The Other People is CJ Tudor's gripping 2020 novel about a man and his missing child. Stuck in traffic, Gabe catches eye of a rusty car driving by with his daughter in the back who mouthes one word - 'Daddy.' Moments later Gabe receives a call demanding he return home, something horrendous has happened to his family. Years later, Gabe travels the road in search of his daughter certain what and more importantly, who he saw was Izzy.
Fran and her daughter, Alice, live similarly to Gabe, on the road but they aren't searching, they're hiding. The one thing that connects them - The Other People. Other people who are eager to help, for a price of course.
| Why The Other People Is A Hit or Miss
Compared to CJ Tudor's other works, The Other People lacks the same intensity. I classify this novel as a predictable beach read, a novel that you would find at a rental, read, and go "eh, not bad," and then forget about completely.
This novel is worth your time if you are searching for a light read with a splash of paranormal. If you enjoy CJ Tudor's writing, then this novel is worth a read.
This novel is not worth your time if this will be your first exposure to CJ Tudor's writing as again, she has written more compelling novels like The Hiding Place (I highly recommend that) or The Chalk Man. Pick those over The Other People. If you are searching for something suspenseful, skip this novel as much of it can be predicted.
This novel is a hit or miss. I say hit because others rate this highly and it is important to note that other people (haha, get it?) enjoyed The Other People and you may too. I say miss because of its predictability and pick up one of her other works instead.
| Plot Progression
Eh, kind of boring. Apart from moments with the Samaritan, The Other People's plot was easy to unravel. I feel that I am harping on the predictability of this novel but a mystery novel to me is not enticing if I can guess the mystery. As a reader, you should know that you may be able to guess the plot line and determine if this novel is still worth a read.
I expected more and you may too.
| Characters
| Ending
Main Genre | Mystery
Year Published | 2020
Rating | 5 / 10
Worth Your Time? Hit or Miss.
| My Thoughts
WARNING: Skip My Thoughts for a spoiler free review.
I am disappointed. I have read CJ Tudor's other works and immensely enjoyed them which combined with praise for the novel made me anticipate something good. The Other People was just average. It had a sprinkle of paranormal and a whole lot of WTF in a bad way.
It was all too convenient. Gabe finding Izzy, how Izzy and Isabella were connected, how Katie and Greg and Fran were linked, and on and on. It lead to the story lacking punch and I expected punch. Also, when Gabe and Izzy were reunited, there was no power? For a parent and child separated for years, I expected more intensity and emotion and was not given it.
The Other People is an easy read perfect for the plane or beach. It is an okay read and I am not upset I read it but it is not one I recommend reading.
| Your Thoughts
Did you decide that The Other People is worth a read? If so, let me know what you thought of the novel below! And check out My Thoughts once finished for guess what, my thoughts on this literary adventure!
Are you still looking for something else? Check out these mystery novels instead!
Was this worth an hour of your time? Because it was juuusstt barely worth an hour of mine.
Disclaimer (yippie!): Aster's Book Hour is an Amazon Associate. It earns a small commission from qualifying purchases attached to the Amazon affiliate link above.