Plot:

A mysterious woman, a legendary cursed jewel, and a night train from London to the French Riviera — ingredients for the perfect romance or the perfect crime? When the train stops, the jewel is missing, and the woman is found dead in her compartment. It’s the perfect mystery, filled with passion, greed, deceit, and confusion. Is Hercule Poirot is the perfect detective to solve it?

Review:

If you are doing Nothing with your time why not read an Agatha Christie? It will for sure get you out of your reading slump for any people needing a shove or two!

This novel at last did not disappoint. The last few Christie books did you see.

American heiress Ruth Kettering is riding the luxurious Blue Train bound for the French Riviera. When the train reaches its destination the conductor attempts to rouse Mrs. Kettering but finds that she is dead, with her face disfigured. Moreover the Hearts of Fire rubies that her father, American millionaire Rufus Van Aldin, had gifted her just a few days before has been stolen. As she was about to divorce Derek Kettering, her husband, and he was riding the same train, he becomes suspect number one. Onboard the train was also Hercule Poirot and he is not so sure that M. Kettering is guilty. As Poirot reconstructs the events on the Blue Train, he uncovers a much more complicated web of lies.

Ruth Kettering boards the Blue Train towards the French Riviera to meet a man that she has loved since before she married Derek Kettering. On the train Derek, the woman he has been seeing, Ruth’s maid, a simpler woman who has recently come into money and the one and only Hercule Poirot.

When the Blue Train reaches its final destination, Ruth is found dead, murdered at some point along the journey. Her face is irrecognizable as it has been disfigured and the case with her gems has been taken (in which she had the valuable Hearts of Fire rubies).

Naturally suspicion falls on the soon-to-be ex-husband who would have been left penniless had the divorce come through.

But as the investigation developes, others are found to have reason to want Ruth dead.

I love the setting and tone of this book. I particularly enjoy Christie’s “closed room” mysteries. The narrative is entertaining and a delight. As per usual, I got the culprit wrong and was looking in the wrong direction all along. What can be said of Christie that has not already been said? She is simply fabulous.

If you listen to the audio book you are in for a spooky treat!

4/5 Stars