I loved the chaotic natures of the characters. The impact of the overlapping storylines and the setting of the train were all well done. Even some of the twists I might have predicted played out vastly differently than expected, so it kept me on the edge of my seat. To that end, it took me a while to really get into it with the need to set up so many moving parts. Additionally, details pertaining to the pandemic and the fear surrounding it, while useful in the story, really pulled me out of this crazy world of chaos.

Great mystery book!

It took me a while to get through but that's mainly because I had exams. But once I was hooked, I was hooked!
I really like the authors style of writing and will be looking forward to more.

Two siblings, Joe and Meredith, take a trip on the Orient Express. Joe is an author and just beat cancer. Meredith put everything in her life on the back burner and took care of Joe during his treatment. This trip on the Orient Express is to celebrate Joe beating cancer, hopefully to get Joe inspired to write again, and for some relaxation for the both of them! Little did they both know that they would be helping to find a killer on board and a missing man!

I was going in-between a 3 or 4 star rating for awhile. I decided with 4 stars because this book literally had me on my toes. It was like you didn't know what was going to happen next. There were some areas where it got kind of boring, but there was always something that happened that reeled me back in during the chapters! I wasn't sure if I was going to like it during the first few chapters, but I ended up really enjoying it!

If you love a locked room mystery with a nod to Agatha Christie then this book is for you!

Joe and Meredith (bother and sister) embark on a trip of a lifetime ,The Orient Express, with a journey from Paris to Venice.

Joe is a writer and recovering from cancer, Meredith put her life on hold to care for him. But they are now on the famous and luxurious Orient Express and Joe is ready to write again.

The trip starts out like a dream - the train with its vintage carriages and meeting intriguing characters. But it quickly turns into a nightmare when the bodies start to pile up.

Gentill is a master at storytelling. She has in me, a reader for life!

Well written murder mystery placed on the Orient Express.
It got a little confusing trying to keep track of all the characters. The brother sister duo is a win for me.

The twist I did not see coming and that’s something I really enjoyed.

Overall it’s a great read and I do recommend.

This book was different than other thrillers I’ve read. I loved the development of the characters as people first opposed to thriller plot devices firstly. I love how the book ended and I didn’t mind the podcast element! Super fun!

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.

This story, which takes place on the Orient Express, could easily be derivative. Gentill, however, uses what we know of the Christie story and builds upon it. She writes another mystery taking place on this most famous of trains.

Crime author Joe and his sister Meri are passengers aboard the train when murders begin to happen. A task force is created to solve the crimes as they are happening.

The character development is good, and I appreciated the storyline. This is a simple locked room mystery that could easily have been written in the time of Agatha Christie and her Hercule Poirot.

While I am usually fans of murder mysteries like this, it just didn't hit like I thought it would and honestly felt like it was dragging. I gave it until 50% before I skipped to the end to see who had committed the murder, although I enjoyed the ideas I couldn't get into the story itself

Dark, mysterious, suspenseful . I had so much fun with this one. I’ve actually never read a thriller set in a train and I enjoyed it so much!

I have read the authors previous books and loved them.

This is a whodunnit on a train. If you are a fan of Agatha Christie you will probably enjoy this one.

I had a hard time getting into it because of lack of character development and a large cast of characters.

This was a fun and interesting read. The plot moved at a good pace and the main characters were likable enough that I started rooting for them. I am glad that I had read “Murder on the Orient Express” by Agatha Christy before I read this book. While I don’t think it is a requirement, I appreciated it more because I understood the references made to that story and characters.

I enjoyed this read.

This book reminded me of Everyone on this Train is a Suspect and Murder on the orient Express.

This book was intriguing and very well written. The characters were a great mix and at times could be overwhelming but it was enjoyable non the less.

Thank you NetGalley!

I had trouble reading the style of prose and the premise and characters did not grip me. Unfortunately this one was not for me.

I have to admit, this is not usually the genre I pick up and this was an absolute treat to experience! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, jumping to conclusions and enjoying the ride. Five Found Dead is a magnificent and timely take on a locked room mystery - Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy. I will absolutely be looking forward to future publications from Sulari Gentill.

As always Gentill plays with the mystery genre in fun & meta ways. The concept of this book is a delight, but a little sprawling without quite enough puzzles & twists. Still fun, still will recommend, will always be excited to read what she writes next!

Five Found Dead, Sulari Gentill
Publication date 19th August 2025

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Well, what a fabulous murder mystery book. Set on the Orient Express, we follow the Penvale twins on the journey of a lifetime.
Joe Penvale and his sister Meri booked their trip after Joe had the all clear from cancer. This was to be a fresh start for Joe to start writing again. Joe's debut novel was a smash hit, which he thought would be his first and last novel.

The storyline is great. If you're a fan of Poirot, this is a lovely story to follow. I found all the characters interesting, adding to the storyline as it developed. I will definitely keep my eye out for more books by this author.

Thank you for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Come join our protagonists Joe and Meredith Penvale on the journey of a lifetime - The Orient Express from Paris to Venice. It's a celebratory trip after the conclusion of Joe's 18 months of medical treatments. They are looking forward to a luxurious and relaxing trip, but everything changes when the cabin adjacent to theirs is found covered with blood, but the body is missing. Considering the title of the book, it's no surprise that this isn't the only dead body found on the train.

For readers familiar with Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, you'll find a lot of similarities in this modern day re-telling. It starts with the classic locked room mystery and proceeds from there to involve other train employees and passengers. Reader, be aware that there is a large cast of characters; it might be helpful to start taking notes at the beginning of the book in order to keep them all straight. I really enjoyed everything about this book -- the murder mysteries, the passengers and employees coming together to help solve them, The Orient Express, the luxury train travel, the food, and more! Highly recommended.

Thank you very much to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an advance reader copy of this book. It is scheduled to be published on August 19, 2025.

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

An updated take on the Agatha Christie classic, this fun read is about Meredith and Joe Penvale, twins from Australia, who are taking a ride on the Orient Express to celebrate Joe’s victory over illness. Joe is a mystery writer working on a new novel, and Meredith is a corporate lawyer. What starts off as a fabulous vacation devolves into a locked door mystery when one of the guests on board is found to be missing, his room covered in blood. Along with the many members of law enforcement on board, Joe and Mere jump in to solve the mystery.

I always enjoy Sulari Gentil’s work. She is one of my favorite authors. And after reading the Acknowledgments at the end, it seems like she may have been on a medical journey of her own over the past couple of years. This seems to have impacted the plot and story. The story itself has her usual fast pace and twists and turns. It was a pretty quick read. The characters were interesting but somewhat stereotypical in some cases. And this is the only Gentil book I have read where I have successfully guessed the guilty party. This may not be Gentil’s best work - I’m looking at you After She Wrote Him and The Woman in the Library! But it’s clear it came from the heart and is a labor of love for the author. Worth the read.

This book was both thrilling and amusing! I really enjoyed the writing and the dialogue between the characters. The two main characters, Meredith and Joe were so likable and I loved their sibling relationship so much! I also enjoyed the setting which added a more sinister edge to the reading experience. The ending was satisfying, however the last chapter really packed a punch and I was left feeling both fulfilled yet glum.

If you liked “Knives Out” or are a fan of the Mystery/Thriller genre, please pick this up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A murder mystery taking place on the Orient Express?? Sign me the heck up because what Agatha Christie fan wouldn't want another mystery with similar inspiration?

I feel very much stuck in the middle on my thoughts after finishing this book. I really enjoyed the overall plot and the mystery given to us at the outset of the novel, but there was a few things holding me back from loving it. Mostly the fact that I was confused by a lot of the directions the story took, things that seemed a little extreme or unnecessary when you finish taking in the whole book. Just little secondary things that made my brain go "huh?" in trying to unravel the mystery as I read and not in a fun, mystery-solving way. Just a confusing way.

I do like the author's styling of describing things and character building (although there were SO many characters...might be one more point of confusion for me) so I would definitely give another book from her a try. I truly appreciate the self-inspiration she input into one of the characters, as her note at the end of the book tells us about her own medical experience. I always think it's brilliant when an author can take something difficult from life and use it towards something creative like writing about it.

Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, thank you for letting me read this book early and sharing my thoughts on it. It comes out in August, so if you love murder mysteries, train setting, Christie vibes, and stories with lots of characters, maybe add this to your TBR.