I was immediately drawn to THE OTHER PEOPLE after reading the description of a locked-room-style mystery and the opening quote chosen by C.B. Everett: "She couldn't imagine wanting to die. Death was for the other people" (Dame Agatha Christie, AND THEN THERE WERE NONE).

Twenty-one-year-old British film student Kyle Tanner wakes up in a bedroom very reminiscent of his own. However, when he looks out the window, he realizes that he has no idea where he is or how he got there. Kyle also believes that he may have seen a dead body on the lawn. Perplexing incidents like this are occurring throughout this strange and haunted place, and at least nine other strangers are experiencing similar waking nightmares.

"Everett has much fun with the games and trickery he has created. The result is a locked-room mystery with all the expected plot elements and red herrings, along with some juicy new ones to enjoy."

Alternating chapters are told from the perspectives of a different resident of this mysterious house. That includes the oddest voice of all --- the one claiming to be the beast living in the cellar, who seems to know everything that is going on and occasionally narrates the action. Business owner Diana Landor wakes up believing that she must have been a victim of sex trafficking as she steps into the hallway from a room that vaguely looks like hers yet is something altogether different.

The 10 strangers all gather for dinner hoping that someone will explain what is going on. Surprisingly, each guest is gifted with a meal that matches their personal tastes and only extends the mystery surrounding their host. When a goth-looking woman named Amanda shows up to tell them that they have 12 hours to find a missing woman, everything suddenly goes awry as the lights briefly go out. When they turn back on, Amanda is in a pool of her own blood, the victim of a brutal slaying. If these people had not been spooked up to this point, their attention is now fully given to their circumstances.

All doors are locked, and the group breaks off into pairs to explore the house. When one of the guests is murdered, it is obvious that someone is planning to pick them off one at a time. The questions remain: Who is doing it, and why? Not all of the visitors are British, as there are some American accents in the bunch. Another creepy discovery is a hallway with oil paintings depicting each of the guests in a pose that is supposed to resemble their role or personality.

As the narrative continues, we learn that all of these people have something to hide, and some may not be whom they claim to be. This gives more credence to the plot of AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, where 10 very guilty guests are being punished for their indiscretions, and the killer may be one of them. However, this still does not explain who or what the beast in the cellar is. Everett has much fun with the games and trickery he has created. The result is a locked-room mystery with all the expected plot elements and red herrings, along with some juicy new ones to enjoy.

The biggest conundrum presented in THE OTHER PEOPLE is the identity of its author, Martyn Waites, who freely admits that C.B. Everett is a pseudonym. Waites is known for writing the approved sequel to Susan Hill's gothic horror classic, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, as well as a number of successful releases using the pen name Tania Carver.