It is not so much a who done it as such, more a who is working for which gangland boss. A train full of men and women hired, employed, driven or researching into murder or carrying it out.

That it happens on a train which is like a closed room setting or the participants are intentionally assembled for this blood letting adds to the mystery and threat of violence.

This is the second book in this author’s reflective writing about guns for hire or paid contract killers.

The first book is timed here as being about six years previously and almost referred to as a golden age of assassins. There are frequent mentions to this former time both directly and indirectly about the mystic and apocryphal tales regarding these people. At times it was a joy to identify the references like finding silver sixpences in a Christmas pudding.

However, you don’t have to have read the first book to understand or enjoy this novel.

Clever title reflecting the technology and pride in Japanese railways. A difficult project however to keep the action going in essentially is just the limited space of a train carriage. I especially appreciated the many times the physical motion of the train added to the drama.

What might have been a repetitive set of encounters is creatively handled by the author. Using different people as a varying point of view; with seating throughout the train giving a sense of different circumstances and the various stops alone the route the pace throughout is maintained.

The various characters might appear to overwhelm the reader’s comprehension of events but for the care of the writing and the intelligent descriptive writing that ensures individuality and purpose.

The writing is also wonderfully translated into English without obvious clumsiness in the text and keeping a real sense of danger, cultural clarity and light-hearted humour.

Against those easily identified as professional thugs and enforcers is a pathological student of violence, control and death. His role seems to bind the piece together and a response to his behaviour and actions leads to softening the murderous intent of other passengers.

I haven’t seen the movie but can see why it was eagerly transferred to film. However, as a book it is a quite magnificent enterprise, a calculated risk but a resounding success. Easily up there with train journeys related by Agatha Christie but not quite eclipsing the works of Rev. Wilbert and Christopher Awdry.

Found some chapters harder going than others but once I got over halfway through this book I was glad I had kept going as it all began to flow easier. Great book I couldn’t wait to get to the end of! What a turnaround from a slow burn starter.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I liked this and found this intriguing if a little less enjoyable than the film. The writing was slower and more evenly paced than i expected and i felt that the writing was a little too slow at times for what the action was. The characters were written fine but they could have been fleshed out a little more in places. Overall i did enjoy parts of this but this isn't 100% what i wanted from it.

I ended up DNFing this around half way through.
I found the writing to be disjointed and the story hard to follow. While this could be due to the translation it did make the book hard to read.
The pacing felt too slow and characters blended into one for me.

This book was a lot of fun! Never lets you know what to expect, and definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat!

A complex read.

I wanted to read this book long before it was a movie, as it's set in Japan and on a Shinkansen (bullet train) both of which I've experienced. I think without that background I may have stopped reading the book early on.

It took until 50% into this book before I really started to enjoy it. Not that many characters in the book, but the way the action takes place, with it going backwards and forwards between everyone on the train, it was hard to keep track. Then some of the action gets played back again from another character's perspective.

There's a little respite from the train journey with some back story flashbacks of the characters lives before the train journey. It has to be said that it is indeed a clever psychological thriller but for me most of the time it felt like I was listening to a therapist describe why someone acts they way they do. Whole pages of inner dialogue did not make for light reading.

I can totally understand this book as a film as there's no need for the recaps of who saw what and heard what, that can all be achieved in a moment on film. Reading it is a very different matter and you need to invest serious time in this book to get through 452 pages - it actually felt a lot longer.

My favourite part of the book occurs towards the end. I can't reveal it as it would totally spoil it for you, but it was one of the times I actually enjoyed, rather than endured the book.

I think this book has a limited audience in the UK, however, now we have the film.

Coming soon to theatres with an English film cast is Bullet Train. We meet many characters among the way and see how they all interlink and their paths cross all within the confines of a bullet train to the same destination. We meet people who work in the murkier side. Each chapter is told by different characters and the story flows wonderfully. I still have questions towards the end but it was a thrilling journey.

Fast paced, over the top, unexpectedly funny. This was a wild ride aboard the Shinkansen from start to finish. A great mix of characters you adore and those you despise. Twists, turns and some lovely pay offs to some crumbs of information left along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for this ARC

five assassins on a bullet train to Tokyo fighting for suitcase full money; think dark Rat Race. Unfortunately the translation seems off.

Intense, brutal and exciting. Another fantastic concept novel set on a train. The characters have everything and nothing to lose as they try to claim what they believe is theirs. I can see why this was so successful in Japan

This was a completely crazy story about various assassins,' mainly on a train but elsewhere at times, a suitcase full of money which keeps changing hands and several deaths. I am completely bamboozled!.

Translations often seem to lose something (sadly). this is a classic contained train murder mystery. Unbelievable but I can see how it would make a great film.

Mystery and thriller is one of my favourite genres. After seeing that this is going to be made into a film. I can't wait.

I tried hard with this book, I really did. I was attracted by the description - “an original and propulsive thriller which fizzes with an incredible energy as its complex net of double-crosses and twists unwinds to the last station”. Sounds good. Five assassins on a train, competing for their lives and a suitcase full of money must make a good story, surely?

On the first read I managed to reach about 15% before thinking I’d made a mistake and giving up. How can you take killers with the names Lemon and Tangerine seriously? A few days later I found a few brilliant reviews, thought I must be missing something, and forced myself to start again and read it to the end. It was really difficult, and it went on and on and on. It’s a good job we’re not all the same, but I couldn’t understand this book at all. I kept thinking “What am I missing? Is it supposed to be a comedy, or what?” It was like treading treacle, and I’ll never know how people can enjoy reading such drivel. There were dead bodies propped up by windows or stuffed in a toilet, ridiculous conversations about Thomas the Tank Engine, and I couldn’t even begin to talk about the actual story because I don’t know what it was!

There were just two little things that I liked in the whole of this book, and they are the following two sentences. “He just wants to get off this ridiculous train.” and “This absurd journey is finally over, he thinks with a wash of relief.” Change ‘he’ to ‘she’ and that’s how I feel.

An absolutely brilliant and original story. It was a best seller in Japan and is translated but it’s not clunky like some translated books. It’s pacy and exciting. Please read this! You won’t regret it!

"Five killers on a bullet train from Tokyo are competing for a suitcase full of money. Who will make it to the last station?"

Slightly unbelievable in parts but definitely an intriguing plot! It was smartly written and full of twists.

Honestly I have a feeling that this will be one of the books where the movie will be better than the book.

Thank You NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage for this ARC!

This reminded me of those darkly comic movies and TV shows that come out of Japan and are both grim and gripping. This was pacy and had plenty of energy to carry me through a long wait at the airport - always a gift! An often unsettling but always punchy read.

Sorry this book was not for me. Having now read a few reviews where people relate to movie plots I can understand why as I am not a fan of this theme. The synopsis sounded good but was disappointing to read the book.

Nothing is as it seems in this book, and just as you think you've figured it out, you get surprised again. The book was entertaining and I was gripped until the end. Recommended for anyone who likes a good read