The premise was great, and the initial third was promising, a group of commuters start chatting and make a friendship and Watsapp group but some of them are not what or who they seem to be, our main character ‘Hattie’ however fails to notice this and ends up in a real predicament
In fact all the book was quite good but I guessed all the twists pretty quickly,tbh anyone who has a love of psychological thrillers will also guess quickly
The main character, for me, wasn’t overly likeable but I did gain a soft spot for her and almost a soft spot for one of the baddies too!
Not much else to say on it, it was a quick read book, written in an easy to get into style and great to visualise, the train/commuting part interesting to see how a group of strangers bonded and we’re easily fooled, the thriller bits however,for me,were very generic and easy to work out

7/10
3.5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Boukouture for a copy to read and review.

This book is set around carriage 3 on the 18.53 commuter train each day. A group of commuters become friends, but one of them dies suddenly on the train changing the course of events.
I devoured this book, nearly finishing it in one sitting. Hattie is annoying, easily led and could do with putting the wine down and taking responsibility for herself a bit more. Hattie is funny and plucky though, and not afraid to step up to the mark when needed. When she leaves her wine down though.

The ending let itself down a bit for me which, but its still a 4 star read.

This was not what I expected at all. Hattie has a boring routine and then suddenly her life is insane and she's traveling.
It was really good.

3.5 stars

Another suspenseful read featuring a woman who drinks too much and rides a train. This common premise made me hesitant, but I saw some strong reviews and decided to give it a try. While it held my attention, the FMC was really unlikeable, and I had figured out some of the twists pretty early on. Unfortunately, this was not a standout to me... it felt like a book I've already read before many times.

I raced through this book and almost finished it in one sitting.
I really enjoyed it and was quickly absorbed in the story. It’s fast paced with plenty of twists.
It’s a very good thriller and one that I’d definitely recommend.

I enjoyed this book but I figured out who the “bad guys” were pretty quickly. The writing was good but I spent a lot of time yelling at the main character to “put down the wine.” Would I recommend the book? Probably not but it was an enjoyable read. I was really hoping for a little more suspense but on the plus side, it was set in the UK.

Unpredictable Suspense…
Unpredictable suspense in this tale of the unassuming but troubled Hattie who takes the same train journey each day, each day she sees the same people, each day she sits in the same seat in the same carriage - yet subscribes to that unwritten rule whereby no one talks to anyone else, even if you watch them. When one passenger drops dead unexpectedly everything changes. With a well used, but intriguing, premise, the tension fuelled narrative, where nothing is quite as it seems, is complimented by a deftly drawn cast and some unexpected twists.

This is a good character driven plot which develops slowly in the initial sections. This is a fairly straight story with no pretentious twists.

Hattie Swell, nearly 30, feels lost – she has a temporary digital marketing job and spends a lot of time drinking and dating strangers. Her boyfriend leaves her, and she knows she is to blame after she cheats on him. She has had to return to her parents’ house to stay, being unable to pay rent on her own. She commutes to work regularly on specific trains to and fro. On a day when there is considerable train delay, she makes a few acquaintances in her carriage, and they form a WhatsApp group to stay in touch. The group includes Julian – a barrister, Casper – a good looking guy working at a leading auction house, Carmen – who works at a university, and Bridget – a quiet lady. Hattie’s out of control drinking spree continues, but she finds herself drawn to Casper, and after long feels to her like a good relationship developing.

One day Hattie sees one person of the group stagger out of the bathroom and collapse in the train, declared dead shortly after. The police investigation does not rule out foul play. There is a parallel track with two characters – Neil Waller and Natalia Finch, both ambitious crooks. It was not difficult to guess how the two tracks would converge.

The book is told with Hattie’s character being central to the story. Hattie’s character is very frustrating with her wild ways, but in the later stages of the book you feel for her. I liked how her character developed. The story is well written and relies on the character development & plot rather than introducing misleading plot elements or twists. I found the last ~30% of the book to be very predictable though.

Overall, a relaxing read.

If you are a fan of Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, then check out this book.

Hattie always take the 18:30 train and while on the train, she meets and befriends people on the carriage--Julian, Lewis, Bridget, Casper. The group always meet together for drinks or dinner and Hattie even soon starts developing a romantic feeling towards Casper. But things start to change when Julian suddenly dies in the carriage the police rule it out as homicide. Which one of them would have killed Julian and why?

The story itself was unpredictable which makes this really good. The author has managed to captivate the reader from the first page and soon I was hooked into the story. There were some twists and turns in the book, the story itself was fast paced. Hattie wasn't sure who could actually be responsible for the murder of Julian. And as we dwell deeper and deeper into the story, we couldn't help guessing who would actually be the killer. The author has managed to bring the reader at the edge of the seat while reading the book and this book was quiet unputdownable as well! The ending felt like you are watching some movie that you couldn't wait to find what is going to happen in the end.

So if you are looking for a fast paced thriller that will keep you hooked from the beginning till the end, and if you have read The Girl on the Train and liked it, then check out this book! Worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Hattie Sewell is a party girl even though she is nearing her 30’s. She is always getting drunk and meeting guys from dating apps. She lives with her parents due to losing her job and her boyfriend.
She currently temping and on her way home she gets the 18.53 train, where she has befriended the same occupants in carriage three after one of the occupants get ill. But she finds out that later the person has died and that someone has spiked their drink. So, it is murder. Do we really know the people we meet. Suspicions grow when Hattie realises that it could be one of the groups that she travels with on the train.
Thank you Bookoutre, for a copy of Alison James’ latest offering. I have read all the authors book and this one was a bit of a different style of writing, But I wasn’t disappointed. The premise of the story is character driven and is set in four parts and yes it did take awhile to get the full picture, but I think it was well worth it. This is a highly entertaining read full of suspense. I highly recommend. 5 stars from me.

I loved this book so much! The main character drove me crazy, but pretty sure that was the point. I would have never guessed that ending in a million years! I can’t wait to read this authors next book!

A really fast paced, intriguing book you can read in one sitting. There's a great array of dynamic characters in this and as you learn about them you don't know who to trust and who is going to die. Although this was short I did feel like it dragged towards the middle and was repetitive at times but the ending was great and had twists I didn't see coming.

Thank you Bookouture and Net Galley for an early copy of The Woman in Carriage 3. WOW this was nothing like I was expecting. What a Great plot, the twist in Part Three was Whoaaaaaaa and just the whole book was great. Of course I knew the main character was really on a downward spiral and the man she was into was definitely Not who he said he was. Very fast reading and very believable about commuters becoming semi friends. Just an all around Great read.

Seems like an unpopular opinion but I found it hard to get into the story. I am not a fan of prologues, especially if a thriller, the prologue turns out to be a negative point for me. So right from the prologue we know that someone from that group is going to die in the train. It might pique someone's interest, however I lost interest.

Moreover, I couldn't connect with the characters, situations and writing style. Plus, it seemed slow paced to me, the unnecessary details and all that.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for approving my request, unfortunately it didn't work me.

If you love Ruth Ware, you will love The Woman in Carriage 3. The main character of the book is wonderfully flawed and relatable. The villans pull at your heart strings with their displays of humanity. Fantastic book- I read it within 48 hours and had a hard time putting it down.

Although there was nothing wrong with the writing or the style I just found this hard to get into. The premise of something happening on a train, and then the other people in the carriage starting to talk to each other, shock, horror was a good start. The problem was that they were all shallow and rather stupid, except Julian who exited left rather quickly. Hattie was totally shallow and completely unlikeable to me. The story itself was also predictable to a degree although there were a few nice twists. Overall all though, not one for me. . Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy

Alison James, The Woman in Carriage 3, Bookouture, May 2023.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

I would have liked to give this book another half star, which is unfortunately unavailable.

Hattie drinks too much, swipes right too often on dating sites and blacks out on occasion because of her drinking, and on others because of the malignant intentions of others around her. Her partner of several years has left her. She has lost her permanent job and is unhappily temping. To add to her unhappiness she is now forced to live with her parents and their loving disapproval of her way of life. She is a commuter from the leafy suburbs to London each day – taking the 18.53 from Waterloo in the evening, and often running late for her morning commute. A hangover has that affect - and, unfortunately for Hattie this is often her state after an evening of drinking and indiscriminate dating. One evening the travel is interrupted, and a group of commuters gathers around drinks and potato crips to pass the time. Carriage 3 becomes a social hub for the group. They develop an online relationship; a couple begins a love affair; and a police enquiry becomes part of the drama associated with carriage 3.

Hattie’s self-indulgence is well drawn, not only through her behaviour and the results, but by James’ writing. The narrative is well paced, with detail and deliberate writing highlighting the annoying elements of Hattie’s behaviour. At other times, events take over and the tension is intensified as the pace changes. James manages to evoke sympathy, even if it is unwilling, with a woman has little understanding of her risky reliance on alcohol, other people’s attention and admiration and the ease with which she is discouraged from any semblance of prudence. Hattie’s sense of adventure and recklessness also has its charm!

The other characters are also an amalgam of faults and appeal, thus providing intrigue of various levels around the central story associated with Hattie. Although the seasoned reader of psychological dramas will be suspicious of some of these figures, James does well in keeping the mystery surrounding the relationships throughout the novel.

This is the first of Alison James’ novels that I have read. This is an easy read that involves interesting characters, mystery and drama. It also takes a character whose initial framing is that of a woman easily manipulated and self-indulgent and moves her towards self-awareness and strength. Although Hattie might still swipe right too often, she no longer needs the 18.35 to her parents’ home and has given up her dependence on alcohol. A satisfying conclusion.

Hattie arrives on the 18.53 train most nights, she meets a group of people and soon they start hanging out. But is all as it seems?

A great fast paced thriller.

Iso very much enjoyed this book very twisty and gripping. Hattie is stuck in a rut. hates her temp job. Lost her lovely flat and has had to move back in with her parents. drink is her big problem she sort of can't function without it. she takes the same train every day. But on this day the train has to stop, and she makes friends with her fellow Travellers at the table. but one of them Casper she is attracted to. and they begin an affair as Casper tells her he married. and then one day one of her friends from the table die and its murder. How the story unfolds is just brilliant lies murder deceit

An absolutely page turner!!

I confess I was attracted to this book because it reminded me of The GIrl on the Train (can you believe it's been nearly ten years?) but the book turned out to be a gem on its own!!!

The book is split into four different parts, and each part is a different setting that sees the story flow. There were lots of different characters, and each could in theory have been the culprit, so it was fun trying to figure things out!!

The main character Hattie is realistic and "personal". I don't know if it's a London thing, but I've met women like her in the past that I never stayed in touch with for obvious reasons,. Sometimes they pop in my mind and I wonder if they're doing better.... so reading about Hattie was bitter sweet lol

The ending was satisfying and fun to read, as it skips to the future and explains what each charatce is now up to...

I loved this book and I think you would, too!!!

goodreads.com/booksireadandliked
Disclosure: I would like to thank the publisher and author for my advanced review copy of the book. This is my honest review