Loved this one, was hooked from the first page! I always enjoy books with multiple perspectives and I felt the author did a great job at describing the characters, surroundings and situations. There were some twists that I didn’t see coming and I love that! I will definitely read more from this author!

This is my first book by Daniel Hurst and it certainly won’t be the last.
This is a fast paced and entertaining thriller that I raced through. There’s a few twists throughout to keep you guessing.
I’d definitely recommend it.

I have read and loved a couple of Daniel’s books now. I read the synopsis for ‘The Passenger’ and it certainly sounded like the sort of psychological thriller that I particularly enjoy. I couldn’t wait to start reading and so without further ado, I grabbed my Kindle, grabbed a cup of tea and settled down for what I hoped would be a thrilling read. I really enjoyed reading ‘The Passenger’ but more about that in a bit.
As soon as I started reading, I knew that I was going to be in for a treat and then some. I can’t say that I especially warmed to any of the characters but the way in which they were somehow linked intrigued me and I had to keep reading to see how the story panned out. I found that I couldn’t read this book over the course of a single day but I did binge read it over the course of a couple of days. I found ‘The Passenger’ to be a gripping and tense read, which kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘The Passenger’ is well written. The author certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into the story. The story is divided into chapters which tell the story from the respective points of view of the main characters and gives us an insight into the sort of people they are. I got a real sense of claustrophobia from the story in that Amanda is trapped in the train carriage with no apparent escape route. The story is a bit of a slow burn in that it starts off slow but much like a snowball rolling down a hill, the story gathers momentum leading to a tense and dramatic conclusion. Through Daniel’s very vivid and realistic storytelling, I did feel as though I was part of the story myself.
In short, I did enjoy reading ‘The Passenger’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Daniel’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

This was a good thriller. I enjoyed it and was able to devour it pretty easily. I thought the characters had a lot of depth to them that made them interesting. Amanda was for sure a ball of secrets that intrigued me. Louise was considerably annoying at times. But she’s a teenage, so the teenage angst is allowed.

My only gripe is that most of this was predictable. From the prologue I could mostly assume what was going to happen. And before events even unfolded I felt like the scenarios in the book gave away the plot “twists” pretty easily. So, I didn’t enjoy that I guessed the twists before they were revealed to me because it made them all the less shocking. But even with it being predictable I found it to be a good read. And maybe it was only predictable because I’m constantly reading mystery/thriller books and I’ve just gotten good at spotting the answers!

Overall, well done!

Fast paced thriller where everyone has their own little secret. This was such a fun read filled with adrenaline just waiting to see how everything unfolds.

This is a well written thriller that draws the reader in and keeps them turning the pages. And a great ending !

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the opportunity to read "The Passenger" in exchange for my honest review.

This book is told from several perspectives: the Stranger (the con man), Amanda (the passenger), Louise (the daughter), and James (the second con man). The story is told in the present day for all characters, 3 hours earlier for the Stranger, 2 years earlier for Amanda, 1 year earlier for James, 6 months earlier for Amanda, as well as 1 month earlier for her and finally 3 months later. The backstory for the present day is told through the flashbacks into the past.

Amanda travels to London from Brighton every single day to work. But now she has given her notice and plans to live her dream of being a full-time writer. Through a series of events the Stranger and James have teamed up to part Amanda from the money that they have learned is stashed in a safe in her home. The majority of the story is told on the train with Amanda being "held" captive by the Stranger until she gives over the code to her safe. James is at her flat holding Louise hostage and they are threatening to harm her if Amanda doesn't give over the code.

Amanda has more secrets than just the amount of money that is in her safe. She can't risk her safe being opened but she also can't risk the life of her daughter. Amanda and Louise have their issues, Louise thinks that her mother is a rubbish parent.

The story is great, it moves a bit slow in parts - especially on the train - but it grabs your attention. Amanda and Louise have their annoying parts but the overall character development is engaging.

There are several crosses and double-crosses before the last page of the book. A few you can see coming, a few you wonder - "what were they thinking?" - and some that you just doing see happening.

Many humans are creatures of routine, they generally wake up,leave their place of residence to travel to work,travel home afterwards and go to bed at the same time,every day. There might be the odd deviation to that routine but generally,they live by the same routine,day in,day out, year after year. They spend their time so caught in their plans for that day or trying to decide how they are going to spend their evening that they don't stop and take into consideration how easy they are making the life a unseen enemy. Someone who has been observing their routine and patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity to put their meticulously plotted plans into action.

Amanda is one of those creatures of habit,every work day she catches the 7.40 train from Brighton to London and in the evening she catches the 17.35 train for the return journey back to the tiny flat that she shares with her daughter Louise. But Amanda has plans to escape the daily rat race,she has always wanted to be a author and every evening she uses the hour journey home to catch up with her writing. Only this evening is going to be anything but routine because as she settles into her seat and prepares to start work,she is drawn into a conversation with the handsome stranger who is sitting in the seat opposite her. A stranger who informs her that Louise is being held captive by his accomplice and if Amanda doesn't give them the code to her safe then she will never see her daughter again. Amanda feels as if she is trapped in the plot for a action thriller or film but Liam Neeson (mmm, Liam Neeson, sorry I got a bit distracted there,back to the review) isn't going to burst into the train carriage and come to her rescue. She is going to have to use all her wit and ingenuity to get herself out of this situation. Because Amanda is harbouring secrets and there is no way in hell that she will be giving these men the code to her safe.

The chapters of this gripping thriller alternated between the perspectives of Amanda,Louise,Stranger and his accomplice James,each of whom had their own unique personalities and character traits and three of whom I thought were not very likeable for various reasons. I think that many readers will label Louise a brat but I could fully understand her feelings and behaviour and I found it easy to understand how she was so easily manipulated by her captor, I think she had been feeling unloved and neglected for a long time and was trying to get the attention that she didn't get from Amanda. I really couldn't understand why Amanda refused to help Louise fulfil her dream of travelling by giving her daughter some money especially considering how much was actually in the safe. Amanda had spent years doing everything in her power to fulfil her own dream and I thought she came across as a very selfish individual. I know that she had been hurt in the past but when you took her thoughts and actions into consideration,her motives weren't really all that different to the stranger and James.

The Passenger is a addictive psychological thriller that rockets along faster that the train on which most of the story is set. It's a fast paced,well written roller coaster ride that had me hooked in from the opening,shocking prologue and glued to my kindle. I would have read the whole book in one sitting but my old eyes had other ideas. I would love to watch a film adaptation of this brilliant book, maybe Liam Neeson could play the part of the Stranger. I really really enjoyed this gripping thriller, I think it's worth all the stars and more and very very highly recommended.

From the first paragraph I was hooked on this book. Amanda commutes daily from Brighton to London daily for work, but has handed in her notice at work to realise her dream of becoming an author. She has savings in a safe at home to enable her to fulfill this dream. However someone has been watching her and follows her onto the train.
Amanda has to use her wits when the stranger on the train threatens her and her daughter.
Another great psychological thriller written by Daniel. I devoured this book in one sitting.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own

Amanda commutes every workday from Brighton to London and back in a never ending two hour train journey. She is sick of it and soon she will pursue her biggest dream in becoming a full time author, leaving her mediocre job and hopefully never setting a foot on a train again. Therefore she has been saving 20,000£ to keep her daughter and her afloat while writing on her book. But on her last train ride after her dismissal, 'The Stranger' sits opposite her and he confronts her about the money she keeps locked in her safe. That’s when the fast-paced, thrilling cat and mouse game begins.

How far would you go to save your secret or your loved ones?

First of all kudos to Amanda, I wish I could save so much money like her. She was a tough and intelligent character, I liked her the best.
Take a seat on this train and enjoy a turbulent, chilling and riveting journey inside the psyche of ordinary people (or maybe not so ordinary) and their predators. This was a quick read, highly addictive and incredibly written. If you enjoy thrillers on vehicles like me, you won’t be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator books for providing me with this arc in exchange for a honest review.

My rating:

Plot: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Character development: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Recommended for readers of:

Thrillers



Review:

This is a great thriller, the plot is skillfully created, and step by step the story unfolds. It captures you from the start with an intriguing opening scene that raises lots of questions and sets the tone for the rest of the book. The writing is very addictive with a dark and claustrophobic feel to it. The characters are interesting and carefully created; their actions are explained well enough to make them realistic but not quite so well for them to be too predictable. The villain characters could have been a bit more convincing; they weren’t portrayed as very scary individuals.

Overall

This book has a solid plot with interesting characters. The writing has the right amount suspense and intrigue with a dark addictive feel to it this ensures you are captivated till the end.

Review copy provided by NetGalley at no cost to me.

I was hooked from the beginning. The opening is shocking and unexpected, throwing up lots of questions already before we get into the main action of the story. It is clear from the beginning of this one that the ‘psychological’ element is quite strong.

I loved the use of multiple perspectives (as I usually do!) I didn’t really find either of the main characters – Amanda or Louise – very likeable. Amanda comes across as a mysterious character, but also quite self-absorbed. In some ways, Louise lives up to the ‘stereotypical’ teenager vibe, but she only kinds of gives teenagers a bad name in the way she comes across as quite disrespectful.

There are obviously huge divergences in the book between this and the afore mentioned ‘The Girl on the Train’, however for me it did also have that claustrophobic mood and atmosphere I remember feeling when reading that book.

The book maintains the fast pace of the opening, as the plot develops quickly and the narrative perspective switches between Amanda, Louise and the mysterious ‘Stranger’.

Overall, this has been a gripping and rapid read, that I would definitely recommend to fans of Mark Edwards, Miranda Rijks and K L Slater who, incidentally are some of my favourite authors!

A well structured, psychological thriller that made me want to just keep reading. I particularly liked the opening when we meet Amanda standing on the platform waiting for the commuter train to ferry her back to Brighton. I’m already comfortable because this was a very familiar part of my working life. Trying to find the exact same spot on the platform to enable you to get on board quickly and find a seat (in my case, any seat). It is how many of us start and end our days. The frustration, the heat, the ground-hog day of it.

Amanda is a single mum who dreams of giving up work and the commute to enable her to become a full-time writer. Her teenage daughter meanwhile, is lounging about at home dreaming of going travelling, but not doing much to fulfil this as she is currently just lazing about with her new, much older, boyfriend James – that Amanda know nothing about.

We learn about Amanda’s life and how she has managed to save £20,000 which she keeps in a safe in her wardrobe – and she has quit her job. However, Louise knows of this and thinks Mum should fund her travelling.

Amanda meets the Stranger on her homeward journey and that is where her nightmare begins. The Stranger is working with Louise James, to get the money out of the safe.

A really enjoyable book – even if Louise is a terrible person, good character but shallow and selfish – but this works well within the plot.

I heartily recommend it, twists and turns a plenty – and not too long – timing just right.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

Thanks Netgalley and Inkabator publishers for the chance to read this book for an honest opinion.

A very fast paced read. Amanda always has the same routine take the train from Brighton to London for work and than back home. However, this time she is approached by a "stranger" with unbelievable demands. Well thought out and we get all sides of the story from each character. A very satisfying ending. Would read more from this author.

A skilful psychological thriller and an absolutely gripping read. After the first few pages I was hooked and couldn't put it down. Requires a little suspension of disbelief for a few parts but overall a real page turner. This is my first book by this author but I will definitely read more.

Many thanks to NetGalley for my ARC in return for my honest review.

#ThePassenger #NetGalley

Once I got past the beginning, I could not put this book down. The pace was great. I really enjoyed the twists. It was somewhat predictable, but it went the way I was rooting for. I really enjoyed this book.

That said, I almost DNFd it on Louis' first chapter, but I'm glad I didn't. I had to stop and read other reviews to see if it was worth continuing. Louis is not meant to likable. She is a teenager - enough said. The problem was, she acted like a normal teenager, but she didn't talk or think like one. That first chapter had her analyzing everything she did, but then doing it anyway, i.e. I know I am just punishing my mom for not spending enough time with me and these are poor life choices, but sleeping with strangers, laying about aimlessly, trying to break into her safe all seem like a plan right now. No teen is that self-aware. If they were, they would make better choices.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the opportunity to read and review this Advanced Reader Copy.

From the first page I was hooked on this book.. An intriguing plot which grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. Amanda's usual London to Brighton train journey home turns into an unusual journey.. The time limit of the journey cranks up the tension. A great read with very few characters and some unlikeable at that.

I loved this book. I’ve been in a bit of a book slump, but I devoured this book over the weekend. The author manages to keep you in suspense throughout the story so you won’t want to put it down!

Amanda is looking to make a change so far her life revolves around raising her teenage daughter and taking a long train ride each day to a job she is not happy with. But things are fixing to change as she has been working hard to stash as much money as she can in her home safe so that she can leave said job an pursue her writing career. The time is close to leaving this job when on the train ride home one evening she meets a handsome stranger who might also change her luck on the dating scene. But her luck changes when she realizes that this stranger knows a lot about her including the fact she has a safe full of money and he wants it and will go to any lengths to get the money including threating the life of Amanda's daughter. I would rate this book at 3 1/2 stars as I felt the story line was a little thin. Now there were a few twist along the way but they way the author wrapped up the story he stretched it a little to far.

Amanda has been watched as she travels to her commute to work, and her daily life by a stranger who confronts her . Give ne the code to the safe in your home, or your daughter Louise dies!

Thus begins a psychological cat and mouse game between Amanda and her tormentors to protect the money and secrets in her safe, while trying to save her daughter.

I really enjoyed this book. Many elements of Strangers on a Train and old Alfred Hitchcock films. Awesome thrill ride. My only negative comment is I found the character of Amanda a little selfish and unlikable, but all in all loved the book!!!

My thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to review.