Murder on the Orient Express

A Russian princess, a Hungarian count, a Swedish beauty, and an assortment of Americans, English and French are brought together on the elegant Orient Express. A brutal murder and an unexpected blizzard bring in the vacationing Hercule Poirot. The results are excellent. This BBC Radio dramatization is as thought-provoking as the original. The vocal characterizations, as diverse as the characters themselves, are appropriately dramatic. Actor John Moffatt is a forceful Poirot and leads the ensemble with style. With its attention to dialects, incidental music and pace, this is the perfect audio presentation for a road trip or a cozy day by a warm fire. M.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Christie's classic and narration by "Downton Abbey" star Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley) really make this production stand out. Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is on a train heading from Istanbul to London when the death of the villainous American Mr. Ratchett is discovered. The body has a number of unique stab wounds, and Poirot is asked to investigate. Stevens's characterizations of the large and diverse range of characters, from the quietly spoken Poirot to a princess and a countess, are excellent. His character differentiation through an extensive use of accents and varying tones helps make the story easy to follow. While this classic mystery is well known, Stevens's polished narration introduces some new facets, making this a top-notch listen. K.J.P. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

Kenneth Branagh offers a full-cast performance all by himself in this delicious production of a 1934 Christie classic that is often remembered only for its film adaptations. What a pleasure to encounter the author's original intent and be reminded of how cleverly she devised plots and characters. For those who need reminding, the plot involves a murder on a snowbound Orient Express and Hercule Poirot's investigation of the crime. The characters include Americans, Swedes, Russians, Brits, French, and, of course, our favorite Belgian. Men and women. Highborn and low. In between his fine, warm narration, Branagh becomes a fretful American lady, a nervous French train steward, a haughty Russian countess, an Italian laborer, and many more. In conversation, it's breathtaking. Make it your next listen. A.C.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

With a perfect accent and professional ease, Tom Conti becomes one of the most-beloved detectives in fiction, Hercule Poirot. In this 1934 classic, Poirot is on the famed Orient Express when a passenger is murdered. Since the train is stranded on snowy tracks somewhere in Croatia, it stands to reason that the murderer is still be on the train. The entire cast has a wonderful time playing off Conti as the detective interviews the suspects one by one. The only unnecessary character in this adaptation is the narrator. Clearly, the listener doesn't need humdrum descriptions to know that it's Poirot's brilliant repartee, and not just his mustache, that makes him one of the most entertaining detectives of all time. Even those who know this classic's clever ending will enjoy the production. B.P. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine