Paula Hawkins will provoke readers to start questioning the people around them in her chilling book, “The Girl on the Train.” Entrenched in mystery, this work of fiction will keep readers feverishly turning page after page.

The novel kicks off with Rachel, an alcoholic 30-something-year-old divorcee, and her train-ride commute home. The ride takes her past a row of homes in which she used to reside with her ex-husband, Tom, who now lives there with his new wife, Anna.

Repulsed at seeing her old home, a reminder of the life she once had, Rachel fixates instead on the No. 15 home and the beautiful couple, Megan and Scott, who live within.

In her daily observation of the couple, Rachel catches a glimpse of something that makes her question everything she knows about the two. Shortly thereafter, the story begins to escalate when she stumbles across a startling headline: Megan is now a missing person.

Rachel gives her account to the police and to the husband, Scott. Yet she questions her own reliability, as do the police, eventually ruling her as an unreliable witness since her bouts of drinking make her memory fuzzy. This, however, does not stop Rachel’s search for the truth.

The more Rachel discovers, the more she realizes how much there is to uncover. Up until this point, readers might have trouble empathizing with the pitiful protagonist who seems to have little going for her, but she proves her worth in the end.

Each character becomes someone completely different than imagined. These discoveries highlight the theme that people are not always as they appear, something that many readers can confirm.

Hawkins reveals characters and plot seamlessly. Engaging suspense and appreciation for seemingly irredeemable characters, this book has fans impatiently awaiting the soon-to-be major motion picture.