Great premise and lots of intrigue and suspense, with some truly vile characters to really hate but for me the ending seemed a bit abrupt and the loose ends tied up so rapidly that I felt I needed another 2 chapters to really get to the end!

Lana and Roman have moved out of town into a cottage in a small cul de sac called The Gardens. Everything seems idyllic but Lana is uneasy and doesn't know why.
Everyone seems charming but it soon becomes apparent to Lana that they all have secrets and that includes themselves.
She finds out that the family who had previously lived in their house had all been murdered but she believes the neighbours know more than has been told.
Could her life be in danger now?

I found this to be a slow burn. The storyline was ok but I’m still left wondering what on earth happened and the ending was so abrupt - I still have things I need answering!
I didn’t love this story, for me it was just ok. So 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

We all have secrets. Lana and Roman have moved from their city life to escape a frightening secret in their past, but is their new life in the idylic country setting, with smart neighbours really any different. Has Lana started to uncover a past that the residents of the gardens want desperately to keep hidden or is she not well. Fast moving, with twists and turns, this is is a Tony Parsons phsycological thriller at its best.

From reading the first page, I became totally absorbed in this gripping story. Lana and Roman have found their dream home in an area known as The Gardens. With idyllic surroundings and friendly neighbours, everything seems perfect for new beginnings and starting their new life.
However, there are mysterious secrets from the past from which they are desperate to escape, and a continual threat of unease about their new home. You realise that characters are not all they seem, increasing tension as you turn the page. Written from both the perspective of Lana and Roman, gives added dimension and depth to the story.
As this graphic story unfolds with its unexpected twists and turns, you realise all is not as it seems. With people going missing and unexplained finds at the bottom of their garden, it seems that Lana is beginning to lose her mind.
Tony Parsons is master at writing well plotted stories featuring intriguing, complex characters, and this chilling thriller is no exception. You become drawn in and totally absorbed in the action.
Recommended reading.

Another fantastic book from Tony Parsons, he never disappoints, his storytelling is superb. Truly could not put this down. Such a brilliant opening chapter and then so many twists and turns. This book is brilliant, really well written, good story which kept me interested from the beginning. Great characters which are also believable. Well done!

This is a well conceived and carefully developed novel. It has several,themes: a psychological thriller, a murder mystery, a love story and more. Lana and Roman have moved out of London to the country and bought a house in an area secured by security staff. Roman has taken over the local medical practice. Lana was reluctant to make the move but a traumatic event at their previous home made them need to get away. She soon gets good reasons for not trusting where she has ended up. She discovers their new house has a history which is unsettling. Then there are strange activities involving her new neighbours. Soon Lana takes her concerns to the police but without much in the way of proof. There are many unexpected twists to the story and a gripping climax. This is a book well worth reading. I recommend it.

This book started off well but by the middle I found myself not engaging at all I did continue to the end but was glad when I did finish it.
Not one of the authors best for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK,Cornerstone for the ARC.

An excellent psychological thriller, fast paced and full of tension Lana and Roman move to an idyllic Oxfordshire village after experiencing a traumatic burglary in their London home, which is only hinted at in the beginning. Beautiful houses, friendly neighbours,, but something dark lurks there with secrets behind every door. These are gradually revealed with lots of twists and turns. Even Lana and Roman have their secrets…… Piece by pice we get nearer to the truth. An enjoyable read.
Thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for an ARC. This is my honest opinion.

For me this was a book of three parts. I enjoyed the initial setting of the scene with enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. The middle I found harder going. As the story unfolded I didn’t find myself relating to the characters who were becoming increasingly unlikable. Toward the end I just wanted it finished as , for me, it became more and more implausible with an ending that was abrupt and unsatisfying.

Lana and Roman move to their new home, taking their secrets with them. They soon find out that their new neighbours have their own secrets, including the family who lived and died in Lana and Roman's home. Could they be in danger? A thrilling read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return got my honest feedback.

After a traumatic, violent burglary Lana and Roman leave London to start a new life in an idyllic Cotswold village. They have a beautiful house with a pool and fabulously wealthy but friendly neighbours. However, Lana soon discovers the dark history of their new house and the odd behaviour of all their new neighbours. It seems they will do anything to keep their neighbourhood safe, but how much can she trust them and can she still trust Roman? Roman wants Lana to be safe and happy and settle into their new community. This is a tense thriller with an impending sense of danger throughout. Lana seems potentially unreliable and can be outspoken to the point of recklessness but this helps to build the tension. I enjoyed the book, which had lots of plot twists. I felt the plot took an interesting but decidedly odd turn towards the end, which was certainly unexpected! Thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone and Netgalley for the ARC.

A quaint Oxfordshire village bathed in that lovely English summer with honey coloured stone cottages. Paints a picture ,but things are not quite right, Tony Parsons latest novel features a young couple just moved in to one of these cottages Lana and Roman Wade. Roman is the new Doctor in the village and Lana was an ex photographer.

Events started to go down hill when Lana discovered that the previous occupier of their idyllic home murdered his wife ,son and then committed suicide. All the neighbours appeared to have secrets which relate to the dead family which Lana wanted to expose ,but who would believe her
Another great read from Tony Parsons.Those of us who are followers of Tony Parsons are not going to be disappointed with his latest.

Lana and Roman want a quiet life after experiencing a traumatic experience where they lived before so consequently moved into this idyllic village called The Gardens where the neighbours are very friendly and very nice or are they.

Lana has an uneasy feeling about these people and everything is not how it seems there are a lot of twists in this book which you don’t expect this is the second book I’ve read of Tony Parsons and won’t be my last I really enjoyed it and thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Thanks for letting me review this. Tony Parsons is an accomplished writer and this novel really draws you in. I found both Lana and Roman to be compelling characters and the setting - a rather posh close of seemingly respectable if diverse neighbours in their charming houses - was really well drawn. The story is told from different points of view which really helps the reader connect with the characters.
The author builds up the tension skilfully and there were plenty of unexpected twists and shocks in the narrative.
I was slightly unconvinced by the eventual dénouement but that’s the only niggle - what an exciting read.

The People Next Door - Tony Parsons

Settling down to watch a new 6 part drama on TV is something that I really enjoy. Sometimes I am genuinely surprised by the characters and storyline, the plot, the twists and turns building up to a crescendo of an ending that maybe I could have worked out, but failed to.

Often though, after the halfway mark, I start to become bored and annoyed with the way things are going, sure to be disappointed in the final moments at the ludicrous ending, certain to reflect on how many hours I have wasted as everything unfolded, all for nothing.

This book, for me reminded me so much of the above, regrettably, in a bad way.

The start is really interesting, teasing the reader with some, but not all of the details, introducing a timeline, The middle part holds the attention, just, but from then on, the credibility and likelihood of the ending are so far-fetched, that I really didn’t care what transpired.

In many places, the book is SO repetitive - not what I expected from such a renowned author.

Thanks to netgalley for the advance copy, and apologies for the (mostly) negative feedback, but on this occasion, I really do feel that it is justified.

Paranoia And Suspicion…
In this standalone psychological suspense from Tony Parsons the reader meets with Lana and Roman Wade, a couple who have left the city for the supposed peace and quiet of country living. They find their dream in a rural part of Oxfordshire, a residential close named The Gardens. All seems well. Or is it? What secrets are being kept by the apparently delightful neighbours? And, what really happened to the family that previously occupied their new home? As paranoia and suspicion creep in, how will this couple survive? With a wholly credible cast and an immersive narrative this is a compelling read from start to finish.

After a terrifying experience in their old home Lana and Roman move to an idyllic picturesque village in the Cotswolds. The houses are charming and full of affluent people and the neighbours quickly introduce themselves. However, after Lana finds a panic room in her new home along with a true crime documentary about the previous owners she starts to wonder if everything is really as it seems.
This book covers a lot of topics including single parent families, Alzheimer’s and domestic violence but it does it in a way that adds to the story and doesn’t focus on it. The characters are really well written and even though not all likable they are believable.
It moves along rapidly and I found it hard to put down, it can be dark and depressing and at times made me feel really claustrophobic but I had to keep going. There are plenty of twists and turns and just when I thought I knew what was happening it all changed and I doubted myself which must be very similar to what Lana was feeling
If you want a fast-paced psychological thriller where nobody is really what they seem and your allegiances are challenged throughout then this is definitely one for you.
It was going to be 5 stars for me as it kept me gripped right up until the last page but the ending was really not an ending and it left me slightly confused and disappointed so I dropped it to 4.

I enjoyed this book and found it twisty and suspenseful but it wasn’t one of my favourites. I found the one to dip a little on the middle.

Fleeing London after a violent home invasion Roman and Lara move to the home counties, a small community in a pretty village consisting only a few houses. It should be idyllic but Lana soon starts to feel uneasy and wonders what secrets her neighbours are hiding.
There are mysteries behind these dream homes front doors and the neighbours are very quick to try and make Lana feel as though she's going crazy and no longer knows who to trust.
This novel was a steady read, there seemed to be a lot of stories within one but they were all brought together by the end