Ever since the explosion of Gone Girl in 2012, people have been searching for the next big thing- the next wild ride that will suck them in and keep them on their toes. Gillian Flynn introduced an unreliable narrator and a story that kept you guessing until the end. Each page was exciting and nerve wracking all at the same time. Not many authors can write an original thriller that is so wildly successful. Until now.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is a Rear Window-type story. Rachel is a divorced woman living on the outskirts of London who spends each morning commuting to work on the train. She sits in the same spot and watches out the same window every single ride.
Each morning Rachel’s train makes the same stop next to a neighborhood where she just so happens to be able to see into the windows of one particular home. She watches the married couple who lives there and invents their story including giving them names (Jess and Jason) and a romantic history. This nice story continues in Rachel’s daydreams until the train stops one morning and she is witness to a scene that will shake everything she’s come to believe about them. A single embrace between “Jess” and a mystery man. The next day, “Jess” is missing.
Told from multiple viewpoints, the reader will quickly realize that Rachel is not a reliable narrator and that things may not be exactly what they seem. Unfortunately, the other narrators are not particularly reliable either. Much like Gone Girl, the story will grab you immediately with its twists, turns, and despicable choices. Fair warning, while you won’t be able to put it down, you might find your blood pressure rocketing from the stress of turning each page. The Girl on the Train is the psychological thriller you’ve been waiting for and I think you’ll find that it’s been worth the wait.
You can place a hold on the book in the Deerfield Public Library catalog (www.deerfieldlibrary.org) right now. If you have to wait, be sure to check out “You Might Also Like These…” at the bottom of the catalog page.
This review was previously published by theDeerfield Review.
