The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

When I started reading "The Other Passenger," I hadn't realized that I had previously read another book by J.E. Rowney. I didn't enjoy that one either, which had a good premise but was poorly executed. This time around, I was hoping for a different experience, but I was left disappointed once again.

"The Other Passenger" follows an enigmatic journey where seemingly nothing happens until the very end. The story is set against a backdrop of moody ambiance, introducing characters who seem to float through the narrative without purpose. As the plot meanders without clear direction, a sudden and unexpected twist involving multiple dead bodies attempts to add shock value but falls flat due to lack of buildup.

This book had no storyline – nothing happened. I kept waiting, waiting, and waiting, but nothing ever developed. While there was some mood and ambiance, that was about the only redeeming quality. The characters were two-dimensional and static. They didn’t grow or evolve, and I struggled to connect with them on any level.

Then, out of nowhere, there are multiple dead bodies? It felt so sudden and unearned. The plot twist wasn’t shocking; it was just plain stupid. Overall, I found "The Other Passenger" to be a frustrating read with no payoff.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author J.E. Rowney, and the publisher Books Go Social for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This book was very confusing to me but for some reason the confusion kept me reading. I feel like this book definitely needed an epilogue as I felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions. Like I said, because I was confused by it, this did cause me to keep reading. I’m giving 3 stars.

Dark and twisted story of two strangers coming together on a cold rainy night each with secrets. “The Other Passenger” contained parts that made my jaw drop. Suspenseful and a quick read. Perfect for the beach and summertime.

Thank you Net Galley and GoodReads for allowing me to provide my honest review of this ARC.

3.5 stars

The Other Passenger by J.E. Rowney  is a psychological thriller about two people who meet on a a deserted road in the middle of the night.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher BooksGoSocial and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions):
David has had a rough time lately.  Family and work have both provided disappointments.

Emma, too, has had a rough time.  She has lost her sister Angeline.

As David drives through a rainstorm in the forest, he picks up a hitchhiker who says her name is Angeline.  He's not sure about her story, as something doesn't ring true.  But, after what he just did, who is he to judge.

When a news program announces the finding of a dead body back along the road they had just travelled, and near where they had met, tensions start to rise in the car.

They are both running from something, but what.


My Opinions:
This was quite good, and a very fast read.

 The story was told from the viewpoints of both David and Emma,  and in different time-lines - the past few hours, and the "now".  Their stories moved slowly until the individual reasons for their journey along this road became clear.  This worked well, but there was so much from David's story that it got a little boring.  David and Emma were two totally different characters and this made the fact that they were essentially stuck in a car together for the whole book, rather tense.  The dynamics of the situation played a huge part in the story.  David was in a loveless marriage, had a daughter he didn't always understand, had a job he hated, and he often hated himself.  Emma, while a very strong twenty-one year old woman, was grieving for her sister, and was rather antagonistic.  I can't actually say that I liked either of the characters.

The pretense was very good, but I was not surprised by the twist, and I'm not sure I liked the ending.

Overall, it was quite good, but it could have been so much better.

This book had me on the edge of my seat!!! The thought of breaking down at night by yourself and a killer is out there??? Yikes. This is a wild ride!

This was a good read! The whole time I was trying to figure out who had done what and who was the bad guy. Both in reality were trauma ridden people who got the short end of the stick in life. Unfortunately they crossed paths and what happened during their short trip was shocking. I would definitely recommend this, it's worth the read.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Other Passenger. This is a treat. A cat and mouse game. This story centers on two people. Emma a young 21 year old woman who is struggling over the loss of her sister and David. He is a workaholic with a family who could care less about him but loves his money.
This novel goes back and forth as each character tells their story and also bring them together in the NOW.
Great dialogue and gives you an itch to scratch. What’s going to happen when these two people come together on a rainy night with their own secrets.
Read it and find out. I liked this book. Fast read. 3.5 stars

(ARC read….Release Date 5/31/2024)
This book was a quick, short read but jam packed full of surprises! Plenty of flawed characters that overlap into each other lives. The book takes place all on the same dark stormy night. It starts off with a long anticipated award ceremony and the promise of a celebration…but then…things don’t always turn out as we think they will…or how we hope they will. All the actions of the night are unplanned yet unthinkable….and how all the characters deal with the night, lends to some great book club discussions!  A new fan of JE Rowney…who also wrote Other People’s Lives!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC! . It was fantastic. I loved it from the beginning to the end. I really enjoyed the cover. It totally drew me in. The plot was amazing. It was fast-paced and down. I really thought characters and this is a new book for me from this Author it will not be my last. Highly recommend this fast pay psychological thriller.!!!!

This book was amazing! I never got bored with the story line, and once I got to the last 3rd of the book I couldn’t put it down. If you are looking for a quick but entertaining suspense story this is the book for you!

Reviewed on good reads

The cover is totally creepy and intriguing. The first by the author and definitely not the last.

This book had me hooked at the beginning. Loved the twists and turns and had me on the edge of my seat. I will recommend this to other readers along with recommending the author.

Thanks NEtGalley for letting me read and review.

The plot of this book was absolutely great. Fast paces, mind boggling and another crazy villian made this book very entertaining. Rollercoaster of a book. I didn't want to miss anything so I read the book quickly to the end. Never thought the end will be that good.

I found this a depressing book but read to the end of it and only just about managed 3 stars only. Good but just wasn’t right for me

Thank you to Netgalley

One of the issues with thrillers is that they tend to become a bit formulaic, and it’s hard to find one that breaks out of that mold.

“The Other Passenger” by JE Rowney was an exciting play on the hitchhiker trope and I had a hard time putting it down. When I got to the twist, I literally gasped out loud!

This book comes out May 31 and I highly recommend adding it to your TBR pile if you love to curl up with a good psychological thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

judged a book by its cover.

The cover is intriguing, eerie, and descriptive. The description instantly drew me in. But after that, it all fell flat.

This was just all too predictable. I knew how it would all come together within 15 minutes. The characters were too flat, and the dual perspectives frustrated me. I normally enjoy that literary style, but the switches here didn’t build up any meaningful suspense, instead it focused too much on past tense.

Loved the concept, but it missed the mark.

This story had me hooked since the beginning! I always make it my mission to try and figure out the ending before I finish the book. I kept going back and forth on who I thought was the culprit but boy was I wrong. I could not put this book down with how much anticipation I had on finding out the truth.

I was a little disappointed at the end with how abruptly it ended. It makes sense but I just wish there was a little more. It might have needed like an extra chapter or two.

Overall, a great book. The cover is amazing! It is what ultimately got my attention because of it’s vibe. It gives very much an ominous feeling throughout that keeps you on your toes.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

The past and present timeline of this book kept me guessing until the end. Some of the plot twists were really well done. The ending is not what I expected. I would recommend reading this book if you want a book to keep you guessing.

Where to start with this book? the premise: two strangers whose lives connect for mysterious reasons. I was definitely excited when I read that! And most of the book kept me interested and wanting to know more about what was going on because it was all so confusing. And here's the problem, at some point it became a little tiring and frustrating to read this dual POV and dual timeline because we kept switching from one thing to another wich affected the pace of the story.
What I liked the most were the main characters; Emma and David, because they were really fleshed out and for that reason it was very interesting to be inside their minds.
That being said, I don't think this book was all that memorable. Still, a quick read that I would recommend if you like the genre.
3.5 stars rounded to 4.
*Thanks to NetGalley uk, the publishers and the author for the ARC*

A good story which kept me guessing all the way through. An unusual story as it drip feeds you information about the two main characters all the way through. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.