Hey there! We have a guest review today from one of my favorite people in the world. Let me introduce you to Ken Torres. Show him some love and hopefully he’ll keep writing reviews. — TQ
***************************
Ken is an old soul trapped in a young adult body. He pretty much gives any book recommended to him a chance. He reads YA, psychological thrillers, fantasy, and M/M romance, but recently autobiographies have become his go-to (who is he to turn down a free masterclass). Like any typical fanboy he obsesses over anything and everything.
***************************
By Ken T.
4.5 out of 5 stars ★★★★☆
Riverhead Books
Mystery/Suspense
Synopsis:
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?
As an avid transit taker, I know how effortless it is to peek into someone’s car as they drive by or focus on the person waiting to cross the street before the light turns green, but in Rachel’s circumstance things were much darker…
Rachel’s life is far from perfect, an alcoholic whose poison of choice is usually gin and tonic (4 rounds later I could see why she likes G&T so much… All in the name of research, of course ), unemployed and a recent divorcee; Rachel shows us how deep ones depression could derail our life. Don’t get me wrong, if my husband divorced me, ran off with his pregnant mistress and remarried I would be pretty devastated too.
Perfection for Rachel, comes from viewing her favorite house from the train, which in turn gives her a glimpse into the lives of her favorite couple: Jess and Jason as she calls them. Giving them the perfect life and perfect relationship, which she lacks in her own personal life. Rachel later finds out that no one’s life is perfect. When Jess – later revealed to be Megan – goes missing Rachel tries recalls fragments of memories lost in a drunken stupor that could reveal what happened the night Megan Hipwell disappeared
The story is told from Rachel, Megan (mainly flashbacks leading up to the night of her disappearance), and Anna’s – Rachel ex-husband’s new wife – point of views. With its intertwining story lines, each woman brings her own piece to the puzzle, that in the end reveal that everything is not what it seems.
Like any classic whodunnit, there were times when the ending seemed predictable, but man was I wrong! Twists and turns until the end. Overall, I enjoyed The Girl on the Train, and it became all I talked about for two days. So grab your gin and tonics and enjoy the ride because it’s definitely worth the read if you like psychological thrillers. A movie adaption is slated to come out in October and all that the trailer has done is made me relive my excitement (and remind me that I liked Kanye once upon a time. Seriously 808s & Heartbreak is a good album).
