This book started off really slow... wasn't sure i wanted to continue to read it. I kept at it and the second half was so much better. So many twists it was crazy good in the end.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

More Twisted Than The London River It Takes Place On. This is one of those hyper-twisted books where for much of the tale, you think you're getting one thing... only for it to flip, then flip again, then again and again and again. Told mostly in two eras, the days immediately after a particular person goes missing and the year prior to that event, this is a tale of intrigue and, let's be quite honest, quite deplorable characters. Seriously, if you are the type that has to "like" the characters or at least one of them... well, there really isn't much of that to go around here. These characters are all horrible in some way or another, though hey, perhaps that is life. Overall a compelling story with an ending you won't believe. Very much recommended.

The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish is a very twisted thriller! This was my first time reading this author and if I’m being honest, when I first started I was not convinced that this was a book I’d enjoy. I believe it had a lot to do with it taking place in London and the way they talk, some of their phrases I didn’t quite understand. However, the more I read, the easier it became and I really grew interested in the storyline. I must admit I wasn’t overly fond of any of the characters. Some of them seemed ignorant at times. They were selfish, devious and only out for themselves. Money and prestige seemed to be the only thing that mattered in their lives. This story did have a lot of twists that kept it interesting and I do think it was well planned out. However, I wasn’t real happy with the ending. I would of liked to know more about Claire and what effect all of this had on her life. I was glad to hear that Melia didn’t get what she was after but wasn’t surprised to learn that she wasn’t done playing the game, so to speak, and was moving on to her next victim. If you enjoy reading twisted thrillers, then this is a story for you. I’d like to thank Maudee Genao at Atria Marketing/Simon & Schuster, Inc. for the physical review copy and NetGalley for the e-arc to read, review and enjoy. I’m giving this a 4 star rating.

This is my first book by this author, and it certainly won't be my last. It kept me swiping through Kindle pages from beginning to end, with twists (some predictable, others not) at just about every flip. At the heart of the story are four characters: unmarried partners Jamie and Clare and Christopher ("Kit") and Melia. The first two live in a sumptuous home owned by Clare, who's also the primary breadwinner. The second couple are ensconced in somewhat of a dump, heavily in debt and nearly living hand-to-mouth.

Jamie works in a coffee shop, commuting back and forth each weekday day on a ferry boat. One day he meets Kit there, they strike up a conversation and soon a friendship. Meantime, Melia joins the realty firm at which Clare works, and a similar friendship is born. When they discover that they don't live that far from each other, the friendship blossoms and spreads to after-work hours.

But one not-so-fine morning, Kit isn't on the ferry; Melia, sick with worry, calls Jamie, Clare and the police to report him missing. That anything bad happened to Kit is, to Jamie, unfathomable; after all, Kit rode the ferry with Jamie the previous night. But the next night, as Jamie debarks for the walk home, he's greeted by two police officers; he was, they tell him, the last person to see Kit alive - and what's more, a passenger on that same ride insists that Jamie had a reason to kill his so-called friend.

Chapters switch in time from Jamie and Kit's first meeting to the present - roughly spanning a year. Readers see what each character is thinking, how he or she is coping and what really happened that led up to Kit's sudden disappearance. Throughout it all, Jamie, who swears innocence, keeps trying to find out the identity of the ferry "snitch" - the mysterious other passenger. On the surface, it's just another puzzle the police need to solve. But my advice to readers? Don't get complacent (or, put another way, keep in mind that people and recollections aren't always what they seem).

All told, this is a very entertaining and well written book. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

This book is too long. Decent enough ending, but it took a long time to get there. All the stuff made sense, I just didn’t like how it was laid out. None of the characters is likable, which is probably on purpose - you don’t know who to feel sorry for because they don’t deserve it.
Perhaps this is not the genre for me, but I couldn’t get up enough suspense to enjoy this book.

I was given a prepub copy of this book for my honest review.

Ooooh I can't even begin to tell you how twisted this story is! Jamie Buckby commutes to his job on a ferry and strikes up a friendship with fellow commuter Kit Parry. Suddenly one day, Kit doesn't show up for his commute and suddenly Jamie is being questioned in his disappearance.

The friendship almost seems unlikely since Kit is much younger than Jamie and his partner Clare. But for Jamie to be accused was out of nowhere. However it seems like the men had been seen arguing one night by their fellow commuters.

But why on earth would Jamie want to kill Kit? Could it be because Jamie and Clare want Kit's youth? If anything it seems like Kit and his parnter Melia were jeaoul of Jamie and Clare. Did Jamie even kill Kit? So so so many questions!

Louise Candish has written a masterpiece here! I love all the twists and the characters are so well written and I loved ever minute of this ride.

I was really looking forward to this book as I have read Our House and Those People and enjoyed them but I was very disappointed with this one

I felt nothing towards any of these characters and too be honest I really didnt care about what happened to of any of them.

Its too bad as this was a good story but the characters dark ways just didnt do it for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster UK for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

All of my thoughts are my own

When you read a lot of mystery/thriller stories, they can start to feel formulaic. Sometimes you can even see the twists waaaay in advance and it's not as fun to read them - waiting for the rest of the characters to catch up to what you know.

<b>this one is NOT like that!</b> This one was a complete surprise. Sure, you will definitely feel like you know some twists, but this one will definitely surprise you at least once, if not multiple times.

I liked getting to know Melia & Kit, Jamie and Clare - getting to know their friendship and how it grows. But this isn't a pure, good buddy friendship - there is definite competition as each couple compares what they have and don't have and measure that next to the other couple. It felt realistic and I loved the added petty layer it gave to the story - because I believe that of them all.

I loved the pacing, the well told story - even the characters I struggled to like. I enjoyed the setting and the idea of their river commute, it sounded beautiful.

<i>A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.</i>

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-book copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I first read Louise Candlish as an ARC a few years ago, and I know she is a popular author. But it's not really my taste, overall. Very popular author, very domestic-'thriller', probably goes faster with a glass or bottle of wine (which doesn't work for me).

But, one thing I do like about Candlish's work is that she pulls no punches in giving you all the unlikeable characteristics of her characters. I almost think you're not actually supposed to like ANY of the characters. As a reader, I sometimes enjoy that option, to keep turning the pages to see all the ways the characters dig their own graves and mess up their lives!

And for that reason, I'm going with a 4 star rating. It's really not my usual type of book, I might not recommend it to many, and I won't read it again - BUT! I enjoyed reading how the characters' poor decisions messed up their own lives again and again. It's almost refreshing to go into a book expecting to to hate everyone rather than knowing I'm supposed to be rooting for a character that is just too dumb to live!

Story starts December 27, 2019 when Jamie Buckby is questioned regarding the disappearance of Kit (Christopher) Parry. A passenger reported that they saw the two having an argument.

Jamie states they are best friends and neighbors.
Yes! He saw Kit 4 days ago.
Yes! They had a Holiday drink with friends (the river rats) and then traveled home via the ‘River Bus’.
(Love the cover with the view from the boat!)
Yes! They had a bit of a ‘row’ which Jamie contributes to the drinking ahead of time.
Yes! He walked home alone ahead of Kit when normally they walk together.

Behind the scenes: Kit and Malia are in their twenties and live near Jamie and Claire who are in their forties. Jamie and Claire have been together for 10 years and have their routine. Claire inherited a beautiful home and does not need to work but enjoys her job in real estate. Jamie takes a job in a coffee job really for spending money.

Kit is very handsome and charismatic. As I mentioned, ‘river rats’ include Jamie and Kit take the river bus to and from work and become friends. Clair and Jamie decide to invited Kit and Malia over for drinks. They hit it off and become friends. However, Kit and Malia are spending money like crazy and are very jealous of Jamie and Claire’s wealth.

After a few months Malia hits on Jamie and, of course, he is flattered. In fact, Malia is very attractive ~ even Jamie wonders what she sees in him.
Flattery and sex are super powerful but does either warren something more serious? Hmmm

The police find out about the affair these two are having and believe that makes Jamie even guiltier of having something to do with Kit’s disappearance.

Oh hum, these characters are all so unlikeable, plus not a fan of their nasty language and find I am asking myself ~ do I really care what happens to these people.
I checked a few reviews and saw that many confirmed it was slow at first but got better. I took this as encouragement to hang in there.

I hung in there and yes! there are interesting twists.

Want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for this early release granted to me for an honest professional review. Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 20, 2021

Slow burning in the beginning, but the last third really picked up and was very twisty. I didn't know who to believe or trust, all the characters were unreliable. A fun thriller!

Thanks to publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

“The Other Passenger” by Louise Candlish is a twisty psychological thriller that takes the reader down a dark rabbit hole and has you loving the ride! Jamie and Clare, a forty-something couple, befriend young millennials Kit and Melia. Before long, this unlikely friendship sees Kit and Jamie commuting together via river ferry, and some relationships are getting a little too close. When Kit goes missing, Jamie is the last person to have seen him alive and seems to be the prime suspect in Kit’s disappearance.

The story is narrated by Jamie, and the author does an exceptional job in taking Jamie from initially likeable to a character you will love to hate. This is the kind of book that’s hard to review without giving away the plot, it’s that twisty and unpredictable. The first half of the book is a bit of a slow burn, setting up the characters and their relationships and Kit’s disappearance, but the second half delivers plenty of twists, right up until the final chapter. While there are a lot of books in this genre recommended with the tagline “for fans of ‘Gone Girl’”… I can confidently say that fans of “Gone Girl” will love this intricately-plotted novel!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. 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. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

The Other Passenger is definitely one of those kind of thrillers that keeps you guessing until the end. Candlish gives you just enough to make you think you might know what's going on, but you really have no idea! The last third of the book was twist after twist, and those twists are what made this one so fun to read!

I would classify this as a character driven novel, and it moved a little slow at times. I only have one critique, which is that I thought the book was too long, that about 100 pages could have been weeded out. A lot of time was spent building up the characters and their relationships and connections to each other, which is a big part of what drove the plot, but there was jsut a little too much of it, in my opinion.

With that being said, I am glad I made it to the end, all of that build up made it feel realistic and the twists all the more powerful. This is definitely an enjoyable read, especially if you like character driven books and don't mind a slow rolling build up!

The Other Passenger is the first book I have read by this author. It took me the first half of the book to develop an interest in the plot, and even after I was invested in the book, I found it easy to put down. I did enjoy the book. It just was not the gripping thriller I was expecting.

The story is told from the viewpoint of Jamie, a 48-year-old barista living off his wife in her home near London. The tale centers around the relationship that develops between Jamie, his wife, and a much younger couple Jamie’s wife brings into their lives. Before long one of the four people goes missing and the web is weaved for an interesting storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. The opinions above are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tightly plotted little book, which is definitely a modern noir that will appeal to fans of the old classics like Double Indemnity. The less said about the plot here, the better, but it is a plot full of twists, very well-executed. While the plot is one as old as time (and even older than film noir), the setting, characters and writing style makes it feel totally new and delicious. While I can’t say I “liked” our protagonist especially (in fact, I can’t even remember his name as I sit here - he was the first-person narrator), I really enjoyed reading about him, and his witty narration. I also particularly enjoyed his wife Claire and his femme fatale, Melia. The characters are exceptionally well-drawn and you will find at least one you love to hate.

I’m really impressed with Louise Candlish’s writing skills. This was my first book by this author, but it surely won’t be my last. Great first-person narration, excellent dialogue, and most of all a great and twisty, well-constructed plot. 4 stars plus for this fun little read!

Many thanks to Atria Books, the author and NetGalley for the ARC of this well-written noir-shaded thriller!

This story fell flat for me and I am disappointed because that doesn't usually happen for me. I have never read a Louise Candlish book so I was really excited to see how it would go. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and felt like I had to force myself to get through majority of the book. It was only toward the end that the book finally was able to gather my attention, and it was nice that it had twists but it was not was I typically enjoy in a thriller. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m definitely in the minority with my 2 star rating but this story fell flat for me and I could not connect with any of the characters. I kept getting confused and i even started over thinking this might help but sadly, it did not! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my review.

The Other Passenger
by Louise Candlish
Atria Books
You Like Them
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 20 Jul 2021 | Archive Date 03 Aug 2021

Lousie Candish is an author that I haven't read before so I jumped at the chance to try it out!! This book did not reach my "sweet spot". Cute story and a quick read but it just didn't seem plausible that these two couples would be friends. I was over 3/4 done when the book started to interest me. No spoilers but there are a few twists along the way. Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
3 star

3.5 stars, rounded up
Louise Candish is another author I kept meaning to read and somehow haven’t. So, I jumped at the chance to read her latest.
Jamie is coming up on 50 but working at a coffee bar due to a past trauma. His partner, luckily, comes from money and has a good job, so they’re living the good life. Enter Kit and Melia, a much younger couple. These two are up to their eyeballs in debt and still spending like there’s no tomorrow. There’s not a likeable character among them. These four struck up, for me, a very unlikely friendship. In fact, there seems to be more inter-generational envy going on than true bonding. And what happens next, hmmm.
The book begins when Kit goes missing and Jamie is the last one to have knowingly seen him alive. The story is told in alternating chapters of present day and going back over the past year as they meet and get to know each other, all told from Jamie’s POV.
This is an easy and fast read, but it took until the last ¼ of the book to really engage me. Then, the twists started coming hard and fast . It covers all the aspects of how money affects our relationships - with partners, with friends, with family and what some people will do to achieve the good life.
My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.