ARC Book Review: 6:40 to Montreal by Eva Jurczyk

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced reader copy!

Am I back with another ARC review? Yes. Yes, I am.

Without further ado, let's jump right in!

6:40 to Montreal is a locked-room mystery thriller told from the perspective of writer Agatha as she boards the train to Montreal on a first-class ticket. It’s a gift from her husband to help combat her writer’s block, but Agatha has other plans which quickly get derailed when the train breaks down in the middle of the snowy Canadian landscape, and a passenger dies under mysterious circumstances.

The Good Stuff

Despite some of the flaws and areas that need improvement, which I will go into detail about in the next section, Jurczyk was able to hook me with her suspenseful writing, subtle foreshadowing, and engaging premise. The protagonist provided just enough information to keep me turning the pages, eager to find out what lay behind her cryptic words. The book gradually revealed the truth behind Agatha’s relationship with one of the passengers and her real plans for the train journey, which were unveiled at just the right time to keep me engaged.

In addition, I felt that Jurczyk managed to create distinct characters that were fleshed out with their own quirks and dark traits. It kept me guessing who the real perpetrator could be.

The Not So Good Stuff

Whilst the writing itself was coherent and comprehensible, I felt that the story would have benefited from another pass on pacing to tighten up the plot. There were a lot of detours and rants about random memories that, at best, became useful later on and, at worst, really pulled me away from engaging with the story. I’m not saying Jurczyk shouldn’t have utilised flashbacks, but I did feel that she relied too heavily on them. I found myself skimming those passages because they dragged on, didn’t seem relevant at the time, and pulled me out of the zone.

Moreover, I didn’t feel like I was rooting for anyone. The protagonist was insufferable and not interesting enough for me to care about her journey. Some of the other characters were more likeable, but again—I just didn’t feel any particular way about them. They could have all died, and I wouldn’t have cared.

Mostly, I just didn’t like the plot twist. It was a nice idea, but you have to really suspend your disbelief to accept what Jurczyk was trying to do. Without giving away any spoilers, it simply didn’t make sense for that person to be the perpetrator. I’m not saying the reveal came out of nowhere—in fact, it was something you could have guessed from the beginning—but the execution just didn't feel realistic.

Rating

⭑⭑⭑⭒⭒

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend this to people who are looking for a quick, locked-room thriller.

6:40 to Montreal by Eva Jurczyk is out on the 23rd September 2025.