A great novel with twists a plenty! This was quite a unique premise and is excellently written. I'm not sure whether I'd put this explicitly in the thriller category, but that shouldn't put anyone off!

Couldn't put this book down! Lots of twists and turns and a good one at the end. Looking forward to reading more from the author.

Weird, creepy, strange, I wasn't sure to start and was then hooked. Well written, great characters and makes you think. Hopefully more to come from Hannah.

After the death of her brother, Abby can only blame herself. Her relationship has fallen apart as she can’t bear to be happy.

The stranger that rescue her from the accident doesn’t give up, and after a while she finds that Nate is the one to look after, love and protect her.

Fast forward to the present day and new neighbours move in next door. They seem really nice - until Abby realises the husband is her ex, and the love of her life. Can they control their feelings and hide them from their spouses?

This was a great domestic noir, told in the present day and the past from multiple narratives including Abby and Nate, their daughter Sarah’s diary entries and from Liam’s wife Nancy’s point of view.

It was twisty with a right corker at the end. I loved watching the whole story unfold.

Each character had their flaws and we’re all well developed. You could feel the tension in the room in some places and the animalistic chemistry in others.

A really great novel, the second I’ve read from this author and I loved it as much.

Brilliant and very well written. I was hooked from the start and couldn't wait to see how it ended. I love this author's books, and would read some more by her in future. Recommended.

A really gripping story. A book full of twists and turns you'll never see coming. I loved learning the back stories of the characters and how they came together. A real shock at the end and I loved it. 10 out of 10.

A well written, perfectly plotted story that had me on the edge of my seat.
The book was loaded with suspense and had me gripped from the start. The story had twists and turns, and the characters were portrayed by the author so brilliantly, you were left feeling quite passionate about your dislike to some of them.

I really enjoyed this book and I am certain that many others will agree.

I loved this crazy read. Full of twists & so addictive. First book I’ve read by this author & look forward to reading more.

I really enjoyed this book. It was creepy, crazy, thrilling, shocking and downright "what the hell?!". Would definitely recommend!

EXCERPT: I forced my eyes open.

And I saw him.

'Tom.' My own voice this time, barely a whisper. 'Tom.' A little stronger, louder.

My brother lay a few meters away in what had been my blue Ford Capri, but which was now an upturned carcass of broken glass and mangled steel. The flashing of the hazard lights illuminated Tom's bloody face every few seconds, a perverse freak show. He hung upside down. Unlike me, he was still in the car, somewhere between the front and back seats, his arms and legs bent at impossible angles. Eyes wide and glazed. Staring at me. Desperate. Begging.

ABOUT 'THE NEIGHBOURS': Abby looks forward to meeting the family who just moved in across the street—until she realizes they’re the one couple who could expose her deepest secrets

After a night of fun back in 1992, Abby is responsible for a car crash that kills her beloved brother. It’s a mistake she can never forgive, so she pushes away Liam, the man she loves most, knowing that he would eventually hate her for what she’s done, the same way she hates herself.

Twenty years later, Abby’s husband, Nate, is also living with a deep sense of guilt. He was the driver who first came upon the scene of Abby’s accident, the man who pulled her to safety before the car erupted in flames—the man who could not save her brother in time. It’s this guilt, this regret, that binds them together. They understand each other. Or so Nate believes.

In a strange twist of fate, Liam moves into the neighborhood with his own family, releasing a flood of memories that Abby has been trying to keep buried all these years. Abby and Liam, in a complicit agreement, pretend never to have met, yet cannot resist the pull of the past—nor the repercussions of the terrible secrets they’ve both been carrying…

MY THOUGHTS: Told from the points of view of Abby and Nate, Nancy and Liam, and extracts from Sarah's diary, The Neighbours is an excellent and intriguing piece of domestic noir that spans two timelines.

'Ashes to ashes.
Dust to dust.
Lies stay secret.
And so they must.'

Abby has had a lot to contend with: her father's abandonment; estrangement from her mother; the belief that she's never deserved Nate's 'no strings attached' love and that she is unable to reciprocate it; her failure to bond with her daughter and her need to spy on her; causing the death of her brother; and walking away from the one man she truly loved.

Abby believes that she has left her tragic past behind. She has a husband who adores her and, as he says, he loves enough for both of them. But what happens when your past moves in next door? Is Abby strong enough to resist, or will she give in to temptation?

The characters are well depicted. Abby is a 'closed off' type of person who doesn't like to let anyone get close, not even Nate, her husband, who adores her and cherishes her. Sarah, their daughter, is very close to her dad, and barely tolerates her mother. Sarah is also extremely resourceful. Nancy is insecure and lives in the shadow of her successful and charming husband, Liam. Abby and Liam have met before, but they're keeping that a secret...

The Neighbours is an exciting read that will keep you turning the pages as secret after secret is revealed, taking the reader full circle, back to the car crash that begins this story.

The ending is clever and cataclysmic. This is a story filled with betrayal, lies, secrets and love. There are twists that, in the spirit of Christmas, just keep on giving.

This is my second book by this author, and I am hooked. So why not 5 stars? Nate has only ever kept one secret from Abby and he has always sworn that he wouldn't add to the list. He does, and we know what the second secret is, but we never find out what the first was. And I want to know!

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

'Whatever happens, spring and summer will always come. Things will always get better.'

THE AUTHOR: I was born in the UK and grew up in Switzerland. Unsurprisingly I love chocolate, mountains and cheese, and books, of course.

When I moved to Canada with my husband and three sons in 2010 I went through an (early) mid-life crisis. Maybe it was the failed attempt at a start-up company, but one morning I decided to follow my oldest passion; writing - and never looked back.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harlequin, MIRA, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Neighbours by Hannah Mary McKinnon for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

In 1992, Tom died and his sister Abby was the sole survivor of that vehicular accident where she had been drunk driving. The guilt never left her. Ever. Nate rescued her from the flames but couldn’t rescue her brother. Then he rescued her from the bubble of grief that surrounded her.

2 decades later Liam and Nancy moved next door to them. Liam was Abby’s love. The soulmate. The secrets twisted then exploded.

A wicked mind author Hannah Mary McKinnon had to write with a hand so deft that the darkened tale had me cringing as well gasping with the shocks I received. Repercussions of the decisions of the past went on right up to the last page.

The story started slow, telling me lives of both couples. Then like the opening of Pandora’s box, many secrets and desires took a life of its own. Swift paced in the last 30%, the twists were aplenty.

Abby was deeply complex and her story led most of the book, bit others too had their say. I didn’t find any likeable as the author had drawn shadows on their souls too.

Quite a family drama with secrets and suspense enveloping it.

What an amazing book! Hannah Mary McKinnon shows once again she's the queen of endings! From the very first scene, I became addicted to this story, tearing through the pages so I could know how it would end - and I did not see that ending coming! Highly recommend!

An entertaining and satisfying domestic drama, with some shocking twists


Abby has never entirely escaped the guilt she feels over the death of her beloved brother, Tom, after he passed away in a car accident which was her fault. Twenty years on, she is married to Nate, the man who saved her from the wreckage of the car, and they live happily together with their teenage daughter, Sarah. When new neighbours move in next door, Abby is shocked to realise that the husband of the pair is none other than Liam, her ex-boyfriend who she broke up with after the trauma of losing Tom but never really got over. The two are instantly attracted to each other again, but mutually decide to act like they are strangers and try and avoid each other as much as possible. However, as Nate and Liam’s wife Nancy seem determined to bring the families together, Abby and Liam find themselves once again drawn to each other, and the secrets of the past start bubbling to the surface.


This was a really intriguing and engrossing read that absolutely nails the thrill of domestic fiction. The author does a marvellous job of building up the characters relationships, including all the secrets and lies between the couples, so that as the reader you are left knowing that something has got to give and get a massive hit of satisfaction when it finally does.

The narrative is told from multiple POVs. It switches between the past and the present - meaning the history between Abby, Liam and Nate is revealed gradually and in small titbits. The true reality of what has been going on only becoming clear right at the end when the last puzzle piece is exposed. The ending of this book was an absolute triumph – very unexpected, neatly tied up lots of loose ends and explained a lot of the characters’ previous actions. I won’t give anything away, but I ended up feeling extremely sorry for some characters and hating others, in a way that I hadn’t quite expected!


Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the story was slightly soured by the fact that I really disliked the character of Liam from the start. I found him so smug and arrogant (and lacking in any real personality traits other than ‘good-looking’), that I genuinely couldn’t fathom why a complex and damaged person such as Abby or indeed anyone ever could like him. I also thought Abby came across as a bit weak and self-pitying, although the more that was revealed of her past, the more this was understandable. I found my dislike of the characters impacted on my empathy for them, and therefore slightly on my investment in the story.


In conclusion, this was a fun soap opera-style drama, with plenty of intriguing twists, some excellent characterisation and an absolute bombshell of an ending. The author is clearly a talented observer of human character, and I would definitely read more by her.


Daenerys


Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.

Loved this read. Equal parts tragic love story, lies, lust and secrets. Oh...and you’ll never guess the ending so don’t even try. Just find your favourite chair and settle in.

Hannah Mary McKinnon’s “The Neighbours” is a devastating slow-burner, sizzling with suburban tension and earthshaking twists. It’s the perfect combination of domestic suspense and heartbreaking family drama. This is the second of McKinnon’s novels that I’ve read (the other is “Sister, Dear” - equally gripping) and neither have disappointed.

As a young woman, Abby and her brother are involved in a horrific car accident. Abby survives, but he’d brother doesn’t. Nate saves Abby from the accident and are thrown together by the tragedy. Their marriage is stable, even if a little one-sided on Nate’s part. When new neighbours move in next door, Abby is in for a shock. Because Liam knows her from her past... Is it really a coincidence that him, his wife Nancy and son Zac have moved on next door? And can Abby keep her daughter Sarah away from Zac? Their are secrets bubbling under the surface of these picture perfect suburban lives and they are threatening to tear these families apart...

“The Neighbours” is another excellent thriller from McKinnon, who weaves an intricate and involved plot that is full of intrigue and tension. The reader is thrown into the lives of the Morris and Jefferson families and kept guessing as to what is going to happen between all involved. McKinnon is fantastic at creating misdirection and there were numerous times where I thought the novel would take one course, only to find that things would take a sharp turn in a different direction. This kept the plot well paced and punchy, with layers of tension and drama built up into a thrilling and crushing conclusion. This story is very much about facing past decisions, lives left behind and moving on from grief. These things don’t necessarily scream thriller novel, but McKinnon seamlessly blends the human drama with a taut, suspenseful atmosphere that is entirely gripping. I enjoyed the fact that I had conflicting feelings for all of the characters, as it kept me turning pages and desperate to find out what was going to happen.

The style of the novel lends itself really well to the themes too. Written from multiple perspectives and across more than one timeline, the shocking plot twists are revealed in imaginative and exhilarating ways. Each character that the narrative is written from has a very distinct voice and this is testament to McKinnon’s skills as a novelist. Reading events from multiple perspectives was really interesting and I found it a really successful way to generate both suspense and action. Abby’s chapters helped build a complex and multifaceted character, who was equally sympathetic, damaged, narcissistic and cold. Nate’s chapters revealed a humble, generous, likeable man, who was ultimately too naive for his own good, but not pathetic because of it. His devotion to Abby is admirable, if not a little infuriating. Nancy’s chapters are fewer in number, but some of the most intriguing. Following her journey through the plot was one of the most interesting aspects for me. I enjoyed seeing her adapt from the rather meek, under-appreciated wife to the determined and gritty woman. The chapters from her perspectives left were wondering just exactly how the narrative would end - needless to say, I never foresaw how things would eventually conclude! At first, I thought that the juvenile infatuation with a boy at school that Sarah’s diary entries describe, acted as a perfect mirror image to the equally infantile lust that Abby and Liam had for each other. However, as the story progressed I found that these chapters actually held a lot more significance than I had originally thought. They are not only telling of her relationship with Abby, but hold subtle and hidden keys to the shocking final reveals. I found it really interesting that there are no chapters written from Liam’s perspective. This helps maintain a sense of mystery around him and the narrative works really well without having any insight into his inner thoughts or feelings. It also helps solidify his position as the closest thing to a villain in the events that unfold. However, what is perhaps most significant about “The Neighbours” is that this isn’t a black and white, good versus evil thriller - it’s an achingly human story that could be happening in your own neighbourhood right at this very moment. It is this that makes it such a gripping read and one that I highly recommend.

A page turner where you won’t like anyone but you will NEED to get to the end.

I really enjoyed this book despite finding the characters vile. It’s a very good read and I cannot imagine anyone not enjoying it.

The Neighbours is an addictive page-turner told from multiple POVs which I found really enjoyable. The book is well structured and developed with great timing as the past meets the present in shocking and devastating ways.

Abby and Nate are happily married and have a teenage daughter named Sarah. Liam and Nancy are married and have a teenage son named Zac. When the new neighbours are introduced, Liam and Abby get the shock of their lives and in their shock, pretend this is the first time they've met, afraid of the truth.

From here we see the story of Abby and Liam, Abby and Nate and how their relationships ended up where they are today. There were some hints in the story that I picked up on so I wasnt surprised with some of the twists but I still found it an enjoyable, almost scandalous read.

The Neighbours is an easy read with short, punchy chapters told from multiple accounts, giving you an all round account of the relationships and characters. A shocking ending that I didn't see coming helped to finish this book on a high note for me. I would definitely recommend The Neighbours.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hannah Mary McKinnon and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Abby looks forward to meeting the family who just moved in across the street - until she realizes they're the one couple who could expose her deepest secrets. After a night of fun back in 1992, Abby is responsible for a car crash that kills her beloved brother. It's a mistake she can never forgive, so she pushes away Liam, the man she loves most, knowing that he would eventually hate her for what she's done, the same way she hates herself. Twenty years later, Abby's husband, Nate, is also living with a deep sense of guilt. He was the driver who first came upon the scene of Abby's accident, the man who pulled her to safety before the car erupted in flames - the man who could not save her brother in time. It's this guilt, this regret, that binds them together. They understand each other. Or so Nate believes. In a strange twist of fate, Liam moves into the neighbourhood with his own family, releasing a flood of memories that Abby has been trying to keep buried all these years. Abby and Liam, in a complicit agreement, pretend never to have met, yet cannot resist the pull of the past - nor the repercussions of the terrible secrets they've both been carrying...

This is a riveting, addictive and twist-laden thriller which touches on the aftermath of a tragedy and how your past can shape your future. Mackinnon does a superb job of ensuring the emotional state of the characters is reflective of real-life and the story becomes quite powerful because of that. It's compulsive and fast-paced with a well-crafted plot and an intriguing and engaging cast of characters. This is well-written and highly readable fiction with a plethora of twists, turns and red herrings to throw you off the scent and right from the beginning I was hooked. The author creates an effortlessly flowing style of writing which never fails to immerse you and keeps you reading with ferocity. I love books that get under your skin and into your psyche and tear up your preconceptions and this fits the bill perfectly. An easy, entertaining read with enough happening to keep you satisfyingly turning the pages. A real emotionally intelligent page-turner and a must-read for all crime connoisseurs. Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.

I have to confess, I kinda ruined some of this book as I was reading the American version ‘The Neighbors’ and so found myself correcting the spelling all through and also other Americanisms and also kept imagining it was set in America and so didn’t buy the location of Preston and Bromley and other things, my fault....mind you looking at the UK cover it looks like a 1970’s soft porn cover so....

Anywaysssss the story is basically new neighbours Nancy and Liam move in next door to Abby and Nate, immediately Liam and Abby realise they know each other and basically the story goes from there...secrets, lies, subterfuge and regrets and of course when ‘it all comes out in the wash’ tis explosive
It was fairly easy to predict until the ending which was triple whammy and done well, the characters were all unlikeable, not a decent, loyal bone in them and to be honest distasteful, I sound puritanic anno but c’mon everyone dropping their pants so quickly with gusto and gay abandon, was all a bit far fetched to be honest but I finished it and as say the ending was a surprise revelation to a fairly basic but easy reading tale

5/10
2.5 Stars

Whenever I review books, I use a rating system so I can mark individual aspects of the book for a more well-rounded review. It was particularly helpful for this book as the plot/narrative wasn't to my taste but I really appreciated the writing style.

Abby and Nate are happily married - well Nate is, but Abby has settled for a man who loves her unconditionally, a man who saved her life years ago following a fatal car crash that killed Abby's brother, Tom. Behind the wheel and drunk when it happened, Abby has never been able to forgive herself for causing her brother's death. Leaving her past (and Liam, her boyfriend at the time), Abby starts fresh with Nate in London. Years later, Liam and his family move in next door. Pretending they don't know each other, Abby can't shift the feelings that made her fall in love with him all those years ago. But there's too much history there for her to even consider it. And secrets that must remain hidden, at all costs.

I want to start by saying that I don't typically enjoy books that are built around infidelity; it's something I just can't justify and I'm rarely OK with it. That said, I have read books in the past that have tackled it sensitively. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like The Neighbours did. Without spoiling, I felt that Abby had her fair share of chances to make the choice she eventually made and this made me really dislike her. I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters except Nate who I liked, although I found him quite weak. The twists were good though and like I said, I really enjoyed the writing style and found myself sucked into the story from page one, keen to uncover the secrets. It was very fast-paced and had plenty of strong elements for a good domestic thriller. Unfortunately, I just wasn't on board with the topic (or the ending) and this impacted my overall view of the novel.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review!