As soon as I saw the trailer for Murder on the Orient Express, I KNEW I had to review the book and comment on the film too. I looked everywhere online to find out a simple answer to my question: The book first or the film?

Not finding this answer, I am going to make it super clear to you:

Watch the film first. Now, I’m a big advocate for the book always being better, but if you have the opportunity to see this in the cinema, definitely do. The film really does do this justice.

So, I actually went and saw the film first. In true Nicole fashion, I still hadn’t made my mind up on the day of the premiere of the movie whether I wanted to read or watch, and therefore had to go and see it before I could read it.

I went to a 21:15 viewing on the Friday night of the premiere, and then went home and stayed up alllllllll night reading the book: the things I do for you guys.

The plot:

The title gives this one away: there is a murder on the Orient Express. Set on a train which gets stranded due to the snow, Poirot must identify the murderer before they strike again…

If you’re watching the film or reading the book, it’s really hard to figure out who and why the murderer stabbed someone a dozen times. You won’t be able to guess. I tried. My best friend tried. Everyone else in the cinema tried. We all failed.

I really don’t want to give any spoilers, because if reading isn’t your thing, you can at least go and see the movie and vice versa. The ending to this is mind-blowing. Well thought-through and unexpected. I’m still convinced Christie didn’t know the ending until about half-way through, though.

A classic Hercule Poirot murder mystery.

The film:

Where there’s a murder mystery and some sort of French influence, I’m IN. In true Hercule Poirot fashion, there is some French in this book and the film (helpfully subtitled) but as long as you know the common phrases like ‘bien’ and ‘voila’, you’ll be fine.

“I’ll probably go and see this film another 10+ times within the next week.”

The only thing that annoyed me about the film is the British actor (Kenneth Branagh) who plays Poirot. Listen, I don’t even know how many episodes I watched of Agatha Christie’s Poirot TV series, but David Suchet will always be my main man. Kenneth Branagh was impeccable though, I’ll give him that, but there were times when his French accent slipped a little.

The ending of the film provided that little bit more than the book in the sense that it was closed, but that didn’t ruin my reading experience.

The film is an absolute masterpiece; the book is an absolute masterpiece. A must watch/read. I’ll probably go and see this film another 10+ times within the next week.

And with reference to Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile at the end of the film, you better pick this book up and start reading before Poirot returns to the big screen… (hopefully).

Bookmark That. Filmark That? Not sure on the latter saying yet, I’m working on it.

Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie, RRP £8.99 (paperback); Waterstones