Why people recommend it
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is a psychological thriller centering on an unstable commuter who becomes entangled in a missing persons investigation after observing something suspicious from a train window. On The Book Review podcast, several commentators including Alexander Alter, Greg Coles, and Greg Cowles frequently highlighted the book's massive commercial success, noting its lengthy run at the top of the bestseller lists and its adaptation into a major motion picture. Will Schwalbe also appeared on the podcast to discuss the novel, observing how the narrative deeply engages with the complex and counterintuitive nature of trust within the thriller genre. The hosts and guests repeatedly examined the cultural phenomenon surrounding the novel's release and its enduring presence in public discussions about contemporary suspense fiction.
Who recommended it
- Greg Coles Discussed
- Will Schwalbe Discussed
- Alexander Alter Discussed
- Greg Cowles Discussed
- Alexandra Alter Discussed
Greg Coles — 4 mentions
“and then finally I knew at number two on the hard cover fiction list and it's number one on the combo list um a novel called the girl on the train by a British author named Paula haw”
“number two the girl on the train by Paula Hawkins”
“and at number two the girl on the train which I'm thinking is back up there because all the details about the film adaptation are coming out now”
“and this week marks a year uh on the list for the girl on the train it does it's uh at number two uh where it has been for quite some time and yes it's it's oneyear old 52 weeks on the list”
Will Schwalbe — 1 mention
“the girl on the train also is about trusting which also seems counterintuitive one of the things I love about great suspense and Thriller novels”
Alexander Alter — 1 mention
“so we're pretty early in 2015 but it looks like we already have our first breakout big best seller and it's one that I'm sure you've heard of now the girl on the train by Paula Hawkins”
Greg Cowles — 1 mention
“and what's number one on the bestseller list fiction side still Paula Hawkins the girl on the train that has spent I think 13 consecutive weeks at number one”
Alexandra Alter — 1 mention
“some of the ones I'm really looking forward to are Billy Lynn's long halftime walk which is being adapted by angle and that's another book that I loved as well as uh the girl on the train which is based on the hugely best-selling novel by Paula Hawkins”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
- All the Light We Cannot See
- Brooklyn
- The Martian
- The Revenant
- "More more more" said the baby
- Being Mortal
Other mentions (11: passing, ad reads, own books)
“this weekend the girl on the train is opening and of course everyone's familiar with that book it sold more than 6 million copies in the us alone became an overnight sensation”
“and so people are kind of seeing it as the next girl on the train”
“ever since Gone Girl and then the girl in the Train the whole sub genre as you call it the domestic Thriller”
“there was the girl on the train era”
“a former editor at Cosmo and self magazine named Jessica null has a kind of a suspense thriller called luckiest girl alive that is garnering some comparisons to Gone Girl or girl on the train”
“the top book on the fiction side is the girl on the train by Paula Hawkins that has been number one for a long time”
“and then still at number one is the girl on the train”
“and uh another debut novel that is getting a lot of Buzz is Ruth wear's novel in a dark wood which is kind of in the vein of Gone Girl girl on the train”
“so was Paula Hawkins is the girl on the train which is an ongoing bestseller”
“girl on the train still on there”
“the audio book of the year is the girl on the train by Paula Hawkins her bestselling Thriller”