The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue (Signed Special Edition)

The Paris Express is a gripping historical novel by acclaimed author Emma Donoghue, inspired by the real and dramatic 1895 Montparnasse Station railway disaster in Paris. The story unfolds entirely during a single train journey from Granville to Paris, with chapters structured like a train schedule marking each station stop along the route.

Donoghue weaves together a richly imagined cast of characters — some based on actual 1895 passengers, others real historical figures, and some entirely invented — whose lives intersect aboard the ill-fated train. The narrative draws on documented events while expanding them with vivid period detail and emotional depth, capturing the spirit of fin de siècle Paris.

Central themes include the rapid pace of industrial innovation, the power and fragility of art, sharp divides of social class, and the unexpected human connections forged among strangers in transit. The novel opens with a haunting image: "Like a knife turning the world to butter, Engine 721 bursts through the wooden buffers" — a moment captured in the surreal photographs that made the Montparnasse disaster famous worldwide. Published by Summit Books in March 2025, this is a signed special edition.