Emma Donoghue’s latest work of historical fiction, The Paris Express (2025), takes place in 1895 during a single, doomed train ride in fin de siècle France. As the train prepares to depart from Normandy, a large cast of characters is introduced, including both railroad employees and passengers from all walks of life. Donoghue skillfully portrays what railroad travel was like in this time period and does not spare any gritty details (no bathrooms on board at the time)! During the journey to Paris, there is plenty of human drama happening on the train to fill the time as the passengers and crew hurtle towards the looming disaster.