The Secret Lives of the V.I.P.s

The Orient Express was associated with luxury travel. Before the advent of high-speed trains, those who wanted to travel from Paris to Istanbul in a short notice would avail the service of Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (CIWL). Traveling across the continent wasn't convenient back then. The roads in the eastern parts were rough and dangerous, and those who chose the Orient Express could afford the pricy cost. It wasn't surprising, then, that the train service became synonymous with intrigue.

Agatha Christie's works didn't skirt from issues regarding social class. In fact, many of her books featured characters of working class background. Some of them appeared in "Murder on the Orient Express", which was published on January 1, 1934. The very important people (V.I.P.) made it noticed, though. Christie, the Dame of detective novels, wrote about the Golden Age. It was the period between World War I and World War II, where many were jittery about the political events. But the continent was having its best years, its culture and wealth unmatched.

And justice for a few

Hercule Poirot must return to London, so he booked a first-class compartment on the Orient Express. It happened that Mr. Ratchett, an American, was staying in the next section. He sensed something was about to happen to him, so he asked the detective to find out. Poirot declined. The train passed Vinkovci, Croatia when the Belgian heard a scream. Mr. Ratchet was murdered.

Fans knew that the crime would be solved, but they couldn't figured out which passenger did it. However, they have one clue. Affluence.

Poirot once worked in the Belgian force, and he became wealthy after solving private cases. Mr. Ratchet offered him a huge sum of money, but the diminutive detective sensed his malevolent nature. He often relied on his good conscience, which was the reason why he declined the American's invitation.

The train had eight first-class compartments and four second-class compartments. Poirot interviewed all the passengers, and readers would notice that the rich ones didn't show a moment of sadness to Mr. Ratchet. It reminded them of Poirot, but the man was doing his job. Was it a case of well-to-do people not sympathetic to the plight of others?

It turned out that Mr. Poirot was right in his hunch. Mr. Ratchet was once involved in the murder of a young American heiress, and used his resources and influence to rig the trial in his favor. He changed his identity, even traveled across the Atlantic. He had no idea that justice would follow him. Christie depicted a fascinating case, where the rich planned and decided their course of action after the law failed them. Even Poirot didn't arrest the culprit.

What happened in the Orient Express must stay in the Orient Express. The author might be alluding to Britain's class dilemmas, and how it would cause problems. When Poirot figured it out, he wasn't shocked at all. Except readers who don't have a clue on the attitude and mindset of the rich people. It hardly changed after the rise of cut-rate airlines.