Jamie Buckby is just a couple years shy of 50, and he’s had to start a new career as a barista. His claustrophobia turned into a full-on panic attack on the train, complete with angry commuters, viral videos of him recorded on phones, and a Twitter hashtag of hatred, all aimed at him and his ill-timed panic. So his well paid marketing job with the long commute turned into a job at a coffeeshop closer to home. But London being London, there is still a commute.
Jamie’s partner Clare had invited a couple over for dinner, co-worker Melia and her boyfriend Kit. Kit was a commuter too, and when he heard about Jamie’s aversion to the Tube and the trains, he suggested the new ferry service that was on offer. They both buy a pass, and an instant friendship is born.
At first, life on the river is amazing. There is a bar on the boat, so on the way home, Jamie and Kit would share a drink or two, and sometimes that would run over into the pub on the way home from the ferry. Even though there’s almost 20 years between them, they find an easy friendship. They both like to drink, neither one has kids, and even though Kit hates his job in insurance and Jamie is enjoying working at the coffeeshop, they can still talk about their jobs. It’s an easy routine they’ve fallen into. Until the day that Kit doesn’t show up for the morning ferry.
And the police are waiting for Jamie as he gets off at his stop.
Kit has gone missing, and Jamie was the last one seen with him. Another passenger on the ferry saw their argument and pointed him out to the police. And now he’s a suspect in Kit’s murder. They have a witness who puts them together. And while they don’t have a body (but they’re thinking he’s in the Thames), they do have a motive for Jamie—his feelings for Melia, Kit’s partner.
As Jamie tells the story of his relationships with Kit and with Melia to the police, he wonders how much they believe. He wonders how much they can prove. And while he knows for certain that he didn’t to anything to Kit that night, he does know more than what he’s saying. But when the whole truth comes out about what’s happened, will Jamie still get to live his happy life, or will he lose it all?
The Other Passenger is the latest thriller by master storyteller Louise Candlish, and it is one amazing ride. As the story unfolds, and the deeper layers reveal themselves, you realize that almost everything you thought you knew about these characters was wrong. It all changes, and then it changes again. The bread crumbs are all there, but it takes a long time to put the puzzle together, and the reveals along the way are like fireworks, adding sudden light and sound that illuminates something you hadn’t noticed before.
I was enthralled by The Other Passenger. This story drew me in and wouldn’t let go. I thought the story unfolding so much on the ferry, using that daily commute to peek into these lives, was creative and fascinating. I loved every twist and turn, every secret and lie, every reveal and surprise. This one is so much fun, and fans of exceptional domestic thrillers should add this one to their bedside immediately. Just don’t expect to get too much sleep.
Egalleys for The Other Passenger were provided by Atria Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.
