If you like multiple characters stories that all connect to a bigger picture this is the book for you. If you like conspiracy theories but in a not crazy way this book is for you. It started off slow, but once it gets going it was sooooooo good. 

Skimming reviews of books I just started is starting to become a habit, and made the experience of reading The Other People much better for me, because a lot of what other reviewers said helped me work out exactly what to expect (and I didn't come across a single spoiler).

The Other People was my first C. J. Tudor book, chosen because I wanted a gripping fast-paced mystery, and because the premise was more intriguing to me than The Chalk Man's (but just about; I might still read that one if opportunity strikes). The back cover left me with enough questions about the kidnapping that triggers the plot to want to read on; and a gripping, fast-paced thriller is exactly what I got.

But. There are a few buts, and that's where other readers' reviews helped manage my expectations. The book starts in such a promising way, I'd have been sorely disappointed if I'd stumbled upon its later issues without warning. So here's my advice to spare you a few eyerolls, too.

First: believe the reviewers who say the mystery is easy to figure out. You'll likely get part of the way there around halfway into the book. To me, personally, it wasn't a dealbreaker: I still felt there was a lot left to resolve, so my curiosity didn't fade.

That said, you should also believe the reviewers who say the ending feels rushed. That's The Other People's real flaw. The solution feels very convenient, and the questions it answers aren't as satisfying as the ones it leaves open. In that sense, the plot could perhaps do with more layers and more complexity, which I realise is a big ask for a story that already intertwines three points of view and a supernatural undercurrent.

So let's talk about the supernatural elements. If you come across reviews that point out they sometimes feel out of place, believe them, too. They don't drive the plot forward, and the story would work just as well without them. Luckily, they're confined within short chapters here and there. And you know what? It may well be part of why I enjoyed The Other People after all. I'm not a fan of supernatural narratives, so the fact this one is easy to skim through and discount played in my favour. If what I thought to be a crime novel had turned out to be completely focused on the inexplicable and occult, I'd be writing this in a very different mood. Your mileage may vary, so my advice is to not expect much from this book if well-built supernatural subplots are something you enjoy and look for in thrillers. 

On balance, I had a good time reading this story. Despite its stumbles, and characters I never really warmed to (with the possible exception of kindhearted, well-meaning single mum Katie), I got the pageturner I was looking for, and enough entertainment to consider reading more by C. J. Tudor in the future.