The Ghost Train

by Ruth Alexander (Adaptor), Arnold Ridley

A novelization of Arnold Ridley's play.

253 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1927

About the author

Ruth Alexander (1879-1958) was a British writer who undertook many early film novelizations, later turning to romantic fiction and travel writing.

Reviews

[Mark H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based on Ridley’s hit play, this novelisation by Ruth Alexander does very, very little to convert this into a novel. It still has a three-act structure, it’s mostly dialogue, with the action restricted largely to three rooms!

The play was adapted many times into feature films, most famously the Arthur Askey comedy of 1941, and appears to have influenced the 1937 Will Hay classic Oh Mr Porter!

The novel is most successful in the third act, but the first two are interminable and repetitive - a very slow police investigation that undermines the supernatural potential of the closing act.

[Russell Stamets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining read!