Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and evening, rattling over the same junctions, flashing past the same townhouses.The train stops at the same signal every day, and she sees the same couple, breakfasting on their roof terrace. Jason and Jess, as she calls them, seem so happy. Then one day Rachel sees someone new in their garden. Soon after, Rachel sees the woman she calls Jess on the news. Jess has disappeared.
Through the ensuing police investigation, Rachel is drawn deeper into the lives of the couple she learns are really Megan and Scott Hipwell. As she befriends Scott, Rachel pieces together what really happened the day Megan disappeared. But when Megan’s body is found, Rachel finds herself the chief suspect in the case. Plunged into a world of betrayals, secrets and deceptions, Rachel must confront the facts about her own past and her own failed marriage.
A sinister and twisting story that will keep you guessing at every turn, The Girl on the Train is a high-speed chase for the truth.
I’m always a bit skeptical of books that are overly hyped. It’s not that I haven’t loved a lot of these wildly popular books (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy or The Help are two such cases) but there have been quite a few times that I’ve read the “it” book and I haven’t been a fan. One example, and I know I am in the minority here and most people loved this book, but I didn’t like Gone Girl. Gillian Flynn is a good writer, the story kept me reading and was obviously far from boring but by the end I just thought the story was pretty silly (although strangely enough I liked the movie…go figure).
So when I heard about The Girl on the Train and how it was supposed to be similar to Gone Girl, I wasn’t sure I should bother picking it up. My sister convinced me otherwise and I decided to give it a try. I am so happy I did, the book was amazing. I couldn’t put it down (even though I had to because of my little guy) and I finished it pretty quickly. The story moved at a swift pace, which I loved and kept you guessing. I won’t say too much about the plot but I highly recommend The Girl on the Train, especially if you’re in the mood for a thriller. Narrated mostly by an unreliable narrator, who at times is more than a little frustrating, Rachel, keeps the story interesting. This is the first (fictional) novel for Paula Hawkins and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for her second novel.
