[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Five Found Dead releases August 19, 2025

Best-selling debut author, Joe Penvale, and his twin sister, Meredith, embark on a trip on the Orient Express as a way to celebrate the recovery of his health, and to revive Joe’s creative muse after having not written since his cancer diagnosis.

With the charged energy of being aboard the Orient Express, they can’t help but play into the mystery of it all by speculating about the other passengers and creating their own hypothetical murder outcomes.
But what starts as fun table conversation between dinner companions, soon turns into reality when the cabin neighbouring the Penvale’s is found covered in blood the following morning.

When two stewards and three passengers turn up dead over the course of the day, and it’s revealed that more than a handful of individuals on the train have ties to the known criminal and missing murder victim, it’s anyone’s guess as to who amongst them is a killer.

This was a fresh take on a literary classic, with a well-rounded cast of characters!
I wasn’t expecting covid, quarantined carriages, and border closures with military presence to be a part of the plot, but it seamlessly tied into everything else in a way that made sense.

Five Found Dead is perfect if you like locked room mysteries and books about books.

Gentill loves to write a writer, and this Agatha Christie inspired murder mystery is a fun (train) ride. With five victims and no specific jurisdiction, we get a complicated but exciting investigation following a killing spree. This book is high action, fast-paced, and suspenseful. Gotta love a book about books (and murder).

This book was very boring and all over the place, had it not been for netgalley I wouldnt have finished the book, I do not recommend this book to family and friends and won’t be reading another from this author.

Sulari Gentill's latest is a homage to Agatha Christie and the mystique of the Orient Express. Successful crime writer Joe Penvale, who is recovering from cancer, and his twin sister Meredith are treating themselves to a healing trip on the Orient Express. As soon as they embark the cabin next to theirs is discovered covered in blood but no body can be found. When further murders follow it is up to a special group of passengers to solve the mystery. It's an interesting story with some lighthearted moments, plot twists and, as is Gentill's style, well written.

This book sounded interesting to me because it takes place on the Orient Express. I've never read Murder on the Orient Express so I can't compare it to that book. All opinions were solely based on Five Found Dead.

The book starts out well with the passengers boarding the train. We meet the main characters, Joe and Meredith. They are twins with Joe being a writer, Meredith a lawyer. From there we start meeting the other passengers in time and it began to get really difficult to keep them all sorted out in my mind.

Other than all the characters to keep track of I just found the story kinda boring. I didn't find it to be really mysterious and if I'm being honest I thought it a bit silly at times. I had to roll my eyes at the reveal of one character's birth name and if this wasn't an advanced copy I was reading I would have given up on it.

This sadly wasn't the book I was expecting it to be and one I can't recommend.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

On a train, there are only so many places to hide…

Crime fiction author Joe Penvale has won the most brutal battle of his life. Now that he has finished his intense medical treatment, he and his twin sister, Meredith, are boarding the glorious Orient Express in Paris, hoping for some much-needed rest and rejuvenation. Meredith also hopes that the literary ghosts on the train will nudge Joe's muse awake, and he'll be inspired to write again. And he is; after their first evening spent getting to know some of their fellow travelers, Joe pulls out his laptop and opens a new document. Seems like this trip is just what the doctor ordered…

Sulari Gentill is fast becoming one of my favorite mystery author. This book is absolutely magnificent.

I've read a few novels with this theme where there is a murder on a train and I feel it is a difficult feat to master. I think a casual reader who buys an occasional book to read on holidays would enjoy this. But in my case I read so many books that the books I choose need to really stand out from the crowd.

Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill was such a ride—tense, eerie, and full of twists I didn’t see coming. If you love locked-room mysteries, this one is a must-read.

Joe Penvale, a crime writer recovering from some tough medical treatment, boards the famous Orient Express with his twin sister, Meredith, hoping for a break. Instead, they wake up to a crime scene—a cabin covered in blood but there’s no body! And then, one by one, people start dying. The killer is obviously still on board, but with nowhere to run and no authorities to step in, it’s up to Joe, Meredith, and a handful of passengers to figure out who’s behind it all before the train reaches its final stop.

The setting is perfection—the luxury of the train mixed with the claustrophobic, trapped feeling makes everything way more intense. Every time I thought I had things figured out, I was completely wrong. This book is fast-paced, super atmospheric, and keeps you on edge the whole way through.

If you’re into whodunits, thrillers, or anything that gives you Agatha Christie vibes, grab this book ASAP. It’s Murder on the Orient Express meets Knives Out, and it’s so worth the read. 🚂💀📖

I really enjoyed this thriller! Absolutely loved the setting and the characters. The writing felt immersive and suspenseful, but some of the twists were predictable. Overall, would definitely recommend.

Mixed feelings on this title. First part was very strong, well paced, good introduction to the characters and great setting-orient express during the pandemic . The pace fell off in the middle. I’m not sure what happened although we surely didn’t need more characters to add to the chaos-there were enough. Some good twists and turns. And in some ways not a surprising resolution although the ending was a good twist. I was undecided between a C+ and a B- so I will
Go with a 3 here.

The novel’s strength lies in its deeply layered characters. Each of the travelers is compellingly flawed, their relationships riddled with tensions that simmer just beneath the surface. Gentill masterfully peels back their layers, revealing hidden motives, old wounds, and unexpected alliances. No one is quite who they seem, and that’s what makes this book such a gripping ride.

The unpredictable twists, the eerie setting, and the way Gentill keeps you questioning everything. The pacing is relentless, the tension suffocating (in the best way), and the final reveals? Let’s just say I audibly gasped more than once.

If you prefer straightforward, linear narratives, the shifting timelines and multiple perspectives might take some adjusting. But honestly? That’s what makes this book so devilishly good.

Fans of Riley Sager, Lucy Foley, and Gillian Flynn will eat this up. If you love locked-room-style mysteries, unreliable narrators, and psychological suspense that lingers long after the final page, Five Found Dead is a must-read. A huge thank you to NetGalley for the early copy—now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go recover from that ending.

This book was utterly ridiculous but I actually rather enjoyed it. I mean, just about every single thing that happened in it was completely implausible, but it was also riveting because I couldn't wait to see what new absurdness was around the corner. Honestly, I'm not sure if it was supposed to be a serious read or satire, but oh my gosh it was fantastic … ish.

It's so hard to talk about all the weird stuff that happened in this book without spoilers, but I will say that the real pièce de résistance was when Joe and Meri had the (possibly) bad guy trapped in a room and made him turn away and cover his ears with his hands so that they could talk about him without him hearing. Fantastic work, guys. Nothing says “soundproof” like the ol' hands over the ears trick. And sweet baby kittens on a cracker, I almost lost it when the above-mentioned (maybe) bad guy mentioned his given name.*

But, anyway, it's definitely not a spoiler for me to say that this book is based on Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express (at least not if you've already read the publisher's blurb, anyway). There's even a French former police detective who has an accent suspiciously similar to Hercule Poirot's. And, of course, it's set on the Orient Express and involves a murder … or five. Poirot, however, would have been absolutely horrified at the shenanigans that occurred in the name of “detective work” in this novel. It was all so very, very silly (but also kind of delightful).

The way Meri and Joe figured out what had become of the missing passenger was just … wow. Like, I can't even begin to describe it because, again … spoilers, but it was the most specifically specific “ah ha!” moment in all of murder mystery history (hey, that rhymed!). Like, Hercule Poirot himself could not have come up with such a convoluted and unlikely scenario. I mean, that's the most logical explanation for the lack of fingerprints in the cabin … really?? Brilliant.

And that one, um, person on the train? Ha ha ha ha. Who would actually fly halfway across the world to ride on a super expensive train based on an token invitation that some weirdo made to about twelve other people at the same time? And even if someone would do such a thing, who would do it without actually telling the person that invited them that they were coming?? No one, that's f-ing who! And why in the heck would Joe think that (s)he was there to … Oh, never mind. You're just going to have to read this one, you guys.

I won't even get into how unrealistic it was for the train … boss (I forget his title, but I know I'm not supposed to call him “conductor”) to ask random passengers to solve a murder that had occurred on the train to begin with. And the whole COVID subplot with the rampaging infected passengers? And the twist that neatly wrapped up said subplot? All of it was so horribly implausible and yet tremendously entertaining.

The last chapter, by the way, is basically just a recap of everything that happened in the book. If you start reading it and think “this is boring and repetitive,” just skip it. You're not missing anything.

But, yeah, seriously … read this one. I'm not sure that I necessarily enjoyed this one in the way that it was meant to be enjoyed, but it amused me nevertheless. 3.65 stars, rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is August 19, 2025.


*Okay, fine, you forced it out of me: his name was (view spoiler). Yes, really.

I enjoyed this book. I do feel like the first few chapters were full of information and which. After the first few chapters, I felt like the book slowed down a little bit too much.

Five Found Dead is a murder mystery lovers dream. This book had everything you could want in it. It literally takes place on The Orient Express, how freaking cool is that.

I really loved so much about this book. Our main character duo Meri and Joe were so much fun to read from. A brother and sister pov was an interesting take on the classic murder mystery team. I loved all the Agatha references. I absolutely loved the setting it was magical. I wish i could be on the train.

I thought the mystery was well done but I was able to figure out who done it pretty fast. That didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story though. I will say the last chapter felt unnecessary after reading the entire book.

Overall I really enjoyed this one. I’m excited see what everyone thinks of it. If you love murder mysteries you will love this one.
4/5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

Joe and Meredith board the Orient Express after Joe's bout with cancer. There they are met with an eclectic group of passengers. But when they wake up the next morning, they find themselves faced with the murder of the person boarding next door to them. Just murder alone on the Orient Express would cause panic enough but news breaks out that a carriage is cordoned off due to a coronavirus outbreak.

Who was murdered? Where is the body? And why is everyone gathered to help solve the murder kind of suspicious?

I flew by this book so fast; I finished it during one weekend. I loved that we got witty characters and banter, and they are all so different that it really moved the story along. I really enjoyed that that it kind of didn't take itself too seriously if that makes sense? Similar vibe to the show Only Murders in the Building on Hulu. It made the book that much fun to read.

Something about the ending makes me believe that there might be more books with these characters. If that is true, I will definitely be picking them up!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this advanced reader's copy.

Siblings Joe and Meredith (Meri) Penvale are celebrating his recent completion of cancer treatment by taking a trip on the famed Orient Express. Joe has recently had a hit with a mystery novel set in their native Australia. Since becoming ill, he's been unable to write. Both hope that a trip made famous in another mystery novel will help get his creative juices flowing. They are accompanied by two young men who host the "Death of the Reader" podcast and hope to record their experiences as well as get interviews with Joe. Just a few hours into the trip, strange things begin to happen. The cabin next door to Joe and Meri's houses a taciturn and mysterious man. When he doesn't answer the call for breakfast, Joe and Meri come into the corridor. They, along with a steward, attempt to open the door but it's locked from the inside. After forcing it, they are all alarmed to find the inside of the cabin is splashed with blood everywhere. There is no body to be found, so everyone is unsure if the former occupant is the victim or the perpetrator of a violent crime. Soon the murders begin (the Five victims from the title), and it transpires that quite a few guests on the train have current or former law enforcement ties. This group, including Joe and Meri, are gathered together and tasked with investigating the crimes until the train arrives in Venice. There is an added difficulty in that this takes place during the early days of the covid pandemic, so some people on the train are infected and being quarantined in several cars.

I appreciate the set-up of this novel, encompassing many famous mystery tropes: the Orient Express, a locked room mystery, and many suspects who have a motive to get revenge. However, the book just had a lot of running around and it all got a bit jumbled. There were groups of people forever splitting up into other groups and going off to investigate, much of which involved breaking into each other's cabins to "look for evidence." Just what everyone expected to find was unclear. Then there was a lot of "you stay here, I'm going to look for X" only for many other distractions to take place and X never actually being found, but the person who was supposed to stay put running off. It was all very tiring. All that running around never seemed to accomplish much and just served to confuse the story. Also, there were many different nationalities on board, but the single unpleasant American didn't speak like an American. He used phrases such as "pilfering from the punters" that is just not something an American would say ("punter" only having a football connotation!). The end of the book had the transcript of the podcast episode tacked on and it didn't add anything new to the story and seemed to just rehash the events of the book that we already knew.

Patrons who are drawn in by a locked room/stranded setting, and who are intrigued by the Orient Express may enjoy this story. While I enjoyed the pacing and characters from Gentill's The Mystery Writer and The Woman in the Library, Five Found Dead did not capture my attention in the same way. The first 5-7 chapters are fast-paced and give you lots of context, but then the pacing begins to slow, the plot lines start to wander, and the ending arrives very gradually. I can see others enjoying this, and it is more mystery than suspense/thriller.

Siblings Joe and Meredith (Meri) Penvale are celebrating his recent completion of cancer treatment by taking a trip on the famed Orient Express. Joe has recently had a hit with a mystery novel set in their native Australia. Since becoming ill, he's been unable to write. Both hope that a trip made famous in another mystery novel will help get his creative juices flowing. They are accompanied by two young men who host the "Death of the Reader" podcast and hope to record their experiences as well as get interviews with Joe. Just a few hours into the trip, strange things begin to happen. The cabin next door to Joe and Meri's houses a taciturn and mysterious man. When he doesn't answer the call for breakfast, Joe and Meri come into the corridor. They, along with a steward, attempt to open the door but it's locked from the inside. After forcing it, they are all alarmed to find the inside of the cabin is splashed with blood everywhere. There is no body to be found, so everyone is unsure if the former occupant is the victim or the perpetrator of a violent crime. Soon the murders begin (the Five victims from the title), and it transpires that quite a few guests on the train have current or former law enforcement ties. This group, including Joe and Meri, are gathered together and tasked with investigating the crimes until the train arrives in Venice. There is an added difficulty in that this takes place during the early days of the covid pandemic, so some people on the train are infected and being quarantined in several cars.

I appreciate the set-up of this novel, encompassing many famous mystery tropes: the Orient Express, a locked room mystery, and many suspects who have a motive to get revenge. However, the book just had a lot of running around and it all got a bit jumbled. There were groups of people forever splitting up into other groups and going off to investigate, much of which involved breaking into each other's cabins to "look for evidence." Just what everyone expected to find was unclear. Then there was a lot of "you stay here, I'm going to look for X" only for many other distractions to take place and X never actually being found, but the person who was supposed to stay put running off. It was all very tiring. All that running around never seemed to accomplish much and just served to confuse the story. Also, there were many different nationalities on board, but the single unpleasant American didn't speak like an American. He used phrases such as "pilfering from the punters" that is just not something an American would say ("punter" only having a football connotation!). The end of the book had the transcript of the podcast episode tacked on and it didn't add anything new to the story and seemed to just rehash the events of the book that we already knew.

Thank you for this book in exchange for my honest review. I liked the authors ability to write a diverse set of characters. Also, the storyline was engaging, and I found myself really connected to each person, specifically the twin main characters. My only disappointment was the fat shaming of one minor character, and there were a few spelling and grammatical errors in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. This was such a fun book. I loved the inspiration of Murder On the Orient Express details, it was a lovely homage. This would have been 4 stars if not for the cancer and Covid plot details, but that’s just personal preference. I will definitely be checking out this author in the future.