I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.

I read a review of The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish in which the reviewer compared it to the old black and white suspense films. I realized that is precisely how I pictured the story as I was reading it.

Jamie works at a coffee shop which Clare, his wife, feels is beneath him. On his commute to work, he meets Kit, half of a young, energetic couple. The couples quickly become fast friends, although they begin to realize they do not have much in common. Kit is now missing, and Jamie becomes a suspect in Kit's disappearance. What really happened to Kit is the question asked throughout the book.

I enjoyed the story, but it moved slowly, and I needed to take several breaks while reading. Candlish's description of the commutes was detailed enough to picture the commute, the ferry, and the banks without becoming cumbersome. The twists and turns were surprising, and I thoroughly enjoyed the end.

Candlish has written 14 thrillers, including this one. I added her most known, Our House, which won the British Book Awards 2019 Book of the Year - Crime & Thriller and soon to be a TV series, to my want-to-read list.

This 200-word review will be published on Philomathinphila.

I was given an advanced copy of this text by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was good, but a bit predictable. Candlish is capable of much better work if twists would not come out of nowhere.

So many twists and turns. I loved it. But then I love all Louise Candlish books.
They never disappoint and she's the master of a good and proper ending.

Not often do I give such low ratings to a book as I know the author has spent hours workin on it but with this one my reaction at reaching the end was « At last, I am done with that story filled with shallow people and twists and turns that make no sense if you have two cents of common sense. »

The cast of characters is simple, there’s the controlling partner Clare in her late 40s who was born with a silver spoon but pretends she has not. Then there’s Jamie, the narrator and Clare’s partner who seems like a brain dead middle age man who thinks with the content of his trousers and needs just a wee push yo cheat with the goldigger bimbo, Melia. Speaking of Melia, she’s a mix of all the clichés about the below 30 generation and is willing to orchestrate a scheme to get money. Finally, there’s Kit, another load of clichés from that generation of 20 something that believes they’re entitled to everything without making an effort.

That was my first book by this author and probably the only one as the experience had left me frustrated and thinking that this were turned into a movie it might be in league with Naked Gun.

Review posted to blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Money. It’s What Some People Have and Others Want. When it Comes to Relationships, and the Impact it has on them, Well, it Can be a Doozy!

Jamie and his partner Clare have been together for what seems like forever. Now middle - aged, they live the high life, thanks to Clare, who inherited a fortune. Jamie used to work a high powered job until something happened. Ever since, he’s worked in a coffee shop, much to Clare’s chagrin. Unable to take the tube to work, he decides to take the river boat and it is there that he meets a whole host of new friends: Kit, Gretchen and Steve.

Kit and his girlfriend Melia are in their twenties and struggle to make ends meet. Living beyond their means, these two are desperate for something beyond their reach. Melia is young, gorgeous, and if truth be told, devious among other things.

When Kit begins taking the river boat with Jamie the two hit it off.

Pretty soon, a friendship of sorts forms between the two couples, odd as it seems, given the disparity between them.

It’s smashing at first, until it’s not. One morning Kit doesn’t show up for the river boat. It is then that the police are waiting to question Jamie. And so it all unravels.

Surprise, surprise.

Secrets and lies, here they come.

A few are quite predictable and a few, well, ha, a few, they actually got me.

A somewhat suspenseful mystery suspense that was a tad slow in the beginning and picked up the pace at the tail end, “The Other Passenger” is yet another winner by Louise Candlish that I highly recommend.
3.5 Stars

Another buddy read with Ms. Kaceey that gave us lots to discuss.

Thank you to Megan Rudloff, Atria Books, and Louise Candlish for the arc. #blogtour #bookblogger #bookreviewer

Published on Goodreads, Twitter and Instagram.

Jamie and Clare have been living together for a decade in her gorgeous home that she inherited. She works in real estate and Jamie works at a coffee shop. He takes the riverboat to work each day with another group of people who have become friends. One of the group is Kit, who is also a neighbour of Jamie's. Kit and his girlfriend, Melia, become friends with Jamie and Clare. Kit constantly complains about money and is resentful that Claire inherited her wealth and didn't work for it. One morning, Kit is not on the boat and it seems he has been reported missing. Jamie was the last person to have seen him and they had been seen arguing. He is immediate a suspect in his disappearance and possible death.

The characters are both likable and unlikable. Claire is a partner in a well known real estate company. She is well off, part of a wealthy family, but is nice as pie and does not flaunt her money. Jamie used to be a well off marketing expert, but after an experience on the way to work one day, he is now a barista. He is a kept man, but he doesn't let that bother him, at first. Melia works with Claire, or at least at Melia's company. She is beautiful and she knows it, and takes what she wants when she can. I didn't like her at all. Then there is Kit who is an insurance agent, but not very dependable at work. He is angry and resentful and another very unlikable character. Melia and Kit met when they were struggling actors, but that ship has sailed. They are living far above their means and that makes Kit even more angry. When Kit "disappears" I was pretty sure I had it all figured out, but I was wrong. There are many twists in this book that kept me guessing. There were lies, secrets, envy, narcissism, and infidelity that all gave this book a chilling feel. I did find that this book slowed down somewhat in the middle, but last third to quarter of the book took off again and I couldn't stop reading/listening. I do not want to give anything away with this story, so will leave it there, but know that this is a twisty, domestic mystery with twists and turns throughout. When the final reveal comes, there was a loud WOW coming from my reading chair.

While this came out in July of this year and I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley, I am finally getting around to reading this with my ever growing TBR list looming.

This hooked me pretty much immediately from the beginning, but shortly afterwards I found myself growing bored with it and wondering when the drama would ramp up. I know this is only because the plot needed to be set up, but I wish it has been executed in a more thrilling way. However, I powered through the more bland parts and I'm glad I did because it turned into quite a good thriller. I was pleasantly surprised by the twists at the end, albeit that they were a bit predictable. It's always nice to see a bit of cosmic karma, even in a book. I love a book filled with unlikable characters and untrustworthy narrators and this certainly delivered both.

Overall, this is definitely a worthwhile thriller to pick up. It feels more like a cozy thriller due to its slight predictability but it gives it enough mystery to keep you guessing if you don't think too hard about it and drama tokeep you interested even if you've figured it all out. The last 1/3 of the book was worth the read alone because it was so fast paced and filled with lies, deception, and loads of spite. I look forward to more from Louise Candlish.

Jamie’s friend and fellow ferry commuter Kit has gone missing following an argument and Jamie finds himself under suspicion. He is questioned by two very persistent policemen who imply that one of the other passengers on the ferry has provided damaging information. Told from Jamie’s point of view, this book tells the story of how the middle aged couple of Jamie and Claire formed a complicated relationship with the younger and very attractive couple of Kit and Melia. Jamie is underemployed but manages to live very well thanks to his successful partner Claire. And thanks to Claire’s family, they live in a very impressive house. Kit and Melia are living above their means.

This twisty story reminded me of both Alfred Hitchcock and Patricia Highsmith. It dragged a little in the middle, but I enjoyed the darkness of it. There was envy, greed and lust and I didn’t see where the story was headed. I thought this book was very entertaining and Steven Mackintosh did a good job with the narration of the audiobook. 4.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Jamie and Kit ride the ferry together. One day, Kit doesn’t show up, and soon the police are questioning Jamie. Kit’s wife has reported him missing, and Jamie was last seen arguing with him. Multiple questions arise, like what happened to Kit, and did Jamie have anything to do with it?

The Other Passenger is told from Jamie’s point of view. Jamie is nearing fifty years old, suffers from agoraphobia, works at a coffee shop, and relies on his partner, Clare, to pay for everything. Jamie seems to have a pretty good life, and is enjoying taking things easy. Kit is in his late twenties, in debt, and married to Melia. Jamie and Kit ride the ferry together everyday, enjoy the occasional after work drink, and form an unlikely friendship.

Interesting and unlikable characters make for an intriguing read. The Other Passenger is a slow burning thriller with some twists along the way. Fans of Louise Candlish’s other books are likely to enjoy this novel too.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The spritz of river water filled the air as the ferry glided across. Birds flew through the air and called out to one another. He leaned against the deck railing and watched those around him. Everyone seemed to be smiling and going about their day in peace, but he was facing an intense turmoil. Something wasn’t right, something was looming over his shoulder and he was waiting for the bomb to go off. His friend is missing and no one knows where he is…

I have to be honest… the entire first half of The Other Passenger bored me. Jamie’s friend has disappeared and no one seems to know where he is. 50% of the book is spent recapping their relationship and Jamie’s infidelity, barely referencing the case and what has happened with his friend. I kept waiting for something to happen. When things finally started to unravel my attention was semi-gripped, but it didn’t fully make up for the slow beginning. The twist was good and I didn’t see it coming… I was pleasantly surprised by it actually, but I wish more action would have unfolded in the beginning.

If you enjoy crime thrillers you may like this one… I just wanted more.

TW: Murder, Infidelity, Talk of Suicide/Ideation, Drug Use, Panic Attacks/Anxiety.

This one took me a while to get into. I liked the "before" and "after" timelines for this book and the of course, the murder/disappearance aspect of any thriller! I ended up listening to this book and found the narrator to be very engaging. Once I got into the book after twist number 1 (spoiler alert, there are many twists). I thought the ending was clever and unexpected.

Wow! I have to say that this book was totally unexpected. It's what I call a true mystery, full of suspense with well-planned out twists and turns that this reader never saw coming, and I doubt too many others will either.

Set in England, two couples meet Jamie and Clare, and Kit and Melia, meet on a riverboat and become friends rather quickly. Some of the things that the men were sharing after knowing each other just a couple hours surprised me. But as the plot thickens it becomes evident why.

Friendship, betrayal, love, lust, suspense, psychologically depraved people, intelligent and stealthy people, and very realistic people with real flaws. No one is perfect, not even those we believe to be are what we think. And we're all susceptible to being duped.

I loved this book and I highly recommend it, especially to lovers of mystery, suspense, psychological thrillers, and the like.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Atria books for and e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

I loved this book, far more than I expected to. I really thought, based on the first half, I had it all figured out, but Louise Candlish threw some excellent twists in there that had me reading late into the evening. The Other Passenger follows Jamie as he and his wife, Clare, make friends with the new twenty-something couple in their neighborhood. Kit and Melia live in envy of the wealth and home of the older couple, but they make Jamie and Clare feel younger with their drinking and debauchery. Jamie grows quite close with Kit, the two take the boat to commute to work along with two other friends, part of their River Rat crew. While he considers Kit a close friends, Jamie finds himself entangled with Melia and when Kit goes missing all eyes turn to the older man.

The concept of this book isn't new, but I think the layout and the characters were totally fresh. Jamie is older, he's recently taken a new, relaxed approach to life, and he's not who you'd expect to find at the other side of a missing person's investigation. While the affair was totally expected, what Louise Candlish did to form the suspenseful storyline was not. The cops line of questioning, the secrets, the plotting, it all kept me from truly figuring out the plot. Then there's Clare, she's absolutely brilliant, and I so loved her contribution as Jamie's partner to the storyline. Jamie was the last person to see Kit, the cops are all over him for it, and The Other Passenger takes readers into the crime with a fantastic jumping timeline.

Louise Candlish absolutely delivered with The Other Passenger and I'm so glad I got my hands on this book. It's dramatic, smart, and totally suspenseful. Very old school crime style in modern times.

Gah I absolutely loved this book! Louise Candlish’s books are fantastic. Her writing style is one of my favorites and the characters she writes about are amazing! Such a good thriller.

This story kind of ticked me off in the Brady possible way.

Being pulled into different directions and not trusting yourself makes for a great read.

Check it out and try to put the pieces together.

Four people thrown together by the the same mode of transportation at the same time each day. Friendships form, but how well can people really know their friends? This novel is about the haves and have-nots, and what one might do to change their fate. Seemed a bit long, but kept my interest all the way to a satisfying conclusion. .

Wow! What a ride! I love a thriller with twist after twist and this one delivers!
Our first couple, Clare and Jamie are your average middle aged couple, working and living in London, when they meet Melia and Kit who are younger and hipper and yet they want to be friends with Clare and Jamie, Melia works with Clare and they start hanging out together after work and then their husbands become friends, even commuting to work together on the riverboat. Although they don’t understand why, they are younger, financially unstable and in a different chapter of their lives, Clare and Jamie take to them instantly and try to keep up and the more attached they become, the deeper they get into a world where nothing makes sense.
Then one day after Christmas break, Kit isn’t on the boat like he normally is and Jamie finds two policemen waiting for him when he docks. Accusations start flying and fingers start pointing, but everyone has a different story of what took place. They say there’s always three sides to every story-yours, mine and the truth, well in this case, there seem to be several sides, and everyone has something to gain.
I loved that the story is told kind of from two timelines, when they all first met and present day and there were so many important details that needed to be paid attention to, which totally added to the story and when finished I was going “oh so that’s what that was about!” Jamie’s inner monologue was a cool perspective into his character as well. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is the last bit drug on more than necessary and could have definitely been condensed and not lost anything. But if that’s the worst thing about this book, then you’re golden.
I haven’t read anything else by this author, but you can bet I will be picking up her backlist and reading them all.
Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review.

So this is the second novel by Louise Candlish & I think she’s becoming one of my favorites. I didn’t like this one quite as much as Our House, as the characters were *so* unlikable, but I just really love how she captures the dark side of ordinary, regular relationships.
This one was kind of a slow burn as it builds towards its inevitable ending, but I really loved the journey, as the tension built and we find out what really happened that night. Much like a slow motion train wreck, I just couldn’t look away as the characters kept making one bad decision after another.

For some reason this particular book just didn't jive with me whatsoever. Reading is a deeply subjective experience, and oftentimes, when I encounter a book that I don't particularly like nor was able to finish, I still feel giving some feedback helps in establishing the type of audience to market the title towards. For myself personally, I just wasn't interested or invested in the main character as a whole; the author did do a good job trying to provide some raw introspection but it seem to slacken the pace of the writing a little bit. I never felt a certain tug to keep reading because the actual suspense of the mystery seemed bogged in a little too much mental rumination by the character.

Leaving some brief feedback here in lieu of a posted review as the title didn't exactly interest nor intrigue me, Though I do think others out there may enjoy it. It has a really interesting premise, but the actual execution of the story itself just felt lacking to me.

This is a pretty typical domestic thriller. There's suspense and twists but it's just average and not the top of the genre.