Jump on the Train!

Believe the hype: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is a tensely taut thriller that delivers from start to finish and is well worth a read before going to see the just-released film of the same name, starring Emily Blunt.

Half the fun of this best-selling novel comes in guessing whodunit, which, I’ll admit, I did far from the end. Then, the other half comes in seeing if you got it right!

In a sentence, The Girl on the Train tells the story of a depressed, unemployed, British divorcee, prone to alcoholic blackouts, who becomes involved in a missing persons case after witnessing something out the window of a moving train. But with her past history and questionable motivations, just how dependable a witness can she be?

It’s also a topical tale, given the controversy these days swirling around Ched Evans, the Welsh soccer star whose rape conviction was just overturned in the UK, and the earlier Brock Turner sexual assault case, both of which also hinge in part on the reliability of tipsy testimony.

If you’re looking for a polished page-turner with a plausible plot, jump on this train!