafoe, the already mentioned actor-director and the rather inefficient Johnny Depp.
Alas, it is all a case of
Much Ado About Nothing
Kenneth Branagh has been placed on the cover of time after his monumental Henry V.
Instead of giving audiences films that they at least compare with his Henry V and other outstanding Shakespearean adaptations, we have this misfire.
He will do better next time...Insh'Allah!
7 out of 10
The original material is outstanding - the master of suspense, mystery, detective stories has created a legendary novel.
The classic train is stopped by the heavy snow in the middle of nowhere and a loathsome man is killed...
Edward Ratchett aka Johnny Depp.
The famous actor gives a rather bad performance and he is not the only one.
It seems from one point on that all the travelers had a reason to kill the vicious Ratchett.
Evidently, they initially pretend to have no idea who the dead man was.
Hercule Poirot aka Kenneth Branagh, who shares with Sherlock Holmes the title of most popular, best known detective in the world, is on the Orient Express and we can expect him to solve the case, no matter how complicated, even if there are multiple assassins.
This newest adaptation for the big screen seems inferior to previous ones, especially the one directed by Sydney Lumet.
The celebrated creator of Dog's Day Afternoon, The Hill, the Network and other classics has written an excellent book:
Making Movies in which he talks about the aforementioned films, including his Murder on the Orient Express.
As for the one directed by Kenneth Branagh, well, it ben fits from the acting of
Judy Dench, Derek Jacobi, Michelle Pfeiffer, Willem Dafoe, the already mentioned actor-director and the rather inefficient Johnny Depp.
Alas, it is all a case of
Much Ado About Nothing
Kenneth Branagh has been placed on the cover of time after his monumental Henry V.
Instead of giving audiences films that they at least compare with his Henry V and other outstanding Shakespearean adaptations, we have this misfire.
He will do better next time...Insh'Allah!
March 17, 2020
I never had any interest in reading mystery novels, until reading through Edgar Allen Poe’s works and discovering his C. Auguste Dupin stories. Having read and enjoyed those, where else to turn next but to Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot?
And so, here we are. This collection serves as my introduction to Agatha Christie. If you’re looking for literary depth go elsewhere, but if you’re looking for well done classic crime/detective fiction, this is it. There’s a reason Agatha Christie is the world’s best selling author of all time. Each volume here is an intricately laid out puzzle, and one gets the thrill of attempting (in vain in my case) to solve these crimes alongside AG’s hero - detective Hercule Poirot. Reading these makes me feel as if I were immersed in the classic board game Clue, and I loved every minute!
Murder On the Orient Express is probably the most famous of these stories (and for good reason) and Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case was a poignant farewell to the great detective, but my favorite was The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. All in all a great introduction to both Hercule Poirot and Agatha Christie.
And so, here we are. This collection serves as my introduction to Agatha Christie. If you’re looking for literary depth go elsewhere, but if you’re looking for well done classic crime/detective fiction, this is it. There’s a reason Agatha Christie is the world’s best selling author of all time. Each volume here is an intricately laid out puzzle, and one gets the thrill of attempting (in vain in my case) to solve these crimes alongside AG’s hero - detective Hercule Poirot. Reading these makes me feel as if I were immersed in the classic board game Clue, and I loved every minute!
Murder On the Orient Express is probably the most famous of these stories (and for good reason) and Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case was a poignant farewell to the great detective, but my favorite was The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. All in all a great introduction to both Hercule Poirot and Agatha Christie.
October 16, 2023
While I have not read every book in the series, I have to assume that the three mysteries in this volume -- Murder on the Orient Express, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and Curtain: Poirot's Last Case -- have the most shocking and unexpected solutions of them all. Having read the first two books in this volume in high school, returning as an adult has brought a new appreciation for the craft. Here are no shortage of twists and turns and hints and misdirections that reveal themselves in brand new light upon rereading. The third book, new to me, was similarly full of these, and the end took me by as much surprise as the others did on first reading. Honestly, these are tragic stories, and their solutions still leave me with a feeling of loss. It is not as acute now as it was when I was a teenager. But it is there. Kenneth Branagh's current film adaptation is the only version that treats these mysteries with the same mood in which I read the books. There's a reason why Agatha Christie is considered one of the greatest mystery writers of all time. The story structures here are nothing short of genius.
February 7, 2018
I absolutely loved all of the novels in this book. I have never read anything by Agatha Christie before, and I wanted to after seeing the new Murder on the Orient Express movie, and I’m so glad that I did! This book was a gift and it contains three novels about Poirot: Murder on the Orient Express, the Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and Poirot’s Last Case. I think Murder on the Orient Express was my favorite of the three, but in all of them each character was so distinct and well-developed, and even if they were annoying people I was still interested in reading about them. I think Christie has a way of portraying people realistically in psychoanalytic ways. One character is always sick but in reality it’s because she’s lonely and afraid of being alone, another character is charming but arrogant and a misogynist but only a few people can see that in him, and so on so forth. They’re also just completely entertaining-if not a little easy to figure out before the end.
February 13, 2018
What is there to review on Agatha Christie’s poirot, the stories are fantastic mystery story bringing back a long gone time. I always loved the little Belgium detective and had read all three stories before.
I personally think the editor choosing these three stories for this volume had a weird sense of humor. Murder in the orient express , the murder of Rodger ackroid and curtain all have one thing in common. They are perhaps the only stories that don’t follow the usual pattern at the reveal of the murderer, and form as far as I remember the only excemptions in the poirot stories.
I don’t want to spoil things, but I think almost everybody is aware that in the orient express poirot is covering the murder up and the other 2 stories have major plot twists concerning the identity of the murderers.
I think this beautiful edition of three great mystery stories will look nice in the bookshelf of each fan.
I personally think the editor choosing these three stories for this volume had a weird sense of humor. Murder in the orient express , the murder of Rodger ackroid and curtain all have one thing in common. They are perhaps the only stories that don’t follow the usual pattern at the reveal of the murderer, and form as far as I remember the only excemptions in the poirot stories.
I don’t want to spoil things, but I think almost everybody is aware that in the orient express poirot is covering the murder up and the other 2 stories have major plot twists concerning the identity of the murderers.
I think this beautiful edition of three great mystery stories will look nice in the bookshelf of each fan.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2019
5 stars overall. The book is a gorgeous leather bound edition. I love the colors and the simple design of the train windows to represent Murder on the Orient Express. I also approved of the choices they made for the three novels included in this bind-up. Murder on the Orient Express is considered to be Christie’s most popular work and the one she is the most famous for. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is perhaps her best and most acclaimed work. And of course, Curtain, is the last Hercule Poirot novel.
I will put the star ratings I gave for each novel on here, but the actual reviews will be on each book only.
Murder on the Orient Express: 5 stars
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: 5 stars
Curtain: 4 stars
I will put the star ratings I gave for each novel on here, but the actual reviews will be on each book only.
Murder on the Orient Express: 5 stars
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: 5 stars
Curtain: 4 stars
July 5, 2021
There are three stories in this volume. I've always enjoyed Murder on the Orient Express, even if the ending leaves me dissatisfied. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd has an interesting twist that I didn't see coming but I shouldn't have been surprised by. But the last story was the Curtain Call and I will be honest, I was not a fan. It seemed a bit all over the place and then the ending reminded me somewhat of And Then There Were None. Overall, it's still an Agatha Christie novel and so I'm going to read it.
October 28, 2023
Usually I like to review the books I've ready throughout the year, but I don't think this one particularly needs a full review.
Agatha Christie is a notorious classic author, the in-depth review I would usually do won't matter at all for her name or fan base. People will read her works simply because of her name.
Murder On the Orient Express is a classic work in itself; that speaks enough.
However, Poirot's Last Case was incredible. If you haven't read that work by Christie, I highly recommend doing so.
Agatha Christie is a notorious classic author, the in-depth review I would usually do won't matter at all for her name or fan base. People will read her works simply because of her name.
Murder On the Orient Express is a classic work in itself; that speaks enough.
However, Poirot's Last Case was incredible. If you haven't read that work by Christie, I highly recommend doing so.
February 15, 2018
Awesome story. I had a feeling a little over half way through that everyone had a hand in killing him. It was a sad story if you think about it. My hubby wanted to watch the movie. This is why I read the book. Weird thing the movie almost bought me to tears were as the book didn’t 🤔
Lol driving me crazy at first was the red dressing gown. WHO WORE THE RED GOWN! I kept saying lol 😝 but we find out.
I will be reading more Agatha Christie books in the future 👍
Lol driving me crazy at first was the red dressing gown. WHO WORE THE RED GOWN! I kept saying lol 😝 but we find out.
I will be reading more Agatha Christie books in the future 👍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2018
On a train ride to Istanbul Turkey, a millionaire named Samuel Edward Rachet is murdered. DEctective Hercule Poirot is told to investigate the case and find out who murdered Rachet. It is found that Rachet was stabbed 12 times by 12 out of 13 of the passengers aboard the train. The book was filled with lots of exciting moments and I enjoyed reading it. My favorite part of the book was the ending where they found out who the killer/s was/were.
January 30, 2018
A surprisingly entertaining read, considering my usual taste in novels. It is nice to know the story that is referenced and parodied so often. Also, it is always insightful to read a story from another era which shows the profiling between nationalities. How a Frenchman profiles an American, how an Englishman profiles a Frenchman, and etc. A fun tale, indeed.
January 23, 2019
I absolutely loved this book. I have always wanted to read it. Having never read anything by her before or seen the film or watched the series I was completely surprised that I guessed correctly. I loved that there were so many points in there that threw me off however. I'm so glad that the copy I have has a 2 further novels by agatha Christie and I can't wait to start the next one.
June 28, 2020
I always enjoy reading Christie's novels, tho her depictions of foreigners are problematic today, but her mysteries are 2nd to none. This particular edition contains Murder on the Orient Express, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and Curtain: Poirot's Final Mystery.
February 9, 2018
A fanciful story, but interesting read due to excellent character development.
Was a bit slow in places.
Was a bit slow in places.
February 11, 2018
This made me fall back in love with Agatha Christie.
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