One Moment, One Morning by Sarah Rayner

"The 7.44 train from Brighton to London. Carriages packed with commuters. One woman occupies her time observing people around her. Opposite, a girl applies her make-up. Across the aisle, a husband strokes his wife's hand. Further along, a woman flicks through a glossy magazine. Then, abruptly, everything changes: a man collapses, the train is stopped, an ambulance called. And, for three passengers that particular morning, life will never be the same again."

So, a life-changing morning aboard a train. I've travelled the same journey by train for over four years now, and for that reason I think this book struck a chord. It puts a completely different perspective on those pesky train delays where the weary announcement comes across the tannoy system "This train is delayed due a passenger taken ill on a previous train". To be honest, it's never occurred to me that the passenger taken ill aboard the train could be seriously ill, or worse. And that's what this book does very well - it takes an ordinary situation that thousands of people find themselves in each morning and, just as you're getting comfortably into the spot-on carraige observations of the narrating character, turns it into a nightmarish event. Not for everyone, mind, for most it's just an early morning annoyance that they don't think twice about. What follows, on the remaining 390 pages, is the fall out from this incident.
I almost feel bad for typing it, considering the majority of the subject matter, but I really enjoyed this book. The writing style isn't dazzling, and there was one character that just didn't sit well with me, but overall there's something about it that kept me reading. I disagree with the review on the front cover that it's a 'real page turner' - for me, the main event had already happened and I was just interested to see the after effects. It's not gripping or captivating, but there's something about it that's very realistic which makes it strangely beautiful.
The main issue in this story is loss - and how it can affect people in different ways, the resulting practicalities that have to be dealt with, and the bonds that are forged when people suffer it together. It's not a light read, but it's not high literature either. Best avoided if you're heading off to sunnier climes for a break - I think this one is best enjoyed with a cup of tea on a dark, winter evening.
I won't be reading it again - it's not that kind of book - but I'm glad I discovered it. On a completely superficial note it has a lovely front cover and I now covet every one of those dainty little tea cups - *heads off to the nearest parade of charity shops for a tea cup spree*.