Other People's Houses

Clare Mackintosh first came onto my radar with I LET YOU GO. Since then, she consistently impresses me with her stories. It does not matter if they are standalone thrillers or part of her DC Morgan series; I find her stories suspenseful in all the right places, twisty, and so well-written. In OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES, she once again finds the perfect balance between murder mystery, character development, and a rather pointed political statement within a story that is compelling, sweet, and just a bit shocking.

Ffion Morgan is an absolute delight of a character. I first fell in love with her less-than-PC behavior and rather lax attitude about her job in THE LAST PARTY. When Dave entered the picture, all goofy, gangly, and endearingly show more mischievous, I knew I would never tire of DC Morgan. OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES is the third novel in the DC Morgan series, and Ffion remains one of my favorite detectives in literature. I am particularly impressed by how much growth she shows from one book to the next. We see a softer side of Ffion, someone ready to open her heart and trust - something that seemed impossible when we first met her. As for the ending? My romantic heart squealed and awwed with delight.

Leo is Ffion's opposite in almost every way, proving that opposites attract. It was fun to see these two professionals struggle not just to express their feelings but also to communicate effectively with each other. Many relationships fail because of this exact issue. Seeing both Leo and Ffion work through their communication issues provides a great example of the effort required for a healthy relationship.

OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES has the distinction of being three mysteries in one, another tricky balancing act Ms. Mackintosh effectively executes. How the three mysteries tie together is a clever bit of storytelling. Moreover, Ms. Macktinosh never lets one mystery languish while the other two garner all the attention. She deftly weaves the past and the present alongside the Welsh and the English investigations to make all of them interesting.

The attention to the materialism, elitism, and unconscious snobbery of the Cheshire neighborhood comes at the perfect time. Amid an increasing antipathy towards the disgustingly wealthy, OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES is a reminder that everyone has secrets they want to hide, but no one is above justice. While it might be somewhat of a naive idea, it is the type of reminder we need - that the chaos certain billionaires are causing in society will eventually come with consequences.

I loved every minute of OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES. I felt horrible and yet somewhat smug about Leo's ex-wife, satisfied with how karma reacted to her poor behavior. Her feeble social climbing attempts made me so glad I don't live in a neighborhood, and the mysteries' resolutions made me happy that my friends and coworkers are not that crazy/ambitious/clueless. Last but not least, I fell in love with Ffion all over again and cannot wait for her next adventure! show less

ARC REVIEW: OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES by Clare Mackintosh
OUT NOW!

Clare Mackintosh has a sneaky talent for turning the most ordinary moments into emotional booby traps. “Other People’s Houses” is basically a neon sign flashing: your neighbor’s life is messier than you think. It makes you glance at your own neighbors and wonder, “What’s really going on over there?”

This book drops us right into a neighborhood where everyone has secrets and nobody’s as put-together as they pretend. You know these people: the friend who always knows the gossip before anyone else, the neighbor who looks like they have it all together but is one bad day away from a meltdown, and the parent who’s juggling so much, you just want to hand them a show more bottle of wine. They’re messy, flawed, and wildly human.

Reading this felt a bit like standing at a party where you catch snippets of whispered conversations and have to piece together the real story yourself. It’s about how grief, guilt, and those sneaky little secrets worm their way into every relationship.

And think of the mood like peeking through a half-drawn curtain. You see just enough to know something big is happening, but you can’t quite step inside yet. That slow-burn curiosity is what kept me turning pages.
Is it dramatic? Oh, you bet. Mackintosh serves up gasp-worthy reveals. By the time the puzzle pieces started clicking together, I was practically yelling at the book to spill already.

“Other People’s Houses” is about the invisible ties between people, and the way we carry each other’s secrets without even realizing it. If you like books that make you gasp one minute and clutch your chest the next, this one’s waiting for you.

Thank you to the author and HighBridge Audio/Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this gifted ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

#OtherPeoplesHouses #ClareMackintosh #HighBridgeAudio #SourcebooksLandmark #NetGalley

CapCut - Gifted ARC - Honest Review - Murder - Cold Case show less

OMG what a total simpering dolt Allie is. Social climber without a single shred of sense or pride. She crashes a party with all of her idols present and then stays even after they treat her like staff, waiting on all of them. She makes me cringe with how obsequious and servile she is. Things with her get worse before they get better, but at least they do in the end.

Overall the mystery was good although I didn't suspect the murderer(s) at all and I don't know how to feel about that. I like to have some suspicion and clues so that I can at least have a go at figuring it out, but I also like when writers surprise me, so I don't know.

What I do know is that I won't be continuing with the series for the usual reason for me - Ffion, despite show more her protestations to the contrary, has become a breeder. Ugh. I don't want to watch her entire personality completely disappear to the lowest common denominator as she gurgles, coos and lactates. Bleah. show less

Other People's Houses is one of those books whereby I enjoyed the mystery element and thought the twists and turns were well done, but honestly, I could have done without the POV of one of the characters as she drove me absolutely bonkers. And while it may have been a technique used to get insight into the houses of the wealthy, I don't think it worked very well and I got to the point where I really wanted to just skip over those chapters.

So, let's start with character development, shall we? Ffion is a strong character and I really enjoy learning more about her in each book. She has difficulty forming relationships with other co-workers and struggles to understand how to take her own personal relationship to the next level without show more having panic attacks and feeling trapped or being afraid to make a huge mistake; in effect, she has commitment issues and I have enjoyed her journey as she learns how to navigate feelings and a relationship all while doing her job. In this one, she is also taking steps to connect more with her colleagues and is making an effort to find out more about them.

And while I enjoyed a lot of the character development arcs for many of the characters, there is definitely one I did not enjoy, Leo's ex-wife, one of the most self-absorbed, clueless people I have read in a long time. Sometimes I enjoy these characters as they are fun to read about, but she was just so annoying, I didn't enjoy her chapters at all. I definitely understood why those chapters were included, but personally, I don't think it worked the way they were intended, and I don't feel like I got to know any of the wealthy inhabitants at all through this woman's eyes because everything was about her. Yes, the wealthy people didn't treat her well, but I don't necessarily think it had anything to do with wealth or position, but when you are so needy for acceptance and attention, it just bleeds through your pores and you can feel it.

The plot itself was interesting, with lots of twists and turns, and I missed a couple of the clues as the culprit was not who I thought. With an intriguing cold case thrown into the middle of an active crime investigation, I liked how the author blended the two investigations seamlessly.

Verdict
Other People's Houses had an interesting plot and I enjoyed the twists and turns of the two investigations as they slowly came together. I liked Ffion and Leo's character development and how they are trying to manage both their personal and professional relationships, but the chapters with Leo's ex-wife could have been removed completely as they were useless. To be perfectly fair, I think Ffion's dog Dave is actually the star in this book and needs more time on the page, or in doggy behaviour school, at the least. show less

Other People's Houses by Clare Mackintosh is an excellent, very highly recommended procedural which follows three complex cases that unexpectedly converge. Other People's Houses is the third book in the DC Morgan series but can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel.

In the first case DC Ffion Morgan recovers the body of estate agent Natasha Brett who was found dead in a kayak on the lake. Natasha had been at a drunken estate company get away weekend with her coworkers.

The second case involves a series of breaking and entering in the exclusive homes on The Hill in Cheshire that DS Leo Brady is investigating. In the odd break-ins nothing of great value is taken. Complicating matters is Leo's ex, Allie, who doesn't live on The Hill, but is show more trying to ingratiate herself with the women who do.

The third case unfolds through the social media posts from fans of the true crime podcast called Without Conviction. It is covering a cold case from ten years earlier when the Carmichael's were murdered in their home. When new evidence is found, the popularity of the podcast increases.

The well-written narrative starts out at an even pace as Ffion and Leo are involved with investigating their separate cases and Ffion follows the Carmichael case on the podcast. There are also chapter following Allie trying to wheedle her way into the crowd on The Hill. As the cases become more complex and convoluted, the tension and pace increase. For much of the plot, the social media posts about the Without Conviction podcast feel like space filler, rather than an important part of the plot, but keep reading as it will become important.

Once everything takes off the pace becomes lightning-fast and the novel becomes un-put-downable as secrets are uncovered and connections between cases begin to emerge. As you continue reading it will become clear how marvelously plotted the novel really is and how brilliantly everything is tied up.

Ffion and Leo's relationship is developing along with their characters throughout the novel. Ffion can be outspoken and opinionated, but she is also intelligent and clear-sighted. Dave, Ffion's dog is an exuberant addition to the cast. Allie becomes a sympathetic/pathetic character with all her fawning attempts at social climbing.

Other People's Houses is a perfect choice for anyone who enjoys procedurals. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/09/other-peoples-houses.html show less

Complex crime thriller - the third in the DC Morgan series.

This story follows two interconnected cases and a cold case. DC Ffion Morgan is investigating the death of a female estate agent found in the Awen River inside a kayak while on a work trip in Wales. DS Leo Brady, Ffion's boyfriend, is working on another series of crimes on The Hill. Residents living on The Hill have lots of secrets behind the doors of those opulent homes in the area’s most highly desired post code in Cheshire. They may be wealthy, but they definitely don’t have everything. Recently they’ve suffered a rash of home burglaries and an old, unsolved murder also happened there.

This novel was quite cleverly plotted and, although there were a lot of characters, show more each seemed individual and well developed. There's more information about the relationship between Ffion and Leo. His ex wife, Allie, a wanna be member of the clique on The Hill, is also involved peripherally in the goings on. The author blends mystery and humor with a bit of social commentary as well. It all comes together with a satisfying conclusion.

I like crime thrillers and police procedurals because I like the details about the investigation process and the realistic pursuit of a criminal. The author does a great job describing the police work. The inclusion of the true crime podcast demonstrates the popularity of that media as well as how it affects the cold case inquiry. I enjoy the interaction between Ffion and Leo and their developing personal bonds. Although this could be read as a standalaone, I think it is more enjoyable having read the previous books and knowing the backstory. I'm looking forward to the next installment in this excellent series.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrators, Chloe Angharad Davies, Joe Eyre, and Penelope Rawlins, were amazing. Their accents and flawless Welsh made the story more authentic. I was quite glad to have the book text in front of me at times, however, as delivery is fast. The cast created a great immersive listening experience and enhanced my enjoyment of the book. show less

Another entry in the Fi Morgan series, this one has Fi investigating the death of a estate agent, while her boyfriend Leo is investigating burglaries in an exclusive neighborhood. There are some funny moments as Fi can't seem to get a break in her housing, and the interaction between her and Leo's ex-wife. However, there are also some sad moments regarding Harris, Leo's son, and the desperation of Leo's ex. The mystery of the robberies and the death are all tied up, and it came down to greed, of course. I loved the ending, and I look forward to the continuation of the series.