Fast paced and with a lot of twists. This book hade me glued to the reading chair. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this book.

In true Mark Edwards fashion, this one has lots of twists and turns, and throws some surprising curveballs.
As ever, some parts of the plot are a little unbelievable, but that’s all part of his psychological thrillers!
I was a little unsure of one of the main characters only being 12 years old, I feel it could have still worked with her being a little older, but can see why he chose this.
My main issue was that I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters, they just weren’t that likeable and I feel they lacked much depth.
All in all a good read, but it just left me wanting a little more! I liked the connections to previous stories, but it can also be read as a standalone.
3.5 stars

Another gripping and unputdownable read from the master of the psychological thriller! Creepy and gripping - exactly what we've come to expect from Mark Edwards. Loved it

Fiona moves next door to Ethan and his family. She has been released from prison and has her own list of people she wants to sort out. She managed to become a big part of his family life. Trouble is you never want to see whats in front of your eyes and of course she is trustworthy isnt she. This was a dark binge read full of twists and turns , well written characters and the plot a real page turner. The interactions between Rose and Fiona were interesting . I was gripped from page 1 and hope this might be the beginning of a series as i would like a sequel. This kept me up long into the night as I wanted to find out the ending. thank you so much for this dark disturbing thriller, netgallery publisher and author I cant recommend this enough a thrill rider 5 star all the way.Might make you think twice about who you trust.

Thank you to the author and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

Psychopath, meet psychopath…or something like that!

This story started off innocently enough, with a new family moving into town. It becomes clear that they moved due to something concerning their young daughter, though we don’t know right away what that is. When the next door neighbor, our FMC Fiona, saves their daughter from neighborhood bullies, she slowly starts to integrate herself into their lives. This story was absolutely wild and I loved every bit of it! With its fast pace and multiple points of view, I didn’t know which way was up. I figured Fiona had to have something up her sleeve but I couldn’t have guessed what it was. That, combined with a major twist at the end, made for one crazy story. Fiona’s exploration of what makes someone a psychopath was also quite intriguing and added a layer of depth to this book.

“The Psychopath Next Door” releases January 28, 2024. This review will be shaded to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

Thank you to Netgalley for this one! I have loved Mark Edwards previous books so I was super excited for this one! This book was amazing, full of many lies and secrets but it held the book together so well. I really thought out story which worked amazingly!! I really recommend this book and author! A real turn pager which kept me hooked! A great read to start the new year!

One family's fresh start turns into their worst nightmare...

I'll be honest. When I heard that this book was set in "the Magpies universe", I felt a little deflated. Don't get me wrong, I loved "The Magpies" ! It was one of the first books by Edwards that I read. But after a sequel novella and a further third book, I felt that story had played out and didn't need revisiting again. But bad girl Lucy Newton only plays a cameo role and I think it tied in nicely here. She didn't need a bigger part, in my opinion; she'd already had her time.

Fiona is released from a three year prison stretch after serving only two. She is single-minded in her mission upon release to blend in, assimilate and check then three names off her list. She finds a perfect home to purchase next door to the perfect family. And they have no idea they have a psychopath next door. And each morning, she traces three names on her bathroom mirror.

Ethan and Emma Dove have just moved into a nice quiet area for a fresh start together, the perfect place to raise a family. They had barely unpacked the boxes when newcomer Fiona moves in next door. And she seems like the perfect neighbour. Especially when a couple of neighbourhood boys begin bullying Rose and Dylan with their unregistered trail bike and german shepherds, Fiona steps in more than once to appease the situation.

Almost at once, the Doves love Fiona. She is friendly, charming and always willing to help, offering her services as a "childminder" (because they aren't babies). She takes an instant shine to Rose; sees something familiar in her. And the feeling is completely mutual. Soon Rose is spending all her time with Fiona and soon the Doves begin to see a change in Rose. Is it Fiona's doing? Or is Rose just at that awkward tween age of being not a child but not a teenager either?

While Emma and Rose love Fiona and Ethan has the hots for her, Dylan is the only one who finds her suspicious. But is he seeing something that isn't there? Or has Fiona got an agenda?

The story unfolds through various perspectives with only Ethan's being in the first person. It's obvious that Fiona's the psychopath next door but I found her to be too feeling to be a psychopath. While she spoke of her lack of empathy and remorse and inability to love anyone or anything, I found it difficult to marry her bond with Maisie and obsession with Rose with not having any feeling. She obviously does on some level. But then I guess Mark has researched this topic extensively so he knows what he's doing in portraying her in this way. For me, I just didn't find her as much of one as Lucy.

And here we come to the elephant in the book. Lucy Newton. I was glad to see the back of her in all the Magpie books. I certainly didn't expect to see her turn up again, but at least it was for short periods and behind bars. It certainly added a nice touch to the story. My fear is that Edwards will follow this one up with a sequel featuring both Lucy and Rose, especially considering how it ended up. And honestly? I really don't want to see either again. Let this story end there. Let readers make up their own minds where things go from there.

The ending was especially dark and even a little disturbing. But it was a satisfactory ending to a twisted story.

I would like to thank #MarkEdwards, #Netgalley and #AmazonPublishing for an ARC of #ThePsychopathNextDoor in exchange for an honest review.

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

I am a massive fan of Mark Edwards however have been left disappointing by his last few releases. When I saw this was set in the 'Magpies' world I was instantly excited.

WOW, I read most of this book with my jaw open. Potentially the most unhinged characters ever? and that ending, speechless. Loved it!

I've had hits and misses by reading books by this author, and The Psycopath Next Door was, unfortunately, a miss for me.
His writing is decent enough and, at times, engaging but the characters didn't clique with me.
I do like the idea of a domestich thriller set on a street or in a neighbourhood, so I was curios and entertained for a while.
But the character's actions towards the final third of the book didn't convince me.
I've read better convincing and less clichéd books by Mark Edwards before.
I would still recommend this new one to readers who have read a book by Edwards before and enjoyed it, for sure.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

Another fantastic read from Mark Edward’s
I absolutely adore Marks writing. He writes characters like no one else.
I love that this can be read as a stand alone but also links to the Magpie series is just genius!
I really have a love hate relationship with Marks characters and I think that is what makes him such a fabulous author. To get you having those feelings is an experience in itself.
Thank you so much for allowing me to read this early
Another fabulous book

Mark Edwards really knows how to keep a reader enthralled. Excellent premise, a taut writing style that keeps you turning the pages and excellent plotting. My only slight criticism (far outweighed by all the positives) is that the psychopathic traits were laid on a bit thick, and – to my mind – could have been more subtle.
I only realised right at the end that this book is part of the Magpies universe – a trilogy that I raced through and thoroughly enjoyed. I really should have clicked - this had the same evil running through it, the same action-packed pacing, the same horror. It is, however, a standalone, which is how I read (and relished) it.
I thought the ending was absolutely brilliant – clever and chilling.
Well worth a read!

Let me just put it out there firstly, I'm a fan of Mark Edwards who really is the king of the masterful psychological thriller and delivers every single time.
This one was no exception and grabbed me early doors, and although you could see how the story was developing it was truly gripping.
No hesitation whatsoever in recommending.
If you make this your first Mark Edwards, I guarantee you it won't be your last.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for a review.

Ethan and his family have moved to a new home needing a fresh start. His daughter Rose has been having a few issues and he is grateful when new neighbour Fiona offers to help look after her. Only Fiona is not who she seems to be. She is plotting revenge and sees Rose as her perfect accomplice.

I have read a couple of Mark Edward’s books but feel I should be reading more since finishing this latest offer. This was a great thriller with plenty of dark, twisted scenes. I enjoy books around psychopaths and psychology (I don’t know what that says about me), so was really intrigued with the premise, as it seemed like an original take on this subject.

The writing and the characters were strong, I easily picked up their personalities and quirks. I was really invested in seeing what Fiona would do next and how far she would go. The story slowly builds up suspense until the shocking ending! It did not go the way I was expecting. I would certainly recommend this to someone who is looking for a chilling thriller with some twists and turns. It will definitely be sticking around in my thoughts for a while. 4.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

I have followed this author for many years since his Magpie days and never been disappointed. This was a brilliant read, great storyline and characters and I was involved from the very first page, dark and twisty all the way.

I can thoroughly recommend this book and what does Fiona want, read it and find out.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this brilliant ARC.

When Fiona is released from prison, she intends to check some names off her list. She buys a house in a nice area. Fiona is a psychopath, but she is trying to live a normal life. This book is set in The Magpies Universe, one of my favourite reads by Mark.

This is a dark and thrilling read. It lets you see that no matter how nice your neighbour is, you should never fully trust them. It's a suspenseful and atmospheric read. I started reading this book this morning and quickly became invested in the story. The pace is fast in this twisted read. The characters are well-developed. Fiona can come across as very creepy with just the way she looks at someone. I think this is my new favourite book by Mark Edwards/

Published 28th January 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #ThomasandMercer and the author #MarkEdwards for my ARC of #ThePsychopathNextDoor in exchange for an honest review.

A thrilling ride from Mark Edwards - who is the psychopath? Fiona who has just been released from prison is the most obvious candidate, but there may be another in the quiet north London neighbourhood she moves to.

The first ever Mystery/Thriller book I read was Here To Stay. I loved it that much I decided to read all his other books before I tried any others. So, as you can imagine I now get rather excited when I hear there's a new book coming out! Ooh, and Lucy from the Magpies? Yes please. This one is about a woman who befriends the next door neighbours, more so the little girl, she can tell that this girl is like her, something different..something dark. An incredible book, I cried towards the end. I NEVER CRY!! Damnit Mark, you got me. It's one of those books that will stay with me for a while. Highly recommended 5 stars, should be 10 stars.

If you prefer your revenge served on a silver platter, this book is for you. It features captivating characters, a suspenseful, and yet believable plot, and an ending that will leave you breathless.

This review is entirely voluntary, and all opinions expressed reflect my personal views.

Wow! What a crazy, twisted read!

You think you know where this story is going but I have to say you may just be surprised by the ending.

The deception is amazing. When people say adults “groom” children most of us think about sex trafficking and although that in itself is a horrible situation for anyone to be in let alone a child, this story is on a whole new lever.

If you like twisted tales this is a book for you.

The Dove family have moved into their new house and have been befriended by the woman who lives next door Fiona who takes a special interest in Rose their thirteen year old daughter.
Fiona has just got out of prison and she has scores to settle.
A chilling psychological thriller from the Magpie series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.