Be the first to contribute. (LogOut/ The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie - Agatha Christie Stories Hercule Poirot Novel 1928 Aboard the luxurious Blue Train running from London to the Riviera, pampered millionaire's daughter Ruth Kettering is murdered, her expensive jewels stolen. Pingback: The Month in Reviews: July 2022 | Bob on Books. The Mystery of the Blue Train begins with the introduction of distantly related characters, each with their own nuances, dark secrets, and ambitions. Murder and violence have followed in their wake. Poirot realised that Mason was the only person claims to have seen anyone with Ruth in the compartment, so this could have been a lie. "The Mystery of the Blue Train" is a classic detective novel by Agatha Christie, first published in 1928. . - Blaise Pascal, IFES Secretary for Dialogue and Social Engagement, "For we are God's workmanship . Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. I thought the ending was a bit rushed/compressed compared to the leisurely pace of the rest of the story. What part did the beautiful foreign dancer play? I'm in oil figuratively speaking. Ruth is the daughter of the notorious American millionaire Rufus Van Aldin, and she is travelling to join her husband in the south of France.During the journey, Ruth is found murdered in her compartment, and her valuable rubies are missing. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. This was translated from the edition first published in France by Emmanuel Proust ditions in 2005 under the title of Le Train Bleu. Poirot investigates and finds out that the murder and the jewel theft might not be connected, as the famous jewel thief The Marquis is connected to the crime. This is the only major work by Agatha Christie in which the UK first edition carries no copyright or publication date. Bound for the Riviera, detective Hercule Poirot has boarded Le Train Bleu, an elegant, leisurely means of travel, free of intrigue. The book is the fifth of thirty-three full-length novels featuring her detective Hercule Poirot. The novel concerns the murder of an American heiress on Le Train Bleu, the titular "Blue Train". When the train stops, the jewel is missing, and the woman is found dead in her compartment. Agatha Christie. The writing of this book (part of which took place on the Canary Islands in early 1927 - rather than February 1928, as Morgan suggests - given that the serialisation started on 1 February 1928)[11] was an ordeal for Christie. - Philippians 4:8, thoughts of a preacher, minister, and aspiring theologian. In contrast to the book, the setting of the film appears to be the late 1930s, given the music styles played, including the song "Sing, Sing, Sing", as well as the clothing and hair fashions depicted. Timing of the murder will be extremely crucial to solving the case. Eventually, the avaricious Mirelle, who was on the train with Derek -- with whom she had been having an affair but, now spurned, is seeking revenge against him -- tells Poirot she saw Derek leave Ruth's compartment around the time the murder would have taken place. About The Mystery of the Blue Train. In spite of the handsome fur coat which garbed his meagre form, there was something essentially weak and paltry about him. Poirot is dining alone in a London restaurant and strikes up a friendship with Katherine Grey. chief among the latter group, Christie put Charlotte Fisher for her steadfast support. Also, if you have read enough of Agatha Christie, at least one of the following things will definitely be true. The tone for murder is set early. Unfortunately for the murderer, Hercule Poirot was also aboard Le Train Bleu. Maybe its time to go back and read it again. Since Knighton was supposedly in Paris, no one would have suspected him. This was the first of the adaptations of Poirot novels by BBC Radio. Why did Ruths murderer not only strangle her but also strike her face with a disfiguring blow. They switch train compartments, and when Ruth is bludgeoned to death, making her features unrecognizable, Poirot speculates that the intended victim may have been Katherine. Agatha Christie's beloved detective Hercule Poirot solves the murder of an American heiress by restaging her final journey by night trainwith all of the suspects aboard. And where else to turn to but to the Queen of Crime and her favorite detective, Hercule Poirot. Yet Poirot is not so sure and suspicions turn to Derek. Poirot investigates the brutal murder of an American heiress and the theft of a fabulous ruby on the Blue Train between Calais and Nice. The graphic novel was first published in French in 2005 under the title Le train bleu and the story was adapted for television with David Suchet as Poirot in 2006. THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE TRAIN Agatha Christie Chapter 1 THE MAN WITH THE WHITE HAIR It was close on midnight when a man crossed the Place de la Concorde. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The novel was televised in 2005 as a special episode of the series Agatha Christie's Poirot, and was aired by ITV on December 11 starring David Suchet as Poirot, Roger Lloyd Pack as Inspector Caux, James D'Arcy as Derek Ketterling, Lindsay Duncan as Lady Tamplin, Alice Eve as Lennox and Elliott Gould as Rufus Van Aldin. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. So does Katherine Grey, who is having her first winter out of England, after recently receiving a relatively large inheritance. He is suspicious of Ruth's estranged husband, Derek Kettering, who was on the same train but claims not to have seen Ruth. Exc, A little slice of paradise Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. This is the only major work by Agatha Christie in which the UK first edition carries no copyright or publication date. The writing of this book (part of which took place on the Canary Islands in early 1927) was an ordeal for Agatha Christie. It's the perfect mystery, filled with passion, greed, deceit. Murder and violence have followed in their wake. The Big Four by Agatha Christie Mysteries Ahoy. He advises her to keep it at home but instead she decides to take it with her on a trip on board the Blue Train through France. Christie's dedication in the book reads: "To the two distinguished members of the O.F.D. Every once in a while, I like to immerse myself in a proper British mystery novel. Poirot solves the case only after digging into old and new secrets and seeing through multiple treachery. He tells them that Ada Mason is really Kitty Kidd, a renowned male impersonator and actress. Could Derek have done that? Add These Cute Planters To Your Bookshelf! Solving Crimes From Los Angeles to Kolkata, The Palace of Illusions Draupadis Story. The UK edition retailed at seven shillings and sixpence (7/6)and the US edition at $2.00. The novel features a Wagon Lit conductor called Pierre Michel which is the same name of another Wagon Lit conductor who appears in Murder on the Orient Express it is never revealed whether these two characters are one and the same or different. The Mystery of the Blue Train Agatha Christie . When the train stops, the jewel is missing, and the woman is found dead in her compartment. Ruth's maid, Ada Mason, says she saw a man in Ruth's compartment but could not see who he was. This blog is strictly for non-commercial purposes. One person who didn't was Charlotte Fisher (born c. 1901 died 1976), who had been employed by Christie as both her own secretary and a governess to her daughter Rosalind in 1924. The Mystery of the Blue Train is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie, first published in the United Kingdom by William Collins & Sons on 29. See production, box office & company info, Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express, Nene Valley Railway, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England, UK. - Ephesians 2:10, Exploring life through pilgrimage, literature, and faith, The Month in Reviews: July 2022 | Bob on Books, Bob on Books Top Viewed Reviews of 2022 | Bob on Books, Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown Hugh A. After traveling on the Blue Train from Calais to Nice, Hercule Poirot is pressed into service to help solve the murder of heiress Ruth Kettering who is found savagely beaten in her compartment. That line was retained in the television film, even though Death on the Nile was broadcast first. A murder mystery adventure featuring Bernde's own popular detective, Chantecoq, the story is set in Paris and the plot is completely different. Community Reviews Summary of 4,288 reviews. The Times Literary Supplement gave a more positive reaction to the book than Christie herself in its issue of 3 May 1928. 3] Compartment number 7! by Agatha Christie. Aboard the luxurious Blue Train running from London to the Riviera, pampered millionaire's daughter Ruth Kettering is murdered, her expensive jewels stolen. In the end, Katherine expresses a desire to travel, saying that she intends to take the Orient Express from Vienna. Never guessed whodunnit either. Katherine saw what she thought was a boy getting off the train, but it was really Mason. So does Katherine Grey, who is having her first winter out of England, after recently receiving a relatively large inheritance. He agrees to take on the case, comparing himself to a retired doctor who has stumbled upon someone needing medical treatment. The famous ruby, "Heart of Fire", which had recently been given to Ruth by her father, is discovered to be missing. So with the famous Heart of Fire ruby. "Books are humanity in print." Then Mirelle, who Derek has decided to ditch in his interest in Katherine, goes to Poirot and tells him that she saw Derek leave Ruths compartment at about the time the murder was purported to occur. But I thought it contained some interesting plot twists and a surprise ending that I wasnt looking for. Part of the problem is, I think, that we are given too much information about the suspects and possible motives from the start. Curtain was written at the same time and similarly locked away, but publication of this latter book would not be possible until the end of her writing career as it recounts the death of Poirot. Ruth's maid, Ada Mason, says that she saw a man in Ruth's compartment but could not see who he was. Barbara Tuchman, Commentary on Working-Class Culture, Education, and Politics, Comments on the New Testament and Early Christianity (and related matters). It makes for an appealing backstory but I really do not love the way she is provided with a really unconvincing romance. Some of these clichs apply to The Mystery of the Blue Train, too, but its an interesting enough story where the fun part is actually discovering clues along with Poirot and putting them together. She has been invited to stay with her cousin, the Viscountess Tamplin and her daughter, who also hope to benefit from Katherines new found wealth. We earn a small commission on purchases made through any Amazon affiliate links on this page. One other detail troubles Poirot. He does more investigating and learns more information, talking to his friends and to Katherine, eventually coming to the truth. The murderer would be the least suspected character, and if you were paying enough attention you could figure out how. He also knows Ruth has resumed an affair with the Comte de la Roche, who is a rogue and a swindler who thusfar has escaped the reach of the law. When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to wake serene Ruth Kettering from her slumbers. It had its effect on her in the middle of wartime when, nervous that at some future point she might be in need of funds and need a fallback, she wrote Sleeping Murder and locked it securely in a bank vault for future publication. The story follows the wealthy American heiress Ruth Kettering as she travels on the. At the end of the film, the murderer commits suicide, instead of just being arrested by the French police as in the novel. Format: Paperback. However, in a bit of foreshadowing, Poirot says that he would like to take the Orient Express someday, while Katherine talks about the romance of the train. Were the jewels the motive for the murder, or were they only taken as a blind? The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie. It's the perfect mystery, filled with passion, greed, deceit. Kidd is presumably already in custody. The Mystery of the Blue Train is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the United Kingdom by William Collins & Sons on 29 March 1928[1] and in the United States by Dodd, Mead and Company later in the same year. Both her husband and her lover were on the train but she had changed rooms with another passenger, Katherine Grey, so the question naturally arises as to whether she was the intended victim. The prime suspect is Ruths estranged husband, Derek. A reference to the continental Daily Mail at the start of chapter six (chapter eight in the book) was changed to "the newspaper" to avoid mentioning a competitor to The Star. He asks Van Aldin and Knighton to come with him on the Blue Train to recreate the murder. Agatha Christie's most well-known train mystery is Murder on the Orient Express (1934). [2][3] The UK edition retailed at seven shillings and sixpence (7/6)[4] and the US edition at $2.00. Hercule Poirot : Oh! Robert C Trube and Bob on Books, 2013-2023. Poirot boards Le Train Bleu, bound for the French Riviera. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. She uses very nearly those words to a chance acquaintance on the Blue Train a little man with an egg-shaped head and fierce moustaches whose answer is curious and unexpected. Poirot asks Van Aldin and Knighton to come with him on the Blue Train to recreate the murder. One person who didn't was Charlotte Fisher (born c. 1901 died 1976), who had been employed by Christie in 1924 as both her own secretary and as a governess to her daughter Rosalind. If you don't want to get spoiled about a good mystery novel 'the mystery of the blue train' that is, don't read the short story the playmouth express. Donate . Agatha Christie's Poirot Series 10: The Mystery of the Blue TrainFollow us on Facebook: https://fb.me/BritTVChannelBuy me a coffee here: https://www.buymeaco. Rufus, Ruth's father, has a wife in the film, who became insane after the birth of Ruth, and Rufus has ensured her (his wife's) safekeeping at a convent, where she has become a nun. He also says that the cigarette case with the K on it does not stand for 'Kettering', but for 'Knighton'. Poirot is rarely modest and on most occasions seems to employ Hastings as his personal mascot. Additionally, Ruth's lover is travelling on the train with her, and they are both fleeing her husband. Hercule Poirot: Fiction's Greatest Detective, Murder, She Said: The Quotable Miss Marple, Chronological list of Agatha Christie's works, Various villagers of St. Mary Mead (Kent), famous ten-day disappearance in the December of that year, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, 1928, William Collins and Sons (London), 29 March 1928, Hardcover, 296 pp, 1928, Dodd Mead and Company (New York), 1928, Hardcover, 306 pp, 1932, William Collins and Sons, February 1932 (As part of the, 1940, Pocket Books (New York), Paperback, 276 pp, 1948, Penguin Books, Paperback, (Penguin number 691), 250 pp, 1954, Pan Books, Paperback (Pan number 284), 1956, Pocket Books (New York), Paperback, 194 pp. The events of 1926 with the death of her mother, her husband's infidelity and her breakdown and ten-day disappearance had left a deep psychological scar and now separated from Archie Christie and in need of funds she turned back to writing. (Unpaid endorsement), "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." The UK edition retailed at seven shillings and sixpence (7/6) and the US edition at $2.00. ", Robert Barnard: "Christie's least favourite story, which she struggled with just before and after the disappearance. @Zoya I must have read Elephants can remember at school I remember a phase in 9th and 10th grade where I devoured every Poirot novel in the library. Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Pingback: Bob on Books Top Viewed Reviews of 2022 | Bob on Books. to read read. Language: English. Peter's devotion to Christie at this time was never forgotten by her and she returned that affection, writing to her second husband, Max Mallowan in 1930 that "You've never been through a really bad time with nothing but a dog to hold on to." It also features the first appearance of the minor recurring character, Mr Goby, who would later appear in After the Funeral and Third Girl. It seems likely, however, that Bernde was hoping to benefit from Poirot's popularity. The Mystery of the Blue Train Hercule Poirot #6. Get this from a library! chief among the latter group, Christie put Charlotte Fisher for her steadfast support. She has just inherited a lot of money and is about to travel to visit relations in the South of France, but is nervous. The entire first two chapters were omitted from the serialisation and it therefore contained only thirty-four chapters. Thanks for pointing that out. William Morrow Paperbacks. The Mystery of the Blue Train: A Hercule Poirot Mystery | AUDIOBOOK Pro+Summary:When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, aguard attempts to wake serene. The international setting makes for a good varied read, but there is a plethora of sixth-form schoolgirl French and some deleterious influences from the thrillers. Let a good murder mystery come within his ken, and he just can't be kept out of it. \"The Mystery of the Blue Train\" is a classic detective novel by Agatha Christie, first published in 1928. In the novel, Lady Tamplin's fourth husband has nothing to do with the ruby. Poirot and Katherine match each other in very different ways in their own self-possession. Mother! She is also the owner of a world-famous ruby. Summary: A rich heiress carrying a rare ruby is murdered on the fashionable overnight train to the French Riviera on which retired detective Hercule Poirot happens to be riding. changing "She then" to "Katherine then"), or omitting small sentences or words, especially in the opening instalment where several paragraphs were omitted. The American heiress bailing out of a doomed marriage is en route to reconcile with her former lover. He advises her to keep it at home but instead she decides to take it with her on a trip on board the Blue Train through France. More about this story As I mentioned, I wasnt expecting the ending, which made this all the more fun. The mystery of the blue train. I didn't find my silly comb. According to several sources I have read this novel was one of Christies least favorites and unfortunately I rather share her feelings (although I suspect her reasons were rather different from mine). She is a avid reader and loves traveling around the Globe. 317 pages first pub 1928 ISBN/UID: 9781579126957. Poirot, still in retirement and also travelling on board the train, is asked by her father to take on the case. Its got this element of humor I cant seem to shake off. Katherine saw what she thought was a boy getting off the train, but it was really Mason. But by morning, her private affairs are made public when she . This is our blog. The tone for murder is set early. Katherine says that she saw Derek enter Ruth's compartment. Rufus, Ruth's father, has a wife in the film, who became insane after Ruth's birth, and Rufus has ensured her (his wife's) safekeeping at a convent, where she has become a nun. The Mystery of the Blue Train was first serialised in the London evening newspaper The Star in thirty-eight un-illustrated instalments from Wednesday 1 February to Thursday 15 March 1928. Poirot soon discovers that there are several suspects with possible motives for the crime, including Ruth's husband, her former lover, and a mysterious woman who seems to be following the train.As Poirot investigates, he uncovers a web of lies and deceit that stretches from America to Europe. Change). Ruth Kettering, an American heiress, is in an unhappy marriage to an English aristocrat. Moods. There were slight amendments to the text, either to make sense of the openings of an instalment (e.g. Hercule Poirot mentions at the end that he has never traveled on the Orient Express, raising viewer expectations of his most famous case, "Murder on the Orient Express.". That did make me smile. The Mystery of the Blue Train is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the United Kingdom by William Collins & Sons on 29 March 1928 and in the United States by Dodd, Mead and Company later in the same year. He tells them that Ada Mason is really Kitty Kidd, a renowned male impersonator and actress. Ruth's father, the American millionaire Rufus Van Aldin, and his secretary, Major Knighton, convince Poirot to take on the case. The Mystery of the Blue Train Hercule Poirot #6. Carlotta and Peter". 1973, Greenway edition of collected works (Dodd Mead), Hardcover, 286 pp, 1974, Dodd, Mead and Company (As part of the, 1976, Ulverscroft Large-print Edition, Hardcover, 423pp, OCLC 2275078, 2007, Poirot Facsimile Edition (Facsimile of 1928 UK First Edition), HarperCollins, 5 March 2007, Hardback. Just before departing for a trip to the Riviera on the Blue Train, a luxury, overnight train through France, she agrees to her fathers counsel to divorce her philandering husband, Derek Kettering, whose most recent bit of stuff is an opportunistic dancer, Mirelle. Unfortunately here I rather run out of good things to say about a book that shares some of my least favorite traits of the thrillers she was writing in this decade. You will find her tips and reviews on best travel destinations, books and movie/tv shows on Shades of Words. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! At the risk of looking past it with Van Aldin, Poirot keeps looking, and particularly for a shadowy figure known as the Marquis. 383 pages first pub 1928 ISBN/UID: 9780007120765. He also says that the cigarette case with the "K" on it does not stand for Kettering, but Knighton. The book features her detective Hercule Poirot. Then he opens it and finds Katherine also opening the door] Oh! Your statement on Poirot confused me a bitare you saying hes not modest at all? Poirot offers to go with her on the Blue Train. . [Agatha Christie; John Moffatt] -- When Miss Katherine Grey unexpectedly inherits a small fortune she books the famous Blue Train for a trip to the French Riviera. However this village is in Kent. When the fabled Blue Train, the luxury overnight passenger express to the Riviera, arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to awaken Ruth . And then Ruth gets huged on the train in a gruesome and disfiguring attack, and at the same time her ruby is stolen. [Poirot heaves a sigh of relief] Hercule Poirot : [Checking the number of Katherine's compartment - No.