- Format: Kindle Edition
- File Size: 1397 KB
- Print Length: 357 pages
- Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1984824996
- Publisher: Penguin (23 Jan. 2020)
- Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B07NRY6V
Synopsis
She sleeps, a pale girl in a white room . . .
Driving home one night, stuck behind a rusty old car, Gabe sees a little girl’s face appear in the rear window.
She mouths one word: ‘Daddy.’
It’s his five-year-old daughter, Izzy.
He never sees her again.
Three years later, Gabe spends his days and nights travelling up and down the motorway, searching for the car that took his daughter, refusing to give up hope, even though most people believe that Izzy is dead.
Fran and her daughter, Alice, also put in a lot of miles on the motorway. Not searching. But running. Trying to keep one step ahead of the people who want to hurt them.
Because Fran knows the truth. She knows what really happened to Gabe’s daughter. She knows who is responsible. And she knows what they will do if they ever catch up with her and Alice . . .
Review
The Other People, the third novel from C.J. Tudor, is narrated by three different characters; Gabe, Fran and Katie. Gabe believes his daughter is still alive, kidnapped by someone in a rusty car, with stickers all over the back. Distincitve, he spends days and nights driving on the M1 in the hope that he will spot the car. He now lives in his campervan, having given up his house and job to concentrate on looking for his daughter Izzy. Gabe regularly stops at the services which is where Kate works as a waitress; she recognises his sadness and loneliness. Kate is a single mother, working nights to be there for her children during the day. She knows Gabe’s story from the media coverage three years ago and from the posters Gabe put up in the service stations. Fran finds herself on the run with her daughter Alice, not trusting anyone, trying to out run those who want to hurt and her daughter. Alice suffers from terrible nightmares and has a tendency to black out. Alice understands the threat and knows what to do in an emergency, surprisingly not to call the police. There are also chapters about a young girl, looked after by nurses who is liked up to machines that keep her alive, who is she and what is her story and how does she fit into this complex and intriguing story, where nothing is as it first seems. This is one amazing rollercoaster of a book, dark, chilling and utterly thrilling.
C.J. Tudor’s writing grabs your attention and doesn’t let go until the last word on the last page. I loved the multi faceted plot line with the different characters, the twists and turns and the underlying menace had me gripped, so much so I didn’t want to put the book down until I got to the end. The loss of a loved one, how we deal with this and how we feel about justice served, does it help with the grief process are major themes in this book and as a reader it makes you think about what you would do in the situations presented; Gabe’s situation is every parents nightmare. This is a slow burner, gradually giving the reader more information, on a need to know basis, slowly building the suspense and tension as it moves towards the conclusion. This was one of the reasons I was so addicted to this book, I needed answers to the many questions this book posed and wanted to find out how it all came together. I have read the previous two books by C.J. Tudor, The Chalkman and The Taking of Annie Thorne, both of which had similar M.O, but The Ordinary People feels different, a step-up from her previous book, but yet with the familiar style of C.J. Tudor, a sense of otherness, and unease that stays with you throughout the book.
In my opinion The Other People is C.J. Tudor’s best book yet. You can feel the tension throughout, as it slowly builds as the book progresses. The underlying menace keeps you on the edge of your seat, and in my case unable to put the book down . Chilling, cleverly plotted and all consuming this is one utterly amazing read.
