Congratulations to the winners of the last contest. Dianne C. from Elk Grove Village, IL won Souls of Men. Jim G. of Prescott, AZ will receive Thrill Kill. The books are going out in the mail today.
This week, we’re celebrating a birthday, a book, and a forthcoming movie. I’m giving away two paperback copies of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. Have you read the book? You might want to read it again before the movie comes out. Thanks to William Morrow for the following information.
Agatha Christie was born on September 15, 1890. Agatha Christie became, and remains, the best-selling novelist of all time. Christie loved adventure. She was also no stranger to travel having been around the world with her first husband Archie Christie in the 1920s. After her mother died and her marriage ended within months of each other, she looked for her next adventure.
A year on and after a chance conversation she decided to take the Orient Express to Iraq. Five days later she was on the train and a new chapter of her life began. Christie travelled many times on the Orient Express with her second husband Max Mallowan. Max was an archaeologist in Iraq and Syria and Agatha went with him. Her typewriter travelled too, and she wrote her novels wherever she could.
“It was luck that she lived to write the book, for not long before penning it while standing on the railway station at Calais, she slipped on the icy platform and fell underneath the train. Luckily a porter was at hand to fish her up before the Orient Express started moving.” (Max Mallowan’s Memoirs)
In 1931 Agatha was travelling alone on the Orient Express when it got stuck due to heavy rain. She hears stories of snow storms stranding the train for days.
In a letter to her husband Max written in 1930, she describes the rain and the characters on the train which clearly influence her later novel.
She notes details such as cabin layouts, door handles and light switches, all observed on her trip and later used by Poirot to solve the case.
The real-life kidnap of a 20 month old baby, the son of aviator Charles Lindbergh, was also very prominently in the news at the time. The story is clearly reflected in Agatha’s plot.
Agatha spent every season for 30 years on archaeological digs with her husband Max. It is likely that she crafted Murder on the Orient Express while in Arpachiya in Iraq.
*****
I’ve seen all the versions of Murder on the Orient Express. I can’t wait to see the new one with Kenneth Branagh and Johnny Depp. Have you seen the trailer?
The movie comes out in November. You’ll have to wait to see the new film, but you can read the mystery right now. Honest? I’ve read the book several times. It never spoils my enjoyment of the movie.
If you would like to celebrate Agatha Christie’s birthday by entering the giveaway, email me at Lesa.Holstine@gmail.com. Your subject line should read “Win Murder on the Orient Express.” Please include your name and mailing address. This giveaway will end early because of my schedule. It ends Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 5 PM CT. Entries from the U.S. only, please.
If you go to the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul, you can stay in the room Christie stayed in on one trip, according to the hotel. The terminus of the Orient Express used to be near the hotel, and allegedly Christie worked on the book in that very room. Today you can have dinner on the eighth floor terrace, and they have a special cocktail named for Agatha Christie. It's delicious. 🙂
Oh, Miranda! Have you taken the Orient Express? I'd love to try the cocktail!
Sadly, no, I haven't taken the Orient Express, but when friends and I were in Istanbul in the summer of 2014, we dined at the Pera Palace. Naturally, I had to have the Agatha Christie cocktail! I would love to take the Orient Express to Istanbul one of these days, though.
I just wondered since you were in Istanbul.
Beautiful trailer. Great cast and scenery. I'll be sure to see it.
Me, too, Bonnie.