I loved the 1938 Hitchcock film, The Lady Vanishes. Agatha Christie is my gold standard when it comes to classic mysteries. So by all accounts, I should love this golden age mystery on which the film is based. Unfortunately, I didn’t.
The story is incredibly dated with a whole lot of references to 1930s British events. The pacing is slow. It takes half the book to even get on the train. However, the ending, which was the best part of the story, feels rushed. The main character is annoying. The side characters are either stereotypes, boring, or both. The book’s short length should not be its best characteristic.
I would recommend The Lady Vanishes only to golden age mystery completists. Or maybe Hitchcock fans, who want to appreciate his skill at turning a mediocre, at best, book into a fantastic movie. 2 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Vertigo for providing me with an advanced review copy.