I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. It was an Uncorrected Proof Copy, but it has surprisingly few errors within.

Written by N.L. Hinkens and published by Joffe Books, London in 2025, this is a psychological thriller that has a surprise ending. The first half of the story moves slowly, but it picks up substantially about halfway through.

Kay (the protagonist) and her husband Warren, live in a small community located in Orange County, California, south of Los Angeles. They used to live right next door to Kay’s parents who, unfortunately, passed away when Kay’s mother left a burner of their gas range turned on before going to bed. Now Kay and Warren Mellows own the house and are renting it out to others. Their current tenants are newcomers to the neighborhood, a man and wife named Gary and Beth Finkel. Theirs is a strange relationship and, as president of the Homeowners’ Association (HOA), Kay soon sticks her nose into their business.

It doesn’t take long for Kay to conclude that Beth is an abused woman. Her husband Gary makes her drink a vegetable juice smoothie every morning, and he keeps her secluded in the house. Kay believes that the smoothie has been drugged by Gary. Beth tells Kay that her nineteen-year-old daughter Luna has died suddenly, but Gary soon contradicts her, claiming that Luna is still alive, but has disappeared. As time goes on, Gary becomes more hostile towards Kay, and Kay increasingly probes into the couple’s affairs. Soon, Beth also disappears, and Gary reports that she has had a breakdown and is in a rehabilitation facility receiving treatment. Later, Gary reports that Beth has committed suicide at the rehab facility, but he won’t tell Kay where that is because he is intending litigation against the facility for negligence. Kay is devastated.

Soon, a young woman in a car shows up next door and knocks at the door. Gary is at work. When Kay walks over to ask if she can help, she learns that the young lady is Beth’s daughter, Luna. Kay is flabbergasted and asks Luna where she has been. Luna claims that she has just spent three years in Japan teaching English. She has come home to make amends to her mother. Soon, Luna also disappears, and so does her car. Gary claims that Luna has travelled to Portland to visit her aunt, and that he has sold the car. Kay grows increasingly nosy and soon involves her husband, Warren, in her search for the truth about the Finkel family. The story progresses from here.

This story is pretty well written, but I did find a couple of inconsistencies that I thought were a bit glaring. One was the fact that Luna, despite having just returned from three years in Japan, was not driving a rental car from the airport, but was driving her own automobile. Where did that come from? Another that I noted was that Kay has put money in her “money belt,” but two pages later the money has mysteriously transferred to her “trouser pocket.” Also, the author uses the word “jive” instead of the intransitive verb “jibe” on several occasions.

I generally do not like stories in which the protagonist is stupid, and Kay behaves stupidly in most of this story. In Chapter 38, she even admits it, exclaiming: “How could I have been so stupid”? She does seem to get a little smarter by the end of the story, however.

All in all, this is a good read, and I would recommend it to fans of the genre. I award four of the possible five stars as a rating, along with my recommendation. Give it a look. I don’t think you will regret it.

Hinkens is one of my favorite authors, and this is a great example of why. I was captivated right off the bat and needed to know what would happen. Fast-paced, thrilling, full of enticing mystery, and so many great twists I did not see coming.

The Neighbor by N.L. Hinkens is a suspenseful psychological thriller that grips you from the very first page and doesn’t let go until the final twist. The story follows a woman who becomes increasingly suspicious of her seemingly perfect neighbors, Beth and Gary, who are renting her property. At first, everything seems normal—until small inconsistencies start to unravel, and the narrator begins to suspect that her neighbors are hiding something much darker than she could have ever imagined.

The central character’s obsession with Beth and Gary grows more unsettling as she notices odd behavior: Gary's strange possessiveness toward Beth, the contradiction between their supposed vegetarian lifestyle and the meat they’re grilling, and the subtle tension in their interactions. As her suspicion deepens, so does the sense of unease, making the reader question just how far she’s willing to go to uncover the truth.

The writing is taut, and the tension builds steadily throughout the novel, keeping you on edge as you try to piece together the puzzle. The protagonist’s fixation on her neighbors mirrors the way the reader becomes entranced by the small details that could lead to big revelations. What’s fascinating is how relatable her instincts are—her gut feeling that something isn’t right—and how it draws you deeper into the story.

Then, when Beth goes missing, everything intensifies, and you’re left questioning who is trustworthy and who isn’t. The twists in the story come fast and furiously, leaving you reeling with every new development. There’s a constant sense of danger lurking beneath the surface, and you’ll find yourself racing to the end to uncover the secrets everyone is hiding.

This is a book that keeps you thinking long after the last page. If you love psychological thrillers with dark twists, unreliable characters, and a constant sense of tension, The Neighbor is a must-read. The thrilling plot, combined with the complex characters, makes for an addictive story that will have you turning pages long into the night.

The Neighbor by N.L. Hinkens is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you second-guessing everyone. The story follows Leah, a woman who moves into a seemingly perfect neighborhood, only to realize that something isn’t quite right with her new neighbor. As she starts to uncover unsettling secrets, paranoia and danger creep in.

Hinkens does a great job of building suspense, using short, punchy chapters to keep the tension high. The writing is fast-paced, making it an easy, binge-worthy read. The twists are well-placed, though some are a bit predictable for seasoned thriller readers.

Leah is a compelling protagonist, but at times, her decisions feel frustratingly naive. The ending delivers a satisfying conclusion, though it might not shock everyone.

Overall, The Neighbor is an entertaining, suspenseful read—perfect for fans of domestic thrillers who enjoy a mix of mystery and psychological tension.

The Neighbor by N.L Hinkens.
I really enjoyed this book. I got into it straight away. I did love Kay and Amber. I wasn't sure how I felt about Gary. I didn't trust him at all. This was twisty and gripping. Wow double twist. My jaw was on the floor. Definitely didn't expect that. I would definitely recommend this book.

The Neighbor by N.L Hinkens is a fast-paced domestic suspense / thriller that is immersive and gripping.

Kay and her husband rent out the house across the street. When Gary and Beth move in, Kay feels that something is not quite right with their new neighbors. After catching them in a little lie, Kay seems to determined to find out what else they're lying about. But when Beth goes missing will Kay be able to get to the bottom of what is really happening with the neighbors?

What a wild ride! I really liked the synopsis of this book so I was so excited to read it. I love a good shady neighbor book so this was right up my alley! The twists were surprising and the characters were all well written whether you loved them or thought them to be annoying. I absolutely could not put this book down. One negative was I felt like some parts were a bit far-fetched but that's the joy of reading, you can suspend your beliefs! Definitely keeping an eye out for more by N.L Hinkens!!

Thank you to NetGalley, N.L Hinkens, and Joffe Books for this ARC. Release day was March 4th 2025.

I absolutely enjoyed this book! Kay and her husband rent the house across the street to a very strange couple. It started with one lie that Kay caught them in. And then one thing after another happening plus Kay’s constant concerns built a chain of events that made for a wild ride. This book kept me turning the pages late into the night—throughout the whole book!

Because I read a lot of thrillers, I can usually figure it out early on, but this book kept me guessing all the way to the end. It is loaded with twists and turns. It is rare for me to give 5 stars, but this was so much fun to read! This author can really write a story. I will be looking to read more from this author.

Thanks to Joffe Books who provided me with an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

📱E-Book Review📱

The Neighbor
NL Hinkens

🌟🌟🌟🌟

After reading and loving The Caregiver, by this author, back in July - I knew that this new release was going to be a great read and couldn't wait to dive in.

Once again, I was completely drawn in from the first few pages and hooked for the duration.

We've all done it (I really hope!), when we get new neighbours, we take a little peek at them to scope them out before actually meeting - right?
Well, the stakes are a little higher here as there are some strange vibes coming from Gary and Beth from the outset.

I strangely connected with Kay from the start. Ok, she's a little bit nosy and a little more overbearing at times, but I liked her commitment and determination throughout.
Gary on the other hand really made me a little uncomfortable at times.

The writing style and format was perfect for this kind of psychological thriller and the suspense builds nicely as we read and more of the story unfolds.
It's a little unusual to see just the one pov throughout and I do love getting into the minds of all the characters with a dual or multi pov read - but I think the single pove here really added to the tension because I couldn't get too deep with the other characters.
This really worked well.

This was a fast-paced read and packed with twists - which I always love.
Looking forward to seeing more from Hinkens in the future.

I liked the story and the main character, but I thought it had too many twists so it was hard to keep track of things at times.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

A very enjoyable read, I loved the protagonist, a nosy neighbor who is quickly drawn into her new neighbors dramas (who are living in a house her and her husband rent.) The drama quickly ramps up, with clever twists and turns along the way.

A must read for fans of domestic psychological thrillers.

I was pretty bored with this book. It just never grabbed my attention or drew me in to want to keep reading.

On the plus side this was a very quick read once the story got going. Unfortunately there isn’t much more in its favour I can say It needed much more depth to be considered a good book and the goings on were almost silly.

As far as pacing and writing style, Hinkens sure knows what she's doing! I flew through this one in only a few hours and couldn't put it down once I started! Unfortunately, the storyline felt kind of...rushed? I love when an author dives right into the action, but then rewinds to provide some context. While Hinkens cut right to the chase, they did so at the expense of character development; I had SO many questions about the backgrounds of every character that it became a little distracting. And while I know Kay is supposed to be like a textbook nosey Nellie, I found her character far-fetched and unrealistic. I know it's fiction but it made some parts hard to engage with. And because of the rushing and lack of development, the ending felt more random than shocking - I just couldn't buy into who was behind everything in the end. I liked the ideas, but the execution just didn't work for me. Thank you for the ARC!

I’m not quite sure about this one. It felt really rushed and the writing just wasn’t there. The story was so frustrating with an unlikeable main character and repetitive. The ending was ok but convoluted, all of the twists were in the last few pages and it didn’t make sense.

N.L. Hinkens delivers a gripping psychological thriller in The Neighbor, a novel filled with suspense, unexpected twists, and a creeping sense of paranoia. Published by Joffe Books, this story follows the head of the HOA—bossy, nosy, and increasingly obsessed with uncovering the truth about her mysterious new tenant. As she grows more convinced that something is off, the police dismiss her concerns, leaving readers to wonder: is she truly onto something, or is she unraveling before our eyes?

Hinkens masterfully builds tension, keeping readers on edge as the protagonist’s obsession deepens. The novel plays with perception, making us question what is real and what might be a figment of an overactive imagination. The pacing is tight, the twists are sharp, and the psychological intrigue keeps the story moving at a breathless speed.

For fans of psychological thrillers and domestic suspense, The Neighbor is a must-read. Hinkens crafts an immersive, addictive narrative that keeps you second-guessing every character’s motives. If you enjoy novels that toy with your sense of reality while delivering an edge-of-your-seat experience, this one will not disappoint.

The Neighbor by N.L. Hinkens was a really good psychological thriller especially as it was full of twists and turns throughout that made it an enjoyable, quick easy read and it kept me guessing till the very end.

I highly recommend this book.

Oh my god what a wild ride, well read, this was! I have to say. I have been loving the psychological thriller genre more and more. This one just cements how good it can be. At the start of the novel we think our protagonist Kay is just a nosy and rather full on neighbor. Involved in the HOA and always checking in on those in her street. When Beth and Gary move in next door she feels something is off about Gary but her husband ignores her. Sure Beth needs help, Kay is not deterred and then Beth ends up missing. Kay is determined to get to bottom of what is happening no matter the cost.

Now I will say that I originally thought Kay was a tad full on. She’s the average ‘busy body’ or seems to be. I particularly disliked her when Beth had shared a secret swearing her to silence when only a few pages later she’s telling her friend. So I was worried this was going to be difficult to read when I didn’t like the protagonist. How wrong I was. Hinkens writing brings Kay to life through first person narration and we slowly realise that while Kay is indeed a bit over the top at times she seems to have good intentions.

I also have to say the fact this is all in Kay’s POV adds so much to the tension. I really didn’t see some of the twists and by the end I was totally on Kay’s side. Pacy, punchy and tightly woven this is the perfect psychology thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

hanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. The premise was intriguing, and for the most part, I thought it was well executed. Some moments had me thinking, really?, and while I guessed part of the twist, I was still surprised by the way it played out. It was gripping, tense, and packed with twists that kept me hooked.

One thing I loved was how the author managed to create a cast of characters I really didn’t like, yet I still couldn’t stop reading because I had to see what happened next. The main character, Kay, is the ultimate in-your-face "PTA mom" type, except instead of running bake sales, she’s the head of the housing association. It felt like a neighborhood watch group but on steroids, with endless events and get-togethers.

Kay takes her role very seriously and refuses to be put off when her new (and very odd) neighbors, Gary and Beth, rudely rebuff her attempts at friendship. She just won’t give up. The plot is definitely over the top, but that’s what made it so engrossing, I couldn’t put it down! Despite the dramatic twists, it was easy to keep track of each character, and they were all well developed.

Overall, a great read even if a bit far-fetched, and one I’d definitely recommend!

A really enjoyable, quick and easy read. I raced through this in a few days and the twists and turns were brilliant xx

This is a book I did not want to put down! It was an interesting read because I did not like any of the characters but still loved the story!