Editorial Content for Other People's Houses

There are so many reasons to recommend OTHER PEOPLE’S HOUSES by Clare Mackintosh. When a mystery novel features characters who are so likable and relatable that their situation and relationships become equally as important as the actual mystery, you know it's going to be a winner. And on top of that, I did not feel that I was missing anything having not read the first two installments in the series.

That said, do I plan to go back and read the previous books featuring the fascinating and beautifully flawed protagonist, Ffion Morgan? Absolutely. This Welsh detective has not had an easy life, but she puts on a brave front and works hard. She uses her not-insignificant intelligence and her perseverance to do the jobs that need finishing. Ffion often puts the pieces together before her male colleagues, and it infuriates her when she's not given credit. She doesn't put up with nonsense, but for all her strength, she's extremely vulnerable and filled with self-doubt.

"As I turned the final pages of OTHER PEOPLE’S HOUSES, I was in tears. Mackintosh develops the characters and moves them forward to a conclusion that is extremely touching, as well as deeply satisfying."

Leo Brady, a detective in Cheshire, which is right across the border from Wales, is Ffion’s boyfriend. He's dealt with her inability to commit, as well as her fear of meeting Harris, his son from his first marriage. Here, we get to really know Leo's first wife, Allie, as she becomes mixed up in the neighbors' series of burglaries that Leo is investigating. At the same time, Ffion is looking into the death of an estate agent --- what we in the US call a real estate agent --- at a holiday rental on a river while celebrating with her colleagues.

The novel opens with a seemingly unrelated excerpt from a podcast about a 10-year-old murder involving Peter and Stephanie Carmichael, a husband and wife who were killed on Valentine's Day. The podcast is wildly popular, and many of the characters are addicted to it. As the story progresses, we see that information shared with the podcast actually gives the police who have reopened the cold case new leads.

OTHER PEOPLE’S HOUSES is told from the points of view of Ffion, Leo and Allie. There are also texts from group chats and some Facebook groups about the podcast interspersed with the narrative. There are three different events that are being juggled by the police in the neighboring counties in Wales and England. There is the cold case crime; the string of burglaries that Leo is investigating, which become more dangerous as the story progresses; and the dead estate agent, which turns out to be a murder that Ffion is determined to solve.

How the three are linked and how Mackintosh brilliantly leads us to the conclusion makes for a thrilling ride. While we are trying to figure out how to connect the dots, we are also rooting for Leo and Ffion to make their relationship work. Both are very complex characters, but we are aware that Leo is hiding something from Ffion. We also know that she has doubts about how serious their relationship is and if she is ready to move in with him.

It would be very easy to hate Allie for her shallow behavior and desperate attempt at social-climbing. But there's something about her frantic bids at befriending those who live in the mansions on the street next to hers that tugs at our hearts. Why does she keep trying so hard when it's clear to all that she will never be accepted? That no matter how extravagant her efforts, no matter how she finds cheap "dupes" for their expensive belongings, she will not fit in? And there's also the fact that she can be pretty hateful, even if it comes from a place of huge insecurity.

As I turned the final pages of OTHER PEOPLE’S HOUSES, I was in tears. Mackintosh develops the characters and moves them forward to a conclusion that is extremely touching, as well as deeply satisfying. The ending is quite unexpected but also very cleverly crafted, so it makes perfect sense. And for those who are new to this series, as I was, it's a sure bet that this won't be the last DC Ffion Morgan novel you'll read.