I mostly enjoyed reading The couple on the train. It started off as a gripping thriller. The story is split into two timelines and with each chapter of the past, you are given more of the back story which builds the plot and adds the tension, but also adds in some unbelievable elements. The ending of the book felt rushed and unrealistic. I appreciate the ARC

This started out strong but got lost a little along the way. Laura wasn't the most compelling main character and may that and the differing timelines hurt this. Overall not a bad read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this captivating eARC.

Claire Cooper’s “The Couple on the Train” is a psychological thriller that is a masterclass in suspense, weaving a tale that is as intricate as it is compelling.

The story begins with an ordinary train ride that quickly turns sinister. Our protagonist notices a couple that seems off—particularly the woman, who appears distressed. When the woman leaves behind a note that reads “Help me,” the protagonist is thrust into a whirlwind of mystery and danger. As she delves deeper into the couple’s story, she finds herself entangled in a web of lies and secrets that echo her own past traumas.

Cooper excels in character development, particularly with her protagonist. The protagonist’s determination to uncover the truth is both her strength and her vulnerability. The couple on the train, though initially enigmatic, are gradually revealed through a series of well-placed flashbacks and interactions that keep the reader guessing about their true intentions.

Cooper’s writing is sharp and evocative. She has a knack for creating an atmosphere of tension and unease, making the reader feel as if they are right there on the train, experiencing the protagonist’s anxiety and fear. The pacing is perfect, with each chapter ending on a note that compels you to keep reading.

The novel explores themes of trust, trauma, and the lengths one will go to uncover the truth. It also delves into the psychological impact of past events on present actions, making it a thought-provoking read as well as a thrilling one.

“The Couple on the Train” is a standout in the psychological thriller genre. It combines a gripping plot with deep character exploration and a writing style that keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you’re a fan of authors like Lisa Jewell and Shari Lapena, this book is a must-read. Claire Cooper has crafted a story that is both thrilling and emotionally resonant, making it a memorable addition to any bookshelf.

I loved it, and after I finished it, I immediately purchased The Elevator from this author. I will post a review by that novel upon completion.

This started off so well at first and then it sort of drifted off then suddenly it picked up and I definitely didn't expect the twist at the end. I'm glad I didn't give up as I nearly did. Not a bad read. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

An excellent read. This psychological thriller was very clever with lots of twists and turns. Will look forward to this author’s future books. Thanks NetGalley for letting me read this book.

I had high hopes for "The Couple on The Train" by Claire Cooper, but unfortunately, it didn't hit the mark for me. The whole plot felt completely unbelievable, silly, and far-fetched. I found myself struggling to stay engaged, especially with the timeline set in the past, which moved at a painfully slow pace and was, frankly, quite boring.
The main character also left much to be desired—too inconsistent and not particularly likeable, making it difficult to connect with the story. I kept reading in the hope that everything would come together with a more logical and satisfying explanation, but sadly, that wasn't the case.
While the premise sounded promising, it didn't work for me. It's a shame, as I really wanted to enjoy this one.

I’m somewhat on the fence with this book. It started off as a gripping thriller. The story is split into two timelines and with each chapter of the past, you are given more of the back story which builds the plot and adds the tension. However I didn’t enjoy the ending. It felt rushed and unrealistic so I would rate this book 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for chance to review.

A sometimes fast moving book,was keener on the here and now story rather than the past bits
I did wonder at Laura’s decisions sometimes throughout
Started well,who doesn’t like a plot set on a train and someone in peril reaching out to another passenger….
A goodish ending,overall a quick read

I found this book to be quite slow at the beginning and I started to lose interest but I kept on reading and it did start to pick up pace, loved the ending!

I was gripped from page 1 and I raced through it. I’ve always loved Claire Cooper’s books and this one is certainly no exception. The ending developed well and came with a great twist.

After a promising start, I felt this story just dragged on and on. None of the characters were fully fleshed out. Laura's actions were never really believable. All that really saved it was some of the descriptive passages of the area where the three teenagers went swimming.

This book started with great pace and an interesting build up of tension. But then it slowly lost its fizz and just meandered its way to the ending.

The character of Laura is frustrating. Either she wants help or she doesn’t? But she so inconsistent that it’s hard to follow who she is or what she’s doing. Her need to solve a crime that she believes has happened is borderline crazy and unrealistic. At one point I did wonder if she was just loosing the plot completely but I couldn’t understand how she had built a life and had nobody to turn to or that would check in on her other than a colleague that supposedly fancied her.

This book could’ve been an absolute masterpiece had it been thought through with a little more care and edited to maintain intrigue. For me this book left me with more questions than answers and little need to answer them.

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Awful. I read as much as I could stand and then skipped to the end.. I decided I had been right to give up, as the ending was as awful as the beginning,

Laura notices the couple on the train, the way the man is holding the womans arm a little too tightly, the way the womans fists are tightly clenched, showing white knuckles, and the way she is slightly angled away from the man, the body language uneasy. As the couple rise from their seats to get off the train, Laura catches the womans eyes, and sees desperation in them. Seeing she has Lauras gaze on her, the womans eyes flicker briefly to the seat where she had been sitting. Laura looks at the seat, sees a piece of paper pushed down the side, only the corner sticking out. Laura picks it up and reads the two words written on it....help me.
And so begins a roller coaster of a read, a gripping storyline that draws you in completely. This tangled plot is addictive, and kept me turning the pages until an ending that was a total surprise to me.

Wow!
So many twists and turns!
The book switches between “then” and “now, telling the story of Laura as a teen, and then a decade later, as an adult. She sees a woman silently plea for her help, and can’t help but get involved. She faces bs lash, however, as no one seems to believe her.
We also learn her deep secret from her previous life, in a different place. Are the two connected? How could they be?
Left me shocked literally up to the last chapter!

I did enjoy this book, more so the scenes set in the present. I found the scenes set in the past not so interesting. It was a very interesting premise but I think the execution of the story grew a bit too convoluted.
It was a well written thriller and I enjoyed the story but it wasn't outstanding for me.

This book has an interesting premise and starts with great pace, almost immediately into the action with our protagonist Laura seeing a woman on a train whose male companion may be mistreating her. Once the couple have left Laura finds a note which says “help me” and thus starts the journey.

Laura has some issues from the past which are gradually drip fed during the book in a dual timeline, present day and her teenage years. Now Laura struggles with mental health and is an aspiring artist making ends meet in a job she hates. Then Laura was best friends with a girl called Amy, who was everything Laura was not, but they were best friends until the entrance of Will, a boy who threatened their friendship. In addition to the dual timeline the story is told by Laura and an unknown individual, as Laura becomes more obsessed with finding the woman from the train.

The book was good although I didn’t really grow to like Laura and couldn’t really get my head around anyone throwing their opportunities away as she did to find a complete stranger who may or may not have needed help. The past and her decisions may well have had a huge influence in this however some of the narrative I found a little far fetched. The ending has a good twist though and although I had guessed the identity of the man and woman there were some good red herrings along the way.

Thank to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, @NetGalley for giving me an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. Unfortunately, I guess I’m going to be the first one star review.

From the beginning, the story seemed unbelievable. There’s a woman who needs help and the main character is so hell bent on figuring out a way to help her, while the story also shows us there is something very wrong with her. Without giving much of a storyline, more characters are introduced and the timeframe goes back and forth from present day to past and different view points as well.

This was hard for me to follow and even harder for me to care about… it was a DNF about halfway through. I flipped to the end to find out what happened hoping to reveal something that tied it all together and saved it, and I obviously missed something since I didn’t read all of it, but it just really fell flat for me, unfortunately.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me an ARC copy to read and review.

The couple on the train - Claire Cooper.

This book is a page turner from page 1 and keeps you on your toes!

When I first read the blurb for this I had thoughts of trigger warnings, domestic abuse etc but this book took off.

The character development and tension build up was incredible.

The plot is brilliantly crafted, with layers of mystery and a rollercoaster of emotions. Could it have a different ending? Potentially. Was it awful? Absolutely not.

Always remember that even though you're paranoid, that doesn't mean they're not out to get you!

This poor woman (Laura) is a catastrophizer and hypersensitive (I feel yah, sistah!!!) due to an event in her past which isn't revealed until the very end. She has an encounter on her train ride where she sees a woman passenger being seemingly manhandled by the man she is with and then finds a note left behind when the couple leave the train that says "Help Me". Well, that's all that is needed, and off Laura goes. She has convinced herself that the woman is in trouble and that it's up to her to save the day. Laura goes to the police, and they investigate, but find nothing to substantiate Laura's version of events. They know her history, so believe she is probably overreacting. But Laura knows what she saw, so she investigates it on her own. She is pretty darn clever in uncovering clues. The police still won't help her and, in fact, have told her that if she continues to waste their time she could be arrested. Laura digs in her heels and things spiral out of control in her life quickly and completely.

The twist didn't come as a great surprise to me, but the story kept me intrigued and flipping pages. What more can you want from a suspense/thriller?