The 10:12

by Anna Maloney

Claire Fitzroy was just trying to get home when her train from Manchester to London was hijacked by a group of armed men. In one terrifying moment she faced the starkest of to stand back. To fight back. And maybe to die either way.

Claire chose to fight back, and in doing so saved hundreds of lives. But what looks like heroism in the heat of the moment can play out very differently in the courts and the eyes of the public. Especially when you have the blood of two men on your hands.

Selfless and quick-thinking. Attention-seeking vigilante. Unrepentant murderer. Whichever she is, this is Claire's story of what happened that day.

But is it the whole story?

A breathtaking thriller where nothing is as it seems and saving the day is only the beginning, The 10:12 is the perfect read for fans of Sarah Vaughan, Catherine Ryan Howard and Ava Glass.

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 29, 2026

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fantastic premise and it was delivered extremely well.

The 10.12 in question is a train which Claire Fitzroy was on, just trying to get home. However, when the train is hijacked, Claire, alongside other passengers decide to fight back, causing death themselves as they fight to take control of the train.

When it's over, and the trial ensues, it is clear that what happened that day is perceived differently by many people. Did they do the right thing fighting back? Or did their vigilantism go too far? Claire writes her account and is determined to put the story straight however do we really know what happened that day?

Although definitely a page turning thriller, I feel there is more depth to this book that I initially envisioned. The role of Claire, as an older woman, is examined in a level of detail which was interesting compared to the actions of 'macho' men on the train. Definite elements of misogyny come through which made me reflect.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) | Raven Books (UK) for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

P.S. I'm taking a star off cause the drunk guy on the train was Scottish. We can live without the stereotype! (joking, couldn't care less, it was a four star read)

[Karen Chong · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 / 5.0

I liked the first half of the book, the breakdown of events and what happened. But the second half of the book read like a completely different book. The dynamic, the energy, the mood/ vibe completely changed and went very heavy on the radicalization of the Chinese government, deep state, coercion. Ultimately it wasn’t my cup of tea, but the problem was that I was already nearly finishing the book that I just thought let’s finish it.

If you ask me about this book in two weeks. I don’t think I would be able to remember it. It fell flat, and ultimately the change from events to aftermath was too stark that my interest began to fade. Not my cup of tea.

[Karen Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just received some upsetting news regarding her husband, Claire Fitzroy is not in the best of moods when she boards the 10:12 from Manchester to London. She’s anticipating a quiet journey in first class and is annoyed at the behaviour of the obnoxious man sitting next to her and the obvious cokehead a little further down the carriage.
The journey starts - like so many - uneventfully. But it soon becomes the journey that Claire is going to remember for a long time…because the train is hijacked and everyone on board is under threat.
Like so many women of an age, Claire is often overlooked. She finds herself caught up in a truly awful situation, and chooses to try and help those in need. Her decision to help those on board in their attempt to take down the terrorists is not one I fully understand. We follow events through Claire’s perspective, but from a distance as she has - after the trial linked to the attack - decided to write a book about the incident. Her book, with the varying accounts from others who were there or involved, is what we are reading.
From its premise we know that the attack failed. We also know a number of people were injured and some lost their lives. Like Claire, we have questions and want to know why it happened.
Not all our questions are answered. Some are deliberately ignored, and it does become clear later on that there is a conspiracy. The closing stages definitely raise more questions, and help us make sense of some of the elements that didn’t quite gel.
I can see this being a success upon release, and I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review it early.

[Mark Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire Fitzroy is on the 10:12 from Manchester to London. Soon after departing, the train is taken over by Hijackers. Claire doesn’t take this sitting down and decides she will fight back against the terrorists and quickly finds others on the train to help.

The first half of the book follows the train journey and the fight against the terrorists. The pace is quick and the story is pretty high octane as the rebel passengers reclaim the train one carriage at a time. I loved this and consumed this part of the book pretty much in 1-2 days.

The second half of the book follows the Claire and the aftermath and her obsession with WHY the terrorists took over the 10:12. This was a lot slower and way off the pace of the first half.

The book itself was weirdly part of a conversation between Claire and her publishers on her account of the tragic journey, trial and aftermath. I found this a bit weird and not sure it really worked, but I can see why it was done, especially given the ending.

The ending was a decent twist (I think), but it seemed to be a little abrupt and no epilogue. The first half was 5/5 and second 3/5 for me, so have settled with a solid 4/5.

[Tracey Dyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free courtesy of Netgalley.

First book from me by Anna Maloney and it was a great read. From the start I was drawn in but I truly believed that I was reading a book written by someone who was on the highjacked train, and even googled it to see when it happened, silly me.

There are many twists and turns whilst the story is being told of a group of passengers who fight back. I really enjoyed the story, but was surprised at Claire's inability to let it go, even if it might cost her family and her marriage.

I would recommend this book as it is very well written and like I said at the beginning of this review very believable.

[Michelle]

I had high hopes for this story, and I was gripped by the premise. But for me personally the action sequences on the train felt were a little farfetched to me. After the trial there was a lot of information on Claire writing a book and her talking to companions that were on the train and sometimes, I wondered what the relevance of it was that I started losing interest at the end. 3 stars from me.

[Suzie Dietrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Lily Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this should be made into a tv show

[beckys_book_blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟
I loved the premise of this novel and was immediately drawn in by the train hijacking storyline. The opening section is fast-paced and action-packed, and I could easily imagine it translating into a gripping film. The tension is high from the outset and the sense of urgency on the train is very well done.

However, there are a lot of characters introduced early on, particularly among the passengers and the hijackers, and I found this quite overwhelming at times. I struggled to keep track of the different terrorists’ names and backgrounds, which meant I wasn’t as fully immersed in the story as I wanted to be. I would have liked more depth and clarity around their backstories to help distinguish them and strengthen my emotional investment.

I actually enjoyed the second half of the book more. As Claire begins to investigate the motives behind the attack in preparation for her upcoming book, the narrative takes on a more reflective and investigative tone. I really liked the use of mixed formats: texts, letters from people on the train, and court records are woven into the story, giving it a convincing, almost documentary feel. The inclusion of commentary from Claire’s editor about her book was also a clever and original touch.

Overall, this is a highly original and ambitious thriller with a strong concept and some very effective moments. While I admired its structure and creativity, I didn’t feel as emotionally invested as I’d hoped due to the sheer number of characters involved. Still, it’s an engaging read and one I would recommend to fans of unconventional thrillers.

[Amanda Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. It had a good blurb and I was expecting a good read from it but as I was reading I found I didn’t care for the main character who seemed to do whatever she wanted. At the beginning to the chapters there were small pieces of texts but there was no way of knowing who they were from.

I really found it hard to follow and struggled to visualise the hijacking of the train. The second half of the book was also too drawn out and I skim read the ending.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

[Claire - TheBookendReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

The 10:12 is built around a genuinely compelling idea, and for a good portion of the book, it delivers exactly the tension you’d hope for.

Claire Fitzroy is simply trying to get home when the 10:12 train from Manchester to London is hijacked. What follows is a terrifying, split-second decision by a group of passengers to fight back. Lives are saved, but lives are also lost—and once the dust settles, the question isn’t just what happened, but whether what they did was right. As Claire begins writing her account of that day, it becomes clear that truth, memory, and public opinion don’t always align.

The opening is gripping. Short chapters, high stakes, and real urgency kept me turning the pages, desperate to see how the hijacking would unfold. I also appreciated the deeper themes woven into the story, particularly the way Claire’s actions are judged through a different lens because she’s an older woman. The contrast between her choices and the more traditionally “heroic” men on the train raises uncomfortable but important questions about misogyny, credibility, and who gets to be believed.

That said, the momentum does slow in the second half. Once the immediate danger has passed, the story shifts into a more reflective and fragmented structure, framed as Claire’s manuscript with added notes and messages. While I admire the ambition, I found this format slightly pulled me out of the narrative rather than drawing me deeper in. The wider cast of characters also felt underdeveloped, which made it harder to stay invested beyond Claire’s perspective.

The final act leans into conspiracy and hidden motives, but for me it didn’t quite land with the impact promised by such a strong beginning. After such a dramatic setup, the resolution felt a little muted.

Overall, this is a thought-provoking thriller with a standout premise and some sharp social commentary, even if it doesn’t fully stick the landing. Readers who enjoy high-concept suspense with moral ambiguity, and are open to something a little different in structure, will find plenty to unpack here.

[Sharon Valler: Live Love Read Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a gripping and fascinating read, that gave me chills and kept me on edge throughout.

When Claire boards the 10:12 train from Manchester to London, the last thing she expects is to find herself in the centre of a hijacking situation.

One of the things that I found the most interesting was how other people perceived Claire, a 58 year-old woman, and their assumptions that her age would deem her incapable. I am 51 years old so a little bit younger than Claire, but in my head, I don’t feel any different to how I felt when I was 19! So whilst the younger generation would class me as an oldie, I definitely don’t feel that way!

Claire was dealt a devastating blow in her personal life, just that morning, and she finds herself able to channel her shock, anger, and grief into determination to save herself and her fellow passengers from the horrific situation they find themselves facing. The story is told in three alternating parts; the trial, the communication between Claire and her publisher, as she writes a book about the hijacking, and finally, the events on the train as they unfolded.

What isn’t clear, is the why. I could completely relate to Claire‘s need for answers, as I feel that if I suffered through the same ordeal as she had, I would want to know what the point of it all was. This, coupled with the public’s judgement of her actions on the day, made me feel sympathy for Claire and huge admiration as she refused to accept the unacceptable.

The ending wrapped everything up brilliantly, a great read!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Anna Maloney and Bloomsbury for an ARC of this book.

[Shona · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️💫Claire Fitzroy was just trying to get home when her train from Manchester to London was hijacked by a group of armed men. In one terrifying moment she faced the starkest of choices: to stand back. To fight back. And maybe to die either way. Claire chose to fight back, and in doing so saved hundreds of lives. But what looks like heroism in the heat of the moment can play out very differently in the courts and the eyes of the public. Especially when you have the blood of two men on your hands. Selfless and quick-thinking. Attention-seeking vigilante. Unrepentant murderer. Whichever she is, this is Claire's story of what happened that day. But is it the whole story?

The synopsis of this title instantly appealed and right from the start the tension is evident, the drama of the hijacking’s unfolding before the readers eyes.

I was a little confused with the layout of the story being told through the form of an ‘edited manuscript’ but this was a unique way of telling the story, giving differing aspects from the hijack itself through to the trial and afterwards.

About halfway through the book, the hijack is over and the focus shifts to the trial which, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting to be such a big part of the book and the pace does drop drastically in this second part. The investigation the main character delves into to satisfy curiosities is interesting but I feel it felt a little dragged out at times unfortunately.

I still found this a really interesting read, despite an inconsistent pacing, and I could also see this easily being adapted for a TV series in the future.

[Rachel Sargeant]

Hijackers board the Manchester to London train and take control of every carriage and the driver’s cab. Fifty-something art lecturer Claire accidently finds herself the leader of a band of passengers in the rear of the train who fight back.

Months later, after the subsequent trial of the hijackers, she writes a book about what happened that day. Claire’s narrative is interspersed with notes from her editor, the police and railway managers and texts sent to loved ones by panicked passengers and texts between the hijackers before the attack. There are also transcripts of the trial and accompanying newspaper articles that show defence counsel being critical of Claire’s actions during the hijack. Her book is intended to be her way to set the record straight.

I didn’t understand the layout of the train and I couldn’t keep track of named passengers and hijackers, nor did I understand all the text message inserts. However, much like the speeding train, the story, with its action and suspense, had forward momentum that kept my attention. I particularly enjoyed the second half when, a year later, in the process of researching her book, Claire contacts other passengers and even some of the imprisoned hijackers and begins to suspect there may have been more to the hijack than the trial concluded. The interviews Claire conducts are sometimes suspenseful and sometimes heartbreaking.

This is an independent review of an advance copy. I thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am writing this review with mixed feelings. As a novel I thought it had a very interesting concept and central character. However, I also found it a little dull.

Claire Fitzroy is a middle-aged woman, who boards a train from Manchester to London. She has been visiting her in-laws who have revealed, by mistake, that her husband, Jim, is thinking of leaving her. As such, she is distracted on the train and, after a visit to the bathroom, emerges to find an armed man in her carriage. For this is a hijacking and, without really meaning to, Claire becomes one of the leaders fighting back.

This is interesting as Claire is a middle-aged woman (rather like myself) and her leadership skills and ability under pressure both help her with trying to extricate herself and others from the events on board but also show how she is represented afterwards. With everyone likely to whip out a phone and record what is going on rather than help, her actions are questioned. This is followed through the actions at the time, the investigation afterwards and how she is perceived. I still found it a bit of a slog. However, I am sure it will be a huge success. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

[Simone Frost · Rating 3 out of 5]

10:12 is Anna Maloney’s debut novel, publishing on the 29th January 2026.

The 10:12 train from Manchester to London is hijacked and the story follows one of the passengers, Claire Fitzroy, who’s writing a book about her experience.

The book is very dramatic and gripping to start with, the short chapters kept me turning the pages and I was desperate to find out what was going to happen. Unfortunately the suspense fizzles out and the second half of the book is much slower and more haphazard.

There are lots of characters mentioned and I found it very difficult to remember who was who as a lot of them have hardly any substance in the story as the focus is on Claire. I would have liked to have learnt more about some of the other characters as I didn’t really connect with Claire.

The author has tried to do something a bit different with the format, the book is meant to read like the manuscript with notes from the publishers and Claire. However I felt this and the random texts took you out of the story and made it feel more disjointed. The ending was a bit of an anticlimax and after a strong start this book fell flat for me.

Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc and NetGalley for my advance copy.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claire is travelling home on a train from Manchester when it becomes hijacked by a group of armed men. She is left with a choice to either stand or fight back, choosing to fight back she saves hundreds of passengers, but what looks like heroism can play out very differently in court. This is the story of Claire’s take on what really happened that day.

This book for me was one of two halves. It started very strongly and I was immediately hooked to the concept and suspense, but unfortunately as the story progressed, the pacing slowed a lot and I began to lose interest, especially once the action scenes stopped. It seemed to drag by the half way point and became quite repetitive. I liked that the story was told with some mixed media format, which helped break up the chapters and add some extra elements in, however at times they felt irrelevant to the overall story. I also had a real issue trying to keep up with all characters as there were so many introduced.

Even though this one was not fully for me, I appreciate what the author was trying to achieve and can see plenty of readers getting a lot out of this one, especially those looking for a complex, original thriller with a difference. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disparate group of hijackers takes over the 10.12 train to London Euston on an ordinary day, only to be met with extraordinary resistance from some of the passengers. The latter are able to dismantle part of the criminals' plan, but one of the women who unexpectedly finds herself at the forefront of the fight back - with some pretty unpleasant consequences for her - remains haunted by the motivation of the motley crew who took over the train.

The truth is more layered and complex than it initially appears, and this is an interesting novel - even if it does require some suspension of belief in terms of the passengers' action. That is not an entirely unreasonable ask in a book of this kind.

A bigger problem to me was the sheer length of the novel, which could probably have been edited to better effect. This took away from what was essentially a compelling story.

It gets 3.5 stars, but with some edits, it could have received 4 stars. Nevertheless, overall, this novel is worth your time.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Lisa Mackay · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if the train you were on was hijacked?
Claire Fitzroy just wants to get home on the 10:12 train from Manchester to London but her journey turns into a nightmare when armed men hijack it. Along with a handful of other passengers, Claire decides to fight back. By the end, two men are dead… by her hand.
Suddenly Claire’s actions are under intense scrutiny. Did she do the right thing? To reclaim her voice she decides to write a book about what really happened but is the full truth being told or are parts of the story still hidden?
This book constantly makes you question what you would do in the same situation. The writing is very descriptive and I could easily visualise the train carriages and unfolding chaos. I was instantly hooked at the beginning and really enjoyed the final third of the book though the middle did drag a little. I also didn’t understand the text messsge inserts every now and again. That said it’s a fascinating concept and the deeper you get the more layers are revealed. Definitely one to put on the list when released
I received a copy from the publisher Bloomsbury and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Gordon Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 10:12 is a different style of thriller. A train from Manchester to London is hijacked, but some of the passengers decide to fight back. The main protagonist here is Claire Fitzroy, an art teacher who is one of the key players in the struggle. But after the dust settles, Claire's actions come under the spotlight. And, as she writes a book on her experience, the has a growing feeling that the full story of the hijack hasn't been revealed.

The core narrative here is an excellent and gripping one, as an assortment of passengers, including a former police officer and an army vet, work together to fight the hijackers. Their actions are a mix of co-ordination and spur of the moment bravery, and there are some interesting characters in the "gang".

The final portion of the novel from after the hijack has ended go in a different direction, with conspiracy theories and hidden motives aplenty. It feel a lot less satisfying and the ultimate resolution of the novel will leave readers with mixed feelings.

[Danny Matheson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well written book that looks at matters on various levels. Claire Fitzroy settles into her journey from Manchester to London on the 10:12 train having just received some disturbing personal news. Little did she suspect that train would be hijacked and she would be thrust forward as one of the heroes in fighting back against the hijackers. The story is that realistic I had to check if this had been a real life incident and was being written about retrospectively.
The author cleverly describes this book as the premise of a book within a book. the main character, Claire Fitzroy is allegedly writing a book about her experience on the train, featuring incidents as they happened, the trial and the aftermath of it all. With added inserts from the editor and publisher of said book it made it more realistic.
Throughout the book there are many twists that have you hooked to the storyline. Some things were maybe a bit far fetched hence the 4 star rating but a very intriguing read nonetheless.

[Nick Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of 'action thrillers' are heavy on the thrills, but after the action ends, there's an unsatisfied feeling of 'now what?' The metaphorical helicopters which took that final aerial shot drift away with the smoke of the conflagration. Heroines walk away with a feeling of satisfaction we're expected to share. The psychological and political wreckage is left un-investigated.

In this engrossing book Anna Maloney relishes the ride and delves into its aftermath, building into it another tense narrative complete with handbrake turns and startling revelations which keep you guessing to the end.

It's led by a defiantly non-Marple heroine, Claire Fitzroy, with her own personal reasons for daring to confront the bad guys. These surface with an entertaining variety of backgrounds and motives. In a literary world where chaos is sometimes king, The 10:12 gives readers loose ends neatly tied and leaves you pondering the dark forces overshadowing everyday life in the 21st century.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. A thriller with interesting and diverse characters as well as a good pace, this kept me hooked all the way. I liked the way the story unfolded, mixing the actual action with inserts from trial transcripts, emails, and letters. I felt this worked well and didn't slow the story down in any way.. Claire was a good character that unfolds as the story moves along, a fact that does make you think about her version of events as well as her responses. The other characters were well developed as well, different attitudes and responses reflected convincingly, including passengers, terrorists, police etc.
One of the things I enjoyed was the exploration of attitudes to older women, the situation and how people resounded, both during the event and in the aftermath. There were a good few points that made me think and added to the book. While there were a few minor points that you never had fully resolved, I did think the resolution worked well. A really good thriller overall.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is April 2023 and Claire Fitzroy is returning from Manchester to London by train when, within minutes of departing, the train is hijacked. Novel is in two parts, the fast paced hijack event and the slower place aftermath and trial, told in the form of a manuscript written after the event, court transcripts and other mixed media, both of which I enjoyed.

Briefly, Claire decides to fight back and survives the horrifying event and after the ordeal and during the subsequent trial of the hijackers she decides to write a book about both hers and her fellow travellers experiences. Through her story we learn about acts of violence and bravery, we discover more about the hijackers themselves and the feeling that there may some governmental involvement in the events.

It is interesting to see how Claire in particular is viewed by the public both during the event and in the weeks, months and years that follow. The further into the book I got the more I felt she was an unreliable narrator. A very good debut thriller with good twists, had me fooled. Enjoyable and entertaining.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read by the author and it won't be the last. The 10:12 follows a train from manchester to London as it is hijacked and fellow passengers decide to fight back before anything worse can happen. People are killed and some seriously injured but amongst them is Claire going back home to her husband after somebody lets slip a secret they thought she knew about. Claire's actions on the train that day make the headlines and is questioned whether what she did was right. After the trial she is writing a book and we later see how the other passengers are doing and whether everything was justified and really why the hijacking took place.

I enjoyed this read, it is definitely a page turner full of drama, suspense and all of the characters were a joy to read about. I would recommend this book to fellow book readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) | Raven Books (UK) for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.

4.5 ⭐️

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A train. A choice. A moment that changes everything.

In The 10:12, Anna Maloney delivers a gripping, emotionally layered thriller that begins with a hijacked train and spirals into a courtroom drama where heroism is questioned and memory becomes a battleground. Claire Fitzroy’s decision to fight back saves lives—but it also leaves her with blood on her hands and a story the public isn’t sure they want to believe.

Maloney’s writing is taut and evocative, balancing adrenaline with introspection. Claire is a compelling protagonist—flawed, brave, and achingly human. The novel explores not just what happened on that train, but what it means to be seen as a hero, a threat, or something in between.

This is a thriller that asks big questions in quiet ways. Perfect for readers who love suspense with soul, and stories that linger long after the final page.

My thanks to Anna Maloney, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The opening is a great scene setter for the characters you will soon meet and leads into what happens. The tension and anxiety are heightened by the well-paced action. Each step leaves you wondering, will it end in failure or success?

It’s well plotted and nothing is given away until the reveals are provided. Claire Fitzroy the lead character is the heroine and I’m peeping over her shoulder, to see how the events unfold. A nervy group who are marshalled into action by Claire’s action brings successes and failure.

Later, criticism of her does not deter her from seeking the truth. While others are happy to see the murderers get justice she is made of stiffer stuff and is a determined lady who is never going to take ‘no’ for an answer to discover the whole truth.

The pacey plot and the brilliant story brings together each thread to make it a book not to be missed. My number 1 book of the year!
This was an ARC from Bloomsbury publishing. Thank you

[Beachcomber · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars rounded down. The premise was interesting, but sadly this just wasn’t for me - Claire was too unlikely a heroine for me, she seldom listened to anyone including former police on the train, she obsessed and went solo investigating afterwards… it was hard to keep all the characters straight, and to visualise the train hijack from the description. The whole “telling the story via writing a book about the experience” just meant a lot of emails between the publishers and Claire that didn’t really help the story, only pull you out of it, and the texts at the start of each chapter (during the hijack) were just confusing as you couldn’t tell who they were from, so it didn’t add anything to the story either, only distract.

Several people seem to have liked this book, which I’m happy about - but it wasn’t one I enjoyed unfortunately.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

[Diane Elizabeth Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

​A gripping multi-layered debut! We kick off with a pulse-pounding account of the hijacking of the 10:12 train to London.
The first part expertly captures the sheer mayhem and chaos of the event, where we meet Claire, a middle-aged protagonist who proves she is not to be underestimated. Leading a group of like-minded passengers, she fights back in a manner that feels both visceral and authentic.
However, the story truly shines in its aftermath. By shifting to the courtroom and examining the fractured public perception of Claire’s heroism, the author forces us to wonder: What would I do?
The narrative structure is particularly clever, incorporating excerpts from a book Claire is writing about the ordeal, complete with meta-commentary from her editor.
These layers, combined with empathetic accounts from other passengers, create a profound look at trauma and truth. I look forward to more from this talented new voice.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an ARC of The 10:12.

I requested the ARC because I love anything with unusual circumstances, locked room style stories, and people fighting back. This was no exception, for the first half of the book. I actually thought my kindle had got the percentage wrong as it was at 56% when the train was stopped and everyone evacuated. The next few chapters seemed to be winding up the story, but it continued on with the main character trying to establish motives and links for a book she was writing about her experience.

I could see why there was so much after the event, but it did drag a bit, especially after reading the fast paced train hijack section. The main character kept on digging, despite being told to stop by the police. And I’m not sure I understood the ending either 🤔 despite rereading it.

First half was a definite 4 stars, second half brought it down to 3 stars.