This 1936 thriller novel by Ethel Lina White introduces readers to a young socialite traveling home by train who befriends an elderly woman. When the older woman disappears, the other passengers deny ever seeing her, leading the socialite on a desperate search to prove her existence and uncover the truth behind the vanishing.
White’s work has been lauded for its suspenseful plotting, engaging characters, and exploration of themes like gaslighting and individual perception versus collective denial. It has had a lasting impact on the mystery genre and has been adapted several times for film and television, most notably by Alfred Hitchcock in his 1938 film of the same name. This enduring popularity highlights the novel’s timeless appeal and its exploration of universal anxieties surrounding trust, perception, and vulnerability.
