A surprisingly deeply felt adjunct to Benedict’s aggressively brainy The Christmas Murder Game (2022). I will read more from the author. This book did show some development from her debut - there were more characters, there was more going on and I felt more engaged. I expect one of these days she's going to write a stonker and I'm looking forward to reading it. David Suchet reprised the role of Hercule Poirot in " Murder on the Orient Express" (2010), a 90-minute movie-length episode of the television series Agatha Christie's Poirot co-produced by ITV Studios and WGBH-TV, adapted for the screen by Stewart Harcourt. The original air date was 11 July 2010 in the United States, and it was aired on Christmas Day 2010 in the UK.

There are anagrams hidden in the book as in Benedict’s last which I am rubbish at but at some point I will have a search for! The Full 'Murder on the Orient Express' Cast Includes Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, More (UPDATE)". Moviefone. 29 September 2016 . Retrieved 3 October 2016. Morgan, Janet (1984). Agatha Christie, A Biography. New York City: HarperCollins. pp.201–04. ISBN 0-00-216330-6.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. 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. 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. Countess Helena Andrenyi: the sister of Sonia Armstrong, notable as the only one of the 12 suspect passengers who did not take part in the murder.

And it’s a shame, because the story itself really isn’t bad. It just has nothing to do with Christmas, reads nothing like the summary implies it will in tone, content, or theme, and has the potential to be a nasty surprise for readers who are sensitive to this type of material. Olivia Colman 'gutted' to miss Globes ceremony". BBC News. 9 January 2017 . Retrieved 9 January 2017. Once the train has derailed and the bodies begin to pile up, one of the passengers takes charge. Roz was, until recently, a high-ranking police officer with the Met so she decides to take control of the situation whilst waiting for the local police and fire and rescue services to arrive through the dense snow. Unfortunately, the problem with Roz, as the Poirot figure, is that she is so tightly sandwiched between concern for her daughter and memories of her own estranged mother, to the extent that she is unable to concentrate on the job in hand.

Customer reviews

The story begins well when the night train to the Scottish Highlands is derailed by a fallen tree and any chance of rescue is many hours away. Unfortunately there is a killer on board and several murders occur one after another. Also on board is ex cop Roz Parker and she begins the search for the murderer. Yes this does sound like the perfect description of a cosy mystery. The perfect book to read on a train . . . A thrilling journey from start to finish. Highly recommended' ELLY GRIFFITHS Gans, Andrew (15 March 2017). "Max Von Essen, Julie Halston, and More Star in Murder on the Orient Express". Playbill.com. Brightspot . Retrieved 25 January 2019. What I really enjoyed about Murder on the Christmas Express is the complex characters and just how the storyline flowed and the twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing. The train is going nowhere and it is a race against time to find the killer. Roz has her candidates but now she has to catch the killer. Probably not the book to read if you are heading to the Scottish Highlands on a sleeper on Christmas eve. There are a number of fun quiz games and anagrams to keep you involved as you read, in a similar frame as last Christmases offering from Alexandra Benedict.

The 18 suspects are an interesting bunch, but their characterisation is sketchy and I found it quite hard to form an opinion on the identity of the murderer and their motives. But Benedict is bang up to date with the inclusion of same sex couples, a person called Sam who uses the pronoun they, and a famous social media influencer. I learned quite a lot! After taking the Taurus Express from Aleppo to Istanbul, private detective Hercule Poirot arrives at the Tokatlian Hotel, where he receives a telegram prompting him to return to London. He instructs the concierge to book him a first-class compartment on the Simplon-route Orient Express service leaving that night. Although the train is fully booked, Poirot obtains a second-class berth through the intervention of friend, fellow Belgian, and fellow passenger Monsieur Bouc, director of the train operator Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (CIWL). Other passengers include American widow Caroline Hubbard; English governess Mary Debenham; Swedish missionary Greta Ohlsson; American businessman Samuel Ratchett, with his secretary/translator Hector MacQueen, and his English valet Edward Henry Masterman; Italian-American car salesman Antonio Foscarelli; Russian Princess Natalia Dragomiroff and her German maid Hildegarde Schmidt; Hungarian Count Rudolph Andrenyi and his wife Elena; English Colonel John Arbuthnot; American salesman Cyrus B. Hardman; and Greek medical doctor Stavros Constantine. The perfect Christmas read . . . and puzzles galore for both readers and the players of the game’ W.C. RYAN Willem Dafoe is latest addition to 'Murder on the Orient Express' all-star cast". AFP Relax. 6 January 2017 . Retrieved 7 January 2017. 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.

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. Princess Natalia Dragomiroff: a Russian princess who's ultimately revealed to be Sonia Armstrong's godmother. Kit, Borys (27 October 2016). " 'Mummy' Actor Marwan Kenzari Joins Johnny Depp in 'Murder on the Orient Express' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles, California: Eldridge Industries . Retrieved 27 October 2016. I lived with this - it was never hugely intrusive, but the thing that finalised my mixed feelings about the book was the ending. There's an interesting twist at the end - but the reaction to that twist is to totally lose any sense of justice being done. It just felt wrong. 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.