Nearly every year I get a new book for Christmas, usually from my sibling. For a while now, I have saved that book until the New Year, but this time, as the book was Christmas themed, I decided that I should try reading it when things still felt distinctly festive.
It isn't a total mystery why this book was given to me, as in 2023 I discovered and enjoyed a lot of Agatha Christie's works, albeit, mostly through the ITV adaptations and only five novels. This one does slightly follow the setting of Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. There is a train, there's bad weather, the train gets stuck and then there's a murder mystery with a detective on board.
Roz is a recently retired Detective from the Met police. Her past is not entirely a happy one and her backstory is gradually revealed. I wondered if this was in fact a sequel story and I was missing information from a previous novel, but it is a standalone. It is carefully set up so that we understand simply that Roz has just retired in order to spend more time with her daughter who is currently in labour, six weeks early, in Scotland and so Roz is attempting to get to her in time.
Travelling First Class on a sleeper train, a retirement present, Roz first observes and looks into her fellow passengers whilst in the First Class Lounge. Telling us that she's an observer, even when she's permanently off duty, and giving the readers a good picture of all the characters. We know which one is the victim as this is established in the Prologue, but is it all as straightforward as it seems?
Of course not. Roz mixes with some of her fellow passengers and she's got a clear picture of who she likes and who she doesn't. The plot includes some truly unpleasant elements, and people, although there are some really great moments too. Some characters are very genuinely warm and provide humour. Some are a bit of a mystery. Roz herself is a good character.
There's the side story of what is happening to Roz's daughter as well, and how it all triggers flashbacks for Roz. At one point it's questioned whether Roz should be investigating, but what else is she supposed to do? There are a few questions of morality. Who is right and wrong?
From what I can tell, in the books and the Acknowledgements, the writer is a fan of Doctor Who. And one of the Doctor's is quoted as saying "Sometimes, the only choices you have are bad ones. But you still have to choose."
There are some graphic descriptions and unpleasant elements in the story, although it comes with a content warning. Alexandra Bennet, sadly, is writing from personal experience.
I enjoyed it very much. It's a decent mystery, with some things not being quite what they appear to be. There are good characters. Some downright nasty, others of great value. It is quite dark at times and some things make me cringe slightly, but I think that's the point. I think we're supposed to be made aware of exactly what victims of abuse have to go through.
I'd read more of this authors works, definitely.
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