The Woman Next Door is a compelling and suspenseful read that kept me hooked from the very beginning. The characters are well-developed and the pacing is spot-on, with just the right amount of twists to keep you guessing. The author does an excellent job of building tension and drawing you into the mysterious dynamic between neighbors.

However, while the story as a whole was strong, the ending left a bit to be desired. It wrapped up a little too quickly for my taste, and I was hoping for a resolution with more emotional depth or impact. Still, it’s a worthwhile read for fans of domestic thrillers—just don’t expect a perfectly tied-up bow at the finish.

I enjoyed reading this book about Gary and Jen. A girl who bullied Jen in high school moves in next door twenty-five years later and Jen soon finds out that Stacey hasn't changed. Things start happening with her friends just like before when Stacey was involved.
This book kept me curious and reading into the night to see what happens and the ending turned out to be completely unpredictable which I really like. Usually I can figure out what is going to happen before it does so this was.a pleasant surprise. I definitely recommend this one.
Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this remarkable ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Woman Next Door by Penny Batchelor is an addictive and compelling psychological thriller that explores the complexities of relationships and the secrets that we all keep hidden behind closed doors.

Jen Cartwright lives in a beautiful cul de sac with her husband Gary. Jen longs to be a mother but despite several very expensive IVF treatments, she has not been able to conceive. After treating themselves to a two week vacation, enjoying the sea and sunny days, Jen is stunned to learn that they have a new neighbor. And that neighbor is none other than her childhood bully Stacey Abbott. What seems to be a weird coincidence turns foreboding when Jen's work, friends and marriage start to falter now that Stacey is back. And it seems that Stacey has an ulterior motive for moving in next door...

This was definitely a dark and psychologically intense read!! Definitely be aware of some content warnings including: bullying, trauma, and IVF/ trouble conceiving. The constant tension and manipulation had me shocked and second guessing everyone! The twists were well placed and I truly had no idea who I could trust! This is a dual timeline where we go back to some diary entries of Jen's and then forward to the present. The only flaw I found was the end felt a little anticlimactic in my opinion. Still, I definitely recommend this for fans of Sue Watson, Dandy Smith, and Shalini Boland!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penny Batchelor, and Embla Books for this ARC!! Publication date is May 15th 2025.

Penny Batchelor’s The Woman Next Door is a compelling psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of past traumas and the facades of suburban life. The narrative centers around Jen Cartwright, who returns from a holiday to discover that her new neighbor is Stacey Abbott, her childhood bully. What begins as an unsettling coincidence soon spirals into a tense and suspenseful tale of secrets, manipulation, and the haunting nature of unresolved history.

Batchelor masterfully crafts a story filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeping readers on edge until the very end. The characters are well-developed, with intricate backstories that add depth to the unfolding drama. The tension between Jen and Stacey escalates with each chapter, compelling readers to question the reliability of perceptions and the true nature of their relationship.

The novel’s pacing is deliberate, allowing for a gradual build-up of suspense that culminates in a shocking climax. Batchelor’s prose is sharp and engaging, effectively conveying the emotional turmoil of her characters and the eerie atmosphere of their neighborhood.

The Woman Next Door is a testament to Batchelor’s prowess in the psychological thriller genre, offering a narrative that is both emotionally resonant and suspenseful. It’s a must-read for fans seeking a story that explores the darker facets of human relationships and the secrets that can fester behind closed doors.

Jen and Gary live in a cul de sac and all appears happy until her childhood bully Stacey moves in next door. Cue some dramas after having 25 years without Stacey being in her life. The cover says the book is gripping and addictive and I loved it. I loved the twists and turns, I loved the unexpected twists! I couldn’t have predicted where the book was going which I loved!

The Woman Next Door is an excellent thriller. When a new neighbour moves in next door, Jen is shocked to discover it's her old school bully, Stacey, whose treatment of Jen was so horrible that Jen was forced to move schools to get away. At first, Jen tries to give Stacey the benefit of the doubt, but almost immediately it becomes clear that Stacey hasn't changed a bit. Did Stacey move here on purpose? What does she want? Jen is catapulted back in her memories to that traumatic time, and forced to ask herself, 'Can I let this happen to me again?'

There's loads to love here. I could really feel Jen's creeping dread, and I was blown away by the author's ability to write Stacey's double-meaning dialogue in such a way that, to Jen, Stacey's words seem threatening and understand, but to others she sounds kind and concerned. Such great writing! I'll definitely check out more by this author - I can't wait!

This was such a thrilling read, it was fast-paced and suspenseful, with an unexpected ending that kept me hooked all the way through.

4.5 ⭐️ The Woman Next Door by Penny Batchelor is a tightly woven tale of secrets, suspicion, and suburban tension that had me hooked from the start. Set in a seemingly peaceful neighborhood cul-de-sac, where neighbors appear to live harmoniously—until an archnemesis from the past moves next door fracturing the illusion of suburban tranquility.

The writing is sharp and evocative, drawing you deep into the lives of the characters—especially the complex and resilient protagonist, who navigates suspicion, grief, and buried truths with grit and vulnerability. The relationships between the women in the book—rife with suspicion, rivalry, betrayal, and buried grievances—are skillfully portrayed.

There’s a subtle focus on the impact of secrets and the lengths people will go to protect their reputations, which adds a sharp psychological edge to the plot. The pacing is strong overall, with short, punchy chapters and well-timed reveals that keep the tension simmering. That said, there is a slight lull in the middle of the book where the momentum slows a bit. Additionally, the main character can come across as somewhat insufferable at times and appears to lack the confidence expected of an adult despite no longer being the child she once was.

As the story hurtles toward its climax, Batchelor delivers twists that are both surprising and satisfying—a difficult balance to strike. The ending is gratifying without tying everything up too neatly, leaving just enough ambiguity to spark reflection and discussion.

In short, The Woman Next Door is a smart, suspenseful, and emotionally resonant novel that delves into the complexities of female relationships, societal expectations, and the dark undercurrents of everyday life. If you enjoy thrillers that offer both tension and suspense, this one should be at the top of your TBR list.

This book was so good! Had me hooked from the start. Very easy to read. Loved the characters. Some good twists at the end i didnt see coming. Thanks Netgalley for letting me read this book for an honest review.

Such an easy read, yet gripping. I read this quite quickly, constantly aware that the main subject in this book is bullying and is such a raw, traumatic thing to go through. it isn't something that only happens in books it is a frightful experience that happens to many people, children and adults, daily.

This story gives an insight into Jen's life when her childhood bully moves next door to her and continues to be that bully she always was.

I was completely hooked by The Woman Next Door. The gaslighting, manipulation, and constant tension had me second-guessing everything and everyone. The twists kept coming, and I honestly didn’t know who to trust—super fun to read! However, the ending was a bit of a letdown. Without giving spoilers, the reveal of the 'who' and 'why' behind the sabotage felt a bit too far-fetched and didn't resonate with me as much as the rest of the story. Up until that point, I was loving it, but the conclusion just didn’t feel as satisfying as the buildup.

Still, the rest of the book was a blast and totally worth reading if you're into psychological thrillers!

This is gut wrenching to read as you feel so caught up in the powerlessness of the protagonist as she is manipulated and coerced. The author does an amazing job of displaying how bullies can make their victims feel and act and it is heart breaking. Fans of K L Slater will enjoy the fast pace and the strong characterisation which this author has also mastered.

This read needs a trigger warning, as bullying is a central theme and at times it made for uncomfortable reading.

The dual timelines had me intrigued. I’m always eager to find out what makes the past and present collide.

Unfortunately, the pacing felt a bit slow. Around the 60% mark, I found myself wondering when the story would really take off. The twists finally began to surface toward the end, and most were unexpected which was a nice surprise.

Penny Batchelor, The Woman Next Door, Embla Books, May 2025.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

The main character, Jen, has three dilemmas to deal with: her inability to become pregnant, despite two expensive IVF treatments; her and Gary’s financial position which makes saving for another IVF treatment difficult; and the new neighbour, Stacy, who has bullied Jen remorselessly at school. I needed to keep all these in mind as I metaphorically trudged through Jen’s turgid portrayal of her troubles. Jen is in her thirties but falls easily into school age behaviour when Stacy reenacts her past bullying – taking Jen’s friends and social occasions for herself, telling lies about Jen’s behaviour, and sniping at her for her childlessness.

One positive feature of Jen’s dealing with her next-door neighbour is that she recognises and regrets having been a people pleaser, leading her to misreading the sincerity of friendships. She begins building new friendships which are based on mutual caring and benefit, also reaching out to a friend who shared the torment of Stacy’s behaviour in the past.

Jen’s isolation as she works from home in her slowly failing business is well drawn – she is dependent on old and new relationships, maintaining her husband’s support and accepting a new job well below her capacities. Batchelor’s description of parents gathering around their children’s activities, inevitably excluding the childless is poignant. The depiction of duplicity and development twists are also a positive. Unlike so many writers in this genre, Batchelor provides a logical progression towards the ending.

However, although I found some redeeming features in this work, it was not a novel that I felt gripped by or invested in the outcome.

wahooga what a book. this was so twisty and turny and had me questioning everything. was a being lied to by Jen. was i being gaslit by Stacey. why was i questioning a bully victim. or was there more to it which left me with too many thing to figure out. and then Bam! Penny hits us with all the thriller feels. she does it with clever way so that the shocks are shocking but not in an overdone way. and they are seamlessly woven into the book so they fit in neat little pockets. you are given crumbs and then you question if the crumbs were just a mirage, lol.
Penny does the best job at writing about bullying. the unease i felt was horrible. i wanted it to stop. i wanted to help. i wanted to cry! i wanted to shake a fair few people. and when Jens friends werent there for her or when the rest of the community turned against her it felt so real and yet still so very very wrong.
you get the feelings Jen must have all the way through. imagining the woman who brought misery to your life and caused you trauma moved in next door then infiltrated your life? ouch, big horrid ouch.
this book was brilliant.

Really enjoyed “The Woman Next Door”. It’s a twisty, suspenseful read that kept me turning the pages. The story has just the right amount of drama and mystery.
If you like domestic thrillers with a bit of edge, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR BY PENNY BATCHELOR.
Release date set for the 15th of May 2025.
I liked the pace of this book.
I like the cover and thought it stood out.
I thought the storyline was good and some really good twists that I didn't see coming towards the end.

This is my first time reading a penny batcheor book and it won't be the last.

The best part of this book were the last few chapters, up until then I thought the book was dull and lacking in suspense and story line.

I get and am sensitive to the fact of bullying and trouble conceiving a child, and the stress and hurt they can both cause. But I think both of those issues were over played in this book. The whole book seemed very whiny.

One good part I will say, was the ending was very good and I didn’t see it coming.

The Woman Next Door is a dark and twisty story that deals with the trauma resulting from childhood bullying and the fallout resulting from it even many years later.

The story follows Jen and Gary, who have been unsuccessfully trying to have a child. Enter new neighbor Stacy, and her husband and daughter. Jen can't believe her eyes. Of all people to move next door, why is it her tormentor from childhood? And why is she blessed with a child when Jen is unable to have one. There's more to the story than meets the eye as Stacy seems to know everything about Jen.

The story flowed smoothly and the pages turned quickly. The characters were well written and mostly likeable. The twists were numerous and unpredictable. I did not see that ending coming. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Embala Books for the advanced copy

A dark twisty tale of the repercussions of childhood bullying. Jen & Gary are happily married and long for a child. Then suddenly, an old adversary moves next door, Stacey, who had made Jens life a misery during her school years. Jens life, friendships, career and marriage quickly suffer now that Stacey is back in her life. But there’s more to Stacey than meets the eye. A gripping read. Thanks to the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review