Crime Detective Mystery Thriller Group discussion

Hi Everyone. We will begin reading A Girl On The Train on March 15th. Feel free to join the discussion even if you already read the book. No spoilers please.

If you can manage it, the three different voices on the Audible version really bring out each narrator.

I'm several chapters in and I'm really liking the style so far.
I can see where the comparison to Gone Girl came from. It's not the same, but has a similar feel.

This is such an easy and entrancing read, I'm flying through it. Up to chapter 29 and I don't want to go to work!

One thing I share with Rachel is to project my impressions onto others' relationships. When I see a couple of really attractive looking people who appear to be having fun, I find myself thinking that they must be truly happy just as Rachel does wth 'Jess/Jason' as she sees them from the train.

E. wrote: "I'm several chapters in and I'm really liking the style so far.
I can see where the comparison to Gone Girl came from. It's not the same, but has a similar feel."

You mean slow, boring and predictable? I will watch this discussion closely before buying and reading this book, has been on my TBR for quite some time as a "read after Gone Girl", except I just finished Gone Girl and would have DNF'ed it, but I silly me already bought the movie (which is the same, but the acting is good).
Now I am not so sure, liked the The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, though and that is also on one of the "... after G G"-lists (yes, there are at least 3 easily found). So, I will wait for this discussion.

I finished it this morning. If I ever read the words "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." again it will be too soon.

I enjoyed this book even though I see similarities with Gone Girl, even though, like Ingo, I found that one painful to finish.

Here's my review of The Girl on the Train:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have to say that at first I wasn't sure I was going to like the switching between the various people but I found it added to the story. I think its a good book. I gave it 4 stars.

i enjoyed this book a lot more than gone girl and went through it really quickly. i liked that it wasnt totally predictable but man there are some crazy people involved in this story.

I'm enjoying the slow pace. The narration and unfolding of the story is fine by me. I'm about 3/4 of the way through and the "why" is coming into view. Now I'm dying to know "who and how" at this point it could be any of them. Yes these are some messed up folks. All of them.
Rachael as an alcoholic is just plain sad. But I gotta say, every time she pops open a gin and tonic I get thirsty....
(view spoiler)[ the baby in the tub broke my heart (hide spoiler)]

I'm happy with the pace as well E.

Looks like I'll be able to join in! My copy just came in at the library! I'm so surprised!

Sounds good Kristen.

Kirsten wrote: "Looks like I'll be able to join in! My copy just came in at the library! I'm so surprised!"

Hope you enjoy it.

I had some other books that I wanted to finish so I just started this morning. Only finished one chapter so far...

Started this morning...5% in and loving it. Had to come to work. Bugger! (non-offensive NZ saying)8:D

On the cover of this book SJ Watson calls it 'Gripping, enthralling - a top-notch thriller and a compulsive read'. I agree 100%

I simply could not put this book down.

It is well written - tight, tense and thrilling all the way. Reading it is like riding a roller coaster.

Who is telling the truth?

Who is lying?

Rachel, an emotionally unstable alcoholic who has recently lost her marriage and her job, rides the train to London every day, keeping up the pretence she still has a job.
Everyday she passes the back of the street where she used to live - when she was married - and every day she looks.
She makes up stories about the people in the houses - one couple in particular.
Then one day she sees something; something that changes the way she sees these people and that will involve her in their lives.

A compulsively readable, emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller; this is an electrifying debut. Paula Hawkins, I wait impatiently for your next book.

I have read some really good books this year, but this is far and away the best.

LOVED THIS BOOK! (Yes, I'm shouting.)

I liked the book but I can't say I loved it.

I just got my copy from the library, after several months! I can only hope it is worth the wait...sounds like it will be interesting either way.

Skeetor wrote: "I liked the book but I can't say I loved it."

Different things push different people's buttons...8:D

I should be done by Friday. I'll be interested in hearing comments about the characters.

I'm enjoying reading everyone's comments.I had mixed feelings about this book. It drew me in right through to the end. I had guessed "whodunit" really early on, but a testimony to Hawkins' writing is that I doubted myself throughout the rest of the book. So I enjoyed it, but felt that it did not live up to the hype. The multiple viewpoints, moving back in forth in time, unreliable narrators, etc. are all too familiar these days. I'm not only thinking Gone Girl, but Tana French's The Secret Place as two examples. Also, how many books do we need with Girl in the title?!!! I can recite 5 current "best sellers" without even looking them up. :)

Slate.com has an audio book club where they pick and discuss a book each month. Here's their take on it. (wait till you've finished reading to listen, I would say) http://www.slate.com/articles/podcast...

I'm not seeing a connection to Gone Girl but I haven't finished the book so I'll have to wait and see on that. I can see your point on the your other thoughts though Suzy.

No, I couldn't see any connection to Gone Girl either. But yes, what is with so many books with 'Girl' in the title - and actually surely it should be 'Woman'?

I see The Girl On The Train as a character driven book with dysfunctional characters - at least Rachel is - so far. Not sure what to make of the others yet. Maybe you can compare the characters in this one to Gone Girl based on that but it's hard to say.

I did not mention it, but I didn't see a direct connection to Gone Girl because the stories were so different. But the multiple viewpoints, unreliable narrators thing and flipping back and forth in time are characteristics of both books.

I would agree with that.

I finished The Girl On The Train. I would agree with E that these are messed up folks. Maybe it was me but I was surprised by who the killer was. I enjoy books with these types of characters and I look forward to hearing what people thought of Rachel, Anna, Megan, Tom, and Scott. All in all, it was a good read for me and I would give the book 5 stars.

Ive already said what I thought of Rachel, Megan & Anna in my review - tho' let me add that the book is much the richer for Megan's voice. Tom is an odious controlling sociopath. Some readers said they found the ID of the villain obvious but like Ron I didn't - there are 3 principal suspects but till the final Murderous-Attack-Thriller-Ending all were in the running. Oh, & I was pleased & surprised by Anna's support for Rachel - otherwise she could have received a life sentence for defending herself successfully!

I bought this book in Feb because mystery booksellers recommended it and one of them offered a signed copy. I'm tickled they did. I've taken the train across the U.S. five times. I love trains. I've ridden the D.C. to Penn Sta and back several times, and, as Rachel does, I've commuted to work while living in the Phila (area).

Besides enjoying the various perceptions/voices and realizing some are set at a different time frame, it didn't matter to me that other authors used multiple viewpoints. This one worked for me. I rarely compare books/writers (until after I've finished) but stay in the moment.

As for Rachel's imagined couple, how perfect. Do you remember meeting people, seeing them from afar most of the time, then one day are surprised when you learn they've done something (heroic, terrible, a kindness, whatever unknown factor) you never would have guessed about them? Another thought came to mind, and this is for only some of you, but as a little girl, I played with dolls and with imaginary friends. I had to entertain myself a lot. In some way, that's what Rachel is doing.

I had no idea whodunit. I never try to unravel, but prefer to be entertained. I never had one of those ... "oh that's stupid" moments I've encountered with many well-known authors.

I think that I have to go back to what Mel Sherratt said when she was here to talk about Taunting The Dead. She was able to bring out the worst in her characters. I think Paula Hawkins did a good job of that as well.

I found The Girl on the Train so slow at the start that I was tempted to put it aside. But I stuck with it--and I'm glad I did because after that beginning it got to be a page-turner. I really liked it. Four stars.

Harriet wrote: "I bought this book in Feb because mystery booksellers recommended it and one of them offered a signed copy. I'm tickled they did. I've taken the train across the U.S. five times. I love trains. I'v..."

I'm with you Harriet! I never try to figure out "whodunit", I sit back, sip some wine & just enjoy the ride :-)

Suzy wrote: "I'm enjoying reading everyone's comments.I had mixed feelings about this book. It drew me in right through to the end. I had guessed "whodunit" really early on, but a testimony to Hawkins' writing ..."

Would have loved to hear what they said, unfortunately the it appears that I can't access the audio north of the boarder - rats!

I really don't see any comparison with Gone Girl. The writing in The Girl on the Train is far superior (IMO) to Gone Girl; there is actually stuff happening, not just disjointed ramblings. The Girl on the Train gripped me and I really did not want to put it down. I intend to read it again.
I guess we all know people with some of the personality traits of some of the characters.
The characters were definitely not likeable - but that only increased my pleasure in the book. I don't find it necessary to like the characters to enjoy a book.
The plot was interesting. I sit in cafes and watch people (not in a stalkerish way) and make up stories about their lives, so I can relate to Rachel's involvement in Jess and Jason's lives. And like Bill, I liked the way Anna and Rachel stuck up for each other in the end. A great read!

I'm with you Sandy. I enjoy books like Girl On Train because Paula Hawkins developed the characters to the point where we saw the worst in them. It made the story more exciting for me as well.

Even though we're coming up on another group read, I hope that people who are reading this book will give their thoughts on Paula Hawkins' book. No need to stop comments and we can keep going after the 15th since other people are still reading the book.

Anyone have any thoughts on Rachel's roommate? Seemed to me that I would have been a little happier if she pushed her out of the apartment so Rachel can live with her mother and get her act together, although Rachel never seemed to stop drinking.

Ron wrote: "Anyone have any thoughts on Rachel's roommate? Seemed to me that I would have been a little happier if she pushed her out of the apartment so Rachel can live with her mother and get her act togeth..."

I was surprised that she didn't kick Rachel out. It's very difficult to live with an alcoholic, esp an out-of-work alcoholic. But the fact that she didn't kept me reading. Aside from the mystery itself, their relationship just fascinated me.
:-)

But she didn't find out Rachel was unemployed until quite a way through the book. And then she gave her notice (I would have just delivered her to her mother!) but rescinded it because she felt sorry for her. What a friend! I would never have tolerated the puke on the carpet or any of the other little "social indiscretions" Rachel committed. She must have been a very kind and forgiving person.

Olivia wrote: "I found The Girl on the Train so slow at the start that I was tempted to put it aside. But I stuck with it--and I'm glad I did because after that beginning it got to be a page-turner. I really like..."

I definitely agree with Olivia. I finally picked it up on the weekend and decided that I was not going to put it aside again, I would finish it. I actually ended up staying up until well after midnight last night reading it, went to bed but could not sleep and got up again at 4:00 to finish it. I loved that the characters were all damaged, yet there was some saving grace about them as well. I did figure out who the killer was before the ending, but it was surprising. I agree with Anne that I am shocked Cathy did not kick Rachel out earlier in the story. The suspense was great in the book and I would definitely give it 4.5 stars or maybe even 5 by the time I actually write my review. I certainly liked this book a lot more than Gone Girl!

I liked Girl On The Train more than Gone Girl as well.

Ron wrote: "I liked Girl On The Train more than Gone Girl as well."

Definitely! GG was well crafted but I personally didn't like it. Dark Places, on the other hand, was really good.

I had a hard time at first finding the main character likable at all. I would not have had the patience to deal with her drinking, and I couldn't figure out why she was still so obsessed with her ex, who didn't seem like the nicest person. Cathy was way too nice to her! Once I got to a certain point, I had trouble putting it down, though, and the characters were more like able once I got to know them more.

It really doesn't worry me when the characters are not likeable, as long as the story line is good - which in this book, it was. 8:D

Maybe less frustrating would have been a better choice of words. They were really not much more likeable in the end, but I was not as annoyed with them as I was at first!

Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "It really doesn't worry me when the characters are not likeable, as long as the story line is good - which in this book, it was. 8:D"

I generally need to feel some affinity to the characters before I can really enjoy a book (which may explain why I didn't care for GG) but for some reason I was able to but that behind me and enjoy this one. I did find Rachel infuriating, though.

I rather think that was the point Ron - Rachel was meant to infuriate us.
I didn't care for GG because the storyline just didn't hang together for me (I kept poking holes in it) and I didn't think it was particularly well written.

I think that all the characters were meant to infuriate us in their own way. I would say that that would go for Rachel's roommate since she would not send Rachel packing.