Found this to be a slow starter in order to presumably introduce all the characters. Lana and Roman are the main characters and the story is told from both viewpoints. Several twists along the way as their neighbours in the close are not all they first appear to be. Little bit far fetched in places and rather an abrupt ending but an interesting read.

This story started ok, but floundered towards the middle. By the time I reached the end, the pace was galloping but the tale far-fetched and disappointing. Certainly doesn’t live up to the hype of “dark, twisty suspense”. That said, it looks like many other readers have enjoyed it, so maybe it’s just not to my taste.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance copy of this novel.

When Lana and Roman move to their forever home in rural Oxfordshire they expect peace and quiet and an idealist country retreat but the truth was far from peaceful. From day one Lana was not happy when she found out about the history of her beautiful new home and from then on it only went down hill. An exciting suspense thriller

I was left not quite sure knowing what to think about this one in all honesty.
Through the book there was a nice undertow of mystery with a sense of unease for the reader not quite knowing what is going on and which drove you on to find out more.
However, it ended up all a bit farcical, which spoilt it overall for me.
I can't say more without spoilers but it left me wanting more.
Many thanks for the ARC though.

I’m having a bit of a slog trying to find a really good book and was sure an offering from Tony Parsons would end my drought. Unfortunately not as I couldn’t take the plot or characters seriously. Absolutely not what I was expecting so quite a disappointed.
Oh well onwards and upwards!

Tony Parsons is a bestselling novelist and an award-winning journalist. His books have been published in over forty languages and his multi-million selling novel Man and Boy won The Book of The Year prize in 2000. Most recently, he created the Max Wolfe crime series. Tony lives in London with his family.

This was intriguing from the very beginning as I wasn’t sure who were the good people, particularly the husband, was he really just trying to get his wife locked away? I had to keep reading, who needs to sleep anyway! I loved the twists and turns so I was constantly surprised at what was going on. This is the first book I have read by Tony Parsons and I loved it so will be looking out for the next one. Well worth getting this put on your booklist.

Waffly, unrealistic and as far from a thriller as you can get. I’m afraid Tony Parson’s latest novel The People Next Door, is just lacking in appealing characters and is a massive miss for me.

Photographer Lana, moves with husband and GP Roman, from busy, bustling city life, to the idyllic and relaxing countryside. Becoming tenants of ‘The Gardens’, a residential close where all the houses are large and expensive, and the residents are secretive and mysterious, Lana struggles to settle in. Are the neighbours hiding something sinister, or is she imagining it all?

I thought the novel started off okay, I liked the concept and I had house envy, even if I had to fill myself with disbelief that anyone would be swimming in an outdoor pool in late Autumn. However, the more I read, and the longer it was drawn out, I just became bored and more incredulous.

The characters were just caricatures and highly frustrating. Their actions weren’t believable and I found myself irritated by their choices and reactions. I did like the character of Sandy, but sadly his appearances were few and far between, and not enough to save it.

Some of the plot points were ridiculous and far-fetched, and I’m afraid I found it a total slog to get through. If this was the first Tony Parsons novel I picked up, I’m not sure I’d pick up another.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I was sent a copy of The People Next Door by Tony Parsons to read and review by NetGalley. This is an exciting and immersive read about a sleepy, quintessentially English village in Oxfordshire and the underlying secrets that new resident Lana endeavours to uncover. Lana and her husband Roman move from the city to a neighbourhood that feels safe, but the reality isn’t quite what it seems on the surface. The story is told from two viewpoints by both Lana and Roman and quickly gets you sucked in. This is the first novel I have read by Tony Parsons and I feel, after reading this one, it won’t be the last!

Lana and Roman Wade, respectively a photographer and a doctor, have moved to The Gardens, in rural Oxfordshire, from the city. Their new neighbours are charming and friendly but everyone in The Gardens has a secret, including the Wades...

Although The People Next Door starts off slowly, the story soon picks up as it begins its meander towards a chilling ending. There are twists, turns and surprising moments as secrets aplenty come to fruition. The characters are the kind you love to hate and I was led up the garden path more than once. Great storytelling, tension-filled and very enjoyable.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Century via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Lana and Roman move to The Gardens in an idyllic Oxfordshire village, escaping the trauma of their previous home. Their neighbours are a mixed bag of rich folk, and Lana finds herself suspicious of many of them. She becomes anxious and paranoid and it's difficult to sort out the reality from her belief that secrets are buried deep in her new street.
This book started well with lots of promise, but as the story progressed I found it disappointing. The characters were not particularly likeable, and many were too far-fetched for me. The plot became disjointed and muddled. It felt like each half of this book was written by two different people.
Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lana and Roman have had a terrible experience when living in London, their house was broken into Now they are making a new start in the country. Lana is not so keen and has only been to their new home once before. She does quickly establish relationships with the women neighbours.
The book is narrated by Lana and Roman in turns. As it progresses, a feeling of unease starts to grow. What happened to the previous occupants of the house and why did Ben's wife disappear ? Lana is asking too many questions and this is dealt with by giving her drugs for depression to make her well .
Perhaps she confides too much in her husband because her suspicions are proven to be easily explained away.
A good psychological thriller with twists and turns and a gradual build up of menace and doom. The end is sudden and did not satisfy me completely.
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest reviee

A couple traumatised by a violent burglary struggle in the aftermath of post traumatic terror and abuse. One partner perceives the answer to be a retreat into an idyllic existence in the country where life is simple, safe and they will be surrounded by friendship. The wife, a gifted photographer disagrees with the suggested solution , missing her old life, career and friends and so begins a power struggle of two individuals who view the present and future very differently. The story then takes on a disturbing move into a community of dangerous individuals each with fears and trauma intent on taking any and every action necessary to survive in what they believe to be a disintegrating world. Compelled to read towards the eventual conclusion which in all its bloodthirsty violence seemed on a trajectory of catastrophic mayhem with little recourse to a believable or convincing ending. Many thanks to author, publisher and NetGalley for ARC.

This was definitely a slow read. It was ok, and I did finish it. But I would not be tempted to read it again unfortunately

Lana & Roman move to the beautiful Cotswold countryside after suffering a terrifying attack in their flat. The Gardens is picture perfect. The neighbours are friendly & welcoming but Lana finds the move more unsettling. When she finds out their house had been the scene of a tragic murder/suicide she is even more un-nerved. As she finds out more about the place & that things are not as perfect as they seem with their neighbours she wonders if they have made a big mistake.

So far so good; interesting premise, variety of characters, nice setting but they everything seems to spiral into less & less believable territory. I read the final few chapters, because of course I had to find out the ending however rushed & far fetched. It was a story that had promise but sadly never lived up to it. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

This is a thriller set in a sleepy Cotswold village. Lana and Roman move into a new house after we find out something bad has happened after a home invasion at their last place. Once they move in they begin to realise that all is not as it seems and in fact the previous family living there were killed.
The book covers a lot of subjects such as familicide, covid, loss, true crime blogs, trauma and how it never truly goes away.

I didn't really get to like many of the characters and there were a lot of plot twists.

I like Tony Parson’s books as they are usually a decent read; however The People Next Door was a disappointment. It’s well written and started off with a promise but got far-fetched and unrealistic as the story moved along. The second part felt rushed with many loose ends, almost as the book was finished by a different writer.

⭐️ 4 ⭐️

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I love Tony Parsons’ work, particularly his Detective Max Wolfe series (all excellent), so I was excited to read The People Next Door.

What a gripping read it was, I honestly couldn’t put it down. It was tense, atmospheric, and brimming with suspense; the heavy sense of foreboding lingers throughout. I felt a strange feeling of unease whilst reading it, and checked over my shoulder countless times because I was totally immersed in the story.

The characters are well rounded (none particularly likeable), although I did warm slightly towards Lara as the the story progressed. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and I was certainly lead up the wrong garden path more than once.

There are a few loose ends at the end, but overall an excellent read.

I'm a fan of Tony Parsons but feel like he lost the plot a bit with this book, I found the whole storyline bizarre and pretty pointless. I'll definitely read his future crime novels but give the thriller novels a miss.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review..
As I was already familiar with Tony Parsons through the excellent Max Wolfe series I was looking forward to reading this book and I was not disappointed.
The market for novels concerning the problems young couples find when moving into their dream home is quite crowded but this one is very well written and plotted.
Set in a picturesque Cotswold village Lena and Roman's new neighbors seem too good to be true and so it turns out. As the story unfolds their secrets are revealed and the perfect lifestyle is not all that it seems. The reader is taken down a meandering path before the violent ending.
A book I can recommend.

Lara and Roman are the new owners of a beautiful house in The Gardens. They are starting over after a traumatic event and are delighted to feel safe again. They meet the neighbours one by one and they all seem very friendly and inclusive. However, Lara begins to feel uncomfortable and the story unfolds quite quickly to become a tense and suspenseful thriller.

I really enjoyed the creepy storyline and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a twisty/turny plot. My one criticism is that I feel the ending wasn’t right; it didn’t fit and didn’t work for me.

My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the complimentary digital copy.