Five Found Dead

Sulari Gentill’s Five Found Dead is a wonderfully entertaining homage to the Golden Age of crime fiction, complete with a Christie-esque plot, a locked-room setup, and a cast of characters that could have stepped straight out of a classic mystery.

At the heart of the story are Joe Penvale, an Australian crime writer, and his twin sister Meri (short for Meredith). Their affectionate, witty banter provides warmth and levity, evoking Christie’s beloved Tommy and Tuppence in their younger years. After Joe’s eighteen-month battle with cancer—during which Meri put her law career on hold to care for him—the siblings embark on a long-dreamed-of journey aboard the Orient Express from Paris to Istanbul.

Their adventure begins in style with a gourmet dinner shared with two fellow passengers: a retired French policeman and a Jamaican-born Detective Inspector from Newcastle. But the glamorous trip soon takes a darker turn. By morning, news spreads that a passenger has tested positive for a new strain of COVID, putting the last two carriages under quarantine. More ominously, the passenger in the cabin next to Joe and Meri has vanished—leaving behind a cabin splattered with blood.

With Italian police refusing to board the train due to the outbreak, the Orient Express is ordered back to France. The responsibility of investigating falls to an ad hoc team of sleuths: Joe, Meri, their dinner companions, and an unlikely group of passengers, many of whom are current or former police officers and detectives. As more murders occur, the train becomes a claustrophobic pressure cooker where everyone is a suspect and tensions run high.

Gentill’s characters are colorful and varied—some charming, some eccentric, some suspicious. Modern touches, like two young true-crime podcasters who happen to be Joe’s fans, add a contemporary twist to the traditional setting. The descriptions of the train, the Alpine scenery, and the decadent meals are sumptuous, while the tongue-in-cheek humor and farcical moments keep the tone playful despite the rising body count.

Yes, the plot is over-the-top and occasionally implausible—but that’s part of the charm. This is a story that invites you to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride. If you pay close attention, you may pick up on a few subtle clues, but the final revelations will surprise many readers.

Five Found Dead is a delightful, modern locked-room mystery—perfect for fans of classic whodunits looking for something fresh, witty, and just a little bit chaotic.