The Crash by Kate Furnivall

Paris 1933. Four people's lives are dramatically torn apart by a single terrifying event. Two days before Christmas the express train to Strasbourg crashes into a local train in the winter darkness outside Paris. On board is Gilles Malroux, a man with a shady past and a strong reason to avoid the police. In the mayhem of the crash he is badly injured but to avoid capture by the police he swaps identity papers with one of the other victims of the impact. Gilles tries to flee in the dark but finds himself taken to the house of a woman he doesn't know but who calls him Davide. She nurses him. But is the bitter medicine in the spoon she puts to his lips healing him or harming him?

Camille Malroux is Gilles' sister. She works for the French Civil Service and is trying to climb the ladder of respectability after a childhood in poverty. When she is informed by police that her brother is seriously injured in hospital, she rushes to his bedside, only to discover it is not Gilles. It is a heavily bandaged stranger. He is unconscious and has her brother's identity papers in his locker. Only by digging to discover the true identity of the bandaged man in the hospital bed can she hope to trace Gilles. But Gilles is sinking into further danger. He is drugged. A priest and a doctor hover over him, as if waiting for him to die, and constantly the woman who calls him Davide is at his side. What is it she wants from him? 

This was an interesting read that poses the question - if you had the opportunity to disappear, would you? It made me think of the reports of people who potentially disappeared on 9/11, starting a new life somewhere while their loved ones assumed they’ve been lost as the World Trade Centre collapsed. Take that idea back to 1933 and Gilles Malraux does exactly that, swapping identity papers with another passenger to avoid being picked up by the police. His decision leaves him vulnerable though, not just because of where he ends up, but because now his family have no way of tracing him. His sister Camille is horrified to hear the news about her brother’s accident, but is frantic when she gets to the hospital and finds the man with her brother’s papers isn’t Gilles. How will she find him? Camille is an incredibly resourceful woman, deciding to undertake the investigation herself and starting with the identity of the bandaged man. This is slow, painstaking stuff, but she comes across a conspiracy to steal Egyptian treasures. She knows she’s in great danger but keeps going to find Gilles, I was impressed with her courage and tenacity. She’d be an incredible field agent, using all her skills to root out the truth. Slowly, tension starts to build as she gets nearer to her brother, but could she be too late, especially if the woman looking after him might not have his best interests at heart.

I thought the themes of trauma and identity were really well explored, with the train crash central to them both. The backdrop of Christmas really heightened to trauma of the accident. This crash is a once in a lifetime event that divides lives into a definite before and after. Events like this make people evaluate their lives. It can reconfirm that you’re in the right place or just as easily blow your life apart. It also shows us our limits and boundaries. Gilles is willing to take risks and morally questionable choices to survive. Camille faces a tougher choice, she has built up a reputation as a responsible member of the civil service after a childhood that was difficult and affected by poverty. What if she is faced with potentially compromising choices in her search? How much of her respectability is she willing to risk to find Gilles? I found myself rooting for Camille and completely drawn into the story from the outset. I’m definitely going to back to read more of Kate’s work.

Set in 1930s France, the book begins with a train crash. Gilles survives, but uses the crash to disappear, swapping identities with a man he thinks has been killed in the crash. But the man is not dead, and is taken to Salpetriere hospital. Camille, Gilles' sister, rushes to the hospital to see the man she thinks is her brother, and who she believes is about to die. The man survives, and Camille realises this is not Gilles.
But why has Gilles disappeared, who is the man in the hospital, and where is Gilles?
Gilles is involved in something, and Camille needs to find out what, where he is, and make contact with him.

A good read, will keep you gripped and guessing.

A gripping read and a real page turner. A sister’s determination to find out what happened to her brother and piece the bits of mystery together. Would recommend this book

Yet another absorbing read by Kate Furnivall.

The Crash is a historical thriller set in Paris, 1933. The narrative centres on Gilles Malroux, a man with a troubled past, who becomes entangled in a catastrophic train collision just days before Christmas. Severely injured and desperate to evade the police, Gilles swaps identity papers with another victim, leading him into the care of a mysterious woman who insists on calling him Davide. As he grapples with his new circumstances, his sister, Camille Malroux, embarks on a relentless quest to find him. Her search uncovers a labyrinth of secrets, including connections to illegal ancient artifacts and the shadowy underbelly of Paris. The novel delves deep into themes of identity, survival, and the unbreakable bonds of family. Furnivall's meticulous research and evocative storytelling bring 1930s Paris to life, immersing readers in a tale filled with suspense and emotional depth.

It is two days before Christmas 1933 and the Paris-Strasbourg express train crashes into a slow train. Amidst the devastation, a young man grabs a suitcase and swaps his wallet with a fellow victim. He is Gilles, a petty criminal, and he is taken to the house of Rosa Lagarde in the guise of her husband. Meanwhile in Paris, his sister Camille sits at the bedside of a young man with her brother's papers, trying to find out what has happened.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book as it comes across as a fairly generic historical novel. However I really liked the class aspects and the thriller parts are well written. It also taps into the obsession with Egyptian artefacts which forms a huge part of the plot. It's definitely an exciting read.

An historical mystery that was interesting, but didn't really make me 'feel' the period. It could have been any time pre 1950. At one point after I'd put it down, I thought I was reading about Victorian times. But some wonderful central characters - the siblings Camille and Gilles, particularly Camille who tells her story in the first person, a feisty ex-street child 'made good'.
A terrible train crash takes place just outside Paris in 1933; many are dead, more are horrifically injured. Two of the injured are mistaken for each other. One is taken by his rescuers to a farmhouse - but when he gains consciousness, cannot work out if they are helping or if something more sinister is going on. The other is in a hospital with total loss of memory. Camille visits him, thinking he is her brother Gilles.
I didn't find this a fast-paced book, it was a long drawn-out tracing of clues to find out what was going on. But it sped up towards the end. Unfortunately it felt a bit too 'sped up' around presenting evidence to the authorities at the end; a lot was glossed over, but it was an interesting plot and subject.

Another gripping book from Kate Furnival - loved it

Set in 1933, story begins with a train crash from Paris to Strasbourg, just before Christmas where so many people were killed. I found the sibling characters so amazing with their love connection for each other, Camille and Gilles

The book is full of interesting and mysterious characters and found it a very diverse plot with twists and turns. Really enjoyed this book. Is there another ?

Thank you to Netgalley

Really interesting read. I’ve read many of Kate’s books and this one is probably the best yet. Highly recommended.

This story takes you through the backstreets of Paris, some dark places outside of the city too and really makes you feel as though you're there.

A train crash on Christmas Eve is the opening scene, very dramatic and intriguing.

Camille has learned that her brother was in the crash. But where is he? Did he die? She believes he is still alive and is taken to a hospital where someone with his wallet has been sent... but it isn't him. Through getting to know this person, she feels as though it will lead her back to her brother.

The story has lots of twists and turns and gets quite dark and gritty. It's historical fiction, it's crime, it's full of drama...

I enjoyed the story, found it was easy enough to read and I loved the strong character of Camille.

A good story.

The Crash by Kate Furnivall
Paris 1933. Four people's lives are dramatically torn apart by a single terrifying event. Two days before Christmas the express train to Strasbourg crashes into a local train in the winter darkness outside Paris. On board is Gilles Malroux, a man with a shady past and a strong reason to avoid the police. In the mayhem of the crash he is badly injured but to avoid capture by the police he swaps identity papers with one of the other victims of the impact. Gilles tries to flee in the dark but finds himself taken to the house of a woman he doesn't know but who calls him Davide. She nurses him. But is the bitter medicine in the spoon she puts to his lips healing him or harming him?I

I really enjoyed this book , and felt the creeping desperation and horror of it all
The added intrigue of Camille going to her ' brothers ' side and how she went about finding out the truth was brilliant. I found it exciting and chilling at the same time.
First time read by this author and it won't be the last.

On December 23, 1933, a cold and foggy day in Paris, the most powerful steam train in Europe, departed from Paris to Strasbourg. Unfortunately, due to an increase in passengers and a delayed local train, a collision occurred between the express train and the local train, which was forced to stop at a red signal. This tragic event resulted in the loss of numerous lives.

Amidst the chaos, a man named Gilles Malroux managed to survive. Severely injured, he swapped identities with a nearby individual and wandered away from the crash site. A priest and a farmer discovered him and took him to the address associated with the identity he had assumed.
However, a mysterious woman named Rosa Lagarde appears to know Gilles but keeps him confined.

We also meet Gilles' sister, Camille, who receives news that her brother survived the accident and is hospitalized. However, upon visiting the hospital, she realizes that the man claiming to be her brother is not him. This person possesses her brother's wallet and claims to have amnesia. Furthermore, an ankh is discovered in the wallet, raising questions about Gilles' activities.

Soon, people begin to threaten her, and she discovers a connection between her brother, the enigmatic man in the hospital, and the curator of the Louvre Museum, Dr. Antoine Laval.
How are these individuals linked, and could their connection be related to the disappearance of Egyptian artifacts?

It is a fantastic read that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

This excellent historical mystery by Kate Furnivall starts just before Christmas 1933 in France. Gilles Malroux is sitting in the Paris-Strasbourg train, where he is following someone with a suitcase he is interested in. All of the sudden, the train crashes in another train. In the mayhem that follows, Gilles swaps wallets with another man he rescued and he is himself rescued by a woman. Camille, Gille’s sister, alerted about her brother’s situation, starts looking for him. And that’s when she goes from one discovery to another about what her brother had been up to.

The train crash is a real historical event, one of the worst train crashes in history in France, which claimed the lives of 204 people and injured 129 people. Kate Furnivall’s talented writing brings this terrible event to life. In Camille’s search for her brother, we also plunge into the atmosphere of Paris and learn about Egyptian artefacts. All of it making this story a real page turner.

I loved the characters of Gilles and Camille and their very special connection, rooted in their difficult childhood. The story is also full of interesting mysterious and dodgy characters. From a fully bandaged man to a politician, a museum curator, a bunch of grim contract killers and criminals, it is a very diverse, interesting and puzzling cast.

I really enjoyed this book and the originality of the start point. I love the writing and the rhythm of the story. A great book!

Another gripping read from Kate. Set in Paris in the 1933. The story begins with the famous Paris - Strasbourg train, just before Christmas, where so many people were killed.
Kate uses both fact and fiction within her pages. I loved the description of the Egyptian artifacts.
The characters are strong and believable, especially the siblings: Camille and Gilles.
I hope there's a sequel in Kate's head, as I'd like to see what happens in their lives!

It all starts with a train crash but behind that is so much more. Slowly it starts unraveling.
This is an interesting story with many twists and turns. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this.

Paris 1933 and Camille has heard her brother Giles has been in a train crash on his way to visit with her.

Camille visits him in hospital where he is head to toe in bandages.

This is a fabulous read. It speaks of War, stolen identities and secrets. It is superbly written and with one drama after another it is a chilling and thrilling read.

This is a brilliant book for a book club read. It will give a group of readers lots to talk about, the rights and wrongs of what happened and will be a fab book for debate.

The Crash by Kate Furnivall is a thrilling historical mystery set around Christmas 1933 in Paris, and follows the events following a horrific train crash in which Camille fears her brother has died. What follows is a thrilling investigation to uncover what exactly her brother, Gilles was involved in, taking many unexpected twists and turns along the way.

It is thoroughly atmospheric, the chill seeping into my bones.

A fabulous story (which allowed me to almost forget the author's decision to tell Camille's POV in first person, but Gilles' in third person (something I really don't like)).

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

There is so much to love and unpick about this novel and I don't know where to start! The themes are war and survival but fear and acting strong when everything else is falling down around you. Such strong characters and plot line as you would expect from Kate and this is such a visual read. I think this would be epic as a film!

From the minute I started this book I couldn’t put it down! Really fast paced thrilling book! Could see it in my head that would be perfect for a film!

This is a mysterious story featuring a brother and a sister. Gilles Malroux is travelling home to spend Christmas with his sister, Camille in Paris, when he is involved in a terrible train crash in which he is badly injured.
Gilles has not lived an exemplary life.He is the son of a prostitute and mostly gets by on the wrong side of the law. He is following someone on the train but it is not clear exactly why he is doing so. When the train crashes, Gilles swaps identity with another casualty in order to escape those who are pursuing him, most probably the police.
He ends up being rescued, transported to a house, presumably that of the person whose identity he has taken and then being looked after by a strange woman who seems to be helping him overcome the pain.However it gradually becomes clear she is not on his side and means him great harm..
Meanwhile Camille goes to the hospital to find her brother and is shown a complete stranger, wrapped in bandages, who carries his wallet.
She resolves to find her brother by finding out the stranger’s identity and gradually she is sucked into a conspiracy involving stolen Egyptian artifacts and has to try and escape the danger she is putting herself in.
This is a book full of menace and foreboding where nothing is as it seems. Both Gilles and Camille are in precarious situations and it is a race against time for them to be reunited and save themselves.
I really liked Camille- she is fearless and enterprising, using all her skills to find her brother who has always looked out for her in the past. She has many hidden talents and all these are required to escape a dangerous enemy.
1930s Paris was really brought to life by the author’s wonderful descriptions and use of language.
I have read and enjoyed other books by Kate Furnivall and this one was no exception. Her research is meticulous and her characters extremely well drawn.
I thoroughly recommend “The Crash “ as a five star read, particularly to those who enjoy books with a strong female lead character.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

Paris, 1933. The lives of four individuals are irrevocably altered by a single, harrowing event. Just two days before Christmas, an express train bound for Strasbourg collides with a local train in the dark winter night outside the city. Among the passengers is Gilles Malroux, a man with a troubled past and a compelling reason to evade the police. In the chaos of the crash, he sustains serious injuries but, in a desperate bid to escape capture, he exchanges identity papers with one of the other victims. As he attempts to flee into the night, he finds himself taken to the home of a woman he has never met, who inexplicably calls him Davide.

The narrative intricately weaves profound themes of identity, trauma, and moral ambiguity. The catastrophic crash forces characters to confront their identities amidst chaos. Gilles’ dubious past complicates his present as he assumes a new identity to escape law enforcement. This exploration of identity is mirrored in his sister Camille’s journey; she is determined to uncover the truth about her brother while striving for respectability in a society quick to judge based on past actions.

The train crash acts as a catalyst that disrupts lives, compelling characters to confront their past traumas and make pivotal choices that will shape their futures. The emotional scars left by this disaster reveal how trauma can redefine relationships and perceptions, leading to a deeper understanding of grief and resilience. Survival and moral ambiguity emerge as critical components of the narrative. Faced with life-threatening situations, characters must navigate morally complex decisions. Gilles’ fight for survival blurs ethical lines as he maneuvers through deception and peril.

Furnivall's skill in developing complex characters adds significant depth to these themes. Each character responds differently to crisis—some seek redemption while others succumb to despair. This exploration invites readers to reflect on their own values and choices.

Gilles Malroux emerges as a central figure whose troubled history complicates his present reality. Injured in the train crash, he finds himself in a precarious position where he must adopt a new identity to evade capture. His character embodies desperation and a yearning for redemption as he grapples with his past while navigating the ensuing chaos.

Camille Malroux, Gilles’ sister, is portrayed as determined and resourceful. Employed by the French Civil Service, she strives to build a respectable life after growing up in poverty. When she learns about her brother's injury, her fierce loyalty propels her on a quest for truth regarding his fate. Camille’s journey is one of empowerment as she confronts societal expectations and personal fears, showcasing her resilience amid adversity.

A mysterious woman who cares for Gilles after the crash introduces an element of tension and ambiguity. Her intentions remain unclear—she alternates between being nurturing and potentially threatening. This duality fosters suspense as Gilles must discern whether her care is genuine or part of a more sinister agenda.

The atmosphere throughout "The Crash" is tense and foreboding, accentuated by the cold winter backdrop of 1933 France. The stark contrast between the festive season and the chaos of the crash creates a haunting setting that heightens the characters' emotional struggles. Furnivall’s writing style enhances this ambiance with vivid descriptions that draw readers into both the physical and psychological landscapes of her characters.

Art remains an integral element in Furnivall's novels, and "The Crash" continues this tradition, promising to captivate fans of historical fiction.


*I received a copy of "The Crash" from Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


3.5/5