Aghata Christie

Agatha Christie was a master of mystery whose plotting expertise is legendary. Inspector Poirot is one of her most famous characters, and he is at the heart of "The Mystery of the Blue Train," which Agatha Christie had published in 1928. Before coming out in book form, this novel was serialized; it ran in "The Star," a London paper, in 38 different installments. "The Mystery of the Blue Train" is a novel that is notable among Agatha Christie fans for including the first mention of St. Mary Mead, the village that would later gain prominence as the hometown of the spirited Miss Marple. Along with Poirot, Marple is the most famous of Agatha Christie’s detectives. Additionally, this mystery is the first to include Mr. Goby, a character who would go on to have a role in two later novels.

Captain Hastings, who is a major character in several previous Agatha Christie novels that feature Poirot, does not appear in this novel, which takes place about a decade after the first World War. The mystery indicates that Poirot himself is no longer an active detective but instead is in retirement, though his cleverness has not diminished with age. He also seems to have a way with the ladies in this novel.

In "The Mystery of the Blue Train," Hercule Poirot is on board the Blue Train, headed for the French Riviera, when American heiress Ruth Kettering dies mysteriously in her compartment, a victim of strangulation and, as Poirot soon discovers, theft. He takes on the case at the urging of Ruth’s father, Rufus Van Aldin, who is grieving not only the loss of his daughter but of the enormous ruby that he had given to her. By Van Aldin’s side is Major Knighton, who serves as his secretary.

Prime suspects in the case include Ruth’s lover, the Compte de la Roche, and her husband, Derek Kettering. Poirot’s sights are upon the latter, especially after a fellow Blue Train passenger, Mirelle, seems to implicate him. Strengthening his case is a piece of evidence bearing the letter "K" that is found during the investigation. However, further complications cast doubt upon this initial conclusion. It wouldn’t be an Agatha Christie novel without a few twists and turns!

One of the most interesting characters in "The Mystery of the Blue Train" is Katherine Grey, who befriends Ruth and later Poirot. Agatha Christie describes her eyes, the same grey as her last name, as "shining steadily out on the world with a kind of happy serenity nothing could shake." The detective considers this alluring woman an important witness as well as a good judge of character, and her input is crucial in unraveling all the facts behind what really happened to Ruth.

Agatha Christie adapted "The Mystery of the Blue Train" from the short story "The Plymouth Express," which was published five years earlier. The story eventually made its way onto television with a 2005 movie directed by Hettie Macdonald and starring David Suchet as Poirot. Other actors to portray the character include Ian Holm, Tony Randall, Alfred Molina, Peter Ustinov, John Moffatt and Albert Finney. Additionally, "The Mystery of the Blue Train" was turned into a graphic novel by Marc Piskic and released in 2007.

Poirot is the central character in 33 novels written by Agatha Christie; "The Mystery of the Blue Train" is one of the first, but he had already become well-established by that point. Poirot also was featured in 51 short stories before Agatha Christie’s death in 1976. This particular book came at a difficult time during Christie’s life, when she was overcome with grief over the death of her mother and her husband’s philandering. While Agatha Christie herself didn’t count it among her favorite books, critics have praised the intricate plotting of "The Mystery of the Blue Train" and held it up as an example of one of her finest works.