"The Mystery of the Blue Train" was published in 1928 and features Hercule Poirot. The retired detective rides a train to the Riviera upon which a murder takes place. Poirot works along with the police to find the killer. The French police are sure it is a conman but Poirot suspects the husband. A famed diamond is found to be missing from the murdered woman's belongings which ads more motive to all suspects. It takes time but Poirot catches the murderer and the thief.
The detective stories I read most recently were Sherlock Holmes mysteries, so I found myself comparing the two. Holmes stories generally follow the detective and Dr. Watson as they are introduced to the mystery and work through until it is solved. This story introduced all the characters in detail before any mystery appeared. Poirot does not appear until a third of the way through the book. The protagonist of "The Mystery of the Blue Train" is Katherine Grey, a woman on her first trip to the Riviera and the last person to talk with the murder victim, not the detective.
Upsides
The character development - establishing the characters before the mystery allows the reader to concentrate on understanding the mystery and not be concerned about how the characters fit into the narrative. Most of the suspense comes from character revelation rather than new evidence.
Multiple points of view - the reader has access to many characters' reactions
Downsides
Hidden knowledge - Poirot has facts the reader doesn't have access to (Holmes stories do this too)
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