The Neighbor

I've greatly enjoyed every novel by London Clarke, and THE NEIGHBOR is another non-stop, can't-stop, heart in mouth and screaming, roller coaster ride into some seriously dark places (both human evil and Supernatural). Psychological issues, eternal good vs. Evil conflict, despair, faith, humans out of control, past and present trauma intertwined and humming future horror: THE NEIGHBOR is jaw-dropping, can't sleep till it's over, Implacable Horror tuned up Horror!

Holy moly moo!!!

This book I wasn’t expecting the whole twist and ending! This book really makes you think about who to trust in the neighbourhood and general.

If you like paranormal activity and haunting and romance and mystery and thriller then read this ASAP.

I read in two days

Mysterious bruises that appear on victims without explanation. Paranormal events. A website that shows one's worst fears and memories. Stuffed animals coming to life. Dark shadows that lurk and creep through a house and a neighborhood, seeming to foreshadow deaths. A neighbor who becomes increasingly terrifying as the novel progresses. A past trauma that becomes more acknowledged as the book comes to its climax. All the elements of horror are chillingly present in this book that for me was a quick, gripping read I could finish within two days of starting.

The main character is a divorced mother, Claire Vogel, living with her four daughters, who develops a romance that quickly turns into more than she could ever have bargained for or predicted with the man she believes to be renting the property next door. Claire's daughters are fleshed out to uneven degrees with her relationship with her eldest daughter, Annalen, receiving the most attention and evolution.

In many ways, this book is the story of the haunting and exorcism of an entire Virginia community, which does not emerge unscathed but suffers multiple deaths and losses throughout the course of the novel. Despite the trauma and horror, there is the sense of the community rallying around Claire and of Claire in particular having rich friendships with other women in her community like Dawn, Linda, and Gen. That sense of community isn't always developed in books, especially horror books.

The novel does a strong, moving job of developing its themes of possession and memory.

If I had one criticism, it would be that Claire does sometimes display the illogic that is often associated with characters in horror movies before they make the worst possible decisions or miss the fairly obvious conclusion. Most notably, this occurs when she, a trained psychologist, doesn't understand that her boyfriend keeping trophies of women he had in the past in a locked trunk likely points to him being a serial killer and instead asks him questions about this discovery instead of trying to flee immediately from his house.

Overall, though, it was a gripping read and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Certainly I would recommend it to horror fans and consider reading other titles by this author.

Claire is a recently divorced mom to 4 girls. She lives in a close knit neighborhood where everyone knows everyone. The ladies even have a book club where more wine is poured than book discussions. Then, one day, a new and handsome neighbor moves in giving the ladies much to talk about.

Claire, while out, has a chance encounter with this mysterious man. His name is Steel Nolan and the attraction between the two is instant. When the girls go to stay with their father on the weekends Claire and Steel spend most of that time in bed together.

Then strange things start occurring. Voices in the night, a stuffed animal that moves on its own, nightmares, sleepwalking, but what is most concerning is her oldest daughter, Annalen, seems to be exhibiting strange behaviors that are completely unlike herself.

"Yes, I have done quite well in this neighborhood, but even when I first scoped it out, I could tell it was ripe for the picking. Lot's of secrets, gossip, strife, and angst. The Devil's playground."

I will say no more.

Right from the start this book gave me the creeps and I don't say that often. I'm talking the spine tingling, hair raising kind of creeps. This book definitely has Poltergeist (1982) vibes to it so if that is a movie you love (like me) then this will work well for you. Obviously some suspension of disbelief needs to be had but in horror novels I never have a problem doing that. I loved Claire and her daughters especially little Paris. She loved her girls fiercely and would do anything to protect them from harm. All in all I found this one to be a rare gem and I will definitely put London Clarke on my authors to watch list. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for my copy.

Love the cover it has that House On Haunting Hill vibe to it!
This was a wonderful quick thrill of ride book!
Enjoy this one very much!

Well....this book scared the sh*t out of me.

I already read before bed and every single twist and turn kept me interested and terrified.

A newly divorced mom, with four daughters, is adjusting to her new life. When she's not working or trying to be the best mom in the world, she has a dirty secret. Her secret life is dangerous - dressing up and going into sketchy bars to lead men on. Then...she meets her new neighbor, Steel Nolan. (Yes, very porn star name). They quickly fall for each other - all the while strange things start happening in her house. A stuffed cat that keeps reappearing, dark shadows in the corners, a man with a leather hat keeps staring at her.....

But then, THEN this turns into something even scarier. Murders, suicide, and strange flashbacks. Ugh, I can't even talk about without getting a little shaky.

London Clarke knows exactly how to write a book that will scare people. I'm running to buy everything else that she's written.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

Like to be scared? Really scared and not just kids stuff? This is the book for you! A wild ride of haunting, seduction, murder, and more - so much more - don't want to add any spoilers here. Not what I expected from the start, the innocuous title is almost fitting since it hides the horrors within. A great blood pumping read, just couldn't put it down. Don't want to add any spoilers - if you like really good horror, just read it. Going to keep my eye on this author.

When love thy neighbor becomes a terrifying ordeal.

Claire Vogel is a divorced mother of 4 girls and a successful counsellor. She lives in a wonderful community where everyone knows everyone and they all look out for each other. She likes an element of danger and often puts herself in risky and dangerous situations.
Steel Nolan moves in next door and they quickly become attracted to each other but Steel is a bit of an enigma and shortly after becoming involved with him Claire and the girls begin to experience weird happenings in their home, voices and sleepwalking. As Claire learns more about her neighbors past she becomes more and more anxious about her family's safety. Is Steel the man of her dreams or the stuff of nightmares?

Terrifying and sinister.

For any lover of the horror genre or the movie poltergeist then this book has everything you could possibly want all in one book. It was the cover of this book that enticed me to read it, it was so intriguing, and invited me right in. This was my first netgalley and first London Clarke read and I'm going to look up her other books as I haven't read such a delicious and suspenseful book in a long time.
Claire is the embodiment of a mother who will stop at nothing to protect her babies, and of course as she tries to explain the strange incidents going on around her it's put down to her being a hysterical woman. Who can she turn to? Who will help her? What in her past is connected to the now?

I would highly recommend this book I completely devoured it. I adored Claire and her spirit and especially her youngest girl Paris. Her community too were great with every single character being there for a reason and not being a fluffy filler, which you can sometimes find in this genre. It was fast paced and kept me wanting to turn the page even when I was barely able to keep my eyes open.

A dark, sinister tale that portrays the message of how looks can be deceiving, and for Claire, her family and neighbourhood, they can be hell!


Claire is a 40-something mother of 4 girls, who is juggling motherhood and her job as a therapist, on top of learning her ex-husband has recently eloped and remarried, just a year after their divorce. A mysterious, handsome new stranger, Steel, moves into her neighbourhood, in fact right next door, and soon polite flirtation turns into a deeper attraction, and as Claire and Steels relationship intensifies, strange and threatening things begin to happen, making Claire suspect her house may be haunted. Affecting not only Claire and her family, but her neighbours, friends and work as well. As she recognises similarities in a patients life to her own, notices strange figures lurking in the shadows and childhood memories, that were long hidden, begin to resurface. Claire soon realises Steel Nolan is not all he seems and is about to find out who he really is!

This book had me gripped once I’d got a few chapters in. Soon the suspense of what was happening in the book had me holding my breath as I turned each page, hair standing up on end, as I was eagerly anticipating what was going to happen, delving deeper into the dark, terror that awaited me. London Clarke’s writing style had me quickly reading through page after page, and in parts chilling me to my core. I was able to picture each character in my head, particularly the darker, more sinister characters, and clearly see them in the way the author portrays them in her wording.

If you are looking for a nail biting, breath holding, dark, sinister read, that in parts gives you a scare, then this is the book for you!

This book gave me the creeps.

In a time where we don't necessary know our neighbors. The Neighbor shows us a world where not all is what it seems and you never know what is behind the doors of the house next door or across the road.

As creepy as this book was my only complaint was the ending felt rush after all the lead up to it. Still worth reading if your into creepy, paranormal stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read this book in exchange for a review, though who knows if I will sleep tonight now. :)

#NetGalley #TheNeighbor

The story follows our main character Claire. While the title of the story already makes you suspicious about the neighbor, there is a lot that you discover.
This story will make you feel like you're watching one of the better horror movies. Every event, incident, will have you on the edge of your seat. The book takes you on a fabulous ride and the small revelations close all the questions you have.
Claire is the perfect protagonist. You will feel every tension, every worry, every scare that she feels. You will want to resolve the things just as much as she does!
For those of of who you love a gripping horror story, I definitely recommend this!

This book is fantastic! I am new to the writing of London Clarke, and I can say honestly - WOW! I don't understand why I didn't meet her books earlier.

Claire Vogel is a divorced mum with four daughters, working as a social worker and living in the prestigious part of the city with a good neighbourhood. Everything complicates when a new neighbour is moving in. One day, Steel Nolan will help her restore the broken shed and then their fates are intertwined. Once that part of the story began, you can't manage to put the book down.

Amazingly, the author mixes romance, thriller and mystery, but don't forget about haunting and paranormal activity. Strange things start befalling. The mysterious bruises, which cannot be explained either way and the peculiar behaviour of teenagers. The obscure website which in some unnatural way exposing your darkest fears. Some voices, ghosts, some events... are those all really coincidences? Why is Claire's life so complicated? What were the secrets buried in the past? Who can you trust? Can you even trust what you see? The unexpected twist in the book and a surprising ending.

I read this book in two days, and it was keeping me intrigued from the very beginning. It gave me chills. Sinister story - creepy in so many details, keeps me interested all the time. Well written, easy to read and to expose every part - so straightforward to imagine. You will love Claire and fully understand all emotions which accompany her from the very beginning.

If you are a fan of horrors, 'the Neighbour' this would be definitely for you.

Thank you, NetGalley and BookGoSocial, for an opportunity to read this book.

The Neighbor is a dark, eerie,hair-raising,creepy,nail-biting supernatural thriller. This book deserves a shinning 5-stars. From the beginning,it was captivating and irresistible to put it down for awhile.

Claire is a recently divorced and mother of four daughters. She is also a therapist and trying her best to be a single mom. Her neighborhood people are very thick and close, ready to be there for each other. Everything goes smooth until a neighbor comes in next to her house. Steel seems like a good looking guy but something about him makes her knees weak. As close she gets with him, everything in her home starts turning into horror. The writing style and the narration of the story is just wondrous and astonishing. The characters in this story are portrayed very well, mainly clair. Just a whole pack of horror,suspense,psychological and supernatural thriller. Overall I loved reading this book and highly recommend others to read too.

A huge thanks to netgalley and booksgosocialgroup for this eARC in exchange of my honest review.

This was the first of London Clarke's books I've ever read, and I can't wait to read more. I love a book that is creepy without being grisly, and The Neighbor fits the bill perfectly. The characters are brilliant, and the writing is beautiful. Utterly compulsive reading.

Thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read The Neighbor, in exchange for an honest review.

It is always interesting to read a novel that straddles different genres and starts out as one thing and becomes something completely different by its conclusion.

This is very much the case with London Clarke’s latest story The Neighbor.

We follow single mother of four Claire as she attempts to juggle working as a psychologist with her parental duties plus a life she wants to keep secret from those around her.

The Neighbor begins as almost a mystery thriller but then descends into a more supernatural element with whispers of the occult.

What Clarke does really well is mesh the story really well so the switches between different motifs feels very organic plus Claire is quite an endearing and complicated character to follow.

The author also crafts some intense sequences and you get the feeling she enjoys putting favourable characters in peril.

A good protagonist is made greater by an even better antagonist and Clarke also succeeds on this account with the mysterious Steele and some surprises along the way.

Thoroughly original with some gripping moments, The Neighbor will have you reading until the wee hours.

An incredibly fun, superbly spooky read. I felt like it lost it’s edge towards to end a bit but was overall very enjoyable!

Absolutely loved this book..... couldn't put it down! I'm not normally a fan of paranormal stuff but really enjoyed the story. Did not disappoint!

A domestic thriller meets Poltergeist and The Exorcist! This is a totally creative horror/thriller book about a woman, Claire, who meets a handsome neighbor...but then things start going very, very wrong all throughout her neighborhood.

Claire has four kids, and her husband has recently left her and quickly remarried. So when all the neighborhood ladies notice the gorgeous new neighbor, Steel Nolan (I had to LOL at the name), at first, Claire is not sure she’s ready to begin any kind of relationship. But Steel is so gorgeous and charming and hard to resist. I don’t want to say too much more about the plot lest I ruin the fun, except to say, as sort of a side note, Claire is a therapist and I loved one of her patients, Whitney.

The book starts off as a typical domestic thriller but morphs into a supernatural horror book, and I for one loved the transformation. London Clarke, who I had never read before, does a great job building the creepiness and parallels to other well-known horror tales, while keeping her own story totally original and fun. This writer has a truly twisted and elaborate imagination, and I loved it!

Hard to say more without ruining all the fun, but I recommend this one to horror fans! It brings the thrills throughout and is a very fun read.

Thanks to BooksGoSocial, NetGalley and the author for the ARC of this creepy thrill ride!

Creepy and Very Spooky!

Claire Vogel is a divorced and dedicated mother of four young daughters who doesn't have much time to herself when she suddenly and surprisingly finds herself attracted to her charming and very handsome neighbor who recently moved in next door to her. Claire has lived in harmony within the neighborhood for many years when out of nowhere the teenage boy down the road becomes a nightmare scaring parents and children with his reckless driving and other behaviors and his parents seem to have lost control over him. Then Claire's fourteen year old starts sleepwalking during the night, her youngest is hearing voices talking to her and seeing shadow figures in the house and Claire also feels as if she is starting to lose her mind because her child's stuffed toy kitten
keeps disappearing and reappearing everywhere Claire goes. At the same time Claire has a feeling of being watched and sometimes sees a man following her and she doesn't understand why all these things are happening within her family. Claire is not a superstitious person or believes in the supernatural but unfortunately she doesn't believe in God either. Eventually things get to a breaking point for Claire so she hires a private investigator as well as a paranormal team to come out and check her house because she knows now that she is really going crazy or there really is something very unnatural, evil and threatening happening in her home.

This book was deliciously spooky and very scary at times. Definitely a winner if you enjoy getting goosebumps and looking over your shoulder to see if something is in the room with you. Although this was my first book by London Clarke it certainly won't be my last since I enjoyed every little bit of the story from beginning to a very climatic ending. There was a little bit of everything in this book from possible romance, innocent children and don't be put off about the strange stuffed kitten who seemed adorable at first and then became something I couldn't wrap my mind around (Again, Spoooky). I loved the combination of a loving and beautiful family being terrorized by some unknown sinister force. This book may not be for everyone due to the graphic nature of some of the horrors involved but if you are a true horror devotee, I would not want to miss out on this chill inducing wonderful read.

I want to thank the author London Clarke and the publisher "BookGoSocial" and Netgalley for giving the opportunity to read this terrific story and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I highly recommend this very creepy horror book and have given a rating of 4 1/2 Terrifying 🌟🌟🌟🌟✴ Stars!!

Publication date: May 10, 2921
Author: London Clarke
Publisher: BookGoSocial

I love those books which mingle multiple genres within. The Neighbor by London Clarke is one of them that mixes horror, supernatural, mystery and thriller superbly. The book at first starts as a normal domestic thriller but soon turns into a gripping supernatural horror novel. Creepiness seeps from every corner of the novel providing a super fun read. Paranormal elements in the fictional world were superbly built to give the suspenseful atmosphere an edge.

The story starts with Claire who is a divorced mother with four daughters, living in a good neighborhood. But everything in her life  changes soon after a mysterious neighbor moves in her society.

I haven't managed to put down the book as it was superbly intriguing. From me this book is a 5★ read and I recommend it to any Horror thriller fan.

It was a ARC from NetGalley and I thank both Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for this amazing read.

Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the pleasure of reading the neighbour. This book gave me the creeps. Definitely tossed and turned a bit after finishing reading this one.

In a time where we don't necessary know our neighbors. The Neighbour shows a world where not all is what it seems and you never know what is behind the doors of the house next door or across the road.

Definitely worth reading if your into creepy, paranormal stories.

Claire is a recently divorced mother of 4, a therapist and she is finally starting to relax a little. When a new neighbor moves in next door Claire notices him, as do all of the neighborhood women, but Claire's not interested in dating and the other women are all married. He's eye candy, nothing more. He has his eyes on Claire though. Steele Nolan worms his way into her good graces, helps out, charms and seduces her. About the same time things are becoming odd all over the neighborhood. Bad dreams, sleepwalking, violence, fear and Clair's eldest daughter is displaying all of these scary behaviors and more. Her youngest says her new stuffed Kitty talks to her and moves on it's own. Even the "perfect" Steele is getting creepy and scary. Everything is going "to Hell" so to speak.
This is a terrific twist on a stalker tale due to the supernatural elements. I was glued to the pages and loved the way that it slowly crept up on me in the most subtle way. #netgalley #TheNeighbor

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in return for an honest review.

I LOVED this book and I really hope it ends up as a movie or TV show! It was really not what I expected and I absolutely would recommend to anyone who loves horror!

It was a slow burn at the start but quickly picked up pace. The sense of helplessness and dread throughout the book was slowly increased by the writer and led to an excellent conclusion.

Claire has 4 daughters. When her kids come home from visiting their father, she finds out that he married. Even though they are divorced, it hurts Claire. During one of the kids visit with the dad, she decides to be someone else. She dresses “flirty” and goes to a bar. Usually she meets a man and has a conversation then goes home and to bed alone. However she ends up meeting her new neighbor (name Steel) who ends up going to her home and sit on the porch talking. When her kids meet the neighbor, her oldest daughter says she doesn’t like him as there is something “off” about him. As Claire gets to know her new neighbor, she starts to worry about herself and her kids. The neighbor is danger. People are disappearing. Claire and her daughters are hearing voices and sleepwalking. Claire wonders if she is going crazy. With all the strange activity going in the house, she decides to have a paranormal team check out her home. She learns that demons can take many shapes. They get scare when one of the team is attacked and leave. She grabs her daughters and goes to a friend’s home. What will she do to save her family? Will she be able to fight whoever the demon is?

The characters in this novel are so real. Claire has a wild twist and turn “roller coaster ride” in this book. It’s a great scary novel to read. I have read only one other book by this author. Her books do not disappoint. Her writing is excellent.

This is a novel about a single mom plagued by the supernatural events around her. This novel is more of a 3.5 than a 4. I found the narrative believable even the otherworldly things that keep happening in her house and how her neighborhood is in turmoil because of all of it. Using first person POV, Clarke creates a nearly believable narrator. I questioned her secret risky behavior (I wasn't convinced of her reasons for it and it really wasn't that risky) but she was otherwise easy to identify with.

I did wonder about demons as smart as this one was because it seems to me that this kind of manipulative behavior is more human than anything. The climactic scene was effective although it felt long.

Overall a good read. Thank you to NG for the ARC copy. I will also publish this to Amazon, B&N and Goodreads.

Fun summer read, felt very nostalgic as à la Poltergeist. There weren’t any big surprises, but it’s got a strong spook factor helping to boost it up.

I really enjoyed this horror novel, and felt that it was very fast-paced and unique. It centers on Claire, a divorced mom of 4 who lives in a close-knit neighborhood of folks who are naturally curious when a handsome single man moves in next door. Claire gets close quickly to the new neighbor, Steel, but weird things keep happening with him and in general, which makes her question what his intentions really are.

This is a horror book with a supernatural aspect, so if you are expecting a thriller that does not require you to suspend your disbelief, this is not the book for you. If you are all in on exploring the supernatural and evil, you'll have trouble putting this one down.

I did find Claire occasionally annoying and thought some of her decisions were not smart ones. That being said, she was an authentic character who I couldn't help rooting for throughout the book. When her secrets were revealed, a lot of her behavior made even more sense.

Overall, this book was a lot of fun and I found myself looking to see what other books Clarke has written. It's a little different than your average thriller and will likely keep you reading well into the night. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

London Clarke, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of Wildfell and the Legacy of Darkness series, brings us The Neighbor - a paranormal thriller which is sure to keep you up at night...

Claire Vogel - a mother of four girls whose divorce is still fresh and relatively raw - is a well balanced, relatable character. As a professional counselor, Claire is seen to be a successful and level-headed woman... but she has a secret pastime which, to anyone who knew her, could seem reckless and stupid.

When a new neighbour arrives, Claire finds herself reacting in ways even she can't fully explain. She finds herself opening herself up to Steel; which leads to some fairly compromising situations - like being caught in the back of his truck by her ex-husband and eldest daughter. It's not until her childrens behaviour starts changing that she begins to worry though...

When she does start to really worry about the strange events going on in the neighbourhood and her house, Claire recruits the help of some paranormal investigators. This is when things really take a turn and there's no denying something unnatural is going on.

Clarke's use of character archs and threads is one of the reasons that this is such a good read. There are so many bits of information that is subtly fed into the narrative which makes the conclusion so much more effective and fulfilling. Claire's physcological journey through these strands, for me, was the most satisfying part of Clarke's story-telling as the clues left throughout are all tied up neatly at the end giving even more insight to the character and the chain of events.

Ultimately, although I wouldn't say this is the scariest story I've ever heard/read, it is very well written and the real-life tragedies which back the paranormal horrors makes the whole nightmare all the more chilling.

~~

****

Trigger Warnings: includes murder, suicide, still birth, assault, child abuse/rape, mental illness, paranormal activity

This is my first book by London Clarke. I was pleasantly surprised by how good The Neighbor is. Although the story is about demon infestation and haunted houses the clichés are masterfully treated as to be, well, not clichés. The main character is a strong woman but she feels real, original. The entire book was well written, interesting and entertaining.

I have just found another great author. The book is about a mum of 4 Claire that likes to reinvent herself occassinally for a bit of fun on a night out. It gives her a thrill and she isn't hurting anyone is she. That is until she meets her new hunky next door neighbour. He is charming at first then he shows his true darker side and soon wishes she had never got involved with him.
I really enjoyed reading this book. For anyone that is into paranormal books this for you, I found it very hard to put down.

The most terrifying thing about this book is that is so believeable....neighbors who behave oddly, some uncontrollable teens and a lonely divorcee, a handsome, helpful neighbor who seems too good to be true - a past trauma coming back to haunt you.

London skillfully weaves all the strands of the story together to create a chain of events that is
non-stop horror! The pace never really lets up - from the slightly creepy begining, to the double headed twist at the end, it was a quick read for me and was as horrifying as it was enjoyable!

Highly recommended if you like your books well written, yet scary and disturbing.

This book was a thrill to read from the moment that I started. I could not put it down no matter what I needed to do. I was hooked on it and needed to finish it in one sitting. It moves along at a great pace which was neither too fast nor too slow but just perfect for the story. The characters are amazing you feel as though you know them and no matter what you want o be there to help them. The story will grab you and keep you interested all the way through and when you get to the end you need more. This book is a must read, no doubt about it.

Recently divorced mother of four, Claire Vogel is a therapist living in a prestigious community. But make no mistake, this is not Mr. Rogers neighborhood! When Steel Nolan, the handsome construction worker moves in next door, he gets the neighborhood women's hearts beating all a flutter. He offers to tear down Claire's damaged shed and build her a new one. After all, it’s the neighborly thing to do! But when they meet out one night, he offers her much, much more.

As I mentioned, this neighborhood looks picture perfect. But there is a teenager who drives recklessly down the street, Claire's oldest daughter, Annalen begins sleepwalking, her youngest, Paris, sees dark shapes and hears something in her room talking to her.

That is only the beginning!

Creepy, gripping and the stuff that nightmares are made of!!!

I do not think that horror books need to be gory or bloody to be good. In my opinion, the most enjoyable horror books are ones that creep me out, make me feel uneasy and have me looking under my bed and pulling back the shower curtain. You know the ones? Blood and guts do not bother me as much as things that go bump in the night. Things that get my heart pounding, things that have me questioning is this really happening or is something sinister to blame?

I have always been more freaked out by the things that can get you that you cannot even image. Haunted homes, ghosts, demons have always been frightening to me. If you cannot feel safe in your own home, where can you feel safe? What is worse than not feeling safe. Home is where the heart is. It is where you family is. It is supposed to be your happy place. Where you can let your hair down, it is a place to relax and rejuvenate. What happens when all of that is gone?

I also have to say, when I read the name Steel, I thought that is the perfect porn star or alpha male in erotic fiction name. That name just conjures up sexy, good looking, great in bed vibes to me. Will the Steel in this book live up to those names? I digress. I also thought this book could have been written with Claire having two daughters and not four. Her oldest and youngest get the most parts, the other two are mentioned and play a part, but the book could have also worked without them. At times, I also thought “Seriously Claire?” She had me shaking my head a times. Take your foot off the gas already woman! That is just a little quibble and did not affect my enjoyment of the book at all.

I enjoyed how thing unfolded in this book. The Neighbor begins slowly but is never dull. This book will creep up on you when you least expect it. It will give you shivers, have you guessing and worrying for the characters. This book is fraught with tension and an underlying sense of danger.
I also enjoyed the supernatural elements of this book. Plus, the little message at the end of getting to know your neighbors.

Horrifying, pulse pounding and spooky, and dangerous The Neighbor does not disappoint.

This was my first book by this author and will not be my last.

Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Claire has four kids, and her husband has recently left her and quickly remarried. So when all the neighborhood ladies notice the gorgeous new neighbor, Steel Nolan, at first, Claire is not sure she’s ready to begin any kind of relationship. But Steel is so gorgeous and charming and hard to resist. The rest I will leave for you to discover.

London Clarke, who I had never read before, does a great job building the creepiness and parallels to other well-known horror tales, while keeping the story totally original and fun. This writer has a truly twisted and elaborate imagination, and I loved it!

This was creepy, this was atmospheric, this was amazing. Most horror novels try but do not succeed. It's difficult to write horror. London Clarke did the dang thing. This is a supernatural, horror novel about a too-close neighbor and his actual intentions. This is my first book from Clarke but it won't be my last.

I'm between 4 and 5 stars for this book. This is one of the first horror / supernatural books I read, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but it didn't disappoint. It does deal with some heavy themes such as murders, rape, pedophilia.

Our POV is Claire Vogel, a divorced woman raising her 4 daughters. Her tight-knit neighbourhood then gets a new addition, the mysterious Steel Nolan, whose relationship with Claire soon flourishes. But as the romance develops, so does sleepwalking, voices in the seemingly empty house, and spooky shadows.

I liked the characters and the writing, namely the 1st person POV, but I feel one of the daughters - Bridget - could've played a bigger role (I don't remember a single one of her lines). The mystery was there, for sure, and the book was thriller-like, but I never felt particularly scared, so that's why I don't give it a higher rating. But it was, especially in the end, action-packed and I always wanted to know more. And the plot twists kept coming, which I loved.

I also didn't feel the plot was particularly original, in a way I feel like there must be hundred of movies and books very similar to this one. This is not necessarily bad, but if anyone wants to read a book to just be in complete awe after, this is not the one.

Overall, the reading was really good, and if now I can think of some mistakes and things that bother me, I 100% loved it while I was reading it (which took only 2 days)

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity to read this.

4.5 STARS

The neighborhood ladies do more wine drinking than talking books at their Book club get together. Tonight the hot topic is the new neighbor! One of the ladies has been eyeing him from across the street and claims to have the scoop on him.

She announces that his name is Steel Nolan, thirty-five-ish and single. Apparently, Dawn rushed him at the mailbox and got the low down! The ladies sit attentively on the edge of their seats listening to all the gossip she has to share.

Claire is a mom of four and she should know better than to get involved so soon after her divorce! BUT, the abs of Steel are calling her in more ways than she knows! Claire's neighbors soon notice she is glowing like an ember. Her cheeks blush whenever they mention Steel's name. Perhaps having a torrid affair with the hot neighbor can do that.

The pace doesn't let up much as super creepy things begin to happen in the house - Annalen, her 14 year old daughter has taken up singing The Cat's in the Cradle . Her five year old, Paris' stuffed cat keeps showing up in various locations with glowing, glassy eyes. She thinks he blinked at her once. Shadows, voices, and alarms going off are making Claire feel like she is caught in a nightmare that she can't pull herself out of.

Genre is Horror, although it is not the slasher/blood and gore type. It is more of haunted house tale of good vs. evil. I laughed many times as I side-eyed a few creaks and noises in my own house. I'd just say to myself, "Okay stop in now"!

A very fun, witty read that provided shivers, page turning entertainment, and a soft spot for several characters. I'll read what ever London Clarke writes next!

4.5 Stars!

This novel is a bit out of my genre, given I haven’t read much horror, but wowza! I was sucked right in!

Claire is a therapist, mother of 4, and newly divorced by day, but by night, she’s a confident, brazen woman who likes to draw men in, just to push them away….until she meets the new, sexy neighbor…..who is definitely not who he says he is.

This book gave me goosebumps and creeped me out to the point where I wanted to stop reading it in the dark….but, it was too delicious, I couldn’t help myself!

A special thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and London Clarke for providing me with an ARC.

This slow paced what seems to be domestic thriller ends up turning into supernatural horror.

I’m not a huge fan of slow paced books, but this one was enough to keep me wanting more. Definitely a great choice for a Bookclub!

The neighbor is a classic horror novel. I loved every twist and turn and never expected what the neighbor would end up being and how a moms love could conquer it all. Looking forward to adding this book to my bookshelves one day soon !

“I wouldn’t get up if I were you. Not if you’re planning to beg for the life of your children. You can do that from there. Oh, and while you’re at it, you might want to beg for your own life.”

Another new treatment of “The Exorcist” that provokes a striking atmosphere throughout its entirety, while the latter half involves experiences and emotions.

Claire Vogel, divorcee, and mother of four is contempt with her suburban milquetoast lifestyle. Her kids stabilize her primary occupancy, and she works part time as a therapist to keep her motivated and moving. She still craves attention, and we’re immediately introduced to her erotic side that is lukewarm at best, and when a new man (Steel) moves in next door, he quenches the affection that she has been longing for since her divorce.

Without elaborating too much into detail, it’s quickly realized that the mysterious neighbor is not who he says he is, and Steel kinda opens a portal to hell…

There’s too many clichés and recurring themes that occur throughout this novel of possession and faith, but as I wrote earlier, Clarke sets the right tone and mood. There’s never a dull moment and the characters are engaging enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and for providing me with an ARC for my honest feedback.

This was the first book I read from London Clarke and I couldn't put it down. In fact, it is the reason why I didn't sleep much the last few nights as I was so gripped by this book.

It has a horror feel but is psychological and I won't go into detail about the book as I don't want to give the plot away but suffice to say you will very much enjoy this book. It is a cracker. I only wish I wasn't finished it. I loved the style of writing and the descriptions - a talented writer and I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read The Neighbor, in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t seen this one across the gram but I have to tell you, I absolutely loved this one! Five stars here! It’s twisty, you don’t know what’s real, who to trust, and where the story is going to go. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up ASAP! Out now!

Also huge thank you and shout out to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC of this one to read and review!

From the start the atmosphere of this book was tense and frightening, set in a secure community it's made even scarier by the thought of something going wrong and spoiling the idyllic lifestyle they've all made for themselves. I love the whole secure/gated community thing, it makes it feel so much creepier when things start to go wrong...

We're introduced to Claire (who seems like she's one bit of bad news away from becoming completely unhinged) and her family of 4 girls. Throughout the book the 5 of them play key roles in making the story, the children act like proper children of their age too, which gave it a real relatable feel.

And then once we start to meet others in the community and Steel... Well, the characters just absolutely made this book for me. They were so well crafted and linked with each other and the story so well. I felt as if I knew them personally, which made it easier for the rest of the book to influence me.

As the backstory builds, so do the creepiness levels, shadows and bumps in the night become frequent, and the book started to really unnerve me. I'm not usually easy to scare but this book definitely managed to scare me.

The author did an excellent job with setting the scene and making us feel as though we were there, we were hearing things go bump in the night, we felt the way Claire did, we too were drawn in by characters in the book that we shouldn't have been...

And the supernatural element was weaved so effortlessly into the story that even someone who doesn't believe in those kinds of things couldn't help but be drawn in and enjoy the rollercoaster that was this story.

I did worry as we got deeper into the book that there may be too much going on, too many strands and plot lines to bring together, but as we neared the end of the book and it eventually reached it's conclusion everything just seemed to fall perfectly into place.

The whole story from start to finish, including the smaller plot lines were absolutely made to work together and flowed perfectly. Every single plot used within this book was superb in it's own right.

I finished this book and felt not only a profound sense of fear, but also a sense of awe. I hadn't read anything so scary for a very long time, I was covered in Goosebumps towards the end and read it with my eyes open so wide I'm surprised they didn't pop out of my sockets!

On the whole, The Neighbour by London Clarke was a superb read, and I will definitely recommend it anyone who is in need of a good thrill...

Original Review posted over on Horror Bound: https://www.horrorbound.net/blog/2021/7/9/the-neighbor-examining-female-autonomy-and-toxic-relationships-in-a-domestic-horror-setting

Claire Vogel is a recently divorced mother of four living in the idyllic suburban neighborhood of Amber Falls. She is competent, professional, and utterly dedicated to providing her children with a pleasant and peaceful home environment. That is until a new neighbor moves in next door. Steel Nolan is young and handsome, and though she’s not quite sure she’s ready for a serious relationship, Claire quickly finds herself romantically involved and from here, things begin to take a turn for the worst. Dark figures begin to stalk through Claire’s home. Disembodied voices torment her and her children, and Claire’s eldest daughter, Annalen is not quite herself. In fact, she appears to be someone (or something) else entirely.

At first, Claire convinces herself that these strange happenings are manifestations of severe stress. But a series of tragic events soon strike Amber Falls, and it seems they can all be linked back to Claire’s new boyfriend whose past, we discover, is tainted by dark satanic rituals, tribal ceremonies, and a spate of women, both missing and murdered. Steel’s presence also begins to unearth memories from Claire’s childhood, memories she thought she’d buried a long, long time ago. As this section of Clarke’s novel unravels, we get some really disturbing scenes that touch upon childhood abuse and trauma. These scenes are not exploitative in any way but are dealt with in a remarkably sympathetic manner which by the end, contributes greatly to the overall growth and development of our main character.

Clarke’s use of the suburban setting is also used to maximum effect. The bland sameness and depressing materialism of this out-of-town neighborhood is perfectly captured by the dutiful housewives that people its ‘ultra-modern,’ high-ceilinged homes. Gen Painter, for example, pregnant and already scrambling to organize and control her two screaming kids, is continuously at the behest of her beer-guzzling husband, Trey, while Agnes Frankenson, slips into a catatonic state when her house is suddenly vacated of its male occupants. Yet, Clarke cleverly plays with the symbolic dichotomies that are typically attached to this passive, feminine landscape. When she finally figures out what’s going on in Amber Falls, Claire uproots the image of the apathetic and obedient homemaker. She actively pursues Steel, and mobilizes herself to do battle against the evil, inhuman forces she has unconsciously allowed to invade her life, her children, and her family home.

Clarke’s novel really ramps up in the closing chapters as domestic horror is expertly blended with the page-turning traits of the psychological thriller. An exorcist makes a brief appearance, and we also get a taste of Korean folklore when Claire’s elderly Korean neighbor steps in to give a hand. The folkloric elements of Clarke’s text are only fleetingly touched upon as the dokkaebi, the shapeshifting entities summoned to Amber Falls, are boiled down to hurried descriptions and definitions. We learn only that these sinister creatures are ‘attached to objects’ that have been ‘stained by human blood,’ but further research reveals a far more complex mythology with these creatures oftentimes performing as benevolent, harvest-giving spirits among fishing communities, and many rural and remote Korean villages. In saying this however, Clarke does effectively preserve the mythological link between the dokkaebi and the natural world. The eerie construction site next door provides a doorway to the past, violent storms conjure inexplicable paranormal activity, and Claire’s backyard eventually becomes a battleground for human souls as the story draws to a well-executed and satisfying close.

In a style similar to Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires then, The Neighbor is a gripping, suspenseful read that not only delves deep into issues of spiritual faith and trauma, but examines the importance of female autonomy, and the ties that bind us to toxic and damaging relationships. Clarke’s approach to horror is the stuff of nightmares but there is also an unexpected tenderness at play as she brings to light the trials and tribulations of motherhood, and the extraordinary lengths to which a parent will go to protect their children. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable contribution to the horror genre from a writer who obviously knows how to weave a truly excellent tale.

A word of thanks to the author, London Clarke, and the team over at NetGalley who kindly provided me with a free Kindle copy of The Neighbor in exchange from an open and honest review.

In The Neighbor we follow a woman named Claire who is recently divorced with children. She lives in prestigious community where everyone knows everyone, until a new neighbour moves in and seems to take an interest in her. Soon after, she starts seeing strange things and her children start sleepwalking.

So, firstly I thought this book was a thriller. It is most definitely a full on paranormal horror! But it was my kind of horror. It messes with your head with a slow build up and then by 50% it goes full on demons and possession. I really enjoyed it, the creep factor was very well crafted and it was genuinely freaking me out. It reminded me a bit of The Southern Book Club's Guide to Killing Vampires at the start, but I actually thought it was better.

I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed, especially compared to the slow build up in the rest of the book. All hell breaks loose and it loses a bit of it's realism. I also felt it was a bit too quick of a fix and I would have liked more information on the other spirits, Levi and Steele as this was glossed over near the end.

But other than that, I loved it!

This was phenomenal. The story is a perfect blend of thriller/mystery and horror. Just my kind of read.
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Satanic cult,rituals,demonic possession,mischievous hot looking neighbor,dark websites and haunted houses.You just name it!
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Characters of Claire and the kids were portrayed remarkably. She is one strong woman(a divorcee, mother of four) and the connection to her past with the present was written in a brilliant manner. There are a handful of characters and every character had it's importance in the storyline. I'm missing them already!!! It would be great if there's a sequel.I mean it could be possible given the circumstances. Ugh.. Talk about book hangovers?!
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The whole Whitney's sequence is mind blowing! Literally my favorite part of the book. Also the plot twist?! I had to close my eyes for a few seconds to process it. It totally caught me off guard. There are so many things I loved about this book but I'm afraid of giving away the spoilers so..
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The first half was a page turner. I couldn't put it down and also it's so damn creepy... The second half until the last 15% was amazing so obviously my expectations for the ending would be over the moon.I thought the author went a little overboard with the ending trying to make the decent twists more twisted but gladly it didn't ruin the ending or the story for me. Though it would've been great if the pace stayed just the same without umm..overdoing it to make it more than perfect.
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All in all I enjoyed reading this so much and I'll definitely look out for this author's work in future.
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Thankyou @netgalley and @londonclarkeauthor for providing me with an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review
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Recommended if you're okay with cult stories or domestic thrillers with a mix of supernatural horror in it.
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Also I had a little bit of conjuring,insidious and Locke and key vibes throughout the book so there's that.

Anything by London Clarke is a must-read for me and this book was no different. Truly an original story that took me on a ride. Surprising twists and an unforgettable ending left me wanting more. Of course when there's a hunky villain, it makes all the more intriguing.

A very well executed gothic story, which could easily be turned into a Netflix production :)
The chilling and gothic atmosphere slowly builds up and will give you goose bumps all over. A pleasurable late-night reading!

Not going to lie this book was a lot darker than I expected and a lot creepier than I expected.... but in the best ways possible. I was not expecting the horror aspects but I also thought that it was amazing (which is rare for me because I am usually a bit of a chicken) but this book read like a movie and I thought it was amazing. I thought at first it was going to be sort of a domestic thriller, but when the paranormal and horror aspects came out my mind was blown. I thought Claire and Steel were interesting characters individually but together I was honestly... I don't even know what to say. This book was GOOD. I think London Clarke is a brilliant author who I would be a little scared to see what goes on in her head, even though I am also amazed by it!

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial as well as London Clarke for the ARC. I’m deeply grateful.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you one of the greatest horror books I’ve read in a long time. I couldn’t put this one down. I wish I could give more than five stars but, alas, I’m stuck.
Claire Vogel is a divorced mother of four and a clinical social worker. When a handsome, younger man moves next door to her, she finds herself attracted to him. She also finds that her harmonious neighborhood and close relationship with her neighbors is starting to fray. Her daughters begin acting strangely. Finally, she notices strange things happening around her home and office. Claire is skeptical at first but she is soon unable to deny that she has a problem.
From the first page, this story had claws. I couldn’t stop reading it. It had everything from ghosts to demons as well as characters I genuinely cared about. Ghost stories are my absolute favorite, especially ones in which the ending is not some kind of cope out. Way too often what appears to be a haunting ends up being something else. Nothing burns me up more in a story. Ms. Clarke’s writing was compelling and palpable. She has a gift for character development as well as creating a truly creepy atmospheric ghost story. I would love to see this turned into a movie. The story held hints of the Conjuring, which is a movie I love, but honestly, I enjoyed this story more.
To the author, I read your afterword as well. My condolences for the loss of your father. I can tell how much you loved him and how important he was to your family. Your afterword was moving. You have thoughts and prayers as well as my gratitude for writing this book.
XOXO

I really enjoyed this suspenseful story! It is my first book from this author, and I will be on the lookout for more. The Neighbor hooked me right from the start, and it kept me intrigued and quickly reading through because I had to discover what would happen next! I connected with its characters, and genuinely cared how things would end up for them. What a thriller! I highly recommend for others who enjoy spooky mysteries.

I cannot believe what I just read! Claire seemed to have it all together but she engages in risky behavior to "blow off steam" Who among us needs a break from the overly scheduled, highly structured, demanding lives? Beware though, there are always consequences to our actions; some much more damaging than others...

Oh my god, I loved this one so much. This is one of those rare books where you forget you're reading. It was like watching a movie, really. Afterwards, I kept recalling scene and trying to talk about it with my partner, only realizing it wasn't a movie that we had watched together. This *should* be a movie.

It's creepy as hell! Don't read by yourself or at night. I never feel that way when I read, so ... yeah, that's saying something. London Clarke has a great way of putting us right in the action. I will be rereading this in the future, and it's going on my favorites list and best books of 2021 list.

There are some minor copyediting issues, but this is a case where the story is so good, I didn't think about it too much.

Content note: off-screen pedophilia, murder, children harmed, some religious content (not gratuitous jesus stuff thankfully).

A huge thanks to London Clarke, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for a copy of the ARC. This was fantastic.

#BooksGoSocial #NetGalley #LondonClarke #BookReviews #MustRead

I thought that the book, was such a page turner. A very well loved read book. The plot was very well written and I cannot wait to read another book by this author.

The Neighbor was such a great spooky read! I picked this up a while ago and then it sat on my shelf for too long so I thought November was a great time to read it and I'm glad I waited.

Claire is adjusting to her new life as a single mom to 4 girls after she and her husband split. A handsome new neighbor, Steel, moves in and shows interest in Claire... Claire's youngest daughter doesn't like Steel because "he has a shadow man following him." Right there I was hooked.

Weird haunting type, paranormal things begin happening ever since Claire and Steel meet. There's a spooky stuffed cat that seems to be talking to the youngest daughter, strange voices, sleepwalking and more.

This book was very much giving me Insidious vibes (and I LOVE those movies). A paranormal expert comes to try and help with the dark entity.

There were a few things about Steel and Claire's "romance" that I thought were cheesy and just over the top that made me roll my eyes, hard. But other than that I really loved following along on this crazy journey to see what would happen to this family.

Really good read, will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat till the end. Glad I was able to get a copy to read.

I really enjoyed this book even though it scared the crap out of me at times. I found myself peering into the shadows (I read when I go to bed) several times.

Claire, a recently divorced mom to 4 girls, lives in a close-knit neighborhood where everyone knows everyone. The ladies of the neighborhood have a book club and when, a new and handsome new neighbor, Steel Nolan moves in, it's all the neighborhood ladies can talk about.

Claire and Steel start a fast romance but then strange things start happening, voices, sleepwalking, a stuffed cat appears out of no where. This book digs into the thrill of danger and what can haunt us.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC for the ARC. If you like creepy horror stories, you will love this one!

I love reading horror novel and this was definitely an endearing read that kept me in edge. Thank you Netgalley for approving my request.

What a creepy cover! This storyline had me gripped and I raced through it...well worth reading :) I can't wait to read more from this author!

The plot of The Neighbor was definitely frightening. However, I could not put this book down. I kept trying to find opportunities when I had free time to read it. I was terrified for Claire and her four girls. I found myself wanting to protect them from whatever evil had invaded their house. I loved how the supernatural element of the story did not feel forced or cheesy. It was very believable so much so that I kept having to check for shadows as I read this book! The pacing was done perfectly. Although there are some parts of the story that are a bit predictable with how they will play out, I felt that it didn't take away from the narrative at all. I will say all the demon encounters were the spookiest though! However, London Clarke writes them in a way that won't leave you too scared to continue reading. She writes them in a way that will leave you wanting to know more. By the end of the book, all loose ends had been tied up, and there were no cliff hangers.

All of the characters in The Neighbor were fleshed out perfectly even the supporting characters. I really connected with Claire the most, not because she was the main character, but because we are both mothers. While I have two boys instead of four girls, my youngest, funnily enough named Levi (if you read The Neighbor, you'll find out why I find it funny), is the same age as Claire's youngest daughter named Paris. My oldest isn't much older than Claire's oldest daughter Annalen. Plus, Claire and myself are very close in age. I was behind Claire 100 percent, and it annoyed me when her ex-husband, Gunnar, thought she was just losing her mind instead of trying to help her out. I found Clair to be a very strong female character, and I felt so much admiration for her for what she chose to go through for her girls. (I know that most parents would have done the same though.) I also felt bad for Claire that one decision is what caused this whole supernatural mess. Steel was a definitely an interesting character that I did not trust from the very beginning. He is written perfectly, and even though I didn't trust him very much, he was still fun to read about. I found myself trying to figure him out all the time! Whitney was another character that I liked but didn't trust. It was so weird how her life seemed to mimic Claire's.

Trigger warnings for The Neighbor include profanity, violence, murder, death, suicide, alcohol, pedophilia (though not graphic), sex scenes (not very graphic), demons, and the occult.

Overall, The Neighbor is one heck of a rollercoaster ride, so be sure to strap yourself in tight. With it's terrifying plot and interesting characters, this book sucks you in from the very first page and won't spit you back out until it's had its wicked way with you. I would definitely recommend The Neighbor by London Clarke to those aged 18+ who love their spooky novels with a big helping of terrifying on the side. You will not be disappointed, that's for sure!

Suspenseful paranormal horror story, pretty creepy and chilling.
Very fast paced, fantastic tension.
Authentic characters and world building.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
A lot of trigger warnings in this one for sure so I'm hoping that will be addressed in the book once published. Overall i enjoyed this, very creepy/chilling and very well paced so you never really came down from one creep to the next. Definitely my type of book. The characters were well written, fast paced and constant tension. Well done!