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The Girl on the Train

Paula Hawkins (Goodreads Author)

3.93 · Rating details · 2,273,019 ratings · 112,565 reviews

THE RUNAWAY SUNDAY TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLER AND THRILLER OF THE YEAR

'Really great suspense novel. Kept me up most of the night. The alcoholic narrator is dead perfect' STEPHEN KING

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who ...more

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Paperback, 409 pages

Published May 5th 2016 by Black Swan (first published January 6th 2015)

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Sep 26, 2014 karen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: free-from-work

I once read a book by a former alcoholic where she described giving oral sex to two different men, men she'd just met in a restaurant on a busy London high street. I read it and I thought, I'm not that bad. This is where the bar is set.

oh, yeah - this one is going to be a must-read for those people looking to find their next Gone Girl experience. it's an incredibly fast-paced and engrossing psychological thriller, and i was on board as soon as i read the editor's bit of ARC-copy, even though i k I once read a book by a former alcoholic where she described giving oral sex to two different men, men she'd just met in a restaurant on a busy London high street. I read it and I thought, I'm not that bad. This is where the bar is set.

oh, yeah - this one is going to be a must-read for those people looking to find their next Gone Girl experience. it's an incredibly fast-paced and engrossing psychological thriller, and i was on board as soon as i read the editor's bit of ARC-copy, even though i know that writing those things is part of the job and not at all unbiased. but it's hard not to be swayed when you read:

Within days of my introducing the manuscript in March, people from every department were regularly pulling me aside to testify to how much they loved the read, how they couldn't put it down. At a recent meeting, a colleague who was twelve pages from the end was secretly reading them under the table because she could not stop. Another had the manuscript propped up next to her phone so she could read between calls, and last week in the elevator, people around me suddenly started competing over who'd read it fastest, and who was more surprised by the ending. You know you have something special when it becomes watercooler talk for months on end.

it would take a very stubbornly cynical person to see that as anything other than genuine enthusiasm.

and the book definitely delivers. it is an absolute page-turner with a number of unreliable narrators ranging from the self-deluded to the spotty memory of the blackout drunk.

i am too busy reading on my daily commute to notice my fellow passengers unless they are smelly/behaving in an unstable manner (frequently), or exceptionally attractive (MUCH less frequently), but apparently this is a thing that commuters do - notice their fellow travelers, making up stories about their lives, speculating about what they do when they're not in the in-between moments of their day. and rachel does it more than most. rachel is blisteringly lonely, drowning the sorrows of her failed marriage with grim determination and canned gin and tonics and endless bottles of wine. she has lost her job because of her perpetual drunkenness, but rather than tell her flatmate, she keeps taking the train into london every day, pretending to go to work, but actually just getting drunk in various places, and happily fantasizing about the young couple she watches every day from her train window; a couple who live a few doors down from her old house, where her ex-husband tom still resides with his new wife and baby girl.

still reeling from tom's infidelity to her, she nonetheless would love to be back with him, and in this golden couple she observes and imagines, calling them "jess and jason," she sees the life she could have had with tom. one day, while commuting/gazing voyeuristically, she witnesses "jess" on her front lawn with another man, in what appears to be a romantic clinch. she is outraged at this display, as personally offended as if the infidelity were being committed against herself. shortly after this episode, she learns that "jess," actually named megan, has disappeared, and feeling connected to this couple she has never actually met, she insinuates herself into the investigation, meeting with both the police and megan's husband, actual name scott.

the story is told from three perspectives: rachel's, megan's, and tom's new wife anna, and covers all the traditional viewpoints of the typical domestic drama: the jilted lover, the other woman, the cheating wife. all three of these women are simultaneously sympathetic and repellent, which is tricky to pull off. and as for the mystery of megan's disappearance itself, well that path splits and splits again in a wonderful head-spinning journey where not a single character avoids suspicion (except MAYBE tom and anna's infant daughter); i think there are seven characters in total who appear to be the culprit at one point or another, and each seems as plausible as the next. it is a fantastic ride, and hawkins does a great job with both the mystery elements and the character development, with great attention to detail, and fully established backstories and motivations. even when you cringe at some of the choices, they completely make sense for the character. it is a lot of fun, and terribly addictive. much better than a meeting, i kid you not.

come to my blog! ...more

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Jan 13, 2015 Kemper rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: addiction, 2015, crime-mystery

“Esssscuse me. Is this seat taken? Thanks. I like to sits bys the wimdow. Would you likes a little bit of wine? You know what they say, a little vino would be keen-o. No? Mores for me then. Oh, check it out. *BURP* WhatwasIsaying? Oh, sees that house over there going by? That used to be my house. True story. Me and my husbadand lived there. But the ole bastard cheated on me and lefts me and then he marriesss that stupid cow and then he knockeded her up and now they got a stupid cow kid and they “Esssscuse me. Is this seat taken? Thanks. I like to sits bys the wimdow. Would you likes a little bit of wine? You know what they say, a little vino would be keen-o. No? Mores for me then. Oh, check it out. *BURP* WhatwasIsaying? Oh, sees that house over there going by? That used to be my house. True story. Me and my husbadand lived there. But the ole bastard cheated on me and lefts me and then he marriesss that stupid cow and then he knockeded her up and now they got a stupid cow kid and they lives in my house! Can you believes that? I means, it’s not my house now, but it usesed to be. Now he the rottens old bastard lives there with his stupids new wife and their stupid battery….Did I say battery? I meant baby. I’ve hads a few gin & tonics...And a little wine...*BURP*

Anyhows, letsus not talk about my stupid ole ex-husband. See that other house? The ones just a couple a few doors downs from my old one where you can totallys see their deck? A beausfiful couple lives there. They’re just the bestus. They’s just gorgeous and you can tells that they are for sure in loves 100%. You’d never catch *BURP* that guy cheatins on her, I can promise you that! I watch them every time I goes by on this here trainy-train with my glasses of wine as I ride, and I can just tell that their greatests most happiest couple who ever was…Lots better than the my stupid ole ex. Seeing them be such a absofantabulous couple rights by where I used to live is the one part of my stupid day I enjoy when I ride this train.

Wass that you say? She’s missing? Been in all the papers? Thattsus just terriblez… Geez, I can’t imagine how I *BURP* missed that news…. Since Saturday, you says? … I think I was down there last Saturday..Thass right. I remembers now. I had a couple of drinkies and went to sees my ole husband to tells him that I still love ‘em….Err.. I mean that I hate ‘em.. Thass right. I hate ‘em! But I had ones or twos too many, and I blacked out…. And I had a cut on my head the next day and a feeling that I’d seen something terribles…. Do ya think maybes I saw something? I better go *BURP* tell the cops about this….But first Imma gonna puke all over your shoes. Sorry about this……..”

*****

That’s what this book feels like, that you got stuck sitting next to a sloppy drunk who is telling you this story, and maybe you feel a little bad for her even as you’re trying to avoid her spilling her drink on you. After listening to her inebriated babblings for a very short while you immediately know more about her situation than she does, and you could easily tell her what she missed. But then you catch a whiff of her breath so you just try to sneak away when she’s not paying attention. Seriously, I might have liked this more if I hadn’t figured out who the culprit was about three minutes into the book. ...more

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Sep 28, 2014 Emily May rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, mystery-thriller

"Something bad happened."

Are you ready for a faster-paced, creepier Gone Girl?

Woah. This is one unsettling little thriller and the best bit about it is that no one can be trusted, including the three female narrators who share the storytelling of this book. I literally read this entire novel in one sitting and I now need to find the words to convince you to go get your hands on it. RIGHT NOW.

Between an alcoholic, a liar and a cheat, who can you trust? These are the three women at the centre ...more

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Mar 10, 2015 Shelby *trains flying monkeys* rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: liburry-book, read-2015, save-trees, everyone-loved-but-me

I read this book due to the fact that everyone else read it.
Yes, mom I would jump off the cliff right behind everyone else.

These are some fucked up characters. I think the new trend in books where every one of the characters is an asshole may be the way to go if you are writing a book that you want to take the world by storm with. The thing is...It gets frigging boring. I wanted a bus to hit them all. Repeatedly.

May go sorta spoilery:
You have Rachel. Rachel is a drunk, she gets on the 8 ...more

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Jan 01, 2015 Michelle rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I just sent a 3 page, 3,000 word email about why I didn't like this book to a friend, and I still feel the urge to express myself. I suppose that tells you just how much I disliked it.

This thing is a hot mess, the writing is clumsy, there are things that don't make any sense, the characters are pathetic and the opposite of complex. The women in this book are either defined by the men they are dating/married to, or by how they feel about being a mother (and by that I mean, do they already have a ...more

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Jan 06, 2015 Wendy Darling rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015-publication, thriller-suspense, penguin, read-2015, psychological-thriller, 2015-favorites, adult, major-plot-twist, unreliable-narrator, uk

4.5 stars Everyone in this book is absolutely terrible, and as a result, this book is a masterpiece in character study and development. It's also a well-written, precisely plotted psychological thriller, and deftly sketches one unreliable narrator after another. I guessed the culprit not too far into the book, but that didn't spoil my reading experience at all, particularly because the author drops so many diverting and convincing red herrings into the story.

I think it's also interesting that t ...more

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Jan 12, 2015 Alexandra rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Depressing from start to finish. Most every single character was a hot mess. I have literally no idea why there are so many 5 star ratings. It kind of scares me. If this kind of garbage is what the masses find appealing...I mean..

I didn't care at all about the "mystery." It didn't even feel like there was one. It just felt like a tedious glimpse into the messed up lives of people I'd rather not know anything about.

...more

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Feb 24, 2015 Regan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-owned-read

Good read but the ending fell a little flat for me

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Jan 05, 2016 Jayson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: author-african, author-british, 300-399-pp, genre-thriller, genre-mystery, read-in-2016

(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: It's about escapism, lack, and how plausible suggestion autocorrects figments into memory and strangers into circles. ...more

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Jan 13, 2015 Holly rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-that-make-you-go-wtf, disappointing-reads, hot-mess, 2015

What a huge disappointment.
The concept sounded amazing, and it got off to a promising...if slow...start. But it quickly turned into this messy, melodramatic story that was neither surprising, or original. Much like in Gone Girl, there was not a single likable character in the entire book. That wasn't the main problem for me, though. I could see the ending coming from a mile away. Actually more like I figured out who the main villan was within the first 20 pages. Never a ringing endorsement.
...more

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Jun 02, 2015 Will Byrnes rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, mystery, fiction

I read this one out of curiosity. Aware that it had been a huge market success, I wondered if it merited the sales. According to Riverhead, The Girl on the Train is, or was, the fastest-selling adult hardcover fiction debut ever. And that is a shame. With so many great books being published every year that do little or no business, for this one to have secured a first class ticket on the book-sales express can only be dispiriting to the good and great writers everywhere toiling away in third cla ...more

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Jan 19, 2015 Steffi ~mereadingbooks~ rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: hype, crime-and-thriller, 2015

this review and more on my blog -> mereadingbooks

Caution. There might be some ranting ahead.

This has frequently been called the next Gone Girl. And yes, that is to some extend why I wanted to read this. I wanted something suspenseful; an unreliable narrator; and lots of “what the hell?!”- moments. Out of these three things I got one – an unreliable narrator. But one written so clumsily and shallow that I was annoyed, not intrigued, by her.

The plot’s mystery falls flat because it is done in such this review and more on my blog -> mereadingbooks

Caution. There might be some ranting ahead.

This has frequently been called the next Gone Girl. And yes, that is to some extend why I wanted to read this. I wanted something suspenseful; an unreliable narrator; and lots of “what the hell?!”- moments. Out of these three things I got one – an unreliable narrator. But one written so clumsily and shallow that I was annoyed, not intrigued, by her.

The plot’s mystery falls flat because it is done in such a heavy-handed way. The shift between narrative points of view and the two timelines seem like an artificial way of keeping the reader in the dark. The alcohol-induced blackouts of the main character just add to that feeling. I constantly thought “oh, how convenient that she does not remember that” and “oh, how convenient she can recall a tiny detail now”. It was simply clumsy and trite.

However, the worst thing about Rachel, the protagonist and main narrator, weren’t the clichés about alcoholism and divorced women. These aspects annoyed me to no end but the absolute worst thing about Rachel and the two other female narrators was how pathetic they were. Throughout the book I got the feeling that Paula Hawkins must hate women; hate them with a passion. Women in this novel are portrayed as unstable (going on batshit crazy), weak, dependent (on men), and insecure. Every single woman mentioned defines her personality in relation to a man. They doubt themselves, their capabilities and decisions. The men, in contrast, are all mysterious but strong and sure of themselves. They are there to give definition and meaning to their wives, girlfriends, mistresses, and sons. Even those women on the side-lines of the plot are only defined by their relationships to men.

For instance, Rachel’s mother; she is only mentioned two or three times and the one time she actually gets a few lines is when she explains how she’s not able to help her daughter at the moment because she has a new “friend” and she doesn’t want to scare him off like that! Seriously? Also, Rachel’s roommate is supposed to be the one thinking clearly; she tries to keep Rachel sober and wants her to go to AA meetings, get a grip on life, and so on. Still, even the supposedly reasonable character is defined by her boyfriend. When she’s not home she is with him and when he is out of town for some reason she sits at home waiting for him. And these are only the minor female characters in this novel.
Rachel, Anna, and Megan are all pathetic in their very own way. They pine about the men that leave or reject them; they doubt their life decisions and still won’t change anything in order not to upset their men. And every single thought they have is about how their decisions or actions might affect their husbands, ex-husbands, boyfriends, or lovers.

I know I’m ranting a bit here, but this really really annoyed me. I also know what Hawkins was trying to do. She wanted to show the dark side of domestic life – just like Gone Girl did. But in my opinion she has utterly failed to do so.
...more

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Jan 12, 2015 Matthew rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, revenge, least-favorite, mystery, gr_awards_2015, 2015, own

I tried to enjoy it! I swear I did! The hype told me that I had to!

I wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. I never really cared about the story and ALL of the characters were unlikeable. Sometimes characters are unlikeable in a good way, but not this time.

At no point was I excited to be reading this.

Side note added 4/5/2017: Kinda silly how “Girl” is in so many titles lately. It has to be intentional to ride the coattails of other successful titles. I noticed on my library site that there is ...more

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Dec 23, 2014 Lisa rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: british, mysteries-and-thrillers, taming-the-tbr-2015

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 19, 2019 Teodora rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-crime, mystery-thriller, books-to-read-in-romanian, owned

4.45/5 ⭐

Full review on Blog: The Dacian She-Wolf 🐺

"I have lost control over everything, even the places in my head."

I am quite amazed by the fact that this book has been sitting on my bookshelf for like two years already and I haven’t been able to read it until, like, a couple of weeks ago. But then, I remember that I have books older than my brother, sitting and rotting on my bookshelf that have lost all kind of hope in begging me to read them, I just feel better about this ...more

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May 21, 2015 Jeffrey Keeten rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: book-to-film

”Yesterday---sensible, clearheaded, right-thinking---I decided I must accept that my part in this story was over. But my better angels lost again, defeated by drink, by the person I am when I drink. Drunk Rachel sees no consequences, she is either excessively expansive and optimistic or wrapped up in hate. She has no past, no future. She exists purely in the moment. Drunk Rachel...lies.”

There are certainly worse ways to spend your day than riding an S stock train into London.

Rachel rides the ...more

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Apr 04, 2015 emma rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1-star, non-ya, unpopular-opinion, nope, reviewed, mystery-thriller-horror-etc

this. book. suuuuuuuucks.

i can't believe it was an international sensation. i can't believe it was adapted into a movie ~~starring actual queen emily blunt~~. i can't believe it SOLD A SINGLE COPY. (i didn't buy this one. my mom did. so there.)

this is just...a straight up bad book on every level. the characters are so insanely unlikable it's cartoonish. it'd be funny if it didn't make EVERY SECOND OF THIS BOOK, EVERY PAGE, EVERY WORD, A FRESH HELL TO FIGHT THROUGH IN ORDER TO GET TO THE NEXT ONE, WH ...more

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Oct 01, 2014 Delee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, memory-loss, ebooks, own, mystery-british, i-saw-what-you-did, trains

4.5

Here we are 3 years after the release of Gone Girl- and every twisty turny page turning novel is STILL being compared. THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN is no exception...but that was not what caught my attention. What persuaded me??? Train...Witness to murder...Hitchcock...Rear Window. Those words will get me almost every time...

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photo 5a2779ed-9602-4977-8e68-e473f47e48fe_zpsqf7hxzdo.jpg

Rachel is depressed, angry, and bitter. Gin and tonic- is her drink of choice- Wine comes in at a close second. Every day she takes the slow train from Asbury to Euston...and ev ...more

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Oct 03, 2016 Jaidee rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: under-two-stars-books

Half a "what the hell happened ?" star !!

2016 Worst Read of the Year

Original Review written October 3, 2016

Update : October 25, 2016 (mini review of the film !!)

A couple of days ago 4 single girls (well women in their forties and fifties), my bf (convinced him to join us and he agreed if I took him to Denny's afterwards) and myself went to see this film. This is the main reason I read the book as we had planned this outing for months and then I read the book just before the film came out.

As yo ...more

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Aug 29, 2015 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british, 20th-century, literature, fiction, mystery

The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train (2015) is a psychological thriller novel by British author Paula Hawkins.

The story is a first-person narrative told from the point of view of three women: Rachel, Anna, and Megan.

Rachel Watson is a 33-year-old alcoholic, reeling from the end of her marriage to Tom, who left her for another woman, Anna Boyd. Rachel's drinking has caused her to lose her job; she frequently binges and has blackouts.

While drunk, she often harasses Tom, tho ...more

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Jan 12, 2015 Alejandro rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, romance, drama

All aboard!!!

TRUST NO ONE

I have lost control over everything, even the places in my head.

What? “Trust No One”? Why is that sign on the railroad of this review? Is this a “The X-Files” story? Oh, no, but certainly the motto of that iconic TV series is a good advice to anyone who dares to aboard this train of thought in this very particular journey to the minds of three women that you may think that they are quite different, but...

...maybe not...

...or maybe they do...

...mmh...

...rememb ...more

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Feb 02, 2015 Joanne Harris rated it liked it · review of another edition

This was a perfectly decent, well-crafted thriller, which I happened not to like very much, for reasons that have little to do with its craft or its quality. This sometimes happens, and it doesn't mean that others won't enjoy it. The plot is fast-moving and with some real surprises. The portrayal of alcoholism is great (although I would have liked it to go further into the more visceral details, rather than skimming the surface of the theme).
However (and yes, I know it's trivial, but) the title ...more

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Jan 17, 2015 reading is my hustle rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: setting-uk, thriller-marriage-family

This is the perfect weekend read. I settled into the story and spent most of Sunday (a dark and stormy afternoon) reading away.

Murder.
Public Drunkenness.
Infidelity.
Unreliable Narrators.

Treat Yo Self.

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Oct 31, 2016 Emma Giordano rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book was INTOXICATING. I loved every single second of it. While I had gone into this story thinking it was going to be packed with suspenseful scenes, the mystery was really in the storytelling. It was unexpected but executed SOOOO well. A+ use of an unreliable narrator that propelled the story way beyond what I had originally anticipated. Not only was it extremely thrilling and kept me intrigued the entire time, but I seriously appreciated how accurate the representation of alcoholism was. ...more

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Apr 28, 2015 Kai rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

“I have lost control over everything, even the places in my head.”

The Girl on the Train captivated me from the first to the last page. Everybody was so messed up: the alcoholic main character, the promiscous victim, the desperate houswive. And don't even get me started on their husbands.
The unreliable narrator made this book so spectacularly intruiging. Everybody could've done it. Everybody had a motive. None of them an alibi. I figured it out at some point, but kept telling myself that the auth ...more

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Jan 28, 2017 Federico DN rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: almost-fav

Sometimes people aren't bad, sometimes they just simply make an infinity of bad decisions.

In this novel we learn the story of Rachel Watson, a young englishwoman, divorced and part time alcoholic. Everyday she travels by train, enjoying its harmonic pace, its unhurried sounds and the everyday regular people that she already feels she knows, but, above everything, she loves to watch the house number fifteen on Blenheim street, where lives her imaginary perfect couple, Jess and Jason.

Until one day Sometimes people aren't bad, sometimes they just simply make an infinity of bad decisions.

In this novel we learn the story of Rachel Watson, a young englishwoman, divorced and part time alcoholic. Everyday she travels by train, enjoying its harmonic pace, its unhurried sounds and the everyday regular people that she already feels she knows, but, above everything, she loves to watch the house number fifteen on Blenheim street, where lives her imaginary perfect couple, Jess and Jason.

Until one day her dreamy beautiful couple, for reasons we are not going to spoil, ceases to be. Something happens and nothing will ever be the same. Something happens and her already problematic life will change forever; her future, and the past she once thought she knew.

Starts somewhat slow but in short time becomes very gripping, and as the story progresses, it becomes even grippier still, maintaining that spectacular atmosphere from beginning to end. A certified good thriller. Hardly difficult to disappoint.

**** The movie is a faithful adaptation of the book. Emily Blunt delivers a remarkable performance, really worthy of recognition. However, due to several shortcomings, the movie is quite far to being as gripping or captivating as the book. A bad guy you can see coming from the very beginning, and several important omissions. Still, interestingly enough to complement the reading.

Until next time,

-----------------------------------------------

A veces la gente no es mala, a veces sólo simplemente toma una infinidad de malas decisiones.

En esta novela conocemos la historia de Rachel Watson, una joven inglesa, divorciada y alcohólica part time. Todos los días viaja en tren, disfrutando de su armónico andar, su parsimonioso sonido y la gente habitué que de tanto ver ya cree conocer; pero, por sobre todas las cosas, ama ver la casa número quince de la calle Blenheim, donde habita su imaginada pareja perfecta, Jess y Jason.

Hasta que un día su soñada maravillosa pareja, por razones que no queremos spoilear, deja de serlo. Algo sucede y nada volverá a ser igual. Algo sucede y su ya problemática vida cambiará para siempre, tanto su futuro, como el pasado que una vez creía conocer.

Empieza algo lento pero en poco tiempo se vuelve muy atrapante, y mientras más avanza más cautivante aún, manteniendo ese espectacular clima desde el principio hasta el final. Un buen thriller asegurado. Recomendable. Dificilmente capaz de decepcionar.

**** La película es una adaptación fiel a la obra. Emily Blunt hace un papel destacado, realmente digno de reconocimiento. Sin embargo, por algunas falencias la película está bastante lejos de ser tan atrapante y cautivante como el libro. Un malo que se ve llegar desde el principio y ciertas omisiones importantes. Aunque igualmente lo suficientemente interesante como para complementar la lectura.

Hasta la próxima, ...more

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Jun 02, 2019 Luffy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star

Why is this book tagged with such a low average score? I'm exhausted (in a good way) after reading The Girl on the Train. I can imagine the latter being a sensation upon publishing.

Rachel is the girl on the train. She is the key to everything that happens in the book, but she's an unreliable witness. Or is she? This book blew my mind. I just finished reading it.

Looked at from a distance, it has a slightly ridiculous tinge to it. It's larger than life. But it's good storytelling. Damn good. I wis ...more

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Mar 02, 2015 Debbie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: debuts, quirky, addiction, crime-and-or-madness, mystery, couple-love-and-hate

Seems like this train took everyone to Gushland, but I got waylaid in Mediocre-ville. Comparing this book to Hitchcock is just laughable. Okay, okay, it does start out with intrigue, as the girl, Rachel, sits on the train day after day, and obsessively peeks at a house where she can see a man and a woman moving around. She gives them names and imagines a perfect life and perfect marriage for them. This voyeurism is pretty cool. A great beginning.

But I wish Rachel had stayed on the train. In fac Seems like this train took everyone to Gushland, but I got waylaid in Mediocre-ville. Comparing this book to Hitchcock is just laughable. Okay, okay, it does start out with intrigue, as the girl, Rachel, sits on the train day after day, and obsessively peeks at a house where she can see a man and a woman moving around. She gives them names and imagines a perfect life and perfect marriage for them. This voyeurism is pretty cool. A great beginning.

But I wish Rachel had stayed on the train. In fact, I wish the train had been the setting for the whole book and that the plot had turned into something twisty about mysterious commuters. Instead (and in my mind, tragically), Rachel gets off the train. And then the story is all about Rachel getting drunk, Rachel calling her ex while drunk, Rachel trying to remember things that happened while drunk, Rachel pissing off her roommate while drunk, and Rachel being ashamed about being drunk. And around and around. Yes, this gets really boring. We spend a lot of time inside Rachel’s head, and though this works in many books, it’s tedious here.

I will say that despite this, the first-person voice drew me in. Most of the book is Rachel’s voice, though two other women sometimes tell their stories. All three voices are articulate and make you feel all chummy with the narrator. The language has a good flow to it, and the book is easy to read and has a really nice tone.

On the flip side, all three women speak in the exact same way; their voices are interchangeable. This makes them seem less like real characters; I become aware that there is just one person and that’s the author. Not being able to create different personalities with their own voices is a common weakness in authors, especially new ones, but that doesn’t make it less annoying. It seems amateurish.

The plot is about a woman who goes missing. Rachel the drunken mess is a busybody who sticks her nose in and tries to find out what happened. The cast of characters includes her ex, his new wife, a therapist, and the fantasy couple Rachel saw from the train. The characters are well drawn but their behaviors don’t tell us enough to let us figure out whodunit. There just aren’t enough clues, which is always a letdown. I want to guess, and I want to have a chance of getting it right. The mystery is suddenly solved at the very end--all the suspense is saved up for those final 70 or so pages. The reveal is satisfying, and for me is a surprise, but the read is definitely uneven. The final scenes are well-written and action-packed, but the majority of the book is sort of slow and repetitive.

Oh, and not only was the book not like Hitchcock, it most definitely was not like Gone Girl, a truly spectacular psychological thriller. Once again, I’m left thinking, huh? Are you kidding me? How come I missed the train to Gushland? Rachel should have stayed on the damn train and I might have ended up in the same town as everyone else. Instead, as I said, Mediocre-ville for me.
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Aug 14, 2015 jessica rated it liked it · review of another edition

in all honesty, i only read this because i felt like i could not stop seeing this everywhere. so. many. people. were reading this. on the tube, in the park, at the bookshop. i couldnt escape seeing this book.

and after all the hype it got (which was an impossibly surprising amount for only a debut novel), i honestly was very let down. i couldnt stand rachel (or any other character, actually) and therefore, i found myself not invested in the story. i finished it just because i needed to know ‘whod ...more

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Jan 31, 2015 Karin Slaughter rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Good thriller, but no Gone Girl. Everyone wants to be the next Gillian Flynn, but Gillian Flynn isn't finished being Gillian Flynn. ...more

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Thriller Sub genres	1	17	Jan 26, 2021 05:46PM
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About Paula Hawkins

Paula Hawkins

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Paula Hawkins is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Girl on the Train, which was made into a major motion picture. Her new novel of psychological suspense, Into The Water, is coming May 2.

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“Hollowness: that I understand. I'm starting to believe that there isn't anything you can do to fix it. That's what I've taken from the therapy sessions: the holes in your life are permanent. You have to grow around them, like tree roots around concrete; you mold yourself through the gaps” — 801 likes

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