Book three in the DC Ffion Morgan series is here and I think this might just be the best yet! I absolutely loved the story, the action, the pace and being reunited with these characters, especially Dave the dog!

A body is found in a stray kayak leading DC Morgan to believe foul play is responsible where as DC Leo Brady is investigating a string of burglaries in an exclusive neighborhood where appearances and the postcode are everything. Two seemingly unrelated cases soon become more connected than the DCs could have imagined leading to an explosive finale!

Ugh, I really loved this book! I had high hopes from the start as I also adored the previous two books, The Last Party and A Game of Lies, and Mackintosh delivered! Through Leo and Ffion's POV we see the cases and plot unfolding before our eyes, the emotions and suspense building, reaching the thrilling climax that had me on the edge of my seat! It was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I truly cannot wait for more! And that ending, stop it right now, I'm still not over it!

Other People's Houses is out 27th February so you have juuust enough time to start the series before this hits the shelves! Thank you NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group UK and Sphere for this copy!

The 3rd book in the series and for me it was the best of them so far ! This was another great police procedural with lots of twists and red herrings that kept me guessing and intrigued until the end.. It was great how all the different crimes came together. The characters in this book had more growth, but I have to say that it was Leo and the dog Dave that allowed me to eventually like Ffion by the end of this book.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author Clare Mackintosh and Little, Brown Book Group UK | Sphere publishing for granting my wish for this ARC.

While DC Ffion Morgan investigates the suspicious death of an estate agent her boyfriend, DS Leo Brady, is trying to solve a spate of burglaries at an exclusive housing estate. Meanwhile, the rest of the country is obsessed with a podcast about an unsolved ten-year-old murder.

Other People's Houses by Clare Mackintosh is the third book in the DC Morgan series. As with most books in a series, this could easily be read as a standalone novel but I would really recommend reading the first two books in the series, The Last Party and A Game Of Lies, to gain a better understanding of the main character, Ffion Morgan, and the dynamics between her and Leo Brady.

Ffion and Leo work for different police forces and met when a murder straddled the Cheshire/Wales border. In the latest book, they are investigating completely separate crimes but you quickly begin to suspect that there may be a connection between the two.

A younger Ffion was known locally as "Wild Ffion" and maturity has done little to tame her nature, this makes her relationship with Leo rocky at the best of times. Added to the mix this time around is the stress of her house purchase falling through, a boss determined to quell her maverick nature and Leo's ex-wife who is still trying to control his life.

Each investigation on its own is enough to hook the reader but when you begin to suspect that there may be links between all three investigations you are completely gripped. As each clue is uncovered the investigations begin to spiral closer and closer towards apprehending the person responsible.

Leo's ex-wife, Allie, having a greater role in this book is what really made the story for me. Having cheated on Leo, Allie has now remarried but is still determined to control Leo's life and is extremely jealous of Ffion. Allie lives close to the exclusive housing estate that has been targeted by burglars and is desperate to ingratiate herself with the women who live in the luxury homes. The lengths that Allie is prepared to go to in order to curry favour with the women are ridiculous. However, the women look down on Allie and treat her almost as a servant. It's difficult not to sympathise with Allie, but then you remember the way in which she is making Leo suffer and all sympathy disappears.

So this third installment with Leo and Ffion was good, but I did feel like it was a little long and confusing with all of the characters. There are break ins in "The Hills" and a girl is murdered. This is tied into some fraud from the past, as well as some murders in the past. There were so many aspects it just seemed to be all over the place at times. I found myself losing interest at about 70% because it was so long. But overall, it was a good book.

The third in the DC Morgan series sees the detective and her partner Leo once again combine forces after their respective investigations interconnects. Fast paced storytelling, lots of twists and turns. The characters especially Dave the dog are well written. I look forward to the next instalment

An excellent murder mystery by the prolific Clare Mackintosh! Loved every page of this police procedural.

Other People’s Houses by Clare Mackintosh
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Publication date: 27/02/2025
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A new Clare Mackintosh book- add to TBR immediately. Without fail these are my most look forward to books and with this being the third of the DC Morgan series I was excited to see what would happen next.
DC Ffion Morgan and DS Leo Brady are working on two cases in their respective stations. Morgan attends a murder of an estate agent, away for a weekend with her colleagues. Someone obviously wanted this agent dead, but why? Meanwhile Brady is investigating a burglary, where it’s clear the perpetrator is looking for something in particular. Their cases soon collide and leave people wanting to cover their tracks, no matter the cost.
Cleverly written, leaving me guessing throughout and definitely my favourite of the trilogy. Highly anticipated. This book should definitely be added to your TBR pile.
Thank you to NetGalley, Clare Mackintosh and Little, Brown Book Group UK for this ARC in return for an honest review

A brilliant addition to the DCI Ffion Morgan series, although I can’t help but miss Clare’s grittier standalone fiction. That being said, I will always read and rave about her work.

Once again another fantastic Clare Mackintosh book! I have really been enjoying getting into crime series this past year (highly recommend Helen Fields Perfect series) and this is definitely up there with that! I genuinely couldn't piece things together and even though there was a little plot point that personally wasn't my favourite, I still really enjoyed the book overall and hope there are more to follow!

Title: Other People's Houses
Author: Clare Mackintosh
Pages: 352
Rating: 5/5


"The Hill is the kind of place everyone wants to live: luxurious, exclusive and safe. But now someone is breaking and entering these Cheshire homes one by one, and DS Leo Brady suspects the burglar is looking for something, or someone, in particular."

Clare knocked this one out the park and then some. If you enjoyed the last party then you'll enjoy this one. The story had me smiling at Ffion's dislike towards estate agents. Frustration towards Leo's ex, chuckling at Dave the dog and his flatulence. It was just an endearing, satisfying end to the trilogy. Albeit bitter sweet that it has ended. There are some small niggles with open ended questions and not following rules or protocol. (Those who have read the last party might know what I mean) I thought I'd solved it to have missed the mark in some areas. I love the plot and character progression between both ffion and Leo and I cannot wait for the book tour at booka bookshop as Clare is such an interesting person with a great background. (I'd love to read a biography on her time on the force) Other people's houses had suspense and kept me gripped to the point that this was finished in less than a day. (With 2 kids, while on holiday and entertaining them I was rather impressed with myself) I've already pre-ordered a physical copy as this is another great one.

You'll love this book if you like
- crime/suspense
- the DC ffion Morgan thriller series
- rogue officers
- strong female characters
- twisty whodunits
- satisfactory closures
- thriller series
- status, and social standing

Just brilliant. Ffion and Leo book 3. A clever mix of cold case murder and current burglaries in a swish cul-de-sac of mansions. Clare has a way of writing that let's you imagine you're right there in the action. The vacuous personalities of the neighbours, the vying police forces trying to solve the case first, secrets and lies, whilst in the background Ffion and Leo are navigating their relationship together. I loved it 5⭐️.
Other People's Houses by Clare Mackintosh. Due out 27th Feb. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this. I didn't realise it the third in a series but this didn't matter. There was enough background given to catch you up if you were like me but not too much to interfere with the series. The plot was good with a few twists. I liked the two main characters Ffion and Leo - I thought they compliment each other really well.

A really enjoyable read and I will definitely go back and read the others.

This series continues to surpass expectations with each new installment. The dynamic trio—Ffion, Leo, and the ever-entertaining Dave the dog—remains an absolute delight.

The story begins when a woman's body is discovered in a kayak on the lake, prompting Ffion to take charge of the investigation. Simultaneously, her boyfriend, Leo, is busy tackling a string of high-profile break-ins in an exclusive suburb. With a host of suspects and motives on both fronts, the stakes are high. Adding to the tension, a wildly popular true crime podcast captivates the nation, Ffion struggles to find a new home, and Leo faces complications from his ex-wife, Allie, who unexpectedly ties into his case.

There’s so much to love about this series. The stunning setting, sharp and witty banter, and laugh-out-loud moments courtesy of Dave the dog are just a few highlights. The inclusion of the Welsh language adds authenticity and charm, enriching the narrative further. The plot is clever, layered, and refreshingly unpredictable.

The ending leaves me eagerly anticipating what’s next for these characters. I sincerely hope we’ll see more of Ffion, Leo, and the rest of this brilliant ensemble soon.

I loved this 3rd Ffion installment- I think it was my favourite so far- maybe because I've got to know Ffion and also because the characters were so relatable! Who doesnt love snooping on rightmove? Who trusts estate agents? The social climbing ex of Leo ends up being on the periphery of a spate of burglaries in an exclusive postcode, and the case straddles the north wales/Cheshire border so both Leo and Ffion are involved. George, the FLO is a fantastic female character, the yin to Ffion's Yang, and is a great stabilizer. The burglaries are linked to all sorts of other shady goings on and the plot gets thicker and thicker on The Hill as the investigation progresses. I was totally immersed.
Absolutely brilliantly written, I loved every page.

A good thriller with an interesting plot which held my interest in the storyline from the beginning.

The characters were well described and I can see recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and LBBG for this ARC

In another Ffion Morgan case – a character fast becoming iconic – the body of an estate agent is found and though DC Morgan is less than enamoured of the industry of late, surely they’re not wanted dead? Across the border, DS Leo Brady, significant love interest who wants a happy life with Ffion and his son (if you avoid his ex-wife), is dealing with a series of break-ins in a luxury Cheshire community. It isn’t long before their cases collide and secrets spill out, along with some very nasty incidences. There’s something very satisfying about crime novels that involve other people’s houses, and this is no different. It’s a quality read and Ffion is crackling with energy.

Clare Mackintosh is another of my go to favourite authors & I have to read anything she has written as soon as I can!
Loved this latest one in the series & can’t wait to read more!

FROM THE COVER📖

The Hill is the kind of place everyone wants to live: luxurious, exclusive and safe. But now someone is breaking and entering these Cheshire homes one by one, and DS Leo Brady suspects the burglar is looking for something, or someone, in particular.

Over the border in Wales, DC Ffion Morgan recovers the body of an estate agent from the lake. There's no love lost between Ffion and estate agents, but who hated this one enough to want her dead - and why?

As their cases collide, Ffion and Leo discover people will pay a high price to keep their secrets behind closed doors . . .

REVIEW ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the third in the DC Ffion Morgan police procedural, taking place on the border between Wales and England. It is a great addition to the series. While it is the third it doesn't give too much away from the previous books only mere hints so could be read as a standalone or even as a first however you would be doing yourself a great injustice doing that as you would miss out the progression of the characters, the little nuances hinted at the outstanding writing and plots from the previous books.

The plot here in simple terms is DS Leo Brady is called on to investigate a series of burglaries on The Hill, a residential area of luxury homes where Cheshire’s wealthiest (and often unhappiest) live. Strangely, there seems to be a connection with the case across the border in Wales, where his lover DC Ffion Morgan is investigating the murder of an estate agent staying in a holiday let on a jolly with her workmates. As secrets from the past are uncovered, a web of corruption, lies and betrayals begins to unfold

The so called cold case is so intricately plotted and interwoven with both of the cases it makes for up all night reading, furthermore the superb dialogue adds interest and humour to this multi layered story that sees the cases collide. While this has elements of being a character lead book it is very much set among a strong procedural. Clare gets the balance just right in her writing her characters are strong and you can not help like them, both leads have progressed really well I loved catching up with them, within this story we hear a lot more about Leo and his background which made a change from hearing mainly about Ffion. There is a cast of suspects which for me are based on a format that comes from Queen Agatha Clare adds a modern take on these but there are nods to classic crime writing not only the characters but the motives, secrets and settings, very clever writing.

Told in 3rd POV mixed in blog posts the plot moves at good pace and doesn't do that stupid end of chapter cliff hanger that becomes nothing in the next, it moves well and reads without confusion. The blogs post are written well and add to the story while they are maybe not quite as good as the likes of Cara Hunters amazing multi media story telling format that make, you feel part of the police team ,they are well written and solid they no split the story or deflect from it, this is common feature present in a lot books now I feel that a few writers make it truly work but am glad to say Clare has made it more than work.

As with a lot series of book there is an element of formulaic writing and format however unlike a lot of series Clare manages to keep each book unique, the always feel fresh and in no way have that copy and paste feel.

On and all I have to say this was one of the best ARKs I read last year, it is a masterclass in how a good crime book should be written it for me has everything. The ending left me yet again patiently waiting for the next instalment

Five stars plus

This was the third instalment in the DC Ffion Morgan series and it didn’t disappoint. Having previously read and enjoyed the first two I was excited to start this.

There was a good storyline and it was told in multiple POV’s. I did find there were lots of characters in the book and I had to remember who lived with who and where which I did find to be a bit confusing at times. There were also some pod casts bits which I didn’t enjoy as much as they stopped my reading flow but I did understand why they were part of the storyline.

I liked how the crime’s interweaved together linking Ffion and Leo’s cases too. Honestly, it had me turning the pages quickly trying to prove myself right with my theories but then a twist would appear and of course I was wrong, many times.

I really enjoyed reading this instalment and I’m hoping to read more adventures with Ffion, Leo and of course Dave.

Thank you to Netgalley me the publisher for ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I've read by the author and it was only after starting it realised it is the third in a series. To this end, while it was readable as a stand alone I am guessing there are some subtleties I may be missing with regard to the main central characters judging by other reader reviews (I didn't, for example, find the protagonist Ffion Morgan to be 'loveable, unpredictable' as described by the publisher, in this particular story, but maybe I'd have done so more if I'd read the first two...?)
I don't tend to read much present tense in crime fiction: not that I deliberately avoid the style, but more just from its lack of common use, so the style used in this book, mixed alongside the social media/ blog post approach took me a little bit to settle into - I know from speaking to a number of readers this can be off putting to some: I can confirm that it is used very sparingly in this book.
Plot wise it's a small town/ small scale crime piece which takes place in a semi-exclusive community - that's not meant as a criticism, merely to point out that we're talking a couple of murders, not brutal serial killings, and murders when they happen or are described are PG - above cozy, but in no way graphic. Language is generally the same - a few swears but nothing really offensive.
Clearly, the author has a huge following - in general and looking at the other reviews, of this series in particular and I'm sure this is going to be as popular with them as the first two books that preceded it.