The Other Annie

by Brian O'Sullivan

The follow-up to The Photo Album!

On December 24th, 1998, fifteen-year-old Annie Ryan attended a Christmas party at her uncle William's palatial estate. She arrived at five, sat down for dinner at six, and then excused herself from the dinner table around 6:15.

She was never seen again.

William Ryan, looking for a new set of eyes, hires Bobby McGowan to take the case. After all, Bobby found his mother's killer after twenty years.

How much more difficult could this be?

THE OTHER ANNIE is a rollercoaster of a thriller with twists and turns that you'll never see coming.

Genres: Thriller

310 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2024

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

**The Other Annie** by Brian O’Sullivan is an outstanding follow-up in the series, deserving another 5-star review. This book maintains the same high level of interest and engagement as its predecessor, with a storyline that captivates from start to finish. O’Sullivan continues to impress with his adept character development and intricate plotting. The narrative is compelling and I’m eagerly awaiting the third book in this series. ;-) Highly recommended for fans of the first book and newcomers alike.

[Amy K · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Same Bobby

Bobby is an amateur sleuth who is down on his luck in the employment department and just happens to have a knack for solving seemingly unsolveable cold cases. This is his first paying gig. Bobby is a fun, likable character who you can't help but root for. I enjoyed the second book as much as the first.

[sarah_eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

After solving the 20 year old cold case of his mother's murder, Bobby gets asked to investigate the 25 year old disappearance of a Hollywood producers niece. Can he do it again?
From a self published author, i have enjoyed both these books and hope he continues Bobby's investigations. I also love his dad.

[Donna Mallery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series, and I feel like it won’t be the last! Brian has another hit with Bobby as an unlikely crime fighter! We have a twenty-five year old murder that many have unsuccessfully tried. I like how the author carries us through the investigation and Bobby is a very likable character. He has an unconventional way of solving crimes!

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! This was a great follow up to The Photo Album. Just when I thought the twists couldn’t get any better, another one comes along.

[Ashli Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book! there were parts where I felt it drug on a times but all in all it was a good sequel of sorts to The Photo Album!

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Keeley Webb Author · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Other Annie by Brian O'Sullivan is the second book in his Bobby McGowan series, following The Photo Album, where he attempts to piece together the mystery of his mother's twenty-year-old murder. This time, we follow Bobby as he tries to solve the twenty-five-year-old mystery of what happened to fifteen-year-old Annie Ryan on Christmas Eve in 1995.

There's something so likeable and relatable about Bobby's character that makes you root for him every step of the way. I felt like I was there with him as he pieced together the information from that evening. Annie had attended a Christmas Eve party with around sixty relatives at her wealthy film producer uncle's huge estate.

Almost everyone was a suspect, and no one had seen her leave. Bobby is not even an official PI, but is acting as one and isn't the first to examine the case. Many have tried and failed before him, and he feels like he's getting nowhere fast.

This was a binge-worthy read that kept my interest throughout, with quite a few heart-racing moments. I'd highly recommend giving this series a try, and I'm looking forward to reading the third book.

[Melissa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to read this immediately after finishing “The Photo Album.” Bobby is back ready to investigate another 25 year old murder! When William hires him to find out what happened to his teenage niece, we join him on this crazy investigation.

I love finding new authors. These books will captivate you and keep your attention for sure. Billy is such a likable character, especially since he’s not actually a PI. More or less a jobless citizen with a bone to pick. He will stop at nothing to get to the truth!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian O'Sullivan has done it again! "The Other Annie" is the second book in the Bobby McGowan series and hopefully not the last!

What happened to Annie Ryan 25 years ago? She just vanished from a family Christmas party that had 50 people in attendance. Bobby's investigation introduces us to some interesting people and takes on some unexpected twists. I seriously did not want to put this book down.

[Laura Felty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good!

This is Brian's second novel that I have read. This novel was a continuation of Bobby's shenanigans. It could be a stand alone but does have the character building and insights into Bobby's psyche in the first novel. The Ryan family is new. Excellent detail throughout. And yes, I am part of the Facebook group and how I stumbled onto this excellent author.

[Misti Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it!

Bobby is back in the saddle as an amateur PI on to his next case. A 25 year old cold case of a round girl named Annie gone missing. Most think her family had something to do with her disappearance. Bobby finds out the whole truth and exposes those involved.

A read that gets better as the story unfolds and leaves you unable to stop reading until it’s all done!

[Sarah Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic read

Loved this classic whodunit with all of its twists and turns. I didn’t realize it was a sequel per se but I definitely recommend reading the first book before starting this one as this book spoils how the first book ends if you didn’t read it already.

[Leslie preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent who dun it

Really enjoyed this.book, thought it was about to drag on, but I was mistaken. My first book by O'Sullivan and definitely not my last. Quick book to read full of great character development

[Leann Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been a minute since I read a book in one day. Couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed this as much as the first one! I hope there is more coming in this series! I want to see what cold case murder mystery Bobby will solve next

[Brandy D Osborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many twists and turns! Didn’t want to put this one down. So good! I have mixed emotions about the ending. It didn’t turn out the way I was hoping but it turned out great at the same time. Brian O’Sullivan has quickly, and definitely, become one of my favorites!

[Kathie Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel to The Photo Album did not disappoint! I sincerely hope Mr. Sullivan continues with Bobby McGowan’s story. I highly recommend both books! 10/10

[Heather Hoards Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really hope we see more of Bobby in the future. This is a great sequel to an amazing series.

[T Gardner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointed with the same communicating with the killer storyline again in this book. Now I see it happens in book 3 too? Come on! Dumb. I’m done.

[Lisa Brooke Reads Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian O'Sullivan is one of my favorite authors, and The Other Annie is a fantastic follow-up to The Photo Album.
The story itself is gripping and emotionally rich. I absolutely loved it.

However, the audiobook experience was frustrating due to frequent, unnecessary pauses that disrupted the flow. A great story deserves a smooth narration, and unfortunately, this one didn't quite deliver. If you're deciding between formats, l'd recommend reading the print or Kindle version instead!

[Jenn.reads.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

glad I finished it

I started this book last month but stopped after only reading a short bit. I picked it back up the other day and the story took on a wild ride of twists and turns. Brian O’Sullivan is become a new favorite author.

[Elaine Rainbolt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bobby McGowan

I loved this book. I hated to see one of the deaths in it. This author makes reading his books easy and makes it so you don't want to put it down. This book got me hooked from the start, especially how it started at the ending of the photo album.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was on the edge of my seat the whole time with this sequel!! It was a fantastic follow up from the photo album. If you haven't read this series, you are missing out!! Great job Brian O'Sullivan 🤩

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. I continued to think I'd figured it all out as I was reading and then some twist would come along and I'd change my predictions. It will keep you guessing.

[Valerie Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s Christmas Eve 1998, and 15 year old Annie Ryan vanishes without a trace from her wealthy uncle’s estate. Her uncle, desperate for answers, turns to Bobby McGowan—the same guy who recently cracked open his own mother’s decades-old murder. As Bobby starts digging, he realizes Annie’s disappearance isn’t as clean-cut as it seems and this family is hiding way more than just grief. The deeper he goes, the more twisted things get—and someone out there will do anything to keep the past buried.


I powered straight into The Other Annie which is book two in Brian O’Sullivan’s Bobby McGowan series as soon as I finished The Photo Album because Bobby’s “I’m-not-a-cop-but-watch-me-solve-this” vibe had me hooked. 


This time, his reputation lands him a job on a twenty-year-old cold case involving fifteen-year-old Annie Ryan, who vanished from her uncle’s estate on Christmas Eve, and everyone in that snow-dusted mansion is sketchy. 


Missing-person thrillers are my sweet spot bc nobody simply disappears and somebody always knows something so I spent the whole read interrogating the pages and still face-planted when the twist hit. Brian O'Sullivan never fails to deliver. 


The Other Annie is perfect if you live for cold-case mysteries, stubborn amateur sleuths, and family secrets wrapped in holiday lights. BUT as I mentioned it is book #2 in a three book series so you will want to read The Photo Album before diving into this one. 

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Other Annie was a great second story focussing on Bobby McGowan solving a years old crime. 15 year old Annie walked away from a big family party on Christmas Eve, never to be seen again. Based Bobby's success in solving the cold case of his Mother's murder, William Ryan hires Bobby to try and track down what happened to Annie.

The story unfolds with plenty of twists and turns, keeping the tension high. One of the most compelling aspects was getting glimpses into the killer’s perspective, which added a chilling and intriguing layer to the mystery. Overall, "The Other Annie" was a gripping read that kept me hooked until the end.

I had an issue the phrase "committed suicide" which is used throughout this book. It has been drilled into me that the terminology 'committed suicide is outdated and offensive - for a few reasons, but one of them being the word committed is often associated with sin or crimes (eg committed murder, committed robbery). The words 'comitted suicide' can unintentionally suggest the person did something criminal or wrong, which can add to stigma

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

On December 24, 1998, fifteen-year-old Annie Ryan attended a Christmas party at her uncle’s estate. She excused herself from the dinner table that night, and was never seen again. Now, 25 years later, her uncle has heard that Bobby McGowan found his mother’s killer and wants him to find out what happened to Annie. Can Bobby solve the case when so many others have failed?

This is book 2 in the Bobby McGowan series but can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone. This one was better than the first—the pacing was faster throughout, the writing was more polished, and I liked the characters better overall. I also enjoyed the case Bobby was trying to solve. As with “The Photo Album”, this story is told mainly from Bobby’s POV with some alternating chapters told from the killer’s. But I felt like the timing was better in this book: in the first book, we learn who the killer is before Bobby does. In this one, we are told who it is one chapter after Bobby puts the pieces together, which made the story flow better and spoiled less I think. There were also fewer chapters from the killer’s POV which I also liked. Overall, this was a fast paced that I enjoyed, and while I might have changed a few small things about the ending, I recommend this book.

4.25⭐️

[Vina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - ‘The Other Annie’ by Brian O’Sullivan. A very well-told and clever story, with not one extra word or scene. Just action, action, action.
15 year old Annie disappears from a huge family dinner on Christmas Eve. It is only after dinner that the family realises she’s missing. Where could she have gone? None of the valets and other people outside saw her coming out of the house. None of the youngsters in the family knew where she’d gone.
Years later, her uncle re-opens this cold case, asking Bobby McGowan to try and find what happened to Annie. But Bobby is neither a cop, nor a P.I. Why then?

5 Stars

[Susan Lotter · Rating 5 out of 5]

He's done it again. Brian O'Sullivan has caused me a stiff neck, cramped toes and compromised sleep patterns. This was quite a trip! Bobby McGowan is a bad ass and I would love to see this series made into a movie.

From the beginning when Bobby is tapped to help solve a cold case, I anticipated a good ride. The number of a$$hole characters that were a part of this plot made my stomach turn. I hated each one more and more as the pages turned. Wade...I wish I could spit in his face myself, the pompous SOB.

All I can say is, Karma really is a bitch and I loved the numerous servings these characters received.

AWESOME AWESOME READ!