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A pacey domestic thriller, with an engaging cast of characters surrounding the death of a rather loathsome individual with a long list of those who would have been prepared to kill him.
I found this slightly predictable, but that didn't deter from enjoyment of the book. It's a very readable book.

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While parts are slightly predictable (in a good way), it’s how all the characters weave together in the end and the multiple twists and story lines that make it 5 stars for me.

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Well known plastic surgeon, Richard Wellington, is found dead in a local park and the light of suspects is long. But his neighbor, Liv, is only concerned about one, her daughter Gracie. Gracie runs that park every morning and when Liv asks her if she saw anything, she starts to act strangely and refuses to answer any questions. Liv could never believe her daughter capable of murder, but how well does she really know her? Twisty, entertaining and will have you guessing until the end.

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Richard, a well-known doctor, is found murdered in a park. The story follows Liv, one of Richard's neighbours. Following his murder, Liv discovers that her daughter Gracie was in the park moments before Richard's murder. Liv is determined to keep Gracie's name out of the investigation, no matter what it takes.

While I really enjoyed the story line and writing style, I wouldn't necessarily classify this book as a thriller. It reads much closer to a drama. It lacked a lot of the traditional thriller elements. Based on the synopsis, I expected a lot more thrills, twists and turns, and shocking moments. It is a bit slow at times and has too many trivial subplots. If you are looking for a thriller, this probably isn't the novel for you. But I think it is a pretty decent drama!

Thank you HQ | HQ Digital and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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When high-profile surgeon Richard Wellington is found dead in a Sydney park, Liv’s daughter Gracie becomes a quiet suspect - and Liv will do anything to protect her, even if it means lying.

This is a tightly woven, slow burn suspense - I was hooked from the first page. I love Emma's writing style - and the vivid way the characters leap off the page. Any books set in Sydney are a fave of mine - but even more so when they're so viceral and you feel like you're really there. What gives the story the most power is the ambiguity of who did it, but also the strong sense of justice you feel for all the characters involved - regardless of whether they killed Richard or not.

The only reason I didn't rate it higher is because I felt like not a lot happened. You are really only in 1-3 places throughout - although the characters are great, it falls short on movement. I like a thriller where there's more hoops to jump through physically (I don't love a locked door thriller - even though this isn't that). A few more places - and even a stronger element of police procedural - would have been awesome. Solid thriller overall!

I'll be sharing a review most likely on my IG and TT pages for @thrillergirlclub.

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An evocative mystery that takes place in Sydney. A gripping thriller about. Prominent murdered doctor. Full of innovative twists and turns. A brilliant thriller with a perfect ending.

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The Neighbours by Emma Babbington was a great read.
This is a fast-paced novel that quickly pulls you in and has you on the edge of your seat the entire time. I had a hard time putting this book down.
The writing style was great, easy to follow and the twists were all so unpredictable.
Thrilling and exciting. This suspense novel will keep you on the edge the whole way through.

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A murder, friendships, family and a scared neighbourhood. at times a bit long winded and sometimes I felt a bit unbelievable..

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For a debut, this is a solid thriller! The cover drew me in. The setting and pace were good, however I wouldn’t say any of the characters specifically stood out to me. Nothing truly twisty or surprising happened but I overall enjoyed the ride!

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For a debut novel this was a very good book. The story is based around the murder of a top-notch surgeon Richard Wellington who services those who can afford to pay for his skills, a face recognisable to many due to his many TV appearances. But a malpractice case threatened to bring his world crashing down, somehow his career was saved, and he was able to continue to practice. Soon after he is found dead on a running track that Liv Elliot’s daughter Grace frequents. For Liz there becomes a terrible moment when she wonders did Grace have something to do with his demise, but suspicion falls on many who may have wished him dead.

Set in Sydney the book was a little slow to start but once it got going it had me turning the pages. The characters developed as the story progressed, and the plot deepened leading the reader down a twisty path and has you questioning who has committed the crime. Overall, a very good beginning what I hope will be more books from this author that I will enjoy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions expressed are my own.

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A.quick easy read that seems like two books rolled into one. Nothing too taxing about the plot ( plots) but maybe not enough substance for me to have it as a must read review.

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What a fabulous debut Emma Babbington!

I couldn’t get enough of this gripping, page turning thriller. Set in the affluent northern suburbs of Sydney, this street was where all the drama was. How well do you know your neighbours? A dead doctor, one that had plenty of people who could want him dead, is found in the park where Liv’s daughter Gracie goes running every morning. Liv is desperate to believe that her daughter had nothing to do with it. How far will she go?

The mystery of what happened to Richard Wellington kept me glued to the pages. Plenty of twists and unexpected turns made this such a fun book to read. I loved the familiar setting, always makes a book feel more vivid when you can see the story play out. It is fast and addictive and very surprising.

Thanks so much to HQ for my copy of this book to read.

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What a story! It grabbed me from the jump, and I was hooked the whole way through! The twists and turns kept me guessing - and it did not disappoint!

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"Can you ever really know the family next door?"

One day, in a typically quiet cul-de-sac, the peace and quiet is shattered when the body of Richard Wellington, a well-known surgeon, is found in the park. He was well respected and known as a surgeon to the elite and his reputation has been squeaky clean despite a malpractice case that should have destroyed his career. Now the sleepy cul-de-sac is teeming with rumors and rampant speculation. For Liv, the only thing she is concerned with is the fact that where the good doctor was found just so happens to be her daughter's favorite running spot. When she questions Gracie on whether or not she saw anything, Liv is met with more questions than answers. She doesn't want to believe her daughter could be a killer, but what if..

What a great Australian crime fiction debut! The premise was great, a TV doctor who is not as respectable as he seems, and a mom who will do anything including swaying the police interest off of her daughter to keep her safe. With multiple POVs you are drawn into the different views of the characters and it all goes to create a well crafted mystery. One thing that somewhat took away from my enjoyment was it almost felt like there were two story lines and they were separated a bit which made things a little confusing. Overall though a strong debut and I can't wait to see what comes next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Emma Babbington, and HQ for this ARC! Publication date was June 19th 2025.

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THE NEIGHBOURS BY EMMA BABBINGTON.
I was instantly hooked after seeing the cover for this and then reading the blurb.
Throughly enjoyed the story.
It kept me reading until the very end.
What a debut that was Emma. BRAVO

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I was instantly hooked on the premise of this story - a tv doctor who is definitely not the picture perfect person he presents himself to be is found dead in a local park. His neighbour, a local teenager runs in the same park every morning and in her panic, her mum does all she can, from investigating the murder herself to trying to swing the police investigation in a variety of ways, in order to protect her daughter from being accused of murder.

I loved how this story essentially took place on a single street where all the main characters resided, and in the park. I think the close knit community added a delicious layer to the story because even when you think you now everything about the people around you, they’re still hiding things.

However, I found it a little convenient how the case was wrapped up with still so much of the book left, where we then delved headfirst into another twist surrounding two of the main characters, unfortunately one that I guessed pretty early on in the story.

Although I was intrigued enough to keep reading to the end, I feel this book has almost two storylines and that it was divided into two parts to address and attempt to resolve them both.

Still, this was a good twisty thriller that kept me engaged to the end and a brilliant debut.

Thank you to Emma Babbington, HQ Stories and Netgalley for allowing me to read this early.

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Australian Crime Fiction is fast becoming one of my favourite genres. The Neighbours ticked this box. It was a page turner that had me reading well into the night. The dual POVs from Liv and Meredith (particularly Meredith’s chapters) had me constantly on edge. The mystery surrounding Meredith was developed really well, and at some points gave me the shivers, particularly the flash backs from when she was a young girl staring into Liv’s house. Richard was the perfectly constructed unlikeable victim. I hated him from the get go.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review and read this book!

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Do you really know your neighbours? Interesting question when one of them shows up dead and you may think your daughter did it! You won't guess who did it but it was a good read to get there!

Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for this ARC!

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I’m not gonna lie, I really struggled getting through this book. There were a lot of details & information that felt pointless. I was at around the 50% mark and nothing had really happened yet. However, I’m glad I stuck it out. The ending didn’t really shock me, but I was entertained and I’m glad I kept going.

I was given an advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

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Emma Babbington’s The Neighbours is a tightly woven, psychological thriller that grabs hold from the first chapter and refuses to let go. Dark, twisted, and relentlessly suspenseful, this is the kind of novel that keeps you up far too late—unable to stop turning the pages.

Babbington crafts a masterful blend of tension and intrigue, slowly peeling back layers of secrets, lies, and buried truths. The writing is sharp and atmospheric, and the pacing never falters. Just when you think you have it all figured out, another twist knocks you off balance. The buildup is expertly handled, with a final reveal that delivers both shock and satisfaction.

The Neighbours is a standout in domestic suspense—cleverly plotted, deeply unsettling, and thoroughly addictive. Emma Babbington proves she knows exactly how to keep readers guessing. Highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers that leave you thinking long after the final page.

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