6:40 to Montreal
Tense and descriptive, Eva Jurczyk’s mystery novel 6:40 to Montreal throws strangers together on a halted train to locate an elusive murderer.
Agatha is a novelist who is struggling to write her next book. As a gift, her partner Teddy purchases her a train ticket to Montreal. When the train comes to an unexpected halt and a rowdy passenger is found dead, Agatha works with the others in her car to uncover the killer and stay alive.
Thick tension is created as the plot unfurls. Agatha gets to know the other passengers, but many of their conversations create more questions, leading to further unease before the discovery of the killer. And Agatha also faces her rival, Cyanne. She struggles to stand her ground after Cyanne accuses her of stealing her life story. Agatha, panicked, runs away from Cyanne to use the bathroom, and their confrontation unspools as the novel progresses—a constant source of stress for Agatha. The book is dotted with Agatha’s backstory too, as with her infatuation with an old local murder.
Keen descriptions flesh out the cramped confines of the train, as when, after a teenager endures a medical event and recovers, his belongings are described, his “suitcase … still in the aisle, an open wound we would have to tiptoe around if we needed to pass.” The emotional despondency that Agatha experiences in her pursuit for the killer is given similar shape, with details about her complicated feelings following an affair, and about the perils and joys of motherhood. She faces plot twists and unexpected deaths, working toward a conclusion that reflects her profound transformation.
In the expressive mystery novel, 6:40 to Montreal a woman searching for inspiration is caught up in helping to solve a murder on a train.
Reviewed by
Jennifer Maveety
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
