The woman on the orient express by Lindsay Jayne Ashford

"The woman on the orient express" by Lindsay Jayne Ashford. This book is published by Lake Union publishing in 2016 and has 322 pages. 

The story takes place in 1928. Agatha Christie, the famous author, embarks on a journey on Orient express, incognito, after completing her 9th book 'The seven dial mystery' and after her separation. There are two more co passengers. Pregnant Nancy, who has decided to leave her husband in hope to be with her lover and who attempts suicide on the train. Katharine, who is walking away from recently concluded inquest of her husband's death and after marrying the head of dig for convenience with a condition of not consummating the marriage. then there is Max, who goes on a day trip with Agatha at a train stop. 

How long can Agatha remain incognito? Why did Nancy attempt suicide? Why Katharine has put such a condition? What's her secret? Will Agatha meet Max again?

The story is slow. Especially the story on train is very slow. Reader keeps hoping that something interesting will happen but nothing does. It reads like a travelogue. I was close to nodding off. 

When eventually the story moves to the dig in Ur, things start happening. Katherine's secret and Nancy's secret is revealed. Agatha falls in love. Dessert also plays role of a character summoning storms and catching the vehicle wheel at opportune moment. 

When I started to read the book, I expected it to be a murder mystery with Agatha as a character. In reality it isn't. So there was some disappointment in store. This is a novel that depicts the period in Agatha's life after her divorce. But it isn't factual. Facts are blended with fiction. Author uses facts from Agatha's life like her marriage, birth of daughter, her mysterious disappearance for 11 days causing a massive man hunt, her husband's affair, separation Etc. The main characters like Agatha, Katherine, Leonard Wooley, Max are real characters. Some of the incidents are real, some real but happened at other time and some fictional. It's an interesting concept of using a real life character and fictionalizing the story. 

Why give the book this title? I think it's only a gimmick to capitalize on Agatha Christie's murder mystery with a similar name. 

Why did I read this book? Agatha Christie as character. 

What I didn't like? Pace. 

What did I like? Fact - fiction blend. 

Give it a miss.