Five Found Dead

I loved this ode to Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. I thought the author captured the nostalgia of the past but with a new and updated train/experience. She has woven the Covid epidemic into the story which gives reason for the changes in schedule. It did not dwell on the epidemic but it was there. We had an interesting cast of characters trying to solve the many murders that happened. Were they trying to solve or deflect?The novel kept the genre pleasantly in the mystery category and did not turn into a thriller (which I appreciated). I do wish I could have rode on that train but maybe at a different time. The setting was wonderfully presented. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this book. I would love to read another by this author.

Classic mystery. Locked room, blood, no body. Interesting puzzle. Intriguing characters. A truly memorable ride on the legendary Orient Express.

I can hear the critics now….another locked room mystery? More Agatha Christie vibes? Too many characters and too many are eccentric as well? And the answer is…well, yes. Obviously, these critics have failed to realize that the author, Sulari Gentill, is not just rehashing an old cliché, but rather, she’s put a new and modern spin on it. And, she does it with style.Five Found Dead is indeed a locked room mystery. It takes place on the Orient Express as it travels from Paris to Istanbul with an intriguing and sometimes eccentric cast of characters. The passenger list includes author Joe Penvale and his twin sister, Meredith, who are taking the train to regroup and recover after Joe’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatments. But, the soothing and luxurious trip quickly morphs into murder as well as a Covid outbreak among some of the passengers.Ms Gentill is a masterful storyteller. Her descriptions of the iconic Orient Express make the train very much a part of the story. The characters she has created are well-developed and they give the story depth and touches of humor. The plot, with a nod to other mysteries that have also taken place on this train, is well-conceived and well-executed.Five Found Dead is clever, well-written, and quite entertaining. Even if the reader must suspend belief a little, it’s well-worth it to take a ride on the Orient Express with Joe and Meredith. I feel pretty certain many readers will add a trip on this train to their bucket lists when they finish reading this book. I already have. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

This is a good fast paced murder mystery. The story has plenty of mystery and suspense as the characters are trapped on a train with a murderer. The character in the story are unique and quirky.Joe and Meredith are twins and go on a trip together on the Orient Express in Paris. The trip seems to be going according to plan perfectly for Meredith, until the cabin next door to them becomes a crime scene. Soom five are found dead and one is missing. Now Joe and Meredith must fight to preserve their future and to catch a killer before they reach the end of the line.

Sulari Gentill’s Five Found Dead takes readers on a ride aboard the Orient Express, where luxury quickly collides with chaos. Crime writer Joe Penvale, recovering from cancer, and his twin sister Meredith are just looking for rest and maybe some creative inspiration. Instead, they stumble into a blood-soaked cabin with no body in sight, sparking a cascade of murders and disappearances that turn their dream trip into something closer to a fever dream. The train itself becomes a character—claustrophobic, glamorous, and the perfect stage for a whodunit.The book thrives on its atmosphere and playful nods to classic mystery tropes. Gentill has fun with the setup: a locked-train mystery, a cast full of ex-law enforcement types, and characters openly talking about crime novels while stuck in one. Joe and Meredith ground the story, their sibling bond adding warmth amid the spiraling tension. Joe’s backstory—his fight with illness—gives him a weight that makes him more than just another amateur sleuth scribbling notes in between bodies.That said, the book isn’t shy about pushing believability. The body count climbs, the coincidences pile up, and the COVID lockdown subplot - it's a lot going on. The middle section is a bit slower, and the sheer number of characters can make you flip back and wonder who’s who. But if you’re willing to shrug and roll with a bit of absurdity, it’s a lively, entertaining ride.For me, this lands as a four-star read—fun, clever, and self-aware, even if it doesn’t reach Christie-level precision. It’s the kind of mystery that’s perfect when you want suspense without taking things too seriously.