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The Wheel Spins
First published in 1936 and adapted for the screen as The Lady Vanishes by Alfred Hitchcock in 1938, Ethel Lina White's suspenseful mystery remains her best-known novel, worthy of acknowledgement as a classic of the genre in its own right.
Then the rhythm of the train changed, and she seemed to be sliding backwards down a long slope. Click-click-click-click. The wheels rattled over the rails, with a sound of castanets.
Iris Carr's holiday in the mountains of a remote corner of Europe has come to an end, and since her friends left two days before, she faces the journey home alone. Stricken by sunstroke at the station, Iris catches the express train to Trieste by the skin of her teeth and finds a companion in Miss Froy, an affable English governess. But when Iris passes out and reawakens, Miss Froy is nowhere to be found. The other passengers deny any knowledge of her existence and as the train speeds across Europe, Iris spirals deeper and deeper into a strange and dangerous conspiracy.
Then the rhythm of the train changed, and she seemed to be sliding backwards down a long slope. Click-click-click-click. The wheels rattled over the rails, with a sound of castanets.
Iris Carr's holiday in the mountains of a remote corner of Europe has come to an end, and since her friends left two days before, she faces the journey home alone. Stricken by sunstroke at the station, Iris catches the express train to Trieste by the skin of her teeth and finds a companion in Miss Froy, an affable English governess. But when Iris passes out and reawakens, Miss Froy is nowhere to be found. The other passengers deny any knowledge of her existence and as the train speeds across Europe, Iris spirals deeper and deeper into a strange and dangerous conspiracy.
- GenresMystery
272 pages, Paperback
Published October 29, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 18, 2025
The Alfred Hitchcock film “The Lady Vanishes” is based off this book.
Iris Carr is vacationing in the European mountains with a group of her friends. All very privileged and selfish, much to this dismay of other guests at the resort.
Deciding to return a day later than her London friends, she ends up on the train with the guests from the resort. Other passengers on the train are a governess by the name of Miss Froy, a Baroness, a family of four, a Professor and his young cohort, and a doctor escorting a heavily bandaged and deathly ill patient to the hospital in Trieste with the help of two nuns.
Iris accidentally befriends Miss Froy. Although she seems put off and bothered by the governess, Iris continues to keep by her side through the first part of the train ride. The mystery truly begins when Miss Froy disappears completely from the train. As Iris begins to look for her, no one believes Iris’ story.
I really did not care for Iris as a character until midway through the book. Although she still comes across as rude and snooty, you can’t help but admire her determination in finding Miss Froy when the entire train is telling her the person does not and never did exist. There is a reason both Iris and the certain passengers on the train are persistent to keep the narrative of their story as the truth.
It's a fantastic read! This coming from someone who hasn’t really care much for the mystery genre. Now I’m looking for similar books.
Iris Carr is vacationing in the European mountains with a group of her friends. All very privileged and selfish, much to this dismay of other guests at the resort.
Deciding to return a day later than her London friends, she ends up on the train with the guests from the resort. Other passengers on the train are a governess by the name of Miss Froy, a Baroness, a family of four, a Professor and his young cohort, and a doctor escorting a heavily bandaged and deathly ill patient to the hospital in Trieste with the help of two nuns.
Iris accidentally befriends Miss Froy. Although she seems put off and bothered by the governess, Iris continues to keep by her side through the first part of the train ride. The mystery truly begins when Miss Froy disappears completely from the train. As Iris begins to look for her, no one believes Iris’ story.
I really did not care for Iris as a character until midway through the book. Although she still comes across as rude and snooty, you can’t help but admire her determination in finding Miss Froy when the entire train is telling her the person does not and never did exist. There is a reason both Iris and the certain passengers on the train are persistent to keep the narrative of their story as the truth.
It's a fantastic read! This coming from someone who hasn’t really care much for the mystery genre. Now I’m looking for similar books.
January 7, 2026
Still not quite sure how I feel about this one. On the one hand, the solution to the “mystery” was pretty obvious. On the other hand, it was fairly interesting academically speaking — s one of the early detective stories and furthermore, as an example of what is, I assume, one of the very earliest stories in which you have an unreliable narrator — specifically a woman who simply by nature of being female cannot be a trusted, rational obvserver.
I can definitely see why Hitchcock wanted to adapt this story into one of his movies, and I dare say the movie is probably better than the book. Having said all that, though, it was a fairly enjoyable read and I ripped through it in just a few days.
I can definitely see why Hitchcock wanted to adapt this story into one of his movies, and I dare say the movie is probably better than the book. Having said all that, though, it was a fairly enjoyable read and I ripped through it in just a few days.
February 22, 2025
I absolutely loved this book by Ethel Lina White and aka The Lady Vanishes from Alfred Hitchcock. This book provides the same elements as the film and the characters and stories are all very well played out. I adored the protagonist and her fight to find Miss Froy and that she was not going absolutely stir crazy. For
Me this is a five star review and without a doubt one of the best crime classics out there.
Me this is a five star review and without a doubt one of the best crime classics out there.
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June 25, 2025Was a bit of a slog at the start but turned into a page turner.
The denouement was a little brief. But not too brief.
Having seen the film was slightly annoying because of spoilers but more so simply made it challenging in places to appreciate the book on its own interesting terms.
The denouement was a little brief. But not too brief.
Having seen the film was slightly annoying because of spoilers but more so simply made it challenging in places to appreciate the book on its own interesting terms.
January 6, 2025
“The Lady Vanishes” is one of my favorite Hitchcock films, so this caught my eye at the library. Overall it’s an enjoyable classic mystery/thriller.
October 6, 2025
This novel holds up pretty well considering it's almost a century old. If it weren't for a peculiar flatness and oddly chosen focus in the ending, I'd give it 5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews