The Girl on the Train

A Novel

By: Paula Hawkins

Narrated by: Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey, India Fisher

Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

The New York Times best seller and USA Today Book of the Year, soon to be a major motion picture starring Emily Blunt.

The debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives.

Every day the same

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She's even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

Until today

And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough. Now everything's changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

©2016 Paula Hawkins (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"The Girl on the Train has more fun with unreliable narration than any chiller since Gone Girl.... The Girl on the Train is liable to draw a large, bedazzled readership too.... The Girl on the Train is full of back-stabbing, none of it literal." (Janet Maslin, The New York Times)

"The Girl on the Train marries movie noir with novelistic trickery...hang on tight. You'll be surprised by what horrors lurk around the bend." (USA Today)

"Like its train, the story blasts through the stagnation of these lives in suburban London and the reader cannot help but turn pages.... The welcome echoes of Rear Window throughout the story and its propulsive narrative make The Girl on the Train an absorbing read." (The Boston Globe)

Thrilling!

The performance is great. It helps to have 3 different voices while listening to this book.

Solid for the majority.

First 3/4 were wonderfully done and kept me constantly guessing and interested. Last 1/4 it seemed almost too obvious and after a certain revelation it lost that spark and became like a game of clue.

The Anna narrator made it hard to listen to at those parts, but they did not come often.

Started slow then kept getting better

I did not like most of the people in this book but I did like Rachel. This was quite far fetched but I enjoyed it more and more. It is worth the credit. The tension builds to a good conclusion.

A good storyline

Good audiobook but I listened to better. It as long chapters and repetitive events - b

Great book! I recommend it!

I loved it. I was hooked on it. couldn't stop listening to it. strongly recommend it.

WOW

Any additional comments?

WOW. Believe the hype! If you like intense, involved reads/listens you will not be disappointed. In my experience the "now a major motion picture" books never live up to my expectations, they are always somewhat predictable, pedestrian but this book is not of that sort. I listened start to finish in 24 hours. I haven't been so swept away by a book in a long time and I don't think I have ever been more emotional about a group of characters and the narration seems purposeful in pursuing these reactions. How could you not instantly empathise or at least sympathise with Rachel? How could you not find her relatable or at least lovably honest and real? How could your heart not break for her when others tell her exactly how worthless she is? When she described her ex's baby announcement I felt her pain as if it was my own and felt tears welling up in my eyes. I have always found compassion for addicts/alcoholics difficult but Rachel has totally shifted my perspective. The narration for Anna was also outstanding unabashedly selfish, perfectly smug and cold, unfeeling and utterly condescending your worst nightmare of "the other woman", outraging . Megan's narration was similarly telling I felt an instant distaste for her cloying, simpering and overly feminine way of speaking. The damsel in distress, the classic histrionic you know you should just feel bad for but find it difficult because she's just so damn self involved, yet there is a sadness about her a used up quality you feel deeply. She is tragic but then again she seems to relish in it. I really did not predict the ending although I had suspicions from the beginning about who would be involved I didn't predict HOW it would all end. This book is riveting, but depressing be prepared.

such good suspense, held throughout the book

loved listening to this book! it really kept my attention, always wanting to hear more!

Not a fan of this writing style

I read the book before seeing the movie. The way in which the characters are written is annoying. Very repetitive. Was not able to relate emotionally to any of these characters. Had the book not been read to be I would have given up on it quarter way through. I don't give up on books. If they adapt of of her novels to a movie again, I am skipping the book. The movie was better, too.

Amazing

Such a fantastic, well written book. It was structured so well, so the pieces just fell into place. I'm excited for the movie now!

not what I was expecting

narators were good, liked the fact that one was used for each woman. I had to listen till the end, so suspense was excellent.