Hell Train

The Cursed Manuscripts

by Iain Rob Wright

On December 21, 2012, according to the Mayan Calendar, the world was supposed to end. It didn't. But on that day, 113 mysterious manuscripts were discovered around the world, each one written in blood by an unknown author. After several dozen unexplained deaths befell the finders of said manuscripts, a decision was made to lock them up for good in a secret vault beneath the Vatican. It is said that anyone who reads the stories will die, and as such they are now referred to as 'The Cursed Manuscripts.'

In December 2020, new manuscripts started turning up around the world. 'Hell Train' was one of them.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Ghosts, Paranormal, Fantasy, Thriller

181 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2022

About the author

One of Horror's most respected authors, Iain Rob Wright is the writer of more than forty books, many of them bestsellers. A previous Kindle All-Star and a mainstay in the horror charts, he is a prolific producer of unique and original stories. From his apocalyptic saga The Gates to his claustrophobic revenge thriller ASBO, Iain writes across a broad spectrum of sub genres, creating both beloved series and standalone titles.

With work available in several languages and in audio, Iain Rob Wright is one of the fastest rising stars in horror, but when not writing he is a dedicated family man. Father to Jack and Molly, and husband to Sally, he is often seen sharing his family memories with his fans on Facebook.

To get 6 of his books for free (no strings), just visit: www.iainrobwright.com

Reviews

[John Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Struggled with this one!

I read all the four and five star reviews and really looked forward to reading this story. Unfortunately, I found it rather tedious. The idea was good, very good in fact but, the characters seemed underdeveloped (to me at least). The moral of the story appeared to be that good will always triumph over evil. Perhaps I should revisit this story in the future and then, perhaps, I will agree with all the five star reviewers. Until then I remain somewhat confused.

[Tara Losacano · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an awesome read! I enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing how they reacted to the violent anomalies happening on the train. There were some super suspenseful moments and high tension was a constant. I can't wait for the next book in the Cursed Manuscripts! 4/5 guilty skulls 💀

[Oxy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 Stars. Mans did not enjoy reading this book, felt tedious.

[Betsy Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

I love how it all goes together... I definitely didn't see that coming! I really liked this one!! I think it was the best!!

[coty ☆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

the author describes this as a love letter to "the langoliers" and honestly i think it sets himself up for failure immediately because that sets a high bar that the story never reaches. the langoliers instills a dread in you immediately, and hell train really does try but the "horror" present is such a bad trope that is just a little embarrassing to read. the writing feels a little juvenile, the story needed another pass or three through editing, and the characters are very one-note and walking stereotypes that really make me cringe. i'm sorry but reading this in the days following yet another attack on the lgbt community solely for existing made it very difficult to swallow a gay character being written as a predatory psychopath (and he's not even the worst stereotype in this story.) maybe i would be nicer in my rating if not for that, but it really has left a sour taste in my mouth and sullied any potential i could've seen in the story.

[Mylene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh…. we are just f$$&$&ed!!!!

I read everything Iain writes. He just has this amazing imagination. His forte is characters. The majority of his stories are about a group of characters stuck in a supernatural and/or impossible situation. Hell Train is no different. I really like he tied this book to the original Cursed Manuscript “The Witch”. Can’t wait for more, Iain!!!!

[Venus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welp. I really wasn’t trying to read this entire series. But it looks like I’m committed now. This is the third one I’ve read, although I’ve read them out of order because they are supposed to be standalone, this one ends with such a cliffhanger, I absolutely have to read the next one now. So here I go.

I stayed up all night reading this one and read the whole thing in one sitting. No regrets. And it was actually legitimately scary. And I don’t get scared very easily. I love horror movies, and I live alone in a big old Victorian house in the middle of the woods. But yeah, there was some freaky stuff in this one.

I’m very impressed by this authors ability to weave a story. My only complaint so far is that he picks remarkably annoying characters. I realize they are supposed to be annoying, but it’s downright painful. This one had the most annoying of all so far: Mudz

Between the characters ridiculous slang and outright an inexplicable violent tendencies, I wanted to strangle him the whole time, and I was ridiculously happy when he died. The book just got better after he was removed.

Anyway I liked the moral lessons in this book as well. So freaking good.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a twisted ride that was. It was definitely worth the read and it kept me on the edge of my seat. I can't continue to review it without giving it away... But it's worthwhile

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down

I read this in 1 day. It grabs you in the beginning and doesn't let go. I highly recommend it.

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Stuff 'n' Things

I think I can safely say that I am a fan of Mr Wright's work; rarely have I been disappointed with anything he has written and Hell Train is no exception.

At the beginning of the book, Mr Wright tells us that his inspiration is Stephen King's The Langoliers and whilst I can definitely see this (and understand because I love The Langoliers), Hell Train is very much an original story.

Mr Wright has a great knack of making the normal develop into something that is totally abnormal and here he does it again. A simple train journey in the middle of the day becomes something entirely different when the train enters a tunnel.

With characters that you love and some you love to hate, a plot that is intriguing and different, a pace that is relentless with no words wasted, with twists that will shock and scenes that might leave you feeling a tad queasy, Hell Train is a quick and enjoyable read and one that I would recommend to lovers of horror.

My thanks must go to Iain for accepting me into his "street team" and for allowing me to read Hell Train and to share my thoughts.

[Terry and dog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I'll catch the next train, thanks
I just finished reading this and I am traumatized, and my hair is probably a mess. Oh, the humanity! This is a great interpretation of people trapped in a small area and dealing with the horrific unknown. Nice people, and people that speak a different version of english ( a way of speaking that took a moment to decipher at first). It had so much atmosphere and suspense, and dread. Sadness and love. A very interesting adversary with a story of their own, and a bunch of action and blood. I devoured this book in one go. <3

[Suzanne Lopes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well Goodreads family, we meet again (sort of I guess 😁 ) I gave book 📖 2 ⭐️⭐️ I was disappointed because the the other 2 books from this series was really really good 😊 When I read a book I create the scenario in my head (I hope you guys do too, well at least I hope you do) Anyway, back to what I was saying, the book talked about the different characters in the book and what their intentions were. I don’t do spoilers but all these characters were stuck in a train carriage. All these weird and demonic things 👿👹 started happening. Honestly, I feel like the storyline was all over the place. I don’t know maybe it was just me, I really didn’t like the book. This book was the last one from the series The Cursed Manuscript. The other 2 were on point. I loved it. I am definitely a fan of this author ✍️. Trust me, read at least the first book of this series called The Witch 🧙 it is really really good. Well at least I did. Oh I almost forgot if you read the first book which is the Witch and then you read the last book Hell Train the end of this book is going to go back to the ending of the first book, and you’ll see what happens to Jude (the main character). So, I suggest you read and see what happens!! See you at my next review 😉

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC for this one and I’m glad. It’s a great addition to the Cursed Manuscripts series and I definitely recommend it. Strange and creepy, and nicely unpredictable. I wondered how it linked with the series and was rewarded toward the end with the answer to that. The characters were interesting and developed, and I rooted for many of them, some of whom didn’t make it. Definitely some surprises there! Enjoy this one.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

🫥

I was really looking forward to this one with it's nod to the langoliers but for me it was let down with the gang slang. I get it, it was probably too being it to the modern age as of today but I found it really tedious talk and if I'm honest I think the book would have been better without those two characters.
Other than that it was a good enough story. The premise was good.

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this but it is my least favourite in the series so far. There was some decent body horror, blood and gore, but I just couldn't get past the terrible villain and motive. I like that each book can be read as a standalone yet there is that continuation. Looking forward to the next one.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[bookish_emmxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

[Emma Darcy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The imagery gets a bit silly, like looney tunes horror .

[Laura Lougher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent - quite short but very entertaining, a perfect homage to the King, Stephen, that is.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a railroad of emotions!!

I absolutely enjoyed this read the characters some I liked and others I hated but in a horror book everyone can't be nice that's the point of it isn't it.

This book has lots of shock, horror and gasp out loud moments and twists and turns and the ending totally concluded the book nicely, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

Loving this series so far, every book I read by this author I have demolished. Looking forward to the next installment of THE CURSED MANUSCRIPTS - AWESOME READ!!! You won't be disappointed.

[Elizabeth Hobbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

It reminded me of a tale from the dark side story, the last car, in a good way. It really is a horror novel, I felt claustrophobic and a little queasy reading this, but I read it in one go. I couldn't bear it, and also couldn't put it down. It starts out as the horror of living a modern city life, then gets weird. I need a drink and to watch a cartoon now, and if that isn't an endorsement of a horror novel, I don't know what is.

[Bianca & pancho Aldama · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book reminds me of an episode of black mirror or the twilight zone and im sure other feel the same,its not a bad thing.is it worth the read??? maybe for Halloween but randomly..no

[Vicki Herbert Vacation until Apr 11 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Sore... er, Sacrificed Spouse...

No Spoilers. 2 stars. Commuters on a 20 year old train pass slaughtered animals on the tracks and enter a tunnel with a gruesome effigy above its entrance...

From that point on murder and mayhem ensue as the passengers find the train suspended in motion and themselves in the dark...

Literally...

Then they learn that they're to become offerings to The Sacraficed Spouse who is also a poor sport...

... and sore at humanity because she was forced to give the ultimate (her life) for the greater good of her community...

I liked this author's first CURSED MANUSCRIPTS offering titled WITCH because it was a different take on a witch but his second installment, ZOMBIE, paled in comparison and sadly HELL TRAIN was a bomb!... and not in a good way.

The author goes back to his same old storyline of teens and British thugs who cannot be controlled as they create chaos for law-abiding citizens... Puleese!

This series went from stellar to ho hum and I'm really not sure if I'm willing to stay with it for a 4th installment.

I found this story so boring and trite with so little character development that I put it aside to read 2 novels in between so... I really can't recommend it.

This plot went something like this: This happened then that happened then this happened again then that happened again... no lead in just bam, bam, zowie!

It seems like everything I've read lately in British horror has the same old plots: no adequate cell phone coverage and thugs running rampant in their streets. C'mon is England really that unsafe or is the author just asking us to swallow a lot of hog-wash?

If you're looking for a good haunted train story try PHANTOM NIGHTS by John Farris. WITCH by this author is a good story, the others in the series not so much.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

A weird, short little book about some people trapped on a train - a little like Down Bound Train but less fun.

The writing was meh, worse than what I’ve come to expect from this author, and a bit cringe. Lots of random drug taking and stabbings.

It just kind of went on too long??? Despite being less than 200 pages??

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hell Train - 5/5
By Iain Rob Wright

Easily the best book in the series. A short train ride to Birmingham, quickly turns into a never ending journey.

This story had everything - characters you love, characters you love to hate, strangers trapped in a weird situation and a creepy revengeful entity - HELL TRAIN was a book I could just not put down!

[Twila · Rating 1 out of 5]

What kind of name is clip? Does the author realize that not everyone understands Spanish? This book gave me a headache! I couldn’t even finish it! It is by far the worst book of the series. I certainly hope the rest of the books are not like this.

[Ronald Wooten · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope.

Not worth turning the first page. A complete waste of a day. Looking for a good book? It's not here.

[Jameson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hell. Train. Hell train. Like that Christopher Fowler book. Or that one episode of Tales from the Darkside. I’m a sucker for transportation-set mysteries and horrors. But did this transportation-set horror transport me?

Right off the bat the book annoyed me, honestly. Not a fan of dumb slang. And a few characters here speak that language. Specifically, that young English thug slang. In fact, there are quite a few extremely grating characters here. They outstay their welcome, most of them, mostly, but I see what Rob was doing: he was setting up some really stupid ideas to eventually knock them down. And it did serve the story. So I guess it was worth the aggravation.

I could have done without them, but it’s actually refreshing to see a repudiation of bad ideas in modern media—bad ideas that somehow are acceptable among the chattering classes—especially “all men are evil” and “blame Joe Public for the poor choices made by wannabe gangsters.” Wright is pretty popular so it’s kind of surprising to see him have a spine. He even had the balls here to depict “protected classes” unflatteringly. (Sad state of affairs that it takes balls to avoid wisdom-retardant ideas like the “noble savage,” but here we are.) Even a child can grasp the fact that true equality obviously means the bad guy in a story can be a lady/black/gay/whatever without some pea-brain clutching their sustainably-harvested pearls thinking the writer means all ladies/blacks/gays/whatevers are bad guys. But morons gotta moron, so it goes. Ergo, beware, any potential readers without two brain cells to tango: you’ll likely be throwing your book across the room and sending Rob death threats for “dog whistling” or some shite.

One of the villains who may offend an amoeba was actually my favorite character. He reminded me of that transvestite villain from Batgirl a few years ago, the one that got memory-holed. This character definitely added some edge and levity to the proceedings. These “group of guilt-laden characters stuck together somewhere to death” stories are pretty paint-by-numbers so pulling it off depends on interesting characters. Rob managed to pull it off here because he threw a few spicy ingredients into the mix. Granted, the main character is the most obvious exception. She’s kewl and tuff and has pink hair and a wicked, wicked stupid name. Blah.

I also appreciate that Rob isn’t afraid to kill his darlings. Maybe that has something to do with the fact that he publishes more than 25 new books a month, I don’t know. But it’s nice that who lives and who does isn’t as transparent as is soften the case in this genre.

A caveat: there’s a whole lot of the Jean Luc Picard School of Defenseless Defense, i.e., characters refusing to defend themselves and/or others from imminent death lest they appear impolite or “stoop to the villain’s level.” There’s more than one scene where characters practically go out of their way to die. That always grates.

All in all, Hell Train is what it is. If you like Rob’s stuff, you’ll like this. It’s not the breakthrough novel I keep expecting him to write, but it’s a good B flick. Rob knows what kind of writer he is and what kind of stories he tells. And I appreciate that. Case in point: the ending. It’s bloody and funny and kind of stupid. The epilogue… not so much. That was not bloody or funny and very stupid, and saccharine.

(Oh, there were two epilogues, actually. About different characters involved with a larger story, apparently. I had to look it up but I actually read the move in which those characters appeared. I barely remember it, but I was taken aback at where the characters from that story ended up.)

12% I hope these “roadmen” thugs don’t last long. They’re just annoying. The “tough talk” is cringey but I don’t blame the writer—these stab-happy morons are embarrassing in real life, too. Every line of dialogue sounds to me like Lauren from The Catherine Tate Show. “Well good, bruv. Real talk. Am I bovvered, though?”

[William Bitner Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hell Train (The Cursed Manuscripts, Book 3)
By Iain Rob Wright

Genre - Fiction/Horror/British/Occult/Series
Pages - 212
Format - Print (Soft Cover)
Publication Information - Independently Published, May 16, 2022, ISBN-13: 979-8828205295
Overall Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reviewed by William C. Bitner Jr. (https://booksinmylibraryblog.wordpres...)

Of the three books so far in this series, this one is by far my favorite. I literally could not take my eyes off the pages and read this one in just one sitting. My only complaint is that it wasn’t longer. While ‘Witch’ and ‘Zombie’ were both excellent reads, this one just ticked all the boxes for me. Iain is a master at creating and manipulating his characters, and his atmospheric dialogue is nearly flawless.

As I was reading this book I found myself revisiting in my mind all the books, especially ‘Final Winter; I’ve ever read by Iain. This, to my thinking, was a compilation of everything he has written to date. I think he must have been in a very special place when he penned this gem. Be afraid, be very afraid…

From the back cover: “Clip and Xavi are youngsters in love, with their whole lives ahead of them. Clip, a psychology stu7dent, and Xavi, a med student are catching the train into the university for an afternoon lecture. But today, they aren’t going to make their destination.

Shortly upon entering a short tunnel, the world stops making sense, and the future suddenly seems short. There are dangers on the train, least of all the other passengers, and for some reason the lights keep going out. Strangest of all, the train should have left the short tunnel several minutes ago. It’s almost like the tunnel goes on forever. And ever. And ever.”

Other books by Iain Rob Wright: Animal Kingdom, A to Z of Horror, 2389, Holes in the Ground (with J.A. Konrath), Sam, ASBO, The Final Winter, The Housemates, Sea Sick, Ravage, Savage, The Picture Frame, Wings of Sorrow, The Gates, Legion, Extinction, Defiance, Resurgence, Rebirth, TAR, House Beneath the Bridge, The Peeling, Blood on the Bar, Escape!, Dark
Ride, 12 Steps, The Room Upstairs, Soft Target, Hot Zone, End Play, The Spread: Books 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6, Witch (Cursed Manuscript, Book 1) & Zombie (Cursed Manuscript, Book 2).

About the Author: “One of Horror's most respected authors, Iain Rob Wright is the writer of more than twenty books, many of them bestsellers. A previous Kindle All-Star and a mainstay in the horror charts, he is a prolific producer of unique and original stories. From his apocalyptic saga The Gates to his claustrophobic revenge thriller ASBO, Iain writes across a broad spectrum of sub genres, creating both beloved series and standalone titles.
With work available in several languages and in audio, Iain Rob Wright is one of the fastest rising stars in horror, but when not writing he is a dedicated family man. Father to Jack and Molly, and husband to Sally, he is often seen sharing his family memories with his fans on social media.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey there book lovers! It is your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes Loves Books Headquarters. Today, I have for you my review of Iain Rob Wright’s Hell Train (Cursed Manuscripts Book 3) I have coffee in my system, and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it!

I love trains (if you follow me on a certain unnamed social media platform you will know what I mean, I am always posting pictures of trains). Give me a story set on a train and I am one happy reader! When i saw that Iain Rob Wright turned his talented eye towards a train ride, I had to see what it was about.

Clip and Xavi are two students in love. They board the train to go to university to attend classes. They are just two of at least a dozen passengers from all walks of life who are heading toward various destinations. The age range is from the very young to the very old. You have students, former special forces, a wanna-be actor, thugs, just to name a few. When the ride starts, the thugs start eyeing up Clip, and Xavi takes offense. This starts a back-and-forth that goes through the book until the end, but this is the least of the worries. As the train enters a tunnel, it does not exit. It keeps moving into eternal darkness and picks up another passenger, a specter of a woman whose feet are bound in wood, and her head is bound in a cage. One by one, passengers die and disappear, feeding the woman with their guilt….and everyone on the train has something in their past that weighs heavily on their soul, and the woman is very hungry. The dinner bell has rung. “All will die, two will survive”.

One of the things that tripped me up a few times in this book was British turns of phrase and slang. Once I got used to that, I was fine. The two thugs on the train were…over thugged with the way they spoke, and it did get annoying but on the other hand, they never broke character, so while annoying it was refreshing. The story itself flowed and when you find out why the train is not getting out of the tunnel, it is a doozy. This story is also evocative of Stephen King’s The Langoliers in that the train starts dissolving into nothing, and that actually propels the sense of urgency and dread, and believe me when I tell you there is enough dread to go around.

The best part of this book is that I saw the movie unfold in my head. After a while, I was not so much reading as much as I was enjoying the picture show.

I give this book 4.5 bookmarks out of 5!