Author
Who is the author of the book?
Agatha Christie
Why does Poirot decide to travel on the Orient Express?
He has been urgently recalled to London because of another case.
"He was a man perhaps of between sixty and seventy. From a little distance he had the bland aspect of a philanthropist. His slightly bald head, his domed forehead, the smiling mouth that displayed a very white set of false teeth—all seemed to speak of a benevolent personality. Only the eyes belied this assumption. They were small, deep-set and crafty."
Mr. Ratchett
“I am not one to rely upon the expert procedure. It is the psychology I seek, not the fingerprint or the cigarette ash.”
Hercule Poirot
Who are the main suspects?
The main suspects are the passengers on the train who are revealed to have connections to the Armstrong family, including the governess, nurse, and relatives of the family.
Where was Agatha Christie born?
Devon, England
What suspicious detail does Poirot notice about Ratchett’s appearance?
Ratchett looks respectable on the outside, but Poirot feels he has a cruel and dangerous personality.
This was a tall man of between forty and fifty, lean of figure, brown of skin, with hair slightly grizzled round the temples.
Colonel Arbuthnot
“I would have stabbed that man twelve times willingly.”
Mrs. Armstrong
“I do not like your ___________, M. Ratchett.”
face
Did Agatha Christie have any pen names? If yes, what was it?
Yes, she did. Mary Westmacott.
What alibi does Colonel Arbuthnot give for the night of the murder?
He says he was talking with MacQueen in MacQueen’s compartment.
“She was, he judged, the kind of young woman who could take care of herself with perfect ease wherever she went. She had poise and efficiency.”
Mary Debenham
“The murderer is with us — on the train now.”
M. Bouc
The setting of the train stuck in the snow functions as more than a physical backdrop. What is its symbolic role in the story?
It creates a sealed world where past crimes and hidden identities are forced to surface
What record is Agatha Christie known for?
Agatha Christie is known in the Guinness World Records as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, with about 2 billion copies sold worldwide. She is also listed as the most translated author.
What does Poirot learn from Mr. Hardman’s testimony?
Hardman says he was watching the corridor and saw no stranger pass, but he also reveals that Ratchett had described his enemy as a small dark man with a womanish voice.
“At a small table, sitting very upright, was one of the ugliest old ladies he had ever seen. It was an ugliness of distinction- it fascinated rather than repelled. She sat very upright. Round her neck was a collar of very large pearls which, improbable though it seemed, were real. Her hands were covered with rings. Her sable coat was pushed back on her shoulders. A very small and expensive black toque was hideously unbecoming to the yellow, toad-like face beneath it.”
Princess Natalia Dragomiroff
“I believe, Messieurs, in loyalty — to one’s friends and one’s family and one’s caste.”
Princess Dragomiroff
What is another name of Mr. Ratchet?
Casetti
Name other famous books written by the author.
Death On The Nile; The ABC Murders; The Secret of Chimneys
What clue makes Poirot suspect that the murder was planned by more than one person?
The number of clues and contradictions, plus the impossible nature of some alibis, suggest a coordinated group plan.
“Poor creature, she’s a Swede. As far as I can make out, she’s a kind of missionary—a teaching one. A nice creature, but doesn’t talk much English. She was most interested in what I told her about my daughter.”
Greta Ohlsson
“You know, I’m dead scared of that man. Oh, not the valet—the other—his master. Master, indeed! There’s something wrong about that man. My daughter always says I’m very intuitive.
Mrs Hubbard
“Ah!” he sighed. “If I had but the pen of a ________! I would depict this scene.”
Which writer is mentioned here?
Balzac