Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is a page-flipping psychological thriller that involves a classic mystery and its unstable protagonist, Rachel, a lonely and distressed woman who obsesses over the perfect couple she sees from the train each morning. When the woman she has been observing disappears, Rachel, who seems like a mere outsider, becomes deeply entangled and becomes the key to unraveling the truth. Told from the contrasting perspectives of three characters whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways, the story’s multiple points keep the readers guessing who the real killer is and whether Rachel or any of the other characters are reliable. Reading the novel itself is like its own crazy train ride, and Hawkins never fails to deliver, letting the train run rampant on the tracks, until it flies off with a bang at the end.
Opening Line: “There’s a pile of clothing on the side of the train tracks.”
Favorite Line: “She’s not looking at me, but over my shoulder, and as I turn sound to follow her gaze, I see him at the kitchen window, watching us.” (283)
Why I Like it: This line seems innocent, but it has so much meaning behind it.
Read If You Like: Gone Girl, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, And Then There Were None