Books: A New Way To Experience Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express"

Murder on the Orient Express: The Graphic Novel

By Agatha Christie; adapted and illustrated by Bob Al-Greene

William Morrow Paperbacks; paperback, 288 pages; $25.99

Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, as only the Bible and Shakespeare sold more copies. Her books have sold over a billion copies, and it has been released in one hundred foreign languages, which have also sold another billion copies. She passed away in 1976 after a career spanning six decades. 

Murder on the Orient Express: The Graphic Novel is a new way to experience this landmark work, and the incredible production features gorgeous full-color illustrations by Bob Al-Greene. 

This is the Agatha Christie estate's first licensed graphic novel in the United States, something that longtime fans will appreciate. It also is the perfect chance to expose her works to younger readers, who are increasingly reading works in this format, with most Christie readers discovering their first book around thirteen years old. Classrooms are including more graphic novels in their curriculums, and this format will allow students to brought in to it in accessible way.

"The murderer is with us - on the train now..."

That is the line that draws you in, as the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks just after midnight. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment. 

Ratchett was stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Without a shred of doubt, one of his fellow passengers is the murderer.

Detective Hercule Poirot, who was isolated by the storm, must find the killer among a dozen of the deceased man's enemies - before the murderer decides to strike again.

A selection of the detailed illustrations by Bob Al-Greene:

Since William Morrow began reissuing Christie in both print and e-book formats in 2011, there have been marked increases in her sales and market profile.

This also has led to Christie's works finding their way to the big screen, with Kenneth Branagh set to return as Poirot in Fall 2023 for the third star-studded Disney film adaptation, A Haunting in Venice, inspired by her Hallowe'en Party. This is a follow-up to 2017's Murder on the Orient Express and 2022's Death on the Nile.

Please check out our review of the recent reissue of Agatha Christie's Midsummer Mysteries by clicking here.