Vintage Mystery Author Challenge; Mystery and Suspense Challenge
On an isolated archaeological dig outside Baghdad, the leader is worried about his wife's health, so a nurse is brought in to keep an eye on her. It appears she is afraid of something, or someone. Once she turns up dead, Hercule Poirot, who just happens to be in Baghdad awaiting passage back on the Orient Express, comes to the site to investigate.
One of the things I enjoy about Christie's writing is she often takes a different perspective of the mystery. For this one, it is the nurse who was asked, after the fact, to record the events that occurred at the archaeological site. So the whole story, including all the Poirot interactions are what the nurse saw, and how she understood what happened. Poirot is at his logical, methodical best, using the nurse as his assistant. I liked how he left this murder to take the Orient Express back across Europe, which just happens to be the most recent other book of Poirot I've read.Christie writes tight, well-plotted mysteries with clues and many suspects. I never know who or what happens, but I always enjoy the story.
also reviewed: kerrie at mysteries in paradise;
