This book had me hooked from page one. I loved the setup and the atmosphere, and I’m a big fan of an unreliable narrator. It kept me guessing and changing my mind about who I thought the culprit was throughout, and I did not see the twist at the end coming. There were a few points where I had a hard time picturing the inside of the train car and where everyone was supposed to be, and how they could fit into the aisle or into a specific row, but that could just be my own very limited experience on trains. Overall this was such a fun read!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A train trip turns deadly, and there are suspects galore.

I truly believe there is no better setting for a murder mystery than a train stuck in the snow. 6:40 did not disappoint. The atmosphere was incredible. I absolutely loved our main character. She was so witty and real and honestly didn’t care what anyone thought of her. The middle of the book was a bit slow but the last 20% made up for it. I also really liked the ending. It felt so fitting for our main characters personality and story line.
3.5/4 Stars

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

The first part of the book was intriguing--the reader is left wondering, what is the source of the narrator's anxiety? Does she have something planned for the train ride? Why did Teddy shave his face? The book then slows down. The mystery weaves in and out, and there are multiple extra characters that don't really matter. As for the ending, I suppose that's a form of love to be willing to do whatever it takes to make your partner feel more alive?

This one had me wondering where exactly was I going, reading this one! Murder on a train, train stuck in a terrible snowstorm in Canada, no help anywhere for many miles and many hours. But our protagonist treats us to a ride that you will enjoy. Not too serious but fun nonetheless.

640 To Montreal is a wild ride! I went into this book blind and its many twists and turns kept me guessing throughout. Eva Jurczyk blends elements of a locked room mystery with an unreliable narrator to craft an engaging thriller. Agatha sets off on a winter train trip from Toronto to Montreal and it’s clear she has secrets. At the same time her secrets are revealed, a wild scene unfolds on the train. I really enjoyed this page turner and recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining read.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced review copy.

Gorgeous cover and a fun premise, but this felt interminably long, and the wackadoo ending didn’t feel worth the time it took me to slog through this thing. I wish I’d followed my instincts and DNFd because this didn’t work for me AT ALL. I seem to be an outlier on this one, and I think readers who enjoy a slower burn than me will likely enjoy this much more than I did!

There were some funny snarky bits, but overall too much repetition and too many things that didn’t make sense (which - to be fair - could 100% be my fault bc there was definitely some skimming happening by the last 25%).

With all the hype I’ve seen about this book, I was cautiously optimistic. It was good! The pacing was good and it kept me entertained the entire time.

This book was good. I liked it... enough.

I've read many books with very similar ideas, but overall I did like concept. I wish it had more (felt like it was lacking in plot sometimes).
3.5

This book had an eye-catching cover and a premise that immediately drew me in, but the pacing made it feel longer than expected. I was captivated by the author’s sharp prose—Agatha’s dry wit and observations added a layer of humor that kept things lively.

The nonlinear structure, shifting between past and present, created intrigue but also made certain parts feel disjointed. Still, despite a few pacing issues, the atmosphere was masterfully crafted. While I didn’t form a strong connection with every character, the story remained gripping from start to finish.

A fast paced mystery with strangers stuck together in a train in bad weather. Agatha’s character is complicated and layered and the story is full of twists and turns that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Very much a homage to Murder on the Orient Express.
6:40 to Montreal sets up the perfect locked-room mystery—snowbound train, an eclectic group of first-class passengers, and, of course, a murder. Agatha St. John, a struggling writer is gifted a one-day train retreat by her husband, suddenly finds herself caught in a deadly puzzle when the train stops unexpectedly and a fellow passenger turns up dead.
The writing is engaging, and laced with dark humour, but the stream-of-consciousness style and timeline shifts can feel a bit disjointed at times. The twist at the end requires a hefty suspension of disbelief—but on the whole the story is very entertaining and well worth a read.

Agatha St. John, a mystery writer whose debut novel surprised everyone by becoming a best seller, is trying to come up with an idea for her next book with little success. Her husband Teddy gifts her a ticket on the 6:40am train from Toronto to Montreal. He thinks she will use the journey, away from the distractions of their young child, wifi, interruptions, illness, and other responsibilities, as a writer’s retreat, but Agatha has other plans for the day. She finds herself stranded on the train with 5 strangers and a former friend turned enemy, in the middle of a snow storm and a real life murder mystery, and she may be the intended victim!
I chose this book because had read “The Department of Rare Books and Special Collection” by this author and enjoyed it. I am also a big fan of Agatha Christie mysteries. There are some similarities to Christie, especially in the way all the clues are there if you know where to look, but nothing is given away easily, which makes for thrilling plot twists and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Unlike in Christie’s novels, there is not a traditional detective in the story. The passengers are trying to survive the emergency and make it home alive. I feel this added a new dimension to the story and gave the story some of its drama while making it seem more realistic. I feel like I realized the culprit at the same moment Agatha did, which I think is a sign of good storytelling! If you like interesting characters and an engaging mystery full of surprises you will enjoy this book.

3.5 ⭐️

As a huge Agatha Christie fan, I was so excited to read this—snowbound train, a locked-room mystery, a murder. The setup had everything I love, and even the cover screamed Murder on the Orient Express. Plus, this was my first ever ARC, which made it feel even more special.

We follow Agatha St. John, a writer struggling to finish her second book after her debut became a surprise bestseller. Her husband gifts her a first-class ticket for a one-day train trip from Toronto to Montreal—a mini writing retreat with no distractions.

From the very first pages, it’s clear that Agatha notices everything. She fixates on the tiniest details, and the way she zeroes in on these small imperfections says a lot about her state of mind—denial, frustration, or maybe just a desperate attempt to control something. Things get even weirder when she realizes that an acquaintance of hers is on the same railroad car. Coincidence?

The train ride is supposed to be uneventful, but then a blizzard hits, the train stops, and someone ends up dead. The remaining passengers, plus their car attendant, are now trapped in a first-class cabin with no Wi-Fi, no cell service, and no way out. Suspicion spreads fast—everyone has secrets, and everyone is guilty of something.

Let’s talk writing. I really liked the author’s prose—it’s engaging, and Agatha’s biting commentary made me chuckle. But the book’s structure? That’s where I had mixed feelings. The timeline jumps between past and present, which adds mystery but also makes some sections feel a bit scattered. The narration sometimes takes a stream-of-consciousness approach that mostly works, but occasionally lost me.

That said, the atmosphere was immaculate and while I didn’t connect with every character, this book was a total page-turner. The reading group guide and interview at the end were also great additions.

If you love locked-room mysteries with unreliable narrators and a touch of suspense, this one’s worth checking out.

I enjoyed this story. The main character Agatha was complicated and dimensional. The story is layered and tiny pieces are parcled out till you have an “AHA” moment. I did think the story was going to be much darker than it was but there are plenty of tricks up the authors sleeve.

A great locked room mystery on board a train, after a snowstorm hits. With no power or contact with anyone outside of the carriage, chaos, murder, and suspicions ensue! The writer character layer was especially fun and self-aware. The pages seemed to vanish as the pace picked up and I really enjoyed the ending.

The feud with a past inspiration, while wrangling her next inspiration, was tense and added the humour needed when the bodies are piling up! An enjoyable mystery with characters you’re never sure whether to root for.

I loved this "locked room/stuck on a train" mystery until about halfway through. There were also a few crude spots I wasn't a fan of and didn't help the story along. Disappointed in the abrupt ending. Less inaction in the middle, more action in the end would have helped.

Good cover, location, set-up and the main voice but the secondary characters and the execution of the mystery part felt off to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review and feedback. I am looking forward to reading this upcoming book scheduled to be released on September 23 2025.

Agatha's husband has bought her a first-class ticket on the scenic six-hour train from Toronto to Montreal as a gift—a one-day writing retreat so she can get some serious work done on her new book, a highly-anticipated follow-up to Agatha's runaway bestseller debut novel. The first-class car is the perfect place to be productive, with only a handful of other passengers, plenty of snacks and drinks, and beautiful views flying by outside the window. But Agatha has other plans for her day out… plans that are unexpectedly derailed when the train breaks down in the middle of the frigid Canadian woods and one of Agatha's fellow passengers dies quietly in his seat. Soon, a pleasant morning in transit turns into a fight for survival against an unknown and unseen enemy. Will Agatha—or any of the passengers—make it out alive? From international bestselling author Eva Jurczyk, 6:40 to Montreal is a claustrophobic, deceivingly bloody thriller that twists and turns until the very last page.

It was an OK read. I expected something like Agatha Christie's novel but this feel short of expectations. It did not keep me engaged enough to complete the book as it was a bit slow-paced for my liking.