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The Passenger
Tanya DuBois doesn’t exist. At least not after an accident leaves her husband dead and thrusts her into the uncomfortably familiar position of Suspect No. 1. She has only one choice: Run.
As “Tanya” watches her life recede in the rearview mirror, we realize she was never real to begin with. And neither is Amelia Keen, Debra Maze, Emma Lark, Sonia Lubovich, or a girl called only Jo. Or almost any of the things she tells us about herself, her past or where she is going next. She is “Amelia” when she meets Blue, another woman with a life she’d rather not discuss, and thinks she’s found a kindred spirit. But their pasts and futures clash as the body count rises around them.
Shedding identities like snakeskins, it becomes impossible for the people in Tanya’s life – and even herself – to know exactly who they’re dealing with. It’s only as she comes closer to facing her past that she can start to piece together the truth about not only who she was but who she can still be. THE PASSENGER inverts the traditional thriller, bypassing whodunit for the larger mysteries of who are you, and what is forgivable, and what is not?
As “Tanya” watches her life recede in the rearview mirror, we realize she was never real to begin with. And neither is Amelia Keen, Debra Maze, Emma Lark, Sonia Lubovich, or a girl called only Jo. Or almost any of the things she tells us about herself, her past or where she is going next. She is “Amelia” when she meets Blue, another woman with a life she’d rather not discuss, and thinks she’s found a kindred spirit. But their pasts and futures clash as the body count rises around them.
Shedding identities like snakeskins, it becomes impossible for the people in Tanya’s life – and even herself – to know exactly who they’re dealing with. It’s only as she comes closer to facing her past that she can start to piece together the truth about not only who she was but who she can still be. THE PASSENGER inverts the traditional thriller, bypassing whodunit for the larger mysteries of who are you, and what is forgivable, and what is not?
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2016
2225 people are currently reading
46912 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Lutz
27 books3,974 followersLisa Lutz is the New York Times bestselling author of the six books in the Spellman series, How to Start a Fire, Heads you Lose (with David Hayward), and the children's book, How to Negotiate Everything (illustrated by Jaime Temairik). Her latest book, The Passenger, a psychological thriller, will be published March 2016 by Simon and Schuster. Lutz has won the Alex award and has been nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel.
Although she attended UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine, the University of Leeds in England, and San Francisco State University, she still does not have a bachelor's degree. Lisa spent most of the 1990s hopping through a string of low-paying odd jobs while writing and rewriting the screenplay Plan B, a mob comedy. After the film was made in 2000, she vowed she would never write another screenplay. Lisa lives in the Hudson Valley, NY.
Although she attended UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine, the University of Leeds in England, and San Francisco State University, she still does not have a bachelor's degree. Lisa spent most of the 1990s hopping through a string of low-paying odd jobs while writing and rewriting the screenplay Plan B, a mob comedy. After the film was made in 2000, she vowed she would never write another screenplay. Lisa lives in the Hudson Valley, NY.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,101 reviews
June 20, 2018
this is a three-star book but i had a four-star time reading it.
it's a really fun fast ride and you get all caught up in the momentum of its zooom and it's only when it's all over and the dust settles that you see the flaws in the vehicle and remember that speeding causes accidents. there's a reason all the blurbs mention breakneck pace and white-knuckle plot and buckling up & etc, because it's escapism done perfectly, and it's a little silly to kick the tires on something that's just fun, so i won't, but i will have a spoiler section mostly for my own benefit in which i will hopefully avoid any further automotive analogies.
plot: it's about a woman whose husband dies under mysterious circumstances and instead of sticking around and answering questions from the police, she has a more extreme reaction - she runs away and changes her identity, her hair color and her entire persona down to what kind of alcohol she drinks. which may seem like overkill, but this isn't her first go at self-reinvention.
in fact, she goes through so many different identities in the course of this book, i'm not even sure what to call her in the review, so i'm going to have to go with SHE. which will differentiate her from any other females referenced in the review.
so, SHE leaves her home, her life, her name and her money and after reaching back into her past to call in a favor, SHE obtains the documents and cash to start over. again. who are these people? what are these favors?? no time to answer that now; we are on the run! while SHE's still working out her plan for her new life, SHE meets a woman named blue and they recognize something in each other; something they share that sets them apart from nice normal women leading nice normal lives. and while their story didn't go in the bad girls roadtrip with possible homoerotic subtext direction i was getting my popcorn ready for, blue still manages to have a profound effect on SHE before fading into the background, leaving us all wanting more.
but no time for longing because we are on the move again.
it's a really fun book, and the balance of present-day action, teases of backstory, and an alternating set of emails spanning the entirety of SHE's exile is perfect for keeping the reader off balance, knowing some details, but wanting to know so many more.
the problem is once you have the answers, that's really all you have. we never get any real insight into SHE's character, or maybe there's just nothing to discover; SHE doesn't have a "self" after years of adopting different personalities. there's just nothing of SHE to hold onto as a reader. lutz has been very successful writing humorous mysteries, but her lack of experience creating characters like SHE is evident here. this is a series of action sequences without the psychological component, so it ends up reading like a shallow gloss of this kind of character without the meat of what SHE could be in the hands of a different author. there's really no struggle to her story; there's plenty of sinuous adaptability, but it's ultimately unsatisfying because a car chase is a car chase, but what stays in the mind are characters.
again, the issues i had with this book were things i noticed along the way, but which really came into focus after i finished and realized, "oh, so we're just not gonna address that at all?" which means they're all spoilers. so, make good choices; if this is where we part ways, know that this book will show you a good time but you might want to eat breakfast alone. and if you're coming with me to spoilertown, watch your step:
anyway, thanks to jim for sending me this book!!
come to my blog!
it's a really fun fast ride and you get all caught up in the momentum of its zooom and it's only when it's all over and the dust settles that you see the flaws in the vehicle and remember that speeding causes accidents. there's a reason all the blurbs mention breakneck pace and white-knuckle plot and buckling up & etc, because it's escapism done perfectly, and it's a little silly to kick the tires on something that's just fun, so i won't, but i will have a spoiler section mostly for my own benefit in which i will hopefully avoid any further automotive analogies.
plot: it's about a woman whose husband dies under mysterious circumstances and instead of sticking around and answering questions from the police, she has a more extreme reaction - she runs away and changes her identity, her hair color and her entire persona down to what kind of alcohol she drinks. which may seem like overkill, but this isn't her first go at self-reinvention.
in fact, she goes through so many different identities in the course of this book, i'm not even sure what to call her in the review, so i'm going to have to go with SHE. which will differentiate her from any other females referenced in the review.
so, SHE leaves her home, her life, her name and her money and after reaching back into her past to call in a favor, SHE obtains the documents and cash to start over. again. who are these people? what are these favors?? no time to answer that now; we are on the run! while SHE's still working out her plan for her new life, SHE meets a woman named blue and they recognize something in each other; something they share that sets them apart from nice normal women leading nice normal lives. and while their story didn't go in the bad girls roadtrip with possible homoerotic subtext direction i was getting my popcorn ready for, blue still manages to have a profound effect on SHE before fading into the background, leaving us all wanting more.
but no time for longing because we are on the move again.
it's a really fun book, and the balance of present-day action, teases of backstory, and an alternating set of emails spanning the entirety of SHE's exile is perfect for keeping the reader off balance, knowing some details, but wanting to know so many more.
the problem is once you have the answers, that's really all you have. we never get any real insight into SHE's character, or maybe there's just nothing to discover; SHE doesn't have a "self" after years of adopting different personalities. there's just nothing of SHE to hold onto as a reader. lutz has been very successful writing humorous mysteries, but her lack of experience creating characters like SHE is evident here. this is a series of action sequences without the psychological component, so it ends up reading like a shallow gloss of this kind of character without the meat of what SHE could be in the hands of a different author. there's really no struggle to her story; there's plenty of sinuous adaptability, but it's ultimately unsatisfying because a car chase is a car chase, but what stays in the mind are characters.
again, the issues i had with this book were things i noticed along the way, but which really came into focus after i finished and realized, "oh, so we're just not gonna address that at all?" which means they're all spoilers. so, make good choices; if this is where we part ways, know that this book will show you a good time but you might want to eat breakfast alone. and if you're coming with me to spoilertown, watch your step:
anyway, thanks to jim for sending me this book!!
come to my blog!
August 6, 2022
“Sometimes fear and dread are superior to tedium.”
Thrillers are not what I usually pick up, but Lisa Lutz’s The Passenger was a book I enjoyed and raced through in a single day. That’s probably the way thrillers should be read. One reason I may have glommed on so quickly is that the protagonist spends much of the first half of the book in Wyoming. As if Wyoming is the natural place one would go to live under the radar and begin fresh. To try out new identities before moving on. Maybe it is! Why else would I be here? It’s difficult to say much more about the twists and turns in this book without giving away much. I did like the reflection on what it means to try on new identities and what it means when it’s difficult to recognize the ‘true self’ underneath all the masks (or, in this case, hair dye). 3.75 stars
Thrillers are not what I usually pick up, but Lisa Lutz’s The Passenger was a book I enjoyed and raced through in a single day. That’s probably the way thrillers should be read. One reason I may have glommed on so quickly is that the protagonist spends much of the first half of the book in Wyoming. As if Wyoming is the natural place one would go to live under the radar and begin fresh. To try out new identities before moving on. Maybe it is! Why else would I be here? It’s difficult to say much more about the twists and turns in this book without giving away much. I did like the reflection on what it means to try on new identities and what it means when it’s difficult to recognize the ‘true self’ underneath all the masks (or, in this case, hair dye). 3.75 stars
December 17, 2015
*******EDIT*********
I've decided to bump this up to 4 stars for the sheer fact that I can't stop thinking about this book. I guess it hit me later than expected!!
*********************
3.5 STARS. Thank you Netgalley for the pleasure of receiving this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Beard of Moses-talk about major whiplash! I wanted to love this book so much. I debated between 3-4 stars and settled in the middle. This is an extremely difficult book to review. At times, I felt it was jumbled, slow, and lacked character depth. But I also really liked this book and felt an urge to finish it. I even found myself thinking about it during the day when I wasn't reading. I have never experienced this while reading a book, so it has to earn points for that, right?
This poor girl has so many names throughout the book. The book opens with a bang; she has just discovered her husband dead at the bottom of the stairs and claims to the reader that she didn't kill him. We have no idea at the beginning whether she is a reliable narrator, but thus begins a long, choppy series of identities while sharing pieces of her past that she is running from with us.
I did like the emails at the end of various chapters that gave us little morsels of her former life. I also really enjoyed Lisa Lutz's dry humor and satire sprinkled throughout the story (it gave me feel good memories of The Spellman Files). I was a little disappointed that a few minor plot points were sort of forgotten and never given closure, but that was just a personal pet peeve and not really anything relevant to the story. I think what caused me to rate a little lower was that the story lost me a little in the middle when she was EMMA/SONIA. It felt a bit like filler fluff. Even though this book was extremely choppy and not as developed as I would have liked, I feel like it will be with me for awhile. I honestly can't stop thinking about it and am a bit sad to see "her" go. If you are on the fence, just go ahead and read it. I think it will be worth your time. For those Lisa Lutz fans keep in mind this is very different from her Spellman series!
I've decided to bump this up to 4 stars for the sheer fact that I can't stop thinking about this book. I guess it hit me later than expected!!
*********************
3.5 STARS. Thank you Netgalley for the pleasure of receiving this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Beard of Moses-talk about major whiplash! I wanted to love this book so much. I debated between 3-4 stars and settled in the middle. This is an extremely difficult book to review. At times, I felt it was jumbled, slow, and lacked character depth. But I also really liked this book and felt an urge to finish it. I even found myself thinking about it during the day when I wasn't reading. I have never experienced this while reading a book, so it has to earn points for that, right?
This poor girl has so many names throughout the book. The book opens with a bang; she has just discovered her husband dead at the bottom of the stairs and claims to the reader that she didn't kill him. We have no idea at the beginning whether she is a reliable narrator, but thus begins a long, choppy series of identities while sharing pieces of her past that she is running from with us.
I did like the emails at the end of various chapters that gave us little morsels of her former life. I also really enjoyed Lisa Lutz's dry humor and satire sprinkled throughout the story (it gave me feel good memories of The Spellman Files). I was a little disappointed that a few minor plot points were sort of forgotten and never given closure, but that was just a personal pet peeve and not really anything relevant to the story. I think what caused me to rate a little lower was that the story lost me a little in the middle when she was EMMA/SONIA. It felt a bit like filler fluff. Even though this book was extremely choppy and not as developed as I would have liked, I feel like it will be with me for awhile. I honestly can't stop thinking about it and am a bit sad to see "her" go. If you are on the fence, just go ahead and read it. I think it will be worth your time. For those Lisa Lutz fans keep in mind this is very different from her Spellman series!
August 31, 2017
Well, this turned out better than I thought it would. I'm not sure what to make of the ending.
A woman, Tanya Dubois, finds her husband, Frank, dead at the bottom of the stairs. She attempts to resuscitate him; but it soon becomes evident that resurrection isn't in her repertoire. Can't fault her for trying, though. She doesn't know whether he accidentally fell down the stairs or, if someone helped him. All she knows is; she's innocent, and no one will believe her. So instead of alerting the authorities, she decides her best course of action is to run. Disappear. Initially, I thought she was being overly paranoid, but it soon transpires that it doesn't apply in her case.
She makes contact with someone from her past, Mr. Oliver, and he provides her with a new identity and gives her some cash. So she transforms into Amelia Keen, for a while, but she soon needs to acquire a new identify. On her venture, she meets a woman, Blue, who works at May's Well Bar, and the two soon become friends. Blues' real name is Debra Maze. Anyway, this is where it gets interesting.
I'm not sure what to make of the narrators' thought process. Considering her paranoia, she (Tanya) did things that I wouldn't have expected her to do. It didn't make sense. Then again, loneliness is a fickle bitch, so maybe that's why she did things that didn't add up. I didn't like Domenic (King Domenic Lowell), who she meets, when she ends up in Casper, Wyoming. The guy with the tribal tattoo.
In summation: It took me a while to get into the story, but, when I did, I was hooked. The revelation towards the end, took me off guard. I knew she was someone with a past, I just didn't know what it was.
A woman, Tanya Dubois, finds her husband, Frank, dead at the bottom of the stairs. She attempts to resuscitate him; but it soon becomes evident that resurrection isn't in her repertoire. Can't fault her for trying, though. She doesn't know whether he accidentally fell down the stairs or, if someone helped him. All she knows is; she's innocent, and no one will believe her. So instead of alerting the authorities, she decides her best course of action is to run. Disappear. Initially, I thought she was being overly paranoid, but it soon transpires that it doesn't apply in her case.
She makes contact with someone from her past, Mr. Oliver, and he provides her with a new identity and gives her some cash. So she transforms into Amelia Keen, for a while, but she soon needs to acquire a new identify. On her venture, she meets a woman, Blue, who works at May's Well Bar, and the two soon become friends. Blues' real name is Debra Maze. Anyway, this is where it gets interesting.
I'm not sure what to make of the narrators' thought process. Considering her paranoia, she (Tanya) did things that I wouldn't have expected her to do. It didn't make sense. Then again, loneliness is a fickle bitch, so maybe that's why she did things that didn't add up. I didn't like Domenic (King Domenic Lowell), who she meets, when she ends up in Casper, Wyoming. The guy with the tribal tattoo.
In summation: It took me a while to get into the story, but, when I did, I was hooked. The revelation towards the end, took me off guard. I knew she was someone with a past, I just didn't know what it was.
September 29, 2017
Looking for a ride? Take your seat on THE PASSENGER. Clear your schedule for the next two days and settle in for a twisted adventure on the run!
Our feisty girl, Tanya (not her real name), has just walked in on her dead husband. It seems he took an accidental fall down the stairs. Instead of calling 911, she packs a bag, clears out a bank account and takes off. WHAT A PROMISING PREMISE! I was hooked after that first short chapter. This is an extremely addictive story and I'm so happy to tell you guys about it.
I love stories where the protagonist is on the run or they have to disappear a la witness protection program. It gets my adrenaline going and I get to learn all kinds of cool and perhaps useful stuff. Who knows when I will need to pick a lock, buy a car on the fly, or dye my hair in a diner restroom? You never know when this knowledge will come in handy. It is just like I always say.....Books make you smart!
I consider THE PASSENGER to be an especially good "on the run" book because:
a. Our protagonist is FEMALE!
b. She is likable, but not perfect.
c. Plot twists abound! Literally around every corner.
d. Nice psychological study of our girl on the run.
e. Fast-paced, easy to read, clear consice writing.
f. Burning mystery for the reader to solve.
g. A few fun red herrings.
h. Mystery is solved in a believable, realistic (AND SATISFYING!) manner.
i. A handbook on what not to do if you ever just want to disappear!
I found this story really compelling and was immediately captivated with it. I am so glad I picked it up from my adorable used bookstore. I had tried the audio version last year when it first came out and was really turned off by the narrator's voice.
Man, I hate when the audio turns you off of an otherwise great book. If that happened to you, try reading the book in that old-school paper way that our ancestors invented.
Our feisty girl, Tanya (not her real name), has just walked in on her dead husband. It seems he took an accidental fall down the stairs. Instead of calling 911, she packs a bag, clears out a bank account and takes off. WHAT A PROMISING PREMISE! I was hooked after that first short chapter. This is an extremely addictive story and I'm so happy to tell you guys about it.
I love stories where the protagonist is on the run or they have to disappear a la witness protection program. It gets my adrenaline going and I get to learn all kinds of cool and perhaps useful stuff. Who knows when I will need to pick a lock, buy a car on the fly, or dye my hair in a diner restroom? You never know when this knowledge will come in handy. It is just like I always say.....Books make you smart!
I consider THE PASSENGER to be an especially good "on the run" book because:
a. Our protagonist is FEMALE!
b. She is likable, but not perfect.
c. Plot twists abound! Literally around every corner.
d. Nice psychological study of our girl on the run.
e. Fast-paced, easy to read, clear consice writing.
f. Burning mystery for the reader to solve.
g. A few fun red herrings.
h. Mystery is solved in a believable, realistic (AND SATISFYING!) manner.
i. A handbook on what not to do if you ever just want to disappear!
I found this story really compelling and was immediately captivated with it. I am so glad I picked it up from my adorable used bookstore. I had tried the audio version last year when it first came out and was really turned off by the narrator's voice.
Man, I hate when the audio turns you off of an otherwise great book. If that happened to you, try reading the book in that old-school paper way that our ancestors invented.
February 20, 2016
2 1/2 stars. How long can you string a reader along, suggest that there is some dark secret and surprising denouement to come at the end, but deliver fairly mundane content along the way? That’s the question that hummed away at the back of my mind as I read The Passenger. From the beginning, we know that there is a dark secret in the narrator’s past that has kept her on the run and has had her change her identity. And she keeps running and she keeps changing identities. Every now and then, we get a tiny glimpse at the deep dark secret, but it’s only at the end that all is revealed. So was the chase worth it? I must say that the path leading to the end got kind of tedious – the string got pretty slack at times. But I kept reading. And reading. And in the end? Well, I don't know. I had read some of Lutz's Spellman Files books. And they were very light, but fast and funny. The Passenger lacks these qualities -- it's pretty light but not particularly funny. And it kind of keeps going, promising some crazy denouement. But the end felt like a fizzle -- not a bang -- given the build up. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
November 12, 2015
4.5 * Tanya Dubois is running scared after finding her dead husband at the bottom of the stairs. Afraid the police might find it suspicious, Tanya decides to flee. Desperate to escape her past and those that could put her behind bars she travels from State to State with many different aliases. With her funds quickly depleting, Tanya must do whatever it takes to survive and remain underground from those who want her dead. With razor-sharp dialogue, The Passenger is a crackling good story and will keep readers riveted to the pages. Strap yourself in and be prepared for a rip-roaring ride! Highly recommended.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, Inc. for my free copy.*
*Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, Inc. for my free copy.*
January 26, 2016
I try really hard not to read reviews of books before I read them if I know I'm going to read the book anyway because I don't want it to affect how I feel. However, it's hard to ignore that star rating at the tops of pages that let you know not everyone has loved this book.
I will tell you this though, I found this book to be brilliantly crafted not just in how the characters are portrayed or how much I enjoyed reading the words on the page, but in how even without knowing all of the story's details until the end I still felt so immersed in everything that was going on. I didn't need to know that a terrible accident has forced a young woman into hiding or that she had reason for hopping from one identity to the next.
Not quite con artist and not quite criminal, the characters are going about life in a way that is so different that probably any of us, and yet it feels so relatable. From a psychology standpoint, this is actually fascinating. Not that I have any plans of going rogue and hiding who I am for a while, but these were very real (feeling) people that I felt at the end of the day had emotions just like you and me. I was so amazed by it.
But I can honestly say that I loved this book without a doubt.
I can always tell a good book by whether I want to stay up all night and read it, and this one was finished at nearly 4 in the morning, so I think it's safe to say I'll be recommending it to others for a long time to come.
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
I will tell you this though, I found this book to be brilliantly crafted not just in how the characters are portrayed or how much I enjoyed reading the words on the page, but in how even without knowing all of the story's details until the end I still felt so immersed in everything that was going on. I didn't need to know that a terrible accident has forced a young woman into hiding or that she had reason for hopping from one identity to the next.
Not quite con artist and not quite criminal, the characters are going about life in a way that is so different that probably any of us, and yet it feels so relatable. From a psychology standpoint, this is actually fascinating. Not that I have any plans of going rogue and hiding who I am for a while, but these were very real (feeling) people that I felt at the end of the day had emotions just like you and me. I was so amazed by it.
But I can honestly say that I loved this book without a doubt.
I can always tell a good book by whether I want to stay up all night and read it, and this one was finished at nearly 4 in the morning, so I think it's safe to say I'll be recommending it to others for a long time to come.
I was provided with a free copy of this book in order to conduct this review.
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
March 20, 2016
DNF audiobook at 50%. This was just mediocre. The narration was mediocre and so was the story. Too many books not enough time. I'm becoming old and cranky! Lol
March 11, 2016
Two things attracted me to The Passenger: Lisa Lutz, the author of the daffy, emotionally complicated and entertaining Spellman Files series ( my review), and the description of “a blistering thriller is about a woman who creates and sheds new identities as she crisscrosses the country to escape her past.” Add in “With heart-stopping escapes and devious deceptions, The Passenger is an amazing psychological thriller about defining yourself while you pursue your path to survival” and I was sold. Lutz did a marvelous job with Izzy Spellman as she tried to define herself apart from her eccentric family, so I was excited for a repeat performance.
Alas; almost everything about The Passenger failed to impress, bartender Tanya Dubois most of all. Her husband has fallen to his death on their stairs. Tanya decides to run, sure she’ll be blamed, especially after she tried to move Frank and perform CPR. At that point in the story, her logic doesn’t make sense. While she and Frank most certainly did not have a happy relationship, it seems unlikely she would be suspected of being a murder, regardless of moving him or not. She takes off with all the money she can withdraw from a few ATMs and lands in a motel. She calls the mysterious Mr. Oliver for a new identity and promises never to be seen again. Eventually, she lands in Austin, Texas where she meets the mysterious Blue tending a bar. Blue sees right through her disguise and proposes a sort of alliance, although Tanya gets the feeling she may be getting more than she bargained for from Blue.
Despite “trying on” new identities, Tanya remains almost characterless. She’s generally fearful, relies on bars when she wants to socialize (despite being aware she needs to adopt new likes and dislikes), and has almost no idea of what she wants to do. I expected a certain level of this amorphous indecision, but it doesn’t improve as it goes on. Lutz makes a deal about Tanya trying out names, thinking about identities, changing hair color and even weight, but doesn’t actually delve into developing her personality. What does she consider fun? What does she do besides watch other people and search the internet for updates? I have very little sense of hobbies, activities, even color preference When Tanya lands a new life in Recluse, things aren’t different. Bar to socialize. Library to check the internet. I–and Tanya–had a defining moment when someone tells her “You’re just a shell. You seem empty inside, as if your personality has been hijacked.”
As she takes on new names, the reader gets a few tidbits of personal history; her alcoholic mother, her absent father. A mysterious person she emails, and who calls her by another name. The emails should add insight, but are so cryptic as to be almost meaningless; it’s clear there is estrangement and the push-pull of a lost or distant affection. Each identity or living situation is compromised, and as her situation becomes more critical, Tanya’s actions become increasingly dubious. Yet, it is impossible to feel sympathy for her because of her short-sighted planning, her minimal initiative and her consistently dumb impulses. I also had trouble believing how easily she slid into criminality–stealing identities, wallets, lives. I think one needs to be more desperate or more sociopathic to pull this off, and I didn’t see how Tanya fit either category. I think Lutz made a critical error in structuring the story; perhaps learning more about a critical event in her life would have created more sympathy for Tanya earlier in the story.
I wouldn’t really call this a ‘mystery;’ the most significant mystery is the early event, and clearly Tanya knows what happened even if the reader doesn’t. Tanya isn’t trying to figure anything out but how to survive. I definitely wouldn’t call this ‘thriller,’ since it is rarely clear that Tanya is being pursued. This book feels squarely ‘lit-fic,’ of the character seeks new identity school of plotting. I was more than willing to try it because of Lutz, but unfortunately she didn’t bring any of her real character skills to the table. Time to go re-read Izzy Spellman.
Alas; almost everything about The Passenger failed to impress, bartender Tanya Dubois most of all. Her husband has fallen to his death on their stairs. Tanya decides to run, sure she’ll be blamed, especially after she tried to move Frank and perform CPR. At that point in the story, her logic doesn’t make sense. While she and Frank most certainly did not have a happy relationship, it seems unlikely she would be suspected of being a murder, regardless of moving him or not. She takes off with all the money she can withdraw from a few ATMs and lands in a motel. She calls the mysterious Mr. Oliver for a new identity and promises never to be seen again. Eventually, she lands in Austin, Texas where she meets the mysterious Blue tending a bar. Blue sees right through her disguise and proposes a sort of alliance, although Tanya gets the feeling she may be getting more than she bargained for from Blue.
Despite “trying on” new identities, Tanya remains almost characterless. She’s generally fearful, relies on bars when she wants to socialize (despite being aware she needs to adopt new likes and dislikes), and has almost no idea of what she wants to do. I expected a certain level of this amorphous indecision, but it doesn’t improve as it goes on. Lutz makes a deal about Tanya trying out names, thinking about identities, changing hair color and even weight, but doesn’t actually delve into developing her personality. What does she consider fun? What does she do besides watch other people and search the internet for updates? I have very little sense of hobbies, activities, even color preference When Tanya lands a new life in Recluse, things aren’t different. Bar to socialize. Library to check the internet. I–and Tanya–had a defining moment when someone tells her “You’re just a shell. You seem empty inside, as if your personality has been hijacked.”
As she takes on new names, the reader gets a few tidbits of personal history; her alcoholic mother, her absent father. A mysterious person she emails, and who calls her by another name. The emails should add insight, but are so cryptic as to be almost meaningless; it’s clear there is estrangement and the push-pull of a lost or distant affection. Each identity or living situation is compromised, and as her situation becomes more critical, Tanya’s actions become increasingly dubious. Yet, it is impossible to feel sympathy for her because of her short-sighted planning, her minimal initiative and her consistently dumb impulses. I also had trouble believing how easily she slid into criminality–stealing identities, wallets, lives. I think one needs to be more desperate or more sociopathic to pull this off, and I didn’t see how Tanya fit either category. I think Lutz made a critical error in structuring the story; perhaps learning more about a critical event in her life would have created more sympathy for Tanya earlier in the story.
I wouldn’t really call this a ‘mystery;’ the most significant mystery is the early event, and clearly Tanya knows what happened even if the reader doesn’t. Tanya isn’t trying to figure anything out but how to survive. I definitely wouldn’t call this ‘thriller,’ since it is rarely clear that Tanya is being pursued. This book feels squarely ‘lit-fic,’ of the character seeks new identity school of plotting. I was more than willing to try it because of Lutz, but unfortunately she didn’t bring any of her real character skills to the table. Time to go re-read Izzy Spellman.
March 5, 2016
She was safe for awhile until Frank fell down the stairs, and now she is back on the run disguising herself and stealing identities to maintain her freedom. She's been betrayed before, she knows not to trust anyone, but she's tired and broke when Blue enters her life and gives her a safe place to crash......or so she thinks.
After meeting Blue, THE PASSENGER turned into a wild and crazy adventure (for a while) filled with more name changes, (a lot of hair dye), bad guys and complete mayhem with nefarious actions that seemed out of character for our clever protagonist.
Overall, a 'pretty' good read for me albeit a bit tedious and not quite the thriller I expected. As for finding out "the secret"........it seemed too long a train ride getting there, but in the end an eye for an eye was the name of the game with a climatic wind-up!
December 3, 2015
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
Wow! This book!
When I first started reading this book, I kept wondering why Tanya left to take on a new identity when her husband only fell down the stairs while she was in the shower. But.. as the journey takes off we find out why.
Tanya changes her name more than anyone I have ever heard of in the short amount of time that she is on the run. I will tell you some of her names, but I won't reveal her real name :) She's been Tanya, Jane Green, Amelia Keen, Debra Maze, Emma Lark, Sonia Lubovich and Paige for a minute or two. I would be worn out just worrying about changing my name, much less keeping alive, but I digress.
She drives, rides trains, or buses to many different places, only staying long enough to get by. On one of her destinations she meets a bartender named Blue and they strike up a friendship of sorts. Tanya even lives with her for a short period of time. Then they both set up a scheme and Tanya is off again.
I liked Tanya's love interest in the book. His name is Domenic and he's a cop! Of course Tanya bolts when she finds out, but they remain friends. Funny that :)
There is a mysterious Ryan sending emails back and forth with Tanya. I could not wait until the end of the book to find out what that was all about. I can tell you, it was good. I didn't see that coming at all and it was just so good. In my opinion anyway. Rest assured all of the mysteries are solved at the end of the book!
Even though Tanya did some stupid things in the book, I really liked it and had a good time on this crazy adventure!
*I would like to thank NETGALLEY and SIMON AND SCHUSTER for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.*
Wow! This book!
When I first started reading this book, I kept wondering why Tanya left to take on a new identity when her husband only fell down the stairs while she was in the shower. But.. as the journey takes off we find out why.
Tanya changes her name more than anyone I have ever heard of in the short amount of time that she is on the run. I will tell you some of her names, but I won't reveal her real name :) She's been Tanya, Jane Green, Amelia Keen, Debra Maze, Emma Lark, Sonia Lubovich and Paige for a minute or two. I would be worn out just worrying about changing my name, much less keeping alive, but I digress.
She drives, rides trains, or buses to many different places, only staying long enough to get by. On one of her destinations she meets a bartender named Blue and they strike up a friendship of sorts. Tanya even lives with her for a short period of time. Then they both set up a scheme and Tanya is off again.
I liked Tanya's love interest in the book. His name is Domenic and he's a cop! Of course Tanya bolts when she finds out, but they remain friends. Funny that :)
There is a mysterious Ryan sending emails back and forth with Tanya. I could not wait until the end of the book to find out what that was all about. I can tell you, it was good. I didn't see that coming at all and it was just so good. In my opinion anyway. Rest assured all of the mysteries are solved at the end of the book!
Even though Tanya did some stupid things in the book, I really liked it and had a good time on this crazy adventure!
*I would like to thank NETGALLEY and SIMON AND SCHUSTER for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.*
October 20, 2015
When her husband falls down the stairs and dies unexpectedly, Tanya DuBois cuts and runs, for she is actually a fugitive living under an assumed name. She switches identities several times but can she ever run from her past?
I got this from Netgalley.
I love Lisa Lutz's Spellman Files series dearly so I was pretty stoked to pick up her newest. It pains me to say it was a bit of a letdown.
The Passenger feels like a Lifetime movie to me. Tanya DuBuois is a woman on the run from a past that is only hinted at until the end. The marketing teaser makes is sound like she forms a Thelma and Louise partnership with Blue but Blue actually isn't in the book that much.
Eventually, Tanya/Amelia/whatever her name is hears that someone is writing a book about her and suddenly people aren't quite sure she should have been declared legally dead. Lutz achieves the paranoid feeling she's going for a few times. Otherwise, it's pretty unremarkable. I don't even know what genre to shove this in. It's marketed as a thriller but the thrilling bits are scattered pretty widely.
Still, it wasn't all bad. The last 20% kicked ass, once Lutz starting knocking down all the dominos she'd spent the rest of the book setting up. I loved the ending, complete with the unexpected metaphorical kick in the junk in the aftermath.
I'm giving this a three largely because of the ending but I wouldn't mind if Lutz stuck with Spellman novels.
I got this from Netgalley.
I love Lisa Lutz's Spellman Files series dearly so I was pretty stoked to pick up her newest. It pains me to say it was a bit of a letdown.
The Passenger feels like a Lifetime movie to me. Tanya DuBuois is a woman on the run from a past that is only hinted at until the end. The marketing teaser makes is sound like she forms a Thelma and Louise partnership with Blue but Blue actually isn't in the book that much.
Eventually, Tanya/Amelia/whatever her name is hears that someone is writing a book about her and suddenly people aren't quite sure she should have been declared legally dead. Lutz achieves the paranoid feeling she's going for a few times. Otherwise, it's pretty unremarkable. I don't even know what genre to shove this in. It's marketed as a thriller but the thrilling bits are scattered pretty widely.
Still, it wasn't all bad. The last 20% kicked ass, once Lutz starting knocking down all the dominos she'd spent the rest of the book setting up. I loved the ending, complete with the unexpected metaphorical kick in the junk in the aftermath.
I'm giving this a three largely because of the ending but I wouldn't mind if Lutz stuck with Spellman novels.
January 23, 2016
I received this book through Net Galley and Simon & Shuster. My sincere appreciation to them and to the author, Lisa Lutz. This was my first book by Lisa Lutz and, believe me, I will be back for more.
The title and the cover of the book are intriguing. Exactly who is The Passenger? Is it one steady road trip or is the wheel passed back and forth like a game of hit me tag? Or do we, ourselves, experience the role as we're taken on a wild and relentless ride?
Our female main character has more names and identities than feathers on a wild turkey.....or would that be fingerprints on a bottle of Wild Turkey? The story begins with our girl, Tanya, standing at the foot of the stairs hovering over the body of her dead husband. She proclaims her innocence to us and at the same time speaks, "It seemed like a good time to say goodbye."
Lisa Lutz morphs the character of Tanya into a series of clever and creative transitions. Lutz uses some very spikey humor in regard to some of the males that Tanya meets along the way. "There was something academic in the overall effect even though his forehead was on the brink of Neanderthal."
But this is hardly a light-hearted travel log. And now in walks the character of Blue. Blue bends the arc of this storyline. The true chameleon has arrived and we can only guess what her terms are and what the taut clutches of their effects will be. Our girl continues to be strapped into the seat of a tilt-a-whirl going from one precarious situation to the next. "My nerves jangled like a set of janitor keys."
Lutz reaches back in time with a series of emails that allow us to bridge Tanya's present with some staggering episodes from the past without giving away too much. Tanya is like a cat with nine lives. But has she finally reached the last of them? Towards the end, our girl admits, "I took a battle-ax to my entire life." Is there anything left to salvage here?
I enjoyed the book because of Lutz's quick wit and character development. She can set up a scenario until you almost smell the stale beer in the seedy bars that Tanya finds herself in. I'm looking forward to future offerings by Lisa Lutz.
The title and the cover of the book are intriguing. Exactly who is The Passenger? Is it one steady road trip or is the wheel passed back and forth like a game of hit me tag? Or do we, ourselves, experience the role as we're taken on a wild and relentless ride?
Our female main character has more names and identities than feathers on a wild turkey.....or would that be fingerprints on a bottle of Wild Turkey? The story begins with our girl, Tanya, standing at the foot of the stairs hovering over the body of her dead husband. She proclaims her innocence to us and at the same time speaks, "It seemed like a good time to say goodbye."
Lisa Lutz morphs the character of Tanya into a series of clever and creative transitions. Lutz uses some very spikey humor in regard to some of the males that Tanya meets along the way. "There was something academic in the overall effect even though his forehead was on the brink of Neanderthal."
But this is hardly a light-hearted travel log. And now in walks the character of Blue. Blue bends the arc of this storyline. The true chameleon has arrived and we can only guess what her terms are and what the taut clutches of their effects will be. Our girl continues to be strapped into the seat of a tilt-a-whirl going from one precarious situation to the next. "My nerves jangled like a set of janitor keys."
Lutz reaches back in time with a series of emails that allow us to bridge Tanya's present with some staggering episodes from the past without giving away too much. Tanya is like a cat with nine lives. But has she finally reached the last of them? Towards the end, our girl admits, "I took a battle-ax to my entire life." Is there anything left to salvage here?
I enjoyed the book because of Lutz's quick wit and character development. She can set up a scenario until you almost smell the stale beer in the seedy bars that Tanya finds herself in. I'm looking forward to future offerings by Lisa Lutz.
March 31, 2020
This was unlike anything I've ever read before. And that's a good thing.
This one starts out with a bang, which is always great. "When I found my husband at the bottom of the stairs, I tried to resuscitate him before I ever considered disposing of the body."
Needless to say, I was HOOKED. And the story never let up.
Our heroine (who may or may not be a heroine) is Tanya Dubois (who may or may not be Tanya). She's living her life constantly on the run ...but WHY?
This book is divided into eight sections with eight different women's names.
Tanya is always on the move, always changing her name, her looks, her persona. For some reason, I found this to be AWESOME. I just loved it.
You are given little clues and pieces of information throughout the story as you try to piece together why on earth she's on the run.
I was hooked the entire time. And frankly, Tanya is kind of a badass. I tend to like stories where women save themselves, and this one also shows women helping each other. Tanya's friend, Blue, is even more of a badass than Tanya.
This was a really satisfying and super fun read.
This one starts out with a bang, which is always great. "When I found my husband at the bottom of the stairs, I tried to resuscitate him before I ever considered disposing of the body."
Needless to say, I was HOOKED. And the story never let up.
Our heroine (who may or may not be a heroine) is Tanya Dubois (who may or may not be Tanya). She's living her life constantly on the run ...but WHY?
This book is divided into eight sections with eight different women's names.
Tanya is always on the move, always changing her name, her looks, her persona. For some reason, I found this to be AWESOME. I just loved it.
You are given little clues and pieces of information throughout the story as you try to piece together why on earth she's on the run.
I was hooked the entire time. And frankly, Tanya is kind of a badass. I tend to like stories where women save themselves, and this one also shows women helping each other. Tanya's friend, Blue, is even more of a badass than Tanya.
This was a really satisfying and super fun read.
July 12, 2021
Tanya’s husband dies under suspicious circumstances. She says it was an accident, but she goes on the run rather than trying to clear her name. Instead, she travels the country, changing identities, trying to stay one step ahead of the law and the many shadows in her past.
That is the simple yet satisfying premise for The Passenger. Tanya is an interesting character, damaged by something that happened in her youth, yet slowly finding her strength. The story moves fast, with threads picked up and often quickly resolved, as the reader begins to learn Tanya’s secrets.
There were some parts of The Passenger that were hard to believe. The whole subplot with Reggie. And although I enjoyed Blue, her reappearance in the later stages of the story strained credibility. She should have had many reasons to stay away rather than risk exposure. Still, her return—like the whole novel itself—was entertaining. Recommended.
That is the simple yet satisfying premise for The Passenger. Tanya is an interesting character, damaged by something that happened in her youth, yet slowly finding her strength. The story moves fast, with threads picked up and often quickly resolved, as the reader begins to learn Tanya’s secrets.
There were some parts of The Passenger that were hard to believe. The whole subplot with Reggie. And although I enjoyed Blue, her reappearance in the later stages of the story strained credibility. She should have had many reasons to stay away rather than risk exposure. Still, her return—like the whole novel itself—was entertaining. Recommended.
April 5, 2016
I liked the sound of this one: a woman with a mysterious past keeps changing her identity. Who doesn’t want to read about a woman who carries hair dye and blue contact lenses in her purse? I’m just going to refer to her as “the star,” since she changes names so many times, who knows what to call her.
After a while it was same old, same old, ho hum, now she’s blonde and has a new name and a new town, blah blah blah. Some of her adventures are good, others not so much: She has a slightly too-long stint as a caring teacher, for example, and the story stalls there a bit. On the other hand, her attitude toward her students lets us see that she isn’t a total hard-ass. And there’s one stellar scene of a homeowner returning home to find the star living there; a twisty dialogue made it fun. One wrong thing: To match a picture on a license, the star gains 20 pounds in three weeks. I don’t think so! (And then she loses it again just as fast—sure.)
The story wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped, but it was a decent, well-paced mystery. What was she running from? Would she get caught? At the end of each chapter, there's an email exchange with an old boyfriend. Their ongoing conversation piqued my interest, teasing me with just the right amount of information to keep me guessing.
The star is spunky and resourceful. She’s one of those brave, independent women out there fighting her way through the rough world all alone. Hell no, you probably don’t know anyone like that in real life, but they’re alive in books and they’re way cool and tough. She’s the one telling the story, which I always love because first-person narration is so personal. She’s trusting me with her story, she’s telling me a secret and I’m a loyal listener.
But naturally I have some complaints. The biggie is the biggie that wrecks so many mysteries for me: I can’t suspend disbelief. Right off the bat, the star runs into a woman who does something I can’t buy. Later, the star herself does something way out of character. When I can’t buy it, I’m not hot to be in the store anymore.
There’s not any depth to the story, but I felt sort of okay hanging out in the shallow end—it went fast and I wanted to find out what happened. The writing isn’t anything fancy, but it flowed easily and I made a few highlights. There’s a really good twist at the end.
But bottom line: This is one of those books that I pretty much flew through, mostly because I was jonesing to get to a better book!
Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy.
After a while it was same old, same old, ho hum, now she’s blonde and has a new name and a new town, blah blah blah. Some of her adventures are good, others not so much: She has a slightly too-long stint as a caring teacher, for example, and the story stalls there a bit. On the other hand, her attitude toward her students lets us see that she isn’t a total hard-ass. And there’s one stellar scene of a homeowner returning home to find the star living there; a twisty dialogue made it fun. One wrong thing: To match a picture on a license, the star gains 20 pounds in three weeks. I don’t think so! (And then she loses it again just as fast—sure.)
The story wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped, but it was a decent, well-paced mystery. What was she running from? Would she get caught? At the end of each chapter, there's an email exchange with an old boyfriend. Their ongoing conversation piqued my interest, teasing me with just the right amount of information to keep me guessing.
The star is spunky and resourceful. She’s one of those brave, independent women out there fighting her way through the rough world all alone. Hell no, you probably don’t know anyone like that in real life, but they’re alive in books and they’re way cool and tough. She’s the one telling the story, which I always love because first-person narration is so personal. She’s trusting me with her story, she’s telling me a secret and I’m a loyal listener.
But naturally I have some complaints. The biggie is the biggie that wrecks so many mysteries for me: I can’t suspend disbelief. Right off the bat, the star runs into a woman who does something I can’t buy. Later, the star herself does something way out of character. When I can’t buy it, I’m not hot to be in the store anymore.
There’s not any depth to the story, but I felt sort of okay hanging out in the shallow end—it went fast and I wanted to find out what happened. The writing isn’t anything fancy, but it flowed easily and I made a few highlights. There’s a really good twist at the end.
But bottom line: This is one of those books that I pretty much flew through, mostly because I was jonesing to get to a better book!
Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy.
February 16, 2016
4 solid stars
What a pleasant surprise this turned out to be!
I had seen a few 3 star ratings from some of my Goodreads family about this book, so I took this on with minimal expectations. But right from the first chapter I was completely engaged. I couldn't put this down!
Plot-
Tanya Pitts husband is dead at the bottom of the stairs. She assumes he fell down them, because she had nothing to do with his death. Instead of calling the police, she packs a bag, grabs what money she can find and takes off into the night. It becomes apparent early on that this isn't the first time Tanya has had to run. After making a phone call to a mysterious man, she requests a new name with credentials and some cash. Hair colored, disposable phones in hand, Amelia Keen is born and off to find a new backroads town to start over in. The big question is WHY?
The story is told through Tanya's voice and done so intimately I felt like I was reading her diary. The entire first 3/4 of the book is dedicated to her life on the run and the people who manage to become relevant in her life, as hard as she tries to remain invisible. My two favorites are Blue and Dominic, and I couldn't get enough of either one of them. There are also brief emails added at the end of each chapter with another mysterious man Ryan...these are the only reference to her past life that surface until the end of the book when all is revealed.
I think what really drew me in was my instant liking of Tanya. She's tough, but the author gave her many layers and I could sense the hurt and love that was buried under all those years of pretending.
The story moves at just the right pace. I enjoyed the journey she was on, but couldn't wait to know what had gone wrong in her life to put her on this path. There were a few scenarios she got herself into that were a bit far fetched but easily forgiven.
This is my first read by author Lisa Lutz, and from what I understand it's her first venture into the suspense genre. I hope she continues this path as she's made me a fan!
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a pleasant surprise this turned out to be!
I had seen a few 3 star ratings from some of my Goodreads family about this book, so I took this on with minimal expectations. But right from the first chapter I was completely engaged. I couldn't put this down!
Plot-
Tanya Pitts husband is dead at the bottom of the stairs. She assumes he fell down them, because she had nothing to do with his death. Instead of calling the police, she packs a bag, grabs what money she can find and takes off into the night. It becomes apparent early on that this isn't the first time Tanya has had to run. After making a phone call to a mysterious man, she requests a new name with credentials and some cash. Hair colored, disposable phones in hand, Amelia Keen is born and off to find a new backroads town to start over in. The big question is WHY?
The story is told through Tanya's voice and done so intimately I felt like I was reading her diary. The entire first 3/4 of the book is dedicated to her life on the run and the people who manage to become relevant in her life, as hard as she tries to remain invisible. My two favorites are Blue and Dominic, and I couldn't get enough of either one of them. There are also brief emails added at the end of each chapter with another mysterious man Ryan...these are the only reference to her past life that surface until the end of the book when all is revealed.
I think what really drew me in was my instant liking of Tanya. She's tough, but the author gave her many layers and I could sense the hurt and love that was buried under all those years of pretending.
The story moves at just the right pace. I enjoyed the journey she was on, but couldn't wait to know what had gone wrong in her life to put her on this path. There were a few scenarios she got herself into that were a bit far fetched but easily forgiven.
This is my first read by author Lisa Lutz, and from what I understand it's her first venture into the suspense genre. I hope she continues this path as she's made me a fan!
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2016
Reviewed by: Hello Beautiful Book Blog
Being the passenger on this ride was quite the adventure from start to finish.
I stayed up until the wee hours of the night, so let's just say I really liked it. It's going to be hard to review this with no spoilers so this will probably be a shorter review. Also, the main character has so many names throughout this book I'm just going to call her Tanya for the sake of my sanity and to be less spoilery.
It was a little all over the place at times, but even with all the identities, new towns, etc. the story line is still easily followed. The story is told through the present, flashbacks and emails. Tanya is in hiding from a past we have no clue about and when her husband dies she must find a new identity to survive on the run, thus Amelia is born. Amelia meets Blue, a bartender and they become allies trying to outrun both their pasts.
The book is really well paced. I didn't get bored with any of the chapters. There is always something new happening to keep you entertained. Plenty of things to speculate about and plenty of characters to try to figure out. Most of the characters lacked depth, however. I felt Tanya was the only character who was well developed by the end.
Tanya is very brave and kind of seems like a badass. Some of the things she had to do were questionable, she definitely has some issues, but overall I was rooting for her. She gets herself into some sticky situations along the way.
The reveal of the mystery as to why she's on the run was actually quite good. Not as moving of a revelation as I was imagining, but still had me thinking 'what?' and 'ohhh'. Some of the characters from the past I wanted to throat punch! I hate people getting away with things when they should be punished, ugh! It made me crazy!
With the story line keeping you guessing until the end, it was definitely one I had no regrets staying up until 2:00 am to finish.
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for honest review.
Being the passenger on this ride was quite the adventure from start to finish.
I stayed up until the wee hours of the night, so let's just say I really liked it. It's going to be hard to review this with no spoilers so this will probably be a shorter review. Also, the main character has so many names throughout this book I'm just going to call her Tanya for the sake of my sanity and to be less spoilery.
It was a little all over the place at times, but even with all the identities, new towns, etc. the story line is still easily followed. The story is told through the present, flashbacks and emails. Tanya is in hiding from a past we have no clue about and when her husband dies she must find a new identity to survive on the run, thus Amelia is born. Amelia meets Blue, a bartender and they become allies trying to outrun both their pasts.
The book is really well paced. I didn't get bored with any of the chapters. There is always something new happening to keep you entertained. Plenty of things to speculate about and plenty of characters to try to figure out. Most of the characters lacked depth, however. I felt Tanya was the only character who was well developed by the end.
Tanya is very brave and kind of seems like a badass. Some of the things she had to do were questionable, she definitely has some issues, but overall I was rooting for her. She gets herself into some sticky situations along the way.
The reveal of the mystery as to why she's on the run was actually quite good. Not as moving of a revelation as I was imagining, but still had me thinking 'what?' and 'ohhh'. Some of the characters from the past I wanted to throat punch! I hate people getting away with things when they should be punished, ugh! It made me crazy!
With the story line keeping you guessing until the end, it was definitely one I had no regrets staying up until 2:00 am to finish.
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for honest review.
March 11, 2016
This book is like Orphan Black watered down by James Patterson minus the cloning stuff with a hint of any awful 90s teen horror movie (let's go with I Know What You Did Last Summer).
Put into five simple words.... It just wasn't very good.
The writing was weak, the characters were bland, the plot became repetitive, and the ending was pretty lackluster.
It was like the author wrote several short stories and then wanted to weave them together and have things connect perfectly and unrealistically so that everything worked out in the end for the protagonist. There were moments where I thought the book was taking an interesting turn, but those turns were unraveled in a mere couple of pages to start the next chapter, and then things were fine again, nothing to see here, nothing to worry about, character change, all better, keeping going.
If you want something very, very light that you can use to pass the time on a long car ride and at night while on vacation, this might work. That's when I read it, and it served its purpose, but this book is ultimately skimmable and not worth much of your time, or maybe any if your time.
Peace!
Put into five simple words.... It just wasn't very good.
The writing was weak, the characters were bland, the plot became repetitive, and the ending was pretty lackluster.
It was like the author wrote several short stories and then wanted to weave them together and have things connect perfectly and unrealistically so that everything worked out in the end for the protagonist. There were moments where I thought the book was taking an interesting turn, but those turns were unraveled in a mere couple of pages to start the next chapter, and then things were fine again, nothing to see here, nothing to worry about, character change, all better, keeping going.
If you want something very, very light that you can use to pass the time on a long car ride and at night while on vacation, this might work. That's when I read it, and it served its purpose, but this book is ultimately skimmable and not worth much of your time, or maybe any if your time.
Peace!
February 27, 2018
Can’t decide if I loved or hated this book. It was one of those in between books for me. Some parts were edge of your seat exciting and then some parts made no sense at all, so much going on and not always in a good way. To add to my confusion all the alias names to keep up with, but it did give this book abit of an extra edge to veer it from being boring and pedestrian. That ending was worth the ride though. Boy I wasn’t expecting that bombshell!
March 31, 2021
OMG! This book is amazing. I read it in one day.
Right away I became hooked on this book. This was an awesome read because of the style of the writing, the locations, the characters we meet, the thoughts of the main character, and, most of all, the mystery of how we got here.
Our main character is shedding her identity, again. In the beginning Tanya’s husband has just fallen down the stairs and dies. She has to get out before someone questions her and finds out who she really is. She is not the girl everyone thinks she is. Thank God, she hated being Tanya.Tanya Amelia seems doomed from the start until she meets a girl named Blue. Blue is not who she says she is either. They become fast friends and switch identities. Now Tanya Amelia Debra is going to start over. Debra has a real shot at a good life. Unless of course Debra’s ghosts come back to find her, too.
Actually, my little summary there just covered the first few chapters. I don’t want to give away the whole story. This story is so much more, and this girl, our protagonist, takes us all over the country inventing herself. To say this is fast paced is almost an understatement. This book is one hell of a ride!
This is such a fun read. Don’t worry about the identity swaps, we stay in first person the whole story through. It doesn’t matter what she is called, the fact is that she is NOT who she says she is. The author doesn’t reveal why until very late in the book. The whole time I was wondering how bad she could really be. The fact is that the main character in this story is a good girl, with some really fucked up things happening to her. At no time in this story did I get frustrated with her. She did what she had to do.
The story takes us all over remote America, mostly small towns, where you can still pay cash for a hotel. As the main character goes from person to person she changes. Our girl changes hair color, eye color, style, drink, and dialect. Through all of this, she has a chance run in with a cop she really likes. He is not going to just let her go. She holds onto and communicates with her first love. She rights a potential wrong. She stands up for herself. She gets told off by stranger. She is caught and let go accidentally. Then she throws in the towel and goes home, four long years after she decided to run away.
This story had me really wondering, aside from what the hell did this girl do, how hard it would be to just disappear. This was such a quick read, but left me completely sated. The Passenger is smart and phenomenally written. Once I started reading, there was no way I could put it down. Even the title was incredibly woven into the text. This was a great thriller.
Right away I became hooked on this book. This was an awesome read because of the style of the writing, the locations, the characters we meet, the thoughts of the main character, and, most of all, the mystery of how we got here.
Our main character is shedding her identity, again. In the beginning Tanya’s husband has just fallen down the stairs and dies. She has to get out before someone questions her and finds out who she really is. She is not the girl everyone thinks she is. Thank God, she hated being Tanya.
Actually, my little summary there just covered the first few chapters. I don’t want to give away the whole story. This story is so much more, and this girl, our protagonist, takes us all over the country inventing herself. To say this is fast paced is almost an understatement. This book is one hell of a ride!
This is such a fun read. Don’t worry about the identity swaps, we stay in first person the whole story through. It doesn’t matter what she is called, the fact is that she is NOT who she says she is. The author doesn’t reveal why until very late in the book. The whole time I was wondering how bad she could really be. The fact is that the main character in this story is a good girl, with some really fucked up things happening to her. At no time in this story did I get frustrated with her. She did what she had to do.
The story takes us all over remote America, mostly small towns, where you can still pay cash for a hotel. As the main character goes from person to person she changes. Our girl changes hair color, eye color, style, drink, and dialect. Through all of this, she has a chance run in with a cop she really likes. He is not going to just let her go. She holds onto and communicates with her first love. She rights a potential wrong. She stands up for herself. She gets told off by stranger. She is caught and let go accidentally. Then she throws in the towel and goes home, four long years after she decided to run away.
This story had me really wondering, aside from what the hell did this girl do, how hard it would be to just disappear. This was such a quick read, but left me completely sated. The Passenger is smart and phenomenally written. Once I started reading, there was no way I could put it down. Even the title was incredibly woven into the text. This was a great thriller.
March 2, 2016
I devoured this book. I couldn't put it down.
It was the stellar opening line that hooked me initially. Can you blame me though? It's pretty great -
“When I found my husband at the bottom of the stairs, I tried to resuscitate him before I ever considered disposing of the body.”
The woman standing over her husband isn’t someone that we ever truly get to know. Instead of calling the police, she makes a choice most of us wouldn’t. She runs, finds a new identity and starts playing the part. Simply biding her time until she decides her next move. And there are a bunch of them.
“I'm not anyone anymore.”
The pace of the story was pretty unrelenting, which made for a great read. I was flying through the pages, desperate to find out who she really was and what landed her in this predicament. There was never a dull moment. It was gritty and shocking and just so good. Especially when she tried to stick to some type of morals but ended up caving. I guess it was sort of justified though.
My one complaint - the ending. It felt weak in comparison to the rest of the story. I thought the author made things way too easy for Jo. I wanted her to return home and prove herself, not have it served up to her nicely on a platter, especially after having been betrayed and forced to live on the run. And honestly, the whole Ryan situation, it was a little disappointing and gross. I won't go so far to say it ruined the book for me, I was just expecting something different.
The epilogue kind of made up for it though. I loved it.
*Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
It was the stellar opening line that hooked me initially. Can you blame me though? It's pretty great -
“When I found my husband at the bottom of the stairs, I tried to resuscitate him before I ever considered disposing of the body.”
The woman standing over her husband isn’t someone that we ever truly get to know. Instead of calling the police, she makes a choice most of us wouldn’t. She runs, finds a new identity and starts playing the part. Simply biding her time until she decides her next move. And there are a bunch of them.
“I'm not anyone anymore.”
The pace of the story was pretty unrelenting, which made for a great read. I was flying through the pages, desperate to find out who she really was and what landed her in this predicament. There was never a dull moment. It was gritty and shocking and just so good. Especially when she tried to stick to some type of morals but ended up caving. I guess it was sort of justified though.
My one complaint - the ending. It felt weak in comparison to the rest of the story. I thought the author made things way too easy for Jo. I wanted her to return home and prove herself, not have it served up to her nicely on a platter, especially after having been betrayed and forced to live on the run. And honestly, the whole Ryan situation, it was a little disappointing and gross. I won't go so far to say it ruined the book for me, I was just expecting something different.
The epilogue kind of made up for it though. I loved it.
*Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
March 27, 2017
No disrespect to those who enjoyed "The Passenger" by Lisa Lutz, but I thought this novel was a fucking monstrosity. The main problem was the writing. Lutz can't write a cohesive or compelling story. Everything is all muddled together. Crappy and awkward writing. The first chapter had me hooked, but the plot quickly fell apart. The twist at the end was laughable. I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to quit a book halfway through, I like to see how it ends, but geez, the ending just aggravated the hell out of me! My second problem were the characters. The protagonist, Tanya Dubois is an idiot. Nothing she does makes any sense, changing identities like she changes her underwear. And then she meets a female bartender, nicknamed, Blue, who's just as stupid as Tanya. And now my eyes hurt from rolling them so much. Ugh. Excuse me while I throw "The Passenger" outside my bedroom window. Good riddance, you deceiving little bitch!
Please excuse my potty mouth and angry tone. I hardly ever give books a 1-star rating, but this one totally deserved it. Implausible in every way.
Please excuse my potty mouth and angry tone. I hardly ever give books a 1-star rating, but this one totally deserved it. Implausible in every way.
September 23, 2016
There is nothing about this book that is compelling to me. I rarely go with one star but after having listened for more than a few hours I am very bored with this repetitive story to the point that I'm finding it almost painful to listen to. I'm glazing over. Moving on...
January 29, 2016
I LOVED this.
It was one of those books that you start then look up and a few hours have gone by and you are nearly at the end. It literally went by in a FLASH one of the most addictive novels I've read so far this year.
I believe this is the authors first foray into thrillers (I have not read her previous novels) and all I can say if that is the case is PLEASE WRITE MORE.
So we follow "Tanya" then, who goes on the run after the death of her husband. It feels like this is something she may have done before (run) then when she meets "blue" things start spiralling...
This is twisty and delicious as Tanya goes on her way, inhabiting various personas and trying to escape her past. But it has a way of catching up with you and her own personality is changing too - things move fast, bits and pieces are revealed along the way, leading up to a really terrific finale that just left me wanting more. I shall miss all those characters...
Lisa Lutz does this sort of thing really well - exploring her characters psychological spirits and giving them great depth and perception. Love them or loathe them (and I did a bit of both with all of them during the course of the story) you can't help but be fascinated from first page to last. Or perhaps reading being so subjective I should say I was fascinated from first page to last. I read it in one big gorgeous gulp and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
I have one complaint - I'd like to know more about Blue. It feels like she has a WHOLE LOAD more to say - so if this author is one of those that reads an occasional review and happens to read this one perhaps I could put in an avid reader request - A sequel? A Prequel? Even a novella would do. I would be first in line. Blue I loved. Hey I always like the twisted ones....
Overall a really exellent read that comes highly recommended from me.
Happy Reading Folks!
It was one of those books that you start then look up and a few hours have gone by and you are nearly at the end. It literally went by in a FLASH one of the most addictive novels I've read so far this year.
I believe this is the authors first foray into thrillers (I have not read her previous novels) and all I can say if that is the case is PLEASE WRITE MORE.
So we follow "Tanya" then, who goes on the run after the death of her husband. It feels like this is something she may have done before (run) then when she meets "blue" things start spiralling...
This is twisty and delicious as Tanya goes on her way, inhabiting various personas and trying to escape her past. But it has a way of catching up with you and her own personality is changing too - things move fast, bits and pieces are revealed along the way, leading up to a really terrific finale that just left me wanting more. I shall miss all those characters...
Lisa Lutz does this sort of thing really well - exploring her characters psychological spirits and giving them great depth and perception. Love them or loathe them (and I did a bit of both with all of them during the course of the story) you can't help but be fascinated from first page to last. Or perhaps reading being so subjective I should say I was fascinated from first page to last. I read it in one big gorgeous gulp and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
I have one complaint - I'd like to know more about Blue. It feels like she has a WHOLE LOAD more to say - so if this author is one of those that reads an occasional review and happens to read this one perhaps I could put in an avid reader request - A sequel? A Prequel? Even a novella would do. I would be first in line. Blue I loved. Hey I always like the twisted ones....
Overall a really exellent read that comes highly recommended from me.
Happy Reading Folks!
October 21, 2015
Burner phones, hair color kits, and falsified identification are at a premium in the dark world of aliases. I liked reading about Tanya/Amelia/Debra et al struggling to maintain a low profile as one after another of "her" identities was blown. It's a pity there wasn't more of Blue in the story as the writing really snaps when she is on the page. It's an easy read and finishes strong.
This copy was furnished by Net Galley in exchange for a review.
This copy was furnished by Net Galley in exchange for a review.
July 18, 2024
“When I found my husband at the bottom of the stairs, I tried to resuscitate him before I ever considered disposing of the body.”
That’s the first line in Lisa Lutz’s “The passenger.” A first line that sets the tone perfectly for what’s to come, a gripping, quick-paced and engrossing thriller. On close up inspection, though, this book feels more like a close-to-home mystery, because, despite all the traveling and changing identities and big explosions, behind all the Hollywood style action, there’s a simple truth: Families keep secrets, and the tighter they hold onto them the more damaging they become. This is the story of the aftermath of such secrets.
The back cover tells us that, “Forty-eight hours after leaving her husband’s body at the base of the stairs, Tanya Dubois cashes in her credit cards, dyes her hair brown, demands a new name from a shadowy voice over the phone, and flees town. It’s not the first time.”
And that is how we navigate this world, through the eyes of Tanya Dubois, who is not new to identity changes and dead bodies but who is hard to define as a victim or perpetrator, or perhaps a bit of both.
Hints of what drove Tanya to leave a body behind, when she’s not responsible for that death, are given along the narrative, showing us her scars and explaining the trauma that had pushed her into a life of isolation and distrust. In my opinion, one of the hits of this book is how well Lutz captures Tanya’s fragility. That vulnerability she hides underneath the tough exterior she projects to protect herself from everything life keeps throwing at her, thereby giving the reader a chance to see Tanya in the most favorable light.
Putting it in as few words as possible: The action makes for a page-turner while the psychological exploration contained within that action makes for a compelling story with well-drawn characters we soon learn to care for.
That’s the first line in Lisa Lutz’s “The passenger.” A first line that sets the tone perfectly for what’s to come, a gripping, quick-paced and engrossing thriller. On close up inspection, though, this book feels more like a close-to-home mystery, because, despite all the traveling and changing identities and big explosions, behind all the Hollywood style action, there’s a simple truth: Families keep secrets, and the tighter they hold onto them the more damaging they become. This is the story of the aftermath of such secrets.
The back cover tells us that, “Forty-eight hours after leaving her husband’s body at the base of the stairs, Tanya Dubois cashes in her credit cards, dyes her hair brown, demands a new name from a shadowy voice over the phone, and flees town. It’s not the first time.”
And that is how we navigate this world, through the eyes of Tanya Dubois, who is not new to identity changes and dead bodies but who is hard to define as a victim or perpetrator, or perhaps a bit of both.
Hints of what drove Tanya to leave a body behind, when she’s not responsible for that death, are given along the narrative, showing us her scars and explaining the trauma that had pushed her into a life of isolation and distrust. In my opinion, one of the hits of this book is how well Lutz captures Tanya’s fragility. That vulnerability she hides underneath the tough exterior she projects to protect herself from everything life keeps throwing at her, thereby giving the reader a chance to see Tanya in the most favorable light.
Putting it in as few words as possible: The action makes for a page-turner while the psychological exploration contained within that action makes for a compelling story with well-drawn characters we soon learn to care for.
February 15, 2016
First of all I have to say what a great cover, it draws you in and makes you feel the thrill of anticipation as to where that road may lead. Unknown and waiting to be unravelled, where will the story take us? I love this feeling at the beginning of a book.
Tanya Dubois comes out of the shower and discovers her husbands body laying dead at the bottom of the stairwell in their family home. She does not react at all like you would think she may, scream? call for help? she does neither, she sits, has a drink and then makes a decision to leave her life completely behind. Then she runs. This begins a journey that is really quite an exciting ride. Tanya meets a girl called Blue in a bar, Blue senses that Tanya has troubles and offers her a place to stay. The issue here is that both women are on the run for different things, but between them they will clock up a few more incidents that will leave them both vulnerable in their own way, even if they are no longer sure who they are, or what lines they have crossed. There are other characters in the book that become very significant to the story line and influence many of the outcomes that will unfold.
This book is about deception, lies and deceit and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Tanya Dubois comes out of the shower and discovers her husbands body laying dead at the bottom of the stairwell in their family home. She does not react at all like you would think she may, scream? call for help? she does neither, she sits, has a drink and then makes a decision to leave her life completely behind. Then she runs. This begins a journey that is really quite an exciting ride. Tanya meets a girl called Blue in a bar, Blue senses that Tanya has troubles and offers her a place to stay. The issue here is that both women are on the run for different things, but between them they will clock up a few more incidents that will leave them both vulnerable in their own way, even if they are no longer sure who they are, or what lines they have crossed. There are other characters in the book that become very significant to the story line and influence many of the outcomes that will unfold.
This book is about deception, lies and deceit and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
January 16, 2016
The Passenger is the gripping narrative of a woman who goes by the name Tanya Pitts. After discovering her husband Frank at the bottom of the stairs dead, she decides to run. Automatically Lisa Lutz presents the story of a woman who has something to hide. The question that constantly eats at the reader is what is this woman running from? Why's she running?
After a few chapters, the most deafening question is who is this woman? If Tanya Pitts is simply a name on a paper, who is the woman pretending to be Tanya Pitts? The answers to these questions is the only hook to this novel sadly. Sure The Passenger is flagged with moments of suspense and pure intrigue.
Before I get into my gripes I will acknowledge that this novel is a true page turner. I haven't genuinely been interested in the ending of a story in quite some time. Tanya Pitts, AKA Debra Maze, AKA whoever's ID was available, pulled me in and got me interested. I cared what happened to her. I wanted this woman, whoever she might be, to be just fine. Even when the glimpses into her past proved she may not be so innocent. Especially when she became a person she no longer recognized, able to commit acts she never thought possible, I cheered her along. I wanted her to find her way.
Sadly, the truth is life doesn't allow for passengers. There's no way to continue to ride on the wings of someone else's identity when the past is left so undone. That brings me to my gripes with this novel. Lisa Lutz holds my unwavering attention throughout The Passenger by dangling the grand reveal of who Tanya Pitts really is. This reveal was lackluster and left me wanting. I understand that we can never truly run from who we are, but couldn't the thing we're running from be a little more explosive? There's gotta be something strong enough to choose a life on the run. A life that consists of fear, homelessness, and constant inconsistency.
After 70% in I realized I didn't really know the narrator. She was so focused on running and surviving that her personality never shined through. She seemed only able to follow the path that led back to the start. I am still wondering who Tanya Pitts AKA... whoever really is.
The Passenger is a worthwhile ride on the run. I enjoyed the ride although I simply needed more character development. Essentially, we're all passengers in this thing called life until we make the choice to take control and drive like hell only yielding to the occasional detour.
Copy Provided by Simon & Schuster via Netgalley
After a few chapters, the most deafening question is who is this woman? If Tanya Pitts is simply a name on a paper, who is the woman pretending to be Tanya Pitts? The answers to these questions is the only hook to this novel sadly. Sure The Passenger is flagged with moments of suspense and pure intrigue.
Before I get into my gripes I will acknowledge that this novel is a true page turner. I haven't genuinely been interested in the ending of a story in quite some time. Tanya Pitts, AKA Debra Maze, AKA whoever's ID was available, pulled me in and got me interested. I cared what happened to her. I wanted this woman, whoever she might be, to be just fine. Even when the glimpses into her past proved she may not be so innocent. Especially when she became a person she no longer recognized, able to commit acts she never thought possible, I cheered her along. I wanted her to find her way.
Sadly, the truth is life doesn't allow for passengers. There's no way to continue to ride on the wings of someone else's identity when the past is left so undone. That brings me to my gripes with this novel. Lisa Lutz holds my unwavering attention throughout The Passenger by dangling the grand reveal of who Tanya Pitts really is. This reveal was lackluster and left me wanting. I understand that we can never truly run from who we are, but couldn't the thing we're running from be a little more explosive? There's gotta be something strong enough to choose a life on the run. A life that consists of fear, homelessness, and constant inconsistency.
After 70% in I realized I didn't really know the narrator. She was so focused on running and surviving that her personality never shined through. She seemed only able to follow the path that led back to the start. I am still wondering who Tanya Pitts AKA... whoever really is.
The Passenger is a worthwhile ride on the run. I enjoyed the ride although I simply needed more character development. Essentially, we're all passengers in this thing called life until we make the choice to take control and drive like hell only yielding to the occasional detour.
Copy Provided by Simon & Schuster via Netgalley
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