I really enjoyed Louise Candlish's last novel and was excited to read this one, but for me it just fell a little flat. It seemed to take a really long time for the story to get going, although there were some clever twists in that I didn't see coming. The last part of the book was definitely the best and without spoiling anything, I liked that the ending wasn't what you'd expect.

When Jamie’s friend doesn’t catch their morning river commute, he isn’t worried. Kit is often running late but when Jamie gets off the boat at his stop, he is shocked to be met by the police. Kit has been reported missing by his wife and the last person to see him alive, was Jamie. What happened the night they had a fight as they left the boat after a night on the town? And who is “The Other Passenger” who has reported it to the police? Jamie isn’t worried though because Kits wife will back him up…won’t she?

Louise Candlish is another of my “go to” authors and I was looking forward to The Other Passenger so thankfully it was absolutely bloody brilliant! I don’t know why but before I picked it up (and even when I looked at the cover!) I thought the other passenger was one on a train! But it’s not! It’s a river bus that acts as a alternative mode of transport on the Thames. A unique way of commuting that I’m amazed hasn’t inspired others to use it in thrillers before as it is certainly an intriguing way of introducing the characters that we meet here. There was a definite “film noir” feel to the plot here and after reading the authors acknowledgement you’ll understand which film it reminded me of and why.

What I love about this book is how Louise Candlish keeps her readers on their toe throughout her utterly compelling narrative. And that her unreliable narrator is a male character as well! A narrative based around an intriguing, toxic male friendship makes a change from the female perspective that I’m used to so I took a lot of satisfaction from that! The twists and turns were organically developed especially I thought I could see where things were heading but the shocks were never quite what I expected! There was always a little added extra worked into the storyline somehow!

The Other Passenger is a cleverly crafted book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading! It’s one of those “just one more chapter” books that will keep you awake at night unable to put it down. Very highly recommended by me!

I did not see that coming, I did not see that coming at all. I mean I should have expected complete brilliance by now by Louise Candlish, but I think this is even more brilliant than I would have anticipated.

Although I feel it did start a bit slowly it is all so so relevant, and as I think back over the course of the story, it is just so clever. I never suspected the truth of the situation at all.

And of the various commuter scenarios for London, commuting by river boat has never come to my attention before, probably because I don't live anywhere near close enough to the Thames.

At one point we a given an incident that happened on the tube the year before involving Jamie, and it was described in such detail that I felt as though I was there, I've experience some of it on a tube before, and trust me you don't want to be on the Northern Line in any sort of British Heatwave in summer it is horrific!

There was a moment where suddenly in the book that I knew I was finishing it in that sitting regardless of how much I had left, when everything was starting to come together, certain realisations were had by me the reader, and I just had to know just where it would all lead.

This is simply another masterpiece from Louise Candlish who seems to be going from strength to strength with each book. The characters and story is so plausible and I was drawn in and read most of it, in one sitting in the garden on a rare day of sun!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,

I always enjoy Louise's books and this is absolutely no exception. She is a fantastic writer and THE OTHER PASSENGER is a pacy, gripping read with, as ever, some surprises in the writing. She is so clever at constructing the set-ups and the pay off is always GREAT. This book deserves to do really well. Look forward to her next already!

I oils write this review in one word “Spectacular” The Other Passenger tips the charts for me this year. What an amazing thriller. I loved Louise’s first book and wondered if I would enjoy the second. Yes I definitely did.

Thanks for privilege of reading an arc.

I could write a long review but I want to summarize my impressions: dark, gripping and brilliant.
The author is a master storytelling and this story kept me hooked turning pages as fast as I could.
Great plot and characters, fast paced and full of twists and turns.
An excellent book, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I was really surprised by this book! Every time I thought I knew what was happening, there was another twist to get my head around! I figured one of the twists out as I had a vague suspicion early on but the way the book develops had me questioning myself all the way through. Even the ending threw a curve ball I didn't expect!

The plot development is really clever and perfectly timed giving you just enough information for what's going on before throwing in twist after twist. The writing is really good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters; well, most of them aren't particularly likeable at all so I felt quite detached from them but they fit really well with the shocking twists and truths in this book.

The ending; was very different to what I thought was going to happen, but in a good way. I liked the ending, the Epilogue especially. As I read it and finally understood the character, I had a satisfied little smirk to myself in acknowledgement of just how clever this book is!

This was a really enjoyable book that I'd highly recommend! A very solid 4 stars from me!

Thank you to NetGalley, Louise Candlish and Simon & Schuster UK for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Candlish writes a great London thriller. Her previous book Our House had a gritty urban London feel in a comfortable suburban landscape. The Other Passenger follows in the same vein with more twists and turns than your average rollercoaster. Its a book about aspirations and not being content with your lot, about thinking that you are owed more.

Life is pretty good for Jamie and Clare. She has an amazing house to the east of London. Its an up and coming area and they like the location. Since Jamie had a panic attack on the tube he finds the commute into work in the centre of town quite challenging. New friends Kit and Melia suggest commuting by riverboat and it feels like another way of life. No crush, leather seats and your charismatic neighbour as your commuting partner as you create a band of commuting friends affectionately known as the water rats. .

When Kit suddenly goes missing the police are waiting for Jamie when he gets off the boat to work. The fight that he’d had with Kit on the boat home before Christmas has made them take an interest and despite Jamie’s protests that they are great friends he seems to be the prime suspect.

Its another book with a fairly unlikeable protagonist and it may not be to everyone’s liking but if you can see past that Candlish will take you on a remarkable journey in a world where happy endings don’t really exist.

Supplied by Net Galley and Simon & Schuster UK in exchange for an honest review.

UK Publication date: Jun 25 2020. 296 pages.

Stylishly written with a lovely sense of place and a clear knowledge of London and its boroughs. However I found all of the characters difficult to warm to , so the resolution was somewhat clinical

If twisty and insidious thrillers give you a buzz then look no further than The Other Passenger! I’ve read a couple of books by Louise Candlish before so I fully expected to enthuse over this one, too.

The drama begins when Jamie Buckby is questioned by DC Parry and DC Merchison about the disappearance of Kit (Christopher) Parry. Jamie was the last person to see him, after Christmas drinks with fellow riverboat commuters that ended with a fight.

The story covers the period between Christmas and New Year, and chapters from when the two men met in January 2019 are dotted here and there. Kit, his wife Melia, Jamie and partner Clare Armstrong, all get on well and the two men commute to work daily on the Thames river boat. The story surrounding Kit’s disappearance takes the reader on an unpredictable venture of lies and fabrication as this clever plot reaches its conclusion. Narrated by Jamie, the reader will have cause to question exactly how honest a storyteller he is.

With the exquisite plotting, there were many occasions when I had no clue what might happen next. The dialogue was credible, capturing the different tones and atmospheres between the cast. The characters were all well drawn though none were easy to like. The last part of the book is superb with one shock after another.

As I have come to expect from the exceptionally talented Ms Candlish, The Other Passenger is an excellent story that held me enthralled from start to finish. Very highly recommended to fans of this author and genre.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Simon and Schuster UK via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

“A compulsive read that builds to an unimaginable climax. I couldn’t put it down!” — Shari Lapena, author of Someone We Know
I love London, I have done since I was nine. I fell in love with the West End, with walking down the Thames, with being a stones throw away from something amazing. Now, I usually manage to get in London a couple of times a month, which still makes me really happy. Like most of the world, I’m currently in lockdown — although it is easing at the moment. But, for the last 75 days, I’ve been in a small village in the countryside.
The Other Passenger is set in London and reading it during the lockdown is reminding me how much I love the city, but also of how clever Louise Candlish has been with the setting alone — it’s London, as well all know and love — but there’s no boredom or mundanity about it. The Riverboat that goes up into central London is the perfect difference that sets this book apart from others. Move over Girl On The Train, we’ve got Guy On The Riverboat. I know that sound silly — but even as a small change in this opening setting, it feels so fresh.
It’s an incredible study on character, what we as humans need to feel loved, but also commentary on money and how wealth affects us all. Our lead character Jamie suffers from life-altering claustrophobia and with a new route to work comes a whole host of other problems.
“It all happens so quickly. One day you’re living the dream, commuting to work by rivers with your charismatic young neighbour Kit in the seat beside you. The next, Kit hasn’t turned up for the boat and his wife Melia has reported him missing.
When you get off at your stop, the police are waiting. Another passenger saw you and Kit raging on the boat home last night and the police say you had a reason to want him dead. You protest. You and Kit are friends — ask Melia, she’ll vouch for you. And who exactly is the other passenger pointing the finger? What do the know about your lives?
No, whatever danger followed you home last night, you are innocent, totally innocent. Aren’t you?”
I was absolutely thrilled when Louise Candlish agreed to answer a couple of my questions for this recommendation. You can read these, here:
You write so well about not only the sentiment of home, but also the physical being of home in Our House, Those People and now with The Other Passenger. What does the location and luxury of Jamie’s home mean to you? Why is the concept of home so important?
LC: Property is about status in my books as much as security. On the surface, the lovely riverside Georgian square where Jamie and Clare live represents privilege and the dumb luck of their being the age they are (ie Gen X and able to afford property as young adults, whereas Kit and Melia, who are millennials, cannot). However, all is not as it first seems. Jamie’s name is not on the deeds, the house was actually inherited from Clare’s parents. He grows to feel diminished by this. As the author, I’m not suggesting a struggle to get on the property ladder is justification for crime, but I am saying that perhaps the issue of home ownership has become tragically divisive in our society and it really didn’t have to be this way.
I loved how the characters were created in The Other Passenger; I can see them so vividly in my mind and that made me think how well this would do in cinema, or as a gritty BBC Crime drama. I’m interested to know who’d you’d cast to play the main four characters, if budget were no option?
LC: Whoever our modern-day Barbara Stanwyck is would be the ideal choice for Melia, as she is my own Double Indemnity-style femme fatale. My favourite actor for Jamie has just agreed to read the audiobook, so I’d love him to go on to play the part on screen too! (Keep your eyes peeled for this audiobook announcement!)
Having grown up in and out of Central London, I loved the inclusion of ‘water rats’ and the Thames Riverboat Community. Can you tell me about your decision to set a large amount of the story on the boats? Did you spend a lot of time riding the riverboats up and down the Thames?
LC: I had wanted to write a thriller with a commuter theme, but it seemed crazy to use a train after the success of The Girl on the Train — I’m very careful not to copy and like to try to be surprising. I already had other strands of the book ready when I travelled one day on a Thames Clipper to the O2. It hit me that the answer was staring me in the face. I couldn’t believe there wasn’t already a thriller set on the riverbus. I think it makes it exciting for readers because the Thames is so iconic, so cinematic. We can look through the window with Jamie and Kit. When I was researching, I sailed up and down quite a bit, but not in lockdown, obviously. I walked a part of the river path a few weeks ago and the water was so smooth and empty, it was eerie.
This is an absolute must-read for any fans of Candlish’s previous work, but also anyone who has lived and loved in London. This book feels like London. I’d love to go on a walk inspired by the locations mentioned in the book; from the café, to the river taxi, up to Clare & Jamie’s house, with a view onto Kit and Melia’s flat.
If you want fast-paced, head-turning drama this book is for you — I know it sounds cliche but it really did keep me guessing up until the final page.
Out on June 25th, you can pre-order your copy here, or from your local independent bookshop.
Thanks to Jess at Simon & Schuster for my advance copy of the book, and also Louise for taking the time to have a chat with me.

I love Louise Candlish’s writing so have been looking forward to this one and it didn’t disappoint! The novel follows Jamie and his wife Claire, and a younger couple they become friends with, Kit and Melia. Claire and Jamie live in a big posh house that Claire inherited but Kit is obsessed with money and status. The novel opens with Jamie being questioned as Kit has disappeared and it seems he was the last person to see him. The timeline then goes back and forth between the present day and the year previous when the two men first met and became friends. This novel is increasingly dark and twisted and I loved that! Everyone in this book seems to be obsessed with status and where they are in relation to others which makes them so unlikeable and yet fascinating at the same time. Nothing is quite as it seems with this one, it keeps you guessing! I recommend it!

This was a serviceable thriller. It's not really my genre but I thought this sounded interesting.

Unfortunately, the characters were cardboard cutouts for the most part. Very little action happened in real time and we were told almost everything, shown nothing.

I don't think the narration actually tracks either - like if you re read it knowing everything it wouldn't make sense as a lot of the beginning was setting us up for the twist.

I did find the ending refreshing to a point.

My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jamie Buckby is heading to work after the christmas period and like every day takes the commuter riverboat down the Thames. Upon disembarkment, Jamie is pulled to the side by a couple of detectives, and is advised that his friend Kit has been reported as missing by his wife, which explains why he wasn't on the boat this morning as normal. As he is talking to the detectives, it comes to light that they had a fight on the night of said disappearance and whilst Jamie is adamant that he has nothing to do with Kit’s disappearance; he is not happy to find out that there was another passenger who saw them together. Who is this other passenger and what really happened?
This is the first book I have read by Louise Candlish and it will not be the last. I was hooked from the beginning and constantly swept away with the twists throughout eager to find out more.
I especially enjoyed the setting for the story and the layout, bringing the story to life and introducing the characters to us over the past year of their friendships and how they got to be where they are when we meet them at the beginning of the story. The characters are written well and you can see why they were drawn to each other, and it was interesting to read about them even if they made some wrong choices. The differences between the couple is well written and makes you feel for them all differently.
Overall, I loved this and I can't wait to read more from Louise. It had me gripped from the word go and I’m still thinking about the twist that came from nowhere!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another great read from Louise Candlish. Like her previous books this is a smart fast paced thriller which had me gripped from the onset. Great writing in the first person narrative and a great London backdrop, highly recommend this if you love your thrillers!
thanks netgalley!

A thriller with an unusual setting – the riverboat commute on the Thames. The plot is well-paced and keeps you engaged, wondering what is going to happen next, and there are plenty of twists and turns. It's one of those books where none of the characters are particularly likeable, and a couple are pretty two-dimensional, but even as you suspect it's all going to go horribly wrong, you follow along anyway.

With the title of the book referring to a person on a public means of transport, I picked this book with similar expectations as with The Girl on the Train, and I can say with absolute certainty that it didn't let me down on any count. If you have read my review of The Girl on the Train, you'll know how disappointed I was with it. Louise Candlish has given a very different turn to the person mentioned in the title, one I have no complains about.

The plot is well planned and confidently executed. The twists are exciting and kept me hooked throughout. It felt a bit dragged in the second half after the abduction was revealed, but the close-to-reality ending made it all worthwhile.

Thanks to the author and the publisher for the ARC.

Verdict: Recommended.

You know that thing where you are absolutely certain you know what’s going to happen in a book? And then, it all gets flipped on it’s head and you think “wow, that was clever!”. But then it takes another shocking turn and you actually have to shout “WHAT??!!”. This 100% describes my experience of reading Louise Candlish’s superb new thriller The Other Passenger.

Jamie commutes to his job in a central London coffee shop on the Thames Clipper. When Kit, one of his young and charismatic commuter friends, goes missing, Jamie finds himself under suspicion. There’s a passenger claiming they witnessed a fight between the two men on the night of his disappearance, and Kit hasn’t been seen since. Who is this passenger? What has happened to Kit? And is somebody trying to set Jamie up?

This is such a slick and entertaining thriller by an author that really knows how to write a tightly woven and gripping plot. There are certainly clues as to how it’s all going to shake out along the way (most of which I missed!) but there also plenty of red herrings, which really kept me guessing. I thought the pacing of the narrative was perfect; a steady start where little by little the tension increases, then the pace begins to pick up until I was positively racing through the last 100 pages.

A cast of pretty objectionable characters mostly motivated by wealth and greed made for slightly frustrating reading at times but this, for me, was balanced out by the excellent writing and compelling storyline. If you’re in the mood for a twisty domestic noir then I’d highly recommend you give The Other Passenger a try.

With thanks to Simon and Schuster for gifting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Well, that knocked my socks off! A brilliant book with brilliant twists you don't see coming! And if I may say so...I think James got what he deserved!

It is a story with many layers. The characters will surprise you in more ways than one. Its the type of story where you form opinions just to smack yourself in the face after a while for being taken in by some of characters.

It was the 1st book I've read by this author and I'm so happy I got the opportunity. It will definitely not be the last!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another great page-turning read from Louise Candlish! Interesting, twisty plot. I liked the setting on the Thames clippers, and thought the tensions and resentments caused by perceptions of wealth were handled really well! Will definitely send out to our subscribers.