User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
To celebrate the amazing Celtic harvest feast All Hallow’s Eve, I already wore my Marie Antoinette costume, holding my slice of cake ( Let the hallows eat cake, dammit!) with one head and carrying this book with the other, turning the last pages with wide eyes and also jumping because of unexpected twists, visiting my numbers to request my threats as selected wine bottles or Belgian truffles. If they resist giving my treats, I threat them to sing or show them my dance moves. So far I collected 3 cases of good wines. (So close to open my own wine bar, yay!) Happy Halloween to you, too!
Let’s cut the chase and talk about this fascinating book:
This is deliciously entertaining mash up of CHAIN and WHISPER MAN! Surprising, twisty, agitating, riveting, stunning, exciting page-turner! I wish it never ends! It’s jumpy, heart throbbing, thrilling roller coaster ride! To finish this book on Halloween gave me such much excitement, fun, adrenalin rush! It was even better than Universal Studios Halloween experience! (because you know the people you scared there are paid for giving you nightmares which is not as effective as what this book did to me!) Of course I gave all of my 5 gazillion stars and some treats that I collected today! Well deserved! Well played!
Gabe is exhausted, nearly crumbling, nicknamed “thin man”, travelling and living in his camper van, passing through service stations, leaving the leaflets about his missing daughter. The daughter is thought as already deceased by the officers. One day, he gets stuck in the traffic on the way his home and notices the girl’s appearance in the back of old car covered in cheesy bumper stickers. He is still sure that girl is his daughter and he is kidnapped by someone. But who?
And Katie is working as a waitress at a shitty restaurant where Gabe weekly stops by, raising her kids alone, gathering the pieces of her shattered after their father was killed in a home intrusion. She knows how to lose someone, how to suffer from deep grief. But she also knows the person who kidnapped Gabe’s daughter.
It’s all about OTHER PEOPLE: Their motto is: An eye for eye! The way of their handling things: Vigilante justice! Quid pro quo.
Their representatives walk around the people. They can sniff their sadness, grief and hatred because of injustice things happened to them and their loved ones. So they pass their cards to them which direct all those people to the dark web. The people who want to punish the ones are responsible the death of their loved ones click the request page, writing down their wish and 24 hours later after the site builders’ or masterminds’ who designed this creepy organization consider your request, if it’s acceptable , they send the confirmation. But…yes of course nothing is for free there is always more than scratching the other one’s back after requesting something involving some much violence! When your request is fulfilled, you OWE THEM A FAVOR. Till you repay your favor, you have every right to scare shittless because they know everything about you. They are watching you. So you better repay your favor and get the out of this site. Never get closer to any of electronic devices!!!
And we also have good Samaritan who helps Gabe to find the vehicle who had seen during his daughter’s kidnapping.
We also read about a girl, lying on a bed in vegetative state, living on life support. Somebody always visits her to tell her the stories and read passages from books. This part of story confuses you and makes you think who this girl is and what is her connection with all of these?
But at the final revelations and too many twists later I start to put my fingers on my temples to massage them because of too much usage of my precious grey cells, I find out everything. (Thanks to my spider senses, at least half of my guesses are right!) Of course as like he did at the previous works the author added some supernatural, mystical elements which gave me more jumps and “holly shit” screams but also made me enjoyed this book more. Those elements fit so well with the story and I truly loved the resolution about ever characters’ entwined stories!
I read both “Chalk Man” and “Hiding Place” but I think this book is so far my favorite work of this author. This is like a best Halloween gift or treat or trick I’ve ever had.
Cheers!!!
So much special thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine Books for sharing this fascinating book in exchange my honest review.
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Rating: really liked it
Here's my Spring and Summer 2020 Book Recommendations.
The Written Review :
"Daddy!"
Then a hand reached back, grabbed her arm and yanked her down. Out of sight. Gone. Vanished.
Three years ago, Gabe witnesses the
disappearance of his daughter...only to find out she was dead (along with his wife).
But...he's never believed it. There was always something niggling in the back of his mind.
...he had a different kind of illness. A sickness of the heart and soul.
And so he travels the same roads.
Night after night - looking for something, anything - to lead him to his little girl.
...a footpath into the woods, at night, alone.
He flicked on his flashlight and headed through.
And then one night...there's a clue. It isn't much...but it's
finally a clue. A ghostly imprint of a dead man's hand.
THE OTHER PEOPLE.
But the clue leads Gabe down a far darker path than he ever could've imagined.
The smile snapped off. Gabe felt a sudden chill enter his bones.
AHHHHHHH. Tudor has DONE IT AGAIN.This book was INSANE. C.J.
Right from the start, I was swept off my feet.
Was Gabe hallucinating? Could it all be real? Is there a supernatural twist or are they slowly growing crazy?
The more I read, the more questions piled up.
The plot snarled and tangled and I was like - Tudor. I'm entertained but there's
NO WAY this is going to come to a cohesive end.
And then it did.
Mind. Blown.I don't want to give anything away but I loved it. LOVED it.
This one's gonna stick with me.
We all think that tragedy happens only to other people. Until it happens to us.
A huge thank you to the author and Ballantine Books for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest reviewYouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Rating: really liked it
It's no secret that I have struggled with reading thrillers of any kind in 2019, so I've developed a habit of steering clear of them for the past 6 months. Whether it be due to my hiatus from the genre, or the appeal that the author's writing holds for me, I found this read to be a knockout amongst a sea of cookie cutter stories. As hold's true to Tudor's prior novels, this one does have a supernatural aspect, but more on that later. Even with the paranormal bit,
The Other People feels the most like a traditional break-neck thriller, as opposed to a slow burning psychological suspense, and I am here for it.
"He was just considering changing lanes when the girl's face appeared in the rear window, perfectly framed by the peeling stickers. She looked to be around five or six. Round-faced, pink-cheeked. Fine blonde hair pulled into two high pigtails.
His first thought was that she should be strapped into a car seat.
His second thought was IZZY."Right, so there's a lot going on here. The prologue is spooky, and is continued in sparse snippits alongside the past and present day narratives, where we see three main POVs. These seemingly unconnected sections do tie in, and this is revealed as the story proceeds. The story unfolds via 3 main players: Gabe, who's daughter and wife were murdered years prior, but he believes that his daughter is actually still alive, Fran, who is on the run with child in tow, and Katie, who is a waitress at one of the service stations that Gabe frequents post losing his family. I don't want to reveal too much, but if you've read any type of thriller before, you know that these separate threads will all come together by the end of the novel, and by golly do they collide in an explosion of sorts.
I cannot stress enough just how engaging and captivating this story is; once I reached about the 50 page mark, I simply couldn't put it down. I was up well past my bedtime, trying to find answers and solve the mysteries, and overall the ending is incredibly satisfying. While I felt that the paranormal aspect wasn't necessary and stilted the flow of the remainder of the book, I do think it was creative and respect what the author wanted to accomplish by including it. What worked the most for me was the incredibly complex was that she flipped between not only POVs, but past and present timelines as well. I never felt lost or confused, but my sense were heightened and my attention was fully focused.
The Other People is a dark, spooky read that will have you staying up well past your bedtime while keeping a nightlight on, just in case. You'll never be able to hear the clacking of stones the same way (
Clickety-click), and you should probably avoid bathrooms and mirrors while you're gobbling down this story. This one is out in the US in January of 2020, but don't just take my word for it. Who knows? Maybe the other people really are out there... 😈
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Rating: really liked it
*4.5 stars *
Very dark, very creepy, but completely gripping - you won’t want to put this one down! Yes C.J. Tudor has done it again.
Gabe is on his way home, when a face suddenly appears in the rear window of the beaten up old car in front of him. It’s his daughter Izzy’s face! But it can’t be, she’s at home with her mum Jenny. Gabe is tired and thinks he must be seeing things, but a terrible shock awaits him - his wife and daughter have been murdered in their own home, and the police won’t allow him in. Sadly he’s too distressed to attend a formal identification later, (his father- in-law has to do it) so in his mind Izzy is still alive - he knows he saw her in that car.
Gabe spends the next three years travelling the motorway in his camper van, handing out flyers with Izzy’s face asking “Have You Seen Me” He hopes against hope that he will also see the car in which she was abducted.
Fran travels the same motorway, but unlike Gabe she’s not searching, she’s fleeing for her life with daughter Alice.
The synopsis does a great job of explaining just what’s going on, so I’ll just get straight to the nitty gritty.
Tudor really has her own distinctive voice, with a penchant for the supernatural. There are acute observations about life, love and loss throughout the book that make one pause and reflect upon our own humanity, and at times, lack of it. This was a quick, immersive and hypnotic read, with vivid characterisations, that are as chilling as they are insightful.
Look out for ‘The Other People ‘ before they find you!
* Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK Michael Joseph for my ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
Rating: really liked it
OMG! I am CRAZY IN LOVE with this book.She sleeps, a pale girl in a white room . . .
Three years ago, Gabe saw his daughter taken. In the back of a rusty old car, covered in bumper stickers. He was driving behind the car. He watched her disappear. But no one believes him. Most people believe that his daughter, and wife, are dead. For a while, people believed that Gabe was responsible.
Three years later and Gabe cannot give up hope. Even though he has given up everything else. His home, his job, his old life. He spends his days and nights travelling up and down the motorway, sleeping in his camper van in service stations, searching for the car that took her. Searching for his daughter.
Katie spends a lot of her life in service stations, working as a waitress. She often sees Gabriel, or 'the thin man' as she has nicknamed him. She knows his story. She feels for him, because Katie understands what it's like to lose a loved one. Nine years ago, her father was murdered. It broke her family apart. She hasn't seen her oldest sister since the day of the funeral; the day she did something terrible.
Fran and her daughter, Alice, put in a lot of miles on the motorway. Not searching. But running. Trying to keep one step ahead of the people that want to hurt them. Because Fran knows the truth. She knows what really happened to Gabe's daughter. She knows who is responsible. And she knows that if they ever find them, they're dead.
I am left speechless. I can't give this book the justice that this book deserves. I loved to the max. It was my everything. It had everything that I love in a thriller. It was dark and creepy. If you love creepy, then I think you will be crazy in love with this book too. It also has a supernatural vibe to it.
I love this author and I have loved d all of her books. I loved this one the best. Her books get better and better. She cracked this one out of the ball park. This book was so bizarre. It's horrifying and so clever. It made my heart pound and I could not put this book down. Also it's full of twists and turns with characters that are so well developed.
I am jumping up and down with excitement on how much I am crazy in love with this book. This one is one of my favorites for this year. This one is a must read for thriller fans.
I want to thank Random House Publishing Company and Netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
I was thrilled when I was offered an advanced review copy of CJ Tudor's "The Other People" and the book did not disappoint. Once the book started, I didn't want to put it down until I finished it. So much of what happens in the book could happen in real life and that's the worst kind of scary to me.
We are seeing things from three different perspectives, until they come together and we understand how each person's story relates to the other two stories. Also there is a supernatural aspect to the story that deals with a little girl's connection to a women who has been in a coma for years. That part of the story is interesting but it's the part of the story that isn't supernatural that scares me the most.
Gabe lost his wife and 5 year old girl to a murderer three years ago and since then has lived in his van, searching for an old car that he saw that horrible evening, with his little girl in the back of it. Because he knows he saw his little girl, he knows she is not dead, even though her body was identified by his father in law. No one will believe Gabe except for a stranger who calls himself the Samaritan.
Kate is a waitress at a service stop that Gabe frequents. She gets involved with Gabe's life when she helps him after he is attacked. Then there is Fran and her 8 year old daughter, Alice. They are running from people who want to hurt them. As the book goes on, we find out how these people are connected to each other and the danger of "The Other People".
"The Other People" deals with meting out an "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" justice and as tempting as such a concept might sound to heartbroken relatives who have lost a loved one, the reality can be a trap that no one can escape. Once you buy into that mindset, allow that kind of justice for your loved one, you are only in a deeper mess than you could ever imagine. Good people getting into horrible situations is the result.
Published January 28th 2020
Thank you to Random House and Ballantine Books for providing me with this paperback ARC.
Rating: really liked it
“Fate’s a real fucker.”
The Other People is a dark and atmospheric psychological thriller about a missing girl and her father who won't give up hope of finding her. The plot, although not complex, is too complicated to explain. There are multiple threads, voices, and timelines, but all are seamlessly woven together. Part ominous fairy tale with some paranormal elements, part mystery, part thriller,
I didn’t know where this book was going to take me. It has some similarities to
The Chain, but I enjoyed this book so much more!
A strong narrative voice, compelling characters, and a plot that had me anxious to unravel kept me riveted.The voice of the narrator was what made this book a standout for me. The way the plot was framed also made this a standout.
I appreciated The Other People because it isn’t your standard thriller--it is so much more! I highly recommend!I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
***MS.TUDOR HAS A NEW BOOK COMING OUT IN FEBRUARY, READ THIS ONE WHILE YOU'RE WAITING !!!!***
This is definitely one of those books that you will want to set aside a long stretch of time to read. Not only is it enthralling but there are lots of characters to keep track of in the beginning, but hang in there and you will be rewarded with a great story.
C.J. Tudor is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. This novel combines three separate points of view that will come together later in the book. There is also a supernatural element to this book as is Ms.Tudor’s signature style. It is relevant to the story and enhances the “thriller tension” that I love to feel!!
Gabe is a troubled, tired soul. Ever since his wife and daughter were murdered years ago he has spent his time in a camper/van driving up and down the motorways. On the day of the incident he is sure that he saw his daughter in another person’s car driving close to him as he is heading home, but he loses sight of the car. He never believes that his daughter is dead and is convinced that someone took her even though her body is identified in the morgue by his father in law.
Fran is on the run from someone or something that we have no knowledge of. She and her daughter Alice have spent years moving from one place to another. When Alice questions this Fran’s answer is always that she is trying to keep Alice safe from “a bad man”. Alice suffers from what she calls “falls” where she will fall asleep for a period of time but she doesn’t remember anything that she “saw” while in this state, but she is always left with a pebble . . . . .
Katie is a single mother working at an all night service station, she works these hours so that her sister Lou can babysit for her two children. She has met Gabe, whom she calls “the thin man” because he looks tired, sad and lonely. She never talks with him except to take his order, etc. but she does watch for him because she is curious as to what it would take to make a man spend his nights driving back and forth along the same stretches of roads.
To make things even more tense and atmospheric we learn about “The Others”, those who believe that justice should be delivered in the “eye for an eye” manner. Gabe will become obsessed with trying to find out who these people are and what they have to do with his wife’s death.
Everyone seems to have a secret “Secrets, he thought. It’s not the big lies but the small ones, the half-truths--those are the ones that mount up, one on top of another, like a giant, stinking fatberg of deception”.
I hope I have given you enough of an enticement to give this book a try, it’s a great thriller with well developed characters and prose that flows from present to past seamlessly.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
“The Other People:a novel” is set to publish on February 20, 2020.
Rating: really liked it
Beep, whirr Clickety, clack Definitely not your run of the mill thriller by any stretch.
The Chalk Man was one of my favorites in 2018 and I was thrilled to get my hands on this early release!
My attention was captured from the very first chapter.
Page-turner alert! The Prologue gave me all the spookish vibes and intrigue that carries throughout the book - All the way to the very end.
The creepy factor is center stage, but there is also an emotional story of a family that suffers loss, a father that won't let go, and dare I say....
The Other People.
Just follow the footpath, don't trust anybody, pay attention and be careful what you wish for!
I can't say more. I don't want to give anything away.
Flippin Fantastic page turning fun with just a slight breeze of the other side. Don't ask, not telling.
Thanks so much to the publisher for my review copy. Highly Recommend.
Rating: really liked it
5 “I’ve Never Read Anything Like It” Stars.
Bravo C.J. Tudor! Bravo! “The Other People” is a Psychological Suspense unlike any other (and given how many there are out there, THAT my friends is saying something!)It is also a departure from C.J. Tudor’s other novels, which I totally appreciate and is frankly, her best to date.
One night when returning home, Gabe swears that he just passed his daughter in a strange car as she is being kidnapped. Immediately thereafter, he receives a phone call informing him that his wife and daughter have been murdered in their home. Unable to believe it, he searches for his daughter, night after night for 3 years, roaming and looking for answers. Then he finds the car, and three words: “The Other People.” Creepy, dark and eerie, this novel will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and could very well make you afraid of mirrors and pebbles too. (Don’t ask, I won’t tell.)Admittedly, this novel made me wonder and made my mind wander as I imagined myself there...searching with Gabe and Katie, (the waitress at the all night diner who befriended Gabe), encountering twists and turns I have never seen before, scared, hopeful and full of angst for what might lie ahead.
I was completely immersed in the characters' lives, especially that of Gabe, Katie, Fran and Alice and was scared out of my wits for each of them, pulse pounding, heart caught in throat, chest tight. That kind of suspense kept me up until after 1 a.m., desperate to finish this novel before work the next day. When I finally read the last sentence, I sighed and thought to myself, “Now, that is how you do it!”
A huge thank you goes out to Kathleen Quinlan at Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine (for the galley and the e-arc), NetGalley, and C.J. Tudor. It’s rare when you read a book that surprises you on all levels. Well done Ms. Tudor!
Published on Goodreads on 12.25.19.
Rating: really liked it
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"A man driving down a highway sees his daughter in the back of a car ahead of him. She mouths "Daddy" and then she is gone. He spends the next three years looking for her. A woman and her daughter are running from those who hope to catch them. A waitress who frequently waits on the man who will not give up searching for his daughter. Their stories will collide as this book progresses.
"The greatest acts of cruelty are born of the greatest love."Then there are The Other People. They know what you are going through. They might be able to help...
When I reviewed her other book The Hiding Place, I mentioned that she reminded me too much of Stephen King and I only wanted to think of her as an Author while reading her work. Well she brought it in this book. I felt this was entirely original, creative, well thought out, and perfectly paced. There is some creep factor, some paranormal, some darkness and some mystery here. There are also secrets (plenty) and full of people who have suffered loss, and those who are not willing to let go. There is desperation here, some fear, some hope and some justice.
I read this in two days as I did not want to stop until I had all the answers. She had me curious from page one, trying to figure out the connection (if any) between the characters. This was a page turner which had me guessing and second guessing what was going on. I really enjoyed how everything came together and made sense.
Captivating, engaging, creepy and dark.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Rating: really liked it
The chapters are short and writing style is absorbing. It's a quick and easy read (under 300 pages). The chapters alternate between 3 characters, and are woven together towards the end as the mystery unravels.
I found myself suspending belief shortly into the story. But towards the middle and afterwards, I found so much unrealistic. I don't mind suspending belief to
help carry a story here or there, but the main story itself seemed too over the top. The reality was not there.
There is a small paranormal aspect that did not fit in well with the rest, and I did not understand what it had to do with the movement of the story or the finality of the plot.
3 stars because I liked it okay. It was a good-ish read. It's nothing that had me thinking about it after I was done, no big jaw-dropping moments, and probably nothing I will recommend as an omg you will not believe this thriller. It was fast paced, but not thrilling for me. It's a good read for vacation or by the pool.
Thank you to Random House-Ballantine and NetGalley for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
Hands down Tutor's best book in my opinion! An absolute thrill ride that kept my mind in high gear for the entire read. There were no moments of slow burn in this book for me.
The "dark web" we have all heard of it, but what really is out there on the dark web? Is there a group of people that have decided that payback is a bitch?! You do me wrong, you are going to get what is coming to you? Wow I was enthralled with this whole thing. I would prefer not to know the answer to that question...No thanks, I am good....... C.J. Tudor your google history must be crazzzzyyy! LOL.
This was such a carefully created plot that it truly kept me in the dark (in a fantastic way) the entire book. It is not often that you can say you truly did not know what direction this was taking. Heck half the time I really wasn't sure each character was really who I thought they were.
Imagine the terror you would feel being stuck in traffic, behind a crappy car...you are bored and studying the numerous crazy bumper stickers on the car..then you see her...is that your daughter? No it couldn't be her in the rear window of a strangers car...yet it is..she mouths "daddy". I mean wow that is just the beginning of the shocking and crazy things going on. I kept wondering...hmmm what did Gabe do to bring this on? Are "The Other People" checking Gabe off their list? Revenge is sweet?
I can't recommend this book enough! I must admit I have read this author's last two books and I liked them but I wasn't jumping up and down yelling I LOVE THIS BOOK...Yet.......I am with this one...5 stars from start to finish!
Rating: really liked it
“People say hate and bitterness will destroy you. They’re wrong. It’s hope. Hope will devour you from the inside like a parasite. It will leave you hanging like bait above a shark. But hope won’t kill you. It’s not that kind.” Driving home one night, Gabe sees his daughter's face appear at the rear window of an old car... but he'll never see her again. The police are convinced the little girl is dead, but Gabe is convinced she is alive somewhere, and becomes obsessed, driving up and down the motorway trying to find her.
In the meantime Fran and Alice spend a lot of time on the motorway too, but not searching. They are running! Fran knows what happened to Gabe's daughter, and she is scared…
CJ Tudor is my favourite thriller author. Something about her writing makes her stand out from the crowd! I’ve seen her work compared with Stephen King and while I somewhat agree, I think CJ definitely has that special ‘something’ all of her own. I have read all of her major works, The Chalk Man, The Taking of Annie Thorne, The Burning Girls and now, The Other People.
In true CJ style, this book was eerie, creepy and atmospheric. Everything I love in a good thriller. This was so addictive, I couldn't put it down. Definitely had me me thinking 'just one more chapter!...' I really liked that each chapter was from a different characters perspective, it really helped piece everything together. The story was fast paced, emotional, and quite dark. Full of twists and turns! Every time I thought I had something figured out, new information was thrown into the mix. I felt really tense reading this!
The Other People is so engaging and well written. I think C.J. Tudor is going to become a big name in crime and thriller. I’m looking forward to reading her short story collection out in a few months and her new novel out early next year.
Highly Recommend!
Rating: really liked it
C.J. Tudor has redeemed herself with me. I know she was worried about the state of our relationship so I thought it important to start off with that statement. We cool, C.J. ✌
☆
Compelling and propelling are the most legit words to describe this book.
☆
This is a bleak story full of characters that are all enduring a life filled with the worst of pains, the loss of a loved one.
☆
"Missing is different to being dead. In a way, it’s worse. Death offers finality. Death gives you permission to grieve. To hold memorials, to light candles and lay flowers. To let go. Missing is limbo. You’re stranded; in a strange, bleak place where hope glimmers faintly at the horizon and misery and despair circle like vultures."
☆
The star of this book is Tudor's writing.
This is one of those stories that you have to fight with yourself to stay on task because your eyes keep trying to roam ahead to see what's going to happen at the end of the scene. I wasn't always successful on this front.
☆
I COULD NOT READ IT FAST ENOUGH.
☆
I HAD to know the answer to the mystery. Tudor doesn't waste a word so I couldn't even skim! Aaaarrrrgghhh!
☆
Two things kept this from being a 5 star review for me.
First, it ended with too many ambiguous and unanswered questions. I still haven't completely wrapped my head around the chain of events.
Second, the epilogue. So predictable. After such gripping drama, I expected more. It was a real letdown for me.
☆
"We’re all capable of good and bad. Very few of us show our real faces to the world. For fear that the world might stare back and scream."
Ain't that the truth...
** Thank you Kathleen at Random House for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **
