Rachel catches the slow train into central London each morning. She’s come to look forward to the moment it pauses at a signal overlooking a row of back gardens to check whether the couple from number fifteen are out on the terrace. The cans of ready-mixed gin-and-tonic that she consumes on the homeward journey and the fantasy she has built up around the lives of this seemingly idyllic couple are all that are keeping her going at the moment so, when she sees something that contradicts her notion of their charmed lives, she’s thrown into chaos. Partly shocked, partly scared and partly exhilarated by the chance to be in on the action, Rachel’s efforts to help appear to make the situation worse. Why should the police, or anyone else for that matter, listen to a deceitful alcoholic? Subject to periodic memory losses and blackouts, Rachel isn’t even sure she can trust herself.
I had difficulty deciding whether I ought to include The Girl on the Train in my series of fictional therapists. Dr Kamal Abdic is only a minor character in this novel and to cite chapter and verse of his boundary violations would risk spoiling the plot (although the evidence suggests that spoilers don’t actually spoil). Suffice to say that few psychological therapists would refer to their practice base as a surgery (p187) unless they were based alongside GPs, nor would they charge £75 a session (seems steep to me, but these might be London prices) if they’re working for the NHS. And they really shouldn’t keep clients waiting for half an hour beyond their appointment time or, without very good reason, visit them at home. Otherwise, while sidestepping the issue of what kind of therapist Dr Abdic actually is (and what kind of doctor), the author provides him with some reasonable lines, at least in the early chapters, that also serve to move the story along. And, because he isn’t a point of view character, the thorny issue of whether he is in receipt of clinical supervision, his own therapy or further training is beside the point.
The Girl on the Train is set up to be a bestseller in the manner of Gone Girl but, not having read that (though it did discover this post, via Isabel Costello on Twitter, on the annoying tendency to use the word “girl” instead of the more accurate “woman” in novels titles), I’m unable to comment on how it compares. I found some similarities with The Delivery Room in the therapist from the former Yugoslavia; The Good House in the alcoholic central character; and Don’t Stand so Close in the controlling husband(s), but I’m afraid I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as any of those three. Perhaps I’m getting grumpy and intolerant in my old age, but I found the three flawed women who were the point of view characters somewhat irritating and overly self-absorbed. I enjoyed it more when the tension ratcheted up towards the climax, and I did appreciate the opportunity to read Transworld’s top debut thriller of 2015 (although I would have plumped for Goodhouse) so thanks, as always, for my review copy.
The Girl on the Train is set up to be a bestseller in the manner of Gone Girl but, not having read that (though it did discover this post, via Isabel Costello on Twitter, on the annoying tendency to use the word “girl” instead of the more accurate “woman” in novels titles), I’m unable to comment on how it compares. I found some similarities with The Delivery Room in the therapist from the former Yugoslavia; The Good House in the alcoholic central character; and Don’t Stand so Close in the controlling husband(s), but I’m afraid I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as any of those three. Perhaps I’m getting grumpy and intolerant in my old age, but I found the three flawed women who were the point of view characters somewhat irritating and overly self-absorbed. I enjoyed it more when the tension ratcheted up towards the climax, and I did appreciate the opportunity to read Transworld’s top debut thriller of 2015 (although I would have plumped for Goodhouse) so thanks, as always, for my review copy.
With only two more days of the Review Challenge left to run – I imagine that sigh I hear comes from relief, not disappointment – do take a look at my other January reviews, if you haven’t already.
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