Reviewed by Brenda Weeaks, MyShelf.Com
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Like fellow author Patterson, David Balacci has put aside his thrillers to pen a novel about people and relationships. The question is: Will Balacci's fiction be as well received as Patterson's?

Tom Langdon is a journalist between jobs. Remembering his father's admiration of Mark Twain's travels, Tom rides rails with plans to write about it. During the course of the book, Balacci enlightens readers about Twain and his work and about train history, adding to the magic of this Christmas tale. Once on the rails, Tom discovers riding the train can be more intimate than even a war journalist is used to. It's also an ideal place for a writer to observe those around him.

Tom finds himself unable to escape some quirky characters. At one stop, he notices a limousine and realizes a celebrity is boarding. The journalist in him wants to find out whom.

Tom's girlfriend is famous - and rich, but he just can't help being nosy. Later Tom meets up with the occupants of the limo and his past comes rushing back. While dealing with a thief in the night, an unusual wedding and the past meeting his present, Tom gets the ride of a lifetime, but will he survive the avalanche?

Balacci offers readers a holiday tale full of humor, warmth and charm. Tom is witty and likable, playing perfectly off the others characters, who are memorable in their own right. I'm not sure how die-hard Balacci fans will this take this one, but if you are looking for the right book to curl up with this holiday, The Christmas Train is it.

Actor Tim Matheson is the narrator of the audio book. His voice is surrounded by holiday sounds and train whistles. Listeners will be pleased with both the holiday effects and the story itself.