I wanted to love this one more than I did. I was expecting a locked door murder mystery, and although that's basically what it is, it was mostly just people behaving badly. It was hard to differentiate between the characters and the then the decisions that they made while murders were happening just didn't make it feel plausible. I definitely wouldn't act that way in a situation like this. There is a twist at the end that I wasn't expecting and yeah, it was good and made things a bit more believable but overall, for most of it, it just fell flat for me!!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to honestly review.

The Other People is a gripping, high-concept thriller that keeps readers on edge from start to finish. The novel begins with a chilling premise: Ten strangers awake in an old, locked house with no recollection of how they arrived. With no way out and no idea who they can trust, they soon realize they are caught in a deadly race against time to solve the disappearance of a young woman—before a mysterious killer picks them off one by one. The tension mounts as the strangers must not only figure out the girl’s fate but also grapple with their own secrets, guilt, and suspicions.

Everett excels at creating an eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere, turning the house itself into a character with its dark rooms, winding hallways, and a foreboding cellar. Each room feels like a trap, each twist of the plot like another nail in the coffin, and as bodies start to pile up, the group’s desperation grows. The pacing is relentless, with short, sharp chapters that ratchet up the urgency, while the suspenseful narrative is constantly laced with doubt—who is the killer? What is the true purpose of this mysterious gathering?

The characters are intriguing and complex, each harboring secrets and motives that slowly surface, keeping the reader engaged in the mystery of who they really are. As the story progresses, the line between ally and enemy blurs, and trust becomes a deadly game. What’s particularly striking is the way Everett explores the characters' shifting relationships and alliances, constantly testing their morality and survival instincts under immense pressure.

Overall, The Other People is an electrifying and unpredictable thriller. With its ingenious plot, layered characters, and a tense atmosphere that never lets up, it’s a perfect read for those who enjoy psychological thrillers where the stakes are life and death—and trust is the most dangerous weapon of all. If you love a good locked-room mystery or a psychological puzzle, this book will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

1/5 stars: This is Everett's stand-alone which is a Mystery Thriller that follows a group of strangers gathered at a mysterious country house as they race against time to solve the disappearance of a young woman and stop a serial killer. Everett's writing and character work are well done. Unfortunately, this just wasn't a book for me; leading me to DNF it at 10%.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

3 stars.

Felt very disconnected from the story and the characters. Also had a hard time staying engaged but I do know this book is meant for someone.

Ten strangers who wake up in a big mansion where they are killed off one by one? Yes, please, that is my favorite trope. There is also a mysterious character known only as “the beast in the basement” and who gives a meta-analysis of what’s happening compared to such mysteries? OMG, more, more… and then… to say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. The characters behave in ways that are inconsistent, going from one extreme to the other with barely an explanation. The dialogues and the things that they fixate on make little sense considering their circumstances. This is somewhat explained in the end, but the main reveal was silly and overdone. There is a movie and a superior book with exactly the same idea. I can imagine how hard it must be to write a novel, so I hate giving it a bad review and I also know that there is a limited number of twists one can think of, but the rest of the book wasn’t that interesting to begin with. I really wanted to like this, but it wasn’t for me.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Atria Books.

Listen. I love And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. It is the perfect "picking them off one by one" story. So, I have an issue with authors trying to come back and recreate it. Unfortunately, they'll always be compared to AC. As such, The Other People fell flat.

OMG. I have so many thoughts about this book!

The level of detail about the house and the murders? Chef’s kiss. It was creepy, immersive, and had me feeling like I was right there, trapped with the characters. And The Beast in the Cellar? A total scene-stealer. That sassy, insightful commentary popping up every few chapters? Loved it. Actually meeting the Beast? Yeah… not as fun.

I genuinely had no clue how this whole kidnapping-murder-mystery-rescue mission was even possible, let alone how it would end. Every time I thought I had a grip on things—bam! Another twist. My brain is still recovering.

If you love locked-room mysteries with a touch of chaos, sharp humor, and a plot that refuses to play fair, you need to read this. Fantastic job, C.B. Everett!

too many characters, not enough development. the thriller genre is not an excuse for everyone and everything to feel 2 dimensional. this fell flat.

I had no idea what this was going in to it. It was very interesting. I enjoyed it. Thank you so much NetGalley and CB Everett.

Admittedly, I was the wrong audience for this book. I was expecting more mystery and less blood, but, I digress. A couple things I did enjoy from this book were the multiple POVs (definitely a favorite of mine) and the twist at the end! I was both right and totally wrong about what was going on. Definitely officially duped!

I’ve seen other people comparing to this to a certain *very famous* mystery author BUT I can’t compare as I’ve never read said “very famous person’s* book. 🫣

When I say every single trigger I can possibly think of was in this book, I’m not exaggerating. It was not for the faint of heart. Also not for me who much rather prefers a HEA.

I think there is a definite audience for this book and I’d be super curious to discuss it with someone who mainly reads thriller and/or horror novels.

a locked room mystery that left me wanting just a little more.

I never quite found my groove with this story. We're introduced right from the start to the characters and then a brief description about who is who by a narrator we know little about. From there, we're introduced to them. I knew right from the start where this was going because so many things only made sense with one solution. From there, I didn't find anyone likable. I struggled to differentiate characters and kept forgetting who did what and had which issues. By the end, the mystery just wasn't pushing me anymore.

But if you like locked room mystery and twists that keep you guessing until the very very end, this one just might be for you!

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.

University student Kyle Tanner wakes from a terrible dream about being buried alive, only to discover that he is in a room he doesn't recognize. The book he was reading is on the bedside table, and some of his clothes are here, but this is not his room. In fact, he doesn't even recall falling asleep.

A dinner gong sounds and Kyle descends through a large house to find nine strangers who also were surprised to wake here. Their unease deepens when a woman arrives with chilling instructions: they have twelve hours to find a missing young woman before she’s killed. The house has clues that they must unravel and a killer lurks amongst them.

A shot rings out and the mysterious woman falls dead. But hers will be only the first corpse of the night as soon Kyle and the other dinner guests are all picked off one by one. Will any of them survive this horrible game -- and will they find the missing woman?

The Other People is a gritty, high-stakes take on And Then There Were None — a comparison the author invites, given the title’s nod to Christie’s classic. Some plot elements stretch believability, and certain moments were darker than my usual taste, but the mystery kept me hooked. The characters questioned the story’s more outlandish twists as much as I did, which helped ground the narrative, and every revelation proved carefully planted.

While You Are Fatally Invited resonated more with my preferences in this genre, The Other People was a tense, atmospheric page-turner I couldn’t put down. Readers sensitive to darker themes should check content warnings, but for those who love an unsettling, locked-room thriller, this one delivers.

This is one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read, with a very ambitious plot.

The whole story felt like a fever dream - 10 people wake up to find themselves in a locked house, told that they have 24 hours to locate a missing girl and are not allowed to leave until they do. These people have never met and come from all walks of life, ranging from a retired veteran to a baby.

The pacing and atmosphere makes you lose sense of time - whether this is intentional or not, it works for the intended storyline.

However, as the storyline unfolded it became harder and harder to track what was happening. You have to suspend nearly all of your disbelief in order to buy in, and even then the plot is ludicrous. In particular, there are decisions and events that feel like they’re only revealed for shock value.

This got a 3 ⭐️ from me for pure entertainment value as it kept me engaged the entire time, but otherwise it was quite messy and too ambitious.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really liked the blurb and premise of this book, a locked room mystery. The ending was good and explained a lot, unfortunately, I spent 90% of the book being very confused by these unrelatable characters and really not understanding what was motivating these people. Ten strangers kidnapped and held in a house, told they had to find a missing girl before they could be released. They of course start getting killed off in very disturbing and unrealistic ways.

Sorry to say that even though the twist at the end explains it all it just doesn't make up for so much of the book not being enjoyable. I prefer mysteries where you can pick up on clues along the way and guess "who done it?", that didn't happen here.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A group of people find themselves locked in a house. They don't remember how they got there are what they we doing just before the woke up in the house. They gather in the dining room and find that it has been set and seats have been assigned. They're interrupted by Amanda who basically tells them what their mission is before she is murdered.

This was a interesting tale and the ending did surprise me.

Wow, this was my first book by this author and I would for sure read more. What a ride! I enjoy the suspense and the pacing throughout.

Okay, my one piece of advice with this one: GO IN BLIND!!! That’s what I did, I really enjoyed this one! 🙌

I guessed part of the twist, but not the full extent of it!!! Some parts I could have done without (I loathe insta love), but the twist towards the end is worth it, book peeps!! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and C.B. Everett for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

TW: suicide, child abuse

The Other People by C B Everett Kyle Tanner is a 22 year-old college student who wakes up in a room that looks exactly like his own, but isn’t. The first thing he sees out the window is someone dragging a body but soon he is distracted by the lightning storm and storms are one of his biggest fears. When he hears the door unlocked, he goes to explore the home,only to find a Mötley Crüe of other people. From a hard nose, business woman who wheels her sexuality like a weapon named Diane, to Sylvia, a homebody who’s not there to make friends, a pedophile named Darwin, a single mom Caris with her baby Monica, a jerk name, Ian, a stripper named Ramona, an older man named Lynn Manville, captain Jim Saint and last, but not least the beast in the seller who is our narrator. while everyone is sitting down to their favorite meal, a woman comes in and says her name is Amanda. She looks nervous and continues to look behind her, but gives them a brief summary of why they are there. She tells them they cannot get out unless they find a kidnapped woman and they have 12 hours to do it! she even shows them the footage of said woman being kidnapped and photographs of three previous women who were kidnapped, but weren’t found in time. I don’t want to say much more because this was one of the most original and then there were one type stories I have ever read. Forget everything you know or anything you’ve heard about this book when you start because everything will be surprising and also interesting to the reader. They do employ a couple of tropes, but OMG it’s done in the most original way and the ending is definitely in mind twist I did not at all see coming. if you love horror stories in a tired of the same old same old then you’ll absolutely be Gaga over this book. I absolutely was and stayed up all night reading it just to know how it ended. I was not disappointed. This is a book I definitely recommend a definite five star read! #NetGalley, #AtriaBooks, #TheBlindReviewer, #CBEverett, #TheOtherPeople,

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Readers, do not take the publisher's comparison to Agatha Christie to heart. I almost didn't continue reading after the first few pages. That should have been my first clue. It was a fast read, though, so I did finish it, but it was not at all what I expected, and the "twist" at the very end (and I mean the very end - at around 95%?) was a letdown. The story was way more gothic/horror than mystery. Too many characters, all of them awful, and I had a hard time keeping them straight. And they all seemed to accept their circumstances pretty quickly. No one freaked out about not remembering how they got there? No one seemed to want to find the missing girl immediately? Would not recommend.

This book was giving saw because strangers wake up in a place with devices attached to them. It was a bit different because they have to solve a mystery. I found this book interesting and would definitely recommend.