Lara and Roman are the new owners of a beautiful house in The Gardens. They are starting over after a traumatic event and are delighted to feel safe again. They meet the neighbours one by one and they all seem very friendly and inclusive. However, Lara begins to feel uncomfortable and the story unfolds quite quickly to become a tense and suspenseful thriller.

I really enjoyed the creepy storyline and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a twisty/turny plot. My one criticism is that I feel the ending wasn’t right; it didn’t fit and didn’t work for me.

My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the complimentary digital copy.

This book gripped me from the start., just when you think you know where it is going, a twist happens and you didn't see it coming. Houese moves, marital issues, missing people and a death. The plot is fast and keeps you intrigued. Another good story From Tony Parsons.

Lana and Roman have run away from a terrible past to start an ideal life in The Gardens. All is not as it seems in paradise. Lana starts to question things about her perfect neighbours and she quickly finds herself trapped. A very twisty tale were everything appears perfect until you look beneath the surface. Just wait for the end.

I always enjoy Tony Parson’s books as they are always filled with twists and turns and I get through them very quickly. This one was just as exciting and I raced through it. Another winner. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

When you have moved home purposefully to leave deep secrets well into the past it is perhaps not great news to find out a family were brutally murdered in your new home, before you moved in, and the estate agent neglected to properly notify at least one of you.
Some books take many pages or several chapters for the reader to learn and be interested in the characters. This story is interesting from the very beginning as you gradually discover more and more about the couple who have moved into their new home, Lana and Roman, and then find out about their relationships with their new neighbours.
Gradually, we find out that several of these very helpful and friendly neighbours are also hiding secrets and as we all know, secrets in a book are there to be found out.
The writing is excellent throughout as the tension is increased chapter by chapter. I was delighted to receive a free copy of this book and my review remains the same. The story, set in this neighbourhood, could exist anywhere and perhaps she makes you wonder about the secrets that your neighbours hide.

I thoroughly enjoy Tony Parsons' books, they are gripping, not too complicated and easy to read.

We meet married couple Roman and Lana, told mainly from Lana's point of view and then towards the end we get alternating chapters with Roman and Lana. Roman and Lana have had a bad experience in their previous abode and have moved to a lovely gated community to live in their forever home. Roman has taken the local job as GP and Lana is a photographer but not working at the time.

The neighbours soon take Lana under their wing and she makes friends with them. Lana soon discovers that their home is not exactly what she originally thought and soon starts questioning her neighbours. Full of little twists and turns.

Another great novel by Tony Parsons and if you like a dark, domestic thriller then this is a book for you.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tony Parsons and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Lana and Roman have moved to an idyllic house in the Cotswolds after a traumatic event left them uneasy in their London flat. The new neighbours seem friendly, if a little odd at times and Lana finds it hard to settle. Of course, all is not what it seems. It has the makings of a good psychological thriller but for me takes a bit of an unbelievable twist.

Lana & Roman Wade leave their flat & move to a close, known as The Gardens, in the Oxfordshire countryside. The neighbours appear charming but Lana is uneasy. Is it because of what happened ? Their secret?

A good story but a tad far fetched. I found the characters unlikeable, probably just as well, but there were some creditable twists & turns although I felt the conclusion a little rushed.

My first book by this author but I liked the writing style, so it won’t be my last.

Tony Parsons’s new thriller speaks to the fears I believe are buried somewhere in all of us, especially those living in big city centres – places where you can’t possibly know everybody around you and what they are all up to. But what about when you do know everybody who lives close to you? Can you ever really know what is going on inside their heads – their aims and ambitions, their secrets and their own fears. When you move to a new place, leaving some of the only certainties in your life behind, trying to fit in, bending over backwards to accommodate others, what could this do to your mental health? You need the support and understanding of those closest to you, and when that’s not there, that’s when you start to doubt yourself.
Is it you who are the problem, or are you right and it’s everybody else that is up to something? Sorting out the creeps from the ‘normal’ people might just take more effort than it’s worth.

If you thought The Stepford Wives was creepy, then hold on to your hat!

Lana and Roman Wade have recently moved; a fresh start into a beautiful home in a small select close known as The Gardens where the neighbours are welcoming and friendly. The couple are harbouring a secret and this move is supposed to greatly improve their lives but Lana can’t settle. There’s something not quite right and she won’t be at ease until she finds out exactly what. Roman, however, cannot see what the issue is and his patience is tried over and over again as Lana won’t let it lie. Is there something to find out? If so, then what?

Those who follow my blog will be aware that I read the blurb at the time of accepting a book onto my list but I don’t peruse it again prior to beginning to read so I was initially convinced that this was set in the States; The Gardens sounded very much like their gated communities. As the story got going, I shared some of Lana’s doubts about whether she could be happy in their new home – not so much a fresh start as a completely different way of life. As she gets to know her neighbours, she realises that it’s not all as sweetness and light as some would want her to believe and her inability to let things lie leads her into a bit of bother. There were times when what I was reading completely freaked me out and towards the end my heart was pounding in my chest so loudly that I was astounded my husband couldn’t hear it! Thrilling, chilling, exciting and one which really freaked me out at times; I’m only grateful we’ve lived in our house for a few decades! Expertly written and with everything all tied up by the final word – exactly how I like it to be. Absolutely recommended and completely worth all five sparkling stars!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.

The book begins with a disturbing home invasion of the house of Lana and Roman Wade and after the attack they can't live in the house anymore or the area.
So they sell up and move to a gated community in The Gardens Oxfordshire,.
But soon after moving in Lana sees someone in their back garden taking photos and she freaks out. But when neighbour's tell her the reason for people taking photos of their new home Lana is shocked.
They have escaped trauma once but can they do so again?
There are so many twists in this book it keeps you guessing until the end.

A marriage that seems so strong is seriously tested during a move to what seems like a little bit of paradise. Friendly neighbours are not what they seem. Dark, thrilling, fast paced. Lots of twists.

A good read full of quirky names, slightly distracting at times. Felt the ending could have been better, but all in all, thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I found this book to be very readable. It was very psychological and the plot twists and turns certainly made the pages turn. Some of the names of the characters I found hilarious, Swallow, Willow, Roman! Everyday names-
I think not. The characters were an interesting bunch, some of them quite aggressive and some plain weird. I was not at all sure about Oleander still blooming into the Autumn, in this country, not at all likely I think.
I was a good read and I enjoyed it.

Firstly, I have to say that I am a big fan of this author's Max Wolfe series. I still miss him, and Scout and Stan, and the legendary Black Museum... I really do wish we'd get a catch up, see how they're all getting on... Oh well...
Since that series ended I have carried on with the author and I am not sure whether it's because I loved the Max Wolfe so much, but I haven't been able to really engage with his stand alones quite so well.
So, Lana and Roman have fled the city, moving from a flat to a house in a residential close. It soon becomes evident that the flat is not the only thing they have left behind and that their past is threatening to become their present once again... This is compounded when Lana learns of the tragedy that befell the family who previously lived in their house.
What also becomes plain is that other residents of The Gardens, the close they all live on, all have secrets of their own too.
And so begins a twisty turny read that, although a bit of a slow burn initially, kept me on my toes throughout as it delivered punch after shock as it meandered its way towards a rather chilling, and mostly satisfying ending. I say mostly satisfying, I do also have to admit that it did all get a bit OTT towards the end and I did roll my eyes at some of it all!
All in all, a decent enough read that I did get through in only a couple of sittings. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is very much a story of two halves. It starts with a couple moving into an idyllic new home with friendly welcoming neighbours, a great place to start again after a terrible incident. There’s an air of darkness behind all of the happiness and the book takes a turn for the bizarre as their true purpose in life becomes apparent.

It was a treat to read Tony Parsons’ writing again as he really can tell a story well. Unfortunately the story was too far fetched for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in return for a review.

Wow what an opening to this one. Immediately I’ve wanted to know more. I have been caught up and held hostage and unwilling to put this down.

📖 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶? 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭. 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥- 𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘮𝘣 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸- 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦- 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.

This book definitely hasn’t disappointed. I have devoured this with no regrets. I loved Lana and Roman and seeing the secrets unfold.

This is well written and completely addictive, I’ve consumed this book with no regrets and loved every element. The one part I have found difficult is the decline in Lana’s mental health. This is an element that I have struggled with whilst being able to relate to it.

I’ve read Parson’s previous book and found myself completely pulled in and as though I have watched the events play out in front of me. This has been no different. I feel as though I have watched the events play out and been with the characters as this has happened.

This moves at a good pace, allowing the reader enough information to enjoy and try to predict what may happen next. However, I have been completely unable to work out where this would go.

This has been a great read, one I will definitely be recommending.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It hooked me from the start and held my attention until the end, which I felt was not quite as wrapped up as it could have been! The tension develops well throughout the book as the neighbours are viewed with suspicion and the couple’s relationship comes under strain. Good writing and character development it is well worth a read!

This is a hard one to review. I was sucked into this story, I was hooked and I was flying through it. There are some really good plot twists and surprises in it that have kept my interest until the end. But, the ending for me was way too far-fetched. I disliked most of the characters and I wouldn’t have mind that if the ending was mind blowing. The ending just really didn’t feel right, I felt like there where too many loose ends and it was way too rushed. It was a very quick read and I did kinda enjoy it. But it wasn’t what I hoped for.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

🤓 ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Short Chapters
Multiple POVs
Psychological thrillers

ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ:
𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘞𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺-𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘹𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘴, 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨.

𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵; 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥, 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘰-𝘰𝘯𝘦.

𝘈𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳...

Lara and Roman Wade have moved to their dream house in a quiet corner of Oxforshire after being the victims of a traumatic crime in their London flat. What happened to them is only hinted at but it seems to have left Lara in a delicate frame of mind and she finds it hard to fit in with her new neighbours, becoming increasingly suspicious of them and their possible involvement in the deaths of the former occupants of their new house, deaths that she was not aware of before the move although it seems that Roman was. As Lara’s state of mind deteriorates Roman seems more inclined to take the side of the neighbours over Lara and begins to medicate his wife. The story has a thrilling and unexpected ending. All in all a very good read.