Murder On The Train (Paperback)

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A non-fiction book that reads like an Agatha Christie novel.
The first thing that struck me about ‘Murder on the Train’ is how readable the book is. I was so caught up in the story that I found myself picking it up in my lunch break, to catch up on the next instalment.
The book is an analysis of a murder which took place over a century ago. In 1910, a quiet, unassuming man, John Nisbett was travelling on the 10:27 Newcastle train, when he was shot five times in the head. In a ‘locked room’ mystery, he was found under the seat of an empty railway carriage, leaving more questions than answers. The ‘why’ was no mystery; Nisbett had been carrying miners’ wages from the bank to the colliery and this was a robbery. But were there one or two killers and how did they get off the train unseen?
The author walks us through who saw what, and when, and introduces the main suspect; John Dickman. The latter was arrested, tried, found guilty, and hanged. An open and shut case you might say…except all the ‘evidence’ was circumstantial and even at the time petitions were raised that this was an unsafe conviction.
In a twist, the author then explains his take on events and gives an extremely plausible explanation as to what happened and who the killer(s) [No spoilers!] were. To me, he has nailed it. Mystery solved!
This book was a hugely enjoyable read that speed past with the tension of a fictional thriller. Anyone interested in true crime, Victoriana, or miscarriages of justice is going to be fascinated by this book. If your are on the fence about reading it, ponder no longer and dive in…you won’t regret it.

NetGalley, Pippa Elliott

Very compelling read! The book follows the death and subsequent trial of his killer, a unique view into the judicial system in the early 1900’s and how things can go very wrong. I really enjoyed the book. It read very well, and kept me interested. The author was able to break down the case, the problems with it and alternative conclusions without the story becoming rote or dry. I appreciated that the case was viewed objectively from both sides, that is if the accused was the killer, and if not. Overall, a very satisfying read, and definitely makes me want to see if the case in reopened!

NetGalley, Leigh Bacon