2.5 stars rounded up.

This book had an interesting premise. Shelly and her daughter Lauren move into a new neighborhood after spending years taking care of Shelly's mother who was battling dementia. Shelly's mother passes away and Shelly inherits her house and all the money she squirreled away. Shelly quickly puts the house on the market and her she is excited to live somewhere with nice and friendly neighbors. The move seems more like an excape because we get hints that not-so-great things happened with Grandma.

After a few days in the new place, her new neighbors seem to be a little odd. Especially her next door neighbor, Valerie, who yells at her (and her dog!) any chance she gets. Plus, Shelly discovers the previous tenant went missing and she goes digging to uncover the mystery.

My biggest issue with this book (and frankly, some other books I've read recently) is that it feels like it checks the boxes of the genre (this one being suspense, murder, creepy neighbors, twist ending) but it missed the mark for me. The character development was lacking —the neighbors were portrayed as creepy but I never got chills from them. Shelly did not feel like a fully formed character. The book was slow going and by the time we finally got to some action at the 88% mark, I was still pretty bored. I think the last line of the book was intended to be shocking, but I feel like the so-called twist was already revealed.
Thank you Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC for my honest review.

I always like a thriller based around a domestic environment and this one didn’t disappoint.

I liked the main character Shelley. She had been through a lot with her mother. She had her friend Josh and I liked their relationship.

I like the location. A cul-de-sac where Shelly is made get involved. It gives off dark vibes there so the set up was good. This gave a reason for her to suspect them all when she plays amateur detective about missing woman who lived in her house before.

The characters were all pretty unlikeable in their own way to make you suspect. I was thrown around as to who was involved which is always a good sign. I didn’t expect the ending and was kept guessing throughout the story.

#BlogTour

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I only made it about halfway through and could not finish it. It was just too much romance and not enough thriller for me.

The Neighbour by Gemma Rogers
For myself and Lauren, my 10-year-old daughter No3 Beech Close was to be our refuge after two years of hell nursing my sick mother.
In need of a fresh start and wanting to distance ourselves from the bad memories of my mother's house, we moved to Beech Close, a small cul-de-sac of six homes situated around a picture-perfect green.
It seemed perfect, but I had underestimated this tight-knit community's secrets.
Within hours of moving in, my next-door neighbour Valerie made it abundantly clear we were not welcome.
I soon discovered that Valerie hadn't welcomed the previous occupant either, and she'd since disappeared without a trace.
Had I put myself and my daughter in danger moving to Beech Close?
Which neighbours, if any, could I trust?
And how far would they go to keep their secret?
I became a fan of this author some time ago; this is yet another example of Gemma Roger's captivating writing style to which I have become accustomed.
'The Neighbour' is a tense and well-written mystery full of twists and turns, menace and suspense.
The protagonist, Shelly's recent history of caring for her dementia-stricken mother, gives the reader an insight into her resilient and protective nature; we also learn that she has a determined, inquisitive mind.
From the story's beginning, we are made aware of the mysterious undertone surrounding the house.
We accompany Shelly as she decides to find out what happened to her predecessor Danielle and her dog Barney.
A Myriad of characters help, hinder and threaten Shelly as she searches for the truth.
I am happy to recommend it.
I want to thank Publishers Boldwood books, author Gemma Rogers and Rachel's Random Resources for a place on the tour and a copy to read and review.

- Short chapters
- Slow burn neighbourhood suspense
- Well detailed characters
- Heavy focus on the MC childhood trauma and her mother's illness
- Intriguing but plausible storyline
- Last line of the epilogue came as a surprise

I find the plot was nicely built, there are hints and red herrings here and there that keep your attention and make you want to turn the page to see what's coming next. The characters are structured and their relationships and exchanges are really well written.

I felt there were some parts that were slightly boring or redundant (for example, some of the protagonist's musings) but as soon as I found myself thinking about it, a thrilling incident or a twist came up to make the story fast-paced again.

As the end of the book was approaching, I thought a very big plot twist or revelation was coming, but I didn't find the epilogue particularly shocking. I would've preferred something more unexpected.

Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, single mom, dementia, references to child abuse

Shelly and her 10 year old daughter, Lauren, have moved into the tight-nit neighborhood of Beech Close after Shelly's mom has passed away. Shelly's house is the only rental out of 6 houses making her already feel like an outlier. But when she figures out the previous tenant, Danielle, moved out abruptly and is now deemed missing she can't help but suspect her neighbors know more than they are letting on.

It was a bit slow moving since there is a lot more monologue than dialogue making for some long paragraphs. It took me a few chapters to keep everyone's name and house number straight. There were some delightful and some not so delightful characters and everyone seemed like they could be a suspect one time or another. I really enjoyed Shelly and Josh's relationship ~ they were definitely bff goals. Josh's mom, Joyce, was great too. I loved Teddy the dog ~ he was referenced so often that I thought something bad might happen to him, but thankfully he was unharmed throughout.

My heart was really pounding at the end there ~ one of my biggest fears is what happened after she was out of the van. I was really pleased with how everything turned out. I'll definitely be reading more of Gemma's work in the future.

Shelly and her 10 year old daughter, Lauren, rent a house at Beech Close to get a fresh start with their lives after being caretakers for Shelly's late mother with dementia.

On the surface, Beech Close looks like it could be an ideal place to live. Dig a little deeper, and meet the neighbors. Beech Close is one warped neighborhood!

Shelly tries to solve the mystery of what happened to the previous tenant in their home who seemed to disappear without a trace. Which of her neighbors can she trust? Which ones might be out to get her and Lauren?

Although there is an element of suspense, the book did not hook me. It seemed a bit scattered with mentioning the family's pet dog an awful lot (and I love dogs!) and perhaps some other static that to me was distracting enough to take away from being fully immersed in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book by Gemma an author that I like. Shelly had a traumatic childhood with her Mum and after she died she decided on a fresh start for her and daughter Lauren. Moving to Beech Close a nice little cul de sac she thought things were finally on the up. After a run in with neighbour Valerie on their first day Shelly quickly started to wonder if she had made a mistake moving here. After finding a message Leave now in her home and Valerie screaming at her you’re dead Shelly really isn’t sure. There are lots of twists and turns as Shelly tries to get to the bottom of the mystery disappearance of the previous tenant. I recommend this great read.

Crikey! Who'd want to live in Beech Close? With neighbours like a cross between "desperate housewives" and "the Stepford wives"? They were a mad bunch...the lot of them! But aside from that, THE NEIGHBOUR is filled with tension and intrigue with a sense of spookiness that gives you the chills.

Shelly and her 10 year old daughter Lauren are in need of a fresh start after having cared for her own mother in the final years of her life, battling dementia. Selling the cottage which was filled with unwelcome memories, they packed up and moved to the idyllic location of number 3 Beech Close...or so they thought. The move was meant to bring healing to enable them to move on but they had barely unpacked the first box when Shelly had an unpleasant run-in with her immediate neighbour, Valerie. The next thing she knows she finds an unwelcome gift shoved through the letterbox and a half eaten chocolate bar in the backyard, which had likely caused their dog Teddy to be sick overnight. Valerie, it seems, has taken an instant dislike to Teddy who is a dear sweet dog. But the strange occurrences don't end there.

When her best friend Josh finds a box of belongings in the loft, Shelly tries to find the previous tenant to return them to her. But hits a brick wall. And then she discovers that Danielle, the previous tenant and school teacher, had lost her dog just three days before she herself disappeared. Trying to find out what happened, she's told that Danielle fled Beech Close to the sunny climes of Egypt as soon as term ended. But why would she leave when she had been searching for her beloved dog? According to her friend, Mark, she would never have left without him. Shelly tries to ask the neighbours but no one seems forthcoming with answers and she begins to wonder if everyone else knows what happened to Danielle except her. So what exactly happened to Danielle?

Shelly's attention is somewhat sidetracked when she meets Remy, Valerie's son, who spends much of his time there caring for his mother who has dementia. She is at once sympathetic having just spent that last few years caring for her own parent with the dreaded disease, and she offers Remy a friendly shoulder. But Shelly instead finds herself attracted to Remy, as it's been a long time between drinks for her. Then as the story proceeds Remy's behaviour begins to leave question marks also. What is it with this place?

Shelly gets a strange vibe emanating from Beech Close and she wonders if it's all it's cracked up to be. Everyone appears to have secrets and not all of them the average kind either. And her dipping her toes into the murky waters of Danielle's disappearance begins to lead her into dangerous territory. Are she and Lauren safe in Beech Close? Or has she gotten too close for someone's comfort?

THE NEIGHBOUR is a fast paced engrossing page-turner that, while a tad far-fetched in reality, on page it's a compelling tale. There is an air of creepiness surrounding the little cul-de-sac of Beech Close that will leave you with a feeling of unease.

This is my first read by Gemma Rogers and I thoroughly enjoyed it but my favourite was that ending. While I had tied most of the pieces together, even down to that final confirmation at the end, it was the innocence in which those final words were delivered that just packed a punch.

And can I just give a shout out to my favourite character in the book? Which was undoubtedly Teddy the dog. Thank goodness no harm came to him...or any other dog in the story.

I would like to thank #GemmaRogers, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources#TheNeighbour in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

The Neighbour hooked me from the start. The author's writing style kept me guessing all the way through, and made for a creepy, fast-paced read.

What an incredible read this was, Loungewear vevhow Gemma Rogers creates such suspense. Such an amazing read

Well, the cul de sac from hell, but on crack!

I loved this book! The authors writing style really hooked me in, I was suspicious of everyone! Such a bunch of odd/intriguing characters.

I’m not sure how this is my first book by the author, 2023 will be spent binging all of her previous books. A bookworms dream, a new year starting with a new to me author 😍

What an amazing author! With intriguing characters and plot, the strange goings on slowly reveal a hidden danger!
Beech Close has creepy occupants. There is demented Valerie, missing Danielle and odd Remy, to name a few. Shelley has just arrived on the close, causing a disturbance as she looks for answers to the mystery of the missing Danielle.
Shelley's background and personal history of dementia bring depth to this riveting story.
I look forward to more from Gemma Rogers, and this book is perfect for suspense and mystery fans.

The Neighbor by Gemma Rogers is a gripping psychological thriller that you don't want to put down.
Shelly and her daughter move into a new neighborhood that seems like a great fit for them, but looks can be deceiving. As Shelly gets to know her new neighbors she learns some interesting information. As Shelly digs into this new information she uncovers old secrets. Will these secrets lead to happiness or danger for Shelly?
I loved this story. It kept me guessing from the very first page. This story is one that will keep you at the edge of your seat. I. would highly recommend for lovers of a good psychological thriller.

The Neighbour is a fast paced page turner. It tells the story of Shelly and her daughter who are in need of a fresh start so move into a house on an idyllic cul-de-sac. All is not as idyllic as it first appears and that's when mysterious things start happening. I thoroughly enjoyed The Neighbour and highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

It's not the first book by Gemma that I've read and I doubt this will be my last. Gemmas books keep you gripped and wanting to know more.

The Neighbour is a good read, it was quite a quick read which was fast paced and I really wanted to know what had happened.

I really warmed to Shelley and Lauren, not to forget little Teddy the dog.

An all round good read ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

What a brilliant little book . Ive loved all of this authors books and this one does not disappoint . It has a gradual build up with the tension and a surprise ending I didn’t expect . I loved the main character , her daughter and male friend . I’m glad there were no dog killings which I do get fed up of reading sometimes. I will highly recommend this book to my audience, can’t wait for the next . Definitely 5 stars from me

Shelly and Lauren are so excited for the past few years since Lauren was a tiny girl they’ve been taking care of her grandma who is suffering from dementia and would act in scary ways. She has since passed away and Shelly has found a cute cottage in a place called Beach close. There’s only a few houses on the street and she is excited to start a new peaceful life with her daughter and their dog Teddy. While moving in her dog Teddy gets out and go straight to the neighbors yard to use the bathroom, Shelley doesn’t have any bags in her pockets so she gets the dog to bring him back home and retrieve a bag.Before she could do that though the neighbors outside reprimanding Shelly and acting like a crazy person no matter how much she apologizes the woman blows her off like she was lying about coming back. Although Shelley is shaken up she does her best to Forget about it . This will not be the only crazy incident with her new neighbor Valerie. To make things even worse one of her neighbors Nyim invites her over for a welcome to the close party and she wasn’t going to go but her best friend Josh was over setting up furniture for her When Nyim knocked on the door. She wanted to make sure she was coming and Josh confirmed “yes, she’ll be there in an hour.”. This is where she finds out that the rude woman next-door Valerie has a good looking son named Remi. Shelley can’t help but notice the swirling nervousness she feels upon meeting him but because she is just starting her new life she tries her best to ignore it. When her and Lauren go to walk their dog Teddy they notice a missing dog sign and like any pet owner feels bad and hopes they found their dog. Later on that night when Shelley is sitting back and relaxing she starts hearing strange noises and turns around only to see a gas leak ghostly face in the window. She looks out her door only to see it’s Valerie again soon her son Remi comes over to apologize and explain to her yet again that his mom has dementia, but shelli isn’t so certain. It seemed this time when he apologized and she made him a drink that they shared a real moment as if he felt something similar to what she felt when around him. When he leaves she goes through the box of stuff that her best friend Josh got out of the loft that was left by the last tenant. With the Momentos she left behind and the strange carving in the pantry upstairs saying leave now and the strange behavior of Valerie she feels like something is definitely up with her neighbor but eventually it won’t just be Valerie that seems strange to her, well asking questions about the last tenant in danger her life and if it does will she find out before it’s too late? I know this isn’t tn the best summary at all especially since this book had my heart palpitation until it was over because it goes from one heart pounding scene to another. This book was so good it was OMG good and no eye rolling involved. They have no moments where y’all like that couldn’t happen because throughout the whole book the plot is plausible and thrilling! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I received the book from net Gally and BoldwoodBooks but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Wowza! The Neighbour by Gemma Rogers is a gripping, riveting, engrossing, spine-chilling and mind-blowing psychological thriller. If you are adding this book to your TBR (you better!!), be ready for one heck of a roller coaster ride. Don't get me started on the twists and the creepiness this story brings about.

Where do I start? This story blew my mind. I was like, wow! I didn't see this twist coming. Shelly had a tough childhood and soon after Lauren's birth, her husband walked away. Her mother was overly controlling and nasty, and to move back to her mother's house and look after her (after dementia diagnosis) wasn't an easy task. After her mother's death, Shelly moves away from the house for good. But she didn't expect to run into another dark house - the one in which the walls hide secrets... secrets of its previous occupant.

As the story proceeds, we see Shelly falling for a handsome neighbour but that relationship is nothing but toxic. Thank god, she pushed it away before it could harm her! But, her curiosity to learn more about the previous occupant's disappearance led her to danger.

I absolutely loved the storytelling. The characters are well-portrayed and the mystery keeps one guessing till the end. Twists and turns are plenty. I had this weird feeling that nothing's right at Beech Close and Shelly had dipped her toes into murky waters... You know, the kind of feeling where you are torn between curiosity and wanting to warn the protagonist about impending doom.

If you are looking for a unique, gripping and engrossing page-turner, you might want to give The Neighbour by Gemma Rogers a try. Believe me when I say you will not see the twisted and shocking revelation (at the end) coming.