Oh wow this really had me GRIPPED! I was constantly trying to fit all the pieces together to work out what was happening but I didn’t predict it all as it was so twist and turny! I loved that there was a lot of things happening but everything still managed to be linked and fit together. The storyline was brilliant and I loved the characters. I think one of my favourite things about this story is that you can understand the motives and reasoning behind Lena’s actions. A lot of times in thriller stories when the main character makes questionable decisions they just seem so unbelievable but with Lena there’s multiple reasons that you can understand why she’s wanting to find out what’s happening so much and why she’s investing so much of her time into it, so I think it’s a brilliant part of the story and shows that there’s different layers of the characters which you get to know which is always a plus for me. I like the dual timeline, it didn’t get confusing at all and you learnt more about the story throughout so that worked really well. I just thought the whole story worked brilliantly. The pace was perfect, there was always parts of the story that were unraveling and I was worried the ending was going to be rushed but if absolutely wasn’t. I have absolutely no negatives about it. Thoroughly enjoyed and I flew through it because I was completely gripped from the first page.

This new book from Claire Douglas absolutely ticks all the boxes for everything you’d want from a psychological thriller! Lots of interwoven mysteries between characters and timelines, soooooo suspenseful and tense - a perfect piece of escapism!

When new neighbours move in next door to Lena, at first they seem like a lovely harmless couple. Henry and Marielle are perfectly polite and in their late 60s - surely they will be no problem. But then when evening, Lena overhears a very strange conversation between them that sounds like they’re planning something illegal. Could they be planning to kidnap someone?

Meanwhile, we get flashbacks from Henry to when he first met Marianne, and flashbacks to Lena’s time training as a midwife at age 19, when she discovered something going on at the hospital that made her decide to quit the profession. And we meet Natalie - a woman on the run, who thinks she’s being followed…

Ooh there was so much to muse about and try to figure out how all these parts fitted together! Extremely gripping and fast-paced. It was a little far-fetched, but I didn’t mind too much because it was just such an enjoyable read!

Lena lives with her teenage son following the breakdown of her marriage when a new couple move into the recently renovated house next door. All seems well until Lena overhears a conversation suggesting that things are not as they seem. Claire Douglas is one of my favourite authors and I always enjoy short chapters and books with characters told from multiple perspectives. Lena is pretty annoying and I just wanted to shake her and tell her to go to the police! This new story did not disappoint and I whizzed through it in a couple of days.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Lena has new neighbours. When she accidently records their suspicious sounding conversation she is immediately concerned. Despite warnings from friends and family she tries to get to the bottom of it.

This book itells the story from present day, but also goes back to the past where we hear from a couple of characters. I liked the slow reveal of the back story and how it related to current day. The big reveal wasn’t what I had suspected upon reading the blurb and requesting this book. Not in a bad way though. A good read.

As ever! An excellent read from this author. Great plot and gripping too. Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. Will look forward to more from this author.

The New Neighbours by Claire Douglas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolutely loved this book. Couldn’t stop reading and had me holding my breath at times. Lena has new neighbours move in next door and from the minute she meets them she can tell everything is not as it seems. Highly Highly recommend. Published on 13th March 2025. Thank you to Penguin & Netgalley for an advance copy.

A twisted plot with two timelines.
The before sets the background and the present is the set of events that makes sense of the past.
Marriage broken and son about to leave home for university, empty nest and the prospect of having to sell the family home leaves Lena in an emotional state.
New neighbours, older couple but actions don't match the words makes for questions.
A very different and brilliant plot

First of all, I would just like to thank NetGalley, Claire Douglas and Michael Joseph for an ARC of “The New Neighbours” in exchange for an honest review.

The writing felt a lot more expository in this book than in her others, and I found that quite frustrating at times. Things were repeated or over-explained when they didn’t need to be- not really leaving much for the reader to figure out on their own.

The story itself was good, but it felt a lot more like a family drama than a thriller. I think part of that is because the story isn’t centred around a murder that takes place in the main cast of characters (as it usually is in her books).

The pacing slowed down a fair bit in the middle and I just found myself continually wishing it would pick up again.

I think, and this is just my opinion, but this novel was also a lot more far-fetched than her others. Would someone really break into their neighbours’ house just because they heard a snippet of an out-of-context conversation? I just found that very hard to believe, and therefore, hard to justify.

I still enjoyed it, just not as much as I usually do with Claire’s books. As one of my favourite authors, I just expected a bit more, I think. I also don’t think it helped that I guessed the twist- which I have never been able to do before in a Claire Douglas book.

However, I definitely still recommend it to lovers of the genre. Just bear in mind that this is no crime thriller, and it can slow down considerably in places.

The Morgans, a well respected older couple, move in next door to Lena and her son Rufus. One day she overhears a private conversation between them and becomes convinced they are planning a crime. Soon she lets obsession take over, needing to find out exactly what they are up to.

As soon as I saw Claire Douglas had a new book out I knew I had to move it straight to the top of my TBR list, she never disappoints. This was another excellent, twisted psychological thriller, which had me glued to the pages needing to find out what would happen next. Although this started as a bit of a slow burn, it soon speeds up with lots of tension and suspense.

The author always does a great job in building strong character driven novels. I enjoyed all of the characters in this story, picking up on their personalities and never knowing who to trust. The dual time line worked well in building the story and setting the clues. I loved how the plot came cleverly together and all the little twists and turns. The ending was also strong and satisfying.

This was another brilliant thriller by this author that I will most certainly recommend. I can’t wait for the next one! 4.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Lena is a newly separated mum living in Bristol with her son Rufus Her new neighbours seem nice. Henry is a retired surgeon and Marielle, a socialite, in short,a respectable couple.

One evening,whilst recording sounds for Rufus's Film Studies course, she accidentally records her neighbours arguing about a seemingly criminal activity.

Or is it?

Her curiousity leads her to investigate and her present collides with her past in a dramatic way.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph Publishing for the chance to read and review this book

Lena - newly separated from her husband, mother of a teenage son - finds her life becoming more complicated than ever thanks to - you've guessed it - the new neighbours. Retired couple Henry and Marielle Morgan - formerly a surgeon and a university lecturer - seem respectable enough, but a fragment of overheard conversation sets Lena wondering, and she's soon in far deeper than would be strictly advisable.

Meanwhile, a client of Lena's at Citizens Advice is worried about his missing sister - could there be a connection to the Morgans? And why did Lena really give up her midwifery career without even completing her training?

I've really enjoyed some Claire Douglas books, but this was just okay. The resolution to the plot was unlikely and none of the characters quite engaged me. That said, it was well plotted and unpredictable, with several red herrings along the way.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy!

Wowzas!!! Brilliant, genuinely had no idea which way this storyline was going to go!! Sometimes find story's that jump back and forward in time a little tricky to follow, but not this! Highly recommend

WOW Claire always manages to write such great stories, although this one was a little more slow burn than some of her others, it still held my attention and didn’t disappoint . I was 88% in and it clicked that I knew who the missing baby was and well, what an ending!!

Various POV, great character building and plot twists.

Highly recommend if you love Claire’s writing

Big thanks to Penguin Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

When you think a nice retired couple have moved next door.... think again!

Lena overhears a strange conversation between her new neighbours and goes to all lengths to find out just what's going on!.

This thriller had me on the edge of my seat from the start. It was so twisty, full of suspense, Claire had me guessing right to the end.

A must read and I highly recommend you pick this one up.

Thank you so much to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the invite to read this ARC

On first impressions Lena's new neighbours, the Morgans appear a nice elderly retired couple. It is only when she accidentally overhears part of their conversation with the aid of her son's recording equipment that she becomes worried. But Lena is inclined to over react and jump to conclusions so people don't really believe her as she becomes more and more obsessed with the Morgans.
This was a great suspenseful read with several twists. The story unfurls through several timelines and through different characters although the viewpoint is mostly Lena's. The author does a great job at building tension, so that the reader is encouraged to read on.
I did find the ending became a little rushed compared with earlier chapters but overall and enjoyable read with a varied collection of characters - not all of whom you would want to share a meal with.
With thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph and Penguin Random House for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

OH MY GOD! This book is insane! I can’t stop thinking about it at all! It was super suspenseful, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Amazing!!

I literally could not put this book down. I read it from start to finish in one sitting… I found myself holding my breath, peeking through my closed eyes at what I was about to read next… a phenomenal thriller!

I was beyond shocked by the ending, I had to pick my jaw up off the ground! There were SO many twists and turns!

I’d highly recommend this book another read fantastic one by Claire Douglas I’m eagerly awaiting the next one!


🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars!

Yes great read just when I thought I had it figured-out BAM. a complete side swipe ( technically a twist) and the whole journey goes on a different tack.

It's not often I'm completely wrong ( wrong yes but totally ahhhhh) when reading a thriller but there are some twist here that will hit you sideways or did with me. Lena the heroine of our story has new neighbours (titles the big clue) I guess she has a son whose just finishing college before he head's off to Uni, plus an ex-husband. She also has a history a heart which gets her into things far too deeply.. Her curiosity is pinged when she accidentally over hears a conversation from next door and well she can't leave it there and off we go with a thriller that completely grabbed me.

So in summary it's not just the twists the storyline is really clever and the various characters just add so much more than filling the edges or packing the pages this is well thought out story genuine page turner and I feel more than worthy of 5 stars feel if you live Physiological Thrillers this is a great one to read.

Gripping.

I really like this author's books, she has the knack of hooking you in even from the first few pages.

She puts lots of intriguing comments in, making it hard to resist reading on to find out what could have happened, and be going to unfold.

Some books of this genre can be a bit long-winded.....so many characters to remember who's who, and who did what; to keep track of. I always find this author's books very appealing, so easy to read, they never lose their way; it's so easy to keep turning the pages well into the small hours.

Intriguing, gripping, chilling, creepy, pulse-thumping, and powerful, I was absolutely glued to the pages.

I am a big fan of Claires and was so excited to read this book. It was a great read. Lena is the central character and is nervous when she overhears a conversation of her new neighbours. It is than that the story starts and there are plenty of twists and turns. The story is fast paced and all the characters are well developed and credible. This book is certain to be a sure fire hit from this brilliant writer.

I am a fan of Claire Douglas' previous novels and whilst I didn't think this one hit the heights of previous novels, I did enjoy the story.

I think Lena's feelings were often overexplained but apart from that, the story was the usual twists and turns you get from Douglas.