I love a good locked-room mystery, but The Other People left me feeling conflicted. The plot was nothing new—your typical setup with strangers trapped in a house—but it kept me reading, mostly out of sheer curiosity (and confusion). I spent most of the book wondering what was going on and why the characters were making such terrible decisions. The final twist, though? That had *shock appeal.* I didn’t see it coming. The gasp I gused. 😆

That said, a lot of the story felt unbelievable, requiring a serious suspension of disbelief. The characters? Hated all of them. But despite my frustration, I was engaged the whole time. If you like mysteries that leave you guessing (and slightly bewildered), this one might be worth a read.



Thank you @atriabooks for the gifted copy!

Imagine waking up in a locked house with nine strangers, no idea how you got there, and a missing woman at the center of it all.
A classic whodunit suspense with suspense, lies, and a killer in the midst.
What tripped me up was all the hard to follow characters and some moments dragged, making it easy to lose momentum.
But I still had fun with this one and the locked room claustrophobic atmosphere.

”Hello, you little beast.”

This was absolutely wild.

”If you want to know about monsters and what they’re capable of, then ask me.”

Ten strangers are gathered in a creepy old house for a dinner party, where they’re tasked with finding a missing girl who is believed to be the next victim of a local serial killer. But before they can make much progress, someone in the house (or the house itself) starts picking them off one by one.

”Don’t ask me how, or why. Don’t ask me anything about this house.”

I honestly don’t even know how to describe this. I’ve never read anything like it. I can see this book being incredibly polarizing—it gets incredibly confusing and hard to follow in places, but that’s deliberate and it’s building toward a big payoff at the end that will either really work for you or really won’t.

”What do I mean by that? Why did I think that phrase? I don’t know, and a sliver of panic inserts itself between my ribs. My mind is thinking things that I don’t understand…”

I had not previously seen any of the movies that this book is compared to, so I didn’t anticipate the plot twist ahead of time. I did start to suspect something in that vicinity, because the book’s plot became so manically unhinged that it wouldn’t have made sense any other way.

”The house is alive. The house doesn’t want to let us go. Has no intention of letting us go.”

If you can stomach gory, twisted, and downright disturbing, give this one a shot. It’s absolutely unique and thought-provoking, but also deeply unsettling and not for the faint of heart.

——

A huge thank you to C.B. Everett, Atria, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A group finds themselves all confined in a house, unaware of what was going on before this moment. They learn they are all being tasked to find a missing girl, and that they are all connected in some way. They have 12 hours to produce an answer, otherwise this may be the last thing they do.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately at 17%, I have decided to DNF this one. At the point I got to, I was not able to connect with this story. Because of this, please know my rating may not accurately reflect the book. I hope it finds the right audience! Thank you again.

2.75 stars

This book took the classic And Then There Were None and spun it on its head with lots of twists towards the end.

My biggest problem? I hated the characters. Now I certainly think that you can create a story where there are unlikeable narrators/characters. And Then There Were None is a perfect example! It certainly makes it less upsetting in a book where they get picked off one by one.

With this book, the story dragged on for far too long. By the middle of the book, I found myself not caring about any of the characters or their backstories. I was just waiting for something to happen.

The treatment of Ramona was also deeply unsettling to me. She was one of the only characters that I somewhat liked, so it was quite difficult to read how some of the characters treated her.

I will say that I liked “The Beast of the Cellar’s” character initially. Their pov provided some interest and comedy as well. However, that pov soon proved boring too. There was way too much filler and not enough twists.

The biggest thing that saved this book from a lower rating was the ending. That was not a twist that I saw coming at all. I was shocked at how it all unraveled. If there was more of that throughout the book, I could see myself enjoying it a lot more.

I want to thank you Atria books and Netgalley for an early copy of this book.

Even though it was not my favorite, I could see a lot of people enjoying this book. If you are a fan of unreliable narrators, “picked off one by one,” and twisty thrillers this book might be for you!

Sadly, despite this promising my favorite trope of all time, this book did not work for me on any level. Poorly written, derivative, and distasteful

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the free digital ARC.
I first heard about "The Other People" by C.B. Everett last summer at the Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival and was given a free sample of the book. I have been anticipating it ever since and really enjoyed reading it!
"The Other People" by C.B. Everett is a thriller that is both chilling and suspenseful. It follows 10 strangers who wake up in a secluded mansion and have no memory of how they arrived or why they're there and they now have to solve the mystery of a missing woman within twelve hours in order to leave. this was a really interesting storyline and I really enjoyed it!!

I read the reviews for this before I read it, and I honestly wish I hadn’t. In fact, I urge everyone to go into this book with an open mind. It’s a great book, but I think a lot of people were just too willing to DNF based on the reviews of other people, creating a snowball effect. Either that, or it was review bombed. I seriously don’t think it deserves the hate it’s getting! You really have to go into reading this knowing that every single thing has a purpose, even though it doesn’t seem like it at first.

With that being said, I’ll get into my review, but this one is going to be hard to do without some spoilers. First, it is a multi POV book, which is CRUCIAL to the storyline. If you hate multi POV, this is not the book for you. Personally, I liked the format, and I don’t think it would have worked with just a single POV. I knew within the first two chapters exactly what was going on, so maybe that was why the things other people complained about didn’t bother me. In fact, I enjoyed watching it all play out.

The only thing I wasn’t stoked on was the Beast in the Cellar’s POV. I liked the humor don’t get me wrong. But I did feel like those chapters pulled me out of the story. Personally, I probably would have rated it higher if not for those chapters. I understand the point of them, but I think the pacing would have improved without them. Those chapters do break the fourth wall though, so do with that what you will. Some people are ok with that, some aren’t. As far as the characters, you won’t like most of them. And yes, there is a reason for that! The last, and biggest, spoiler is the issue of comps. On that, I’ll agree with other reviewers. It’s not Shutter Island meets Agatha Christie. It’s more like Split as a locked room murder mystery. I’m guessing they couldn’t use that for a comp because it gives it all away.

I love a good locked room mystery, and I really enjoyed this one. I absolutely disagree with people that it was too gory. It wasn’t. It’s a murder mystery. I thought some of the murders were tamer than I expected. But that’s just me! Overall, I think this book had far more good qualities than bad. Is it perfect? No. But it sure as hell is entertaining.

Huge thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

C.B. Everett’s "The Other People" delivers an intriguing premise that sets the stage for a tense and mysterious read.

The story’s concept—ten strangers trapped in a locked house with no memory of how they arrived—is compelling and establishes an atmosphere of suspense. The ticking clock and the looming danger of a hidden killer create some engaging moments, though the execution doesn’t always maintain the same level of intensity throughout. The characters offer varying levels of depth, with some standing out as compelling while others feel underdeveloped. The diverse viewpoints add complexity to the narrative, but not all of them feel fully realized.

The pacing is steady, but at times the momentum dips, with certain twists feeling more predictable than surprising. While the confined setting effectively heightens the sense of claustrophobia, the narrative occasionally leans too heavily on this aspect, which can make the story feel repetitive. Nevertheless, there are moments of genuine intrigue that will keep readers invested in uncovering the mystery.

Overall, "The Other People" has a creative concept and some notable strengths, but it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. It’s an enjoyable read for those who appreciate a contained mystery, even if it might leave others wanting more.

Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for the pre-release copy of The Other People. Below is my honest review.

I very much enjoyed this locked room weird-as-heck mystery, as it definitely takes inspiration from Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None - and anyone who follows my reviews know I'm a huge Christie fan.

The characters were decently fleshed out, and the setting was sufficiently intriguing.

But - and that's a huge but - I was worried as the book went along that it would end up stealing bits and pieces from the ending of a movie I loved when it came out back in 2003, Identity. Unfortunately, it wasn't just bits and pieces that ended up in the climax and denouement, but an extremely similar story - to the point that I'm left wondering if there's even the slightest chance it wasn't pulled straight from that movie.

C. B. Everett’s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 is a locked room mystery set in the middle of the night at a dark, ornately decorated manor. Ten strangers wake up in separate bedrooms and—after coming downstairs for dinner—learn they must help solve a crime within twelve hours to find a way out of the house. The premise is very interesting, however I found the characterization lacking and did not feel a connection to any of the people. Without that emotional investment, the story was sluggish for me. This may be a better read for those who enjoy straightforward murder mysteries. Thank you to Atria Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you love a book that keeps you teetering on the edge of your seat, questioning everything and everyone, The Other People is the perfect psychological thriller for you. It’s creepy, it’s chilling, and it masterfully balances mystery and suspense with just the right amount of psychological dread.

The premise is already nightmare fuel: ten strangers wake up in a decrepit old house with no memory of how they got there. Each one has a strange device strapped to their wrist, and the only way out? Solve the mystery of a missing girl—or be picked off one by one by an unknown murderer. No pressure, right?

What makes this book so gripping is how it plays with perception. Just when you think you’ve cracked the case, think again. The twist hits like a punch to the gut, turning everything on its head. The setting only adds to the unease—it’s eerie, atmospheric, and vividly described. Some of the death scenes are so cinematic and dramatic that they linger in your mind long after you turn the page.

The one thing that kept me from giving it five stars? The sheer number of POVs. We bounce between at least five or six different perspectives, and while it eventually makes sense, it took some determination to get used to. At first, I struggled to connect with all the shifting viewpoints, but once I settled in, the payoff was absolutely worth it.

Overall, The Other People is a mind-twisting, paranoia-inducing thriller that keeps you second-guessing everything. If you’re a fan of books that mess with your head and deliver shocking twists, this one is a must-read. Just be prepared—you might not trust anyone (or anything) by the time you’re done.

As someone who enjoys the Saw movies and locked room mysteries, this plot sounded great to me. While this was a different kind of story, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it.

I don’t always need to love the characters in a book, but I like having someone to root for if possible. All of these characters were pretty unlikable to me, and I also found them not that deep. No one seemed very concerned at first about the situation at hand, and some of the choices they made just had me frustrated.

I also didn’t love how the narrator would step in and go over everything that happened to guide the reader in a certain direction. It felt a little unnecessary and took me out of the story a little bit when it happened.

That said, there were things I liked about this book. The death scenes were written well and I liked the drama of it all. I did kind of see the twist at the end coming, but it was still interesting to see the repercussions after the reveal.

I just don’t think this was a book for me, but I could see other people enjoying it. I also think it being so similar to the movie Identity bothered me as well.

Well, I will say I liked the ending, and it certainly will catch most readers off guard. Beyond that, I struggled with this novel.

Ten strangers wake up in an old English estate, tasked with saving a young woman’s life, without any kind of explanation, and only a Fitbit-type watch to tell them how much time they have left to solve the mystery. The biggest problem I have with this story is that I disliked every one of the characters in the house. Every. One.

When the characters lack the depth and the ability to act in a way that feels genuine, especially in a high stakes setting like a locked room mystery, the story unravels. I realized their moral compass wouldn’t exactly point due north, because one is a killer right? But they were all terrible.

This mystery was less engaging, despite the plot having potential, and a good twist can sometimes even save a story. These characters and their behaviors irked me too much to enjoy the plot as a whole. Perhaps this was just the case of the wrong book at the wrong time for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author C.B. Everett for the advanced copy of the book. The Other People is out on March 25th. All opinions are my own.

This was an exciting locked room murder plot with 10 unsuspecting people. It’s gross, horrific, and has you questioning who the culprit is.
In some ways it made me think of Clue. If you’re an Agatha Christie fan I would recommend this book. It did not disappoint.

4 stars
Publishing date March 25, 2025

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this audio ARC copy for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Although the premise of people waking in a room with strangers and a killer picking them off one by one was intriguing, I did not find the writing engaging or well done.

If the description intrigues you, give it a read, but comparing this writer to Agatha Christie is at the very least, highly ambitious.

I love a good locked in murder mystery. Especially one like this that has commentary on the genre itself. There’s definitely surprises along the way, some of the first victims are ones you wouldn’t think would happen so quickly. At first the chapters interspersed with the beast in the cellar were intriguing & motivated me to read more to find out what/who it really was. As the body count rises & the paranoia does as well, I wasn’t really sure what was going on. This has a very “out there” ending, I can’t honestly say if I liked it or not. It’s absolutely been done before, in film (I won’t mention which one as it will completely give the ending away). It may shock some readers, it may seem a bit of a stretch to others. I may lean a tad more to the latter. No character is really likeable so it’s hard to root for anyone. And the missing girl they’re supposed to be looking for is never developed enough to feel like an actual character so the urgency doesn’t feel real. I’m sorry to say that I didn’t enjoy the book.

🗝️

Read if you like:
* Ernest Cunningham series by Benjamin Stevenson
* The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel
* And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

I enjoyed The Other People by C.B. Everett. With a premise that hooks you from the start and a narrative that joyously toys with your expectations, this novel delivers a wild ride—though it doesn’t always sustain the suspense throughout the novel.

The setup is irresistible: ten strangers wake up in a locked country house with no memory of how they got there. They’re given a chilling ultimatum—solve the mystery of a missing girl within twelve hours or die. As if that weren’t enough, a killer begins picking them off one by one, and that is when it really gets going. I liked the premise of this book and without giving too many details I believe it delivers on the suspense it builds. In the middle of the book, it does take a bit to get through, but I think you will be happy at the climax of the novel.

I am looking forward to what is next for this author!

DNF @ page 75+some skimming to see the end

As much as I usually love a fourth wall break character, the Beast in the Cellar popping up every few chapters to review had happened and make sure we were thinking what the author wanted us to be thinking was almost offensive. I promise you, the average reader has enough reading comprehension that we don't need that level of hand holding.

It was also wild that even though a woman's life was at risk and the whole group's safety depended on finding her in a set amount of time that several characters decided they were just going to go to bed. Where is the urgency?

And lastly, you can't market this as being similar to a movie with a known twist. Even if the twist wasn't exactly the same, it certainly wasn't surprising when the marketing team has already spoiled it.

Thanks Netgalley and Atria Books for providing this ARC to me!

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. The premise was interesting and why I wanted to read this book.
The character switching was distracting and not well done.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.