Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

This is one of Agatha’s best known works with several adaptations for TV and Cinema. It brings the luxury of 1920’s train travel on a luxury train to vivid life. I will always see David Suchet in his classic role as Poirot outside of the characters adopted home of England. The story was inspired by a famous case at the time called the Lindberg Case which occurred in the USA – even the well known gangster Al Capone offered up a ten thousand dollar reward for information as he was so appalled by the case. Sadly the little boy was found dead  two months later. This like our tail brought into suspicion everyone involved in the child or family’s life and it took nearly two years to bring the murderer to justice.
This murder mystery brings in a large cast of characters/suspects but in a classic locked room format – they are all on the train and stopped in the snow – no one can leave or arrive. However how are any of them connected to the deceased? What was their motive?

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The Cast and list of suspects
The Count & Countess Andrenyi – Diplomats traveling to France
Cyrus Hardman – and undercover private detective in the employ of the deceased
Edward Masterman – Ratchett’s Vallet
Colonel Arbuthnot – A colonel from India – but he seems to know Mary Debenham but denies it
Mary Debenham – Capable woman and a governess
Greta Ohlsson – timid Swedish missionary – was previously a nursery nurse
Hector McQueen – Secretary to the deceased
Princess Dragomiroff – Russian Princess who escaped before the revolution
Hildegarde Schmidt – Ladies maid to the Princess
Antonio Foscarelli – Italian car Salesman and showroom owner
Caroline Hubbard – older American Lady
Pierre Michel – French Railway conductor of many years service.