"The Woman in Carriage 3" by Alison James is a slow-burn psychological thriller you won't be able to put down. The story kicks off with a bang, with a death on a train, and sets the scene for an interesting ride.
The story follows Hattie Swell and a bunch of other commuters who are brought together by an incident on the 18:53 train. Hattie travels on the 18:53 train home every night. She used to work in digital marketing in London but lost everything (her job, her boyfriend, her flat) due to one drink too many. Now, at the age of 29, she is back at her parents' house and commutes every day to her temporary job in London. One would think she would learn her lesson and stop drinking, but she moves from one drink to another and jump from one-night stand to another to drown her sorrows.
Hattie isn't a very likable character, and many the times I wanted to scream at her to grow up. She recognizes the other travelers who share the same carriage as her, but it isn't until the train stops suddenly, due to the aforementioned incident, that they start talking and eventually open a Whats-Up group called "'The 18:53 Crew" at the suggestion of one of them. However, after the unexpected death of one of them, the gang breaks up.
That brings us to the list of characters. Meet:
Casper Merriweather - a Jude Law lookalike who works in an auction house.
Carnen Demirci - a Turkey woman who is a University Administrator.
Bridget Dempsy - a mousy-looking girl who is a civil servant.
Lewis Handley - a tight-lipped tattoo guy.
Life goes on. Hattie keeps in touch with some members of the group, tightens connections with others, and makes even more bad decisions until reality smacks her in the face. I won't reveal any more of the plot to avoid spoilers.
The book is told from the third-person POV, focusing mostly on Hattie. The book is divided into four parts, and the author introduces two new characters in the second part: Neil Waller and Natalia Finch, small crooks with big ambitions. Each part of the book reveals new info about the goings-on and provides more background stories of some of the characters.
Overall, I liked the book. The story was engaging, the characters believable, and the steady pace of the plot kept me turning the pages. Hattie really irritated me. I was rooting for her and wanting to shake her in equal measure. This is one of those books that you just bang through because you have to know where the journey ends. All the loose ends were tied up very neatly, which I liked. It isn't the edge of your seat exciting, but it had just the right amount of suspense to keep you going. I debated between 4 and 5 stars and decided on 5/5 stars as I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Definitely recommended, but don't expect a fast-paced thriller and allow yourself to enjoy the ride.
* For more info about the book:The Woman in Carriage 3
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the
opportunity to read this arc. All
opinions are my own.
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