By Paula Hawkins

The Short Take:

This mystery thriller builds slowly but is worth sticking with.  Told from the viewpoint of three different women, you need to pay attention to who is talking and the timeline. But, again, it’s worth it.

Why?

I’ll admit the characters in this book are not highly likable. The main protagonist is an alcoholic still fixated on the husband who left her two years earlier. The secondary protagonist is… well, we won’t go into that now.

In fact, all three of these women made me a little squirmy. But life is messy and so are people. Especially those with secrets, problems, and feelings of worthlessness.  Hawkins has taken that messiness and created a taut, tense mystery that will keep you turning pages. And, isn’t that what you want?

A Little Plot:

Rachel’s train commute to work has a stop near her old home, where her ex now lives with his new wife and child. Just a few doors down are a couple she calls “Jess” and “Jason.” Watching their interactions in their back yard, she sees everything she lacks — love, commitment, a life.

She is shocked one day to see “Jess” kiss someone else. The next day, “Jess” is reported missing. Rachel tells her story to the police, but because she is an alcoholic, she is the epitome of an unreliable witness.

However, Rachel simply can not leave this case alone.

For more about Paula Hawkins and this book, click here.