The Mystery of the Blue Train: A Hercule Poirot Murder Mystery by: Agatha Christie (1928) Part 4

"A mirror shows the truth, but every one stands in a different place for looking into the mirror, " - Hercule Poirot

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Characters

Monsieur Le Marquis - man who wears a mask

Demetrius Papopolous - antique dealer

Zia Papopolous - daughter of Demetrius

Rufus Van Aldin - rich man

Major Richard Knighton - Van Aldin's secretary

Ruth Kettering - daughter of Rufus Van Aldin

Derek Kettering - Ruth's husband

Mirelle - dancer friend of Derek Kettering

Katherine Grey - acquired a new wealth

Viscountess Rosalie Tamplin - Well known in Riviera

The Honorable Lenox Tamplin - daughter of Rosalie Tamplin

Hercule Poirot - the well known Belgium Detective

Ada Mason - Ruth Kettering's maid

Comte Armand De La Roche - old friend of Ruth Kettering, womanizer

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Poirot goes to the Tamplin's to have dinner with them. After discussing things around the blue train, Poirot leaves to go speak with Mr. Papopolous and his daugther Zia. Talking with his daughter, she tells him that she believes that she has seen the Marquis once and gives a description of him, but if she were to see him again, she probably would not recognize him.

Katherine reads a letter she gets from Amelia Viner whom lives in St. Mary Mead where Katherine is from. Lenox interrupts her from reading and tells her that Mr. Knighton wishes to see her, as well as Poirot. After having a luncheon, Poirot leaves to go speak with Hippolyte and Marie, The Comte's servant's. Poirot lets him into the Comte's home and makes his way to the kitchen and sits down. Upon telling them that he knows that they lied to the police they attempt to defend themselves. Poirot smugly opens a notebook and informs them of at least seven times they have lied but brings up two most distinct in regards to when their master returned home. After becoming venerable, they finally tell the truth and Poirot leaves. He then calls upon Mirelle. She is already in a puffy mood as he beings posing the fact that she in fact saw Ruth dead on the train. Mirelle has a temper tantrum and starts crying on the floor. Poirot leaves in a good mood.

We discover that Katherine has returned to St. Mary Mead to be with Ms. Viner whom wrote to her earlier. They discuss mostly men and clothing. Mr. Knighton calls upon her, and Ms. Viner is weary about men and believes that Mr. Knighton is no good and that Katherine would be foolish to pursue a relationship with him. After Ms. Viner meets Mr. Knighton her opinion changes, and she admits that she is wrong about him, and hopes that Katherine will find happiness.

Poirot goes to have a meal with an old friend, Mr. Joseph Aarons. He gives him details on a young dancer named Kitty and how she was involved with a Marquis. Mirelle is brought up and Aarons has indeed heard of her but knows that she is known to have temper tantrums and is not a well balanced person. And in fact that she has come into possession of ruby the size of a pigeon egg. Poirot finds this most interesting.

The next day, Poirot meets with Katherine to bounce ideas off her and believes that she would be helpful and gives a piece to the puzzle. She insists they don't think a like and feels that she won't be much help. Katherine shows him a small article that she had gotten from Ms. Viner and Poirot assures that even that was helpful to the case. Then Poirot goes to visit Van Aldin and insists that he has a new theory as to how Ruth was killed, and the only way to know is to go back onto the blue train.

Poirot attempts to recreate how everything played out on the train before and after Ruth died. Through this the pieces click in Poirot's brain that more than one person is going by a new alias, involving the Marquis and Kitty.

Upon leaving the train, Van Aldin thanks Poirot for his service. Returning to the hotel, Poirot runs into his friend Mr. Papopolous and his daughter. They discuss the heart of fire and the Marquis. Later at the Tamplin's Poirot tells them everything that was uncovered and as he had told Van Aldin. Speaking with Lenox, he finds out that Katherine is seeing a man while she is back home at St. Mary Mead. In the words of Poirot, "Life is like a train, Mademoiselle. It goes on. And it is a good thing that that is so."

Christie has won me over once again with her writing. I have yet to find one that I do not dive into and not stick with. This one reminds me very much of one of her other books called A Holiday for Murder, another Hercule Poirot. It has just as much deceit and red herring's as this one held. Worldly possessions can hold so much place in one's heart and its sad to think that someone will go to the extent to murder someone to obtain something. But as much as life is like a train, what is it without some mystery? For those who find joy in this obsession for our minds, a small piece of satisfaction for our thirst for knowledge of the truth.

I would recommend this book to anyone enjoying an easy read and something that has a fairly easy storyline to follow and have a great experience. I will have to admit that Christie had me stumped in the end, this was the first one that I had not figuired out whom the killer was. But this gives me a drive to continue to read more of her work to try and find out more killers.

I have attached a great narration if some have more joy from listening or just want to give your eyes a rest and sit back and relax to hear the story.

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