“The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins

If you are still seething over the ending to “Gone Girl” or are desperate for a novel-delivered thriller, pick up a copy of Paula Hawkins’ debut novel. Hawkins’ psychological mystery “The Girl on the Train” follows Rachel, an unstable alcoholic who is still pining over her ex-husband. 

Rachel’s life is a figurative train wreck: She is jobless, directionless and nearly homeless. She rides the train every morning, observing the couple she dubs Jess and Jason who live in the neighborhood across from the tracks. From afar, Jess and Jason have the perfect marriage — the one Rachel has lost — until she sees the couple’s dirty laundry aired out on the terrace Rachel sees from her seat every morning. 

Disappointment leads to tragedy as Jess goes missing, and Rachel finds herself caught up in her disappearance. After an all-night bender, all Rachel has to piece together from that fateful night is the memory of a red-haired man from the train station and quite a few cuts and bruises, proving the experience to be less than savory. With multiple women as unreliable narrators and the men they love blind to their psychosis, nobody can be trusted in “The Girl on the Train,” but the book will take you along for the ride.

_______________

Follow Mia Moran on Twitter.