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A couple of months ago, I was looking for an interesting holiday book. As I scrolled through my Libby app with our local library, I came across David Baldacci's The Christmas Train. I'm a fan of Baldacci's other novels, so I borrowed it on audiobook.
The Christmas Train is the story of Tom Langdon's cross country trip, taken in reaction to his own middle age. As the main character struggles with his own future, he learns about the parallel struggles of the aging train industry. This is the main premise, with a little bit of history and Mark Twain sprinkled in!
The first leg of Landon's travels are on the "Cap Fed," where the mystery storyline begins. There are a number of small thefts, and Langdon stumbles into a long lost ex-girlfriend. This story is full of eccentric characters and surprises, including a boa constrictor!
The second leg of the trip takes place on the Southwest Chief. This portion begins with a wedding! The mystery continues and the plot takes an adventurous turn.
I appreciated the unusual experience of a Christmas story in a 100% male voice. Between this and the mystery component, it was a twist on the standard Christmas novel. Since finishing the book, I learned that Hallmark made it into one of their classic Christmas specials, so I'm hoping to catch it this season.
Has anyone seen the Hallmark movie or read the book? It's a fun seasonal read to add to your stack this month!