This was so perfect, literally everything I wanted it to be. I fell in love with Ffion in the first two books in this series as well as all of the other characters, especially her dog Dave!! I was so happy with what the author did with her & Leo’s relationship in this book. I also thought the addition of his kind of crazy ex wife’s POV was really interesting. All of the characters are so well written, I get attached to all of them & now I’ve added her & George to the list of people I’m invested in hearing about in the next book. I loved the big mystery involving rich people & their secrets & I love the way she has so many moving parts that end up fitting together perfectly at the end. Watching all the different little details finally start to lock into place within the narrative is so satisfying. I’m already desperate for another book in this series & sad to know it’s not coming next but I’ll still be reading the standalone book Clare Mackintosh releases next because I can trust it’ll be great too. She’s a new favorite author!

Just when I didn't think I could love this series and these characters any more than I already did, here comes Other People's Houses!! And that is saying a LOT, as I LOVED the previous two! The characters and their relationships just get better and better! Ffion. Leo, Dave, George and yes, even Allie are all amazing well written characters, and they feel like old friends now! That is the mark of a great series to me. And I do not traditionally really get into series. My list of ones I do read is quite short. But enough about me! DC Ffion Morgan is on a case involving a dead realtor found in a kayak in Wales. Ffion's maybe boyfriend Leo, also a detective, is investigating a series of break-ins in an elite hilltop cul-de-sac. We get to learn how the two cases end up intersecting and it is quite a ride! Ffion is one of my absolute favorite book characters. She is smart, independent and hilarious! In fact, humor is a big part of this series. I laughed out loud at some of the one-liners, such as a canoe-dunnit, the six-legged cow and Dave, the flatulent dog! IFYKYK. I also loved the introduction of Allie, Leo's ex-wife, a social climber who wants desperately to fit in with the group on the Hill and fails miserably. She should probably not be a likeable character, but under Clare Mackintosh's writing, she made me feel empathy and I liked how her arc played out. It was also nice to see the friendship between Ffion and George growing. There are not too many positive female friendships in books here lately. The glossary of Welsh terms at the beginning was great, also as I find it great fun to Google all the Welsh words I don't understand anyway! I was also excited to read that there will probably be another addition to this series! Yaaaayy! I was under the impression that three would be it! So, something to look forward there. And maybe it was just me, but I felt that George's story left something that could be a big part of Book 4! But I guess we will have to wait on that, as the next book will be a standalone, but Clare Mackintosh in any form is always a good thing!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Clare Mackintosh and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication day of September 16, 2025.

Other People's Houses was a slow start of developing a layered plot. There have been multiple burglaries and some individuals injured in a wealthily neighborhood. It is unclear what the burglar is looking for as they do not seem interested in high ticket items. In parallel, a cold case is reopened of a brutal murder of a duo. As well as a realtor, shows up dead. All three of these plots intertwine in a satisfying ending.

Book 3 of the DC Morgan series and by far my favorite.

While I do still find Ffion insufferable and Leo still just kind of exists for me, I really enjoyed Other People’s Houses. The dual mystery aspect was a nice twist. I will say I loved the chapters surrounding Leo’s ex-wife, Allie. She’s awful, like I can’t stand her, but they were fun.

The ending was surprising and I can honestly say I’m looking forward to book 4!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve read Claire Mackintosh before, but I didn’t realize this book was part of a detective series. That said, it worked well as a standalone. I never felt lost or like I was missing key backstory.

The murder mystery drew me in right away, especially the investigation that unfolded in “The Hill,” an exclusive neighborhood where detectives started questioning neighbors. I appreciated how the layout of the area was introduced early on, via a map at the start of the book, to help orient the reader.

However, I found myself losing interest fairly early. The pacing felt uneven, with a lot of time spent on side stories and various neighbor interviews that slowed the plot. They were meant to add to the story, but just dragged on, in my opinion. The case itself seemed to lose urgency as the story progressed. Things picked up in the final 75 pages, but the ending felt abrupt.

I think the core story had potential, but the structure and execution didn’t fully land for me. I’ve seen many others love this book, so perhaps I would’ve connected more if I had read the earlier installments in the series and had more of a connection with the main detective.

Thanks to NetGalley and Brown Book Group UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Immediately yes right from the beginning. This book had the perfect cast of characters! It also kept me on my toes because I had no idea where it was going until it was revealed. I love her books and will continue reading them

Love Ffion!! Great character development over the three books in the series, and I loved the duel mysteries in this one.

I couldn't put this book down once I started it- read her in less than 5 hours. I couldn't predict any of what happened which is rare with thrillers. Part of me felt reality sad for Allie and the lengths that she went to just to fit in with people (this is not a spoiler- i swear)

Ahhhh Ffion and Leo. All the feels in this one and the best ending I could hope for.

I’m so very invested in these two for 3 books now and I can’t wait for Claire to continue on the story. Although too many bad things like happening in this small Welsh town!

What a great read!! Other People’s Houses is a book that you can’t put down. A psychological thriller that explores the dark secrets hidden behind closed doors.
Other People’s Houses keeps you guessing as truths unravel and suspicions mount.
Love Ffion and Leo the main characters. If you have not read any of the books in this series, you need too!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for an honest review.

Clare Mackintosh delivers another sharp, well-paced mystery in this latest installment of the DC Morgan series. The dual investigations—one a string of upscale break-ins, the other a suspicious drowning—intersect in a way that keeps the tension steady without feeling overcomplicated. Ffion Morgan remains a grounded, relatable lead with just the right amount of bite, and her chemistry with Leo felt so real to me. Their relationship isn't always perfect, but it's raw and that's what I appreciate most. And can we talk about Dave The Dog? Hilarious!

The plot doesn’t waste time, and while the twists aren’t flashy, they land exactly when they need to. And that climax had me SHOOK. Seriously, when everything came together, I was stunned.

I'm seated for the next book already.

Thanks NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved this mystery. There were some great twists in here that I did not see coming. The author did a wonderful job at tying the different storylines together. I also loved the relationship development between two of the main characters. Mackintosh writes characters so well. I needed to stay up tonight to finish this book. Definitely check it out when it’s released in September.

Other People's Houses by Clare Mackintosh
DC Morgan #3
3.8⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (rounded up to 4)
Spice: 0.4/5
Cursing: min-
Format/Source: ebook ARC from NetGalley and SourceBook
Genres/Tropes: Thriller, suspense, twisty
Settings: UK
Audience: Adult
Characters: Ffion, Leo, Elen, Lucy, Sam, Dawn, JP, Camilla, Ray, George, Luke, Allie, Emmy, Warren, Natasha, Mikaela, Alec, Cara, Peter, Stephanie, Suki, Bianca, Dennis
👍 short chapters, multi POV, twists, min- cursing, whodunit
👎 confusing at times

Description:
The Hill is the kind of place everyone wants to live: luxurious, exclusive, and safe. But now someone is breaking and entering these 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

Opinion:
Clare writes another twist-filled thriller ride of a novel that continues Leo and Ffion's story! Ffion's sarcastic humor continued to be quite entertaining. The short chapters and well-paced storyline made for a brisk read. I appreciated that there is not much cursing to pollute the storyline. The twists were unexpected and some were quite shocking. I loved trying to solve whodunit; and Mackintosh had me stumped. I did find myself confused occasionally because of the numerous characters and investigations; however, I did work it out. I got a thrill out of this third installment of the DC Morgan series the most! I was thoroughly entertained by this novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys twisty thriller novels.

#bookstagram #arcreader #booklovers  #thrillerbooks #twisty #booktok #otherpeopleshouses #claremackintosh #netgalley

***I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Another fantastic job done by Clare Mackintosh! One of my favorite authors! ‘Other People’s Houses’ was a fantastic read
And kept me on the edge of my seat! I already can’t wait until the next Mackintosh Masterpiece!

the dc morgan series NEVER misses y’all 😌👊🏼 I absolutely love the characters in this police procedural and how they’ve developed over three books!!

while this can 100% be read as a standalone, understanding the main characters’ backstories adds so much to the story!! ffion and leo are solving two different crimes at the same time in two different counties, but I just knew they were going to link up somehow- and I was so along for the ride!!

there were a TON of twists and turns in both cases as the story developed, and I loved how it kept the longish book going! I binged this 400+ page story in less than 3 hours because I just HAD to know how it was all going to be resolved!!!

while I did guess a few of the major plot twists, the final one sent me REELING 😨😨 and can we talk about how everyone’s friendships and relationships bloomed so much despite it all?

I do hope this series continues for a bit longer because ffion’s adventures are always so bingeable!!

thank you to sourcebooks landmarked for the advanced copy!

rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: hot mead

This story is layered, twisty, and wonderfully voyeuristic. It plays with that universal curiosity we all have—wondering what’s really happening in the lives of people around us. Mackintosh has a way of making even the most ordinary scenes feel charged with dread. You’ll be flipping pages late into the night, needing to know what secrets lie beneath the surface.

Her characters are sharply drawn—flawed, believable, and tangled in ways you won’t fully grasp until the final chapters. Expect sharp commentary on marriage, parenting, and the masks people wear to survive suburban life.

The plot is taut, the tension steady, and the ending? Satisfyingly dark, yet thought-provoking.

Perfect for fans of domestic suspense with emotional depth.

What a thrilling ride. Had me hooked from the beginning and did not let up. My jaw was on the floor by the end. Definitely recommend not only this book, but anything by this author.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it. I did not realize that it was the third book in a series so I will be going back and reading the first 2. That being said I do not think it effected the story line in Other People's Houses. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and I think that was the hardest part of the book. I enjoyed the POV's, one of which was extremely cringey and I ate it up. There was a strong plot, this was a good "who done it" mystery.

A page turner to say the least I loved it this was a fun fast paced read story came together well thank you

Other People’s Houses by Clare Mackintosh is one of those books that hooks you with the idea that everyone’s life looks perfect,
until you peek behind the curtains. It’s emotional, tense, and totally relatable, especially if you’ve ever wondered what really goes on in your neighbors’ lives. The story unfolds slowly but keeps you thinking, with twists that feel more personal than shocking. It’s part mystery, part deep dive into how people cope when everything falls apart.