"All aboard for a murder mystery set during the golden age of train travel, delivered by the inimitable Agatha Christie herself. On a technical level alone, this is an astounding read. But it's also funny, snarky, and deliciously intriguing. I love how she weaves the threads together into a rich tapestry that plays with national stereotypes, prejudices and preconceptions. As far as small group travel goes... well, you'll just have to read it to see why it works so well! She takes the trope of the country house murder but sets us on an iconic train, which is great fun and creates a compelling setting. Little flourishes of Christie's writing stay with me - her description of Poirot bundled up in multiple coats as nothing but "a pink-tipped nose and an upturned moustache" is particularly charming; I can just feel the bitter winter cold encircling the passengers, the snow drift cutting them off and heightening the isolation and tension. I devoured it all in one day.

*A note on country. When this novel was first published in the 1930s, it was set in Yugoslavia and this is the name she uses throughout. Vincovci, the last stop on the train before it is snowed in, is situated in modern-day Croatia - hence I've listed this as being set there for nearest accuracy."