Murder On The Orient Express evokes old-fashioned charm

THERE are roughly two billion Agatha Christie books in print, so it stands to reason that a fair number of the planet's literate population is familiar with one or more of her whodunits.

The grand dame of murder mysteries proved that crime does pay when she created one of the most famous sleuths in popular fiction almost a century ago.

Hercule Poirot - he of the brilliant intellect and magnificent moustache - appears in 33 of her books and he lives on still, in reprints and remakes.