The Golden Rule

Longlisted for the Women's Prize 2021

By: Amanda Craig

Narrated by: Lucy Price-Lewis

Longlisted for the Women's Prize 2021

A Times, Sunday Times, Observer, Daily Mail and Financial Times Best Book of 2020 Pick

When Hannah is invited into the First-Class carriage of the London to Penzance train by Jinni, she walks into a spider's web. Now a poor young single mother, Hannah once escaped Cornwall to go to university. But once she married Jake and had his child, her dreams were crushed into bitter disillusion. Her husband has left her for Eve, rich and childless, and Hannah has been surviving by becoming a cleaner in London. Jinni is equally angry and bitter, and in the course of their journey the two women agree to murder each other's husbands. After all, they are strangers on a train - who could possibly connect them?

But when Hannah goes to Jinni's husband's home the next night, she finds Stan, a huge, hairy, ugly drunk who has his own problems - not least the care of a half-ruined house and garden. He claims Jinni is a very different person to the one who has persuaded Hannah to commit a terrible crime. Who is telling the truth - and who is the real victim?

2021, Women's Prize for Fiction, Long-listed

©2020 Amanda Craig (P)2020 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

"A highly enjoyable story about female resilience and finding fulfilment on your own terms." (Sunday Times)

"An irresistible summer read." (Guardian Book of the Day)

"A typically sharp and hugely satisfying page-turner." (Daily Mail)

Terrific writing and clean!

I was looking for a writer who does suspence and domestic/psychological thrillers as well as K L Slater and Shalini Boland, two of my favorites. I finally found someone! excellent writing as with Slater and Boland. I appreciate that she uses very little foul language and no explicit sex scenes. Story's plot was unique but the way she writes characters makes the plot work. Also has interresting takes on culture, politics, women’s issues, and rural issues. addresses these issues organically without preachiness. Read this!

Amanda Craig continues to evoke and enthrall.

Just loved it, every aspect. It feels like she writes for me, for my family, my concerns, my experiences. I imagine many others will feel the same way. And it makes me laugh. (I should add, I have read all her previous books and love them, their characters , the 'crime' element, and the semi-fantastical air Craig generates. I've had my life shaped by the very same childrens' books, fairytales, myths and movies. If you've not read her before maybe try the earlier books and follow the sequence through.)

Different but good...

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like this. According to the blurb you think Strangers on a Train... think again. I felt it was more fairy tale like with lots of political commentary, social commentary which I had no problem with. The author addressed different perspectives of men and women and culture issues. I think so many things were talked about which our protagonist thinks about in her pain and disappointment.
I loved the descriptions of the beauty of nature and the way we can easily wrongly judge people based on first impressions.
Well done.

Great Story

This was a special book for me. It took me back to my younger days with the author Victoria Holt. I liked the descriptive writing of places I have never been, and lives very different than mine. I loved the story of Hannah and Stan. All in all a very nice change from the type of mystery/thriller I've been reading. Highly Recommend.