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| Image: bogstown.com
From Murder on the Orient (SS): Author's Note
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"When I started conjuring up the second
adventure for the Agatha Christie Book Club, I wanted to take them on an exotic
journey à la the infamous Orient Express—one
of my favourite Hercule Poirot settings—and began looking around for ideas.
Boy, did I get lucky.
In the late 1800s/early 1900s, there really was a
classic steamship called the SS Orient that
sailed between London and Sydney, via the Cape and the Suez. According to my
research, it was a sparkling ship, brimming with luxurious fittings and
eclectic characters, and host to several rather suspicious deaths.
What a brilliant backdrop for my book club
friends!
While I have tweaked some minor details for the
sake of this contemporary plot (including the original itinerary), much of the
information about the ship is authentic and my sources are listed in the
bibliography at the back— with thanks.
This is fiction, however, folks. So I’m sad to say
the SS Orient has not been recommissioned nor is there a real-life
replica floating about as I have imagined here, but an author can dream can’t
she?
And a book club can jump aboard for the ride…
Bon voyage!"
FOR MORE ON THE ORIGINAL SS ORIENT:
• The SS Orient Story by Roy Clifford and Dave Knight
GRAB YOUR COPY FOR JUST 99c - Sale ends Jan 10
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Happy (cruisy) reading everyone.
xo Christina
