Jenna meets Allie on a train. Allie's distressed and tries to help her, soon learning the meaning of the saying "no good deed comes unpunished"...

This was a twisty book with lots of surprises. It was also interesting to get the story from Jenna’s point of view as a woman with autism. Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the arc.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this ARC.

A great thriller which I really enjoyed! I just wish it had tied everything up at the end.

A full review has been left on Goodreads and linked below.

Oh this was good. Dark, twisty and definitely deserved to be read in one sitting.

The author teases with a slow start, allowing the tension and uncertainties to build, and when they hit, boy did they hit hard! I didn't see that one coming, did you?

Very much a character driven read, it threw up the whole stranger danger scenario for me. I don't even like talking to strangers, let alone in inviting one into my home. Like wtaf!

A thoroughly enjoyable, intriguing read.

A good, fast and easy read. I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend as an easy read. It also had some surprises that I'd never have guessed.

As a neurodiverse woman I found this particularly interesting but incredibly frustrating where Jenna was concerned. Neurodiversity in women is all too often misdiagnosed as a mental health issue or personality disorder. Jenna's lack of support from those around her was sad particularly as nearly all were meant to be people that knew her. If you know a neurodiverse person we'll then you can see changes when they are struggling, just as Jenna's brother was able to identify shutdown in his sister, even after he'd moved away and not had as much contact.

Stereotypes say neurodiverse people aren't meant to get ahead, aren't meant to form long-term successful relationships and are unable to communicate effectively (amongst other things). I think Jenna proves the stereotypes are false but her story is a sad one and she ultimately loses a life she'd worked hard to achieve

Jenny Morgan spots a regular commuter who boards the train on platform 8 of London Waterloo and gets off at Winchester. Today this woman boards at Winchester and Jenny feels signs of distress coming from this unknown passenger. Jenny asks if this stranger is okay and so the story begins.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Woman on Platform 8, which is a dark and twisty psychological thriller. It is told in the first person and this narrative is ideal for this novel. Everything is from Jenny’s point of view and readers are told from the beginning that Jenny is “openly autistic”. It works well that this family, friends and work story is told ONLY from Jenny’s point of view. Although the author is a man, he puts the reader FULLY in the mindset of Jenny, regardless of your gender or neurology. The focus of this story is so strong and very easy to relate to, that you feel that you can “live the book”.

Doubts begin to grow in your mind as the story builds. The character development of Jenny Morgan is terrific and you get just enough from The Woman on Platform 8, Jenny’s husband, son and daughter, brother, mother, mother-in-law and workmates to fully understand Jenny’s world.

I was very impressed by the quality of writing and feel The Woman on Platform 8 is an OUTSTANDING 5 star read. The plot is very good and I did not work out what was going on in the background. I was barking up the wrong tree and the ending was a HUGE surprise, totally unexpected. The shock - no spoilers from me - is that anyone could fall victim to this scenario, which is frightening.

I will not quote from this book but health care providers generally name their buildings/trading names “kindly” - not for Jenny’s mum who is a patient in a hospital called Graveside. Sleep well everyone!

Jennifer, now Jenna, has been diagnosed with autism. She does best when her world is scheduled, organized, and routined. Last minute, or spontaneous events, can be exhausting considering her day has already planned out and she’s forced to adjust.

So life gets pretty chaotic pretty quickly when Jenna is riding the train to work. Not enjoying small talk, Jenna spends her work commute creating stories of fellow riders. When a woman she thought was beautiful and glamorous stumbles onto the train disheveled and scratched up, Jenna jumps in to help the woman.

The woman is Allie and she tells Jenna she thinks she just killed her boyfriend after he threatened her. Despite Jenna’s pleas for Allie to contact the police, Allie explains she can’t because her boyfriend works for the police and will twist events to make her look guilty.

Jenna ends up offering Allie a place to stay, inviting her into the home she shares with her husband and two kids.

On top of handling this massive change in her routine, Jenna is also trying to save the jobs of her graphic design team and comes up with an idea of how to expand their clientele; with Allies help.

But Allie seems to be inserting herself too much into Jenna’s life causing Jenna’s mental health to suffer.

So when her brother Tom arrives asking her to join him in a visit to their mother, who was institutionalized after her own mental health breakdown, Jenna initially declines the offer. As her thoughts and feelings make Jenna spiral further, she decides maybe it’s better to visit her mother to see if she struggled with the same issues to avoid being sectioned herself.

But what choice does her husband have when Jenna is seen waving a knife at her mother-in-law; when she wrecks havoc in front of her children at the pool; and when Allie is found bleeding and stabbed?

This was a heckuva ride and I was blown away, and quite angry, with the ending but in the most delicious way.

I’ve read several books by M.A. Hunter and he’s quickly become a “must-read author” for me!

Thank you NetGalley, M.A. Hunter, and Boldwood Books for the providing me with the ARC in exchange for a review.

Dark and intense mystery, well written gripping you from the off. If you enjoy a dark mystery this is for you. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

The Woman on Platform 8 by M. A. Hunter is a chilling and twisted psychological thriller that keeps you guessing from the first page. The story is told from the perspective of an ordinary commuter who, after spotting a mysterious woman – whom she imagines to be a glamorous catwalk model – starts to notice something isn’t quite right. As the two women cross paths on their daily commute, the glamorous woman’s behavior shifts from poised to terrified, and our protagonist finds herself compelled to help her.

As the story unravels, the commuter – who has her own secrets and insecurities – learns that the woman’s name is not Lucia, but Allie, and that she is running from something dark and dangerous. Allie confesses to doing something dreadful and desperately needs protection. What begins as an innocent attempt to help quickly spirals into a dangerous web of lies, deception, and peril, as the protagonist becomes entangled in Allie’s nightmare.

Hunter skillfully builds tension and suspense throughout the novel, with each chapter peeling back layers of mystery and psychological complexity. The unreliable narration, coupled with the protagonist’s own internal struggles and the overwhelming sense of danger, creates a sense of unease that lingers long after you’ve turned the last page.

The Woman on Platform 8 is a fast-paced and unpredictable thriller, filled with twists and turns that keep the reader on edge. If you enjoy dark, atmospheric thrillers that delve into human frailty and the consequences of secrets, this book is a must-read. M. A. Hunter delivers a gripping tale of deception, making it clear that sometimes, the cost of doing a good deed can be far more than you ever imagined.

M A Hunter always manages to get me gripped right away and keep me invested in the characters! Overall this was a very intense and suspenseful read.

I probably should start by mentioning what really stands out about this book – the neurodivergent representation. An openly autistic FMC. Which, honestly, is a very rare thing in books. Yes, there are many books where the MC is supposedly on the spectrum, but usually it’s not clearly spelled out and stated for everyone to see, know, and understand. Also, I can point out how much I appreciate it being a woman who is autistic, and it’s someone who isn’t portrayed as a textbook teenage boy kind of autistic.
And now, back to the story. Oh my. I hated it how much I loved it. And I loved it how much I hated it. Most of all, I loved/hated how much the story was… about me. I grew up in a family where I was always being gaslighted and threatened to be locked away in a psych facility if I dared to be “uncomfortable” in any way. I had those loving parents who gladly told anyone and everyone how insane I was and how hard it was for them to live with someone as crazy as me – it took me forever and decades and actual distance to see it for a backup smear campaign in case I ever spoke up about what was really happening to me behind closed doors at home. Nice, isn’t it? I know. Super nice.
So, this book was kind of triggering and kind of therapeutic for me – just because of this little story from my own life.
Me and my shitty parents aside, the book was good. It was beyond good, in fact. Well-written, well-told. Fast paced.
And then, the ending. I know I have said before that I dislike happy endings. Now I know that I live for absolutely horrible endings. The worst of the worst, zero hope for anything ever. Yes, please, give me more of those. Also, unexpected. Beyond anything anyone would have ever expected. So much worse than anything even my catastrophizing mind would have ever come up with. Perfect. Chef’s kiss perfection is what it was.

Thank you to NetGalley and especially Boldwood Books for my ARC and the opportunity to read this ahead of its release.
What a suspenseful book! Jenna is neurodivergent and someone who thrives on routine- she notices someone on the train who appears to be frantic and needs help. She quickly offers aid and befriends this woman into her home From there it turns into a thriller and a question of how sane is anyone really, and can someone really have the power to push you into questioning your own sanity. This has many twists, and when I thought I had it figured out another element was added. This is my first book that I have read by this author, and I am seeking out other books because I enjoyed this one. If you are into thrillers and suspense pick this one up, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

This was so intense and suspenseful! It was one twist after another— very engaging. Highly recommend to anyone interested in a great read!

The Woman on Platform 8 by M A Hunter was excellent psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns throughout with a great storyline which was very cleverly crafted that will have you hooked from the very first few pages till the very end. All the characters were excellent and fitted well with the book.

I highly recommend this book it was an excellent read. Great for a holiday read especially as it was a great easy quick read.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and especially Boldwood Books for my ARC.

I'm reviewing this NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This is a twisty psychological thriller. At the start, the protagonist, Jenna, befriends a woman that she catches sight of on the platform while boarding the train. The woman's name is Allie, and she confesses something to Jenna; something shocking.

From the beginning, I found Jenna an interesting character, and I liked the way she articulated herself to the reader. I was keen to find out more about her as the story progressed. The suspense kept building, and I found that the story played with my head. As I turned the pages, I was never sure what to expect. This reminded me a little bit of Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train, so if you liked that, maybe you'll like this too.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.

M.A. Hunter’s The Woman on Platform 8 is a tense, twist-filled psychological thriller that keeps readers guessing until the very last page. With its clever narrative and unsettling exploration of identity, secrets, and the thin line between reality and illusion, this novel is a gripping read for fans of domestic suspense and psychological drama.

The story begins with the unnamed protagonist’s fascination with a striking woman she often sees during her commute. In her mind, the glamorous stranger becomes “Lucia,” a mysterious and flawless figure. But when the woman — whose real name is Allie — boards the train one morning visibly shaken and desperate, the protagonist’s carefully constructed fantasy crumbles. What follows is a gripping journey of loyalty, fear, and the unsettling question of how well we truly know the people around us.

Hunter excels at building a palpable sense of unease, using the mundane setting of a daily train commute to amplify the suspense. The protagonist’s inner dialogue is both relatable and troubling, reflecting her own insecurities and the tendency to romanticize the lives of others. As the story unfolds, readers are forced to question not only Allie’s motives but also the narrator’s reliability. Who is really in danger? Who can be trusted?

The pacing is swift, with each chapter peeling back another layer of deception. Hunter skillfully drops breadcrumbs of information, maintaining the tension and ensuring the plot remains unpredictable. The dual focus on Allie’s predicament and the narrator’s own unraveling mental state adds complexity to the narrative, making it impossible to put the book down.

The Woman on Platform 8 is more than just a thriller — it’s an exploration of perception, the masks people wear, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of our lives. Hunter’s sharp prose and immersive storytelling ensure that readers will be thinking about this novel long after they’ve finished it.

For fans of Gillian Flynn, B.A. Paris, and Lisa Jewell, this book is a must-read. Prepare for a ride full of suspense, psychological intrigue, and a haunting reminder that sometimes the most dangerous illusions are the ones we create ourselves.

"No good deed goes unpunished."

The Woman on Platform 8 by M.A Hunter is a twisty psychological thriller that will have you hooked from the very beginning.

For the past few weeks Jenna Morgan has seen a beautiful woman waiting on Platform 8 for the train. Fixating on this perfectly poised woman, Jenna imagines her to be a glamorous model maybe going to casting calls in the city. But when one day the woman is late to get on the train and appears frightened, Jenna reaches out to her. The woman's name is Allie and she says she has done something awful to her boyfriend. Wanting to help Allie, Jenna invites her to stay with her, her husband, and their two children until she can get herself situated. But soon strange things start to happen and Jenna wonders if Allie is really who she says she is. And Allie isn't the only one keeping secrets...

This book was so tension filled and had such a sense of urgency that I flew right through it. I especially liked the fact that Jenna was neurodivergent which put another spin on her perception. Hunter's writing is absolutely gripping and her characters are all very well written. This was the first book by M.A Hunter that I have read but it definitely won't be my last!!

Thank you to NetGalley, M.A Hunter, and Boldwood Books for this ARC. Publication date is March 31st 2025.

My first thought after I’d finished reading this book was ‘why have I never read anything by this author before ? And the reason I asked myself that question was because this book in my opinion was absolutely brilliant. It’s not often that a book gets right into my head but this one 100% did that. It’s not a fast paced read but that’s a good thing as it gives the reader time to process all that’s going on and believe me there’s lots happening . The characters are all really interesting and it didn’t take me long to make an opinion of them all. I was completely absorbed by this story right from the very start and as for the ending, I’m not going to say much but safe to say I had to go back and read the final chapter again as I thought I’d got confused. I absolutely love a book with a jaw dropping ending and this was one of those books.

This is a good read but has left me with so many questions.
Jenna sees the same woman most days on her train journey into work, but one day she looks like she needs help.
Allie tells her something shocking and Jenna says she’ll help her, and invites her to stay with her family.
This was the first red flag for me, as why would you invite a stranger into your home with your two young children?
As I suspected Allie weasels her way into Jenna’s family life and soon Jenna is struggling to cope.
I don’t really like books where a person is made to question their own sanity, but I always hope they will come out on top.
In this book, this didn’t really happen and the ending left me very confused.
Whilst I don’t need books to always have a firm conclusion, this one ended very abruptly with many questions left unanswered.
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book.