Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of the ebook to review. I cruised through this book as it was an easy read but may have finished it too quickly. I didn't connect with the story as much as I would have like to.

If you’re like me, then the book’s description attracted you. I was very much interested in this thriller and I think that’s what kept me motivated to finish the book. I don’t think I became fully invested until maybe 70% in, it’s a very slow burn.

I like how the author went back-and-forth between the past and present so that you could get a better understanding of each character’s motivations. It just took a while for that build up. Once you did get through that 70% it speeds up and more behind to make sense. The ending was decent but I’m not sure if it was worth the wait.

This is very much a story driven novel. I don’t think I really felt anything for any of the characters. If you do like slow burn mysteries and one that has plenty of twists and turns, then you’ll like this book. I think it was a little too slow for me, but the ending wasn’t too bad.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.

3.5/5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read this book a long time ago and forgot to add a review here. Eek.
This is the only book I've read by Louise Candlish so far. It was fantastic and left me guessing to the end.
When Kit disappears the story just begins. Jamie seems to be the last person to see him. Kit's partner Melia works for Jamie's partner Clare and the 4 of them get along. The secrets just keep coming. You just don't know what's coming next.

One day you're living the dream, commuting to work by ferry with your charismatic neighbour Kit beside you, the next, Kit hasn't turned up for the boat and his wife, Melia, has reported him missing. The police are waiting for you because another passenger saw you and Kit arguing the night before and say you have reason to want him dead. Who is this other passenger and what do they know about your lives?

This was a great read - one of those suspenseful reads where you just don't see what's coming. The characters were realistic and to be honest even the plot had me thinking that it could happen. I can see why Louise Candlish is such a well decorated author. Highly recommend you read this!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my digital review copy.

A great read by this author. I definitely recommend checking this one out!
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Great twist! I definitely thought I was on the right track, but Candlish got me good! I would recommend this book a lot.

After a disturbing incident while commuting to work by surface routes Jamie stumbles upon a ferry that travels on the Thames that will get him to work. While a bit more expensive it is a welcome relief. Travelling the same time everyday Jamie starts to see the same people. He and Kit strike up a friendship and soon they are socializing with their partners too.
One day Kit doesn’t show up on the boat. Having had an argument the night before Jamie starts to feel concerned especially since the police begin to question him.
Admittedly I read THE OTHER PASSENGER a while ago so details are fuzzy but my overall sense of the story is still with me. I recall there being a lot of buzz surrounding this book which was part of my attraction to it. While I did like it I don’t think it lived up to the hype. I didn’t feel a lot of empathy for the main characters but perhaps that wasn’t unexpected. I like a thriller to surprise me at the end with a plausible twist. I don’t think THE OTHER PASSENGER delivered this. I do like the style of writing and would definitely read another book by Louise Candlish.
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced digital edition of this book.

This was my first Louise Candlish book and I absolutely loved it! She has a clever way of leading up to a twist where you think you have it figured out, and then she delivers it in a way where your assumption is almost correct, but not quite. I think the twists were so clever and she had me guessing all the way up until the end.

This was an interesting book that kept me guessing until the end. The plot was a little confusing but I think the ending had a good twist and was definitely unique.

I found this book hard to read at the start, through until about halfway. I almost stopped reading a few times but kept going. The later parts of the book were better but it took long to get to the interesting parts. I had read good things about the author but based on this book I’m not sure I would try other books by her.
Thanks for the opportunity to read this book and new to me author.

I will say this, it's a must read. You will not be disappointed in the least. If you enjoy a suspenseful - from start to finish - read.

this was a great book. I really connected with the characters and would highly recommend it others.. I will definitely be looking into ready more from this author

The hook, pace and themes: Was the story a page-turner?

Jamie and Kit commute to work on a river bus every day. Kit doesn't show up one morning and as Jamie departs the river bus he is met by two police officers who question him about Kit's disappearance.

After reading The Heights, I expected a page-turner and was disappointed it was not. The hook here was not much of an angle for me to keep me wanting to turn the pages. Like all psychological thrillers, the story builds up slowly, but it feels more dragged out rather than building the suspense and tension needed to drive the story forward, and the pace didn't pick up.

Jamie and his partner Clare live in a Georgian townhouse by the river in an up-and-coming neighborhood, while Kit and Melia rent a standard one-bed flat not far on the wrong side of the tracks, which they can barely afford. Things start to get interesting when we see they will do anything to raise their status.

I liked all the themes explored: class structure, generations (Gen X versus Millennial), jealousy, the haves and have-nots, and social pressure.

The characters: Are they likeable or unlikeable with flaws that can be easily related to? Was I able to get into their heads and enjoy what I saw?

Louise Candlish follows her signature annoying and unlikeable characters, but none in a good, exciting way. Jamie has some flaws and strengths that make him sympathetic and easy to relate to; however, he is a middle-aged man sleeping with a younger woman, Milia. His irresponsibility and contentment at working in a coffee shop contrast Clare's feelings of superiority, and I liked that part about him. We stayed in his head, and I didn't enjoy what I saw because I couldn't get past his thoughts toward younger Milia, which made it hard to root for him.

Kit and Milia are the unlikable, annoying, selfish characters, and Milia is a femme fatale character making her the most unlikeable character. I am not a fan of that trope.

Structure:

Louise Candlish doesn't use her signature innovative narrative or forms that I love.
The story is told from Jamie's POV in two timelines. In flashbacks, we see into the building relationship between Jamie, Clare and Melia, and Kit, which felt dragged out and in the present as the story unfolds after Kit disappears.

Battle of wits: What and who made up the battle of wits element to the story? Did the unreliable narrator's element increase enough doubt to keep me guessing who was telling the truth?
Jamie and Kit battle wits here; however, Louise Candlish has some surprises that had me thinking that Jamie, Clare, Kit, and Milia were battling wits in different ways with each other throughout the story. This increased that element of doubt and had me questioning who was telling the truth and who wasn't.

Believability element: Did it blur the lines between fiction and reality with a believability element that made me think it could happen?

The story didn't feel convincing or realistic and felt more like entertaining fiction.

Payoff: Was the story layered with clues to see some of the twists and turns coming with a rewarding payoff in the end?

I thought the clues were there, but the story's twists and turns felt convoluted and overdone. I had a hard time following the story's twists and turns, and I gave up, so when the rug was pulled out from under me, I wasn't on it. It felt like the story should have ended a couple of chapters earlier, and the ending was dragged out with more of a turn rather than a twist. The payoff was that the story ended.

Would I recommend it?

Of all her books this wouldn't be the one I would recommend to read. Skip this one and read The Heights if you haven't. If you are looking for an audiobook to listen to, I would recommend it, but once you get halfway, pay attention to those twists and turns.

Louise Candlish show me how fast people can go from strangers to friends to enemies:

Jamie Buckby had an incident that leaves him with a fear of the metro. He now travels to work via ferry on the Thames. He has been taking the ferry for awhile when he starts to see the same people and they become friends. He becomes closer with Kit who’s wife turn out to work with Jamie’s common law. This is the beginning of a tremulous relationship between the two couples, especially at just after Christmas Kit is not one the boat. The police suspect that Jamie had something to do with his disappearance as he has reason to want him gone. But what can they know about their private lives, and who is this other passenger who is pointing the finger at Jamie. No matter the coincidences that might have occurred Jamie swears by his innocence, but just how innocent is he?

This is the first book that I have read by Candlish but I had heard that she was great for twists and turns but I felt like this book just plotted along with not really much happening. It was basically a domestic “suspense” (I use that term lightly) of two couples who were friends then have falling out but yet the husbands still see each other everyday on the ferry and are still chummy with each other even though they dislike each other. Fun times, not really.
I didn't like any of the characters, everyone just seemed so self-centered, and just together for money at times . I mean I do not have to actually like characters to enjoy a book, but all the characters just seemed dreary and dull, even the affair that occurs is not overly exciting except maybe one scene.

The overall plot is clever but I was able to figure out most of it, and it just takes a long damn time to get twist to the first major twist.

This book wasn’t for me. I didn’t mind Candlish’s writing style or overall plot but it was just too boring to get to what was happening. I’m torn if I would read another book by Candlish, maybe someone can recommend an amazing one?

Cheers!!!

This was rather a slow burn type o mystery, which was too slow for me, I believe. I've tried coming back to it time and again for several weeks, and the pace never picked up. Obviously, this book just wasn't for me, because I've read several good reviews.

This is the first book I've read by Louise Candlish but it won't be the last. I really enjoyed this book.

Everything was so well described such as the river boat ride, the scenery! Truly great!

it was an entertaining read and had some surprises. It needs a little editing but still a pretty good read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGally for the ARC and the opportunity to review.

This is possibly the best thriller of 2021. Many thrillers have the tendency of repeating similar storylines with uniformed themes but Louise Candlish is clearly an author that analyze her surroundings to create a story more relatable for the modern reader. This story discusses a lot about the struggles of modern day financials for all generations and the length citizen have to go to survive in a thrilling way. I definitely recommend this book for anyone that need's a good book while commuting.

After an incident on his commute to his last job, Jamie has been working in a cafe a distance away from his home in London. His partner Clare is a successful realtor, and they live in a very expensive home owned by her family. Clare and Jamie befriend a younger couple, Kit and Melia (who works with Clare). Jamie and Kit decide to commute to their individual jobs on the riverboat together. There, they become closer and end up with a small commuting friend group of their own. However, on the day after Christmas, Kit doesn't show on the morning ferry. Suddenly Jamie is being questioned as a top suspect in his disappearance!

I really like Louise Candlish's writing! I loved reading about the river boat commute, different neighbourhoods in London. In general, I just enjoy her British writing style! This is a slow burn mystery told mainly from Jamie's point of view. It took longer than I would have liked for the pace to pick up, and then I found I had figured out most of the plot. There is also a large focus on the age gap between the two couples, and the talk about millennial behaviours became a bit repetitive. These characters are all unlikeable and for the most part unreliable. That can work a lot of times, but here meant I was not very invested in the story.

Now back to what I liked! This novel showcases the dark secrets that our everyday neighbours hold. It also highlights the difficulties that many are facing in finding housing these days, even with stable incomes and family wealth! It is very twisty and has strong, manipulative female characters. I'll look out for more books by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with a digital review copy.

This book started off very slow. So slow, in fact, that I was worried I wouldn’t be able to finish it. BUT then about midway through it really picked up and the twists started coming out of nowhere! It was a fun ride all the way to the end!! And that ending was great!!

I also loved this author’s last book. She is talented at creating domestic thrillers that are out of the ordinary and suspenseful. She managed to build tension and then pull off a huge reveal that I didn’t see coming! Such a satisfying read.

Jamie and Claire are a couple in their late 40’s. When Claire invites her new beautiful 29-year-old employee and her boyfriend Kit to dinner, the two couples become fast friends despite their differences in age and wealth status. Claire owns a grand home and Jamie is constantly reminded that it’s her money since he is just a coffee barista, not contributing much if anything to the household pot. Claire is the provider and is constantly on his case to get a professional job that pays more money. Jamie, who often feels like a guest in his own home, becomes especially besotted with the couple’s down-to-earth and matter-of-fact ways. He and Kit start commuting to work on the train together everyday and going out for drinks. Until one day, Kit disappears and Jamie was the last one to see him on the train after having a row in which threats were made. What happened to Kit?

A gracious thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a great way to commute to work! After connecting with some regulars on his way to his job at a cafe, Jamie becomes involved in a twisty thriller, that kept me wanting more. Money and greed are at the heart of this psychological mystery. I disliked most of the characters, but that also made for some interesting intrigue.