Book Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Title: The Girl on the Train
Author: Paula Hawkins
Copy Obtained: Bought

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. 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.

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 offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

So this one is going to be hard to review for one simple reason - I'm afraid I'll give something away!! 

The short review would be:

Love it! Read it!

But I suppose you want more than that.  

Do you like: Mysteries - unreliable narrators - watching clues appear and unravel - saying "I knew it!"?  Then read this book.  I love mysteries.  I think I love them because I know they are something I could never write.  I can't fathom how someone can line of the story so precisely so that it pulls you in, makes you question and then unravels it bit by bit until it all falls together.  It just amazes me.  And this book does it so well! 

The character: The main character is Rachel.  I liked her but yet I didn't.  I got why she felt the way she did - divorced - depressed.  But at points I was like "girl grow up!".  What I really liked is that she was written in a way that I never knew how much of what she said I could trust.  Did she really see what she thought or was she reading into it?  Did that really happen?  This started right at the start of the story for me and continued all the way.  It helped keep my curious and intrigued.

I won't say much more other than over and over I thought I had it figured out only to be wrong.  I had to  keep reading because I had to know! Even my husband noticed saying "This book really has you doesn't it.  You aren't putting it down."  Actually that should've been my whole review, because if he noticed that says something!

Last thought:  For my first "adult" novel in a long time it was a winner.