A review by bairdy1985
The Commuter: 'Couldn't stop reading. Emma Curtis is a genius!' Andrea Mara by Emma Curtis, Emma Curtis

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 
I attended a boo k talk last year and The Commuter was suggested as a book to pick up and an author to watch, so I immediately put it on my TBR.

Rachel awakes from a coma to find out her husband is dead.. but she has no memory of the events that led up to that faithful day. She’s lucky to be alive but this is just the start of a spiral of events for Rachel as she unravels to truth!

We quickly learn that some instinctively don’t trust Rachel.. although she couldn’t have been there at the time her husband died… there’s gaps in her story that even Rachel can’t fill..

Things go from bad to worse when her husbands will is read and it’s not what everyone is expecting… if anything it raises more questions and causes more tension.

We start to learn more about Rachel and the what happened in the run up as bits of memories come back.. like a puzzle for Rachel to put together.

The quickly see her husband wasn’t exactly an innocent…his daughter is not very likeable and there was someone else in Rachel’s life.. but who.. and what does it mean.. is there a connection?

What unfolds is a very clever and complex plot that ultimately led to an untimely death.

I really enjoyed the flow as the story moves from current day, back to the past as Rachel’s memory returns.

The flow allowed for development of the characters at a natural pace, nothing felt forced or out of place.. the development just matches the flow perfectly in pace and made it a super engrossing read,

Character wise.. and the twists.. wow.. I don’t say it often but I really didn’t know what would happen next and I was hooked. I don’t want to spoil it but Rachel is really put through it!

When to bed each night I was excited for my own commute the next day just so I could pick up the book again!

What made this book such a gripping thriller was the main characters amnesia, as it allowed the author to take the story so many directions… and those twists were gob smacking!

This was more first foray into the authors work but it won’t be my last!.