Strangers on the 16:02 is part of the Quick Reads series and tells of three strangers whose lives are forever changed when they inadvertently meet on the 16:02 train from Hampton to Waterloo. Two people will be taken to hospital and three others will probably end up in jail.
Helen is on her way to see her sister to tell her the devastating news that she has just received from the police about the disturbing phone calls she has been receiving. Kerm is on his way home from his grandfather’s funeral with his mind filled with memories and the complicated dynamics of his large family. Innocent, a kind brother to his baby sister, is catching the train home with two school mates but he has lost money on a bet and now hasn’t the money for a railcard.
Priya Basil has produced a well-written story that transitions between points of view and flashbacks without the reader losing track. One exception was the Facebook messages Helen was reading on her phone which were written in the third person. This tended to interrupt the flow of the story. The ending doesn’t resolve but leaves the reader with lots to think about.
Overall it’s a well-written story that leaves you wondering “if only.”
More reviews of this book can be found on Goodreads.
