I love thrillers, but this "whodunnit" mystery just didn't hit the mark for me.
Siblings Joe and Meredith board The Orient Express to celebrate a big milestone in Joe's cancer treatment. As the journey starts and the train gets quarantined due to positive COVID tests, five people wind up murdered and the people with investigative experience in their careers are brought in by the train staff to help solve the cases.
It felt too blase and casual. I kept expecting to feel an increase in excitement and suspense, but it never got there. The last 40 pages or so are when it finally picks up pace, but before that it really dragged.

Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: when people make comparisons to Christie, I get very nervous. A lot of times, it feels like it sets a book up to be a knockout or fall flat on its face for me without a lot of gray area in between. I’ve read ~35 Agatha Christie books, some of which are the best books I’ve ever read, some of which were….. just okay. But I was enticed enough by the description of a book taking place on the Orient Express to give it a shot and request an ARC.

This was my first Sulari Gentill book, and I did enjoy it very much. The setting of the Orient Express in modern day felt very refreshing. The addition of COVID as a mechanism within the story was unexpected for me, but very clever, along with another plot point that was so incredibly cool I won’t even reference it in case of spoilers. Overall, I had fun reading this, I liked the dynamic of Joe and Meredith, I loved the murderer reveal, but I did feel like the epilogue was just too long and not needed.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill will be published August 19th, 2025!

Five found dead is a murder mystery that takes place on a train! Not my usual style, but this slow burning book gives “Clue” vibes which originally drew my eye to it. The book is good, but I did find it a bit long and hard to follow at times with the amount of characters that are involved in the book. Though a critical element of murder mystery includes multiple characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

All aboard the Orient Express for a mystery that's anything but ordinary! Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie with a penchant for playful twists, Five Found Dead is a rollicking journey that proves murder can be both mysterious and mischievous.

I've really enjoyed following Sulari Gentill's contemporary mysteries over the last few years--and i specifically love mysteries set on trains, making me especially eager to get my hands on this one. Set on a modern invocation of the Orient Express, I enjoyed the reverence and commentary on golden age mysteries, adding an extra layer of tension and speculation. I spent a decent portion of this book trying to superimpose classic characters like Poriot, Miss Marple, and Sherlock/Watson onto Gentill's characters. I loved our main characters the Penvale Twins and the commentary on the impact of terminal illness on a person and their caretakers. Between the staff murders, COVID quarantine, and detective connections to the missing passenger, there were a lot of interesting and compelling storylines being woven. However, some of them I would have liked to see contribute more to the final pay off. This coupled with the final chapter "twist" unfortunately knocked this down to three stars for me.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the free ARC I exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, despite being a love of all things thriller and murder mystery, this one was not for me. I understand the logic behind it and why it was written the way it was was a little too tropes heavy, the characters caricatures of people.

The writing style is good and well suited to the genre and I do think this would have been a 5 star had it not relied too heavily on conventions of said genre.

I enjoyed it, but can't help but feel like this is somewhat feels like Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express but with it's own twist.

But the way I enjoyed it was also different the way I enjoyed the other book. I enjoyed the story and the writing of the author was definitely good.

It was a bit confusing and slow at first but after some time it was starting to make sense, the characters and their story are getting interesting.

I just want to thank the publisher for giving the opportunity to read it.

Honestly got hooked from the first chapter and enjoyed it till the end. The way story go and keeps on going from scene after scene honestly love it ❤

An enjoyable read if one suspends beielife while reading and if one hasn't read Murder on the Orieant Express first. The story takes place on a train, and well there are deads, a mystery, suspects, and even a former policeman who is here to help out. While the story differs in many pleaces the feel is still the same and one where it is difficult to shake. I enjoyed readin this take but couldn't quite get out of my head the compairson of the two. There were plot holes and places where in life it just couldn't be possible but over all it was a fun read. I think this will be a hit with mystery readers and those who want a quick fun story, maybe even on a train ride!

Five Found Dead is an exhilarating, suspense-filled mystery set aboard the legendary Orient Express. As a fan of twisty crime thrillers, I was drawn to this book's unique premise, with a crime author, Joe Penvale, and his twin sister, Meredith, being thrust into a real-life murder mystery while on their much-needed getaway. It starts with an intriguing set-up, where a bloody crime scene unfolds in the cabin next door but with no body in sight—setting the stage for a classic whodunit.

The dynamic between Joe and Meredith is well-crafted, and their investigation, despite the lack of law enforcement support, feels both intense and authentic. I loved how Gentill skillfully weaves the literary background into the plot—Joe, a writer, finding himself in a story that might as well have come from one of his own novels. The atmospheric setting of the Orient Express, with its historical charm and luxurious feel, adds to the overall tension, making the journey feel like a ticking clock.

With multiple twists and an ever-increasing body count, Five Found Dead had me on the edge of my seat. Gentill’s pacing is spot-on, and the murder investigation kept me guessing until the very end. This book is a must-read for fans of intricate mysteries with an unforgettable setting.

The Orient Express, COVID, a mystery writer, a lawyer, numerous detectives, and the "ghosts" of fictional characters, I mean what is there not to love about this book??!! The plot, the characters, the setting...all lovely. The conclusion was a tad soft, but I still liked it.

Mystery writer John Penvale and his sister Meredith go on a trip on the Orient Express, where they are witnesses of crimes.
I had high expectations going into this as it is something that is right up my alley genre wise. However, the story dragged a bit in the middle, as there were so many subplots happening. It was a let down and didn’t live up to the hype.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! *Five Found Dead* is a fun, twisty mystery set on the Orient Express! Giving Agatha Christie vibes with a sharp, modern edge.
The plot is smart , the characters are full of interesting secrets, and I couldn’t put it down. This was a fast-paced, addictive and intriguing read. Definitely a five-star read! definitely would recommend!

I was lucky enough to be able to read Five Found Dead as an early release thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Poisoned Pen Press.

I really enjoyed this book. It has mystery, it has thrills, it has twists. I thought I had it worked out halfway through but I was wrong. So many mystery novels are predictable but this one did keep me on my toes.

Joe and Meredith are siblings on a trip aboard the Orient Express. Joe is an author and Meredith is a lawyer on a break. This background helps embroil them into the mystery surrounding a missing body and the deaths of five people on the train. There were some unrealistic moments but rather than put you off the story, they can be taken for some light hearted comedy moments.

I enjoyed reading this and will definitely be looking out for the authors other works.

This is my second time reading this author's novel. I couldn't appreciate this as a mystery but works for me as meta fiction. There is mystery in the novel, but it isn't clever or tightly paced mystery. You get few clues as the lead characters deduce them, so there's no sense of mystery.

But as meta fiction this book is really good. Author writing herself into the novel and bringing in the podcast members as characters. That's good.

Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill is a smart, atmospheric mystery set on the iconic Orient Express. Crime writer Joe Penvale and his sister find themselves caught in a string of murders during the journey, with plenty of nods to classic whodunits. Gentill blends clever dialogue, suspense, and a vivid cast of characters to keep the tension high. Though the pace lags a bit in the middle, the twists and setting make this a compelling read—perfect for fans of vintage-style mysteries with a modern twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy!

Five Found Dead was an intriguing and atmospheric mystery that felt a little like stepping into a real-life game of Clue. I had fun trying to figure out who was behind everything, and I definitely didn’t see the twist coming.

This wasn’t exactly my usual type of murder/thriller read — it had a different vibe and pacing than what I normally pick up. At times I found it a little hard to follow, with so many characters and shifting perspectives. The writing also had a bit of a tone or twang that took me a while to adjust to — maybe due to the author’s background or where it’s set — but it wasn’t a major issue, just something I noticed.

Overall, Five Found Dead is a unique, layered mystery perfect for readers who enjoy classic, slow-burn whodunits with a few surprises along the way.

Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill is a brilliantly crafted mystery that showcases Gentill’s trademark wit and intelligence. The story is fast-paced and full of twists, with a cleverly layered plot that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The characters are vivid and distinctive, each with their own secrets and motivations, making the unraveling of the mystery all the more engaging. Gentill masterfully blends suspense with literary flair, creating a murder mystery that’s both thrilling and thought-provoking. A must-read for fans of smart, character-driven crime fiction.

I recently read the woman in the library by this author, so I was excited to get to read and review this latest book and it didn't disappoint.
I loved the agatha christie feel of this book it was nostalgic.
I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Net Gally for the ARC. I've only read the Roland Sinclair series by Sulari Gentill so wasn't sure what to expected in a modern day setting but what i read was brilliant; i love this book. I can count on one hand the amount of books i have rated 5 starts and this is one of them - I could not put it down. The plot, the characters, the twists - i loved it all. It was funny, it was serious, it had everything. Will definitely re-read in a few years.