Literally Dead Book Club discussion
The Other People by CJ Tudor
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check in | chapter 1- 14
Samantha wrote: "I can't decide if we're jumping around a timeline or if it's all linear yet. Really getting sucked into this story! The short chapters are keeping me interested and there's not one storyline yet th..."Oh! I didn't even consider a nonlinear timeline yet... What if Fran eventually ends up driving/stealing the car with the bumper stickers? Then we can see what happens to Izzy, but I don't think Fran is the culprit at this point.
I'm enjoying it so far but i'm not loving it? I really appreciate the chapters are short and it's everything intriguing but i'm also not understanding everything? hahaha.There are a few chapters narrated by a woman and i'm tryig to make sense of it...
I'm really enjoying this so far! I really like that the chapters are short and I feel like I can fly through this book in no time. I have no idea what's going on with Alice and her mirror pebbles, I hope to get some answers about that soon. And the theory that Alice is actually Izzy intrigues me, so now I'll be looking out for clues to see if that might be what's happening. I'm excited to see everyone's story lines start to intertwine!
I'm enjoying this so far! My big question is whether the girl in the mirror is speculative or the mirror parts are just in Alice's head? Gabe keeps alluding to being a bad person and we know Fran is running from someone - could these things be connected (like is Fran running from someone who is connected to the bad things Gabe has done?)
A couple predictions: Katie and Lou's dad was killed by a drunk driver, because of how Katie responded to learning that Lou's boyfriend drove home after drinking. Also, Katie and Gabe get together. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking haha.
I am really enjoying the story. I have a very creepy vibe when I read more and more. This is my first book I have read from C. J. Tudor and I really like how it is a fast read because I just want to know more! So I think that Alice can see Izzy in the mirrors. Like Alice only remembers Izzy in a certain way so it is effecting her like PTSD or something. I definitely hope there will be supernatural elements to this later on. I also think that the guy in the trunk of the car Gabe has been looking for is Katie and Lous' Father. I am really excited to keep on reading.
I like that there are short chapters. I think that with the different view point that it allows for the story to move at a smoother pace then it would with larger chapters. I also like that there are a lot of questions in the beginning so that I'm not already figuring everything out and just waiting for it to end. I love when author are sneaky and making you question everything or just about everything. Can't wait to see what happens next!
I am totally hooked on this one! I felt so-so about The Chalk Man but ultimately liked the writing, I cannot put my kindle down though. I have a lot of questions but I think my most burning one is WHO IS THE SAMARITAN?!
I also can’t wait to see where Katie’s storyline goes. How does she know what The Other People means? Who murdered their father? Why hasn’t she talked to her sister in so long?
I’m interested but a little distrustful of Gabe’s situation.
Loving the short chapters and mini cliffhangers at the end of each one, I haven’t been this engaged in a book in awhile (:
FINALLY I'm reading it. I had to finishing listening to another book before i could listen to it. I love the narrators so far
This is my first C.J. Tudor (and my first book club I've ever participated in!) and I'm hooked. It piqued my interest with Stephen King's blurb, "If you like my stuff, you'll like this."It definitely reminds me of a Stephen King. It has spookiness and suspense without sudden twists and turns. They are all carefully and eloquently whipped out.
So far, there are definitely parts that have me scratching my head - but in a good way. In particular, the way that C.J. Tudor made it known that Alice wasn't Fran's biological mother. My theory is that Alice could be Izzy, but that would be too obvious. Otherwise, I'm not really sure what to think at this point. And I'm enjoying not having an idea of the course of action.
Loving it so far! Knew I would as have loved C J Tudors other works. I love how we are getting all the perspectives and we get tot put it all together just as he does!
Latanya (Crafty Scribbles) wrote: "Okay. I'm on chapter 45, but I'll backtrack for the board.This story's crazy good. I'm happy for the short chapters as it keeps the story fast and delirious. I can't tell what will happen next be..."
I also LOVE short chapters!
Okay so I just finished Chapter 14 and these are my theories as of now:For Fran and Alice - I think either, Alice is Izzy (but that might be too easy) and Fran somehow saved her from the kidnapper (the dead guy in the trunk?) and killed him and is now trying to protect her from "The Other People" (who the dead guy is involved with?). Or more likely, Izzy is the girl in the coma and is somehow connecting to Alice (via both of them having psychic abilities?).
For Katie - I think her dad was involved with the Other People and that's why he got killed and/or who killed him, and also why she knows about them.
For Gabe - I honestly don't think he's an unreliable narrator. I think we're supposed to question if he is, but I don't think he actually is one. The only piece of the puzzle I don't really have a place for is The Samaritan. I can't decide if I think he's just some random shady guy that Gabe found who's wiling to help, or if he's actually connected to the bigger picture. Either way I'm inclined to think he knows more about the whole thing than he's letting on.
omg im so confused but I love it! who is Alice's actual mom? why does the thing with the mirror happen and where does she go? who is the samaritan and where did he come from? Did gabe's daughter izzy get get identified or is the father a liar??? so many unanswered questions I'm on the edge of my seat!! and with such a short book I feel like the reveals are gonna slap me in the face!
I read The Chalk Man and liked it, but this book feels totally different.I’m leaning towards this one having a speculative element (the mirrors) but I feel like Tudor is going to pull the rug out from under us.
I am most intrigued by Katie’s point of view. She seemed like an innocent bystander but the more the story goes on the more I think she plays a huge part.
On to the next chapters, I’m sure I’m finishing this today.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING BUT I LOVE IT
Not going to lie, I have NO IDEA what is going on lol
I’m really intrigued so far. It’s keeping my attention so that’s a plus. I’ve read so many thrillers over the years I’m a little jaded to be honest
I’m a little late starting this but whew what a beginning! This is also my first C.J. Tudor, and I just wanna say that she really knows how to keep you turning pages. I have so many questions. I wonder if ‘The Other People’ is gonna be some kind of cult or something? I’m suspecting that Lizzy is Alice but I’m not 100% confident in that suspicion. Also, with Alice’s narcolepsy, she says she brings back a pebble from where she goes when shes sleeping—so its got me thinking maybe theres a supernatural element to this. I haven’t been this deeply intrigued by a thriller in a while, I’m loving it.
I was worried I wouldn't enjoy this story because I didn't care for Chalk Man and murder mysteries with a supernatural element are not my cup of tea. So far the dad, Gabe isn't really interesting me, more so making me feel bad for him. Katie is more interesting to follow because I want to know how she is involved, and Fran and Alice. I don't know about the sleeping and the pebble and this world they are supposedly going to in sleep. It is just okay, maybe not for me but I will keep reading.
So, this is the first thriller I read, and I'm loving it so far. The first thing I noticed and liked was the humor, self deprecating, bleak, but still funny in a depressing kind of way.I did my share of very long car trips, and the way he describes gas stations and the people watching resonates with me. I liked the detail about him being panicked about leaving the M1.
I like the obsessive nature of all the characters, the way Fran memorizes all the cars in the neighborhood, nice touch. I, too, think that Alice could be Izzy. But while I find the fear of mirrors very fascinating, the pebbles and the sandman are a little meh.
I love the Samaritan and would like to know more about him. At the same time I wonder, like some of you, what is that part about Karma means? Did Gabe do something? Like, murder someone?
And last but nor least, fuck Craig! (if you don't remember, he's Katie's cheating ex husband.)
So good, I am so confused but in the best way. I can't stop reading this book, I have to find out what is going on. CJ Tudor is getting added to my must read author's list!
Ok, so far, I'm liking it. I do like the writing style with the short chapters and multiple perspectives to give me a layered story... I'm getting Stranger Things vibes from the machines and the coma girl...What I'm about to say is a THEORY. I have not looked up any spoilers for the book not have I even read the dust jacket. I'm wondering if we have an "Us" vibe going on...
The OTHER People is because there are parallel universes or other sides. Alice and the mirror is some type of connection? Maybe Izzy is dead and Alice is the parallel version of her or something? Is The Samaritan a parallel version of Gabe? Haven't thought through this theory too much. I just want to keep reading. About to dive back in...
I really hope Alice isn't Izzy, I feel like that would be too easy and expected. I do think Alice and the girl in the coma is are connected in some way.I'm enjoying Katie's storytime the most so far. I also quite enjoy Gabe's storyline. I don't really like like the Fran and Alice storyline so far, I'm not a fan of the whole girl in the mirror thing, and I'm hoping this won't turn out to be supernatural, cause that would feel a little bit out of place in this story for me.
A very quick read so far but I'm enjoying it.The first Fran chapter led me to believe that Alice is Izzy since she's the right age so didn't shock me that Fran wasn't her mother. Having read on a bit it's obviously too easy a twist. Definitely think Jenny is dead and Izzy is "just" missing going from how Gabe talks about each of them - the grandparents just held funerals for both to ease their grief.
Biggest mysteries to me at the moment:
1) the mirrors and the narcolepsy and how it's linked to the girl in a coma. It seems very speculative and fun - I'm intrigued to see where it goes!
2) this "The Other People" - I have no clue where it could be going but maybe some kind of group/organisation something or other that preys on people who have recently lost someone?
Like I said, NO CLUE where this is going but I'm enjoying it!! I hope I enjoy it through the end as well, The Chalk Man fell a bit flat for me.
Molly wrote: "The OTHER People is because there are parallel universes or other sides. Alice and the mirror is some type of connection? Maybe Izzy is dead and Alice is the parallel version of her or something? Is The Samaritan a parallel version of Gabe? Haven't thought through this theory too much."LOVE this theory!
So I'm now wondering if Fran is the older sister Katie mentioned...
I am really intrigued so far and super interested to know more about the mirror stuff! The writing is fantastic in my opinion. I’m glad this was chosen as the book club pick!
Laura wrote: "So I'm now wondering if Fran is the older sister Katie mentioned..."You might be on to something!
I am clearly in a vast minority because, sadly, I'm not loving this book. the pace is good and the plot is fine but I have some issues with writing choices and character development. I'm marking them in my book now so that I can find the spots that break my immersion into the story. I won't be a Debbie Downer and blab the things that are bugging me. I agree with several theories and I will keep reading. I just really hope Gabe and Katie don't turn into a romance and that the writing gets a bit stronger in the upcoming chapters.
i just finished chapter 14 and i’m liking it. i really hope alive and izzy aren’t the same person but i think it’s too easy. it seems like whoever took jenny and izzy also killed katie’s father. i wonder what the beach connection is?
This book has sucked me since the first chapter! I see a lot of people comparing it to The Chalk Man and that just gave me even more reason to pick that up and read it soon.I hope Alice and Izzy are not the same person. To me, it would seem as easy, lazy writing. I want something a bit more complex. Alice and Fran's story has me scratching my head because I want to know who they're running from so bad.
I try to go into thrillers without knowing too much of the plot or characters, so I was surprised when I noticed there must be a speculative element to it because of the mirrors and such, I'm down for that twist because it adds more dimension to the story and would have me guessing a lot while I'm reading.
I need to know more about 'The Others' and The Samaritan because I don't have any theories yet about them and everybody else's connection.
I'm enjoying the book so far. I'll admit it was a little hard to get into at first. This is my first book club so I'm pretty excited about it! I'm intrigued with all the different perspectives and how they are connected. Who on earth is the Samaritan? What's the sand and pebbles got to do with anything? What is up with the mirrors and why is that connected to the narcolepsy? Is Izzy actually dead? What is Alice and Fran running from? Who killed Katie's dad? Why is Jenny's mum so distant from Gabe when he wasn't home when it happened surely they would believe him? Maybe they did something.
So far I'm enjoying this book a lot more than The Chalk Man. It's had me hooked from the first chapter.I have had a lot of theories along the way, but any time I try to put it into words I can't seem to. I'm going to read through some comments to see if someone else had the same thoughts and was better able to articulate it.
So I'm 90 pages in, not sure what chapter exactly, but I'm not going to talk spoilers. I'm really sucked in. I'm very confused and have no idea what's going but want to find out. I'm honestly contemplating finishing the whole book tonight.
I am having a hard time really enjoying it. I think there are too many points of view followed, and it seems like they're just going to keep adding more story lines to keep us in the dark. I've started rolling my eyes a lot. It is a lot of "oh, this is weird, bit then let us add this weird thing, and oh here is another twist, but we are going to keep you in the dark (presumably) until the end." I hate the thrillers that just keep adding stuff.
Super fast and easy read so far, but I stopped dead in my tracks when the Samaritan told Dad not to call the cops about the decomposing body in the trunk, saying that DNA wouldn’t even be possible anymore. What? Is that true? I feel like that is wrong based on reading/watching way too much True Crime. It doesn’t seem to take much flesh or bone marrow to get DNA results, could water really destroy it? And even if water did destroy DNA, the guy could be identified by dental records or something. I feel like if he wants to know what happened to his daughter, he should find out who this dead guy in the trunk is...
Im listening to the audiobook and I hate it. The accents are distracting. But on top of that, Im finding the story convoluted and sort of a over the place. Idk how Im gonna het through the other 60% of this book
I keep forgetting about this book until bedtime and ending up staying up an extra 30 minutes to read more. I just finished chapter 14 and... I'm intrigued. and confused by the Bible verses - I feel like they're too random not to be at least a major red herring and so far they're kinda nothing. I do think Izzy is either Alice or The Girl in the coma.
After reading the comments I’m happy to know I’m not the only one that thinks Alice is Izzy.
Jocelyn wrote: "Super fast and easy read so far, but I stopped dead in my tracks when the Samaritan told Dad not to call the cops about the decomposing body in the trunk, saying that DNA wouldn’t even be possible ..."Yeah, I'm personally mad that he literally just took stuff out of the car and didn't call the police either. Makes me wonder who the Samaritan is, and if he is somehow involved and benefits from no police involvement. Not sure about DNA, but calling the police only benefits him, really. His story matches the car, and even if they don't believe him, it is still a dead body.
Also, doesn't it kind of make him look guilty? Found a car with a dead body in the trunk, with the help of someone without a name, and now he is running around telling everyone it had his dughter inside on the night she disappeared so she must still be alive. 🤔 I am guessing there will be a conspiracy revealed soon.
Anyone think Lou/The Diner Ladies (can’t remember her name rn) older sister is Fran? Is that obvious? Lolol
I am really enjoying this book so far! I find it extremely fast paced and love the short chapters. I also, didn't realize this book had multiple POV's which is really interesting. 1. Is Alice actually Izzy, or is Izzy what's behind the mirrors making Alice so afraid?
2. Was Jenny the driver of the car in which Izzy was last seen by her father in? Did they run away because the Other People found them, and then killed Jenny, leaving her in the trunk of the car she used to get away?
3. Is Gabe hiding anything from us and he isn't the grieving father we think he is?
4. Who is the Samaritan?
I have so many unanswered questions but so many thoughts about what the answers could be. I'm completely sucked in, and am excited to continue reading to see how everyone's stories come together at the end.
Just started this book and I was so confused until I opened this thread. I'm thinking that Fran is Katie and Lou's sister, and perhaps The Other People had something to do with their father's murder?Not sure if I think that Alice is Izzy though. I feel like it would be too much of a red herring.
Surely there must be something the police could get from the car DNA-wise. There must be something to help them identify the body. But no matter what, Gabe looks guilty. He's been banging about this car kidnapping his daughter and the car could be found by the police or someone who goes to the police and there's a decomposing body in the trunk. Wouldn't take much for them to think 'oh that guy who lost his family thinks a car matching this description is responsible, and there's a dead body in the trunk, does he have something to do with it?'.
Who is the Samaritan guy? Does Gabe know his real name? How did they come to be in contact? So many questions so far!
I just finished chapter 14 and I'm liking it so far. I love the short chapters and I think Alice and Fran's story is the most interesting. I am so confused about what is happening but I want to find out. I need more info about the Samaritan!
Okay, this is also my first CJ Tudor book and am definitely enjoying it! Below are my (I’m Sure hopelessly wrong) theories:I think girl in coma/mirror are Izzy. It mentions Alice has dark hair while mirror girl is fair; same as Izzy.
The Samaritan...definitely creepy but I think he may have lost someone to The Other People as well.
Fran was part of The Other People as well at some point but something happened and she grabbed Alice.
Katie’s dad...who knows? I thought maybe fella in trunk but timeline doesn’t track
Went through medical stuff this morning and I’m supposed to try and sleep/relax/rest as much as possible. REALLY? Ain’t happening! 🤣
I love it!! Can't wait to see what happens next.
This book is sooo good! From the very first chapter I was hooked!A mix between thriller and spooky things, I love it. I'm so lost and there is still so much to discover that I'm not able to make any hypothesis at this point. Except the fact that I think Alice is Izzy.
The writing is phenomenal and the short chapters make the book goes by so fast.
I'm excited to see what's next!
I’m loving all the plot twist this book has and the way they’re being exposed. I love the writing as well. I also think that Alice is Izzy or Izzy Is the girl in the mirror talking about the sandman. I think the Samaritan was like Alice, cause he collected the stone like she collects the pebbles. I’m excited to find out more.
I'm really enjoying this! The most interesting parts have to be with Alice and Fran so far. I can't figure out what is happening with them. I can only think of a paranormal aspect, but- judging from The Chalk Man alone- I don't think it will end up being so. It is making my head hurt! The pebble and the sand on the "pale girl's" bed is really throwing me for a loop.
I can say that, at this moment, I think that Alice is Izzy, and she was originally kidnapped by the people in the white room with the machinery. Who are they? I really want more information on this perspective.
Hopefully we get more soon! On to Chapter 15...