DNF @ page 75+some skimming to see the end

As much as I usually love a fourth wall break character, the Beast in the Cellar popping up every few chapters to review had happened and make sure we were thinking what the author wanted us to be thinking was almost offensive. I promise you, the average reader has enough reading comprehension that we don't need that level of hand holding.

It was also wild that even though a woman's life was at risk and the whole group's safety depended on finding her in a set amount of time that several characters decided they were just going to go to bed. Where is the urgency?

And lastly, you can't market this as being similar to a movie with a known twist. Even if the twist wasn't exactly the same, it certainly wasn't surprising when the marketing team has already spoiled it.

Thanks Netgalley and Atria Books for providing this ARC to me!

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. The premise was interesting and why I wanted to read this book.
The character switching was distracting and not well done.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

Ten total strangers, trapped in a gothic old house with just 12 hours to find a missing girl. Oh, and did I mention one by one a silent predator is eliminating them?
You'll encounter ten distinct characters. Some are instantly off-putting, others are likable, and a select few radiate an air of mistrust. The narrative is expertly woven from multiple perspectives, each character's unique voice shining through, ensuring you never lose track of who's unraveling their piece of the tale.
This is definitely a page-turner. Each page turn revealing a new surprise, a new twist. Although, interruptions(?) from the 'Beast in the Cellar' occasionally disrupt the rhythm of the story for me.
Now, I’d love to spill the beans, but spoilers are a no-no! This book is compared to 3 iconic murder mystery works but having not read/seen any of them, I had no idea what to expect. Let’s just say, I had my suspicions about the killer around 80% in, and I had inklings about where the plot was headed early on, but the ending, oh the ending, I was not prepared for. I did enjoy the book, and the conclusion made all the little quirks I didn’t like suddenly make sense. A second read would provided an entirely new perspective on the story.

Thank you to Atria Books for offering this book for review via NetGalley. All thoughts expressed are my own. There was no obligation for a review in exchange for an advance copy, and no commitment to provide one.

This just wasn't for me. First off this is more of a thriller/horror than mystery/thriller. While the locked room mansion does harken to a Christie novel, there were many gruesome moments that leaned toward "horror" instead of "whodunnit".

That said, the premise was incredibly intriguing and I had to continue to read and find out what happened. I will say the sacrilege was disturbing, forced and so very distracting. I understand a writer bringing in experiences to share but personally for me this was too far and didn't add to the story at all.

The end does indeed have a big twist but to me it wasn't satisfying. Again, I think if this was marketed towards more the horror genre than mystery alone, it could have found its correct audience.

Ugh. The writing is not good. There's no flow. I had a hard time connecting with the story. This book was not good and not for me.

Agatha Christie comparison? Not even remotely similar. This was the quickest DNF I have ever experienced. The locked room premise and synopsis sounded like my wheelhouse but wow, was I wrong. Seldom do I actually dislike a book this much. This is akin to horror, not a mystery in the traditional sense, and the sacrilege is truly disturbing. Not a book for me, unfortunately.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I tried but just could not get into this book. The constant character switching and different writing style for each was distracting and not well done. The premise was interesting and I was excited but barely got into it before I lost interest. Definitely not at all like Shutter Island or Agatha Christie. Disappointing. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one though.

I couldn’t get as into this one as some of the others. Im still glad I read it! A nice locked room mystery with Agatha Christie vibes!

This may honestly be in the ten worst books I’ve ever read. It’s a giant trope fest with a plot literally lifted from a crappy B movie (not Shutter Island, which is actually good). The writing is juvenile - are we supposed to enjoy reading what’s essentially like reading a 13 year old boy rambling nonsensically?

This was terrible. Sorry but that’s the honest truth. I can’t think of many books I’ve disliked this much. Also please stop with the bullshit portrayals of mental health. It’s extremely damaging.

Locked room mysteries are my jam and this one definitely hit the mark. I was hooked from the start and could not and did not want to stop until the end. Between the short chapters, multiple POVs, and cliff hangers I flew through this book. Yes there are a handful of characters in the book but you gradually get introduced to them and their POV, which I enjoyed. I was guessing the whole time on who the killer was and that final twist at the end had me surprised. I really enjoyed how it ended and found it creative and I honestly haven’t read something like it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this locked room thriller and would recommend it to anyone who likes And Then There Were None vibes!

I wish I could say I enjoyed this book, but the multiple POVs made it hard to keep up with, and the character development and plot were underwhelming.

The other people is an intense, gripping, and psychological mystery thriller that will keep you on your toes. There are many characters and many twists to keep you guessing and running through this book to get to the end. Addictive and pulse racing book I recommend to all!

I liked it but didn’t love it. I did find myself a bit bored at times because a locked room mystery is really hard to pull off these days (IMO) and done quite a bit.
The premise was good, the execution was ok but lock room mystery fabs will probably love this.

Really good concept but I'm not sure it fully nailed the execution. Parts we really good but overall I think this bit off a little more than it could chew.

This was not really what I was expecting. First, it was very difficult to keep track of who was who. It also felt like there was a lot unnecessary stuff in there. It was really difficult to finish and stay engaged with this.

Book: The Other People
Author: C.B. Everett
Pub Date: March 25, 2025

This book fell flat for me. There were several characters with several POV's and nothing for me was tied together. Events in the house were confusing and I never really cared about any of the characters. I could just never get into the storyline. Thank you to NetGalley for this sneak peek!

In The Other People, C.B. Everett delivers a gripping thriller that masterfully blends classic mystery elements with modern psychological tension. The narrative begins with ten strangers awakening in a locked, antiquated house, each with no memory of how they arrived. Their predicament intensifies as they discover that to escape, they must solve the disappearance of a young woman, all while a killer lurks among them, systematically reducing their numbers.

Drawing inspiration from Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, Everett crafts a story that pays homage to traditional "locked-room" mysteries while introducing fresh twists that keep readers on edge. The confined setting of the old house amplifies the suspense, creating an atmosphere thick with paranoia and distrust.

Each character is meticulously developed, their backstories and motivations gradually unveiled, adding depth to the unfolding drama. As alliances form and fracture, the tension escalates, leading to a series of revelations that challenge both the characters' and readers' perceptions.

Everett's prose is both sharp and evocative, painting vivid scenes that immerse readers in the eerie ambiance of the house. The pacing is expertly managed, with each chapter peeling back another layer of the intricate plot, culminating in a climax that is both unexpected and satisfying.

The Other People is a testament to Everett's skill in revitalizing classic mystery tropes, offering a narrative that is as intellectually stimulating as it is thrilling. This novel is a must-read for enthusiasts of psychological thrillers and fans of intricately plotted mysteries that challenge the mind and quicken the pulse.

Agatha Christie meets the House of Usher in C.B. Everett’s The Other People. This book reads so fast, I hated to put it down.
A British college student wakes up in a tight space with a thunderstorm going on. He’ s in a strange house with nine other people, ripped from their private lives. An ex-cop, an exotic dancer, a bitchy businesswoman, a whiny older woman, an Army captain, a mom and her baby, a thief and a pedophile are at the dinner table with deadly instructions. Find a missing girl within twelve hours or die trying.
Everett visits the minds of the ten victims as they try to outthink their way past bloody consequences. Who’s the mysterious owner of the house? Why do the paintings keep changing? And where is the kidnapped girl?
The finale will shock and surprise. The Other People breaks the boundaries of the closed house mystery with psychological symbolisms and bloodied ids. Enter if you dare for a short, deadly and very satisfying whodunnit in an out of bounds house populated by fools.

I was really looking forward to Evertt's book The Other People because it was a locked room mystery like Agatha Christie's. I did not initially connect to any of the characters and the events in the house were plain confusing at times. However, in the end, it did tie the book up. But overall, I don't think this one was for me.

This is one of those books that is hard to review without spoilers, a lot of spoilers. It is a riff on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (the third title for this book as the first two were racist), but if Christie had written The Other People her coauthor would have been Stephen King. Well into the book I really didn’t like it. Either liked or hated the characters. Didn’t get why the author didn’t use the narrative device of time running out to motivate more strongly. I found the Beast in the Cellar to be at turns insipid and condescending to the reader. Hated when the Black lesbian pole dancer was offed. But I stuck it out and literally the whole thing comes together in the last few pages of the book, brilliantly.