Who did it on murder on the orient express?

Who Did It on Murder on the Orient Express?

One of the most iconic whodunits in literary history is Agatha Christie’s "Murder on the Orient Express". The 1934 novel has been a favorite among mystery enthusiasts for generations, and its ingenious plot has been adapted into numerous films, plays, and TV shows. So, who did it?

The Story

For those who may not be familiar with the story, here’s a brief summary: The Orient Express, a luxurious train traveling from Istanbul to Paris, is halted by a snowdrift in the middle of the night. The train is carrying a diverse group of passengers, including detectives Hercule Poirot and Bouc, from the Belgian police. During the night, one of the passengers, the wealthy businessman Ratchett, is found stabbed to death in his compartment.

Poirot, being a renowned detective, takes on the case and begins questioning the passengers. As he gathers more information, he discovers that Ratchett was actually the man responsible for the kidnapping and murder of a young girl, Daisy Armstrong, several years earlier. The passengers are shocked and outraged, but Poirot is not convinced that Ratchett’s murder was a case of revenge.

The Suspects

As Poirot investigates, he identifies several suspects with motives to kill Ratchett. Here are some of the main suspects:

• Count Andrenyi: A Hungarian diplomat who had a connection to the Armstrong family.
• Mrs. Hubbard: An American woman who was traveling with her husband, but claimed to be a widow.
• Dr. Constantine: A Greek doctor who had a disagreement with Ratchett over a medical matter.
• Greta Ohlsson: A Swedish missionary who was traveling to visit her sister.
• Prince Hali: An Arabian prince who was traveling incognito.
• Bouc: Poirot’s friend and companion, who was also traveling on the train.

Each of these suspects had a reason to want Ratchett dead, but as Poirot digs deeper, he discovers that nothing is as it seems. The passengers are hiding secrets, and the truth behind Ratchett’s murder is far more complex than initially thought.

The Twist

So, who did it? The surprising answer is that it was everyone. In a stunning twist, Poirot reveals that all of the passengers, except for one, were involved in the murder. But how could this be?

Poirot explains that the murder was a joint effort by the passengers to avenge the death of Daisy Armstrong. Each passenger had a role to play, and they all worked together to ensure that justice was served. The exception was Bouc, who was unaware of the plan and was only on the train to accompany Poirot.

The Motive

So, why did the passengers decide to murder Ratchett? As Poirot explains, it was because Ratchett was the man who had orchestrated the kidnapping and murder of Daisy Armstrong. The passengers, who had all been connected to the Armstrong family in some way, were driven by a sense of justice and a desire to see Ratchett punished for his crimes.

The Investigation

Throughout the novel, Poirot uses his famous "little grey cells" to piece together the evidence and uncover the truth. Here are some of the key clues that led him to the solution:

• The stolen key: A key was stolen from Ratchett’s compartment, which led Poirot to suspect that someone had planned to enter the compartment that night.
• The torn fabric: A piece of torn fabric was found near the crime scene, which Poirot matched to a piece of fabric on one of the passengers’ clothing.
• The suspicious behavior: Several passengers exhibited suspicious behavior, which Poirot used to narrow down the list of suspects.
• The alibis: Poirot checked the alibis of each passenger, which led him to identify the ones who were most likely to have committed the crime.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the surprising answer to the question "Who did it on Murder on the Orient Express?" is that it was everyone. The passengers, driven by a sense of justice and a desire to see Ratchett punished for his crimes, worked together to commit the murder. Poirot’s clever investigation and deduction skills allowed him to uncover the truth, but it was a complex and challenging case that required all of his expertise.

Timeline of Events

Here is a timeline of the events in the novel:

Bibliography

• Christie, Agatha. Murder on the Orient Express. 1934.

Note: This article is based on the original novel by Agatha Christie. The film and TV adaptations may have slight variations in the story and characters.