With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.

This debut novel by CB Everett could have been just another predictable locked room mystery but surprisingly, it was refreshingly unique and highly original. A plethora of interesting characters get picked off one by one, so nothing unusual there - or so you think! Different POV narrate the story with the ingenious addition of ‘the beast in the cellar’ posing the questions. This is a very clever, well written story culminating in a twist that was quite simply brilliant. A wonderful 5 star read

I still can’t decide if this was absolutely incredible or a bit of a hit and Miss.

I was so drawn in by the premise and loved how the story progressed. It was absolutely gripping and I loved it.
When the conclusion came I was at first disappointed, I thought it was perhaps a bit of a cop-put. However, the more I think about the story and on reflection how clever it was, I’m pretty impressed. Clever, intelligent and gripping.

This book gave me Agatha Christie vibes with the people and the death plotline.. I loved trying to discover 'whodunit'

The plot is well thought out and I enjoyed it immensely.

The storytelling has a richness to it and I adored the characterisation. Each one brought something to the tale and I really enjoyed the drama..

This is a high concept mystery about a group of strangers who wake up in locked rooms. It follows the And Then There Were None trope of people being picked off one by one.

It's a perplexing story that rattles towards its conclusion.

I hated that the book opened with a dream sequence but that's a personal ick of mine. I also found the characterisation a bit clumsy at times and the writing was basic in places.

The strength of the story is in the plot and the puzzle, though. On this level it does what's expected. An enjoyable read.

Wow wow wow !!
I have no words
What an incredible masterpiece
Like nothing I’ve read before.
Blew me away the ending WHAT!!!!
Can’t wait for more people to read this so they can be as surprised as me as this really was amazing
Love love love it !! A must read
A book like no other, Twists you just don’t see coming, characters so well written they feel real,
Could not put this down.

The Other People is a gripping, high-concept thriller that blends the classic intrigue of Agatha Christie with the eerie atmosphere of Shutter Island. The story revolves around a group of ten strangers who wake up in an old, locked country house, with no memory of how they got there. To escape, they must unravel the mystery of a missing girl. But as they begin their search, a killer starts picking them off one by one, leaving them in a race against time.

The tension builds as the strangers try to piece together who they are, why they’ve been brought to this house, and why someone would want to kill them. The sense of dread is palpable, especially as they discover what lurks in the cellar. With every twist, you find yourself questioning everything – no one is safe, and nothing is as it seems.

Narrated from the perspectives of each guest, the book creates a rich tapestry of suspense and intrigue, pulling you deeper into the mystery with every chapter. The cleverness of the narrative structure and the constant twists made this a truly unputdownable read. I found myself having to put my life on hold just to finish it – and I was not disappointed.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

Well, I guess this is my first 5* read for 2025.

10 people wake up in a big sprawly house, in rooms that seem pretty much like their own and with no idea of how they got there. The doors are locked, the windows are shuttered and they have 12 hours to find a missing girl.

All while they are being picked off, one by one.

Billed as 'And Then There Were None meets Shutter Island' I had a pretty good idea of what was going on and while I was correct to a point I was also way off the mark as well. There is a lot going on here and some truly heartbreaking moments (Cerys - you'll know when you get there).

This book had me hooked from day 1

Thanks to Jamie-Lee and Black Crow PR for allowing me early access to this book.