Emily Blunt May Become THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

It's easy to make a broad generalization like "nobody reads books anymore, everything's digital!" But there are still honest-to-God smash hit success stories in the literature realm, and Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train is a great example. The novel is the fastest-selling adult novel in history, racking up more than 2 million sales since its debut in January of this year. It's been on the New York Times Bestseller list for 18 straight weeks, so it looks like DreamWorks knew that they had a phenomenon on their hands when they purchased the film rights before the book was even published.

Tate Taylor (The Help, Get On Up) will direct a film adaptation, and Variety reports that Looper and Edge of Tomorrow star Emily Blunt is in talks to play the lead role. Here's the synopsis of the novel:

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

Compulsively readable, The Girl on the Train is an emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller and an electrifying debut.

This sounds like it could be fantastic, and I definitely see that Hitchcock voyeurism angle to the story. Blunt is one of my favorite actresses, so I'm always excited to see her have the chance to do something different and interesting. The Girl on the Train sounds like it'll fit the bill.