The Lady Vanishes

This is one of all time favourites. I have watched the movie countless times, the bbc tv remake and I've seen it on the stage twice. Pleasure to read this it's a classic. Great edition I really liked the cover. I wish there was more reprints of older classics like this. Given so many modern day writers base their books around these classic it would be great to be able to easily accesses the classics to new generations.

This is the fifth time I have read this classic novel of suspense. Like most people I have watched the film adaptations too but it is the novel that appeals most.
Ethel Lina White writes with ornate style always creating an atmospheric sense of mystery in her novels. In real life she had a dread of being buried alive and her evocation of character worked perfectly in novels of psychological suspense.
Written in the mid-1930s, when she was as well known as Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, this novel reflects the growing tension in Europe as the world is about to be plunged into war again.
Miss Froy is like an elderly character actor, playing a bit part on stage, but stealing the headlines in all the reviews.
This is one of the real classics from the golden age of crime writing and deserves to find a whole new generation of readers, whilst still offering charm and satisfaction to those who have read it before.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Iris is befriended/rescued on a European train by Miss Froy, a governess who is also travelling back to England, but who (unlike Iris) has taken the trouble to learn some European languages. Iris, who is suffering from sunstroke, dozes off and when she wakes up again, Miss Froy has vanished and the other people in her carriage deny she ever existed. I don't know if it was really obvious, or if I have seen/read some version of this earlier, or if it is just well-clued and I worked it out, but it was immediately apparent to me what had happened to Miss Froy. Nevertheless, this was an entertaining read as Iris' earlier thoughtless behaviour means none of the people she knows from the hotel she has been staying at are inclined to help her. The perspective shifts from time to time so that we understand why a whole variety of people are unwilling to get involved. Iris begins to doubt her own sanity and this is set against the pathos of Mr and Mrs Froy plus Sock the dog waiting for Miss Froy's return.

The ending left Iris and her love interest ready to walk off into the sunset together, even though he has just doubted her sanity and been willing to drug her without her knowledge - not really a match made in heaven...

Enjoyed this story. Mysterious and quirky characters. Red herrings and secrets. This talented author has written a novel that keeps the attention of the reader from page one. Thanks Netgalley .

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press

A classic murder mystery ala Agatha Christie. There's no wonder why Alfred Hitchcock made a movie out of this book. It was suspenseful and mysterious. It constantly kept me guessing and I highly enjoyed it. The setting is my favorite, in the 1930s and with an isolated setting it was perfect. Would highly recommend it for any fans of classic murder mysteries.

The Lady Vanishes is an iconic book that has been made into movies several times, most notably the original version that launched Alfred Hitchcock's stellar career.
Written in 1936 by Ethel Lina White this is a Golden Age classic ,and a real treat.

After a rather raucous holiday in a small European resort ,where her rowdy cohort had annoyed other residents with their behaviour, socialite Iris Carr finds herself sharing the train home with many of those her and her group had annoyed. Suffering from sunstroke Iris is taken under the wing of a kindly lady. Miss Froy. After a nap Iris finds not only no sign of Miss Froy but everyone she asks denying any knowledge of her new acquaintance. With fellow passengers thinking Miss Froy is a figment of a distressed young woman's imagination Iris is determined to prove them wrong.

This is a joy to read, almost a "locked train" novel with a diverse range of characters, potential suspects if indeed Iris is correct and Miss Froy has been the victim of some kind of crime. The author constantly teases the reader, often just when it seems that Iris is making progress success is snatched from her by events without her being aware. Not as dry as the contemporary Agatha Christie's books there's a wry humour throughout and a nice back story of Miss Froy's elderly parents and her faithful dog looking forward to her return. It's quirky and often funny while at the same time suspenseful and claustrophobic as the train nears its destination with Iris struggling to be believed,let alone discover the fate of the missing lady.

An excellent read, fairly short and massively entertaining.

The Lady Vanishes is a book that keeps you on your toes and keeps you guessing as to what did happen to Miss Froy.

Although originally published in 1936 under the title The Wheel Spins, this book withstands the test of time.

It never gets old.

Iris Carr has been befriended by Miss Froy and when she cant be found anywhere on the train , Iris takes it on herself to rescue her new friend.

The train full of likeable and unlikeable characters and who can anyone believe.

No one believes Iris that Miss Froy even was on the train.

Twists and turns, closed door mystery and the suspense will keep the pages turning.\

Its no wonder this book was made into the infamous movie The Lady Vanishes.

The Lady Vanishes is an old time mystery similar to Agatha Christie that is tautly written and thoroughly enjoyable.

Now I am off to watch the movie but I suspect the book will by my favourite of the two.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press/Pushkin Vertigo for reintroducing this great book.

This is the first book I've read by Ethel Lina White. It held me in thrall and I finished it in one day. Her wit, insights, and observations on manners, behavior, and underlying motives slice to the bone.

The two central women are complex and extraordinary. They breathe in these pages, enduring pain and hard-earned growth.

The omniscient narration creates a delicious intimacy with the key players, unfolding their stories with masterful pacing. The train presses on with Iris Carr facing obstacles on all sides. It's a harrowing, relentless, visceral tale.

Hints of horror emerge early, laying the groundwork for the intensifying psychological shocks and high stakes battle ahead.

The opening unfurls with a beautiful setting and the vibrancy and uncertainties of travel. Iris is privileged and self-involved, yet dissatisfied. I was taken with her. Despite being popular, beautiful, and idly rich, she's aware of a dark undertow. The tension between the image of a carefree adventure and her inner state hooked me from the start.

Her insulation with her crowd of shallow friends and freedom in the outdoors contrasts powerfully with the crises that close in on her. The situation becomes claustrophobic and chilling. The wrenching suspense, mental torment, and horrific bits feel fresh.

White orchestrated the novel beautifully, drip-feeding new insights at each turn, creating a stunning tapestry to take our breath away. This thriller delivers the immense satisfaction of the jigsaw pieces snapping together at the end.

I recommend The Lady Vanishes to readers who enjoy suspense, amateur sleuths, or horror. Fans of other Golden Age crime writers, Patricia Highsmith, or Alfred Hitchcock have a treat in store. This novel would also make a good gift for people who prefer to avoid blatant sexual content and overt swearing yet are comfortable with mild titillation and characters who smoke, drink, and speculate about other people's sex lives. 

I'll add links after I post to TikTok and Goodreads

This is the inspiration behind Hitchcock's film of the same name, and you can easily see why he was so drawn to it. The book simmers with his signature brand of suspense even before he put his spin on it. This has been on my TBR forever, so when it became available on NetGalley, you better believe I snapped it up and started reading straight away.

Iris is a young, independently wealthy socialite of the new sort. Fed up with the boisterous crowd of Bright Young Things she's been holidaying with, Iris declines to return to England with them and travels alone instead. On the train, she meets another Englishwoman. With a brisk, chivvying force of will, Miss Froy imposes herself on Iris's truculent self-isolation. Until she's suddenly gone. When Iris asks around if anyone has seen Miss Froy, her fellow passengers claim there was never a second Englishwoman in the compartment at all...

I enjoyed reading the captivating inspiration behind Alfred Hitchcock's movie masterpiece. The story follows Iris Carr, a young socialite returning home to England after being on vacation with her friends. While on the train journey home, Iris meets a woman named ‘Ms Froy’ who inexplicably vanishes. The story takes place on a moving train, creating a confined setting and making the disappearance of Ms Froy even more mysterious. The writing is evocative and the story is action-packed and filled with suspense. While the ending did feel slightly rushed it was nonetheless a great read. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a classic thriller!

4.5 stars for this excellent classic mystery! There is a great cast of characters to enjoy. The plot is complex but not completely unbelievable. The author is masterful at tying together all of the threads from earlier in the story.

Although switching to the perspective of Miss Froy’s parents took away a bit from the momentum of the mystery, it added heart to the story. My bigger qualm is that I struggled to see Hare as a good friend or love interest for Iris by the end of the story. However, he was still an interesting and important character.

I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC. This review is my honest opinion.

It’s easy to see why Alfred Hitchcock chose to adapt this novel to film – it’s very much a psychological thriller. An English socialite is staying alone in a hotel in the mountains after her friends have all left, leaving her alone with an unusual cast of more English characters. She collapses on the platform of the station as she waits for the train but is bundled onto it at the last minute, finally squeezing into an overcrowded carriage. There she meets another English woman who mysteriously disappears from the moving train, with everyone else in the carriage denying she was ever there. She spends the rest of the novel trying to discover what has happened.

The ‘what happened’ in the event isn’t particularly hard to guess – it’s all reasonably clearly signposted – but the ‘why’ is a little more concealed and makes some sense. The larger part of the story though is the tension over the main character making herself believed and second guessing her own memories and thoughts. It’s a classic locked room kind of thriller and very enjoyable in a slightly dated way.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Iris Carr is a spoiled young English woman used to getting her own way. She is on holiday somewhere in a remote part of Europe with a group of friends. This group is not popular at the hotel because of the ways in which they behave and the disturbance they cause to the other guests. When the group decides to leave, no one is sorry to see them go. Iris has decided to stay on, but when she goes out hiking and gets lost on the mountain, she decides she's had enough to plans leave the next day. As she's waiting for the train, she is suddenly knocked out, waking up in a waiting room and barely making the overcrowded train. She doesn't speak any language other than English and her head is pounding so she is grateful to discover that the middle aged woman in tweeds sitting across from her is also an English woman. They have tea together, but Iris stops paying much attention to Miss Froy, who gives her some tablets. Iris falls asleep and when she wakes up, Miss Froy has vanished and everyone else insists she never existed at all. Iris fears foul play and tries to discover what's happened.

This is an excellent Golden Age mystery, which I am delighted to see reprinted. The book was originally published as The Wheel Spins and was made into films. I am not a movie person, so never saw any of the films. This was my introduction to the book and the author and I look forward to reading more of her work.

The book begins with the narrative written in third person mostly from Iris' point of view, with just a glimpse of the other characters. Once the mystery begins to unfold on the train, things start to shift around more from Iris to the other English people from the hotel who are also on the train, and back to England where Miss Froy's parents and dog await her return with feelings of foreboding. Each person on the train has their own worries that explain their behaviour so this is a necessary change in perspective as the story goes on. The book is well-written, the story kept me turning the pages, and the descriptions of the scenery added a lot to the narrative. If you're a fan of Golden Age mysteries like I am, this is a great book to pick up and enjoy.

The Lady Vanishes was originally published in 1936 as The Wheel Spins and so many people will know this as the 1938 Hitchcock film. I enjoyed the film very much but the book is so much better.
I love the author’s writing style, it is full of atmosphere and suspense and this book is a real psychological thriller. The story surrounds Iris who is travelling back from Europe by train and is befriended on the journey by the elderly Miss Froy who subsequently vanishes and nobody believes Iris that Miss Froy was ever there.
The twists and turns of the story will keep you interested and the mid 1930’s setting in Central Europe gives an insight into the feelings of that time. A very enjoyable read.

The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White was originally published in 1936 as The Wheel Spins. It was (and still is) so good it was adapted by Alfred Hitchcock. Golden Age mysteries are amongst my favourites and Ethel Lina White was as well known as the fellow crime writers Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Anthony Berkeley and E. C. R. Lorac. Talk about an illustrious bunch!

Orphan and English socialite Iris Carr has enjoyed vacationing with her friends in Europe. She is now journeying home with strangers on a train and en route to beautiful Trieste, she is thrilled to connect with fellow English woman Miss Froy, a governess. After a nap, Iris wakes up to discover Miss Froy isn't there. She asks fellow passengers and train staff who act like she's lost her marbles. No one remembered a lady by Miss Froy's name or description. Iris begins to question herself and starts to let go of the notion. However, one person finally agrees to the reality of Miss Froy which is the push she needs to do some investigating.

Though the solution isn't difficult to work out, the descriptions, gorgeous writing, train setting (I'm a big fan of Trieste, too) and fascinating mores of the time grabbed me and I briefly melted into another world. I seldom encounter less-than-stellar Golden Age mysteries and adored this one.

My sincere thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this splendid whodunit. Thank you for republishing this gem of a classic!

This was a lovely book with an interesting premise, a number of interesting twists, and enjoyable style. I enjoyed it.

I recently read The Lady Vanishes, provided as an eARC by Net Galley. This book was first published as The Wheel Spins in 1936 and it was also made into a movie by the Great Alfred Hitchcock in the 1930s

The story centres on young l, glamorous Iris Carr who meets Miss Froy, a governess returning home on their train to Trieste. Miss Froy disappears but no one on the train recalls her presence other than Iris Carr and no one will believe Miss Froy even exists.

A fabulous classic crime mystery written in the golden era of mystery writers. As a lover of Agatha Christie and writers similar to her, this was on my list. I've seen this movie so many times over the year and was excited to read this new edition

A fabulous number of interesting and mysterious characters and clever, witty dialogue, this is a great read which held my interest throughout despite knowing the plot!

The book is mesmerising and really intrigued me. The language used is easy to follow and understand, making the reading an easy process for me.

Definitely will recommend to others.

Un giallo classico di tanto in tanto è un toccasana, e The Lady Vanishes è un delizioso meccanismo a orologeria: niente viene lasciato al caso, e se non ho provato troppa simpatia per Iris, l'ho trovata credibile e attorniata da personaggi che, nelle loro piccole storie di contorno, lo erano altrettanto, spesso rappresentanti di un'epoca e di una classe sociale ben definite e ormai perse.
Un ottimo recupero, e un'ottima alternativa a una rilettura di Dame Agatha.

Gaslighting, kidnap, drugging… a train journey you won’t forget.

Set in the latter half of of the 1930’s, Iris is separated from her friends and undertakes a train journey fraught with danger before she’s even on the train. Once aboard the train, she meets governess Miss Froy, only for her to dissappear.

The writing is brilliantly vivid from the outset, with depictions of the last day of Iris’s holiday contrasted with the atmosphere of impending danger.

The novel keeps you on a knife edge, with both psychological and physical terror. Iris is gaslit by the men surrounding her on the train (a doctor included) to the point of questioning her own sanity. That awful 19th century term hysteria is applied to Iris as a way to silence her.

I’ve seen three film adaptations, but you don’t get to hear the voices the way you do in the novel. The frightened Mrs Froy and the emotive chapters from home add to her plight.

There is also the hypocritical attitude of the other passengers towards Iris. The Misses Flood-Porter for example , believe themselves keeping up English standards while being among the accomplices in their unwillingness to help Iris. The passengers in general are a self-centred lot in their denial of Miss Froy’s existence.

I really disliked the attitude of Max. In some of the films, he is a much more likeable character. It was another unsettling aspect to the novel and also that Iris had decided to go off with him at the end, especially after what he did.

The book was written in the 1930s, not long before World War Two. It shows the tensions between the old and new England. The sisters are part of the dying old English world.

A disturbing thriller that will keep you thinking about its themes long after the book has ended.

''So you saw Miss Froy no more...She is nothing but a delirium - a dream,''

A young British socialite, frustrated, disillusioned and fed up with the pretentiousness of her noisy friends and the life she has been leading, decides to end her holidays in an unnamed (and probably fictional) country somewhere in Central Europe and return to England. Surrounded by fellow travellers who are hollower than the hollowest kind of void, she finds herself in the company of the dull, yet sympathetic, Miss Froy. When Miss Froy simply vanishes into thin air, Iris does everything in her power to find her while her efforts are hindered and blocked by suspicious strangers and men who simply dismiss her as a ''hysterical woman''. Little do they know...

Ethel Lina White created one of the most famous mystery books (and it is a pity that it became so well-known thanks to a lousy adaptation by the greatest fraud in the History of Cinema., Alfred ''I will bore you to Death with my nonsense'' Hitchcock). Iris is a character who tells it like it is and I loved her immensely. Her determination to proceed and stay true to herself while every male character tries to coax her into submission and docility is outstanding. The claustrophobic setting of the train that never stops mirrors Iris's non-stop mind and strength. Even Hare, who is dashing and enticing, is a male figure whose motives remained unclear - at least to me- even at the end of the novel. The dialogue is surprisingly lively and modern (a characteristic of the works of women writers during the 30s) and the constant comings and goings make you feel as if you are a passenger on a train that will keep travelling until Judgement Day.

No need for more. This is one of the finest examples of the genre, a quintessentially British mystery.

*Do yourselves a favour. Ditch the Hitchcock atrocity and watch the 2013 adaptation by BBC One. Thank me later.

Many thanks to Pushkin Vertigo and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/

This was a solid thriller novel, full of mystery and suspense. The author creates a story that starts out as a “is she crazy?”, to “where is the protagonist’s (Iris) companion?”, to “whodunit?”, to “will the crime get solved in time?”. The tension stayed high throughout the book and has you rooting for Iris not to give up. White throws as many obstacles as she can at Iris, while leaving the reader piecing together clues along the journey. The intrigue and twists is very Hitchcockeque, which is probably why he chose to turn it into a movie.

Denial, closed spaces, shifty characters, and simmering danger create the right atmosphere for this thriller. It will grip you all the way through.

I have seen quite a few different movie versions of this story including one of my favorites, Flightplan. And now I finally got to read the inspiration behind the story!

I'm not really a classics fan, but every once in awhile I find a gem. If your a fan of Agatha Christie and Whodunnit stories, then pick up this book. An interesting story of a young woman on vacation who claims a woman has Vanished on the train. But there is no trace of her and no one believes her.

I really enjoyed the characters and the mystery and for a classic it was actually quite easy to understand as well and I think would be a great story for people who are new to classics.

*thank you to #netgalley for a copy of this new edition of a classic to read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Iris is a young English woman on holiday in Eastern Europe returning home by train first to Trieste. An older Englishwoman, Miss Froy befriends her on the journey and after tea together, Iris sleeps. When she awakes Miss Froy is missing and everyone around her denies she ever existed. It’s a simple plot and the answer is probably obvious but it was such a fun read. The pacing is a bit slow to start with, once it gets going it’s hard to stop reading. An excellent classic mystery.

A Dazzling Mystery..
A classic of suspense, reissued. A glamorous socialite, an unexpected meeting and a baffling disappearance on a train prompt a dazzling mystery. Impossibly atmospheric and with an eclectic and carefully crafted cast of characters populating the tension fuelled plot. A solid reissue which stands the test of time.

A classic book reissued. This is the first time I've read this book but have seen the movie. Although written almost a hundred years ago it stands the test of time, gripping and hooks you from the start. Thanks to Pushkin Press and Netgalley for this review copy.

The Lady Vanishes is a repackaging and retitling of Ethel Lina White's nest-remembered novel The Wheel Spins. Made famous, of course, by Hitchcock's film adaptation, it deserves the general recognition that has come to it. Iris Carr is a heroine it is hard to like as the novel begins. She is on holiday somewhere (unnamed) in eastern Europe with a gaggle of amoral hangers-on who have alienated the other hotel guests with their bad behaviour. Jaded by her time as the financer of the group, she stays on for a few days after the rest leave. She stays aloof from her fellow guests and thus, when they all board the same train en route for England, she has no support or companion. What follows is a nightmarish descent into frantic despair as she tries to convince someone - anyone - that a Miss Froy is missing...

For someone who loved the Alfred Hitchcock movie so much, I'm embarrassed to say that I did not know it was based a book. I'm told that Ethel Lina White was a big name along side of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. I was very excited to be given the chance to read the book thanks to Netflix and the publisher. Halfway through, I wanted to find the movie which I did and watched. I think the book is better. The movie doesn't stick to the characters as written and especially changes Iris' nature.
The book is tense, well-written, and compelling. I enjoyed every word of it. So if you are a fan of the movie The Lady Vanishes, I urge you to read the book. It's a real thriller!!!!

I have watched both the Hitchcock and the more modern version of The Lady Vanishes so I went into this interested to see how the story aligned with what I already knew of it. I was pleasantly surprised by how modern and funny the book felt. Iris is a wonderful flapper-esque heroine and it's a perfect novel for any Agatha Christie fans that want women to have a little more agency in the stories. The narrative zips along with the train and the deftness of mystery combined with the humour make this a very fun read.

** “It just shows how careful one should be when one is abroad. We always keep to our rule never to get mixed up in other people’s business.” **

Pushkin Press is re-releasing Ethel Lina White’s 1936 “The Lady Vanishes,” once made famous by Alfred Hitchcock’s cinematic version.

After vacationing in the mountains of Europe, socialite Iris Carr finds herself returning home on the train. Placed in a car with six others, she quickly builds a bond with governess Winifred Froy, the only fellow Englishman in the car. But after taking tea together and a quick nap, Iris wakes to find Miss Froy gone … and everyone acting as if she never existed.

Iris quickly works to figure out why she remembers the governess and no one else does. Attempting to find help from her fellow mountain vacationers also on the train, can she prove she is not crazy and that Miss Froy really did exist? Or is she truly losing her mind?

“The Lady Vanishes” is a classic mystery with a similar format to a locked-room mystery. It definitely holds up to the test of time, having been written almost 90 years ago. Although the writing is a little more formal at times than contemporary writing, it is still an easy and enjoyable read, keeping readers guessing until the very end.

Ethel Lina White was a well-known crime writer in the 1930s and ’40s, comparable to Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. Obviously fans of such authors and Hitchcock’s classic film will enjoy “The Lady Vanishes.”

Pushkin Press’ version of the novel, originally published as “The Wheel Spins,” is due out Sept. 3.

Five stars out of five.

Pushkin Press provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

I love the movie and the book does not disappoint. Lots of action and enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. Great story.

"The ingenious classic thriller behind Hitchcock's famous film, set on a steam train travelling across 1930s Europe and boasting "intrigue, mystery, and spine-chilling horror." (Saturday Review)

First published as The Wheel Spins in 1936 and adapted for the screen by Alfred Hitchcock in 1938, Ethel Lina White's The Lady Vanishes established the author as one of the greatest crime writers of the Golden Age.

After a summer holiday in a remote corner of Europe, the glamorous socialite Iris Carr is looking forward to returning to the comforts of home. But having stayed on at the resort after her friends' departure, Iris now faces the journey home alone. On the train to Trieste, she is pleased to meet a kindly governess, Miss Froy, and strikes up a conversation. Iris warms to her companion, and is alarmed when she wakes from a sleep to find that Miss Froy has suddenly disappeared from the train without a trace. Worse still, she is horrified to discover that none of the other passengers on the train will admit to having ever seen such a woman.

Doubting her sanity and fearing for her life, Iris is determined to find Miss Froy before the train journey is over. Only one of her fellow passengers seems to believe her story. With his help, Iris begins to search the train for clues to the mystery of the vanished lady at the center of this ingenious classic thriller."

I am in love with this beautiful reissue of this classic mystery. How classic? I once tried to get an Iris Carr inspired haircut... It did not end well.

The Lady Vanishes is a golden age mystery/suspense story that is better known for the Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name. A purposeless young Englishwoman meets a bland middle-aged Englishwoman on a train back to England, and when the latter goes missing, is the only person who claims to know anything about her. It's a long exercise in gaslighting by the entire train, whether for relatively innocent or nefarious purposes, which is the main trigger for the building suspense (a la Gaslight), even more than the train's increasing proximity to a bad outcome in Trieste.
The main character, in spite of her indolence and lack of direction, is sympathetic and likable for her tenacity in hunting for the missing woman. The bad guys are appropriately suspicious and forbidding, and the deputized men are satisfyingly useless and credulous. There are a few side characters whose arcs are given a chapter or two's attention, and it's only too bad that they don't play a more active role in the solution. Given that this is the origin of a well-known film, this reissue will play well with library fans of classic mysteries.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Iris Carr remains a bit longer after her friends depart from their holiday and she hasn't exactly made herself popular with the other guests at the hotel. So, she finds herself travelling alone on the train back to England. On her journey, she makes the acquaintance of a Miss Froy who, while kindly, can be a rather difficult companion. When she wakes from her sleep, she finds Miss Froy has disappeared and when she makes enquiries of the other passengers, all claim no knowledge of the woman's existence. It's up to Iris to discover what's happened before it's too late.

I was delighted to find this book available even though I have never seen any of the film or tv adaptations of it. The first part of the book sets us up for what happens later, with much description of Iris and other remaining guests of the hotel after her socialite crowd leaves before her. Then later on the train, we meet these people again, along with the characters of other passengers and staff. Iris is beside herself when Miss Froy disappears and then she is essentially gaslighted so that she feels she has lost her mind. Every time we think some progress is being made in finding Miss Froy, things take a step backwards until things reach the climax of the book as the train is reaching Trieste.

Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable book, and I was on the edge of my seat for much of the latter part of it. I rate it four stars and highly recommend to anyone desiring a mystery/thriller. Thank you to Netgalley and Pushkin Vertigo for giving me a free copy of the book, I have reviewed this voluntarily.

When Alfred Hitchcock decided to make a movie of The Wheel Spins (renamed as The Lady Vanishes for the big screen) by Ethel Lina White in 1938, it became his ticket to Hollywood greatness.

Even though almost 90 years have passed since it was first published, the story, plot and writing of the book doesn't feel dated at all. Flip the narrative to a modern setting with a few tweaks (even Hitchcock made a few changes to the plot for the movie version) and I am sure it will be as gripping as I found reading the original.

The setting of the fast moving train travelling on dangerous terrain, the close set compartments and the sense of time slipping away helps to bring forth the sense of urgency, fear and desperation Iris Carr feels--both in her quest to locate Miss Froy who she knows exists and is in danger and to prove that she is not hallucinating. It is also shared by Miss Froy, who locked and hidden away in a compartment, still holds out hope to be rescued while her parents and dog in a small country cottage anxiously wait for her to return home.

Agatha Christie is the most famous name of the Golden Age of Mysteries era but I am looking forward to getting introduced to other writers who were equally popular at the time.

This reissue by Pushkin Press/Pushkin Vertigo is due to be out on September 3, 2024. My thanks to the publisher for the e-Arc of the book which I received via NetGalley.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Lady Vanishes coming out September 3, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book was published as The Wheel Spins in 1936. I’ve watched the Hitchcock version of this movie and loved it, so I was excited to read the book. I love classic books. I think the story was action packed for the time. There was a lot of mystery. Train stories were definitely big during the time. I loved it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys classic 1930s books!

Unlike most reviewers I haven't seen the Hitchcock film, although I have seen a stage adaptation of the book which was originally published as The Wheel Spins.

So I knew the story, but even so the book was exciting and my heart was racing as the train sped towards Trieste, hoping that Iris solved the mystery and that there would be a happy ending. I particularly enjoyed the parts of the story where Mr and Mrs Froy and their charming dog Sock are waiting for their daughter's safe return.

A recommended read for lovers of Golden Age mystery thrillers.

1936 Miss Iris Carr, wealthy, shallow, and spoilt has come to the end of a holiday in a remote part of Europe, a day after her friends have already departed. Alone on the train to Trieste she meets governess Miss Winifred Froy, who then goes missing. But no-one will believe her. Can she find her before the end of the journey.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery. It was interesting to read as I could compare the book to the original 1938 film.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Being a fan of classic crime means that I am almost predisposed to finding enjoyment in most mystery novels from the first half of the twentieth century. I love the casual comments which give away the period the novel was written, the ‘unusual’ turns of phrase and descriptions which speak of the cultural and sociological views of the protagonists (and authors) and the rather more formal use of language which somehow seems much more civilized than what we are used to today. (For example, see previous sentence).

Of course, this will only get you so far: the story still has to be good, the writing has to be of a quality and most importantly, the plot has to have the right elements to make it a genuine mystery.
Happily, (and not surprisingly) all these elements are present in “The Lady Vanishes”. It is an interesting puzzle (although I had it sussed from the presentation of the key scene, but maybe that comes with reading far too many mystery novels…) told with genuine tension and foreboding.
Characterisation is also very well handled, explaining enough to make sense of plot and actions but without giving away too much, too soon.

It really is no surprise that "The Lady Vanishes" has been made into various movies in the years after its publication, it’s a great example of a mystery novel from this era, or indeed any era.

One of those books I have heard about but have never got around to reading until now. This is a well-written, fast-paced book and the mystery here is every bit as gripping as it is in the movie. If your a fan of Agatha Christie and Whodunnit stories, then pick up this book. An interesting story of a young woman on vacation who claims a woman has Vanished on the train. But there is no trace of her and no one believes her.

I really enjoyed the characters and the mystery and for a classic it was actually quite easy to understand as well and I think would be a great story for people who are new to classics.

I had seen and enjoyed the film of this novel years ago and luckily for me I had forgotten how it ended. The book is, of course, even better. This was originally published in 1936 and I very much enjoy classic crime books. This is one of the best thrillers of the time.

Traveling alone on a train through Europe, Iris befriends Mrs. Froy, an elderly woman. When Mrs. Froy disappears it seems that Iris is the only person who remembers her. How does a woman completely disappear from a moving train and why do other passengers claim to have no memory of her? Is Iris going mad? This was very enjoyable and an absolute classic.

Origin of a Hitchcock classic, classic who-(or rather how and why?)-dunnit.

Hitchcock's film is one of my favourites of his, and such a classic of the genre - I had to read the source novel.

Even standing alone, this is a great read, fast-moving and full of intrigue and an interesting narrative style. The film saves (from recollection anyway!) the reveals until the end, whereas the book gives away some of the twists and plotting as we go along, which I wasn't expecting.

The book also introduces key characters surprisingly late in the day and makes protagonists less likeable than I remembered from Hitchcock's adaptation.

One such is Iris. Wealthy socialite, abroad with friends and causing other hotel residents disquiet, she is left alone after they return to England without her, to the relief of all. Iris's own reputation is thus polluted by association, which is important for what follows. Waiting her own return train and suffering sunstroke, she meets a kindly older lady in her full compartment, humours her lively chat and dull life story and rests her eyes. Only to find when awakening that the governess, Miss Froy, has vanished and nobody else even admits she was there in the first place.

Against her lazy/selfish instincts the young Englishwomen tries to rally help, from other passengers, from anyone who will listen to her, but the reader and Iris herself are left wondering just why everyone would so firmly argue that Miss Froy is not real...

The reader though is given perspectives on Miss Froy's parents, insights into the motivations of other passengers, and given even further evidence that Iris is not in fact mistaken... but why can she not find Miss Froy on a moving train?

The ending is decidedly abrupt, the explanation actually comes partway through which Hitchcock at least corrected for film, but I really enjoyed the twisty nature and off-kilter perceptions of the not-quite-loveable Iris and working our way towards the solution through multiple viewpoints.

A very different style of narrative, and ever a favourite film. Great to see the origins.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

This was first published in 1936 and was, of course, made into a popular film (although I have never seen it). However, , I was interested to read it and enjoyed it very much.

Iris Carr is a young woman, who has been on holiday with a group of friends. She is an independently wealthy orphan, but somewhat disenchanted by her frivolous lifestyle. As such, she decides to allow her friends to leave for England without her and to travel back alone. However, once on her own, she is somewhat at a loss and feels slightly daunted by her lack of language skills. The other hotel guests are pleased her large group of noisy, unconventional and thoughtless friends are gone and Iris is both embarrassed, and annoyed, at the realisation that they were looked down upon.

On her train journey home, Iris meets a kindly, older lady, Miss Froy, who takes her under her wing. When Iris wakes from a nap though, she finds that Miss Froy has gone and everyone denies that she has ever existed…

I was pleased to have this one approved as it's one I have wanted to read for a while. I have seen the Hitchcock film a few times and enjoyed it but wanted to see how the book compared. I really enjoyed it. I liked the way the tension builds and the pace is good. While I picked upon a few points (having seen the flms) this didn't afect my enjoyment . I loved the sense of time and place and enjoyed the story.