One of the things I think that this story conveys very effectively is that Poirot considers the dead woman (and the truth) to be his client rather than the man who hired him. While Poirot still has things to do, the closed circle nature of this crime feels all the more evident and I do feel there are chapters in the middle of the book that seem to drag as though the investigation is being stretched out. At the end of the film, the murderer commits suicide, instead of just being arrested by the French police as in the novel. etina (cs) . 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. Your email address will not be published. He also says that the cigarette case with the "K" on it does not stand for Kettering, but Knighton. Sadly this time is no different. Christie's dedication in the book reads: "To the two distinguished members of the O.F.D. Mere months after this novel was published, prolific French novelist Arthur Bernde published Le mystre du train bleu[6] in late 1928. Katherine says she saw Derek enter Ruth's compartment. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! 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. In spite of the handsome fur coat which garbed his meagre form, there was something essentially weak and paltry about him. mysterious 97% adventurous 46% tense 16% lighthearted 12% dark 7% Poirot says at 28 min 27 sec that he doesn't like odd numbers, only even numbers Solving Crimes From Los Angeles to Kolkata, The Palace of Illusions Draupadis Story. The novel's plot is based on the 1923 Poirot short story The Plymouth Express (much later collected in book form in the US in 1951 in The Under Dog and Other Stories and in the UK in 1974 in Poirot's Early Cases). Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Robert C Trube and Bob on Books with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. He asks Van Aldin and Knighton to come with him on the Blue Train to recreate the murder. When the train stops, the jewel is missing, and the woman is found dead in her compartment. Agatha Christies most well-known train mystery is Murder on the Orient Express (1934). Essays, poetry, meditations, and book reviews by Jeremy Vogan, Books | Reflections For the Good of the Church, Explorations in Biblical Theology from J. Richard Middleton. The story follows the wealthy American heiress Ruth Kettering as she travels on the luxurious Blue Train from Calais to Nice. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is a personal blog. Learn how your comment data is processed. Can you list the top facts and stats about The Mystery of the Blue Train? Money will be involved in the crime, most likely a coveted inheritance or valuable jewels. What part did the beautiful foreign dancer play? This novel features (as the home of the heroine, Katherine Grey) the first mention in a novel of the fictional village of St Mary Mead, which had originally appeared in "The Tuesday Night Club" published in December 1927, which was the first short story to feature Christie's other famous detective Miss Marple. Ruth Kettering, an American heiress, is in an unhappy marriage to an English aristocrat. The UK edition retailed at seven shillings and sixpence (7/6) and the US edition at $2.00. Further suspicion is thrown on Derek when a cigarette case with the letter "K" is found there. In the end, Katherine expresses a desire to travel, saying that she intends to take the Orient Express from Vienna. Ruth's maid, Ada Mason, says that she saw a man in Ruth's compartment but could not see who he was. When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, aguard attempts to wake serene Ruth Kettering fromher slumbers. Yet Poirot is not so sure and suspicions turn to Derek. But Poirot is at hand to solve the case. There were slight amendments to the text, either to make sense of the openings of an instalment (e.g. The story follows the wealthy American heiress Ruth Kettering as she travels on the. 3.86 55,923 ratings3,681 reviews 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? A little man wi th a face like a rat. Your email address will not be published. 383 pages first pub 1928 ISBN/UID: 9780007120765. At least one character will be cheating on their partner. But even Hercule Poirot, for it is he, does not guess how soon he will be called upon to unravel and complicated and intricate crime when the Blue Train steams in Nice the following morning and it is discovered that murder has been done.". He agrees to take on the case, comparing himself to a retired doctor who has stumbled upon someone needing medical treatment. [citation needed], Dust-jacket illustration of the first UK edition, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Mystery_of_the_Blue_Train&oldid=1147115997, Rufus Van Aldin, the American millionaire, Ruth's father, Ruth Kettering, Van Aldin's only daughter, Derek's wife, Hon Derek Kettering, Van Aldin's son-in-law, Ruth's husband, Mirelle, a Parisian dancer, Derek's gold-digging and later vengeful French lover, Major Richard Knighton, Van Aldin's secretary, Armand, Comte de la Roche, former lover of Ruth, Katherine Grey, formerly companion to the recently deceased Mrs Harfield, who has left her entire estate to Grey, Dr and Mrs Harrison, Katherine's friends in the village of St Mary Mead, Amelia Viner, an elderly, terminally ill spinster and friend of Katherine Grey in St Mary Mead, Rosalie, Viscountess Tamplin, cousin of Katherine, owner of a villa on the Riviera, Hon. They switch train compartments, and when Ruth is bludgeoned to death, making her features unrecognisable, Poirot speculates that the intended victim may have been Katherine. Agatha Christie. Poirot investigates the brutal murder of an American heiress and the theft of a fabulous ruby on the Blue Train between Calais and Nice. Lets start with the character of Katherine who serves as the replacement Hastings for this story. The Verdict: This dull mystery plot has never really sparked any excitement in me. Charlotte Fisher, together with her sister Mary, also received a second dedication in a book in And Then There Were None in 1939. The police arrest Knighton and the case is closed. There were slight amendments to the text, either to make sense of the openings of an instalment (e.g. Her husband stands to inherit her millions upon her death. Ruth's maid, Ada Mason, says she saw a man in Ruth's compartment but could not see who he was. Never guessed whodunnit either. We earn a small commission on purchases made through any Amazon affiliate links on this page. It's the perfect mystery, filled with passion, greed, deceit. Sadly they have not. - 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. [Poirot heaves a sigh of relief] Hercule Poirot : [Checking the number of Katherine's compartment - No. The tone for murder is set early. The events of 1926 with the death of her mother and her husband's infidelity had left a deep psychological scar on Christie. The novel concerns the murder of an American heiress on Le Train Bleu, the titular "Blue Train". stood for Order of the Faithful Dogs and both Carlotta, hired by Christie as a secretary and Rosalind's governess, and Peter, Rosalind's much loved dog were in that camp as opposed to the Order of the Faithless Rats who had turned away from her. On board Grey meets Ruth Kettering, an American heiress leaving her unhappy marriage to meet her lover. Getting, Street side messages #greece #napflio #bikelife #b, Nice relaxing weekend at #peppervinehomestay The Mystery of the Blue Train was released by HarperCollins as a graphic novel adaptation on 3 December 2007, adapted and illustrated by Marc Piskic (ISBN 0-00-725060-6). Appropriately for a Christie train-based story, its about the journey rather that the destination, at least for me. So with the famous Heart of Fire ruby. 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. Katherine, who is now being pursued by both Derek and Major Knighton is drawn into Poirots counsels. The Mystery of the Blue Train is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the United Kingdom by William Collins & Sons on 29 March 1928and in the United States by Dodd, Mead and Company later in the same year. At the end of the film, the murderer, Major Richard Knighton, commits suicide by having himself run over by an oncoming train, instead of just being arrested by the French police as in the novel. Her biography recounts how the total number of words in the book were carefully tallied up, showing what an ordeal Christie found it to be. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. to read read. The entire first two chapters were omitted from the serialisation and it therefore contained only thirty-four chapters. Robert C Trube and Bob on Books, 2013-2023. Part of that is that I really just dont dig that production but it also reflects that this plot is, for me, a bit of a snooze. 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. Also named in this latter group, and the second subject of the dedication of the book, is Peter, Christie's beloved terrier, who had been purchased for Rosalind in 1924. Incredibly blue wate, Things have been crazy busy as school year comes t, We absolutely loved the food in #athens . Moods. This dedication is a direct reference to the events of 1926 which included the death of Christie's mother on 5 April,the breakdown of her marriage to Archibald Christie and her famous ten-day disappearance in the December of that year. . He does more investigating and learns more information, talking to his friends and to Katherine, eventually coming to the truth. When the train stops, the jewel is missing, and the woman is found dead in her compartment. She and Fisher (to whom Christie referred affectionately as both "Carlo" and "Carlotta") divided her acquaintances into two separate categories; the Order of Rats and the Order of Faithful Dogs (O.F.D.) Read more I think the latter and found her one of the most interesting of Christies characters, in her understated way. Kidd is presumably already in custody. She is also the owner of a world-famous ruby. And after the arrival of Katherine and Poirot at the Tamplins' villa, Katherine is also attacked. Thanks for pointing that out. In the film, Ruth's lover is traveling on the train with her, and they are both fleeing her husband. Whose hand was it that struck her down? What is more, her precious rubies are missing. [14] 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. The biggest other issues I have with the book though veer far more into the spoilery territory of discussing the villain or villains of the piece. Agatha Christie's most well-known train mystery is Murder on the Orient Express (1934). This dedication is a direct reference to the events of 1926 which included the death of Christie's mother on 5 April,[15] the breakdown of her marriage to Archibald Christie, and her famous ten-day disappearance in December that year. - Carlotta and Peter" also references this difficult time. William Morrow Paperbacks. This was the first of the adaptations of Poirot novels by BBC Radio. 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. An interesting fact about this book is that there are several references to St. Mary Mead (Jane Marples village), but there is no mention of Marple herself. She is a avid reader and loves traveling around the Globe. To tie in with the rest of the series, the setting is changed to the late 1930s. Also, the television film shows Lady Tamplin's fourth husband who acquires a ruby for her. Murder and violence have followed in their wake. Her father, Rufus van Aldin, gifts her a fabulous ruby The Heart of Fire. I particularly enjoyed the women Katherine cared for. Were the jewels the motive for the murder, or were they only taken as a blind? Pingback: Bob on Books Top Viewed Reviews of 2022 | Bob on Books. Istanbul : Travelling in buses, getting lost and, Istanbul: Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque & other, Istanbul : First Impressions, Aya Sofya and tour, St. Louis Neighborhood An Evening In Grand, Observations of a first time visitor to USA, Celebrating independent bookstores: Brattle Book Shop, Boston, Things I will miss about St.Louis, Missouri, Do we question mortality only when faced with, Streaming Bollywood on Netflix: Kapoor & Sons &, Harlan Cobens The Five is contrived yet entertaining, Enjoy An Evening Of Suspense with Ill Be, St. Louis Theatre Round-up : The Crucible and. This is the only major work by Agatha Christie in which the UK first edition carries no copyright or publication date. I didn't find my silly comb. Peter was also the subject of the dedication of Dumb Witness (on the dustjacket of which he is pictured), published in 1937, one year before his death. Be the first to contribute. ", Robert Barnard: "Christie's least favourite story, which she struggled with just before and after the disappearance. There are several fruitier candidates for the title of 'worst Christie'."[9]. Derek is then arrested. Everyone is convinced the case is solved, but Poirot is not sure. The famous ruby, "Heart of Fire", which had recently been given to Ruth by her father, is discovered to be missing. It's the perfect mystery, filled with passion, greed, deceit. I went through a couple of books after this and realized how true it is. Aboard the luxurious Blue Train running from London to the Riviera, pampered millionaire's daughter Ruth Kettering is murdered, her expensive jewels stolen. The Mystery of the Blue Train was adapted for radio by BBC Radio 4, with Maurice Denham as Poirot. fiction classics crime mystery mysterious medium-paced Description Robbery and brutal murder aboard a luxury transport ensnares the ever-attentive Hercule Poirot in The Mystery of the Blue Train, from Queen of Mystery Agatha Christie When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to wake seren. Katherine : [Poirot hesitates at Katherine's door. 1972, Greenway edition of collected works (William Collins), Hardcover, 286 pp. 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. Derek did go into the compartment to talk to Ruth once he saw she was on the train, but he left when he saw she was asleep. These are some of the questions that have to be answered, and the story tells also how these strange and dramatic happenings effect the life of a quiet English girl who has felt convinced that "nothing exciting will ever happen to me." Agatha Christie Wiki is a FANDOM Books Community. She asks Poirot if he has taken that train, and he says he has not. The American heiress bailing out of a doomed marriage is en route to reconcile with her former lover. 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. US industrial tycoon Rufus Van Aldin and his right hand Major Knighton tried everything to get suave British son-in-law Derek Kettering, an unfaithful gambling addict, to divorce his daughter Ruth, for whom he bought a priceless ruby with a bloody history. Publisher: . Poirot boards Le Train Bleu, bound for the French Riviera. Poirot investigates the brutal murder of an American heiress and the theft of a fabulous ruby on the Blue Train between Calais and Nice. These were events which disturbed her for the remainder of her lifeand Christie learned that people she expected to be allies in her time of need turned away from her. After recounting the set-up of the story the reviewer concluded: "The reader will not be disappointed when the distinguished Belgian on psychological grounds declines to suspect the arrested husband and, by acting on the suggestion of an ugly girl who consistently derides her preposterous mother, builds up inferences almost out of the air, supports them by a masterly array of negative evidence and lands his fish to the surprise of everyone". Purists will probably be angry at this, but it's my guess (never having read the book, mind you) that most of the changes must have been improvements. Since Knighton was supposedly in Paris, no one would have suspected him. The police suspect that Ruth's lover, the Comte de la Roche, killed her and stole the rubies, but Poirot does not think he is guilty. 10 travel hacks for road trips with kids! The book features her detective Hercule Poirot. Pingback: The Month in Reviews: July 2022 | Bob on Books. In the novel, Lady Tamplin's fourth husband has nothing to do with the ruby. But she will never wake againfor a heavy blow has killed her, disfiguring her features almost beyond recognition. The murder will happen IN or ON or AT the subject mentioned in the title (in this case the murder occurs ON the blue train). 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. The novel also features the first appearance of the minor recurring character, Mr. Goby, who would later appear in After the Funeral and Third Girl. I'm a blogger, dammit, not a philosopher. So with the famous Heart of Fire ruby. Poirot realized that Mason was the only person who saw anyone with Ruth in the compartment, so this could have been a lie. He does more investigating and learns more information, talking to his friends and to Katherine, eventually coming to the truth. 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. When an attempt is subsequently made on Grey's life, this appears to the case but Poirot methodically sifts through all of the clues to determine the motive and identify the killer. 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. 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 police then arrest Knighton. Unfortunately for the murderer, Hercule Poirot was also aboard Le Train Bleu. Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. The book is the fifth of thirty-three full-length novels featuring her detective Hercule Poirot. [7], The New York Times Book Review of 12 August 1928 said, "Nominally Poirot has retired, but retirement means no more to him than it does to a prima donna. Because the final story presented on the screen is far from Christie's worst - in fact, it is closer to her best. All opinions stated are my own and not those of my employer or school. Then he meets Ruth Kettering. What is more, her precious rubies are missing. 1972, Greenway edition of collected works (William Collins), Hardcover, 286 pp. (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 prime suspect is Ruth's estranged husband, Derek. 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. 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. It also features the first appearance of the minor recurring character, Mr Goby, who would later appear in After the Funeral and Third Girl. The television film includes several changes from the original novel. I would have liked to see them together againand perhaps Poirot would have as wellbut she makes a different choice that, depending on your perspective, may seem safe or alternatively reflect a mature self-understanding. Photography and infographics cannot be used without permission. 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. . Agatha Christie with Hugh Fraser (Narrator) . The famous detective Hercule Poirot is also on the train, and graciously offers his services to the French Police to help with the case, which he ultimately does. On board the train Grey meets Ruth Kettering, an American heiress leaving her unhappy marriage to meet her lover. 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. Lady Tamplin, Corky and her daughter Lenox also travel on the blue train. Lenox Tamplin, Lady Tamplin's daughter, Charles "Chubby" Evans, Lady Tamplin's much younger husband, Kyrios (Mr) Papopolous, jewellery dealer and an acquaintance of Poirot, Joseph Aarons, Poirot's acquaintance, an expert in people involved in the "dramatic profession" (acting) who advises Poirot about the skilled impersonator Kitty Kidd, known by a different name for most of the novel, 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, 1956, Pocket Books (New York), Paperback, 194 pp. 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. What part did the beautiful foreign dancer play? When the events of 1926 were starting to recede, Christie states that she "had to take stock of my friends". But she couldn't have been alone when she was brutally murdered and the ruby stolen, no matter what everyone says. ." Maybe it was just a robber who knew that the gems were aboard. The Big Four by Agatha Christie Mysteries Ahoy. Ruth's father, American millionaire Rufus Van Aldin, and his secretary, Major Knighton, persuade Poirot to take on the case. Robbery and brutal murder aboard a luxury transport ensnares the ever-attentive Hercule Poirot in The Mystery of the Blue Train, from Queen of Mystery Agatha ChristieWhen the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to wake serene Ruth Kettering from her slumbers. See production, box office & company info, Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express, Nene Valley Railway, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England, UK. Poirot is dining alone in a London restaurant and strikes up a friendship with Katherine Grey. When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to wake serene Ruth Kettering from her slumbers. 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. The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie, BBC radio cast adapt, cassette version.agatha christie, bbc, radio, bbc radio, drama, bbc drama, murder,. But even Hercule Poirot, for it is he, does not guess how soon he will be called upon to unravel a complicated and intricate crime when the Blue Train steams into Nice the following morning and it is discovered that murder has been done. The blurb of the first edition (which is carried on both the back of the jacket and opposite the title page) reads:"Since the beginning of history, jewels have exercised a baneful spell.
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