Publication: 14th July 2025 – Boldwood Books
Paris, 1928: Agatha Christie and fellow writer Dorothy L Sayers board the Orient Express, bound for Constantinople. Christie in particular is looking forward to a break from recent dispiriting events in both her work and private life – the finalisation of her divorce from her philanderous husband Archie, and the miserly reception of her latest book.
But before the duo can settle in to enjoy the luxuries of their first-class journey, their journey is derailed when a fellow guest drops dead during the dinner service. And as the last person to speak to the victim, Dorothy finds herself a prime suspect in his murder.
As the train hurtles East, Sayers’ resourceful assistant Eliza and her friend Theo must navigate a maze of suspects. But with each passing mile, the stakes rise, and when another body is discovered, their search to find the killer before they reach their destination becomes increasingly complicated.
Can Eliza and Theo stay one step ahead, crack the mystery and clear Dorothy’s name? Or will this be one journey too far for the amateur sleuths?
What attracted me first and foremost about this novel is that two of the characters are also two of my favourite real-life authors: Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. A few years ago, I read and enjoyed all Agatha Christie’s novels and now I am reading the entire Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy L. Sayers and I am loving it. Also, the story is about a murder on the Orient Express (and Murder on the Orient Express is one of my favourite novels), so I knew I had to read it and I wasn’t disappointed.
Even though Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers have an important part inside the story, they are not the protagonists. The protagonists are Eliza Baker, former Scotland Yard detective, now Dorothy’s secretary, and Theo Sharpe, struggling author and occasional train steward. The Case of the Body on the Orient Express is the second book in the Detection Club series, and, although it can easily be read as a stand-alone, we know that Eliza and Theo have a past and the two of them haven’t seen each other in two years, leaving many feelings unresolved. However, it’s the murder on the train that is the focus of the story, as they team up to find out who killed someone from Dorothy’s past, why and how.
This was an entertaining and compelling read. There is mystery, intrigue, blackmail, criminal organizations, spies, interesting characters, especially Eliza and Theo. They are adorably obsessed with each other and I can’t wait to read how their story progresses. I am also looking forward to reading more about the mystery, because, even though the murder investigation is solved, there are still many things left open that make me quite excited for book 3!
A huge thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this fantastic novel.
Kelly Oliver is the award-winning, bestselling author of three mysteries series: The Jessica James Mysteries, The Pet Detective Mysteries, and the historical cozies The Fiona Figg Mysteries, set in WW1. She is also the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University and lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
Book After Book 
Sounds fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person