This was the first book I’ve read by this author, although she’s been quickly carving a name for herself as a British thriller writer to watch. And now I see why; I’ve been a little bit of a reading slump so far in 2020 but this is one of those books which is truly hard to put down. Creepy, mesmerising and intense reading.

It’s difficult to sum up this book as there is a lot going on. We meet Gabe in the prologue – stuck on the motorway, desperate to get home to his family. Suddenly he sees what he’s sure is his daughter in the van in front of him, stops to call home and check and his entire life changes.

Fast forward a few years and Gabe is a wreck of his previous self; he’s lost his family but never lost hope. He spends his days driving the motorways, trying to find his daughter and the car he’s sure he saw her inside.

“People say hate and bitterness will destroy you. They’re wrong. It’s hope. Hope will devour you from the inside like a parasite. It will leave you hanging like bait above a shark. But hope won’t kill you. It’s not that kind.”

Layers are added to Gabe’s tale with multiple points of view; there’s Katie, the waitress in a motorway service station who observes Gabe’s demise as he passes through. And we’re also introduced to Fran, whose connection is initially unclear but, guess what, she’s on the run, in a service station, with her young daughter Alice. These long stretches of motorway driving and anonymous service stations all add to a creeping sense of isolation and tension as some characters are desperate to escape, and others are just looking to be found.

These seemingly disconnected strands are all intriguing in their own right, each character has their own demons and their own motivations. But how do the all fit together, and who are the ‘other people’? The author takes her time unwinding a dazzlingly complicated thread dating back decades, and the results are explosive.

The less said about the story itself, the better. Safe to say things ramp up fast – there’s a mysterious Samaritan, a body in a car and an online community of vigilantes and some supernatural elements thrown into the mix. But at the heart of this there’s strong, troubled characters and a twisting turning, dark tale of family, grief and revenge. Things got a little weird in places – and I have to admit that I wasn’t 100% sold on the supernatural elements – but it all makes epic, compulsive, page-turning reading.

Thoroughly enjoyable read. Reminscent of Stephen King (back when he was off his face on a cocktail of drugs), there is a menacing feel to this story with layer upon layer of intrigue.
It is quite a dark and claustrophobic read with a slight nod to the supernatural. This is really the only thing not completely explained in a reasonable way by the end of the book and therefore lends the book a not quite finished feel.
Overall, a fun book with horror elements to it.

I was recommended “The Other People” by CJ Tudor by a fellow book loving friend.
To be honest I almost didn’t read it as it felt quite science fiction ish to begin with but with perseverance I carried on and enjoyed it.
I did find it had quite a few over the top coincidences that I couldn’t explain really!
A good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and to Penguin UK for providing me an ARC copy of this novel, which I freely chose to review.
I have read and reviewed the two previous novels published by this author (The Chalk Man and The Taking of Annie Thorne) and enjoyed them both, although, personally, I was bowled over by the first, and slightly less so by the second. This one, for me, falls somewhere in between. The premise behind the book is gripping, and it’s impossible not to put yourself in the shoes of the main character, Gabe, and imagine what having such an experience would feel like. The premise is quite intriguing; there are many twists and turns, and although thriller lovers might guess some aspects of the plot, the story is build up in such a way that it’s difficult to get the full picture until you’re quite close to the end. On the other hand, the supernatural element and the way the story is told might not be to everybody’s taste.
I will not go into a lot of detail about the plot, because I think the description gives a good indication of what readers might find, and I want to avoid spoilers. Some aspects of the story will seem fairly familiar to followers of the genre (and to those who also watch a lot of thriller, mystery, and action movies); the book itself mentions Hitchcock’s Strangers in a Train, and readers will think about many other films (I also thought about the Lady Vanishes, although more modern versions also exist, and similar movies where somebody goes missing and nobody believes the story of the person trying to find him or her, be it a relative, or a total stranger), but Tudor is very skilled at mixing what appear to be disparate elements and creating something new and fresh. There is also a good dose of conspiracy theory behind the story (a very interesting part of it, dark web and all, although perhaps one that is not explained in as much detail as some readers would like), and, as I have mentioned, a supernatural element as well. I enjoyed the overall story and how it was developed, although I got the sense that this is a novel best read quickly and taken at face value, as it does require a fairly large dose of suspension of disbelief, and if readers stop to analyse every little detail, they’re likely to find fault with it. The supernatural element means that people looking for a totally plausible and convincing thriller will be disappointed, but because that part of the story is not fully explained either, fans of the supernatural might feel cheated as well, although those who prefer the magical/unexplained elements of a story to remain open to interpretation, will be happy.
The story deals in a variety of subjects like grief, loss, revenge, regret, remorse, punishment, family relationships, truth and lies, love, making amends, and it questions our sense of justice. How far would we go to get justice if we lost a loved one due to somebody else’s actions? What would be the right price to pay? Can we truly forgive and forget? What about extenuating circumstances? Is an eye for an eye the only kind of justice we understand? And where does it stop? The three main characters (Gabe, Fran, and Katie) reflect upon very similar topics throughout the book, and there are many quotable and memorable fragments, although some reviewers were not too enamoured with this aspect of the novel, as they felt it detracted from the flow of the book (I enjoyed them, but sometimes the “kill your darlings” advice came to mind, and the reflections by the different characters were not always distinct enough to differentiate between them or help create an image of the characters’ personalities in the mind of the reader).
I’ve mentioned the three characters already, and they are introduced to us through their actions and the story —as we meet them in the thick of things— rather than as individuals with their distinct personalities and belief systems. We slowly learn more about them as the novel progresses, and we discover that although the story is told in the third person, mostly from the points of view of the three protagonists (but not exclusively), that does not mean we get an accurate depiction of their lives and past. While Tudor’s two previous novels where written in the first person, and both narrators were notably unreliable, I wouldn’t say the change in the point of view results in an objective account. In fact, by following the three characters —that we might suspect are linked although we don’t know how at first— we get different aspects and alternating versions of events that eventually fit together (and we also see each character through the eyes and perspective of the others). I am not sure how convincing I found any of the characters. I quite liked Katie, perhaps because I feel she’s the more consistent and well described of the three, and she tries hard to do the right thing. While I empathised with Gabe due to his situation (as most readers are likely to do), this was more at an intellectual level, rather than because of personal affinity, and for me, my sympathy decreased the more I learned about him, although I admit he is an interesting character. Fran… well, we don’t learn as much about her as about the others, and like Gabe, we discover things about her that make us question what we thought we knew (although less so than with Gabe). I did like the girl, but we only briefly get to see things from her point of view, and her reflections seem very grown up for her age, although it’s true that her circumstances are pretty unique. There is also a baddy, although we don’t learn who that is until the end (but I think a lot of readers will have their suspicions before they reach that point), a character that weighs heavily on the story despite not playing too active a role, and some pretty mysterious characters, that are not fully explained, especially one. Yes, I know I sound mysterious, but it’s truly intentional.
I’ve read some reviews complaining of the changes in point of view, saying that it’s confusing. I didn’t find it so, and as I said, I also enjoyed the character’s pseudo-philosophical reflections, although they did not always help advance the plot, but this book combines a variety of genres, and I felt the writing style suited the combination well. It is not purely action driven, and the narration is not just scene after scene pushing the plot forward, but that also helps give readers time to digest the story and to keep trying to work out how all the parts fit in. In my opinion, Tudor writes very well, and I wonder in which direction her writing will go in the future.
Just a couple of quotes from the book:
People say hate and bitterness will destroy you. They’re wrong. It’s hope. Hope will devour you from the inside like a parasite. It will leave you hanging like bait above a shark. But hope won’t kill you. It’s not that kind.
‘A fresh start.’ Fresh start. Like life was a carton of milk. When one went sour you threw it out and opened another.
Regarding the ending… Well, I’ve already mentioned that the supernatural element is not fully explained, and some readers were very annoyed by that, either because they felt it was unnecessary to the story and it detracted from the overall credibility of the plot, or because they thought that the supernatural aspect of the story should have been developed further rather than just introduced and left to readers’ imagination. There is a fair amount of telling at the end, and it did remind me of classical mysteries, where one of the characters would piece together the explanation after talking to everybody and getting all the facts, summarising the story to make sure everything was clear. The many twists mean that we get some false endings as well and there is an epilogue that finalises everything, introducing a hopeful note as well and one not as hopeful. As I have mentioned before, the ending makes sense in the context of the story, but this is not a police procedural, and I’m sure sticklers for details and those who are looking for something totally realistic might question it. Considering the many different threads weaved by the novel, I thought the ending was quite successful in bringing it all together, with the caveats mentioned.
In sum, this is a book I’d recommend to those who enjoy thrillers that combine a number of different elements, very twisty, not too focused on strict realism and consistent characters, and who don’t mind a touch of the supernatural. It is not a fast and quick thriller, but rather one that builds up at a slower pace, with detours that allow reader to reflect upon subjects pertinent to the genre. Many interesting elements, intriguing characters, and good writing. I wonder where the writer will go next, and I wouldn’t mind following her into other genres.

I’m a big C.J. Tudor fan but for me this is her best book so far! I couldn’t get enough of it and managed to read it all in one session thankfully as there was no way I was going to be able to put it down! With one of the most horrific openings that was like something out of a horror movie, I knew that this book was going to be a compelling quest for the truth but I did NOT expect the brilliant twists and turns that C.J.Tudor very cleverly crafted into her narrative.

Gabe is driving home one night when he thinks he sees his daughter in the car in front. She mouths “Daddy” and he tries to chase the car before pulling off the motorway to call home, convinces there’s a reasonable explanation. By the time he realises something is very wrong, the car has disappeared. Three years later, a haunted and tired looking Gabe lives in a caper van going up and down the motorway looking for the car he saw that night. I really felt for Gabe. His guilt as not having saved his daughter has eaten him away and he has found it impossible to let go which, lets admit to ourselves, is probably what we would also do. I would never rest if there was a possibility that a missing member of my family could still be alive out there somewhere. Unfortunately, the police aren’t interested as for them the case is closed after the body of Izzy was identified after her death. But Gabe is about to be dealt a better hand in his search when he meets someone who may know exactly what happened to Izzy that night…

What I love about C.J.Tudors books is the feeling that permeates throughout her narrative that something menacingly eerie is always about to happen. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle many a time when the rather sinister and somewhat creepy plot threw up its unexpected coincidences and I was never sure exactly who or what was controlling our characters or their lives. Towards the end there were so many shocking moments and the ending especially once again chilled me to the bone.

C.J Tudor has really hit the spot with The Other People. She has such a unique voice and writes in an easy style that lulls you into a false sense of security which them makes her plot twists even more nightmarish and terrifying. Ordinary people are thrown into very extraordinary circumstances and watching them fight their way out is both entertaining and harrowing.

Highly recommended!

This was my first book by C J Tudor and it did not disappoint. It was equal parts creepy and thrilling and I enjoyed the well thought out and original story which kept me hooked.

Gabe is looking for his daughter Izzy, taken from him three years ago, and who he is convinced is not dead, no matter what the police say. Fran and Alice are on the run, trying to escape the past. Kate works at the motorway service station that Gabe regularly visits as he continues to search. How are these people linked, and who is the pale girl in the mirror? An excellent book, which kept me gripped throughout. The plot strands are gradually teased out until they all come together to deliver a satisfying conclusion.

I have loved previous books by this author and was really excited to be approved to read and review.

It had me hooked in the first few chapters, it captured me and had me hooked. I found that the storyline was a little upsetting as I found it a little close to home but it didn't put me off wanting to keep reading.

Once I had started reading I couldn't put it down. It was a dark and compelling read that kept me in a love hate relationship throughout as I wanted to read and didn't all at the same time.

A gribbing thriller that kept me in suspense throughout and as I neared the end compelled me to read late into the night. I can't wait to see what this author releases next.

4.5 stars

Having read and enjoyed C.J. Tudor’s previous two books (The Chalk Man and The Taking of Annie Thorne), I was extremely excited to read The Other People and experience her dark, gritty narrative voice once more. Tudor’s knack for crafting engaging mysteries and suspenseful plots propels her up to the highest echelon of horror writers, keeping her readers on the edge of their seat whilst getting ready to push them off. Her plots are intricate things of dark beauty, immaculate in their construction so that once you begin the book, it is like a Rube Goldberg machine of shocks, reveals and cliff-hangers until the very final page. The Other People leans more towards thriller than horror, playing upon primal fears surrounding the dark web and child abduction to strike fear into the reader.

Tudor’s central protagonists always carry a dark secret with them, and Gabe is no different, and it is this gradual unravelling of his shadowy past contrasted against his quest to find his missing daughter that fuels the novel. Another consistent thread across her books is the use of a ‘killer hook’ to grab the reader by the throat, and the hook in this novel is tremendous, as Gabe glances up to see his own daughter in the back of a stranger’s car whilst he is travelling home on the motorway. Every parent’s worst nightmare, this gut punch in the opening chapters leaves the reader gasping for breath and following Gabe’s journey to discover who took his daughter, and why.

Set mostly on the road and in service stations, The Other People has a unique atmosphere and capitalises on that uneasy feeling of being at a motorway service area and wanting to move on to your eventual destination. Trapped in a cruel limbo, Gabe finds himself adrift from society as he travels up and down the motorways, living in these service station car parks in a desperate attempt to find clues about his daughter’s disappearance. Resonating with anyone who has ever travelled long-distance on the road, there is a distinctive isolating feel to this setting that emphasises how lonely Gabe has become.

Without wanting to give away too much of the twists and turns that make this novel so fantastic to read, Tudor makes use of the dark web as plot device. There has been a recent influx of fiction using this shadowy, unpatrolled and dangerous underbelly of the internet, and it is an area that really fascinates me. The idea of this horrific black market bubbling just beneath the surface of the internet is extremely terrifying, and Tudor taps into that fear brilliantly. It reminded me of another terrific novel I read last year (The Chain) which shared many of the same themes surrounding kidnap and the anonymity of the internet.

Less gory and more psychological than her previous novels, The Other People nevertheless maintains its that trademark Tudor grip on the reader, with cliff-hangers and reveals at the end of almost every chapter that make it difficult to put down. Intense, and with an extremely evocative atmosphere, The Other People might be C.J. Tudor’s finest novel to date and definitely the one best suited for a cinematic adaptation. The characters are brilliantly realised, and the way that the mystery unravels and impacts upon its cast of characters is genius. Given her surname I shouldn’t be surprised, but with her latest book, C.J. Tudor has well and truly ascended her throne as the Queen of modern British horror.

Gabe is late going home, it is just what happens with Gabe, he is sure he see's his wee girl in a car infront of him but he can't have because she is at home with her mum, isn't she? Three years have passed since that day, since life as he knew it changed forever. Gabe lost his wife and little girl, the police don't believe him so Gabe has been investigating/travelling the same routine/places trying to find a lead. Katie works in the service station where Gabe always goes, she has her own issues trying to make ends meet without looking into what haunts this man. And then there is Fran and Alice, on the run from whom we know not, just they are in grave danger. Add into that Alice keeps having these episodes that defy logic and Fran is struggling to keep them one step ahead from those who hunt them.

The chapters flip between the three stories, building up a picture of what all three go through and wondering what if any connection they have. We know bad things have happened but each story is being teased out chapter by chapter whilst weaving in and out of the others stories. Alice's has a touch of something spooky, with her passing out and who is the girl in the mirror?

There is a character that is helping Gabe, a friend? a mysterious figure who goes by the name The Samaritan, assisting Gabe in his quest. I so so want them to have their own book, so much so I reached out to the author. He is one of those characters who doesn't have huge parts in the book but when he does you want more.

As the book goes on it draws you in, the hairs on the back of your neck creeping up as "The Other People" become apparent and you realise just what is happening. A tense book that grabs you very quickly, drawing you in deeper and deeper desperate to find out where it is all going and how it will all end, 4/5 for me this time. I have read Tudor's previous books and look forward to her next offering.

Another gripping thriller from CJ Tudor. Loved it! So gripping, I couldn't put it down. She's one of my auto buy authors and I'll read anything she writes.
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

I received a free ecopy of this book in return for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the opportunity.

CJ Tudor is still a relatively new writer. This is only her 3rd novel but already she is building up a fandom with horror stories that are light on gore and heavy on chills. They are all set in Britain, which is great to see, and are deep enough to leave you thinking about them afterwards.

The Other People begins with Gabe on the motorway, seeing his daughter in a rusty car, in front of him. He pulls off the road and rings home to be told by the police that his wife and daughter have been murdered. He spends the next few years driving the British motorway system looking for that car. Katie is a waitress in motorway café that Gabe habitually visits. She lives a very mundane existence working to keep her family. Like Gabe, Katie also has a tragedy in her past. Fran is on the run with her daughter, Alice. Alice has a supernaturally weird form of narcolepsy.

Initially these story threads seem unconnected but gradually they weave together. I kept thinking I’d figured out where the story was headed, only for the narrative to swerve in another direction. As with Tudor’s other books my curiosity was piqued early and I blasted through the book, looking for answers.

I felt like the supernatural element could have been more developed (I like supernatural themed books) but actually it is the realism in this book that makes it chilling. I’ve driven those roads, I’ve sat in those cafés, I’ve looked into other cars and wondered about other lives. I’ve imagined unexpectedly seeing someone I know go past. This story is a step from that commonplace thought into a very dark place. It’s about people who have a moment in life when everything changes, and not for the better.

If you like dark unpredictable stories then this book is for you. As for me, I’m hoping I see lots more CJ Tudor books in the future, and maybe a few movies too.

This is the first book I’ve read by C J Tudor, and if I’d known that she could write such a disturbing, haunting thriller that would follow me around all day, I would have wished up and read her previous books!

Gabe drives up and down a motorway for three years, looking for his daughter. His supposedly dead daughter. Except on the day that she died, he saw her in the back of a car on the motorway. When he got home, it was to find out that his wife and daughter had been murdered in a botched burglary. But Gabe saw his daughter in the back of that car...

Two other stories become intertwined with Gabe’s: Katie, a woman who works in a coffee shop on the motorway, a single mother struggling to support her two children. She sees Gabe regularly and knows his story. She knows something of how he feels, because her father was murdered in another, unconnected, botched burglary nine years before. And then there’s Fran and Alice. A mother and her child, permanently on the run, knowing that if the people who are chasing them actually catch them, they will be dead. Quite how these people are connected is at first a mystery.

And then there’s the girl that Alice sees in the mirror, and the Other People...

Boy this was creepy. I LOVED how creepy it was. And there’s an underlying menace throughout the book. This is precisely my kind of book - and it’s well worth a read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for my copy of this book to read and review.

C J Tudor is building an impressive body of work. From the author of The Chalk Men and The Taking of Annie Thorne comes The Other People, a novel about a man searching for his missing daughter, convinced of a coverup on the events around the night when his wife and daughter were supposedly killed. Helped by a mysterious figure known as, amongst other names. the Samaritan, he looks for the car he last saw his daughter waving from by trawling up and down the length of motorways. But what is the secret as to why he was not at home on the evening of the attack that his wife dead? A slowburn first half sets all in place for a speeding conclusion as all becomes clear. An author to watch out for.

No preamble with this book. Takes off from the first page and keeps you hooked. It is genre crossing, chilling, dark with supernatural intrigue and an adrenaline rush in places. The Other People shows author C J Tudor continuing to carve unique territory in the literature market. There's a familiar pattern emerging with C J Tudor books in that you both know and don't know what you're getting. There's enough familiarity of style to keep that 'next book' anticipation yet enough unexpectedness in the stories to keep the anticipation fresh. Some have criticised Tudor for being derivative and there might be some truth to that but in all honesty if it's a good read then is that really a problem? To some extent all writer's are derivative anyway. If you like C J Tudor's first books you'll find a place on your shelf for this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for ARC.

On his way back from work, Gabe sees his five-year-old daughter in the back of a strange car. After trying to get hold of his wife, he is told that both she and their daughter have been murdered in their home. Gabe dedicates the rest of his life search of his daughter as he knows that he saw her in the back of that car.

This is a fantastic thriller with a very creepy supernatural element. I was hooked in right from the very start and I couldn’t help but binge read it until the early hours of the morning. Most thrillers are fairly predictable and seem to share similar plotlines, but this had me guessing all the way through.
My only gripe (and the reason it gets four stars and not five) is that I found the ending to be a little weak. It lacked the same power that the rest of the book had, so I was a little disappointed.
Nevertheless, I loved reading this book and will be trying to pick up some more by the author as I need more creepy thrillers in my life!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Gripping from the start, this atmospheric thriller is taut from the oft. It starts with a young girl on a life support machine, who we know nothing else about, but there appears to be a bad vibe about her…
Gabe is a shadow of his former self, sleeping in a campervan, traversing the M1 in the vague hope of finding who took his daughter. This after seemingly seeing her as an abductee in the back of an old car travelling ahead of him on the motorway on that fateful day. His wife and child had disappeared suddenly and Gabe is torn apart by the fact he doubted himself and did not pursue the car long enough.
Spending time in motorway services drinking coffee at night, he becomes a familiar face to Katie, a waitress. Whilst set in the UK, it does have more of a feel of an American backdrop, which was slightly disorientating.
A Samaritan leads him to a spot where the missing car with all its distinctive window stickers has been found; by a body of water, where the levels have dropped revealing the car. There is no body but some remnants left behind which give Gabe some potential tenuous leads. Katie seeing some new life in Gabe approaches him only to see the words the Other People. She knows who they are….
Slowly the story flits back in time to reveal what happened to Gabe’s wife and daughter, and the intrigue as well as tension continues to intensify. How some of the ‘Other People’ manage to show up in the right place at the right time is a bit of a reach, but if you let that go - with vivid characterisation, lots of mystery as well as a twisting plot, good suspense and a supernatural hint, it makes for a gripping page turner.

Another seriously spooky read from C.J. Tudor!

Most books fit neatly into one genre or another, with a bit of crossover, but C J Tudor manages to straddle the divide between several categories. In general, I avoid horror and books with a hint of the paranormal, but Tudor tells such a good story that I have to read her.

Gabe drives up and down the motorway, sleeping in his camper van, haunted by the abduction of his daughter three years before.

He witnessed the taking, but nobody believes him...

And where was Gabe when his family was under threat, his wife murdered...

Great storytelling, really gripping.

A man's quest to find his missing daughter although everyone else thinks she died along with her mother when she was murdered.
I felt the characters were really brought to life and I felt as if I knew every one.
Good, fast paced tale.

Another enjoyable read from C J Tudor.
Fast paced thriller with a supernatural thread also (which is not normally my thing but I quite enjoyed it)
Easy to read