The Other Girl

by Emily Barr

Two girls meet on a train journey.

One of them - privileged, chaotic - is heading to an exclusive Swiss rehab centre following months of partying and living wildly.

The other - who couldn't be more different - is down to her last penny, running away.

When they get off the train they are both pretending to be the other. Just for a short period, of course. Just until the rehab stint is over...

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mental Health, Thriller

359 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2025

About the author

Emily Barr worked as a journalist in London, but always hankered after a quiet room and a book to write. She went travelling for a year, writing a column in the Guardian about it as she went, and it was there that she had an idea for a novel set in the world of backpackers in Asia. This became Backpack, which won the WH Smith New Talent Award. She has since written eleven more adult novels published in the UK and around the world, and a novella, Blackout, for the Quick Reads series. Her twelfth novel, The Sleeper, is a psychological thriller set on the London to Cornwall sleeper train.
In 2013 she went to Svalbard with the idea of setting a thriller in the Arctic. The book that came out of it was The One Memory of Flora Banks, a thriller for young adults, which attracted universal interest from publishers before being bought pre-emptively by Penguin earlier this year. It will be published globally in January 2017.
She lives in Cornwall with her partner and their children.

Reviews

[Myrthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Einde voelde een beetje gehaast, maar voor de rest echt crack dit boek

[GraceyBookster · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all thanks to NetGalley & Penguin for this eArc. I confirm all thoughts regarding this book are my own and honest opinion.

The Other Girl - written by Emily Barr, first caught my attention with the cover. I thought it was eye catching and intriguing and after reading the blurb I thought this sounded like it had the potential to be a really good story, as it followed two girls from completely different worlds and privileges.

At first I found the writing to be a little clunky. As this was an arc, there was quite a few errors in the text and grammar and at times things were a little difficult to follow when it came to conversations or replies to things/texts/emails. However I did find the story grabbed my attention as we dove straight into the swap from the beginning which was good.

I did find the pacing quite slow, which meant it took me a while to get into but once I was in, I was invested and had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen!

This was mainly in first person from both girls’ perspectives, so we get their inner dialogue/thoughts which at times was a little chaotic, but I felt this was done purposefully in writing style to portray their ages and mindsets. It was certainly interesting to compare both girls backgrounds, thoughts and differences but also some of their similarities. Tabbi’s mind was especially interesting as we begin her journey with her as an alcoholic/drug user and a past she is trying to run from - with a secret she is desperately trying to forget and run from, but as the story evolves, so do her thoughts, and her memories begin to catch up with her.

Although Tabbi’s big secret was predictable, (as it was hinted upon a number of times throughout), there were still a few twists and turns in the story I didn’t see coming!

The swap and things that followed were a little far fetched but I did enjoy the book overall. I was all set to give it at least 3.5 stars, but sadly the epilogue ruined it for me. I really did not like how it ended and thought after everything that had happened, that ending was a mistake and unbelievable.

Overall this was a good story and found it interesting from a psychological perspective. I would read more from Emily Barr.

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unreliable narrator is one thing. But TWO unreliable narrators keep you guessing, hard. One of the successes of The Other Girl is simply not knowing which of the girls to back. They both just keep letting you down — but my favourite characters in fiction do.

With multiple shades of Patricia Highsmith, but all the colours unique to Emily Barr, this is a truly contemporary thriller. Don’t even attempt to pick up and carry all of the delicious crumbs laid throughout the plot, because you simply won’t be able to. This is the perfect book to just sit back and enjoy unravel before you. And once you think it has unravelled, roll it all back up and start again.

Hugely satisfying. Treat yourself to reading this on a journey. If you do, you will keep looking over your shoulder . . .

[milliereadsalot · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I didn't enjoy this author's previous book, so I was apprehensive about this one - but I actually ended up having quite a good time! I felt hooked in from the beginning, and although I think I might've preferred if we had switched between POVs a little more often (I kind of ended up forgetting about the other main character when we were in one's POV), I do feel like the format was interesting. You really do have to suspend your disbelief for this one - it's very far-fetched - but if you can do that, I think you can have a good time with this! Two unreliable narrators, suspense, good character development; there's a lot to like with this one!

[Rosy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ending ruined it.

[Bente · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[Milly Percival · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know how I felt about this. As a YA thriller type it was engaging but a bit too far fetched for my liking in places. I didn't particularly warm to Tabbi or Ruby and felt that the epilogue showed that neither of them learnt a thing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[cornbunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Other Girl by Emily Barr immediately caught my attention because of the travel aspect and the identity swap. Tabbi and Ruby come from very different backgrounds, but (supposedly..) by chance, they are both on a train heading out of Paris. Perfect for two girls who want to run away from their problems.

The story is told through the perspective of each girl, changing half way through the book. Being able to hear firsthand the experiences of both Tabbi and Ruby made it very easy to become attached to each character! as I read Tabbi's point of view I really felt for her, but as I got to Ruby's part I wanted her to succeed in life, maybe even more than Tabbi. But I also couldn't believe how easily she manipulated Tabbi when they first met!

Hearing how Tabbi spotted Ruby walking through the train carriage, immediately deciding to target her for the identity swap, made me believe she was the "mastermind" for the entire half of the book. But as soon as we hear Ruby's story, we learn she spotted Tabbi way before they were on that train! I guess they are both the architects of their story in their own way.

Both girls have a very feisty personality and uncovering their lies, coverups and secrets was very exciting. They both have major flaws and very questionable decision making, which made reading both their perspectives so interesting.

I really loved the book up until the epilogue. The time skip between the previous chapter and epilogue felt sudden and a bit awkward to me. The chapter ended with Ruby (as Tabbi) sending her very first message on the shared email they were going to use to communicate. All it said was "Call me, bitch." I was really excited to see a big showdown between the two after Ruby took on the Bethie personality and stole the real Tabbi's identity and life. Both girls had all the reason to be incredibly mad at each other! But instead, the story ends one month later as they meet on a train again. They have a very civil interaction (lmao), with only a bit of a cold tone. And the two American girls on the train at the end? We're lead to assume that Tabbi & Ruby convince them to switch identities. But why? It felt pretty random and it wasn't a satisfying conclusion for either of the main characters.

I also wondered what ever became of Jamie, one of the side characters in rehab with Tabbi (actually Ruby.) I was absolutely shocked at the "I know you're not Tabi Courtenay, babe". I thought maybe she would have to do with Bethie's downfall that i thought was coming up when Tabi confronts her. Jamie wasn't mentioned again after this (that i can remember) and of course there wasn't really a downfall. I was a little disappointed.

But aside from that, The Other Girl was a very exciting read that really keeps you on your toes. I am excited to read more from Emily Barr! :D

[Becca ♡ PrettyLittleMemoirs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tabbi doesn’t want to be heading to rehab. Sure, it’s in the Swiss mountains and, because of her privileged upbringing (though very estranged) and family wealth, would be more of a luxurious stay than your standard rehab. The sights might be nice. But, still—Tabbi doesn’t want to go. She’s not ready to face the things she’s done back home that led to this solution. Chaotic and brazen, she befriends another girl on the train heading to her destination. Ruby is very different to Tabbi. Heading to unknown locations to travel and explore sounds much nicer to Tabbi than where she’s headed, whereas Ruby thinks being Tabbi, heading to guaranteed luxury, sounds much more inviting than her plans. So, in a slightly unorthodox and underhanded way, Tabbi suggests that maybe they should swap places. Ruby could become her, and she should become normal-Ruby.

But Ruby is far from normal. Tabbi doesn’t realise this at first, of course, and long after they have altered their appearances by cutting their hair and swapping perfumes and outfits, even passports. Becoming Ruby for Tabbi is easy, for a while, although she wasn’t prepared for tent-living and making a small paycheck to get by until the girls swap back places at their set time. Only, when a boy finds Tabbi, using the name Ruby, she’s dumbfounded at the things her swapped-persona has done. No wonder she willingly went along—was this even an idea of Tabbi’s? Who really is the girl whose identity she has taken on? Through searches, confessions and snippets of the girl’s lives, the truth of Ruby’s past and Tabbi’s secret comes back to haunt them both—each paying for the pain of one another. But at the end of it, are they both willing to give up the new lives they created as each other, or will the alluring pull of a fresh start be the end of their old selves?

Overall, The Other Girl was continually gripping, suspensefully captivating from start to finish. Having two unreliable narrators was quite the tantalising experience, and it really sets up the cycle of keeping the drama unravelling all the way through which definitely made me want to keep turning pages late into the night. I adored the character development in this. Tabbi stood out for me, and I love that the book weighs into the consequences and accountability of owning our pasts. Emily’s writing paints an action-packed escapade through Europe, complicated lies and fabricated bygones. There is so much to love in this story, and it feels authentically fresh in the mystery genre. I think this will even appeal to book lovers who aren’t usually YA readers, too. I’m so excited to read more from Emily—an all-round amazing book!

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinion.

THE OTHER GIRL is a tale of running away from your problems only for them to follow you and force you to face up to them, finding healing and self-acceptance.

I'm not quite sure what genre to assign this book. In some ways it's a contemporary, about two girls who are seeking escape but need to find healing. In others, it's a thriller about just what they did and how and when that will catch up with them. But it doesn't sit happily in either (which is a pain for spreadsheet lovers like me!) The mystery elements are often not pushing the book along, the personal is, and yet sometimes it is what propels the narrative.

Ultimately, I've picked contemporary because of genre expectations. I think you are more likely to be disappointed if you think it's a thriller - which comes with promises of a mystery to be solved pushing to a fast, tense pacing - than if you think it's a contemporary. It's easier to add elements to genre expectations than take away. But yes, it sits between the two, taking parts from each.

This in-between state is also mirrored in the narrative style of the book. The first act is told entirely from Tabbi's perspective as she tries to escape then finds a way to heal. Then we jump back to the start again but see the story from Ruby's perspective. This means you get both their reactions to what they did and what the other did as well as being asked whose idea this really was.

It is also about how a break can be useful for facing up to your past and the self-forgiveness needed to move onwards and find ways to atone. It is about the importance of having a purpose and that sometimes other people's ideas of how to help you might not be the best - but also might be exactly what you need.

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's weird that when humans have infinity money they use it not to, say, ensure everyone has basic food and a home like you'd think, but to pay someone to make them look as if they've been on the planet just a little bit less time than they have. So futile. So pathetic. So intoxicating.

  
This was SO GOOD. I had to force myself to put it down at the midway point when the POV switched because I'd become so attached to Tabbi, and I needed some time to sit with my feelings. I knew as soon as I started reading Ruby's side of the story I'd feel my allegiance switching because Emily Barr is such a talented writer. Both heroines are so flawed and morally grey and yet you can't help willing them both to succeed, even when they're pitted against each other. There were so many twists and turns and EMOTIONS as they went on literal and metaphorical journeys lol. I was sure this was going to be a 5-star book... until we hit Part 3.

Idk, it wasn't terrible, but it was also kind of disappointing after all the build up? I didn't like the time jumps of 11 months then 1 month, it just seemed weird to prolong their deception without having a showdown between them. I was hoping we'd get alternating chapters from Tabbi and Ruby but instead it was split into two chunks, and it just... wasn't satisfying to only have one POV for everything that was going on? Plus it was all a bit too much, with Tabbi being arrested etc, and everything being thrown in at the last minute like her not being her dad's biological daughter, or the reveal of the "trigger" being her boyfriend sleeping with her mum. I guess it was supposed to be tense and thrilling, but I felt both overwhelmed by the content and underwhelmed by my emotional response to it.

I really wanted to see Ruby and Tabbi meet up, and I was kind of hoping they'd just get to keep each other's lives since it worked out much better for them haha. Instead, when they finally DID meet in person, it was to suddenly become partners in crime who are, what, planning to steal the identities of two random American girls they see on a train? For what purpose? What could POSSIBLY be their motive when they're finally settled and doing well?? It was an unnecessary cliffhanger ending that didn't gel with their character growth or make any sense. I read it a few times and was still baffled and irritated.

It was such a shame because the first 75% of the book was AMAZING and yet I came away feeling let down by the ending.

[Rachel Sargeant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Young Adult novel is a great take on the identity swap premise.
Seventeen-year-old rich girl Tabbi is on a train to Zurich. She has been ordered by her father to go to a luxury hotel in the Swiss mountains. To ensure she arrives, a chaperone, sitting a few seats away, has been hired for the journey. When a scruffy young backpacker in a purple wig comes down the aisle, Tabbi has a crazy idea. She invites the girl (Ruby) to sit opposite. By the end of the journey, she has persuaded her to swap lives for six weeks.
Armed only with Ruby’s rucksack, inter-railing pass and purple wig, Tabbi evades her chaperone, alights at Zurich and heads on a different train for the south of France.
Tabbi is a flawed yet compelling protagonist whose experience as a first-time backpacker feels authentic. As well as evoking the atmosphere of the Mediterranean coast and other destinations, the author keeps up a sense of suspense. Why was Tabbi so desperate not to remain in Zurich? And why was Ruby so willing to take her place? Both girls have done despicable things, but the author does a good job of keeping the reader on side by gradually revealing their motivations and backstories.
I enjoyed spending time with Tabbi on her emotional and physical journey across Europe as she struggled to keep one train ahead of those pursuing her. And then I liked learning more about Ruby, another flawed but rounded character.
A pacy read.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tabbi is a privileged rich girl who is heading, under protest, to an exclusive rehab centre in Switzerland. She meets Ruby on the train there & although they don't look that much alike, there's enough of a similarity for Tabbi to hatch a plan. She decides to befriend Ruby & persuade her to swap lives for 6 weeks - Ruby gets an all expenses paid break & Tabbi gets 6 weeks of freedom, but will Ruby be gullible enough to fall for it? It seems she is, & they swap identities but Tabbi soon finds out that Ruby's life is far from uncomplicated & she may not have been telling the whole truth either.

This started off great with a good pace & a premise which hooks the reader from the start. I also liked that the two points of view were split in two sections of the book rather than alternating chapters. It was all rather far fetched, but as the story progressed it went from 'suspend your disbelief' to 'absolutely no way that happens' territory towards the end. Just one example is the character supposedly contained inside a retreat for rehab, who is not allowed to leave the grounds, is suddenly allowed to go have cosmetic surgery which has been arranged at a moment's notice. The epilogue was also a step too far. It was a shame because I enjoyed two thirds of the book before it became too much. 3.5 stars (rounded up)

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Penguin Random House UK Children's, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two girls meet on a train journey. One of them is trying to avoid being sent to an expensive rehab centre in the Swiss mountains. The other is running away and running out of money. By the end of the journey they have agreed to swap, each pretending to be the other for a little while.
The Other Girl is a brilliant take on the person-swap concept which had me hooked from the beginning. I found it difficult to put down and raced through the book, wanting to see how it turned out. Once finished, I spent three days trying to marshal my thoughts because it seems nigh on impossible to write a review without including a spoiler of some sort. There are so many wonderful surprises, twists and reveals which I am unable to rave about in this review but what I will say is that by the end of the book, I came to like two fairly unlikeable characters. This book would make a great transfer into a film as it has numerous cinematic settings as well as lots of action.
The Other Girl by Emily Barr will be in bookshops in May 2025 – buy it, it’s a wild ride!
Thanks to Netgalley and Puffin Books for the ARC

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a really promising premise and I really enjoyed the third quarter - I found that the most gripping. The big twist about half way through was really well executed and creative.

I did find the writing style a bit challenging at times - there were lots of instances of being told how the character felt, rather than actions/thoughts/revelations/reactions doing that heavy lifting. I also found the ending at odds with the best part of the book and quite unrealistic - I could see we were going for a full circle moment but it negates lots of the character and world building the author had created up to that point.

I thought about 12% I might not finish the book but I’m glad I did! I just would have preferred slightly more complex character thought processes, a more engaging 5-15% and an ending that was better aligned with the characters we came to know.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this Advanced Readers Copy!

[Natalie Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had some really great twists and turns although some were predictable. I thought it was very interesting how the book was set out, first from the perspective of Tabbi and then Ruby, because I do think that really shapes how we feel about these characters. I enjoyed that we got straight into the action which really made this an easy book to get into.

The pace of the book was good and made me want to keep on reading and finding out what happened next.

I’ll be honest I wasn’t so sure on the ending. It felt like a full circle moment, but it didn’t feel like our characters had learnt anything from their experience, which was a little frustrating. There was still a few loose ends such as Leonora and Beatrice and also what actually happened in the end with Frank.

All in all it was an enjoyable read and would recommend

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Other Girl - Emily Barr
Publication date 15th May 2025

I thought this book had a very strong opening and really had me gripped. You’re very quickly introduced to the two main characters and are wondering straight away what Tabbi is running from. I enjoyed that there was a second part / pov from Ruby. I liked the twists, especially in the second part. I did find it a little far fetched, but over all it was just a really fun story.
It’s quite hard to review this book without giving away the twists and what the characters are running from, but I really would recommend this. It was a book I found hard to put down! I also really liked the cover of the book, which is also partly why I wanted to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC

[marisol · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay so here’s the thing: my local bookshop shelved this as a queer romance so up until like page 270 i was expecting tabbi and ruby to get together and thought this was just the slowest slow burn ever🫩
as it turns out this is not a queer lovestory!! (and i wasn’t really paying attention to the actual plot bc i was just expecting them to finally get together)
so all in all a wild ride for me but i think i enjoyed this book? just didn’t end up where i thought it would😀 it’s definitely an easy read i’ll say that! i was flying through the pages (probably mostly because i was waiting for them to kiss)

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a Prince and Pauper-style life swap, two very different girls trade lives for a short time - each for their own reasons - after meeting unexpectedly on a train.

One was headed for rehab, and the other one was out of options, so it seemed like a good idea at the time! The outcome, however, ends up being somewhat unexpected...

An entertaining YA thriller, this one is worth checking out if you enjoy the genre. It gets 3.5 stars.

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

[S K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. I was so invested in the plot, and the characters. I loved never knowing what would happen next. I loved every single plot twist, I never saw them coming. Jumping straight into the story was great, and really had me intrigued. Very well written.

I really wish the book ended at “She takes her passport out of her bag and puts it on the table. I do the same. We push them towards each other.” This was the pretty bow to wrap up the story.
Reading the last few paragraphs made me feel confused and angry and just wishing it didn’t end with the unknown.

[Marion McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grateful ARC recipient

Oh how I love a story told from multiple perspectives - and an unreliable narrator. This gave me two!

A grown up Parent-Trap-esque tale of switched lives gone wrong (or right?) that was a little far fetched in places but squared away satisfactorily so that it didn't spoil the story.

Interesting practical considerations of how one would go about living another's life, as well as the emotional consequences. Haven't we all wished we could be someone else or imagined that someone else has it easier/better than we do?

A quick read and a fun one. Would recommend.

[Little Red · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tagline on the book cover got my interest straight away. I wanted to know what happens to these two girls and why they aren’t who they say they are. This was a great mystery and different to anything I’ve read before. Truthfully there were a few moments that I didn’t understand but didn’t ruin the story. Throughout the book it gives you new twists to the story which I enjoyed. I’d definitely recommend checking this book out! I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A life swap thriller absolutely filled with drama. It was a little too far-fetched for my tastes but I have enjoyed many other books by Emily Barr so I stuck with it and I am glad I did.

Both girls have very interesting back stories to explain why they would ever make a switch in the first place and there are a lot of twists and revelations to keep you gripped.

Not my favourite read from the author but still enjoyable.

[Merle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very low 3.5 ⭐️
This book started out so intriguing: two unreliable narrators telling their side of the story, and I was quite shocked at some stuff they were hiding. It's a slow paced book but intriguing enough to keep me reading.
However, as soon as the two perspectives mashed together again, I was kind of dissapointed by how lackluster everything became. And the ending? I have to admit it almost ruined the book for me and brought it down from a solid 4 star rating.

[RICUPERO CRISTINA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questo libro mi è piaciuto molto. Nonostante la storia sia abbastanza surreale mi ha convinta lo stesso. Purtroppo il finale mi ha delusa un po' ed è per questo che non ho dato la quinta stellina.
Devo dire però che una pagina tira l'altra e la voglia di scoprire come andrà a finire è restata sempre molto alta.
Le due protagoniste mi sono piaciute entrambe nonostante i loro caratteri differenti.

[Rebeccah Prince · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent YA physiological thriller! This book is full of twists and turns and I could never predict the here it was going. It was exciting to read, and some of the time never knowing which character to trust! Each of the characters had difficult pasts that haunted the present. Also there was room for a sweet little romance for one of the girls which added some extra joy to the book.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOAH.

This book man...

Emily Barr is the GOAT of this style, twisting the plot around you until you can't think of anything else.

I started to think I was Ruby or Tabbi at some points!

Couldn't decide who I wanted to win the most, but both girls got their happiest ending, and that felt like the most gorgeous outcome!!

also I really want to go to Switzerland now

[Heids · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always enjoyed Emily Barrs adult fiction and am ploughing through the young adult selection and this is so great! It’s pop fiction, it moves fast, there’s wanderlust in the countries described and protagonists that you love to hate and hate to love - really enjoy the story line and adventure and made me wish I was a teen again!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I’ve read this year; I loved it so much here I am writing my first review ever. A perfect, twisting, contemporary part thriller tale, the two sides of the characters told and the ending bringing together everything perfectly, an engaging story that I consumed in near one sitting.

[Andrew Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good but has a very silly ending that didn’t feel like it rang true with the rest o the book. not the ending itself, but the events at the climax, including a ridiculous scene with Tabbi’s dad, who is in the book in a very minor way,that adds nothing to the plot. Netgalley arc