I love Louise Candlish's books so was excited to receive this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It seemed like a departure from her usual novels, following Gwen, an older lady who lives in an exclusive apartment building in London. Gwen is a lonely lady who has had a bad experience in her marriage but making the most of her retired years in her local community. I loved the narration from Gwen as she struck up an unlikely friendship with Pixie, the tenant in the flat next door, but at times the pacing seemed a little off - parts of the book flew by and parts dragged a little bit as we discovered the nature of Pixie's arrangement with her landlord.

The book delves into 'sex for rent' and the unscrupulous media, and soon Gwen finds herself out of her depth and unsure about who to believe. At times I found the story very sad but none the less compelling. It's a solid 4.5 stars from me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher :-)

Columbia Mansions in South London is a very desirable location. A big 1896 mansion block, it is extremely attractive, but also very expensive. The residents are proud of their enclave and strive to keep it exclusive. With a management board made up of four owner residents, the rules are strict and the board ensure they are adhered to. When Gwen brings an incident regarding Alec and his new ‘lodger’ to the board, tempers soon flare and lines are drawn. Pixie has moved into Flat 4 with Alec under the Rent a Room Scheme, but is all what it seems? What starts as an undesirable and unacceptable, though not illegal, ‘relationship’ in Flat 4, soon becomes out of control and repercussions abound.

I love Louise Candlish books and am a great advocate for her works. However, this one I struggled with. Quite a departure from the usual, which is no bad thing, but this was a very slow plot, with the pace only ramped up in the last third of the book, when Gwen’s vacillations became a joy!

Still very good writing with all those characters readers love to hate (not one redeeming feature amongst any of them!), this is a fine example of who to believe and when, with speaking out not always the best option.

No thrills and chills in this book, but a good depiction of human nature.

Not a favourite for me from this author, but still worthy of a read.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ.

I really struggled with this book. I could not relate to any of the characters and it was just way too slow for my liking. There was very little suspense and it felt very repetitive.

I'm a huge fan of Louise Candlish and I absolutely was not disappointed by her latest.
Scandal hits Columbia mansions and it's clear not everyone is on the same page! Cracking ending as well. 10 stars

This book provides a forensic dissection of a neighbourhood and community that holds itself in high esteem, yet manages to fall apart with surprising ease when things go wrong.

A nuanced, compassionate look at the increasing invisibility of women as they age, alongside the disturbing social phenomenon of "sex for rent" and the "he said, she said" elements it raises, which are well portrayed.

Louise Candlish is a gifted and sensitive writer, skilled at delivering unexpected twistsI. and this story left me feeling a little sad from the authenticity of its take on loneliness and rapidly changing social mores in the western world.

Well worth a read, it gets 4 stars.

This book is a change of style for Louise Candlish and I have to say I did not find it quite as enjoyable as previous books of hers that I've read. I struggled to have any empathy at all with the characters and guessed quite early on what was going to happen which rather spoiled my enjoyment.

Reading a Louise Candlish novel always has the feeling of indulging in a good old gossip about some unpleasant characters who are all too human. Lonely divorced Gwen, in her 70s falls under the thrall of Pixie, 20s, who becomes her neighbour Alec’s lodger. When Pixie admits she’s sleeping with Alec in exchange for rent, Gwen can’t help getting involved and a series of calamities for Gwen ends in murder. I adored Gwen who was hilariously snarky about her neighbours and children, and I really felt for her. Despite being a nosy neighbour and rather interfering, she was just trying to do the right thing. As well as delicious commentary on the characters, Candlish has much to say about the difficulties of the London rental market, and the media. I especially loved the twists and turns at the end.

This book is quite different from her usual style. It address a contemporary issue (I won't give any spoilers although I guessed it very early on so you may too) and had a few twists I didn't see coming.

Overall though I did not enjoy it as much as many of her other books, although it is still worth a read. I struggled to like any of the characters, even the main character Gwen.

Fiendishly clever writing from the incomparable Candlish. She serves up more topical current issues and creates two very memorable characters in friends Gwen, a bit of a nosey parker, and Pixie, several decades younger. Totally gripping and full of twists and turns that pack a punch.

This is a fantastic book with a hilariously witty narrator in Gwen Healy. Gwen is an older woman (I don't think we're ever told her exact age) who lives in a fancy housing block in London. She seems possibly a little lonely and has some trauma in her past involving an ex-husband and fraud at a charity. She's got principles and opinions, and doesn't hesitate in making savage judgements of people who in her eyes fall short of what she'd hope for. So Gwen is the perfect person to aid Pixie, a younger woman who moves into the block as the lodger of another tenant, Alec.

The main things I loved about this book were the sharp writing and Gwen's character. There's lots more to like - the plot is interesting and twisty, the other characters are very believable. But it's Gwen and her observations that were the standout feature for me.

The story centres on exploitation of women - mainly the fact that Pixie appears to have been pushed into a 'sex for rent' situation with Alec, whereby she sleeps with him instead of paying any rent. When Gwen discovers this scandal all hell breaks loose - but as the story progresses, we aren't really sure exactly who is telling the truth.

When Pixie initially tries to diminish her ordeal, comparing it to being similar to her getting free food at the cafe where she works, Gwen's reaction is typically robust: 'I bit my tongue at this preposterous conflation of a cheese toastie and her most intimate anatomy.'

So much of the writing of Gwen's thoughts are laugh out loud funny. In a discussion with her daughter, Maya, Maya complains that Gwen always wants to see the underbelly in situations. 'I don't want to see it at all,' Gwen replies. 'It keeps flipping up before I have a chance to avert my eyes.'

Maya, once a political activist, has now become a trad wife, and Gwen's disparaging thoughts on this are sublime to read. Her interactions with various police officers are also hilarious. In one way or another feminism and sexist ideas are themes running through the novel.

My favourite in the hilarious bits however is this: 'There is kicking a woman when she's down and then there is grinding her face into wet tarmac and flattening her with a steam roller.'

Gwen's uncompromising-ness is one of her most likeable traits. So she herself feels terrible when it transpires she has been conned. I thought the book was clever in how it cast doubt on Pixie's version of events, seemed to have drawn a line under the whole episode, only for the plot to continue with a further surprise.

Having read a couple other novels by Louise Candlish, and enjoyed them, I would say this is probably my favourite because it's the one with the sharpest character. I'd highly recommend it and thanks to Netgalley for the advance read.

Living in desirable Columbia Mansions in London, retired Gwen keeps herself busy with Pilates, book club, and the management committee for her building. Not to mention dealing with her adult son, who has been staying in her spare room after a breakup and shows no signs of moving on. Despite all that, her life is perhaps a little empty and lacking in excitement. But when her neighbour across the hall advertises for a new flatmate, Gwen's life takes a turn for the dramatic that will soon have the press massing outside the doors of Columbia Mansions.

There are echoes of other stories here - Columbia Mansions gives Only Murders In The Building vibes, while Gwen's character, and her narrative style, reminded me of Barbara from Notes on a Scandal - but without living up to either of them. Judging by the reviews on Goodreads, however, I am very much in the minority for not liking A Neighbour's Guide to Murder, so it may just be personal preference.

2.5 stars rounded up

Louise Candlish is known for her twisty domestic thrillers, and A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder definitely sticks to her signature style. The story takes place in a swanky apartment block where Gwen, a retired woman, finds herself unexpectedly bonding with her much younger new neighbour, Pixie. What starts as a sweet, if odd, friendship slowly turns dark after a crime shakes the building and Gwen starts to take matters into her own hands.

The premise is intriguing and the setting feels very “Rear Window meets Notting Hill,” with lots of nosy neighbours, secrets, and tension. Gwen is an interesting character—lonely, loyal, and just unhinged enough to keep you guessing. Pixie is more of a mystery, which works… to a point.

That said, the pacing felt a bit uneven. Some parts dragged and a few twists didn’t land quite as hard as you’d expect from a Candlish thriller. There were a few characters (Gwen’s daughter seemed to serve no purpose) & relationships that I just couldn’t get my head around. It’s a solid read, but not quite as gripping or satisfying as her earlier hits like Our House.

If you’re a fan of slow-burn psychological dramas with a good dose of suburban snark, this could be your thing. Just don’t expect non-stop thrills.

#ANeighbour'sGuideToMurder #NetGalley
In A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder, Louise Candlish delivers a clever, slow-burning psychological thriller set in the elegant and tightly knit world of Columbia Mansions. It’s a story about secrets, unlikely alliances, and the hidden violence that simmers beneath well-mannered facades.
What I Liked: :-
1 Unlikely Friendship: The relationship between elderly Gwen and young, free-spirited Pixie is beautifully layered and refreshingly different. Their dynamic is the beating heart of the novel.
2 Atmospheric Setting: Columbia Mansions becomes a character in its own right—charming, exclusive, and filled with whispered gossip and quiet tension.
3 Themes of Loyalty and Justice: Gwen’s descent into obsession and moral gray zones raises intriguing questions about revenge, protection, and what we owe to others.
What Could Be Better::-
1 Pacing: The first half leans heavily on character development and may feel slow to readers expecting fast-paced action.
2 Subdued Tension: The murder aspect arrives later than expected, making the early chapters feel more like domestic drama than thriller.
Overall, Louise Candlish delivers a quietly chilling thriller with a fresh twist on the “neighbors with secrets” trope. A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder is less about the act of murder and more about the relationships, secrets, and choices that drive someone to it. Dark, elegant, and emotionally nuanced, this novel will appeal to readers who prefer their thrillers smart, slow-burning, and socially observant.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me an advance copy.

4.5 stars rounded up.

One of my favourite things about a Louise Candlish novel is her characters – they really drive the story, and they’re so well fleshed out that they feel like real people. The way they think and talk and make mistakes – it all feels very real.

In A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder, Louise tackles some very pressing issues – from the renting crisis to media exploitation and loneliness. At the centre of it all is Gwen, a 70-year-old retired mum living in a flat within the desirable Columbia Mansions in London.

When Pixie moves into her neighbour’s spare room and seems open to becoming friends with Gwen, she is thrilled to have someone who needs her and wants her around. But when Pixie confides some troubling news to her, Gwen’s need to protect and be useful send her into overdrive and events begin to escalate.

The story was expertly crafted, with Gwen’s diaries looking back on what happened from the beginning – with frequent allusions to something bad having happened. The story gradually pieces together, building a constant feeling of foreboding which gets more and more stressful as we go along.

I grew to like Gwen so much – even though she made some awful mistakes, you could always understand why she was doing what she did and that it came from a good place! I couldn’t imagine how it was going to end, and it was really very clever and left me musing on it all for a while afterwards!

A new novel from Louise Candlish, of course it’s going to be five stars! ‘A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder’
is another head spinning , twisting turning domestic thriller from the Queen of the genre that is never what it seems.

Retired Gwen lives in the sought after Columbia Mansion apartments in central London, where properties are sold for hundreds of thousands of pounds. When she hears a rumour that her neighbour Alec has offered his room to new tenant Pixie in exchange for sex not money, Gwen is horrified both at Alec’s actions and the power imbalance in the household.

Gwen decision to support Pixie and speak out against Alec’s choices quickly spirals out of control with accusations being thrown around on all sides and things moving much faster and further than Gwen ever intended. The entire apartment block becomes involved, everyone taking sides. In the middle of it is Pixie an innocent victim of London’s terrible renting crisis, stuck in a situation she can’t escape.

As we have come to expect from Louise Candlish’s books, nothing is ever as straightforward as it seems. The plot twists and developments in this book are superb, so well crafted and hidden. The characters are perfectly crafted; I particularly enjoyed reading about Gwen’s influencer daughter Maya.

Excellent work, keep it coming!

Another excellent book from Louise Candlish. Like her previous books once I started I couldn't put it down. The story focuses on Gwen who is in her 70's, Alec her neighbour and his tenant Pixie. Full of twists this will hook the reader from the start.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for this ARC.

Gwen, 70 and retired, lives in posh Columbia Mansions, with her adult son Daniel who needs somewhere to stay after his divorce. She also has a daughter called Maya who makes a living as a trad wife influencer. Right next to her lives Alec Pedley, a washed up rockstar in his 50s who brings a young female tenant in under the Rent a Room Scheme. Pixie is a breath of fresh air and Gwen soon starts an intergenerational friendship with her. She is therefore very alarmed when Pixie telly her in confidence that she can't afford her rent but she and Alex have a "sex for rent" agreement. Not under her watch!

The mayhem that follows is not so much a psychological thriller but a domestic drama involving friends, family and neighbours, that has the housing and cost of living crisis at its core. Something happens right at the end that is the reason for Gwen's first or is it second person account of the story, addressing the reader directly. But is she a reliable narrator, and who is telling the truth and who is bending it?

Gwen is an interesting character. It makes no sense for her to be so trusting with a stranger, especially after what had happened with her ex-husband. She meddles without evidence, and it gets her in all kinds of scrapes, especially as she is quite hot-headed. She seems to be deeply lonely, even though her son lives with her. At least she is kind and looking after others, whereas some people in the story are selfish and only ever out for what they can gain from a situation (I'm looking at you, Dee!).

Short chapters make this easily readable but I found this too slow-burn and low on suspense, with the murder happening right at the end. There were some twists but this was more a story about exploitation, deception and the role of social media in news stories. This wasn't quite my cup of tea as I found the story too simple and slow but it's well-written and will surely find its audience.

A tale of revenge and unlikely friendships, but who is getting revenge on whom, and why? For all may not be quite as it seems it the grandly-named Columbia Mansions, where even the Housing Committee can never be entirely sure what's going on behind closed doors.

Long term, somewhat elderly resident Gwen thinks of herself as maybe young at heart, not necessarily another Miss Marple, so when new neighbour Pixie takes the spare room in the flat across the landing, they strike up a rapport. But is one of them using the other for personal gain? There were certainly times when I wanted to step inside the pages and give them a good talking to, as we're warned in the prologue that things maybe won't end well. Gwen's level of friendship towards Pixie verges on the downright meddlesome, with Pixie either leading her on or withdrawing from the fray.

In lesser hands this wouldn't have worked so well, but Louise Candlish has proved herself masterful in the genre and the threads are ironed out relatively satisfactorily - though I did feel that maybe a corner of two were missed towards the end, which felt as if it was wrapped up a little abruptly, but all in all an enjoyable read.

I devoured this book over two days—only slowed down by the demands of real life and the food shop. Truthfully, I could have read it in one sitting. I don’t quite have the words to sum up the emotional rollercoaster Louise Candlish sent me on. Having read many of her books, I dare say this might just be her best yet.

In the iconic Columbia Mansions, retiree Gwen is delighted when Pixie, a charming and lively young woman, moves into a vacant apartment. Their unlikely friendship blossoms, with Gwen finding purpose in assisting Pixie. However, when a crime surfaces, Gwen’s protective instincts intensify, leading her down a path of vengeance that threatens to disrupt the peace of the entire building. As secrets unravel, the residents of Columbia Mansions find themselves entangled in a web of suspicion and danger.

Candlish has masterfully woven a suspenseful, pacey thriller with real-world issues such as the cost-of-living crisis and the UK’s housing struggles at its core. These elements add a rich layer of realism to a tale that is deliciously twisty and utterly unputdownable.

A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder is unpredictable in the most satisfying way—constantly pulling the rug out from under you and not letting you up for air. Louise has her foot on your neck throughout and has you second-guessing everything and everyone until the final act, where the truth unfolds like a beautifully chaotic puzzle.

Louise Candlish once again proves she is a master of the suspense and crime thriller genre. This book is sharp, clever, topical, and compelling—an absolute must-read. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the ARC. A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder publishes on July 17th—mark your calendars.

I have always loved everything by this author but i did struggle with this one.
Some interesting twists but a little slow for me and i had to push myself to finish it.
Sorry to be so negative.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.