I just listened to The Woman in Carriage 3 by Alison James. Do you know when you see an accident about to happen and you want to scream out, “Be Careful!”? This was me the entire time I was reading the book.
Poor Hattie should be on The Hot Mess Express every day. She was so clueless I wanted to shake her. I won’t give too much away but this was a great mystery. Most of the characters are unlikeable, but isn’t that the way it should be?
I listened to the story on audio. The narrator had a pleasant voice. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This book was creepy and quite frightening… so I really enjoyed it.
The concept is simple but clever, and I don’t want to give anything away, but not everyone is who they claim to be amongst this group of friends, thrown together on their shared daily commute.

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. It’s a slow burn mystery involving a small bunch of train riders who become a friend group after the train they all normally take has a delay on the tracks due to the death of a passenger. The story mainly follows Hattie and her relationship with her fellow passengers and her romantic relationship with one of them. When one of the members of their newly formed group is murdered Hattie begins to wonder if it’s someone within the group. Lots of layers in this addictive story and I really enjoyed the narrator.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio copy in exchange for a honest review. Hattie commutes on the 1853 every night sitting in the same carriage and seat seeing the same people. When tragedy strikes the group bond. Hattie falls in love. Then one of the gang is murdered and Hattie fears one of the group is responsible. A cleverly written thriller with a few twists.

I listened to this on audio book.

Wow this has been a truly amazing and brilliant psychological thriller from start to finish, I absolutely loved it. I was literally gripped by the story which just draws you in immediately and then keeps you on edge of seat in eager anticipation as to what would happen next.

I thought thr story was really well written and thought out and some brilliant characters to get to know too. Although there were moments when I didn’t like Hattie very much as she comes across as weak and loves her alcohol way too much, but the I guess that was the authors intention.

Plenty of little twists and turns throughout, not to mention the little shocking revelation at the end, or near the end I should say.

I will definitely be looking forward to reading/listening the authors other books in the future.

The narrator was great, she told the story flawlessly I thought, she was really gelling with the characters voices, especially that of Hattie. She really gave the unique touch to each of the characters voices. I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to listen to a book where she is the narrator again. Great job.

I found The Woman in Carriage 3 to be underwhelming and quite predicable. The narration by Jan Cramer was enjoyable, but pacing of the story felt slow, the storyline far fetched, and the dialog felt immature. The main character Hattie was a hot mess. I wanted to feel bad for her but she couldn’t get out of her own way. It was just easier to dislike her. More mystery than thriller, there were no big reveals with this one. A fast listen on a rainy day.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance audio copy of this title. This is my honest review and the opinions are my own.

OK I’m not sure what to write on this one still. I don’t know if it is best described as taking a little while to reach it’s purpose as a book or maybe the author intentionally started out one way and then twisted in another direction. But at each new part of the book, the turn drew me into the story a little more.

This is definitely a slow burn mystery. Who is the woman? What happened to Julian? and then my questions progress but I am always trying to be spoiler free, so you’ll have to read for yourself to learn the rest. I really didn’t like the main character Hattie, but I was wondering if she would redeem herself at some point. Actually other than Julian and Louis, I found all the characters a little less than I would like. But that is getting to be a new trend, I think. Unlikable or unworthy characters, that fall into these situations and the mystery or suspense around them.

This is really focused on the characters more so than the circumstance and daring you to identify and unravel the mystery. A unique premise and foundation. I flipped back and forth between the book and audiobook and found both to be entertaining. Jan Cramer brought the story to life through her narration.

For readers who like the who as much as the what/why and enjoy a slow burn, this will be an entertaining read.

Hattie is an alcoholic. She is easily persuaded to do things.
While on the train one day she becomes fast friends with a group. They all begin to sit with one another every chance they get
Amongst these friends there is a handsome gentleman that Hattie starts seeing/dating. There's Brigette who doesn't drink, Julian a art director and a few other choice folks that all seem to get along well with each other
Unbeknownst to Hattie, he is the biggest con artist she will ever meet

The Woman in Carriage 3 was a decent read. I didn't particularly love it, but I didn't hate anything about it either. I figured out most of the main twists, but I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers so it might be different for other readers. While it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat, it did pick up a bit at the end. Speaking of the end, I found it underwhelming and lackluster. I also found myself not really caring about any of the characters or being invested in their journey.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a copy in exchange for my thoughts.

audiobook
I loved this novel. It is the type of audiobook that will make you drive around your neighborhood just to listen to a little more. This story continues to build until the end. It gets weirder and more intriguing. I was hooked from the beginning by this group of commuter buddies. Maybe some of the plot twists were a little predictable, but they were predictable in a satisfying way. I felt that I had solved the mystery rather than feeling disappointed.
The conclusion and epilogue were great. I really enjoyed how the story ended. It added a final twist to the novel.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys drama, thrillers, and mysteries. If you want a great listening experience, this is the book for you.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Woman in Carriage 3 by Alison James and Narrated by: Jan Cramer was a very and excellent book and I just love the way Alison writes all her books.....I am a fan of her. However, the narrator Jan Cramer I did not like, she was fake, too posh and did not do this book justice, she was boring!. I ended up closing the app and opening my kindle and reading the book in my garden,

Just an ordinary journey. That she takes every day...........the 18:53 train home.

Hattie travels on the 18:53 train home every night. Nothing changes, she sits in the same seat, in the same carriage, and sees the same people. The only rule is you that you don’t talk to your fellow passengers, but Hattie has been watching them, all of them every evening whilst sitting on this train! for months just to distract herself from her own troubles.

Then one night the commuter suddenly drops dead. There's been a terrible accident that changes everything.

In the aftershock of the tragic death, the group of strangers huddled around the two tables in carriage 3 and strike up a conversation. With all boundaries shattered, connections are made and Hattie becomes tangled up in the lives of her fellow passengers as they travel to and from London every day. She doesn't want to be tangled up in their lives but it just happened! Hattie has no idea what she’s letting herself in for. They are all just ordinary people on her ordinary journey but they all have dangerous secrets.
Then another commuter is killed, Hattie suspects someone in carriage 3 is responsible!!

But, who can she trust?

Is the truth closer to home and more dangerous than she could have guessed?

Is she safe or the next person to be killed!!!

WoW this book is so good, Shame about the audiobook!

I do recommend the book though!

Big Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with a digital ARC of The Woman in Carriage 3 by Alison James for review.

I downloaded this audioARC because I love a good domestic noir, but I kept listening to it because I love a cosy crime!

The subject matter of The Woman in Carriage 3 is a bit harsher than most cosy crime novels - a young woman with low self-esteem and an alcohol problem is targeted by a pair of crooks to be the patsy for their latest crime, the theft of a world-famous painting.

But apart from the topic, everything else about this novel is cosy at its best - the puzzle nature of the plot, the hints at violence off-screen, the characterisation.

In short, if you enjoy a cosy crime but don’t mind a darker theme, you’ll love this book. I know it was a great listen while I was doing some admin at work.

I’ve seen some high praise for this book, so I was excited to read it. Unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. It’s a slow burn, which usually doesn’t worry me, but this one was going nowhere fast. I struggled with choices the MC the made, often seeming too unbelievable.

Overall the premise is great and the writing suspenseful. While this one missed the mark, I look forward to what Allison James brings out next.

Many thanks to NeGAlley and the publisher for an advanced ALC

Hattie takes the same 18.53 train home every night, but when an incident leaves the individual travellers to question what happened, they create a strange relationship and create a WhatsApp group together. It isn’t long before Hattie is involved with one of her other travellers but soon discovers he has secrets of his own.

James writes a multiple point-of-view page-turner full of twists to have you questioning the characters as well as what happened. I found the begging a little slow, however, this novel did pick up and I couldn’t put it down.
I did guess part of this narrative, however, this did not put me off and was a great read that I would recommend.

WOW - this thriller ended up going NOWHERE near where I thought it would. This quickly ramped up into an international art theft drama that I did not see coming after reading the title and description of this. What seemed like an innocent meeting of people on a subway car quickly develops into something more sinister and calculated. This was fast moving, intriguing, and very dramatic. I was very happy with the ending and thought it was so fitting for each of the characters. I was pleasantly surprised with how twisty and turny this was. The main character was so naive that I thought I would hate her but I ended up really liking her by the end. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'The Woman In Carriage 3' by Alison James.


Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Alison James, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous


Publication date 22nd May 2023.


This is the fifth book I have read by this author. I have previously read Alison's 'Her Sister's Child' , The Exile (with James Patterson), 'The New Couple' and 'The Guilty Wife' which I highly recommend.


I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'An absolutely addictive psychological thriller that will keep you up late into the night. If you love Behind Closed Doors, Gone Girl and The Perfect Couple, you’ll be gripped.' I am a fan of 'Gone Girl' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Alison and if this is half as good as 'Her Sister's Child', 'The Exile', 'The New Couple' and 'The Guilty Wife' it is sure to be an epic read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).


This novel consists of a prologue, 43 chapters and an epilogue and is spread over 4 parts. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


This book is based in London, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture.


This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Hattie Sewell, Julian Cobbold, Neil Waller and Lewis Handley. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.


LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS FAST PACED PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER!!!


WOW!!! If you are looking for a psychological thriller filled with twists then this is the book for you. It starts of as a slow burn and then builds up into a fast paced, intriguing, page turning psychological thriller that will have you hooked. I just could not put it down and ended up reading it in one sitting!! It is absolutely ram packed with secrets, lies, romance, deceit crime and so much more. This book takes us on a locked room mystery and I absolutely love a good old locked door mystery as it makes the suspect list so much shorter and sometimes even harder because of that reason!! Hatty is a complete party animal who always takes the same train and sits in the same carriage. After an incident on the train one day leading it to come to a standstill she gets to know her regular commuters sharing the carriage. Hattie discovers their names are Julian, Carmen, Lewis, Bridget and Casper and they all start chatting and even set up a WhatsApp group to keep in touch. Hattie becomes attracted to Casper and it doesn't take long before they are meeting up off the train and becoming closer although Hattie finds out he is married but that he wants to leave his wife. Things start looking up for Hattie until one member from their carriage drops dead and things start taking a turn for the worse!! Will Casper leave his wife? Is Julian who he says he is? How much of what Carmen says is true? Who can be believed and who is hiding secrets from the rest of the group? To find out just grab your copy today and get stuck in to this rollercoaster train ride of a lifetime!! I'm not going to go into the storyline any more as I'm worried ill give something away and I don't want to spoil it for future readers. I do want to say a HUGE WELL done to Alice on the plot which is absolutely unique as well as intriguing. I love the idea of strangers meeting on a train which leads to murder, secrets and everything you have rammed into this gritty thriller. I was able to picture everything perfectly thanks to Alice's vivid descriptions and evocative writing skills and she created the scenery perfectly. The fact this book is written from so many perspectives gives us a huge insight into what is going on but still doesn't give too much away to guess who is behind it all which I was not expecting at all so a HUGE well done to Alison!! Jan's amazing narrative skills added to Alison's fantastic story telling ensures you are really sucked into the storyline from the start to the very end and I cannot wait to get stuck into more books written or narrated by these amazingly talented people!!

It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture

Clear your schedules and get ready for a rollercoaster ride of drama!!

This is one of the few books that I have listened 100% on Audiobook. If I listen to a book on audiobook I usually also read the physical book between but I listened to the whole book and I was impressed! I must say a HUGE congratulations to the narrator Jan Cramer who did a great job bringing this story to life. I would listen to it in the car and while walking at any opportunity and Jan did a fantastic job on both male and female characters voices!!! I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by Alison but also to listening to more books narrated by Jan!

The characters were well realistic, well defined and jumped out of the pages. Jan's voice and Alison's descriptions really brought them to life. One of the things that shocked me the most is that I actually really didn't like the majority of them!!! Now when this normally happens I just cannot get into the book but Alison has managed to cram a fantastic book full of unlikeable characters while ensuring the reader still loves the storyline!!! It is very rare for me to find a book like that so yet again I have to say a huge well done to Alison!! The main character is Hattie and OMG there were so many times I wanted to shout at her, and in fact I did a few times gaining some very funny looks!!! I just found her to be so pathetic at times as well as irresponsible and so disregard to her parents!!! I just felt like she acted like a spoilt brat at times and I just really didn't click with her at all!! I can't say much at all without ruining it for others but there was a great mix and every single one of them had a unique if unlikeable personality. Regardless of how I felt about them they were perfect characters for this fantastic page turner!!!

Well done Alison on another successful psychological thriller and here's to many more 🍷🍹 🥃!!

Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and first chapter of Alison''s 'The Man She Married' which promises to be just as addictive as this book and is one I'm definitely looking forward to reading myself!!

Overall a unique psychological thriller that will have you up until 2am finishing it!!!



Genres covered in this novel include Women's Psychological Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Literary Fiction, Suspense Thriller, Psychological Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Noir Fiction, Womens Psychological Thriller, Mystery ,Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction, Psychological Suspense and Thriller amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'Gone Girl' , 'The Girl on The Train', 'Behind Closed Doors', 'The Wife Between Us', Liane Moriarty, 'Our House' , 'The Woman in the Window', 'The Housemaid', Lisa Jewell and anyone looking for an explosive thriller filled with bombshells you won't see coming!!

330 pages/8 hours 1 minute.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited, £8.99 in paperback and £16 for the audiobook (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Thirty-year-old Hattie has been living a hum-drum life. Commuting daily on the 18:53 train has always been uneventful and quiet. That all changes when one of the passengers dies on the train. Until his death, everyone riding was in their own world. Now, they are talking to one another. Considering the victim died while the train was in motion, one of them must be the killer, and Hattie and the others begin to form a strange bond. They even form a WhatsApp group and chat while not commuting.

Interestingly, this latest book by Alison James has four narrators. Besides Hattie being the main narrator, there are Julian, Louis and Neil. In addition, there are other regular riders on the train, including Casper, a man that Harriet finds herself drawn to. As I listened to the narration of this audiobook, I thought the narrator did an excellent job with the changing points of view and characters. Although quite a bit of the story took place off train, Hattie’s messy life was made abundantly clear. Between binge drinking and one night stands, her life was rather like a runaway train.

Even with a few twists, some might guess the killer, as the list of suspects is quite short. Even so, this book was an intriguing read made even better with the excellent narration by Jan Kramer. With even pacing, this engaging read kept my attention throughout.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

- I really wanted to like this one but found it to be kind of confusing and not as engaging or gripping as I’d hoped. While there was some good writing it didn’t seem particularly exciting and left me wishing for more.

The Woman in Carriage 3 by Alison James is a gripping mystery filled with suspense and intriguing characters.

Hattie, a regular commuter on the 18:53 train, leads a monotonous life until a sudden death occurs on the train, turning her ordinary journey into a whirlwind of secrets and danger. As Hattie becomes entangled with her fellow passengers in Carriage 3, she begins to suspect that someone among them is responsible for the deaths. Trust becomes a precious commodity, and Hattie must navigate the treacherous web of lies to uncover the truth. The story unfolds as Hattie forms connections with her fellow passengers and finds herself drawn into their lives. The author skillfully weaves a tale of suspense, keeping me hooked from start to finish. The mystery builds steadily, and while some aspects may be predictable, the overall plot remains engaging.

Hattie's character, though likable, can sometimes be frustrating due to her naivety and desperation. However, the story's well-paced flow compensates for any minor shortcomings. The relationships and dynamics between the characters add depth to the narrative, making it easy to follow and enjoy.

The Woman in Carriage 3 is a solid mystery that will appeal to fans of the genre. The book's intriguing premise and well-crafted plot keep readers invested until the final reveal. I recommend it to those seeking an entertaining and suspenseful read.

I received an audiobook ARC of The Woman in Carriage 3 from NetGalley & Bookouture Audio in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book I listened to rather than read. I have to admit that if I had been reading it myself, I would probably have sped read it as it was somewhat slow to begin with. It's one of those books where non of the characters were particularly likeable. It some ways I might say that it was rather realistic; as in there was not one stand out nice person who as a reader one could champion. However, in real life I would hope that one would find much nicer travel companions!
About a third of the way through the read/listen, you begin to realise that there is a plot and a crime occurs. By this time I had lost interest in all the characters and didn't really care but the author has created an interesting idea and overall it improved towards the end.