Girl on a Train by A.J. Waines

Whoa!

That's what I have to say about Girl on a Train by A.J. Waines--Whoa!

I picked up this book due to a vague sense that the title was familiar and one I wanted to read. Well, it turns out that it wasn't actually the book I had in mind--that book is The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.

A few notes about Girl on a Train...
First, it is a self-published title on Amazon Create Space. In the past, I've not been overly thrilled with self-published works, but this is the first time I've handled or read something published on Create Space. I was truly surprised. It looks and feels just like any other professionally published novel. In fact, I only realized it was self-published when I went to post about it on my personal Facebook page and on Instagram. In those posts, I generally include the publisher. I only realized Girl on a Train when I couldn't find the publisher information and finally looked it up online.

Second, although the quality of the book was excellent, there were a few formatting errors. I have no idea if they were due to a glitch or overlooked by the author before she published, or what, but they are there. Mostly it is paragraphs breaking in the middle of a sentence. Thankfully, there aren't too many of them.

Now on to the review...
Girl on a Train is a thriller set in England and it delivers! Waines has crafted a page turner with suspense and intrigue throughout. She also deftly develops her characters and relationships in a way that make them all feel real.

The book truly is about a girl on a train and the events that lead up to her death and how the murder is uncovered.

The story centers around Elly Swift, the girl on the train, and Anna Rothman. The two characters meet on a train and the intrigue begins! Ultimately, Elly is murdered, but due to the circumstances, the cause of death is listed as suicide. Anna doesn't buy it. Anna has her own experience with suicide and doesn't think Elly's behavior fits. Unfortunately, proving that Elly was murdered isn't so easy.

What's interesting, besides the intrigue and mystery, is that Waines has also built a novel around a woman who is rather lonely and who has suffered a major emotional trauma. As a result of that emotional trauma, she's cut herself off from all but a minimum of personal relationships. Over the course of the story, Anna builds new relationships and ends up with a multitude of friends and supporters.

In fact, I enjoyed the side story revolving around Anna and her relationships that I'd like to read more about her and her life!

This novel includes murder, two suicides that might not be suicides, attempted murder, a sociopath, finding new family and friends in unexpected places, and a couple of twists you just won't see coming.

I highly recommend this fresh, fast, exciting novel!

I found Girl on a Train by A.J. Waines at my local library, but because its' self-published via Amazon Create Space, you likely won't find it at your library. If that's the case, you can buy a copy of Girl on a Train, The Girl on the Train, and two other novels that looks really good or below.

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