Golden Age of Detective Fiction

Moved by the entreaties of Ruth’s father, the affluent Rufus Van Aldin, and his aide, Major Knighton, Poirot assumes the mantle of investigator. Ada Mason, Ruth’s maid, recounts glimpsing a figure in Ruth’s quarters but fails to discern his identity. While authorities finger Ruth’s lover, the Comte de la Roche, as the culprit, Poirot remains skeptical. Suspicion alights upon Ruth’s estranged spouse, Derek Kettering, who professes ignorance of Ruth’s presence on the train, despite Grey’s assertion of having seen him near Ruth’s compartment. Further damning evidence surfaces with the discovery of a cigarette case engraved with the letter “K.”

As Poirot delves deeper, he discerns a schism between the murder and the jewel’s pilferage, implicating the notorious thief known as “The Marquis.” Eventually, Mirelle, Derek’s former flame, divulges witnessing Derek’s departure from Ruth’s quarters around the time of her demise. Derek is promptly apprehended, seemingly closing the case. Yet, Poirot remains unconvinced.

By orchestrating a recreation of the crime scene aboard the Blue Train, Poirot unveils the murderer, leading to his arrest and closure of the case.

The Review

The passenger train, first built in 1928—the same year Christie’s sixth Hercule Poirot novel, The Mystery of the Blue Train, was written—is a sumptuous and well-detailed character all on its own. The book is dripping with luxury, plush accommodations, gilded decor, rich food, and the latest modern fashions, all of which Christie makes sure the readers get to revel in alongside a murder mystery.

The train and its little microcosm are populated by wealthy and somewhat wooden characters written along totally British ideas of foreigners. The French are a little fey and volatile, the Russians flamboyant, if maybe not entirely truthful, and the British are totally buttoned up and hemmed in by the social rules of their class.

The drama between Ruth Kettering and her husband, Derek unfolds within the rigid expectations and rule of the British aristocracy. Ruth, a wealthy American heiress, falls in love with a rather unsuitable playboy in America during her youth, so her domineering father married her off to a British peer for a title. Ruth Kettering, a fictional “Dollar Princess”, though her husband loved her when they married, but was soon trapped with a emotionally abusive, philandering husband. While Derek wasn’t discrete with his affairs, Ruth Kettering was kept on a short leash by her father and had to be rather conniving to sneak around for her extra-marital affairs.

Their whole sham marriage implodes on The Blue Train when it is revealed that all of the principal parties, including the affair partners, are running around The Blue Train trying not to bump into each other or cause a social scandal. Ruth Kettering, finally in possession of some finacial capital of her own when her father gifted her the “Heart of Fire” has decided to run away from her marriage and father and into her the waiting arms of her lover, but still something is troubling her about her plan. And then she meets Katherine Grey with the kind eyes and the Madonna face and unburns herself.

The luncheon between Katherine Grey and Ruth Kettering is a natural break in social protocol an act of rebellion for Ruth Kettering. It’s unclear to me whether Kettering knows that rich, titled women do not talk to people in stations below them, or is just “too American” to care, but Katherine Grey definitely does and is initially polite, but non committal in her interaction with Kettering. However, as their conversation wears on she realizes that Kettering has no one and her social status was one that was thrusted upon her and she is endeavoring to live her life authentically even if that means her social status is demoted.

I think this resonates with Katherine Grey because her social status has just dramatically changed due to a large legacy from her late employer. Grey is no longer a ladies companion, whose every action is directed by the will of another- she is finally the master of her owan destiny, Her wealth elevates her to a class above a mere ladies companion and whatever he new station is- I don’t think she fully realizes or understands. It’s in this perfect storm that these two very different meet and a compassionate bond is formed.

When Ruth Kettering is found brutally murdered. Her face is bashed in, and she is disfigured almost beyond recognition; it activates the latent kindness and compassion of Katherine Grey, who sees what can happen to a woman who wants to escape her station in life. She uses her natural kindness and attempts to use her new found wealth to persuade the eminent Hercule Poirot to investigate, who has tentaivly agreed to look into the case due to Rufus Van Aldin’s isistence who desire to find out what happened to his daughter is tainted by his desire to find the “Heart of Fire”

Hercule Poirot enters The Mystery of the Blue Train after a lot of groundwork has been laid about the characters. He has no trouble tracking down Derek, who is more worried about his affair with Mirelle hitting the headlines than clearing his own name from the suspect pool- in fact, he really revels in the suspicion. Ultimately he knows that his position and new found wealth will protect him. Which he insinuates during his interview with Hercule Poirot

Poirot has an even easier time finding Mirelle, the dancer with whom Derek spends his evenings. She is frank that she uses him for money and sex, and while the affair is enjoyable past time, she does not want to become his wife. She would rather be the person he spends his money on until her affections wane or she finds a bigger silver spoon onto which to glom She does fear that maybe Derek will find a new favorite and when she believes he has betrayed her starts rumors about him. In her interviews with Hercule Poirot she is sly and coquettish but essentially truthful, her arrangement with Derek Kettering is harmed by the death of his wife not bolstered.

With this information Poirot must admit that the murder looks less connected with Derek’s affair and more to do with Ruth Kettering and her jewelry. What follows is a languid, but pleasant investigation where he is aided by Katherine Grey and what they find is that love can be deadly.

The Mystery in the Blue Train is a story about romance, especially false or transactional love, especially when not everyone knows what the stakes are. Wealth, power, and class often color romances and despite Ruth Kettering’s attempt she was not able to outrun the world she was born into. Her father, ultimately regrets his decision in hemming her into an untenable position, and even Derek Kettering’s cruel indifference is slightly eroded by the end of the novel.

The Mystery on the Blue Train is a rich, sad mystery about a woman who desperately wanted to be loved and cared for and was abused by every man in her life and the only reason her murder was solved was because of a fleeting friendship with a kind woman who took it upon herself to not let Ruth Kettering’s death go unpunished.

The Mystery in the Blue Train is a powerful meditation about spousal abuse and how women can support women in that situation. I’m not sure that’s what Christie intended, but when you strip away the wealth and the class, it ‘s essentially about a woman who only has abusers to run to, and eventually, one of them kills her. It’s the strength of another woman, Katherine Grey that steps up and uncovers the truth. In some ways, at least thematically Hercule Poirot is superfluous, I think Katherine Grey could have solved the crime without him, but with his inclusion we get all of the standard Poirot scenes of a dramatic reveal, vague conversations about what’s really happening, and the glow of his green eyes, which solidly puts this book into a detective story again.

The Mystery of the Blue Train is a good story that unfortunately is overshadowed by a neatly perfect story by Christie also on a train, The Murder on the Orient Express, but I think in The Blue Train you can see seeds of this later masterpiece that come to fruition: namely someone else taking upon themselves to get justice for someone who has been horribly abused.

I quite like The Mystery on the Blue Train and I think it’s a fantastic historical time capsule of what life was like in 1928. It’s a world of glamout and refinement, luxury and innovation and also a world of rigid and unbreakble social rules, especially for women no matter their wealth.

Agatha Christie Biography

Agatha Christie, born Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller on September 15, 1890, in Torquay, Devon, England, was a renowned English writer celebrated for her detective novels and short story collections. She is considered one of the foremost figures in the genre of crime fiction.

Christie’s early life was marked by a fascination with storytelling and writing. Raised in a comfortable upper-middle-class family, she received education at home before attending finishing school in Paris. Her upbringing imbued her with a deep appreciation for literature, particularly the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, whose character Sherlock Holmes would later influence her own detective creations.

In 1914, Christie married Archibald Christie, an aviator in the Royal Flying Corps. During World War I, she worked as a nurse, an experience that would later inform her writing, particularly in her novel “Murder on the Orient Express.” Her literary career began in earnest in 1920 when her first novel, “The Mysterious Affair at Styles,” featuring the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, was published to critical acclaim.

Throughout her prolific career, Christie penned a vast array of works, including over 66 detective novels, numerous short stories, and several plays. Her novels often featured intricate plots, clever twists, and memorable characters, cementing her reputation as the “Queen of Mystery.” Some of her most famous works include “Murder on the Orient Express,” “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,” “Death on the Nile,” and “And Then There Were None.”

Christie’s enduring popularity transcends generations and cultures. Her works have been translated into over 100 languages, making her one of the best-selling authors in history. In addition to her literary achievements, Christie led a fascinating life filled with adventure and intrigue, which often served as inspiration for her stories.

In 1971, Agatha Christie was honored with the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her contributions to literature. She passed away on January 12, 1976, leaving behind a legacy that continues to captivate readers worldwide. Agatha Christie’s works remain timeless classics, beloved by mystery enthusiasts and literary aficionados alike.