This is my first time reading Agatha Christie. I was a little disappointed at first. The first half of the novel is monotonous. The reader must endure everything 12 times over. Questioning, searching, alibis, etc. This is of course, great for assisting the reader in solving the crime, but a little boring to read. 
 The second half of the novel picks up as the formula is broken and pieces start to fall into place. It was a decent twist. I didn't expect it until about the 85% mark? Only a few chapters before the solution is revealed. (view spoiler)[Until that point, I suspected Mr. Harris! The non existent man in No. 7, a small man, hiding on board in a vent or something, with a womanly voice. (hide spoiler)] All in all it was an entertaining read. 
 My only real complaint with Murder on the Orient Express, is that for the vast majority of the novel, everything feels too neat, too coincidental. I suppose the solution allows for suspension of disbelief, but if you don't know the solution going in you can't really appreciate that it's not... really, sorta. I'm not sure if Christie's other novels are also written this way, but I'd be willing to give them a shot. 
 Lastly, perhaps this isn't fair, but I was reminded very much of A Study in Scarlett, which recounts Watson's first experiences with Detective Sherlock Holmes. It's hard to compete with Holmes. The man is entertaining even when he's not doing anything but ranting and pacing, and none of the character's in Murder on the Orient Express will entertain you half so much. But it allowed the reader to focus on the heart of the story and clues at hand, instead of being distracted by the eccentricities of one Detective Holmes.