Yet again, Kia Abdullah has made me feel ALL the things with her phenomenal writing! She manages to take issues and make me see them from every angle and inside out and upside down and everything flipped. I still think all of the time about how she made me feel while reading each of her other books and I know that this one will also stay with me forever. I could not put this book down and it captivated me from the first page through to the very last word. I’m not sure how I feel about the ending but I do know that I loved it and I loved the entire book! I held my breath so many times while reading and sometimes I was afraid to find out what would happen next so I would reread the previous paragraph or page. I felt like I was reading through my fingers like 🫣 the entire book. It’s so provocative and intense. Hopeful and devastating all at once. What and who is right? What and who is wrong? What was the catalyst? And if it wasn’t one thing, would it have been something else? And as I’ve come to expect in her books, Kia shocks me over and over and over because even when expecting the unexpected, I still had absolutely no idea what was coming. Definitely a zillion stars are deserved here.

Those People Next Door is another fantastic audiobook written by Kia Abdullah and narrated by Tania Rodrigues. The story follows Salma and Bilal as they negotiate the already nerve wracking process of moving into a new house and new neighborhood. They long for a new and better life for themselves and their son Zain, however things turn pretty sour very quickly.

As with Abdullah's previous books there is plenty you won't see coming and also plenty to sit and think about as she doesn't shy away from the harder topics such as racism, prejudice and harassment.

A gripping family drama meets court room drama which kept me hooked right until the very end.

Wow. WOW. That is a first for me, stopping an audiobook so they I could actually calm down and breath a bit. But that is what I did for the last hour of the audiobook.

Those People Next Door is not an easy audiobook to listen to but neither should it be when it so effectively highlights conscious and unconscious bias and the ripple effect of our actions. This book made me feel and think so much about the issues raised. The narrator’s performance was perfect. She made me feel like I was right in the heart of the action.
As with the other books I have read by the author, I was hooked most by the trial section of the book. Once again she shocked me with the ending of the book, so cleverly written that when I looked back, everything fell into place. It’s an absolute must read for fans of domestic and legal thrillers, just as the author’s books are a must buy for me from now on.

As well as being a powerful, gripping and immersive thriller, Those People Next Door is a thought-provoking, insightful, morally challenging and poignant social drama about prejudices and the lengths we will go to in order to protect our loved ones.

Salma and her husband move house with their teenage son to get away from bad influences and improve his prospects. Although they seem to get on with everyone initially, it isn't long before little resentments begin to surface, which rapidly escalate. Their precarious financial position pushed to the limit and they find themselves in even more danger than before.

The characters all felt very real and the narration was spot on.

Those People Next Door is my first book by this author and I will definitely read more.

Highly recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oh how stressful this story was! So well writtEn that I felt like being one of the neighbours! Feeling the tension, the insecurity, the injustice! And what a twist as well!!!

This was a very interesting and thought provoking listen. It honestly made you think as more and more of the story got revealed and the ending was perfect. The narration really suited the story and the characters.

For me it was a listen that needed to be concentrated on, it was a very intelligent listen.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

This is my second book by Kia Abdullah and she is now firmly on my list of ‘must read’ authors.

The audio book is narrated expertly by Tania Rodrigues. There were slight changes to her voice which made it 100% clear which character was speaking at each moment. The nuances of character completely complimented her pace of delivery and intonation. I found I had ‘stopped’ listening to the voice and instead I was living in the story.

At the heart of this gut-wrenching story, in my opinion, is a cautionary tale. A simple plot, neighbours disagreeing, tension mounting to a dark, tragic tale, that could happen to any of us. Don’t get me wrong, this is far from ‘just’ a simple story, it is a pacy, multi-layered plot that will keep the reader totally engaged throughout, so cleverly is it staged. It contains bullying, racial prejudice (sometimes unconscious but never excusable), victims, standing up for your beliefs and shocking events and is above all, thought-provoking.

The characters leapt off the page so completely formed that I felt like I knew them. Bilal, Salema & Zain the new neighbours with their dog Molly, hoping the move would allow them some peace and a chance at a new life.
Tom, Willa & Jamie the neighbours next door, seemingly the perfect understanding ‘white middle class’ folks. And Linda, the gossipy, opinionated neighbour.

My loyalties were swayed from time to time as the narrators offered the readers alternative views. I thoroughly enjoyed the tense drama and smugly thought I could see where the story was going. Wrong- footed! I was left reeling and slightly bereft that the story had ended. How long until the next Kia Abdullah book?

Loved this one. Had no idea where it was going, but it was full of twists and turns and lots of suspense.

Those People Next Door by Kia Abdullah is an outstanding read, when I first started reading this book the hairs on the back of my neck stood up on end. I knew then that the storyline, the characters and the outcome would all come together to create an amazing reading experience.
All of the main characters were in one way or another tacitly complicit in creating a set of circumstances, that left Zain in a coma and the main male in prison.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading and listening to this book.
Highly recommended

It’s hard to guess the outcome when you can’t breathe, when you do pause to take a breath no amount of guessing could possibly be of use.
The climatic and jaw-dropping ending was so unique and shocking that this book will stay in my memory forever.
It is an utterly brilliant and cleverly written story, dealing with social issues and the fallout that has the potential to be life threatening and life changing. Actions and words have consequences and Kia manages to maintain a fluid story full of shocking twists that leave you, the reader, aghast.
This read sends you on a thrill ride that never ceases and I highly recommend it.
The audible version is astounding in the narration, drawing you like a ghost or a fly on the wall into the settings and conversations. Written and narrated so well you can feel the tension, you can sense the environment, the fear and confusion.
This IS a book to devour NOW!
It still haunts me.
Thank you.

This is a new to me author but it will certainly not be the last book I read by them! I listened to the audiobook and I was drawn in at the beginning and hooked until the end! The narrator was amazing at bringing the story to life and I highly recommend this one. It’s one of the best books I’ve read in awhile!

I'm always excited to start listening to a new Kia Abdullah book, and this one certainly lived up to my expectations. This time Kia gives us a thought provoking, well plotted psychological thriller/courtroom drama which has so many twists and turns and a totally unexpected ending. There are themes of race, class and gender and the author successfully manages to show both sides of the story, and left me constantly changing my mind about who's side I was on. It's uncomfortable to read at times and it frighteningly showed how a simple disagreement can spin wildly out of control, especially when social media is involved. The characters were all realistically portrayed and I fond I could empathise with them all on different levels.

The book is excellently narrated by Tania Rodrigues.

It’s fair to say that Kia Abdullah smashed all my expectations with this relentlessly gripping thriller that held me in its thrall from first page to last. Exploring the related themes of race, class and identity, it’s a twisty, barnstormer of a read.

Looking for a fresh start, Salma and Bilal Khatun have just moved to their new home in the middle-class estate of Blenheim. Bil, a chef, has lost his restaurant in the wake of the pandemic, and their teenage son Zain has been thrown out of college. The family is financially dependent on geography teacher Salma.

From the get go, the Khatuns are made to feel like interlopers. And very quickly, what starts off as a stupid prank by neighbor Tom spirals violently out of control. The consequences are shocking and tragic for both families.

Abdullah brilliantly frames the notion of unconscious bias and how, when forced out into the open, it can escalate into naked racism and hatred. The fight between the two households felt very real, and while my sympathies fell squarely with the Khatuns, it was clear that they too were at fault, despite being the victims.

The story does, of course, include a court case; courtroom drama being this author’s forte. I found this to be especially effective on audio and was on the edge of my seat throughout, trying to second guess which way the verdict would go amidst some startling new revelations.

As always, Abdullah keeps the biggest twist to last. Just when you think it’s all over, out of left field comes the brilliantly disguised, eye-popping sucker punch.

As well as being a thrilling ride, this book left me with a lot to think about, including the terrifying power of social media, the lengths we go to to defend family, and the scary truth about how easy it is to make assumptions about other people based on pre-conceived ideas relating to physical appearances and behaviors.

A very clever, well-constructed and thought-provoking read, with convincing, relatable characters. What more could you ask for?

Wow this author certainly knows how to write a psychological thriller / courtroom drama and it was excellent. This book was jam packed and thought provoking on every page. I loved it and genuinely did not know what to expect or how it was going to end. Great bunch of characters and I really liked them all. Fantastic writing and fantastic book I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

Those People Next Door (Audiobook) by Kia Abdullah

Selma, her husband Bill and their eighteen-year-old son, Zain, just moved in to a new and better neighbourhood. When they first meet their next-door neighbours, Tom, Willa and their teenage son Jamie they seem nice and are sure everyone will get along, Yes Selma is sure they will be happy in Blenheim. But then Selma sees Tom kick their Black Lives Matter sign down in the front yard so she puts the sign inside their house against the front window only to wake up to paint sprayed over the window covering up the sign and so it snowballs, Selma’s car is keyed, their dog Molly is kidnapped, there are squatters staying in the restaurant Selma and Bill are trying to sell until the most devastating thing imaginable happens to their family

This is the first book I have read by Kia Abdullah and I enjoyed it very much and cannot wait to read more.

I would like to thank Net Galley and HarperCollins UK Audio a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review

I became horribly unsociable as I could not stop listening to this audiobook. It is so well-written with not a single false note as the relationship between two neighbouring families slowly devolves into mutual destruction. Kia Abdullah captures human nature in all its falsity, snobbery and pettiness as this story unfolds. I was horrified at the insidious way the relationship soured and the horrific consequences. This is a family drama and legal thriller, jam-packed with social issues including racism, squatting and the fall-out from the pandemic. The narrator, Tania Rodrigues, was excellent. Highly recommended. I cannot wait to read/listen to more from this author.

‘You can choose your house. Not your neighbours.’ - cover tag line.

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. Audio HQ for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘Those People Next Door’ by Kia Abdullah. The audiobook is narrated by Tania Rodrigues.

This is Kia Abdullah’s fourth novel and having loved her previous books, she has become a must read author for me. Her novels always prove well written and thought provoking as well as unflinchingly addressing controversial issues.

Salma Khatun and her family have just moved to Blenheim, a safe suburban development. They are in desperate need of a fresh start, and Blenheim feels like the place to make that happen. Yet not long after they move in, Salma spots her neighbour, Tom Hutton, ripping out the anti-racist banner her son placed in their front garden. She chooses not to confront Tom because she wants to fit in.

Salma takes the banner inside and puts it in her window instead. But the next morning she wakes up to find her window smeared with paint. This time she confronts Tom and things begin to escalate quickly, especially after Salma posts to Twitter.

These small acts of passive aggression quickly escalate and eventually leads to the courtroom. Kia Abdullah skilfully turns up the tension between the families to a point where I was perched on the edge of my seat unwilling to stop reading.

With respect to the audiobook, Tania Rodrigues combines stage and screen experience along with serving as the narrator on over a hundred audiobooks. She has a warm, clear voice and is skilled at utilising multiple accents for her characters, including Asian dialects. I have enjoyed her reading of various titles including Kia Abdullah’s previous novels.

Overall, I enjoyed ‘Those People Next Door’ very much. I felt that Kia Abdullah did well in addressing all sides with respect to its social issues alongside examining family dynamics and the often fraught territorial interactions with neighbours.

Highly recommended.

I loved this audiobook!
Listened to it in just a few days, which should show how good the narrator and plot were together!
This was less of a legal thriller than Abdullah's previous books, which disappointed me a little, but if I rate the book in isolation, it was thoroughly enjoyable and would still recommend.

Thank you Netgalley & HarPer Collins UK Audio for an ALC of Those People Next Door by Kia Abdullah. Salma, husband and her son move to a new suburban development while in need of a fresh start. In their front garden hangs a Black Lives Matters banner - That is, until their neighbor Tom Hutton rips it out of their lawn. When Salma puts the banner in her window instead, she wakes up the next morning to find her window covered in paint.

Things begin to escalate quickly between the two families. So quickly that it’s clear someone is going to get hurt. But who?

This novel is a twisty social and suspense drama about these two neighboring families whose decisions lead to horrific consequences. The accusations of racism and vandalism come early on in the book and this is a fast-paced, plot-driven read/listen straight away. The narrator was great and really brought the various characters and their personalities to life. Abdullah’s books are great because she pushes the limits and broaches topics that other authors may not be brave enough to. This entire book is extremely thought provoking and morally challenging - racism, microagression, social class, social media, and so many other topics. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next, luckily I have another one of her upcoming novels on my TBR shelf!

Those People Next Door is a twisty psychological thriller about neighbours whose minor disagreement leads to horrific consequences.
Salam and Bil move to a new home after their restaurant business failed following the pandemic. What appears to be a pleasant neighbourhood soon turns sinister with accusations of racism and vandalism. The situation quickly spirals and you don’t know what is going to happen next due to the fast pace and complex characters.
I really enjoyed this book but did feel it was slightly over complicated at the end.