check in | chapters 7 - 14

[Lala, owner]

Don't read / post in this topic until you've reached the end of chapter 14 / page 200 AKA the end of part 4.

Thoughts so far?
No spoilers for later in the book please!

[Desert]

wow! this is getting super creepy. this book definitely starts off slow and I thought about dnf ing it but decided to keep going and boy am i glad I did. I am seeing red flags everywhere!! what are you thinking Lisa?! Matt is obviously a psychopath. I'm sorry but if a boyfriend of mine ever asked me if I had ever thought what it would be like to have sex with a corpse.....I would have ran screaming!!!

[✨ Syd ✨]

As the chapters progressed the speed really picked up. I couldn't stop listening after it began explaining Lisa and her life. So creepy on audiobook too because you can just feel and see what Lisa is feeling and watching.

[Lorel]

I’m starting to get a little more intrigued. Matty is a horrible human being, I know Lisa loves him but if I were her I would get out of there. He’s mentally and starting the be physically abusive, he has jealousy issues and is way too controlling. I wish this book was more creepy though... hopefully we get to a point where I understand why this is labeled as a horror book.

[Alice4170]

“Maybe I am a bad person” he replied
.......
Liiiiikkkeeee

[Candice ♡]

okay so this book has been super boring. When they started into Lisa's background it picked up slightly but it's still to slow for me. I will finish this since I only have 10 chapters left I hope it picks up a lot more.

Matty is super creepy and Lisa is completely blind to it. there are a lot of red flags with him and she keeps ignoring them.

[Kristen]

I’m really glad the story is picking up. I’m finding Lisa’s story really interesting now. The whole dead corpse thing really weirded me out. If a guy grabs my face and tells me he knows how to disable me I’m running. I’m also really intrigued to see what’s going on with the grey shape thing in the car park.

[Cynthia]

Am I the only one who’s hating this book? 😅

[Kailey]

Honestly not loving it so far either.

Also theres way to many sex scenes in my opinion. I'm not against reading about sex but it's like every couple of pages. They have a lot of sex we get it!

[Erin]

Unfortunately I'm liking this less and less. I'm finding Lisa really annoying, and it's hard for me to relate to her. She doesn't seem to be picking up on Matty's extremely unsubtle creepyness/personality disorder. It's starting to drive me a little crazy.

Also something about the writing is rubbing me the wrong way, but I'm not sure how to explain it. It was working fine for me in the beginning, but now that Lisa is recounting the events leading up to her death, not so much.

I really hope I like this more going forward.

[Rochelle]

I'm actually liking this quite a bit more than The Other People. Admittedly, I found the first 20% or so boring, until it switched to Lisa recalling memories from her life.

The content with Matty is upsetting, especially since we all know how this story ends (in Lisa's death, one way or another). But I do find it compelling in how, time and again, Lisa is able to rationalize her boyfriend's behavior. How he twists her words to make it seem like she is being the unreasonable one. It's very sad, but I think a lot of it is true to real situations of domestic abuse.

[Bilbo]

I’m DNFing at Chapter 10. I’m so bored and I have so many other, exciting books I want to read in March. On the plus side, this frees me up to read The Other People now, because the wait list at the library was too long for me to get it in February.

[Christien]

I had somewhat guessed that Matty was not going to be a good guy. Not sure how, but I had an inkling. I could be wrong but it seems to be going that way.

The book is getting a bit better. I’m enjoying seeing Lisa’s past as she is remembering it. Hopefully
It keeps going and gets even better, but looking at some comments, I guess I will be weary of it not being so

[Samuel]

I thought this part was good. its extremely accurate when it comes to emotional abuse, gaslighting, you stay because you question yourself and you dont see the red flags. it's interesting. it's easy to say she should see it and shes just ignoring him but this is pretty much how it goes

[Elliot]

This portion of the book is just really boring to me. I knew Matty wasn't a good guy right at the beginning when he said the thing about cats being possessive; It might come down to the fact that I've never been in Lisa's position. It's a great commentary on missing the red flags and rationalizing people's behaviour because you want to believe they're a good person, but Matty is just very Mr Christian Gray to me. He's a typical manipulator in a story like this and I hope that there's some sort of twist soon.

[Christine]

Cynthia wrote: "Am I the only one who’s hating this book? 😅"

I feel the same

[RennyWest]

This book seems to me like a mix of a mystery novel (two deaths at the same place - are they connected?), romance/drama (a dead woman recalls her relationship with a psychopath), paranomal romance (she's loves him, but she's dead) and commentary on societhy (only when you're dead you'll understand how shallow our lives actually are - the weakest parts of the book imo) - all of this mixed together, but not very well mixed.
The only reason I think chapters 11-14 are better is because at least they are consistent - only Lisa's story, not jumping from suspenseful scene where a guy almost comits suicide to wondering if it's necessary to have that many flavours of ice cream.

Anyway, thoughts: this Matty really raises so many red flags. Do you think that when she was waiting for him and had a chat with her ex, Matty lied about comming late, because he was already there and was secretly watching her? How else he would know that she talked with someone? Not to mention knew she was laughing.

Also - I wonder what her "condition" is. It seems to affect her memory, she's worried about any head injury because of her "medical history", it seams she'll collapse at some restaurant/bar at some point and also will be/was in hospital.

One last this - does anyone else think that the unusual way she got to the platform (climbing a fence instead of just walking there like any passanger would) meant she was running away from something/someone (aka Matty)? Maybe something happened between the two at the car parking place (or what that place she's so affraid is) that send her running towads the station and under the train. Maybe she killed him and he's that evil thing that scares her.

p.s. the "R" key on my keyboard isn't working properly, so please forgive me if the letter is missing here or there. Thank you.

[Rebecca]

Ok so I really didn’t like the first section of this book but I’m persevering. I’ve “enjoyed” the second section of this book. I liked the creepy vibes and learning about their relationship. However, I’m still in a perpetual state of boredom. I don’t know if it’s the writing style or just that this book isn’t going to be for me but I’m really struggling!

[Catherine]

"There are some events that form a curve in the road but one so gentle it is only later that you think, yes, how could I not have realised it was at that point that the road started to arc, that I was at the beginning of a long slow bend that would take me in a completely different direction?"


Oh, Lisa. Oh, honey. I've also had the misfortune of having to look back on a relationship and seeing where the abuse started. This is hitting very close to home for me and I'm becoming more and more interested (but also terrified) in seeing where this goes.

[Stavroula]

Are we sure this is a thriller? So far I'm very bored.

[Holly]

Anyone else hating this? Taking all my willpower not to dnf

[Kim]

First off, RennyWest had excellent comment about Lisa possibly running from something or someone? I hadn’t even thought of that

For me this section is MUCH better and not horrific but it is absolutely not a thriller or horror to me. I don’t have a hugely high threshold to meet the criteria but this definitely is not it.

I’m kind of tired of Lisa and Marty, though I want to see when she will (or if) she gets wise to him. Thankfully I’ve never been in an abusive relationship but know, unfortunately a few who have and so I know her behavior is not unique. But it’s so Frustrating!

[Anna]

Somehow, listening to the audiobook of this just makes it 10x creepier lol. I am really glad I continued reading it because I am really intrigued now!

[Yasmine]

A definite change in speed compared to the first part but I still believe I would’ve DNF’ed this book if not for the book club. There are so many red flags through Lisa’s back story with Matty and I’m still trying to figure out why this character wasn’t written to have even just the tiniest bit of recognition to what’s happening. I’m looking forward to the ending chapters and hopefully seeing Lockhart bring what actually happened to light.

[Lucie]

So I was seriously considering DNFing this when She was still stuck in the train station but I’m more interested in it now. However I find it a bit weird how the section of her recounting her relationship with Matty has been so long so far? I feel like I’m reading a completely different book, the pacing and characterisation of Lisa is in complete contrast to the start of the book.

Matty’s behaviour makes for very uncomfortable reading!

[Emilia]

Okay but like? What is up with all the sex scenes? Like I’m all for reading about sex when it gives value to the story but like I don’t need to know how mattys dick moves inside of her.
Might actually dnf it because I can’t stand it, if I wanted to read porn I would pick up porn

[Kelsey]

This section was better, but I'm now feeling more meh about this book. /shrug.

[Annamae]

This is a slow burn read even as I am listening to it. I am already a bit shocked at the little things Lisa and others in her life are not picking up on about Matthew"s mannerisms and behavior. Everyone loves him that is the pattern that is becoming the psychological aspect of this ghost thriller

[Roaa]

i have one thought: EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWw

[Noelle]

I enjoyed this section more than the previous section, I think it's because I'm more into the domestic thriller/mystery potential than the ghost story, which sucks because that could so interesting.

I have a theory about where this book goes and I'm not looking forward to it.

[Shey]

I feel like I’m reading a totally different book than what I signed up for in the beginning. Brandon Sanderson describes it as “making promises” to your reader in the beginning of your story and then by not fulfilling those promises the reader becomes unsatisfied. That’s how I feel at the moment. I don’t hate the direction of the story now, but it’s not what I signed up for. I’m going to keep reading but I hope the two story lines start making sense soon.

[Julissa]

I'm feeling a little cheated right now. Like some some folks here, I feel this part is a completely different book than what we started with. I hope this somehow links together.
But otherwise, this section was better. Very uncomfortable, but better. However, I think it is way too convenient that she suddenly recalls her past when she couldn't even remember her name at the start of the book or leave the station. It would have been better if she was just reluctant to recall because it was traumatic.

[Katie]

DNFing at chapter 8. I simply cannot do it anymore.

[Elizabeth]

As many others have said, I also feel like I'm reading a different book now than I was in the first section. The pacing is different, the tone, everything. Plus I am also confused how, after 2 years of being stuck at the train station (I think that's how long it was), unable to leave, now she gets a crush on a guy and all of a sudden she can go anywhere and remember everything about her life before she died?? That's really convenient and the reasoning for why things are happening just isn't there for me. Her relationship with Matt has definitely captured my attention more and I am intrigued to keep reading to see what happens, as uncomfortable/scary as he is. It seems we are being led to think he will be the cause of her death, so maybe that's too obvious?

[Amanda]

I’m enjoying this second part more than the first bit. Seems like the book is definitely getting more interesting. Wondering if this Matty has anything to do with her death. He is a freak!! To me, every time he puts his hands on her I’m expecting him to choke or hit her.

I’m not impressed with Lisa, she seems like a weak character. Letting him go through her phone and be jealous... she can’t say anything because he laid it down in the beginning about a clingy ex yet it’s alright for him to behave badly. She needs to stick up for herself and kick him out!!

I am wondering how their relationship falls apart finally. I just hope that she doesn’t kill herself because they broke up or something cause he’s not worth it.

[Vickey]

Can we go back to being stuck at the train station? Sure it was boring but at least it had the potential to be unique. This is turning into yet another story about an abused woman. I'm listening to the audiobook so I'll continue, but if she starts drinking I'm out.

[Charlene]

I know what I have read, but I am struggling to understand what this book is about.... are we working toward a climax? I knew Matty was abusive going into these chapters, so it was really just rehashing a relationship we already knew was going to happen. It is very textbook abusive relationship too, almost like following some sort of script. I will finish the book, just not enjoying.

[Alaina]

Yep, I knew Matty was bad news. And Lisa justifying his behavior is killing me, but unfortunately that is a reality sometimes.

I know I'm in the minority, but I liked the first section better. I thought it was unique and atmospheric. I'm not sure where the book is trying to go at this point, and I feel like the pacing is still pretty slow so I'm starting to lose some steam. Also this section felt longer than it needed to be.

That's not to say I'm not enjoying it though! The book is getting creepier as Lisa tells us about this abusive relationship and I'm interested in seeing how this whole thing ties up

[Megan]

I'm flitting between the audiobook and a physical copy - I think without the audiobook I would be finding this a bit of a slog, too! As a few have said, its 10x creepier when you're listening to it, although admittedly it's still quite slow.

I'm finding Lisa's account of the relationship very engaging, but I can't help but wonder how this will all connect. Caleb/Andrew, the guy from the first chapter, the car park figure - there seems to be nothing linking these stories yet. I usually love trying to connect the dots when I'm reading a thriller, but there's just nothing to go on at all! I think this will really come down to the final few chapters.

[Miss Nikki]

Honestly thank GOD this book picked up a bit. I’ve enjoyed reading about Lisa’s past although I’m still so curious as to what her “medical condition” is!! Can’t wait to find out some of these things. And I definitely think Matty is bad news!!!

[Line]

@RennyWest
i really like your thoughts and what you are assuming about what's going to happen, because I actually thought the same

[Line]

So after 15 days of not reading a single page of Platform Seven, I picked it up and finished this part.

I wasn't shocked to see that Matty is an abusive boyfriend as she said something along the lines of "when I haven't met him, it wouldn't have ended like this" or something in the first part.
I think it's rather sad to read about it, because many people suffer from an abusive partner and end their life to get out of it, because they struggle to find another way out.

I'm quite interested to see how the things with the other ghosts roaming around the car place, the thing with Andrew & the workers at the Peterborough railway station are going to unfold.

[Line]

So after 15 days of not reading a single page of Platform Seven, I picked it up and finished this part.

I wasn't shocked to see that Matty is an abusive boyfriend as she said something along the lines of "when I haven't met him, it wouldn't have ended like this" or something in the first part.
I think it's rather sad to read about it, because many people suffer from an abusive partner and end their life to get out of it, because they struggle to find another way out.

I'm quite interested to see how the things with the other ghosts roaming around the car place, the thing with Andrew & the workers at the Peterborough railway station are going to unfold.

[Abbey]

Wow Matty is a major creep, I think everyone probably knew he was bad new from the start but just wow worse than I thought. It’s hard reading that Lisa keeps brushing things off and making excuses about his behaviour but that is pretty typical in abusive relationships. I’m guessing that either she was running from Matty and accidentally got killed by a train or Matty killed her that way to it seem like suicide. Hopefully PC Lockhart finds out the truth.

[Rina]

Some serious stuff starts happening now. This book has just changed from atmospheric ghost story to domestic thriller.

And although the slow pace didn’t bother me too much in the first 6 chapters, now it starts getting to me. I still don’t understand how all the characters fit in, and maybe I’m not meant to at this point, but I would’ve loved to be given some foreshadowing. Or maybe it does and I haven’t realised it yet?

I find Marty chapters to be boring, because we know he’s a bad person already, so it’s not that fun to wait till Lisa catches up and sees it. I want to see what happens next.

[Cora]

I decided to DNF this at chapter 10. I'm just not interested in reading further on when there are other books I could be reading. I don't care about any of the characters involved and the story is just not gripping me.

[Rosie Rumsey]

I see a few people in the camp of enjoying the first part more with the atmospheric ghost story better and Im in that camp.

In this chunk with the abusive relationship starting I kinda just want to get to the point.

[Claudia]

Ok this was not really the way I thought the book was going. This chapter talked a lot about Lisa's sexual relationship to her boyfriend which is actually a very abusive relationship and she hasn't really come to terms with it.

I really had to skip even more, because personally it is really hard to see how she keeps on talking him up and not actually sees how bad his behaviours are. But I guess it's always easier to see from the outside then being on the inside.

This book has so many stereotypical female male behaviourism, which makes me cringe a lot.

Also, don't you know that you have to go to a hospital to check for a concussion, especially after car accident? They can be very serious. Why aren't they, she and her mother, not going because Matty is a doctor? So strange.

I really want to dnf this book but I'm just going to skip and skim to the end for tomorrow's live show. So far definitely a 1 or 2 Star book only.

[Claudia]

RennyWest wrote: "This book seems to me like a mix of a mystery novel (two deaths at the same place - are they connected?), romance/drama (a dead woman recalls her relationship with a psychopath), paranomal romance ..."

Very interesting thoughts. Thank you for that.
Do you think Matty is actually a real doctor?

Well I will keep reading or better skimming through.

[Kassi]

I honestly don't know which section was better, I haven't loved or hated either. The pacing definitely picked up in this bit, but it's just so cringy to read about this relationship. I'm glad it picked up when I did though, I couldn't have taken more grocery store scenes. Yes, carrots are orange.