Book review: The Passenger by Daniel Hurst

She takes the same train every day. But this is a journey she’ll never forget.

Amanda’s done it! She’s finally managed to save up enough money to hand in her resignation so she can follow her dream of becoming a writer. She just has a few more days left to serve out her notice and then she can put that daily commute from Brighton to London behind her forever.

But then, on her commute home from London to Brighton, she meets a charming stranger – who seems to know everything about her. He delivers an ultimatum. She needs to give him the code for the safe where she keeps her savings before the train reaches Brighton – or she’ll never see [her daughter] Louise again. Convinced that the threat is real, Amanda is stunned, horrified. She knows she should give him the code, but she can’t. Because she also knows there is a terrible secret in that safe which will destroy her life and Louise’s too…

As the plot unfolds and the secrets come spilling out, things aren’t looking so great for Amanda.

But Amanda’s a tough cookie. She doesn’t simply crumple under pressure. Her strength, fighting spirit, and wit make her a much more formidable opponent than the stranger had anticipated.

The bulk of the novel revolves around that one-hour train ride from London to Brighton, alternating between the events unfolding on the train and in Amanda’s home, where the stranger’s accomplice has Louise hostage. These are interspersed with some backstories of the key characters, to contextualize and tie all the threads together – like why someone as seemingly sensible as Amanda would keep all her money in a safe at home, instead of safely in the bank.

So, who wins out in the end? Will the stranger take off with Amanda’s money, expose her secrets, and ruin her life? Or will Amanda keep her nerves and wits about her long enough to save Louise and her life’s savings?

You will just have to read this one to find out! Click here to buy the book on Amazon.