Gabe lost his family in a tragic home invasion, or so he was lead to believe. Gabe never gave up hope because he saw is daughter in a car on the freeway returning home. A desperate pursuit leads a multi layered thriller that peals the onion layered told by several points of view. A terrific third novel by C.J. Highly recommended.

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

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.

Review

Thanks to the publisher and author for providing an advance reading copy of The Other People in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this ARC did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novel.

The Other People continues the trend of making Tudor a household name. Relentlessly creepy, bone-chilling, and altogether gripping, this is one novel that’ll have you turning the pages late into the darkest of nights. This is C.J.’s best novel to date and she is only just getting started. Pre-order this book immediately.

It is blatantly obvious that I am a fan of Tudor’s. I loved her debut novel, The Chalk Man, that went on to win the ITW Thriller Award and Strand Magazine’s Award for Best Debut Novel, not to mention her amazing follow-up novel, The Hiding Place/The Taking of Annie Thorne. She is a wonderful suspense writer who has been likened to Stephen King (even called Britain’s Female Stephen King by the Daily Mail) and it shows through her consistency in writing gripping, thrilling novels that will haunt your dreams for days.

I continue to come back to this sentiment as I finish her novels: what really makes them are her characters. Every single one is flawed; not one is perfect, especially on the inside where it counts. Motivations for their actions are slowly brought to light as the novels progress, giving you a reason to flip to the next page. And the next one. And the next one… You catch my drift. Her settings are always bleak, which adds to the creepiness factor and makes for such intriguing world-building. Her descriptions are always on point, allowing readers to vividly picture all of the details surrounding the characters.

I make it a point in my reviews to never reveal spoilers, or really much information about the novel at all. Books are meant to be explored and secrets revealed by you. All I can say is that, even when you think you have it all figured out and you can open the door to let the light in, Tudor spins you 180° and pushes you back into the darkness.

A perfect mix of Adrian McKinty’s The Chain and Alex North’s The Whisper Man, The Other People is sure to be THE, if not one of the, Top Thrillers of 2020 and is destined for a Netflix Original Series.

(4.5)I'll keep this as unspoilery as possible, so let me start by briefly mentioning my one gripe with the story: if that supernatural element had been explained or perhaps ventured into a tad I would have been fully satisfied. That aside, this was one hell of a great thriller. I missread every situation, and that ENDING. I'll leave it there, as the way this whole thing unfolds is just *chief's kiss*.

C.J. Tudor has become one of my favorite authors. She really manages to give me the creeps when reading her stories. Just so you all don't think that's an insult, I believe that is her point so it's all good fun!

In this one, Gabe is driving home when he sees a car in front of him with a lot of bumper stickers on it. It sure is standing out because of all the stickers and because Gabe is stuck in traffic, he is compelled to stare at it. All of a sudden, he sees his daughter pop in front of the back window of this car! What is going on? Why would his daughter be in a strange vehicle and not home where she should be at that time of day? He immediately starts honking his horn and flashing his lights. The car takes off and Gabe gives chase, losing the car. He pulls over in a panic to call home only to find more heartbreak is happening at his house. What ensues after is a years long quest to find out what happened to his daughter. Gabe is not buying what he is told by police or family.

Meanwhile, we are introduced to Fran and Alice. Alice has disturbing visions that lead her to lapse into a unconscious state. Fran and Alice are on the run but we don't know why yet.

We are also introduced to Katie and her sister, Lou. Lou is barely scraping by and Katie questions her life decisions. However, Katie relies on Lou to help with childcare. Katie meets Gabe in the diner where she works and while we don't know why or how all these people and their stories are going to intersect, it's a fun time reading and heading to the place where we find out.

I really wanted to see how all of the characters would intersect and what the deal was with Alice's "spells". Of course I also wanted to know what was going on with Gabe's daughter.

C.J. Tudor takes you on a wild, twisty, ride as usual with a splash of other worldly goodness. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it. Releases January 2020.

A solid 4.5 star thriller!

I loved the concept of this novel and how brilliantly it was executed. I flew through this read as the seemingly unconnected pieces of the storyline slowly started to come together until everything clicked into place and it all made sense! My one gripe is that I wish the supernatural element had been explored/explained a little bit more, especially regarding the character of the Samaritan. But overall, Tudor did an amazing job creating characters to root for and a gripping storyline.

I will definitely be reading whatever CJ Tudor writes next!

t’s the Chalk Man that did it, such a great debut, made me an instant fan of the author. So much so that requesting her new book off the Netgalley was an inevitability. A pleasant kind of inevitability. And I’m thrilled to report Tudor doesn’t disappoint, there’s the same dynamic quality to this book, the same kind of glued to the pages, can’t wait for what’s next sort of thing. This book grabs your attention and doesn’t let go until the very end. In fact, choosing not to fight it, this ended up being a one sitting read for me. Something normally quite challenging for a 400 page book, but this one sped by madly, timed it took from 10 15 am to 2 29 pm, all in. And thoroughly entertaining for that entire time. And just when I was thinking…well, this is really good, but you kind of know what’s going on mostly, it threw an awesome curveball of a plot twist at about 90 or 91% that upped the entire production value considerably. Not merely a properly thrilling thriller, but the one with the actual whoa level of a surprise ending. Good, great. It’s been a minute since I’ve read a thriller, usually these sorts of thing are one of the main basics of my literary diet, but lately I’ve been indulging in the more…horrific realms of readers’ delights, and this was a genuinely awesome return to form. All the things I like about the genre, done well. A dark psychological tale with great characters and intricate plotting. Just how dark? Dark enough to utilize the dark web as a major plot driver for this very modern sort of Strangers on the Train scenario. Revenge is never far from the mind of the wronged and helpless, but it’s ever so tricky…unless, of course, it is done by other people. Right? Well, read and find out. This is essentially a revenge thriller, a story of a grief crippled family man whose family is brutally taken away from him, who finds himself unable to let go or move on three years and many miles later. In fact, Gabe spends most of his time driving and looking for his daughter, hoping against all odds for, desperate, until he finds out a thread to follow in his dark labyrinth of despair, a thread that’ll lead him to the unimaginable truths and terrifying discoveries. Yeah, I know, that’s fairly generic, but then again, this is a sort of story where you really have to pay attention at what you divulge, the sort of story reader really ought to just plunge into, it’s that good. Tons of fun to read. So glad to know the author is maintaining the awesome quality level she’s set for herself with her debut. No slacking off here, not at all. In fact, wherein Chalk Man seemed derivative to some reviewers, this one ought to up the originality game considerably. I’m not sure I loved the supernatural angle on this one or even thought it was necessary. It seems like the only potentially contentious thing about an otherwise great read and will probably be very much a matter of personal preference. I don’t normally mind the inclusion of the supernatural and I don’t think of myself as a genre purist per se, but this seemed so complete as a mystery thriller, it just didn’t seem to need any otherworldly enhancements. Again, user mileage may and most likely will vary with this. But otherwise…thriller fans, this is the one. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

Another AMAZING book but C.J. Tudor! Not that my expectations were low or anything, but I loved The Other People just like I did her previous works. There are several characters introduced at the beginning, so it could be easy to get muddled, but Tudor does an awesome job at letting us know who is who, and who is important. There are also several storylines going at once and she weaves them together quite well. The Other People even has a little bit, maybe, of the supernatural going on. And I think I liked that part the best. It was a little different than her previous works, but not in a bad way.

Part of me, a small, small, SMALL part, is a little sad that I read this ahead of when it's released. And that means I'll have to wait even longer for her next one. But I know it'll be worth it.

The Other People publishes on 1.28.20.

5/5 Stars

This book read differently from the last CJ Tudor book I read. This novel was a slow burn, more psychological than thriller. Even though the pacing was slow I was intrigued as to how all of the various characters connected. Can’t wait to read what Tudor has in store next.

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!

"The greatest acts of cruelty are born of the greatest love." I found this on a review that made me want to read this one

She follows up the "Chalk People" without missing a beat; maybe there are some original stories left.


"Missing is different to being dead. In a way, it’s worse." Don;t miss this read people

Thank you for the ARC Net Galley

I flew through this in record breaking time. This reminded me of "The Chain" but was executed a hundred times better, I also enjoyed the paranormal twist. A slowly unravelling suspense novel that I highly recommend.

CJ Tudor. What can I say???? Easily in my top three favorite authors!! So imagine how happy I was to read this. I have said this before and I will say it again. Her writing has a casualness and effortlessness that immediately makes me want to find a comfy, quiet spot to settle in and read start to finish without a pause. I instantly feel at home with the characters and am always pulled right into the story. And boy was this story a twisty one. Through the entire read I was questioning who all the characters really were. Who was lying? Who was manipulating? Who didn't have a clue? Who was telling the truth? It's all there for you to figure out as you work your way through this really great story. Very much a mystery, part thriller and part supernatural it's a definite page turner and, in my opinion, a third win for this author. If you have loved this author's previous books, I'm pretty sure you will love this one also. If you haven't read this author yet, this would be a really great place to start.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC!

CJ Tudor is a thriller genius. There is always a twist of the supernatural included, and I love it. This was a super quick, super good read. I couldn’t read it fast enough. It’s hard for me to describe without giving it all away, but what a concept. Justice failed you and your loved one, so you take it into your own hands with the help of Other People. The tangled mess this becomes is enthralling. I highly recommend this read.

Imagine the police tell you that your wife and daughter were murdered, but you’re certain you saw your daughter being sped away in a vehicle shortly after her supposed death. Now imagine that no one believes you, so you spend the next three years driving the highways in search of the car you saw that day. That’s the beginning of C.J. Tudor’s latest thriller/horror combo, and it quickly fills you with empathy for Gabe, the main character.

This book has several magnificently realized characters for readers to root for, root against, and fear. There’s the strange wandering man known, by some, as the Samaritan. A woman and child constantly on the run (but from what?). A child with narcolepsy whose storyline is too intriguing to spoil in even the slightest way. A secret that arrives via a business card, and way too many other thrilling elements to get into here.

I stayed up for hours reading this book because I couldn’t put it down. I joked on Twitter about The Other People being better than sex, but the truth is that it wasn’t really a joke. Finding a book this compelling is very rare, which makes anything that’s not rare pale in comparison (at least during the reading process, anyway — now that I’m done, sex has regained its place on my list of priorities, lol).

There are many twists and turns along the way. Some were easy to guess, while others were heart-wrenching gut punches. I love Tudor’s writing voice, along with her insertion of otherworldly/unexplainable things into a story that could have otherwise been a more straightforward thriller.

Horror and thrillers fans are going to want to pick this one up when it comes out. I expect to see it on many ‘Best Of’ lists by the end of 2020.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

5 brilliant stars for this phenomenal book.

Gabe is stuck in traffic on his way home to his family when an old car with a little girl sticking her face to the window passes him by. Gabe is in complete shock because he is sure the little girl is his daughter Izzy. It’s a moment that he will never forget, a night that completely shatter his world. Three years later Gabe is still searching endlessly to find his daughter and will stop and nothing until he has answers.

Fran and her young daughter Alice are on the run from people who are willing to kill. To keep her secrets in the past, Fran will stop at nothing to protect Alice, even if that means hiding the truth from Gabe.

Katie, a mother of two works night shifts as a waitress where she regularly serves the somber Gabe. Little does she know she is more connected in the mystery that surrounds Gabe and his presumed dead daughter.

The Other People blew me away. With twists I never saw coming, compelling characters and a story that kept me on the edge of my seat, this is a book that is not one to be missed. Even though this book doesn’t come out until Jan 2020, it’s my favorite thriller I read this year.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.

My thanks to Random House, Ballantine books, and the Author C.J. Tudor.
I loved everything about this book.
When I first read this author a few years ago, I didn't care for her book at all. I have it 2 stars, but kept her in my radar. I had the feeling that once she stopped being an obvious fan of a well known author, that maybe she would write something good? Second book came out, it was a generous 3 stars. Still, I had to stick around.
Sometimes it's worth waiting for a new author to emerge. I'm happy as a pig 🐖 rolling in mud! Ms. Tudor pulled this story off!
50% in and a few things started coming together. This book was a heartbreaker. Also, a nailbiter.
This story didn't remind me of anyone else's writing, and if this is pure Tudor? Then sign me up!
This is just one of those books that I believe should be read with no spoilers. A bit supernatural, but a definite thriller.
Good stuff.😉

I absolutely loved C.J. Tudor's debut "The Chalk Man", though was much less enchanted with her sophomore outing, "The Hiding Place". This third offering falls somewhere in between in my estimation, garnering a four star rating. My first thought was that I detected no homage to Stephen King books in this storyline which had at first delighted me in "The Chalk Man" but made me cynical in "The Hiding Place". I used to read every Stephen King book that came on the market back in the 70s and 80s but slacked off over the decades since then, so maybe I've missed something, but this storyline bears no resemblance to anything I remember reading from Stephen King. C.J. Tudor's writing style to me is perfection, as it flows so easily and naturally, so I'm always in a happy place as far as that goes.

This story settles upon the character of Gabe whose wife Jenny and young daughter Izzy were murdered a few years ago. However, the evening this occurred he was stuck in traffic behind an ugly gold vehicle with a lot of garish stickers. To Gabe's astonishment and horror, he saw his frightened daughter peeking out the back window, her mouth forming the words, "Daddy!" Because he never identified the bodies himself (his father-in-law Harry did so and they were cremated), he holds to the promise that Izzy is still alive and is relentless in his pursuit of her whereabouts. He travels at night in a VW camper van, drinking coffee at various rest stops and following endless leads. He's a thin, dark shadow of his former self. If only he could find that car he was chasing on that fateful night.

There are some interesting supporting characters like Fran. She's constantly on the run with her young charge, Alice. Alice suffers from narcolepsy and can suddenly fall asleep at any moment. She also has a particular problem with mirrors in bathrooms. It seems that a young girl is trying to communicate with her and each attempt results in broken glass and a pebble left behind. Alice saves all the pebbles in her little rucksack which grates on Fran's ears with its eerie clickety-click cadence.

Katie is a night shift waitress at one of the rest stops Gabe frequents. She has two young children that her sister Lou watches while she's working. All these characters become intertwined as the story unfolds and some of them have secrets. There is a vague supernatural element simmering in the background with emotional high stakes due to the child separation/death situation. I figured out some of the mystery early on but much of it was a slow burn until the end. I still think "The Chalk Man" was Tudor's best outing so far, but this was a compelling page-turner with a lot of angst.

When you receive an email asking if you would be interested in previewing C.J. Tudor’s upcoming book it’s hard not to reply YES gimme now!! But I refrained and said yes please I can’t wait and then began refreshing. Luckily the reply was quickly and I put aside what I was reading to start- she’s that good.
Her latest is not so much a horror novel as it is a thriller but it will suck you in from the very beginning.
Gabe knows he needs to do better as a father. He misses too many of his daughters special events and lately cannot even honor his wife’s ultimatum of one night a week being home to have dinner as a family and tuck their daughter Izzy in to bed. Today it is especially frustrating because he had left on time but as luck would have it ran into traffic and his calls go to voicemail with his phone dying. He suddenly is sure that his daughter Izzy was in the car in front of him and though he tries he is unable to catch up. To soothe his nerves he stops at the the next exit and calls home only to have a stranger pick up the phone to learn that both his wife and daughter have been murdered.
We also follow a woman on the run with her daughter. The daughter had strange episodes and can fall asleep unexpectedly waking up with pebbles in her hand.
There is a waitress in one of the truck stop diners that Gabe stops at during his constant traveling back and forth along the same roads looking for the car no one else believes exists.
How these characters are connected will keep you reading long past your bedtime. This is C.J. Tudors’ third book and her best yet.
Thank you to #netgalley and #ballantinebooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This one is due for release on March 30,2020.

I read “The Other People” by CJ Tudor in a day. It was that hard to put down.
The plot centers around seeming separate story lines: Gabe, a father looking for his abducted daughter, Katie, a single mom working at a diner, and Fran, a woman on the run with her young child.
This is a psychological thriller and how their stories interconnect will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The only criticism I have is that some of the plot twists were implausible, but overall, an exciting thriller