A dark anc twisty thriller - it was, there were some surprising parts that I didn’t see coming. I didn’t like the German words thrown in randomly, and I wasn’t massively impressed with the back stories as it got a bit confusing for me! Nice concept on a very written about subject.

Helen moves to Germany and gives up her career to support her husband Gary in his at the International School. When she moves into the cup de sac and is introduced to the seemingly perfect neighbours but if they are so perfect why is there a German man, Sascha, stalking their every move?
I enjoyed the book and meeting the neighbours as their less than perfect lives are revealed and secrets from the past are revealed.

When Helen moves abroad to Germany to be with new husband Gary she is thrust into a tightknit expat neighbourhood where everything is seemingly too nice and too well structured. All of the neighbours work at the school with Gary and they know everything about everyone. Helen tries her best to fit in, but even those who are seemingly the most perfect simply arent and behind closed doors lies a lot of destruction and devastation.

A twisting and turning plot which throws you from one scenario to the next. It is gripping, unpredictable, page turning and totally makes you never want to speak to your neighbours again!

Unfortunately, I couldn't get into this book but I think that was because of the German setting/locations.

I was so excited to give this one a try, a thriller about mysterious and dangerous neighbours, what isn't to love? After all, it's what we always hear...how well do you know your neighbours?!

That being said, I was also slightly hesitant that this one would be anything special, it's concept doesn't sound entirely original, and I read a lot of thrillers, so finding one which stands out is difficult. However, this definitely hooked me, and was worth a read!

This book follows Helen, who finally has the opportunity to join her husband, Gary, living in Germany, after a lengthy long-distance relationship. However, when Helen arrives and is introduced to all of her neighbours, who also work with Gary, she doesn't get a good impression of them, and doesn't have much interest in being friends with them. These neighbours are a nosy bunch - they all know everything about each other, spend all of their time together and just seem to live as a pack. More so than that, each is hiding a deep secret and they will do anything to keep them hidden.

My favourite parts of the story are narrated by Fiona, a student, whose chapters are italicised throughout the book. I found these chapters the most gripping and suspenseful, and found myself waiting for another to crop up.

This is the first of Sargeant's books I have read, and I would definitely check out her future work. She writes well, and is able to maintain suspense throughout her book. In terms of the plot, Sargeant had a sophisticated backstory, which was intertwined through the plot - which made for a well-paced read. The book's plot-twists were fairly predictable, although not so much so that you have guessed them too far in advance, and thus, still keeping you interested in how the plot develops.

Full Review Available Here: http://thereadingruby.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/the-perfect-neighbours-by-rachel.html

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Perfect Neighbours is definitely a physiological thriller! It is very cleverly written with an extremely intricate plot of several tangles weaved in. It contains detail that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat in places. There are a lot of characters to get to grips with, so there is a lot of detail to take in. The main story is interspersed with extracts from something else that is going on, aside from the main story. The first fifty percent of the book is taken up with scene setting and divulging information, and from here on you can start to build the jigsaw!
I feel this book would be best enjoyed in one sitting, where it can be concentrated on with determination. I am therefore giving four stars, as I didn't fit the above criteria, and found it a bit hard going and confusing but I did stick with it and enjoyed the story once I'd finished it!

The perfect neighbours is a psychological thriller that will have you speeding through to find out more whilst feeling extremely claustrophobic!!
This is the first book I've read by Rachel Sergeant and won't be my last. The book is based around Helen and from the start you et a feeling something is going to happen, your not sure when or where but you know its going to happen and most probably to Helen.
This is a different kind of read that I enjoyed a lot. You begin the journey with Helen having given up her teaching career in England to go and live with her husband, Gary, who is a teacher in an international school in Germany. From what I could make out apart from one old man all the houses on this avenue were specifically English people who had some connection to the school, be it they taught there or were related to someone who worked or managed at the school. The neighbours, especially Louisa had me feeling very claustrophobic due to this unhealthy arrangement of everyone living out of each others pockets. Helen didn't like this set up at all and I admired her for taking step back from all this. Throughout the story there was a lot going on with a lot of the times Helen only hearing part of the whispered conversation. There are a huge amount of twists and turns as secrets are revealed and this was hugely enjoyable.
I would like to thank netgalley and HarperCollins and Killer reads for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️ 3.5 stars

The Perfect Neighbours?...No such thing! Especially in this case, where we read about Helen leaving her life in England behind to start a new one as she joins her husband in Germany, where he works as a teacher at the International School. Helen tries to fit in with the other teachers and their families living on her street, but soon finds some of her neighbours to be controlling and over involved, putting on an act of perfectionism although it becomes clear that they've got closely guarded secrets they'll do anything to keep hidden. When the consequences of such secrets result in bloodshed, Helen's world is turned upside down as she discovers her 'perfect neighbours' are the perfect liars and can't be trusted.

This story has a lot going on, with plenty of characters to spice things up, although it does take a while to keep track of who is who. With the majority of the characters an unlikeable bunch, it is easy to suspect them of all sorts of wrong doings.

Without going into detail for fear of spoilers, I must congratulate the author for the refreshing and original concept of the perfect con artist. However, although I understand that this is fiction and belief can be suspended, I did feel the conclusion asked too much of me in this regard, going over the edge, the story becoming unbelievable, the motives for the bloodshed of some of the victims not quite understandable.

Just another little something that disrupted my enjoyment of this story was the bits of German peppered throughout the book. As the story took place in Germany, this is completely acceptable and understandable, but it would help if the reader could understand what was being said. Granted, sometimes it was translated, but other times not, and I would find myself on Google Translate having to translate the German text myself.

All in all, a good read that I went through quickly as it captured my attention throughout, with the whodunit and the why catching me totally by surprise.

Many thanks to the author, Netgalley and
HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, Killer Reads for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The Perfect Neighbours was a great psychological thriller that hooked me from the first few pages.
Lots of twists and turns throughout and the ending, well I did not see it coming.
Is there such a thing as a perfect neighbourhood, certainly not in this book.
Have a read you won’t be disappointed.

I really enjoyed this book which was the first book I had read by Rachel Sergeant.
Whilst the concept of the book is not completely original, it feels very different to anything I had read before (and I read a lot of psychological thrillers) due to the setting (around an neighbourhood of families of teachers at an International School in Germany) and the way in which is written by Rachael.
There are a lot of twists and turns that one would hope for in a good thriller.
I did not work out the ending until very near the end (which is always very good).
I recommend this book for anyone who likes a good psychological thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a gripping psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns throughout the book.
Helen moves to Germany to be with her husband who teaches at the International School and at first everything seems ok.
But as Helen gets to know her neighbours she learns that there’s something not quite right here...
As the story progresses the truth slowly comes to light and it keeps you hooked throughout.
When I saw the title I thought there’s no such thing as a perfect neighbourhood and this book backs up my opinion!
Thanks to NetGalley and Killer Reads/Harper Collins for sending me a copy to read and review.

I wanted to love this book, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I don’t know if it was because it was set in Germany but I just didn’t connect with the book.

For once I didn’t like the split story lines as I thought they distracted too much from each other and I found it hard to get back into the other side in the next chapter.

A very complicated,disturbing and intriguing story. I had no idea where it was going or what they were hiding., A great twist at the end.

This book had more twists and turns than a roller coaster ride!
Fast paced throughout and kept me guessing aLloyd the way. Fantastic!

This book was dull, confusing and just boring sorry.

I read a quarter of the book and had to give up because the book was so awful.

Thank you NetGalley and Killer Reads for generously providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review

Gary and Helen are a simple British couple, both teachers and newly married. Gary has found a new opportunity as a school teacher in Germany and Helen has had to give up her job and move with Gary, since Gary's salary is twice more than what he could have earned in UK. So, Helen is a little skeptical about the move, but Gary convinces here by saying that their community will be a good change for her.

Helen feels out of place immediately. During their welcome party, she gets to see the awkward and disturbing behaviors from almost all her neighbors. We have Louisa, who has appointed herself as the resident queen bee and expects everyone to follow her lead. Then Damien, Louisa's eye(and other body parts too!) wandering husband. We have the weirdly dressed and overly sensitive Mel and her husband Chris who is just plain creepy. Helen tries her best to fit into this group, but finds herself isolated many times. She joins a swimming club nearby where she meets the young Sasha, who we come to know is seeking justice for something personal from the members of the teacher's community.

Slowly, Helen can sense Gary change. He keeps asking her to adjust with their neighbors. Helen is wary of Louisa and keeps challenging her. She wants to help Mel, because she's the butt of their(Louisa and Chris) bullying. Weird things are happening. One of the kids goes missing, their houses are trashed, Sasha is stalking and threatening them, the men seem to have some secret about a club.. Everyone has a secret and a very dangerous one at that..Each trying to save their own ass.. Lies are spewed, characters are doubted and conspiracies are made. We also get glimpses of a naive girl Fiona who falls for the wrong guy. But who is she? How is she related to this teacher's community ? Whom is Sasha trying to avenge ?

Helen arrives to a house within the community to find her so-called friends murdered and the police suspect it's her. The end was heart-breaking. I felt so bad for Fiona, she just had to break out!! The ridiculous research shown in the CD was creepy. The characters were different shades of grey, with some on the very dark side. So much pretense, so many secrets, so many vices ! Sigh ! It gave me a lot of angst and disturbed my mind. I guess, mission accomplished by the author !!

Helen is a newly married British PE teacher who gives up her way of life back home in Shropshire to join her husband, Gary, at an international school in Germany. On arrival, Helen finds that they will be living in a rental community provided by the school alongside a group of Gary's teacher colleagues. Suffering from culture shock and trying to give this new life a chance, Helen finds it hard to fit in and begins to feel uncomfortable with the increasingly odd behaviour of her new neighbours.
 
Headteacher, Damian Holland lives in a huge renovated property just across the way with his perfect wife, Louisa and their 3 children. Money  and expensive things are no stranger to this couple and Louisa very quickly introduces herself to Helen as the focal point of pretty much everything that goes on in the community; her disapproval and her very public belittling of Helen starting early on. She's is a master of the passive aggressive put-down; very much not a woman's woman, that much is clear. The odious Chris and his chubby, downtrodden wife Mel live next door to Helen & Gary and often make an unwelcome appearance, although Helen doesn't have much time for either of them, nor they for her.
 
Very soon, Helen is fed up. She's fed up her neighbours picking fault and nosing about, she's fed up of Germany, she's fed up of not having a job, and she doesn't fancy the role of haus-frau just yet. Having been a dedicated swimmer back home in Shropshire, she finds herself attending the open-air pool just outside the village where she bumps into the brooding and mysterious Sascha, a German national who seems to really detest the English and the International School that brings them to his neighbourhood.
 
After Helen gives Sascha a lift in her car, it turns out the nosey neighbours  already know him. They call him 'The Stalker', and there's history between them, especially between him, and Damian and Louisa, but Helen can't figure out why. What is it that links this little ex-pat community and this possibly unstable German man? What has caused all this ill-feeling? Are they in danger from him?
 
The Perfect Neighbours is a well paced novel which  plods along quite nicely to begin with as you meet and start to get to know all of the major players, and try and figure out what makes them tick. There were a few times I was thinking that you just wouldn't let someone talk to you the way that Louisa speaks to Helen, but when you put it in the context of being in a different country, away from all you know, trying desperately to fit in for the sake of your new husband - I think perhaps you would tolerate a lot more than you would when in your  comfort zone.
 
This is a novel twisty and turny in nature, and just as you start to settle into the rhythm of it, about half way or so through, then it turns on its head and everything you thought you might know, is questioned. From then on it's like running through a maze, taking one turn  after the other, each leading to a different exit, or perhaps, a dead end.  Towards the latter part of the book, I felt that the plot and explanation of previous events was a little farfetched - but enjoyable nonetheless.
 
It's very hard to say much more without giving away too much of the story, but if you enjoy a good thriller, especially one that feels like you're putting together a jigsaw puzzle with moving parts, and that gives you a good shock every now and again, then you'll love The Perfect Neighbours!

Helen is the new wife who comes into a settled ex-pat community in Germany set around an international school. She quickly finds it all a bit overpowering and claustopobic. Her husband Gary is away teaching all day and she feels bombarded by Louisa, the headmaster's wife, to conform and join in all that she does. From coffee mornings to the school shop from the swimming club to the local outdoor pool, Louisa has a finger in every pie. These are the perfect neighbours - keen to get Helen involved but they all have secrets which could blow the community apart.

Helen isn't really someone who joins in with all the paraphanelia which goes on around a school. She may be a teacher's wife but she has no desire to be on all the committees and attend all the coffee mornings. She sees Louisa's welcome as intimidating and forceful. On the other hand, Louisa is just so keen that she wants to include everyone and sees it as a personal slight when Helen finds excuses. Who is right - well both of them of course. We have all met people like this and eventually they will settle down together if allowed. Unfortunately events get in the way and Louisa sees Helen's reluctance to get involved as a deliberate attack. Peace is shattered.

The relationship between these two women is central to the book. It creates the atmosphere of distrust and allows a chink for other people to edge into the perfect community. Who kidnapped Murdo and ransacked the houses? Was it the strange German Helen met at the pool, so her fault? Or was it someone closer to home.

All the way through this book there are questions being asked. Who is as they seem? Any of the community? Is Mel as mentally unwell as she seems? Is her husband Chris really making a film or is he downright creepy? Is there anyone in the community who is really as they seem or even particularly nice? Actually these people are quite realistic and I feel the author has created them well.

There is an excellent plot which builds up to a very satisfying ending. Throughout the book is another occasional thread about Fiona. Is this relevent and what connection does it have to the main plot? Actually this was quite a suprise and not what I had anticipated.

I did enjoy this book. There were a lot of things to hang onto throughout the pages. Don't miss any of the little clues - they all become relevant in the end. I thought it was well constructed with very believable people acting in ways that fitted with their personalities. I would certainly seek out another book by this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.