The Other Passenger

A dark suspense thriller with equally dark themes, this book was engrossing for the most part. I must admit that at times the pace seemed too slow and I just wanted it to move along. There were multiple time lines to the story, but it all takes place during the holiday period between Christmas and New Year’s. The narrator is unreliable, so not everything Jamie Buckby says can be believed. After an incident in the tunnel, Jamie leaves his white collar job and becomes a barista at a local coffee shop. He changes his commute to a riverboat and enjoys the freedom to move around and the fresh air that it offers. He also makes new friends on his commute, including Kit. Jamie is married to a wealthy heiress named Clare and the two live in a mansion. Kit is married to Melia and Melia thinks she should be living in a mansion, so there is some class envy involved. When Jamie begins an affair with Melia, the tale of lust and betrayal really took off. When Kit disappears after a visible argument with Jamie, Jamie becomes a suspect of foul play. The author writes a plot that is multi-layered with many twists and subtle clues about the ending. Nevertheless, the ending was a total surprise to me. I was dismayed at the lack of morality among the characters, with bed hopping and overspending rampant. I enjoyed the story but I did not like the characters. They were a bit overdone and not totally believable. The plot itself was thought-provoking and intense at times. The intrigue was there and very well presented. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley, I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”