#33 Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Did you know, dear reader, that Agatha Christie is the world’s most widely published author in any language? Did you also know that her books are outsold only by the Bible and the works of Shakespeare? This is an enviable position to be in for any author and no small feat given how many books have been published yearly since the time period in which Ms. Christie worked. Born in 1890, Ms. Christie worked in a hospital during WWI and had her first 6 manuscripts turned down before finding success in 1920 with The Mysterious Affair at Styles featuring one of literature’s best known detectives, Hercule Poirot. She went on to become a pharmacy assistant in WWII where she acquired a working knowledge of poisons which was filed away for use in future novels.

Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express in 1934, and features a memorable cast of characters travelling on the famous luxury train. In classic Christie fashion, a murder is committed, multiple suspects are then interviewed by the great detective Monsieur Poirot who must uncover the clues, unveil the secrets of the passengers and reveal the murderer travelling among them.  And just when the reader has drawn their own conclusions as to whom the murderer is, there is a shocking twist near the end drawing the tale to a suspenseful finish.

Regarded as the “Queen of Crime”, Agatha Christie is known as a master writer of suspense, plot development and characterization and for those who are fans of the genre, her many works  are more than worthy of bookshelf space. Until next time…have you read a book today? 

Julie