*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

A great thriller - I would recommend it!

The story of Good Neighbours started out very well with great potential! I was pulled into the premise of the book when a voo doo doll and curse is introduced into the book and couldn't wait to consume the rest of the story. It turned out to be a little slower paced than I was expecting with some interesting twists/parts of the story to figure out. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but wish the story had been a little shorter.

This is a very slow paced book. The characters all fell a bit flat for me. The premise was good but poorly executed. The police investigation is so unrealistic. Disappointing

I loved this book! The mystery, the characters, the cliffhangers.. Couldn't put it down! 5 easy stars!

Ugh. Please give me the whole day I spent slouching and trying to get through this book. Sorry but I did not like this one bit! And the main character? So annoying!

Thanks to Netgalley! Hoping for a better read next time!

With her marriage crumbling and her future uncertain, Nia finds herself needing to escape her life. Agreeing to house-sit her aunt’s cottage on the Isle of Wight is just what the doctor ordered and Nia hopes that this brief sojourn will help her to get her head together and figure out what she is going to be doing next with her life. With the cottage situated in a cosy close in a picture-perfect harbour town, Nia thinks that she is safe in this idyllic part of the world, however, it soon transpires that appearances can be very deceptive…

While reading this book I couldn't help but feel isolated and claustrophobic. The characters and their development were excellent! I really enjoyed this story.

Thanks to #Netgalley for this arc of
Good Neighbours
by Mary Grand
Pub Date: 18 May 2022

I'm going to start by saying I loved the island setting of this book and the isolation that came with it, I think it really helped to add to the atmosphere.

I did however feel like the story could have been around 100 pages shorter, there was too much filler for my liking.

I'm also really confused about the character of Nia, I feel like we were supposed to side with her but she was just rather annoying at times. The things she did had my eyes rolling so hard, she definitely wouldn't have made a good spy.

It was a good read and lots of twists and turns and I didn't work out who the culprit was.

I was glad of how the story ended with everything being tied up nicely.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Mary Grand for the copy of this book. All views are my own.*

A great read
There’s many characters who become entwined
And it’s hard to make out who the murderer is
A book which will have you hooked
Thanks NetGalley

I really enjoyed this author's earlier book, The House Party and so was looking forward to this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The story begins with Nia travelling from Cardiff to The Isle of Wight to house sit while her aunt is away. Nia, has her own reasons for wanting to escape and these become clearer as the book progresses. While the Close that her aunt lives in appears to be a quiet close knit community, Nia soon discovers that things aren't all they seem and that, beneath the anodyne surface, multiple secrets and lies lurk. And there is one secret someone is willing to kill for....

I loved the realistic and in depth characters and the beautiful, almost poetic way the isle is described. While not all the characters were likeable, all were relateable and richly drawn. I especially warmed to Jade and enjoyed her developing friendship with Nia. Romeo, the Cocker Spaniel, was another larger than life character!

The multiple layers of the story kept coming and I loved the underlying tension throughout, never knowing who to trust. Nia's own developing story was also cleverly incorporated and, all the way, I was willing her to stand up to her husband. I didn't guess whodunit either, another bonus!

I would definitely recommend this book and am looking forward to Mary Grand's next one.

Thanks to author, Mary Grand, publishers Boldwood Books and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Creepy and claustrophobic, prepared to be chilled by Mary Grand’s latest nail-biting thriller, Good Neighbours.

With her marriage crumbling and her future uncertain, Nia finds herself needing to escape her life. Agreeing to house-sit her aunt’s cottage on the Isle of Wight is just what the doctor ordered and Nia hopes that this brief sojourn will help her to get her head together and figure out what she is going to be doing next with her life. With the cottage situated in a cosy close in a picture-perfect harbour town, Nia thinks that she is safe in this idyllic part of the world, however, it soon transpires that appearances can be very deceptive…

There is a dark and dangerous undercurrent of evil hiding just beneath the surface that belies the friendly smiles of Nia’s neighbours. When Nia finds the body of one of her new friends, she is immediately alarmed. There is a killer in their midst watching and waiting to strike again. Nia wants to find out the truth about who is behind her friend’s murder, but would looking into this case put her firmly in the line of fire and in the killer’s sights?

Nia needs to be careful and watch her step because one never knows just what evil lies waiting for her around the corner…

Mary Grand’s Good Neighbours is a heart-pounding thriller that will keep readers guessing and on the edge of their seats until the very last page. A brilliantly constructed chiller packed with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster, Good Neighbours is a dark, tense and menacing thriller that had me switching on every single light in the house.

A must-read for fans of C L Taylor and Lucy Foley, Mary Grand’s Good Neighbours is a terrifyingly sinister page-turner thriller fans will lap up.

I love books written by Mary Grand. I don't think I've had a bad book from her. They're easy to read but with great plots and you can't help but empathise with the characters. This was the case with this book. If 4.5 stars were available it would get that xx

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
There are a variety of characters in this book, and plenty of twists providing possible motives for the murder to confuse readers about who might be the murderer. The descriptions of the area include scenery and history and provide lots of interest. The main protagonist, Nia, has her own difficulties at home although I thought her daughter, Safi, was rather selfish as she focused on wanting her parents to stay together despite seeing their behaviours.
I thought some of the plotlines were rather transparent; I guessed who had done what way before the revelation in the book. The information describes one of Nia's new friends being found dead but this happens 25% into the book. Overall I thought the story progressed very slowly, and too many pages were filled with Nia taking Romeo for yet another walk or giving him another meal. It was an ok read but I don't think it was one of the best.

Good Neighbours by Mary Grand was a very good book. I was hooked on the first chapter and just had to read more.
When Nia agrees to house sit her aunts cottage on the Isle of Wight, she had to jump at the chance to go and do this. Everyone loves a new start and new surroundings. and Nia needed a new start and escape from her falling marriage.
She feels this will do her good and give her enough time to decide what she wants to do with her life ahead.

Once settled in her aunts beautiful cottage things are not all as they seem in the close, and the neighbours who welcome her with open arms, are keeping secrets. But, what secrets are they hiding?

Whilst walking on her local beach, Nia finds the body of one of her new friends lying there, she feels scared and so sure that the killer lives near to her new home.

Who killed her friend and why did she have to die? Was she hiding anything and what?

Is she next on their hit list?

Good neighbours may become good friends, but they can also make deadly enemies, if you cross them!

WoW this was an exciting book.to read. Now How good are your neighbours and do you know them?

Big Thank you to Boldwood Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Good Neighbours by Mary Grand for review.

This book was kept afloat by the beautiful Isle of Wight location with beautiful descriptions of the area. Unfortunately both the characters and the suspense element fell flat.

A shame but the author is clearly a talented writer.

Locked on an island attainable only by ferry, what could go wrong? When Nia comes to housesit her aunt's house, all the neighbors seem like good neighbors. Afterall, her aunt had talked her up. Nia makes quick friends with a few of the women on the island, but pretty soon people are dying, and Nia is determined to figure out why, putting her own life at peril. Nia's is also sabotaging her own marriage, especially when her husband comes to bring her home.

There is a bit of voodoo, a religious cult, and a whole lot of suspects! Nia is a grown-up Nancy Drew, relentless in her pursuit of the killer and suspicious of everyone. I wanted a little more of the voodoo aspect, but it's a plot twist that becomes apparent later in the book. All in all, I was glad to make the acquaintance of this "new to me" author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance reader's copy.

Apologies for the delay in reviewing, I had some technical issues.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an Arc copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

I did enjoy this book. I know some people find it strange that everyone was so accepting of Nia when she first arrived but that didn't bother me. I think the fact Nia's aunt had been talking about her, asked the Neighbours to look out for her covered that well.

Good flow to the book, although there were times I would have given Nia a slap and told her to get a grip (no spoilers but husband parts). Kept my interest throughout and that ending....did NOT see that happening. Definate 5 star read and I will be looking out for more from this author
Comment

This book carries a lot of similarities to Mary’s previous book. The beginning of the book provides an atmospheric and slow-burn set up, where there are dark hints that the neighbours may not be as “good” as they seem, including a voodoo doll and a mysterious, anonymous confession.

Though the community appears welcoming and friendly, there is also an overbearing and claustrophobic atmosphere to it. Though some of the characters are well-developed and the cracks begin to show, I have to admit struggling to forge a connection with any of the characters.

There is a huge shocking event, that unravels a complex web of secrets that you won’t see coming.

I definitely enjoyed the “whodunnit” and murder mystery puzzle element of the story.

Overall, an enjoyable and complex story with an engaging focus on what goes on behind closer doors, and how an idyllic community setting can disintegrate before your very eyes. This is a great choice for fans of Samantha Hayes, Claire Seeber and Sheryl Browne.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓣⓞⓤⓡ / @netgalley kindle review

Thank you @rachelsrandomresources , @bookandtonic and @marygrandwriter for inviting me on this #booktour & providing a complimentary copy for an unbiased review.

𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑵𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔
𝙱𝚢: @marygrandwriter
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚛: @bookandtonic
𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝙾𝚗: May 18th 2022
@𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚜 𝚂𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚎: 3.98
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚎: 🏘️🏘️🏘️ / 5 Neighbors Houses

Ⓢⓨⓝⓞⓟⓢⓘⓢ

It was meant to be a safe place to start again...
In need of an escape from her failing marriage, Nia agrees to house-sit her aunt’s cottage on the Isle of Wight. She feels sure the cozy close in a quaint harbor town will be a safe place to hide and figure out what to do next.
But things are not all as they seem in the close, and the neighbors who welcome her with open arms, are keeping secrets. When Nia finds the body of one of her new friends lying on the beach, she feels sickeningly sure that the killer is dangerously near to home.
Who killed her friend and why did she have to die? And if Nia discovers the answers she’s looking for, is she next on their hit list? Good neighbors may become good friends, but they can also make deadly enemies…

Ⓜⓨ Ⓣⓗⓞⓤⓖⓗⓣⓢ

I felt this story of a group of suspicion neighbors and someone being a killer had real potential. It's pretty close to one of my favorite types of storylines "Locked Room Mystery", however there were just a few things I read that just didn't make me feel for this book.

Our protagonist Nia being one of the main causes. I couldn't believe how she was acting and thinking. The troubles with her husband had me wanting to throw the book across the room. I could see from the start what kind of man that guy was and she just kept acting like a deer in the headlights. All timid and unaware. I wanted to scream at her.

The ending when the killer is revealed I wasn't satisfied with the cause of the whole thing. People died for such an odd and unworthy reason IMHO. The weird cult like religion going on in this story was strange too. And because it was only slightly there in the background, I'm not sure why it was around at all.

The writing was generally okay I just did not get a long with the main character and didn't enjoy the ending much.

A new author for me, but one that I will be adding to my 'keep an eye out for books lists'.

The book has well-written characters, with lots of twists and turns, secrets and lies, which makes for a brilliant mystery of whodunit, she definitely kept me reading.

I am originally from Portsmouth and visited the Isle of Wight quite regularly, especially as a child.

I look forward to Mary’s next book and definitely recommend reading it.

This was an entertaining mystery filled with many interesting characters. A small island is home to
A close knit group of people, but then there’s a suspicious death. Newcomer Nia knows something isn’t right and she refuses to let it go. Playing amateur detective, Nia soon discovers that everyone is hiding something.