Rating: ⭐⭐
Publication Date: March 25, 2025

I really wanted to love The Other People. I’m a huge fan of locked-room mysteries, and the promise of a big twist at the end had me hooked. And while I did appreciate the twist (it was the kind I would normally love), it simply couldn’t make up for the first 95% of the book.

The story begins with such high stakes—“Find this girl, or you all die”—but it quickly fizzles out. Despite the dire circumstances, the characters barely seemed to try to solve the mystery, which made the plot feel sluggish. Then there’s the structure of the book: every time something happened, the outside narrator would step in to recap the events and tell the reader what they should be thinking or questioning. This disrupted the flow of the story and became frustrating to read. The narrator’s personality was also insufferable (though the reason for this is explained in the twist). Unfortunately, that explanation didn’t retroactively make the experience enjoyable.

There were also some noticeable issues with the writing. At one point, the author used the exact same wording to describe two different characters’ reactions in separate instances, which felt repetitive and clunky. Additionally, the characters’ inner monologues all sounded the same. Without the chapter headers, I would’ve struggled to tell whose perspective I was reading.

That said, there were moments I enjoyed. The visuals in some scenes were vivid, and the character deaths were dramatic in a good way. These were the bright spots in an otherwise disappointing read.

Overall, I’m giving The Other People 2 stars. While the twist was clever and the book had some strong visuals, the repetitive writing, unengaging plot, and insufferable narration made this one a letdown for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Topline: Ten people wake up in a house with no memory of how they got there. Aside from being a mass amnesia event, they are being killed off one by one unless they can solve a murder.

What drew me to the book was that it seemed to be well-blurbed — Harlan Coben, Lee Child — but for the *other* novels of this pseudonymous author, as I realized.

This has an interesting construction, not a straightforward narrative of chronological scenes, but multiple (10! + the Beast) POVs. Some have starring first person roles; others are described by the narrator; everybody gets at least one chapter to star in, including a baby. Everyone also has an unremovable wristband, and apparently there’s a posh dinner to immediately attend upon waking. The logistics of kidnapping/roofie-ing ten gullible people and getting them to wake up simultaneously makes it all unbelievable, especially since everyone seems to be playing along like it’s an escape room experience and isn’t the slightest bit angry over the loss of freedom and memory right away. And everyone gets their favorite meal served (what a clever, resourceful cook the perpetrator must be!). Agatha Christie at least invited her willing victims to the island and they all ate the same thing. Immediately, the plot, whatever it is, becomes annoying, especially when the mysterious Goth-y Amanda shows up at dessert time with a PowerPoint presentation telling them they are trapped in a Christie-esque scenario, so prepare to be picked off one by one, unless they can rescue the fifth victim of a serial killer who has already been sexually assaulted, tortured, buried alive and will run out of air in exactly twelve hours. Amanda then exits as the first murder victim.

Here is the “cast” in order of their chapters:

Narrator — the Beast in the Cellar who tells us at least someone is lying about themselves. Plus, we know someone survived/escaped but the “girl” hasn’t been rescued yet. And the narrator devolves into tales about carnival pirates instead of sticking to the story, because — why? — are we to empathize with someone adopting the name “Beast”?
Kyle Tanner — nightmares of being buried alive and terrified of lightning storms, 22 year old student
Diana Landor — self-described cougar, has reinvented herself, Queen bee
Captain Jimmy Saint — military man, sees things in absolutes
Desmond Blaine — sleazy pedo
Ramona O’Rourke — bright and perfect Texan, Black girl
Iain Wardle-Roberts — drunkard, otherwise a dullard, woke up drunk?
Sylvia Moult — older, harridan, works in HR
Monica Herbert — baby
Cerys Herbert — single mum, frumpy
Len Melville — old bloke
Plus:
Amanda — aging Goth with the projector
Epilogue: Charles Boyd, owner of the house

OK, I’ve written enough, but should you actually read it, my compiled list might help your thoughts stay organized. Stupid, stupid, stupid. And the ending: stupider. You can read just the opening chapters and then the last few to get the whole picture and then you’ll wonder why you invested time in the middle 250 pages. 2 stars. Using a pseudonym was a good decision.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO In fact, of the last 500 e-books I’ve read, this is the first book that never mentions the color green. What a drab story we have…
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO All the plants are decaying and dead.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

4 🌟

I love a locked room mystery, I love creepy weird houses, I love disparate casts of characters who are all a little horrible, forced together by circumstance. All those boxes, checked! Also, the final twist: absolutely excellent. I saw part of it coming, but I was still surprised.

I will say the book became unexpectedly gruesome at times, but it didn't bother me too much. Overall a very enjoyable read that I finished in one day - that's how absorbed I was!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

3.5-4 stars.

I love these Agatha Christie-type locked-room mysteries. And that’s exactly what we have here on “The Other People:” 10 people wake up in a creepy countryside manor, with no idea of how they’ve arrived there or who the others are. They are then told they have 12 hours to find a young woman being held captive. And that there is no physical way out of the house. Chaos ensues.

The story is told from multiple POVs: several of the characters are given chapters to narrate, but there are four characters who could be considered “main characters” and narrate most of the chapters.

As you can imagine, I was immediately drawn into the story- who wouldn’t be with a premise like that. And there’s no slow build-up in this one either; We’re thrown right into the action from the beginning. And like any good Agatha Christie tale, the murders and mystery build up fast. It was really fun to watch play out. Things get weird, quickly, which was really fascinating to try to figure out. I don’t want to give too much away.

The characters, including a mysterious “Beast in the Cellar” are also really good, even though some of them were deplorable, if you know what I mean. The 10 main “captives,” I guess you could call them were all so different that you just felt like you had to know who was going to be next or what they were going to do next.

BUT. And there’s a huge but. I don’t know how I feel about how things played out. I don’t want to give things away, but the solution/ending will be divisive. I certainly feel mixed about it.

So, I think you need to go into this one with an open mind. The plot is great, but the ending may leave you wanting.

I liked the ending of the book. It started to drag on towards the end. Like come on, get on with the story. I’ve read a few books about people trapped in a house and start getting murdered one by one. But this ending was different and I liked it.

I don’t like multiple first person and running narrative. I find it annoying and lazy. Way too many ‘I went’, ‘I found’ and the Beast in particular was irritating to read. Like a teenagers diary that only they would find interesting. A little more editing and the writing would have been so much sharper.
I did like the story and the twist at the end was unexpected. That is what gave this book 3 stars.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

This story kept me captivated from start to finish, with multiple points of view that really added depth to the plot. It was one of those books that made me feel like I was experiencing the events firsthand. The way the different perspectives came together was really well-executed, offering fresh insights and a unique take on the situation. I couldn’t help but stay glued to the pages, desperate to find out what would happen next.
The setting was intense—being trapped with strangers made me question how I would react in the same circumstances. As the characters struggled to find common ground while trying to save someone, it made me reflect on human nature and the lengths people will go to for others. The suspense built up so well that I found myself racing to finish, unable to put the book down until I reached the end. It’s definitely a story that keeps you on your toes, full of twists and turns.

Please remove the reference to Agatha Christie in the blurb for this - it was absolutely nothing at all like And Then There Were None and I would highly recommend any fan of Agatha Christie not read this. It’s more horror than mystery. It’s set in present time and is … not written like a traditional British mystery. ‘Like I said, I don’t know if that’s what the writers originally intended, but walking through this hideous cellar right now all I can say is, if this was a novel they wouldn’t be right in the head.’

The Other People by C.B. Everett is a captivating psychological thriller that masterfully keeps you on the edge of your seat with its twists, tension, and unsettling atmosphere. The story follows Gabe, a man who becomes obsessed with the idea that someone is stalking him, and soon, his paranoia leads him down a dark and dangerous path. The narrative moves between multiple perspectives, offering readers a rich and complex view of a chilling mystery that slowly unravels with each chapter.

Everett’s writing is sharp, engaging, and immersive. The pacing is excellent, with just the right balance between moments of suspense and character development. The author skillfully builds tension, leading to moments of shocking revelations that keep you hooked. The characters, particularly Gabe, are well-developed and relatable in their flaws, and the way their motivations and fears play out adds depth to the story.

What I particularly appreciated about The Other People was the author’s ability to create a constant sense of unease. Every twist, every new piece of information, keeps you guessing about what’s real and what’s imagined, and that psychological element adds richness to the overall narrative.

That said, while the book is incredibly engaging and suspenseful, the ending felt a bit rushed and left some questions unanswered. The conclusion, while satisfying in some ways, didn’t quite have the emotional impact or resolution I had hoped for. Some readers may also find the multiple perspectives slightly confusing at times, though the overall structure is still effective.

Overall, The Other People is a strong 4-star read—thrilling, smart, and full of suspense. It’s an excellent choice for fans of psychological thrillers and mystery lovers who enjoy books that keep you guessing. Despite a few minor flaws, C.B. Everett has delivered a compelling, fast-paced novel that will certainly keep readers turning the pages. I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I really wanted to like this one. When I started the story, I was intrigued. Who doesn’t love a good murder/thriller/who dun jt type book?

I found the book extremely hard to follow, between the narration, the shifts in the story.. to be honest I had to go through the pages sometime and refresh myself on what just happened.

I really enjoyed this book. Towards the middle I just needed to know who this missing girl was. I also loved the suspense of it all. I love how it kept me guessing!

At first I was entertained and curious with all the different charactes' personalities, and the mystery plot, obviously.
I like the setting and the 'locked-room vibes' this story brings, but sadly after nearly 40% of this book going in, I started to feel bored and no longer interested in the narrative. I'm not saying it is bad or that it gets repetitive, no.
It's just that I have read many books like this before, and unfortunately this book in particular brings nothing original to the plot. Especially if you are hardcore mystery reader.
But I would recommend this book to new mystery readers out there. I believe they might benefit more from this read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was entertaining. It wasn't great, it wasn't bad. It had good and bad. I loved locked room mysteries (Knives Out type movies and Agatha Christie books). This book satisfied the itch. However, this book was filled with such unlikeable, stereotypical characters. I did not care about what happened to any of them. It kind of just felt like I was watching Clue. It was well-written and the twist was surprising. Thank you for the complimentary copy!

I love a locked room mystery and trying to piece together all the clues to uncover the truth. The Other People unfortunately lacked the spark that makes these stories so enjoyable. The twist comes at the very end of the book but by then I was frustrated and had given up a bit. I liked the parts that were narrated by the omniscient character of the beast. The book is also told from the point of view of each of the guests who have been tasked with finding and saving a girl who will die in the next 12 hours if they are unsuccessful. My biggest take away was that I could not care about the characters who were both unlikable and self-centered. For most of the book, I was just hoping the characters would do something to prioritize that poor girl. While the twist explains most of my concerns, I unfortunately was too frustrated to enjoy it. This a personal preference and I can see that the author has created a well written story that is meant to hide the truth from the reader.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This was a fascinating novel full of interesting characters brought together to a mysterious manor house under frightening circumstances. Who is responsible for spiriting them out of their homes in the dead of the night and given the nearly impossible task of rescuing a missing girl before time runs out and they are killed as well. The house itself is an enigma with locked doors. mysterious paintings and secret passage ways. Why are the library books blank? What sinister forces are at work and preying on these innocent ( or not ) people?? This is a must read for Christie fans and all mystery buffs, but I can't give away anymore of the story as you race to the shocking end.

Frightening, perplexing, gruesome and engrossing, The Other People will challenge your mind with intricate twists and keep you on edge as you unravel the mystery of both the culprit’s identity and the escape from the old, locked mansion. A devilishly conceived and skillfully executed blend of Agatha Christie and Dennis Lehane by author C.B. Everett.

Ten people find themselves trapped inside a mansion with no way out and no memory of how they arrived. They’re told that the only way to secure their freedom is to solve the mystery of a missing young woman within 12 hours. But this house harbors a killer, and one by one they are picked off in brutal yet intimately personal ways. And the closer they get to the truth, the more danger they find themselves in. Why are they here, how were they selected and who wants them dead? That’s only the beginning of the myriads of questions that pop up within this suspenseful thriller.

This book fucks with your head in a big way. From the jump you’re tasked with figuring out multiple mysteries without sufficient information while hearing the story from multiple points of view, which further muddies the waters. Then, as the slow drip of reveals are disclosed, you get some answers and even more questions, making you feel like you’re no closer to the truth than before. But in reality, you are progressing towards an outcome that will both shock you and feel inevitable at the same time.

This is anything but a cozy murder mystery. The Other People is a locked room psychological thriller with horror elements infused throughout that will have you muttering to yourself as the bodies drop and the tension ratchets up. An entertaining and terrifying read that will keep you riveted from start to finish.

C.B. Everett's "The Other People" is such a FANTASTIC book.
I will say that Clue is my all-time favorite movie ever so this book really was fantastic for me.

A locked house, 10 strangers trying to find a missing girl and a killer.

I loved the characters so much; they were so diverse and surprising.

The twist OMG, seriously this book has everything you want in a locked room mystery.

this is one of my new favorite books. you know when you read a book and it was so good and messed with your head so much that you have to take a few days before you start reading another book and truly think about how that book impacted you? yeah this is that book.


I am sad its not already out because i have been recommended it to EVERYONE. its so creepy and horror while also being so suspenseful.

I really wanted to like this book. It had some great qualities but all in all it just didn’t hold my attention. Thank you netgalley for my free review.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy. I love the premise of strangers together and a killer picking them off, one by one. It was definitely alot of POVs and I did get confused. The Beast was interesting.