It is the dream of many (myself included) to ride on one of the most infamous trains and going on a journey that has been made famous by books and the sheer opulence of the experience. At the moment I cannot go, but the next best thing is to read about it and so Veronica Henry’s latest novel combines everything to make it a journey that none of her characters can forget and her readers get that glimpse of romance, history and experience something they may never get the chance to do – and there is not a dead body or a little Belgian detective in sight!
Meet the passengers: Imogen who is on a mission to recover a painting from a friend of her grandmothers. By doing so she is opening up the past and learning something very surprising about her grandmother, Adele’s past. She is also running away from making a decision but it so happens that someone is trying to catch her to make her change her mind – perhaps this journey Adele sent her on was for more than brnging back a painting.
Riley has made a decision and he is going to ask the ultimate question to his ultimate lady. However, will his fame and her notoriety mean that it is all just another bubble he is living in? But surely being on the train on their annual visit to Venice should mean something after all these years?
Archie and Emmie are unknown to each other but they are about to be thrown together. Archie is fulfilling his best friend’s final wish before he died and Emmie has to thank her interfering sister. Both have been set up on a blind date via a dating website competition and it seems just churlish to refuse when you get to go on the Orient Express.
Stephanie and Simon are in the early stages of their relationship. But Simon brings baggage with him – his two teenage children; Jamie and Beth. They in turn have brought their problems with them. It does not look like this is going to be the relaxing trip that this family were wanting.
And so as the train departs we are embraced into these character’s lives and as the miles are covered, the scenery changes we learn more about these people all thrown together on a journey of some sort of another. There is heartache, romance, delicious food and glorious scenery. Veronica Henry has done her research and brought something to life and given it a real film star picture quality to the words, and lets us experience it all.
When they reach their destination – they all take different paths but it is the journey on the train which will bind them all together and the effect it has on their lives as they return to something called normality. Will they ever be same after a Night on the Orient Express?
Great escpaist read and if you needed something for hot sultry days and nights then this is the book – just as you need Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express for cold, snowy dark afternoons. The perfect combination of books.
It is without a doubt that should I come into a fortune of some sort (I might have to start doing the lottery more often) that I would love to go on the Orient Express. I would also want debentures seats at Wimbledon but that is another story.
I am off to dream…. and if Veronica Henry wants to do some research on perhaps another such journey I would be more than happy to carry the bags……
This is Veronica Henry’s latest novel and is available to buy now.
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