I recently saw the film "Murder on the Orient Express", and came away profoundly dissatisfied. Realizing that Hollywood often short-changes well-written books, I decided to go back and read the original. I'll admit up front that I am a newcomer to the genre, having only been drawn to it a couple of years ago. But in that time, I've read little else and have also nearly completed revising my first crime novel. I also realize that Agatha Christie is, as a writer, virtually unassailable. But, having completed her novel, I could only throw my hands in the air and cry, "Is she #^(%-ing kidding me?!" Okay, I know that tastes and standards have changed a lot since 1934, when MOTOE was written, but even so...guesswork as fact? Coincidence piled on coincidence? I just don't see this as such a great book. And Branagh's film is little more than a costume drama. Disappointed.
For what it's worth, my recollection is that Agatha Christie really Did Not Like Poirot, but her readers did and so she was stuck with him. Maybe that affected the quality of the writing, or at least the plotting? The only Poirot books that I really like are the Mrs. Oliver ones, and I just think of them as Mrs. Oliver books.
Naw, I'm with you. I never saw the appeal either. Maybe 80 years ago I would have had a different opinion. Wasn't a lot to choose from back then, you know? Kind of like when television had only three channels.
Apparently I'm the only one here who liked Murder on the Orient Express. Your post pretty accurately reflects my feelings on the majority of classic literature though, so I guess it all boils down to personal taste.