Claire Douglas knows how to write for her set of skills. and im glad she found that place in thrillers. because her books are the gift that keep giving.
every time i hear she has a new book im exited for it. she writes suspense so well. and keeps ramping up the thrill and pressure. certain authors also manage to write that angst and creepy vibe. i dont know how they do it. its like splashing certain colors on a page give you certain feelings. except somehow they do it with tone and words that just lend to the spread of uncertainty and unease.
Lena is one of those characters that cross the lines when she has that nugget in her mind. and one of those characters that your not quite sure is either on to something or going mad! and when even her own close family question her you wonder quite whats going on. but also this wouldnt be a story if all were innocent would it?
Lena has new neighbors. she welcomes them of course. they seem nice and harmless elderly couple. one day when helping her son record some bits for school her mic pics up something that sends shivers up her spine. her neighbor's...planning a crime. and from there she spirals. we spiral. it all spirals as things start occurring and little things start not adding up.
Lena helps her teenage son Rufus gather sounds for his media studies project. The boom-microphone picks up a conversation between her neighbors, the Morgan's. And she’s certain they are planning a crime. Her friends and family tell her she must have misheard, but she is not so sure!

Generally a good,easy read but personally I found Lena quite annoying and some of the things she did a bit of a stretch to believe.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

If you are prepared to remember this is fiction and so not question the likelihood of what is happening actually happening, the coincidences and the tall tale plot then it is a good read,certainly well written and with interesting characters

And who doesn’t love a book about new neighbours? I LOVE books that involve them and street dynamics and who gets on with who etc

One thing got to say is that old problem of flushing was present, at one point both characters were doing it ( male and female ) hot flushes here, a flush creeping up there and you got the feeling everyone flushed at least hourly

Involved some emotional subjects and by lines that were handled well

I guess I would say not believable in parts but written well enough to enjoy none the less

Thank you to the UK publishers and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've read a few Claire Douglas books now and I have found I really like her writing style. It is always an easy read and very digestible, and this latest installment was no different.

I particularly enjoyed the last 20% when everything started to come together. I did find it a little slow going in the beginning, but the ending made up for this. 3.5 🌟

Wow, what a book this was! I raced through this, especially the last quarter of it, it had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how it was all going to end! There were lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing and I liked the dual timeline style of writing. This is the first book by Claire Douglas that I’ve read but it certainly won’t be my last, I’ll be recommending this to everyone.

"The New Neighbours" by Claire Douglas is a psychological thriller with a lot of suspense.

Thank you Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for the advance digital copy via Netgalley.
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

Claire Douglas is not a new author for me as I read 5 of her books before. This is why I was looking forward to this new book.

This is the story of Lena and her new neighbours, the Morgans. They seem like a nice older couple, until Lena overhears them talking and begins to suspect that they want to do something illegal.

I liked the fact that there are multiple POVs and timelines. The story is unraveled slowly and we get small clues along the way.
Lena starts to get obsessed with her neighbours and crosses some lines (like stalking them and going to their house when they are away). But everything that she finds out about them is suspicios and thinks get dangerous.
There are a few twists that I did not expect and connections between characters that are only revealed at the end.

This was an entertaining read for me and definitely a page turner.

This is a well crafted psychological thriller that has the reader guessing right to the end the reasons behind the neighbours next door.

I love the author's books and this one is no different.
You do have to suspend belief a bit as the plot is a little far fetched but once you do it's a brilliant rollercoaster ride to the finish.

When the Morgans move in next door to Lena, her 17 year old son's recording equipment for a school project picks up their mysterious conversation, which makes it sound distinctly like they're planning a kidnap. But they're retired and respectable, so surely that can't be right? But the more she digs, the more she becomes convinced that they're up to something. Separated from her husband and preparing herself mentally for Rufus to go to university, maybe she's just bored and it's all in her head? But then she finds herself in their house, and the mystery just keeps getting deeper.

This psychological thriller is mainly told through Lena's POV, with a few chapters from her neighbour, Henry, dotted in between. It's full of twists and turns, plenty of red herrings, and lots of tension! I enjoyed the plot, not quite knowing where it was going at times with the misdirections, and although I guessed what was happening about 10% from the end, it was great when it all came together to explain it all (and I do enjoy being right!).

Another great standalone read from Claire Douglas and it certainly won't be my last.

Synopsis: When Lena helps her teenage son gather sounds for his media studies project, she doesn't expect her boom-microphone to pick up a conversation between her neighbours, the Morgans.
And she’s certain they are planning a crime.

🏘

My first Claire Douglas! I really enjoyed this book, it kept me gripped throughout and was an easy read whilst on holiday.

Every character in this book seems to have dark secrets and ulterior motives, and you're not sure who you can trust.

I really liked Lena as a main character and felt myself rooting for her throughout.

Unfortunately, I guessed some of the plot twists which is always annoying! I found the ending to be rushed, a couple more chapters could've wrapped it up nicely. Just felt a bit unsatisfying!

A fast paced, easy thriller!

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for my advance copy in return for an honest review.

Lena’s new neighbours seem like the perfect retired couple - polite, well put together, and seemingly harmless. But when she accidentally overhears a chilling conversation between them, her suspicions take root. She can’t make out every word, but what she does hear is enough to set her on edge.

Everyone around her insists she’s being nosy, reading too much into things. But the more she digs, the more unsettling the truth becomes. Just what are they involved in?!

I love a good sketchy neighbour thriller, and Claire Douglas delivers. I had no idea who to trust, how the characters were connected, or what secrets were lurking beneath the surface. The plot is brilliantly crafted, full of deception and misdirection.

The pacing is spot on - tense and compulsively readable. It’s one of those books you think about even when you’re not reading. The flashbacks were a great touch, cleverly seeding hints and red herrings throughout.

Lena was an easy protagonist to root for, even as she repeatedly put herself in danger. She was probably the only one I trusted - just about every character had their moment of doubt. The characters are all well written and their dynamics felt authentic.

This is a twisty thriller packed with curveballs and some cliffhanger chapter endings, making it hard to put down. Another great read from Claire Douglas!

Another big thanks to, NetGalley and Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this. All opinions are my own.

DNF at 40%

I enjoyed the previous Claire Douglas novel "The Wrong Sister" and was expecting good things from this one. I went into it blind and kind of regret that. The suspicious neighbour trope has been done to death and is rarely done well.

The problem is I can't imagine a world where something random my neighbours do or say would make me suspect them of criminal behaviour. Even if I did suspect them, I'd probably forget after 2 minutes and like any other normal person because that'd be crazy. Not break into their house or obsess over it for days,

This wasn't for me, unfortunately, but I hope future books of the author will be.

Thanks to Netgalley & Penguin Random House for the e-copy.

Absolutely loved this book! From page one I was hooked and couldn’t wait to pick the book back up.

I can’t wait for more from this author!

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

I'm obsessed with Claire Douglas, and this book was amazing!  You'll be desperate to finish it because you have to know what happens next!

Lena and her 17-year-old son, Rufus, got new neighbors—a rich elderly couple.  Sounds ideal, huh?  Nope!  Total nightmare neighbors!
Lena starts noticing weird stuff. She overhears a shady conversation, but no one believes her.
Is there a connection to Lena's past?

This book is a wild ride with awesome twists that'll keep you hooked!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

The usual crime thriller from Claire Douglas. New neighbours are behaving suspiciously and Claires hiding her own secret which turns out to be linked to the neighbours.
I wasn't gripped as much as I would have liked by the story but it was an OK read.

I always enjoy Claires books. They just get better and better. I just love how she draws you in and hooks you. I devoured this in an afternoon. Thriller fans will love this twisty read.

And just like that Claire Douglas does it again! If you want a thriller that is going to keep you on the edge of your seat you need to read The New Neighbours. I read this book in less than 24 hours as I could just not put it down. I love how not only does Claire Douglas focus on her plot but also her characters. I was so invested in each and every one of their lives that I found I generally cared when something bad happened and felt like I had a connection with them. I think it takes a special skill to be able to do that with your audience as a thriller writer. At this stage I would read Claire’s shopping list and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.

Lena thinks she overhears her new neighbours planning a crime. Her friends and family tell her to forget about it but she can’t. She decides to investigate even though this could put her in danger. This was a compelling read, full of suspense and tension with a great ending. Lena is facing her own struggles with her family and work life and I loved the way these were woven into the plot.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for this review copy.

I read this book over a couple of days. I felt it had a lot of potential and was in the main a gripping thriller. However, I did find the main character very frustrating and some part of the book seemed quite slow paced. I would rate this 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and the author for the chance to review.

Thrilled to receive an early copy of Claire's new book and it didn't disappoint. The pacing and the rising tension is excellent as you'd expect from Claire's writing.

I enjoyed the flashbacks and trying to work out who is who and how they fit in to this complicated story. You get a good idea of the main protagonist Lena's increasing paranoia as she overhears some very worrying snippets of conversation from her new neighbours. I suspected several different characters of being 'wronguns' before the end of the book's revelation.

A jolly good page turner of a thriller, where you will want to read 'just one more page' to race to the conclusion.