"Riveting.drama, terror and chaos unfold aboard the train." -- Woman's World , 9 New Historical Mystery Books Perfect for Cozy October Nights "A tension-filled panorama of fin-de-siècle French society." --Alida Becker, The New York Times "The Paris Express offers readers the opportunity to recognize something kindred in its characters' passions and dilemmas.Well-researched, empathetic.steams across fin-de-siècle France with unstoppable momentum." --Heller McAlpin, Wall Street Journal "Thrilling.I could not put this book down.
" --Bill Goldstein, NBC New York "A nail-biter - and you'll learn some history, too." --PEOPLE Magazine "A riveting mix of social commentary and mystery.has much in common with Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express.Meticulous research has gone into the writing of this thriller, including into the real-life passengers on the original train.If the steam engine is an astonishing feat of engineering, so is Donoghue's propulsive and thought-provoking 16th novel." --Leigh Haber, Washington Post "Deliciously tense.a heart-pounding ride." -- Real Simple "Titanic superfans will fall hard for this historically immersive story of glamour, hubris, chaos, and heartache.
" -- Oprah Daily , most anticipated books of 2025 "Historical fiction you can feel in your bones." -- Los Angeles Times , most anticipated books of 2025 "Irresistible.beautifully capture[s] the thrill and romance of train travel's heyday." --Chris Hewitt, Minneapolis Star-Tribune "Donoghue establishes an intricate web of human relationships as the narrative speeds toward an unexpected yet plausible finale.Readers ought to jump on board." -- Publishers Weekly , starred review "Donoghue's particular forte lies in showing how confined circumstances shape interactions. Her characterization is a marvel as she dexterously illustrates people's outward appearances and innermost desires. In her hands, the novel's long-ago setting becomes an exciting place buzzing with fresh life and technological ideas on the cusp of a new century, even as horror strikes.
" --Booklist , starred review "In exploring a little-remembered event in history, Emma Donoghue manages to hold a mirror up to a whole society, from its train porters to its members of parliament, and show that however much one tries to wrench life to conform to one's will, everyone is vulnerable to its shocks. What an absorbing, panoramic, meticulously researched, lovingly peopled gem. A huge privilege to get an early glimpse!" --Esi Edugyan, author of the Booker Prize finalist Washington Black "Captivating! Emma Donoghue writes in rich, luxuriant detail, yet the story moves at an exhilarating clip. The Paris Express brings big questions about human interconnectedness into an edge-of-your-seat historical thriller that I couldn't put down." --Shelby Van Pelt, author of Remarkably Bright Creatures "Clever, ambitious, and richly researched. A slice of 1890s Paris that makes us see that our modern problems aren't so modern after all! The Paris Express is a smartly structured novel that ratchets up the pace until it's hurtling along as fast as the doomed train itself." --Alice Winn, author of In Memoriam "Donoghue's talents are at such glorious heights in this novel." --Heather O'Neill, author of The Capital of Dream.