Murder on the Orient Express

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of death, child death, and racism.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Agatha Christie concludes Murder on the Orient Express with Poirot choosing retribution over legal justice. What was your initial reaction to this ending? Did your feelings about Poirot’s decision evolve as you reflected on the novel?

2. The novel builds toward the revelation that all 12 suspects participated in the murder, functioning as a jury passing judgment. Was this unconventional resolution satisfying? Have you encountered other murder mysteries that have similar “everyone is guilty” solutions?

3. How does Christie use misdirection throughout the novel? Which red herring did you find most convincing, and at what point did you begin to suspect the true solution?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The novel explores whether justice outside the legal system can be morally justified when official channels fail. Have you experienced or witnessed a situation where you felt institutional justice was inadequate? How did that experience influence your view of Poirot’s final decision?

2. Throughout the novel, characters from different nationalities express prejudice toward one another, yet they must cooperate closely.