I enjoyed The New Neighbours it had me gripped from the start. Lena overhears them planning a crime, maybe a kidnap but what’s going on? How well do we really know our neighbours? This simple concept is definitely enough to keep you up at night. The New Neighbours kept me guessing and wanting to know more. My only problem is that I found the buildup to the end better than the actual ending, which I found a bit anticlimactic. .

There’s a good premise here: Lena overhears her new neighbours say something shocking and takes it upon herself to do all she can to prevent a crime being committed. But, with her own dark past, is she the right person for the task?
This is another fluently written novel from this bestselling author. Ideal for readers who enjoy bundles of suspense, shocks and murderous characters.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.
On publication, I will post this review on my blog and on GoodReads.

How well do we really know our neighbours? When Henry and Marielle Morgan move into Lena’s road in a suburb of Bristol she is interested in getting to know them, as most of us would be. On first appearances they seem a nice enough couple. Older than Lena, well to do, friendly(ish!), and their house has been renovated beautifully. What’s not to like? All seems well until snippets of an overheard conversation play on Lena’s mind.

Now I understand the need to know what’s going on around us, but hopefully Lena is in another league to the average next door neighbour! What a snoop! What a gossip! I wouldn’t want to live next door to her. Interfering doesn’t cover it!

A story full of implausible threads, unlikeable characters and a convoluted plot, you would think it wouldn’t work. Surprisingly it sort of does, and is a quick, easy read that keeps the reader engaged, just leave any sense of belief at the first chapter.

I thought the ‘I feel so sorry for me’ attitude of Lena was too much, and repeated too often, making her very irritating, I was definitely team Charlie!

A decent enough read, though most definitely not one of this author’s best.

Thank you NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House.

Another great book by Claire Douglas, as always! Fab storyline and interesting characters that keep you guessing. I had guessed the twist but I was invested enough to race to the end! Just brilliant

4.75 stars rounded up. Told mostly from Lena’s POV with occasional chapters from a few others. This is fairly fast paced and with twists and turns that keep you guessing and made it feel like a quick read. I really enjoyed it and while it’s the first I’ve read by Claire, but won’t be the last as she’s a good writer and this was an intricate mystery.

Love, love loved this little gem. Caught me immediately and I read until finished. I was tired but happy. Characters great. I know they are great when I'm going to miss them.

This book had me gripped from the start. How well do we really know our neighbours? This simple concept is definitely enough to keep you up at night. This book kept me guessing and wanting to know more. My only problem is that I found the buildup to the end better than the actual ending, which I found a bit anticlimactic. All in all, a good, fast paced thriller.

Lena, separated from her husband, lives in a quiet neighbourhood of Bristol with her 17 year old son, Rufus. Marielle ad Henry Morgan move in next door and Marielle soon introduces herself though Henry seems more reserved, but all goes well until Lena accidentally overhears a very strange conversation that leaves her concerned that the new residents could be involved in something bad and probably criminal. She cannot help herself and tries to dig deeper - not the sensible thing to do!

She knows that Henry is a retired consultant and her thoughts take her back to when she decided to train as a midwife and was mentored by a fully qualified midwife, Simone. Problems arise and Lena becomes convinced that Simone and one of the senior doctors are involved in some dodgy activities. Did she make a mistake by not reporting her findings to the authorities?

Oe thing leads to another and Lena soon realises that her own life could be in danger - can she survive?

A real psychological thriller

Scheduled for release in March 2025, Claire Douglas’ new psychological thriller, The New Neighbours, seen from the overactive mind of Lena, delves into the lives of her new enigmatic neighbours. Suspicions about their intentions from an overheard conversation leads Lena right into their web of tangled lives. With Lena’s insecurities and self doubt, fuelled by the blurred lines of her own past, Lena learns the intentions behind her new neighbours true intentions.

Fans of this genre will definitely find this novel a compelling addition to the genre.

Huge thanks to #netgalley and @michaeljbooks for granting access to an advanced e-copy of this. Claire is one of my favourite authors so I can't tell you how excited I was to be able to read this early!

The New Neighbours feels a little different from the rest of Claire's books - in a good way. It focuses on Lena, who becomes obsessed with her new next door neighbours after accidentally overhearing part of a suspicious-sounding conversation. Are the Morgans up to something, or is Lena just letting her imagination run away with her? But the more she learns about her neighbours, the stranger things become...

This is a real page-turner, even if for three quarters of the book little happens other than Lena chasing her whims. At times I found myself rolling my eyes, wanting to tell her to just stay out of their business - some of her actions really do cross a line, but thanks to Claire Douglas' effortlessly brilliant writing, I simply couldn't put it down. I HAD to know what the Morgans were hiding... if anything. I think the early parts of the book, although slow, work really well at getting you wondering if Lena is just clutching at straws or if something nefarious really is happening with her neighbours. Throw in a few chapters from new perspectives - the neighbour Henry Morgan and the mysterious Natalie - and you'll be even more gripped as to what on earth is going on.

I didn't see the ending unfolding in quite the way it did, and even if I felt some of it was more far fetched than Claire's usual work, I loved it just as much. Another excellent read that I don't hesitate to recommend. If you've read and enjoyed Claire Douglas before, or you like lighter domestic thrillers, pick this one up!

Eavesdropping, even accidentally, can lead to trouble, as Lena, while trying to record some night sounds, has just discovered. She was just being helpful, getting a few hours of random sounds for her seventeen year old son, Rufus, to use in his final year school project. He lives with her but also spends time with his father, a middle aged Rock drummer, after his parents’ recent separation. What she has just overheard is a conversation between her new neighbours which could be completely innocent, but could instead be evidence that they are plotting a kidnapping. Lena works three days a week so has time on her hands, worries too much about Rufus, and is frustrated and regretful that she gave up her career as a midwife because of a disturbing incident. The new neighbours, Henry and Marielle, are an elderly couple, who seem pleasant enough, but Lena can’t shake off her suspicions and begins to investigate, with potentially disastrous consequences.
This is a mystery story, at a pinch it could be described as a psychological thriller, though it isn’t a great fit for either of these descriptions. It is written mainly from Lena’s point of view, with flashbacks to her earlier life, but we also get Henry and Marielle’s backstory interspersed, and some scenes featuring other characters. It is well written and well constructed, with lots of misdirection along the way. However, I have a problem with the overall plot. Coincidences are expected in such stories, but here they are too prevalent; I count at least three implausible examples. I also didn’t like any of the characters, but that doesn’t affect the story. It’s better than 3 stars because of the writing, but not really 4. However, I always round up so 4 it is.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I love Claire Douglas books and as expected this was another great read with suspense and twists. I found myself getting annoyed with Lena though, she just wasn’t realistic enough to me. I’ve been through the empty nest thing she had impending and could relate to that. But her actions regarding new neighbours seemed very far fetched.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Gripping page turning read. A book you do not want to put down.

How difficult can it be to keep secrets from your neighbours, what have they heard, or thought they had heard? A couples desperate desire to have a baby goes slightly off track. How many years have they been living in this dream world?

Not to be missed.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book.

Claire Douglas will never let you down if you're looking for an addictive read. This one is no exception and the twists were great shockers!

Lena lives alone with her son Rufus and when new neighbours move in, they seem like the perfect, respectable couple. What follows is a twisty tale with shock after shock, leading Lena on a trail that puts her in danger, and not knowing who she can trust. With flashbacks that pad out the present events, this kept me hooked from the first page to the last.

Just be careful next time you have new neighbours. I've enjoyed every Claire Douglas book that I've read. She is a safe pair of hands and is rapidly reaching my top three all-time authors.

With thanks to Netgalley, Michael Joseph and the author for a preview copy.

My first Claire Douglas book and I couldn’t put it down. That said I found it rushed at the end and a little far fetched at times, I did enjoy it though so 3 stars from me! I have the couple at number 9 on my bookshelf to read soon and this has made me bump it up my list

Another superb offering from Claire Douglas who never disappoints.
Told from multiple POV's this domestic psychological thriller grips you from the start. Lena thinks there is more to the retired professional couple who have moved in next door than they present and takes matters into her own hands to delve into what their story really is. Little does she know how she is connected to them and how dark things will become.
Lots of suspense, a few twists and turns and strong supporting characters make this a great read.
I am grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book and will be recommending it highly on publication.

Another masterpiece from Claire Douglas!
Dare I say her best book yet!
A real edge of your seat thriller that is impossible to put down! A brilliant plot with some killer twists!
I’ll be recommending this to everyone I know!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my advanced copy.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and Penguin for approving my request to read #TheNewNeighbours

I absolutely loved this dark, atmospheric and twisty psychological thriller which had me captivated from beginning to end-I was most reluctant to put it down and devoured each page greedily.

I would highly recommend this book, you will not be disappointed especially if you like this particular genre.

Has to be 5 stars from me!

Another brilliant read from this author.

Lena lives in Bristol, in the house that she shared with her husband, Charlie - until they recently split up – and teenage son, Rufus.

New neighbours move in next door, a friendly retired couple called Henry, who was an eminent surgeon, and Marielle. They have a baby grandson who they look after once a week, although Marielle isn’t too keen on people getting a close look into his pram.

Rufus is going out and asks his mum to help with his current school project, which involves recording nighttime nature noises in the garden. Lena does this and then realises that the microphone has picked up snippets of a strange conversation between Henry and Marielle. Lena is then far too nosy and gets involved in a story with lots of twists and turns.

I was gripped and enjoyed every minute.

Thank you to NetGalley, Michael Joseph, and Penguin Random House for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

I usually love #ClaireDouglas but sadly #TheNewNeighbours didn't quite live up to my hopes.
I found the thriller very slow to begin with and during the middle I got myself a bit lost with the volume of bit part characters.
I must say that I felt such a connection with the MC Lena who is due to feel the empty nest syndrome, I'm in the same position and it's such a push /pull with your child and truly heartbreaking, described excellently.
The end got quite exciting but just a little too rushed for me.
A great plot and characters but not my favourite.
A 3.5 star rating raised to 4 because of the usual talent of this author, thank you #NetGalley for the arc.