The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins: Review
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Quick verdict: An unreliable-narrator commuter thriller built on fragmented memory and mistaken assumptions, well suited to readers who enjoy piecing together an unreliable witness's account of events.
What it covers: Per the publisher's synopsis, Rachel takes the same commuter train every day, watching the same couple through their kitchen window and imagining a version of their life together. When the woman she has been watching disappears, Rachel inserts herself into the resulting investigation — even though her own drinking and gaps in memory make her unsure of exactly what she saw the night it happened.
Strengths: Reviewers have consistently highlighted the novel's use of an unreliable narrator whose own uncertainty about her memories becomes a central engine of suspense. The commuter-train premise is often cited as a clever, grounded device for a voyeuristic point of view. Its commercial success — a #1 New York Times bestseller, USA Today's Book of the Year, a 2016 film adaptation starring Emily Blunt, and more than 23 million copies sold worldwide — reflects how broadly this structure resonated with readers.
Weaknesses: Because the novel is frequently compared in critical and reader discussion to Gone Girl, some reviewers caution that readers going in expecting the same kind of structural gamesmanship may find this book's approach quieter and more grounded in everyday unreliability. Both are unreliable-narrator thrillers, but this is a genuinely different book in tone and mechanics, not a clone — and some reviewers note the protagonist's impaired memory can make the middle chapters feel repetitive.
Best for: Readers who enjoy thrillers grounded in ordinary suburban settings and who like a mystery built on witness unreliability and shifting perspective.
Skip if: You've read several unreliable-narrator thrillers already and want something structurally different, or you find narrators whose memory is impaired by alcohol frustrating to follow.
Editorial verdict: A commercially and critically successful thriller that helped popularize the modern unreliable-narrator format — a solid choice for readers who want that style done well.
Tip: These titles are often available secondhand, as ebooks, or through your local library — worth checking before you buy new.
👉 View on Amazon: The Girl on the Train
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