The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

"The Girl on the Train" is the first thriller published by journalist Paula Hawkins. This spine chiller starts out innocently. Rachel entertains herself while riding the train by fixating on an adorable looking couple who she sees from afar as the train passes by their home regularly. Then she notices something "odd" about the picture that seems very off from the usual idyllic scene she always witnesses as she passes by these couple's home. As the story unravels, the reader will eventually find out that Rachel has actually a strong connection between these couple and their lives are additionally entwined with still another couple - her ex-husband and his present wife. What makes matters worse is that Rachel has a drinking problem which makes her susceptible to blackouts and memory loss. Then there are the bruises she discovers she has after she awakens from her mental relapse. Is she remembering something or has she lost the capacity of differentiating reality from fantasy? A very good first novel!

Madeline Roux's Mystery Combo

"Asylum" and it's sequel  "Sanctum" are two magnificent but sinister photo-illustrated novels reminiscent of "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children". It looked like the author has been inspired to adapt her novels from very old but ominous photos she has discovered depicting life in an old asylum.

You definitely have to read "Asylum" to better understand its spin-off , "Sanctum" because several references from the former book  is mentioned in the sequel. Though made for "young adults" or teens, these books still manage to create  a suspenseful atmosphere that could  intimidate mature mystery aficionados without the regular steamy sex and bloodshed typically seen in adult mystery novels.

"Asylum" starts with a summer program geared for teens being held at a college with residential facilities being placed at a former asylum. After several mysterious events occur, Asylum ends with the culprit of all these baffling events being unmasked. Still the story is left hanging with the readers wanting to seek "closure" by reading "Sanctum". "Sanctum" explains why these certain events happened and explained certain situations that were left unanswered in Asylum. Definite good reads for a cold rainy day!