With a Vengeance
For readers who enjoy unravelling a locked-room thriller alongside the author, you can board Sager’s nonstop express train, leaving Philadelphia at 7pm and arriving in Chicago at 7am. Anna Matheson recalls playing hide-and-seek as a child with her beloved brother, Tommy, in the corridors of luxurious carriages, endlessly enchanted with her father’s pride and joy, the Philadelphia Phoenix. But now Tommy’s gone, her parents are dead, and she’s alone except for her one friend in life, the hard-nosed, outwardly aggressive Seamus. In 1954, Anna bankrupts herself by buying every ticket on this Phoenix run. Invitations have been sent to six people against whom she seeks vengeance for the loss of her family. Each invitation contains a personal phrase addressed to the individual, words that are meaningful only to them.
The six, gathered on the train with Anna and Seamus, and unexpectedly back in each other’s company, are Judd, locomotive designer; Herb, factory foreman; Sally, secretary to Anna’s father; Edith, family nanny; Jack, a Lt. Colonel; and Dante, heir to a railroad fortune. No one else, except the driver, is aboard. This edge-of-seat crime thriller fizzes with suspense, surprises and a breathless intensity which, for me, made a one-sitting read. The twists are abrupt, unexpected and so frequent I had to keep written track of the characters. The cast is well-characterised and diverse, with interwoven backstories speaking to motivation and culpability, and there’s a wealth of diversions to keep readers busy trying to keep up with Sager’s racing thoughts. This revenge tale sheds light on the nature of greed, what vengeance means to varying individuals, and what some folks might do to achieve it. It’s not gratuitously graphic so would be a good choice for readers who prefer a riveting thriller with a bit less gore, and it comes complete with an excellent and unexpected denouement.
