Ruth and her husband Derek Kettering have some problems. Van Aldin, Ruth’s father, suggests to her to divorce Derek. She agrees, but once she is on the Blue Train, she gets nervous that she may not have told her father everything she should have. Katherine Grey compassionately listens to Ruth and gives her sensible advice. However, the next day, as the Blue Train finishes its journey, Ruth is found strangled in her compartment, and also disfigured by being hit by something very hard after her death. Since Katherine was one of the only people to have interacted at all with Ruth, she is naturally now a part of solving the case.

Everything gets even more complicated when Van Aldin states that Derek would benefit from Ruth’s death by millions of pounds. Soon, they also find a letter from Ruth’s former lover, the Comte de la Roche, asking for her to allow him to see her rubies for his book on jewels. With two suspects already at the beginning of the investigation, who were both spotted on the train, and with Ruth’s largest rubies missing, the case is more confusing than ever.

Then, Hercule Poirot helps to investigate the case. With his keen observations, he is able to piece together an accurate summary of the scene and murder. 

I really liked this book because it was so mysterious and the ending was unexpected. There were a variety of characters included in the story, and all of them had different strengths and weaknesses, which also made the story more enjoyable.

-Peri A.

The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.