The Other Passenger

by J.E. Rowney

A rainy night. A killer on the road. Two unlikely worlds collide.

On the run from their pasts, a man and a woman are forced together by the weather and by necessity. When a radio news broadcast reports that a body has been found further back along the road on which they are travelling, tensions rise and it’s only so long before the truth must come out. But the truth is never quite what you imagine. This gripping psychological thriller from JE Rowney, the bestselling author of Other People’s Lives and Gaslight, will hook you from the first page and shock you to the twisted end.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Horror, Suspense, Mystery, Psychological Thriller

Kindle Edition

Published May 31, 2024

About the author

Writer.

Visit my website for previews, further information.

http://www.jerowney.com/

"I always dreamed of being a writer, until I realised that I was. Then I started to write."

Reviews

[Kylynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

TikTok did an amazing job at overhyping this one! 95% of the book felt incredibly unnecessary but whatev. Happy it’s done

[Kay Oliver · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was so slow, and I didn't like a single character--not in a good way. This could have been condensed by half and would have been way better. It was full of redundancies and unnecessary tangents.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The Other Passenger by J.E. Rowney is a psychological thriller about two people who meet on a a deserted road in the middle of the night.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher BooksGoSocial and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
David has had a rough time lately.  Family and work have both provided disappointments.

Emma, too, has had a rough time.  She has lost her sister Angeline.

As David drives through a rainstorm in the forest, he picks up a hitchhiker who says her name is Angeline.  He's not sure about her story, as something doesn't ring true.  But, after what he just did, who is he to judge.

When a news program announces the finding of a dead body back along the road they had just travelled, and near where they had met, tensions start to rise in the car.

They are both running from something, but what.


My Opinions:
This was quite good, and a very fast read.

 The story was told from the viewpoints of both David and Emma,  and in different time-lines - the past few hours, and the "now".  Their stories moved slowly until the individual reasons for their journey along this road became clear.  This worked well, but there was so much from David's story that it got a little boring.  David and Emma were two totally different characters and this made the fact that they were essentially stuck in a car together for the whole book, rather tense.  The dynamics of the situation played a huge part in the story.  David was in a loveless marriage, had a daughter he didn't always understand, had a job he hated, and he often hated himself.  Emma, while a very strong twenty-one year old woman, was grieving for her sister, and was rather antagonistic.  I can't actually say that I liked either of the characters.

The pretense was very good, but I was not surprised by the twist, and I'm not sure I liked the ending.

Overall, it was quite good, but it could have been so much better.



For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Stephanie]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book to read!

I found it frustrating going back and forth between the 2 characters and the time up until the met.. the suspense was hard to feel in my opinion.. it lacked a lot of eerie feelings which is what I would of wanted to feel while reading this one. So i DFNd it.

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

The cover and title of this book immediately drew my attention. Then I read the description and I was like sign me up. The premise of two strangers with secrets stuck in a car and the body of a dead woman found being aired on the radio sounded amazing.

This book was told from both characters POV and past and present leading up to the moment they ended up in the car together. Let me start by saying I LOVE when stories are told like that. Living in the present while figuring out how we got to the point we are.

With all of this being said...I did not like this book. I skimmed through most of the chapters told in past tense because they were boring and I felt like they weren't developed enough. The FMC was flat to me and when the ending was revealed I was like wah-wah. Then the MMC was sooooo whiny throughout the whole book (like tell me one more time how underappreciated you feel in all aspects of your life) and his motives, once they were revealed, made more sense but felt rushed.

In all honesty, I would not have finished this book if I didn't receive the copy for free in order to review it. I stopped and started reading it 5 or 6 times, all while picking other things to read in between. I haven't read any other books from this author so I don't have anything to compare this one to when it comes to their writing, but I don't know if I would pick one up based on this one.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity.

[Roz Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded up. This book is told from dual points of view of David and Emma. All we know at the start is that each of them are trying to get away from something they have done. Each chapter focuses on the past or present of each character. Because of this, the story unfolds slowly as the reader learns what brought each of them to be on that lonely dark road at night. For most of the book, you are kept in the dark about David and Emma's secrets and motivations until it all comes together at the end.

It is well written, and the author does a good job of bringing the characters to life, although I feel that we get to see far more of David's situation than Emma's. It is also fairly claustrophobic as for a lot of the book, they are travelling in David's car. I didn't mind this as it added to the uncomfortable tension between the characters.

It is tense in some places, but I found that the pace was slightly disrupted as the characters' POV changed. It is an enjoyable, easy to read thriller, and I liked the ending as it tied everything together. I would try more books by this author and would recommend if you like a twisty thriller with dual POV.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars?? I have no idea what I just read..? The time line and perspective switching was very confusing and seemed to disrupt the story at hand. This is the only thriller that I had absolutely no theories while reading because something happened but you have no idea what or who until the last 2 chapters. The best way I can describe it is that everything and nothing happened at the same time. The summary made it seem like it would be so good, and full of turns and dark secrets but it fell short for me.

[Catbytheseareads ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story and writing just wasn't for me. The ending left me with a question about a why from the prologue.

[Rachael · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I started reading "The Other Passenger," I hadn't realized that I had previously read another book by J.E. Rowney. I didn't enjoy that one either, which had a good premise but was poorly executed. This time around, I was hoping for a different experience, but I was left disappointed once again.

"The Other Passenger" follows an enigmatic journey where seemingly nothing happens until the very end. The story is set against a backdrop of moody ambiance, introducing characters who seem to float through the narrative without purpose. As the plot meanders without clear direction, a sudden and unexpected twist involving multiple dead bodies attempts to add shock value but falls flat due to lack of buildup.

This book had no storyline – nothing happened. I kept waiting, waiting, and waiting, but nothing ever developed. While there was some mood and ambiance, that was about the only redeeming quality. The characters were two-dimensional and static. They didn’t grow or evolve, and I struggled to connect with them on any level.

Then, out of nowhere, there are multiple dead bodies? It felt so sudden and unearned. The plot twist wasn’t shocking; it was just plain stupid. Overall, I found "The Other Passenger" to be a frustrating read with no payoff.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author J.E. Rowney, and the publisher Books Go Social for providing me with an ARC of this book.

[Rae · Rating 1 out of 5]

Repetitive and boring. Last 4 chapters is when something actually happens.

[Danielle Goddard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really not for me. Found this boring.

[Rob White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy from net galley in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, David and Emma are running from something, but we aren't told what, through flashbacks we get glimpses of what lead to where they are now. Along the way the author leaves hints, could it be this, could it be that.

The characters are well written, and believable, and they plot moves on at a decent pace, I liked the back and forth as it gave hints as to why they might be in the situation they are in, without giving away too much.

[Donna Mallery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an interesting journey that has many far reaching meanings. It is told in multiple timelines with two persons. We finally learn a little more as the story emerges! While there were hints of certain twists sprinkled about, and there were many, I believe they are glaringly intentional. The author leaves us with a lot to think about, and I’ll have to take a deep breath before I start another book! I really enjoyed it! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Kurryreads (Kerry) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 - thank you to the publisher for an early copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Great twist, thrilling, but underdeveloped characters and backstory

https://www.tiktok.com/@kurryreads/vi...

[Taylor Hadaway · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uhhhhhhh it’s giving “my dream is to write a script for a shitty Lifetime movie.” This book tried way too hard to be suspenseful and every ���twist” was such a let down. Not impressed.
1/5 stars.

[Malak Souama · Rating 2 out of 5]

Do you ever just wonder why a book was written? Like if you’re not going to thrill me when you’re a thriller, what’s the point ?

[Shannon Beasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating: 3.75

Paranoia.
Jealousy.
Betrayal.
Murder.
Secrets.
Anger.

Quote: "He wished he had planned ahead but tonight was a night he hadn't expected."

In The Other Passenger by JE Rowney, we follow the journey of David and Emma. Their story is told between "now" and the hours leading up to "now." The journey starts off with a murder. However, we do not know who, what, or why.

In the "now" David is driving down a dark an isolated road in the rain. David has just experienced an unfortunate event at his work's awards ceremony. The ceremony in which David attended alone per usual. His wife Amanda just could not be bothered to support her husband, who was supposed to receive a prestigious award. David and Amanda used to be happy. That happiness has become more of just a game of cat and mouse. There had been a time when David was not a failure.

Quote: "Perhaps she had been lucky, but the night wasn't over yet. There was a storm to get through first."

Emma has had a really tough year. She is quite troubled, to say the least. She has migraines all the time, and her life is falling apart. She still talks to her sister, Angelina, who never responds because Angeliana really isn't there anymore. Emma sets off to search for answers as to why that is.

David and Emma are complete strangers from totally different generations. However, they are both running from something.

Along the road, David picks up a young female hitchhiker. She appears to be around the same age as his nineteen-year-old daughter, Charlotte. The girl is very focused on her phone but eventually her and David begin to talk. David is asking the typical "get to know you" questions when an alert comes across the radio. "The discovery of a women's body in a shallow grave..."

Will David and Emma get away from what they are running from? Do they have secrets they hope will never see the light of day?

Quote: "Sometimes it's better to be two strangers in the night sharing a ride."

The Other Passenger by JE Rowney is a quick read. The pace is well written. It will keep you engaged. I do feel like the ending was abrupt and could have been a little more detailed. All in all, I would recommend this book to my fellow thriller lovers.

This book has minimal foul language, which I really appreciate.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Other Passenger.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the issues with thrillers is that they tend to become a bit formulaic, and it’s hard to find one that breaks out of that mold.

“The Other Passenger” by JE Rowney was an exciting play on the hitchhiker trope and I had a hard time putting it down. When I got to the twist, I literally gasped out loud!

This book comes out May 31 and I highly recommend adding it to your TBR pile if you love to curl up with a good psychological thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

[Melanie Curran · Rating 1 out of 5]

ass

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to JE Rowney for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book, which follows the unlikely meeting of two strangers, David and Emma, through one of the worst nights either could have imagined. The Other Passenger starts off really fast! I was hooked after the first chapter and could wait to find out who the narrator for that portion was as well as what happened leading up to it!

I personally love a book that can effortlessly switch through character narration and/or time frames. This book does both; alternating between David and Emma's last few hours, as well as bringing it all together in the present time. I was never thrown off by the alternating, and found myself excited to get to certain sections at various points.

Over all, I would say this book has a hot start, a decent middle, and a let down of an ending. While there were some nice reveals throughout, there was no real twist that I didn't see coming. Well aside from how the author chose to end the book. Which brings me to my biggest gripe... I was hooked and invested, and I feel as though I was just handed this unsatisfying ending. While it tied up some questions, I still had plenty more.

The Other Passenger is not a bad book by any means. I would recommend others to read it. It is gripping up front, and reads really quickly. I would just advise not to get too invested into any character's storyline too much, and then maybe the ending won't hit as hard. 

[Mohammad Anas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

[NetGalley Read #1]

Man, this was depressing!
Quite good, though.

1. Characters
The main characters (David and Emma) are very good.
One represents the self loathing, bitterness and frustration of a man too devoted to his work, unappreciated after years of work, unable to spend time with his family.
While the other perfectly encapsulates the utter sadness and devastation of losing a loved one.

That being said, the side characters could have been more fleshed out.

2. Story
Interesting premise. Executed quite well.
The reveal at the end was, although quite clear, was still very good and gives a different meaning to the title of the book.

Dialogue, while strained at times, was good.

I liked the structure of the story with the back and forth in every chapter of 'Now' and 'David/Emma x hours earlier'. It's a good storytelling device that I would like to see more of in thrillers.

One problem that I have with this is too much information being given away sometimes in David chapters that it takes away the whole aspect of mystery while you are left ruminating with David or Emma on their bleak and depressing lives.

3. Conclusion
It's a well written bleak thriller with some flaws.

[I was able to read it in advance on Net Galley in exchange of an honest review.]

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Other Passenger written by JE Rowney is marketed as a psychological thriller that follows two characters, David and Emma, two strangers driving in an isolated stretch just a couple miles outside a city, where they’re both hiding a dark secret. I was shocked with the way the book ended—although I wasn’t entirely happy about the ending—but it was a fun read nonetheless.

I was immediately drawn in by the opening sentence of the book and wanted to know what just happened and why. The dual POVs were interesting—although it did fall flat a bit as we rarely go to see into Emma’s perspective as much as we’re able to see through from David’s eyes. I liked the flashback/present chapters that made me question what the characters did before their first interaction and how their past would connect to the present issue. The author has very lovely descriptions throughout the book, but it is a little overdone most of the time as it reads like purple prose. I often found myself wanting to skip entire paragraphs just to get to something that actually was part of the plot and not just flowery constructed sentences of a character doing a basic thing. I didn’t have many issues until the halfway point of the book.

Once the cop made his appearance, I was instantly bored with where the story was going. We still had the two characters stuck in a car together while not really knowing why either of them are out in the middle of nowhere so late at night. I quickly figured out what David had done early on in the story and was a bit surprised when I learned what Emma had done given the history of her sister.

All in all, the ending blatantly sucks. I was hooked from the first sentence and was pleased until about the mid-way point when things went pretty slow for the characters, but I absolutely hate how the author ended the book with not just one character dying, but both of them. I didn’t like how Emma just murdered David and then killed herself. It just felt kind of pointless in terms of how I perceived her character and her mixed feelings with what happened to her sister . . .

I would definitely recommend others to read this book, it was definitely worth reading, even with my issues with it. It was an easy/quick read for a thriller book and didn’t leave me asking questions that never got answered.

Thank you NetGalley and JE Rowney for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fast paced , which was good . David starts off his evening by getting ready for an awards banquet for work , an award that he was sure he was going to win but instead goes to his rival, Michael, who wasn't at the company as long or ever put as much effort into his job. In the parking lot David punches Michael and he falls over onto his award which is so sharp and pointy that it cuts his jugular and kills him , David panics and puts Michaels body in his trunk. Emma is very depressed after her sister dies, she decides to recreate the night she died, the drive the route, but she sees a woman who looks like she needs help so Emma picks her up , they argue so she wants out, Emma stops and she gets out and starts to walk only to trip over a rock fall and hit her head and he dies from the impact. Emma panics and leaves her. Emma leaves her car and starts to walk when she's picked up by David and they drive on toward a rest stop . The police stop them to ask about the body that was found , the girl from Emma's car, they lie about it and drive on, David suggests they stop and regroup when they do Emma hits him over the head and kills him calls emergency services and decides to kill herself.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a decent quick thriller that kept me engaged until the ending.
The story has two perspectives, one, a girl who has lost her sister and seems to be having a hard time dealing with it. The other is a middle aged man who is wrapped up in the disappointments of his life. Neither character was inherently likeable, but they were written in a way in which you wanted to know their story and what comes next, especially when the man picks up a hitchhiker from an isolated road after he attends a very disappointing event.
Overall I really enjoyed the book and was set on giving it a 4 star rating up until the ending. I didn’t love the way the story wrapped up. That said, it did keep me entertained and I didn’t want to put it down.

[Carrie Shields · Rating 2 out of 5]

"𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒊𝒔," 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅, "𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆."

I'm screaming that this wasn't a five star read because it very well could have been! A man is traveling an isolated stretch of road to get away from what he's done, and he picks up a young woman who is having car trouble. Is she in danger, or is the driver? Both of them are keeping secrets.

I did like the dual timelines and POVs that allowed to story unfold, but it was just missing that sense of dread that I was expecting. At no point did I ever feel anxious or excited like I expect to with a thriller. The ending was a letdown for reasons I won't spoil, but it really came across like a cheap shot.

I enjoyed a few books by this author but haven't liked her last few. Regardless, I thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the early read. This title is available now.

[Amelia Reed · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I got.

The writing on it's own was not too bad. It had some well written lines with a diversity of words used that could've given the story a nice flow.

However, many pages went by with the same scenarios, descriptions being repeatedly told in different ways. What could've been told in one paragraph was told in one paragraph. And then again in the next paragraph, and the next and the next. It disrupted the overall flow of the book for me. Taking and slowing down its pace.

This book could've been, but wasn't it for me. It's upsetting, because it had potential.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Other Passenger was quite the rollercoaster and took me through several different emotions while reading. I was absolutely hooked for the most part though. We bounce between the POV of David, a scorned businessman who was driving in a bad storm…and Emma a young woman who was walking on the road in this storm.

We don’t exit the vehicle except through flash backs and memories via the two main characters, but it totally works. The suspense and tension were palpable and thoroughly enjoyable.

I also felt like the “twist” or surprise was actually shocking. I didn’t see where the ending was headed at all. Highly recommend.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two people trying to escape their respective demons find that their paths cross as a result of circumstance and bad weather one stormy night.

Each has their own secrets, but only one of them is a killer.

So, as they journey forward, hearing news reports of a murder that has just taken place on the route they are travelling, suspicions inevitably became to rise...

This one is based on an intriguing premise, but the outcome is not entirely a surprise. Still, an enjoyable enough read, if not uniquely memorable.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[CreativePumpkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for my honest review, The story started off very interesting but slowly started to die down I was not a fan of the jump time lines with two POV. I feel as though this had great potential to be a 5 with the way it began and the mystery it shared but being that it was a short read and some things could of been left out, I lowered it to 4. Overall great suspense to keep you on edge but gets lost with PoVs.
#TheOtherPassenger #NetGalley

[Pattyh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Other Passenger. This is a treat. A cat and mouse game. This story centers on two people. Emma a young 21 year old woman who is struggling over the loss of her sister and David. He is a workaholic with a family who could care less about him but loves his money.
This novel goes back and forth as each character tells their story and also bring them together in the NOW.
Great dialogue and gives you an itch to scratch. What’s going to happen when these two people come together on a rainy night with their own secrets.
Read it and find out. I liked this book. Fast read. 3.5 stars