Joe Penvale and his twin sister Meredith seek healing and inspiration. But their journey turns sinister when a neighboring cabin becomes a blood-soaked crime scene without the body.
The setup evokes Agatha Christie, with the iconic Orient Express. As more passengers die, the twins are pulled into a chilling investigation.
The train becomes a locked-room labyrinth of secrets and suspects. Themes of mortality, storytelling, and human connection run deep. Each death raises the stakes, yet the mystery remains undiscovered.
The ending is both satisfying and thought-provoking.
A pleasant reading for fans of literary thrillers and classic whodunits.

Right from the very first page, I thought this was going to be told in third-person POV. But within the span of a single page, it suddenly shifted into first-person 😄 and honestly, I was not sure how to feel about it at first.

That said, this book might just be my favorite cozy mystery thriller “whodunnit” I have read so far. The story was so much fun, I finished it in less than a day’s worth of actual reading time. (It only took me longer because of studies and life, otherwise I would have happily devoured it in one sitting!)

It was funny, contemplative, and such an easy read. Some parts were definitely a bit absurd or childish, but that is exactly the charm of it. This is the kind of story where you should not overthink or try to find strict logic. Just cozy up, relax, and enjoy the ride.

If you are the kind of reader who loves dissecting every tiny clue and working out the ending before the characters do, this might not be the perfect fit for you. But for me, especially as I was almost slipping into a reading slump, this turned out to be the perfect story.

If you like Agatha Christie, or comparison type books, you'll love this read. It's a murder mystery set on the Orient Express with several references to the original. It wasn't that it was a bad read, however, this storyline seems to have been done numerous times lately, and all the stories are so similar, they run together and overlap a little too much for my liking. I know there is an audience out there, though, or these stories would not continue to be written. I'd give the author another shot but would hope for a more original storyline.

3.5 stars

A locked door murder mystery set on the Orient Express.... I will always be down for that.

I love supporting an Aussie author and I didn't even realise that Sulari Gentill was an Aussie until after I had started the book and looked her up when I realised the main character was Australian.

Gentill did a really great job with the setting. The setting of the Orient Express feels like a lay-up but I think it can actually be really hard to go to cheesy with it and I don't think the author did that at all. It definitely reignited my desire to ride the Orient Express one day. It's definitely on my bucket list.

When it comes to the mystery itself, I thought the story was a lot of fun. I didn't find it particularly shocking at all but it was fun throughout which is the most important thing.

The one complaint I have with the story is actually the main character of Meredith, I didn't really find her engaging at all.

Overall a fun read and I definitely want to check out more from Sulari Gentill.

I received a complimentary copy and all opinions expressed are mine.

This is a perfect read for fans of trains and a whodunnit. The book follows Joe a crime fiction author who boards a train with his twin sister as a way to rest after his treatment.There is no rest as he wakes up to a cabin slathered in blood and zero body and like any sleuth they investigate. This was an intriguing read, interesting premise and well written.

This was very dark and mysterious. Sidenote that I am a sucker for a thriller on a train, so I was excited to read this one. I could not put it down. The plot was great, and I was definitely tearing through the pages trying to play detective. This book is out now so make sure to get your copy!

While I enjoyed this a lot more than the last Sulari Gentill book, I am still hungry up on some of her previous works like Then She Wrote Him etc and feel that this didn't quite match upto the kind of storytelling I have come to associate with Gentill. Has i gone into the book as a first time reader of Gentill, I would have definitely been more wowed.

Unfortunately I have decided to DNF this one, it wasn't for me.
I will continue to check for future books from this author as I like to give author's a second chance and I won't be put off from DNF this one for my future reads.

I enjoyed this book. If you’re going into it looking for a gritty mystery/thriller, I think you would be a little disappointed. This is a cozy mystery with a whole cast of characters against the backdrop of The Orient Express. Going into this book, you kind of know what to expect and it is a touch predictable. Like I said, this is a cosy read that can’t be taken too seriously.

I really really wanted to like this one. It was quite a bummer that it felt like work reading this book. I liked the idea of it, but there were too many characters and too many unnecessary dialogues that took up a lot of space. It was also quite frustrating that the last chapter basically summarized the whole book. Thank you, NetGalley

As a huge mystery fan, I was really excited to dive into Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill — a digital ARC kindly gifted by @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress in exchange for an honest review. This was my first read by Gentill and her writing pulled me in straight away. The atmosphere was rich with suspense, echoing Agatha Christie and the timeless allure of the Orient Express 🚂. The story follows Joe, a crime writer recovering from cancer, and his twin sister Meredith, who set out on a celebratory train journey. However, their trip takes a dark turn when the compartment next to theirs is discovered drenched in blood — with no body in sight. Soon, more deaths follow, and a chilling locked-room mystery unfolds aboard one of the world’s most iconic trains. As cabins are quarantined and passengers forbidden to disembark, tension builds. The atmosphere is claustrophobic, danger lurks at every turn, and the growing list of suspects keeps you guessing. I was not expecting the twist at the end, which definitely took me by surprise.

I’ve read a few books from the author’s historical fiction genre and it was interesting. This book is set on the contemporary Orient express.

The lead pair of twins are Australian but several ethnicities are covered by the time the story comes to a close. We begin with a mysterious man in the compartment next to Joe and Meri. This man is then found missing with blood all over the room. What follows is a special kind of amateur investigation. I say special kind because the train seems to be filled with people with a crime solving background of some kind.

As the plot progresses, we find out that there is something much more in common between the people than originally estimated.

It was a good plot but I think the well done cast, which borders on exaggerated racial stereotypes without actually coming across as offensive.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the genre.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

🚂 Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill is a sharp, modern twist on the classic locked-room mystery — set aboard the iconic Orient Express.
Crime writer Joe Penvale boards the train for a fresh start, but when a blood-soaked cabin is found (minus the body), the journey turns deadly. A COVID lockdown traps the passengers, and as the bodies pile up, secrets unravel fast.

A fun, chaotic mystery with heart and sharp edges. Perfect for fans of classic whodunnits with a modern kick. 🕵️‍♀️✨

Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill is a take on Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. After a cancer scare, Joe Penvale, budding author, and his sister, Meredith, his twin, are boarding the Orient Express. It is luxurious in an old world way. They have a sleeper car, which is living room by day, bunk beds by night. In the corridor they meet suave Napoleon Duplantier, retired police officer from Paris, next cabin but one to theirs. Their steward is Maxim, who has his position down to a science. At dinner they meet others. On the lookout for Hercule Poirot, they make their way to the dining car where they are introduced to another police officer, Abigay Williams, a police inspector. They have a pleasant evening in the company of the duo and retire to the Midnight Bar where they continue to meet fellow passengers and bartender, Harry. A thoroughly pleasant evening is had by all. Then, in the room next door to theirs, blood is found. Lots of blood, but no body. Two additional bodies are found, both stewards. Maxim.

This is a well-planned murder with a clear motive, and one which is difficult to solve as it begins with misdirection, coloring everything else along the way. The last two cars are quarantined due to an outbreak of Covid, a new strain, apparently. This complicates things but actually helps as there are now fewer suspects. As the solution becomes obvious, the train is not allowed to cross into Italy and they have problems getting back to Paris, where police will meet them. As is often the curse of a locked room mystery, the perpetrator turns out to be someone you liked. Great mystery.

I was invited to read Five Found Dead by Poisoned Pen Press. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #PoisonedPenPress #SulariGentill #FiveFoundDead

This is my first time reading anything by this author and i'm so glad I decided to give this one a try , one because it has my favorite Trope which is a group of st rock me together in an isolated setting, in this case its on a train and secrets and murder happens. Another thing I loved about this story is how the author mentions Agatha Christie and her Midnight on the Orient Express, and even bring some of atmosphere in the story line, it was just the right of amount of twisted an turns, as well as suspense that there was times I didn't want to put done my kindle because I didn't want to stop reading.

Book Review 📚
Title: Five Found Dead
Author: Sulari Gentill

I wanted nothing more than to love this book. It honestly sounded like something I’d read in a day or two. But I kept struggling to get through it. I found it be very slow and boring. There were too many characters to keep track of and I became so overwhelmed I didn’t enjoy what I was reading. I got about 35% into the book before I gave up. It just wasn’t for me. I’m also claustrophobic so the whole thing happen on a train was not enjoyable for me.

Thank you NetGalley, Sulari and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC!!

Publication Date: August 19 2025
Rating: ✨✨

#fivefounddead #NetGalley

Just as expected, Five Found Dead played up the Agatha Christie-esque feel to brilliant applause. From the locked room mystery premise to the multitude of personas who felt almost characterized, the Golden Age vibe was most definitely there in spades. For the most part, that is. You see, this book took the notion of suspending all disbelief to a whole other level—even more so than Christie. That being said, I loved every silly moment that had me exercising my grey little cells. The train setting was brilliant, the dénouement was just as Agatha would‘ve wanted, and, most importantly, bodies kept dropping like flies. As long as you’re prepared to need to ignore some of the more unrealistic moments, you’ll love trying to put the clues together in time.

All said and done, thanks to the eccentric characters, clever red herrings, and the thoroughly twisty plotting, I was over the moon as I flew through this modern-day murder mystery storyline. Was it a bit ridiculous at times? Well…yes. But once I threw my disbelief out the window, I had a blast riding shotgun with the pack of cops, lawyers, podcasters, and a whole host of amateur sleuths, including a Miss Marple-type little old lady. Quite possibly meant to be satirical in nature, it was nevertheless my favorite by Gentill so far. So if you love a classic mystery that’s got plenty of tongue-in-cheek hilarity, be sure to get your hands on this brand-new novel. After all, I had a blast riding the Orient Express yet again and I think you’ll enjoy it as well. Rating of 4 stars.

Thank you to Sulari Gentill, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

This was such a good modern day murder on the orient express retelling! I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie so I loved this book. I also loved the modern themes, the author did a great job of tying everything together. If you like locked room mysteries, definitely check this out!

This book set out with the familiar premise of Murder on the Orient Express but unfortunately brought nothing fresh or engaging to the table. The plot leaned heavily on Christie’s classic, placing the murders on the Orient Express itself, which made the story feel more like a weak imitation than a new take. The narrative was confusing, and the added COVID element felt forced and completely unnecessary.

The characters lacked depth, coming across as flat and uninteresting, which made it difficult to care about their fates. More than once I wanted to set the book aside, but I pushed through hoping for a payoff that never came. While I appreciate being given the opportunity to read it, in the end it felt like wasted time.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the gifted copy of this book.

DNF @ 30%

The premise of this book had me intrigued, and as an Agatha Christie / Murder on the Orient Express fan I was excited to read it. However this book starts really slow, the plot is confusing and boring, and the Covid-19 plot line gave me the ick. I tried to get on board with this book, but ultimately determined it wasn’t for me.