Lisa Barger

The Mystery of the Blue Train is another book written by Agatha Christie as she struggled to cope with the death of her mother and the extramarital affair of (and separation from) her husband–and she reportedly struggled every day with it. Even the “shortcut” of reworking a previously published short story wasn’t enough to save the novel in her opinion. She “always hated it”, according to the Christie Estate, and dedicated the finished book to her daughter’s dog and her governess in a not-so-subtle jab at the people whom she felt had abandoned her when she needed their support.

The Story In The Mystery Of The Blue Train

Ruth and Derek Kettering exist in an unhappy ten-year-long marriage of convenience. He married her for the enormous fortune she’ll inherit someday; she married him for the title he’ll inherit someday. Derek is having an affair with a dancer while Ruth is having an affair with a notorious playboy.

Ruth boards the Blue Train on an ill-fated trip to meet her lover, oblivious to the fact that Derek and his lover are also onboard. And, of course, also onboard the Blue Train is Hercule Poirot and a young woman named Katherine Grey. Katherine spent a decade as a paid companion to an enormously wealthy woman and, upon her employer’s death, inherited her fortune and is traveling for the first time.

When the train stops at Nice, Ruth Kettering is found strangled to death. She was also disfigured (after she died) by a heavy blow to the face, and her extremely valuable jewels appear to have been stolen. Derek is immediately suspected and ultimately arrested but Poirot isn’t ready to pronounce him guilty quite yet.

My Thoughts On The Mystery Of The Blue Train

Agatha may have disliked the novel but the critics of the day were generally positive in their opinions. And I agree. The Mystery Of The Blue Train isn’t my favorite Poirot but it’s a perfectly fine way to spend a few hours. I didn’t even really miss Hastings or Japp so much this time around.

On thing I felt Christie did quite well here was the question of whether or not the dead woman was actually Ruth Kettering. This could have become quite tiring very quickly but Christie–always a master at carrying suspense–handled it perfectly.

I do have one gripe with story, and it’s been nagging at me ever since I finished it. Blue Train is another novel in which Poirot plays matchmaker and is, so far, my least favorite of his attempts to do so. Poirot’s matchmaking never quite works for me but in this novel, the attempt feels especially forced and artificial. I can’t say more without giving away a big chunk of the story but I will say it felt less like matchmaking and just a bit like throwing a lamb to a wolf.

My version of The Mystery Of The Blue Train was performed by Hugh Fraser. As always, Fraser is pitch-perfect.

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