Today’s book recommendation/review is “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins. This psychological thriller is about Rachel, a divorced alcoholic that takes the same commuter train every morning and night.
Every day she rattles down the track watching flashes of the same cozy suburban homes as she commiserates on her own lonely life. On her commute she stops at a signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple eating breakfast on their deck. Their life – as she sees it -is perfect. Jess and Jason, she calls them. This couple is like her lifeline, and she starts to feel like she knows them. That is until she sees something shocking.
It’s only a minute until the train moves on but it’s enough to change everything. Her moral conscience eating away at her, Rachel goes to the police but is her alcohol addled brain reliable? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Can she trust her memory to guide her to the truth or is she so far gone she will go down and take everyone with her?
This book was like a mystery thriller book on steroids! I loved the pacing of the story and the answers revealed bit by bit. Rachel is an unreliable narrator and as the reader, you can get frustrated with her because of her alcohol addiction and inability to decipher what is real from her foggy memories and what is just her mind playing tricks on her. Throw in an ex-husband that she is still in love with, who is secretly trying to help her while hiding it from his current pregnant wife and you have a formula for a hot mess express thriller of a story!
I flew through this book. The characters, plot, story, and world are all so realistic and vibrant. I was almost expecting to see this on the news! I couldn’t put the book down and was sad when the story ended. It was one of those books that imprints on your mind forever.
Have you read this book? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time! Happy Reading!