Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller
Another year, another bestseller. A book that will keep on turning the pages by itself. It’s The Girl on the Train, one of the most successful books of the year, fastest selling adult novel in the history, another psychological thriller, comparable to Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl as the plot is full of lies and unreliable narration.
The girl on the train is Rachel, a lonely, alcoholic divorcée who rides the train to and from London each day, hoping to keep her long-suffering roommate from discovering that she’s been fired from her job. The train, cruelly, passes each day by the house where she once lived with her adored ex-husband. Rachel directs her focus a few houses down, where another young couple lives, envying their seemingly blissful partnership. One day, she is shaken by what she sees at the couple’s house and soon after, the wife disappears. Rachel, convinced the event she witnessed is relevant to the case, is quickly drawn into the mystery, but her debilitating alcoholism and the blackouts caused by her binges make her an unreliable witness, untrusted by the authorities and even by herself.
The narration is as unreliable as Rachel, the characters are portrayed like normal human beings, like you and me. The thrilling part is there from the starting of the novel in bits, but the major thrills starts when Rachel’s drinking problem becomes a nuisance for her and people in her life. The plot exploits the psychological suspense and is well-defined as mystery. The pace of the novel is fast and you will be turning pages in no time. I managed to read the book in six hours. The book is full of liars and their lies, and I cannot reveal anymore in the review, since there won’t be much suspense left for you to explore.
Thanks for including this one on your blog. I’ve been wanting to read this and just might go get it when I finish the novel I’m on right now. Great review and thanks for no “spoilers.”
You’re most welcome and I hope you get that thrill which I did on reading it!
Sounds similar to Agatha Christie’s “What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw”–which was, apparently, a murder taking place in a compartment in a train passing in the opposite direction to Mrs. McGillicuddy’s train. And yet no murder has been reported…
Wow. It sounds really tempting. I think I should read Agatha Christie’s books. I am always avoiding them yet I hear a lot about them.
I’d be very interested to hear why you’ve avoided them.
With as many novels as Agatha Christie published in her lifetime, some are bound to be better than others. But when she’s on target, she is really, really on.
No one was better at creating characters and bringing them to live.
If I might make a recommendation, which others have followed and pronounced themselves very pleased, start with these two books–“A Caribbean Mystery” and “Nemesis,” a pair of loosely related novels featuring Miss Marple.
If these don’t hook you on Christie, nothing will.
P.S.–If you’ve only got time for one, try “Ten Little Indians.”
Hi Lee. Well it maybe when I was in my juvenile years when I first came across her books. At that time they did not hook up with me well. In college I tried Hercules Poirot and “And There Were None/ Ten Little Indians” and yes latter one was really interesting. A Five Starrer for me! After that I haven’t read much of her books but I will look forward to the books you recommended. Thanks!
Christie is called as a queen of crime for a reason. Once you will read her books, you will realize what are you missing till now
Christie’s 4:50 from Paddington is a classic. Absolute marvel; however, The Girl on the Train does not even come close to it.
I haven’t read much of Agatha Christie and will look forward to the title you mentioned.
I think if you want to read her best work, you should read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd although Then There Were None was selected as her best work. But Christie is timeless, read any of Poirot or Marple
I have read Poirot and did not find him as amusing. I have read And then there were none and I think it is one of the good ones.
Thanks for reminding me why I need to read this book!
You’re welcome 🙂
I feel like I am the only person that hasn’t read this book yet :/
Nihaad – the little blog of STUFF
It’s okay. I also felt that before reading it. There is a time when we choose a book to read and when we do that’s the right time.
I guess that is true 🙂 There is probably a reason I haven’t read it yet!
Nihaad – the little blog of STUFF
I quite liked it,as an avid thriller reader wasn’t much suprised but a very good read
Yeah!
I’ve only recently watched ‘Gone Girl’ and I was really impressed. I never even knew it had a book and now this! OMG, can’t wait to read this!
It’s a good one with almost same quality of thrill as Gone Girl.
Sounds very interesting and definitely Agatha Christie ish. Thanks for sharing the review. Will pick it up.
You’re welcome.
This sounds exciting. I was meaning to pick up this book after reading “before I go to sleep” but heard very mixed reviews about it. Will definitely pick it up now. This would be my cozy winter thriller. 🙂
I hope you enjoy your time with it.
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