This is a slow, slow burning read with a couple of devious twists. I found a couple of the characters lacking in development and hard to believe. Interesting concept however the long drawn out chapters made me impatient for action.

When I was recommended to read the Advanced Reader Copy of Louise Candlish's recent book I could not resist. Her first novel was a slow burn that eventually set fire to the reader's intrigue so of course this opportunity was not one to refuse.

The Other Passenger centers on the experiences of Jamie, his girlfriend, and the couple they meet : Kit and Melia. Kit and Melia are a lively no holds barred young couple compared to the sensible couple of Jamie and his girlfriend that are nearing their 40's. They live in a house inherited by family wealth while Kit and Melia are barely getting by. Strangely enough the four of them forge an unlikely friendship leading Kit and Jamie to take a river ferry to work together, while Melia joins on at realtor job in the same office as Clare, Jamie's girlfriend.

The two couples get along famously, keeping in contact and involved in each other's lives, some far more intimately then necessary or expected when Melia reveals a secret. This secret twists and twines its way along another unexpected event when Kit ends up missing after Christmas. He isn't on the boat in his usual seat and Melia is frantic.

However, nothing is quite as it seems. Not for Melia, Kit, or even Jamie. The reader is given a gut punch of a twist where the anticipation of a lover's quarrel or a drug deal gone wrong becomes so much more. Manipulation and persuasion are absolutely key in the Other Passenger. The reader witnesses Jamie's downspiral as he is surrounded and nearly suffocated by the lives of Melia and Kit. Especially when the police show up to question Jamie about Kit's disappearance, and Jamie is expected as being largely to blame.

The police showing up is where everything takes off in a direction not quite expected or anticipated. The twist is great and the ending leaves some in unfair circumstances and other characters in the story getting their just desserts. Let's just say some folks lose out more than others. There are plenty of side characters in this story that have some involvement but in most cases are fairly pointless and forced to be acknowledged. Regardless of this slight flaw it more then anything is probably a misdirect of the reader's attention.

The discovery of the true nature of Melia, and dare we even say Jamie is fascinating and well done, but I cannot help but wish that those in the story truly got what they deserved. I guess you will just have to read to find out what happens and who the Other Passenger truly is. Until next time, happy reading.

I was given a digital e copy of this book by NetGalley for my honest review.

This is the first book I've read by author Louise Candlish. I really enjoyed the writing style and the book kept me wanting more until the final page.

A well told story, I highly recommend it.

Thank you, Atria Books, for the gifted copy of The Other Passenger {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Trope: The Lie \ The Missing
Pub Date: 7.20.21 (paperback release)
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5

Let me begin by saying that I think the idea and plot behind this book were interesting, and, after finishing it, I think the twists were well-played buuuuut I would say, at least, 100-ish pages could’ve been removed from the book. There was a large chunk of information relayed to the reader that ended up being wholly unnecessary.

I almost DNF The Other Passenger several times, but I kept forcing myself to pick it up and read. Overall, I’m glad that I did finish it as there were a few twists at the end I hadn’t predicted; I just needed it to move along a little faster.

🐌 Slow developing mystery
🙅🏽‍♀️ Unlikeable characters
😱 Unpredicted twists
✂️ Could've been shorter
🧐 Interesting concept

I recommend you read The Other Passenger if you enjoyed Searching for Sylvie Lee or The Wife Stalker.

I loved Candlish's first book but this one didn't really work for me. I loved the unique premise and I was interested to see how it turned out but it was just too slow paced for me to really enjoy it. I ended up skimming large parts of the book. That being said it was an interesting story and the writing was good. Just not a great fit for me.

Brace yourself for a classic noir slow-burner as Candlish takes time to build characters and motivations in this character-driven plot. She needs to drive home the fixation with age and wealth before continuing her story. The first thing you’ll notice is that you don’t care for any of the characters; they’re unlikeable. They are supposed to be. The second thing you’ll notice is that the narrator is unreliable. He’s supposed to be. As the plot progresses, you’ll enjoy the sharp, witty and well-paced tale. Commuting each workday, the two talk about debt and the lack of opportunities for the younger generation, inheriting wealth and how it leads to resentment, jealousy and, ultimately, rifts between people. It soon becomes obvious that Candlish is focused on the generational and wealth divide. She showcases the dark side of human relationships and their petty disagreements.

THE OTHER PASSENGER is a great slow-burning mystery. I'm always drawn to stories about ordinary occurrences going horribly wrong. This read is packed with twists that kept me on the edge of my seat, and the ending was satisfying. Thank you to Candlish, NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book.

James Buckby has a fear of traveling in the London subway so he has given up his office job in the city and now works in a small cafe so he can catch a ferry to work instead. Although he's in his forties he doesn't worry about the cut in pay, Clare is wealthy and owns the house they live in. She worries about the huge change in his interest at work. After the Christmas break James is met by police to question him about the disappearance of his friend Kit Roper. James and Kit were seen arguing after Kit and he had been seen getting drinks and has not been seen since. His wife Melia has reported him missing and is worried as to his whereabouts. This is a suspenseful read. Full of twists. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.

Today, I finished The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish (thank you for my review copy @netgalley & @simonandschuster). This is a slow burning psychological thriller that dives deeply into multiple themes, character dialogue, and plot twists. If you’re a fan of murder mystery novels that slowly reveal twists and turns in the story by the author utilizing dialogue to push forward the plot, then you must simply read this book. Candlish is the master of capturing the natural cadence and dynamic of human conversation. I became absorbed by the narrative as the author created an atmosphere almost as if the reader is sitting there with the characters sharing in a cup of coffee and conversation with them. The characters are distinct and well developed; they had their own mannerisms and ways of delivering their thoughts. This is not a novel that I just devoured in one setting as the narrative builds slowly giving readers a proper backstory and solid character development but then it takes off like a rocket !!! This book is immersive, twisty, full of the deeper peculiarities of interactions and relationships as well as cultural perceptions of status and behavior that reflect characters’ emotional responses. I highly recommend this book! And I know I keep mentioning the dialogue but…. It’s utterly impressive how many aspects of the narrative Candlish controls in an exceptional manner through her use of dialogue (mood, plot, character development, building tension and suspense).

⛴Have you read this book ? If so, what did you think of it ?

Despicable characters (except Claire) who mostly get what they deserve!

Fans of The Girl on the Train will love it. As for me, I’ll steer clear of this author in the future.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Wow! The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish was a wild ride of suspense and twist upon twist!
This book had me hooked from the go and it was utterly impossible to put down. That ending! I am rarely surprised by twists in psych thrillers and this one totally got me. Gobsmacked.

This was another solid domestic suspense from Louise Candlish. I too am a commuter, and the MC's fear of being caught in a tunnel totally resonated with me! Jamie decides to get a white collar job where the commute involves a river boat instead of a train, because he now gets to enjoy the view and fresh air. He makes friends with his fellow passengers, but none more so than Kit. He's about 10 years his junior but they get along well enough. Their wives becomes friends too- until an affair upends their whole relationship. The story is told in a series of back and forth in time and we get to work backward to see what cased the police to suspect that Jamie had something to do with Kit's disappearance. I liked the jealousy theme- one couple is jealous of perceived status and wealth and the other, of youth. There were a few predictable bits toward the end, but overall, enjoyed.

First of all, this cover. I mean holy beans, kids. I love it.

Jamie befriends Kit due to sharing the same boat every morning and night on the way to and from their respective jobs. They add a couple other fellow commuters to their small friend group for random happy hours and eventually Jamie and Kit start mixing it up with their wives as well. Then Kit goes missing and the cops start sniffing around Jamie. But he had nothing to do with it. So they had a little spat – it happens to all friends, right? He surely didn’t harm Kit in any way . . . . .

That's all you get. You'll have to read this twisty tale all for yourself if you want to know more.

Okay so all I have to say about Louise Candlish at this point is she is a goddess. A glorious female warrior. Hear my womanly roar in her honor. All of her books have been winners for me and she is 100% an autorequest at this point.

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

WOW my first read from this Author and won't be my last.
What an intriguing tale of friendship and relationships gone wrong in a psychological thriller setting.
this book was a sloe start but once I got into it I was hooked!
I look forward to reading this Authors other works.
Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books and the Author, Louise Candlish for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Twisted and Twisted! Quick, fun read for a car trip. The middle was a bit slow but didn't stop me from finishing the book. It was interesting to read a book on claustrophobia while being in the car for hours. It added a great atmospheric tinge to the reading. Will definitely recommend!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this title. I have decided to put it down at 25%. It seems like a very slow burn....sometimes that works for me. Unfortunately, in this case it did not.

This book had twists that I wasn't expecting.and led to a finish I appreciated. One of the best thrillers I've read this year.

Unfortunately I was not able to finish the book. Did not finish at 15%. I was struggling to follow the storyline and found myself lost in the British slang. The beginning was very slow and struggled to keep my attention. I was beginning to force myself to sit down and read and realized this was not for me. Thank you for the opportunity but I’ll have to pass on this one.

This was my second Louise Candlish book and I really enjoyed it. I really loved the pace and the twists in the last quarter of the book! I struggled a bit to get into the story at first, as the pace moves quite slowly for a while, but if you stick with it and give it a chance it’s great.

4 Stars
The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish put together a tale that makes you wonder, what is real, what is the actual truth, and who is the liar.

A woman who is on a ferry, having words with her bestie who happens to be a married man. The next thing to happen is Surprise, the man is missing/dead and somehow our gal is now being questioned by the police.

We are wondering why is she questioned...she had no reason or did she...

Twisting turns.