Wowzas!!! Brilliant, genuinely had no idea which way this storyline was going to go!! Sometimes find story's that jump back and forward in time a little tricky to follow, but not this! Highly recommend

WOW Claire always manages to write such great stories, although this one was a little more slow burn than some of her others, it still held my attention and didn’t disappoint . I was 88% in and it clicked that I knew who the missing baby was and well, what an ending!!

Various POV, great character building and plot twists.

Highly recommend if you love Claire’s writing

Big thanks to Penguin Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

When you think a nice retired couple have moved next door.... think again!

Lena overhears a strange conversation between her new neighbours and goes to all lengths to find out just what's going on!.

This thriller had me on the edge of my seat from the start. It was so twisty, full of suspense, Claire had me guessing right to the end.

A must read and I highly recommend you pick this one up.

Thank you so much to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the invite to read this ARC

On first impressions Lena's new neighbours, the Morgans appear a nice elderly retired couple. It is only when she accidentally overhears part of their conversation with the aid of her son's recording equipment that she becomes worried. But Lena is inclined to over react and jump to conclusions so people don't really believe her as she becomes more and more obsessed with the Morgans.
This was a great suspenseful read with several twists. The story unfurls through several timelines and through different characters although the viewpoint is mostly Lena's. The author does a great job at building tension, so that the reader is encouraged to read on.
I did find the ending became a little rushed compared with earlier chapters but overall and enjoyable read with a varied collection of characters - not all of whom you would want to share a meal with.
With thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph and Penguin Random House for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

OH MY GOD! This book is insane! I can’t stop thinking about it at all! It was super suspenseful, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Amazing!!

I literally could not put this book down. I read it from start to finish in one sitting… I found myself holding my breath, peeking through my closed eyes at what I was about to read next… a phenomenal thriller!

I was beyond shocked by the ending, I had to pick my jaw up off the ground! There were SO many twists and turns!

I’d highly recommend this book another read fantastic one by Claire Douglas I’m eagerly awaiting the next one!


🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars!

Yes great read just when I thought I had it figured-out BAM. a complete side swipe ( technically a twist) and the whole journey goes on a different tack.

It's not often I'm completely wrong ( wrong yes but totally ahhhhh) when reading a thriller but there are some twist here that will hit you sideways or did with me. Lena the heroine of our story has new neighbours (titles the big clue) I guess she has a son whose just finishing college before he head's off to Uni, plus an ex-husband. She also has a history a heart which gets her into things far too deeply.. Her curiosity is pinged when she accidentally over hears a conversation from next door and well she can't leave it there and off we go with a thriller that completely grabbed me.

So in summary it's not just the twists the storyline is really clever and the various characters just add so much more than filling the edges or packing the pages this is well thought out story genuine page turner and I feel more than worthy of 5 stars feel if you live Physiological Thrillers this is a great one to read.

Gripping.

I really like this author's books, she has the knack of hooking you in even from the first few pages.

She puts lots of intriguing comments in, making it hard to resist reading on to find out what could have happened, and be going to unfold.

Some books of this genre can be a bit long-winded.....so many characters to remember who's who, and who did what; to keep track of. I always find this author's books very appealing, so easy to read, they never lose their way; it's so easy to keep turning the pages well into the small hours.

Intriguing, gripping, chilling, creepy, pulse-thumping, and powerful, I was absolutely glued to the pages.

I am a big fan of Claires and was so excited to read this book. It was a great read. Lena is the central character and is nervous when she overhears a conversation of her new neighbours. It is than that the story starts and there are plenty of twists and turns. The story is fast paced and all the characters are well developed and credible. This book is certain to be a sure fire hit from this brilliant writer.

I am a fan of Claire Douglas' previous novels and whilst I didn't think this one hit the heights of previous novels, I did enjoy the story.

I think Lena's feelings were often overexplained but apart from that, the story was the usual twists and turns you get from Douglas.

A gripping thriller which I couldn’t put down. I loved the main character Lena as she isn’t perfect (didn’t finish her midwife training, has a tendency to jump to conclusions) but is relatable. Lena is intrigued by and quickly scared of her new neighbours when she overhears part of a conversation they are having. There are many twists, turns and red herrings, but I wasn’t able to guess the ending - always a sign of a well-crafted mystery!

This is a must read for any Claire Douglas fans. I really enjoyed this book. I flew through it. Its a real page turner, with so many twists and turns. The characters are well-described and believable. The story is told via dual timelines and multiple points of view. The chapters are short and punchy.

Thank you to Netgalley Claire Douglas and the publisher for giving me an ARC

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up

A twisty and suspenseful thriller. Fans of Douglas’ work will enjoy this.

When Lena helps her teenage son record outside sounds in their back garden for a media project, she picks up more than just birdsong. What she overhears is her new neighbours plotting something illegal. But surely these two pleasant sixty-year olds aren’t really criminals? Other than their names, she knows nothing about them. Her friends try to convince her to stay out of it but she’s unable to shake the feeling something is up. After all, she herself knows that all people have a past and some have secrets.

Read if you like dual timelines, multiple points of view, short punchy chapters, plenty of twists, and plots with a domestic setting.

Thank you kindly to Penguin Random House for reaching out and asking me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my thoughts!

When recently separated mother Lena over hears her new next door neighbours discussing what sounds like them planning something illegal it sets off a chain of events that develop into a pretty decent thriller.
Once the scene is set, we are taken back over a number of years to learn about events leading up to this moment and how the main characters are inter linked without releasing it.
Enjoyable read and worthy of four stars.

‘The New Neighbour’ by Claire Douglas is a gripping read that successfully combines suspense with thought-provoking themes.
It was an engaging story which allowed me to become fully gripped to the book.
As I immersed myself in to the story, I was drawn in by the suspenseful plot.
The pacing was effective, as it built suspense. Each chapter unfolded with a sense of urgency, making it nearly impossible to resist the urge to read “just one more chapter.”

The varying timelines in the story created a tapestry of interconnected events that revealed how the past influenced the present.

Thank you to NetGalley, Claire Douglas and the publisher for an early copy of this book.

Lena's new neighbours appear to be a pleasant elderly couple but when Lena overhears their conversation her suspicions are aroused. Are they plotting a crime? The tension never flags in this fast-paced thriller set in Bristol. The characters are well-drawn and there are some awesome twists. I loved the flashbacks revealing the background to the characters and plot. Overall this is a gripping thriller and highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you’ve a Claire Douglas fan I don’t need to tell you it’s an amazing read, full of thrills, menacing characters and twists and turns. Of course there’s the innocent character (s) that’s not so innocent and a final twist at the end! Just glorious

If you’ve not read any of her books, where have you been? Dive in and find your next favourite author!

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

When Lena overhears a conversation between her next-door-neighbours she thinks she must have misheard. After all, the Morgans are a kind, retired couple who have moved to a suburban street in Bristol where nothing ever happens. But it sounded like they were planning a crime.

Her family and friends tell her that she’s made a mistake. Yet Lena can’t stop thinking about it. Because what if they are about to do something terrible? What if she can prevent it?
And what if, in doing so, it might help ease her conscience about her own dark past . . .

This book was so good! The chapters are split by characters and some are also split through timelines, this was written perfectly to understand where the characters are coming from and what led them to where they are now. There was so much going on and so much intrigue it was a compelling read. I was hooked.

All the characters added to the story and had their own secrets. Charlie, Lena, Rufus, Jackson, Kit, Henry, Marielle and Simone. The links between the characters were fantastic all contributing to this massive puzzle with cliffhangers throughout.

There were so many twists, my mind was coming up with all theories that were completely wrong until the last few chapters where even then, only some of my suspicions were confirmed. What a gripping psychological thriller Claire has written. It’s an all consuming,tense read. You need to read this book, out in March go and pre order if you want a suspenseful , gripping read by the queen of thrillers.

Lena has just come out of her marriage and her son will be leaving for university soon. She also has new neighbours - new neighbours who she overhears saying suspicious things. Are they about to commit a crime? Surely not they’re well respected newly retired couple.

The book takes us through suspicions and twists and turns. We go back in time for both Lena and also Henry her neighbour to bring the story together. This is a well written book that really starts to ramp up towards the end.

Having read all of Claire Douglas books I was eager to dive right into this one and I devoured it. Lena recently separated mum to 17yr old Rufus feels lost in life. Knowing changes are coming and not sure what direction to take she’s intriguing when new neighbours the Morgans move in and she overhears a conversation in the garden.
This takes her down a path where there are multiple situations occurring on Lena’s life at the same time.
She has her ex Charlie with a new girlfriend and wanting to sell the family home pushing her to ask for more hours at work which is hampered from a client at the CAB where she works over stepping the client line resulting in another wheel turning in her life.
She has people roaming her garden in the dead of night worrying her and making her question the neighbours more. She also has Rufus and her helicopter style mothering causing her to feel Rufus drifting more towards his father and maybe him knowing more about past situations.
Alongside Lena present day you also have Lena past where she talks about her midwifery training and how she quit but maybe regrets this. The problems causing her to quit though also come into the present when she sees her old midwifery colleague on the neighbours wall. How and why do they have her photograph?
So many questions , so many people and so many moving parts.
How do all these parts come together ? Who is relevant or just a red herring to the plot line !?
Read to find out and you won’t be disappointed.
I enjoyed Lena’s character I could empathise with her feeling of what next in life and the empty nest syndrome she was going through and I’m glad she got to the closure and ending that worked for her.
Fantastic book well written and excellent plot line.

Claire is one of my favourite thriller writers, I awlays know I will be in a for a treat with one of her novel.s This is another great read. I was hooked from the start, Claire writes such relatable characters and I totally bought into the paranoia Lena felt at what her neighoburs might be up to. A fab read.