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The People Next Door
A PERFECT FAMILY
Mick and Amy Nash are an ordinary couple leading ordinary lives. And then, into the house next door move the Renders – beautiful, charming, perfect . . . and not at all what they pretend to be.
AN EVIL SECRET
Too late Mick learns that something is deeply, darkly wrong with the neighbours. Who are these people? Where did they come from? And what are they hidin...more
Mick and Amy Nash are an ordinary couple leading ordinary lives. And then, into the house next door move the Renders – beautiful, charming, perfect . . . and not at all what they pretend to be.
AN EVIL SECRET
Too late Mick learns that something is deeply, darkly wrong with the neighbours. Who are these people? Where did they come from? And what are they hidin...more
Published
August 2011
by Sphere
(first published July 7th 2011)
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Review of The People Next Door by Christopher Ransom
5 Stars
I ought to give this one 12 or 18 stars; it scared the literal blazes out of me, kept me awake racing through the pages just so I could finish it because I could not bear to fall asleep and have to wait till the next day to “find out,” and delivered exactly the quality of denouement promised by the back cover: a secret that the reader can’t guess, won’t guess, and is incredible. Yes-all that and more.
Take a marriage on the rocks; husban...more
5 Stars
I ought to give this one 12 or 18 stars; it scared the literal blazes out of me, kept me awake racing through the pages just so I could finish it because I could not bear to fall asleep and have to wait till the next day to “find out,” and delivered exactly the quality of denouement promised by the back cover: a secret that the reader can’t guess, won’t guess, and is incredible. Yes-all that and more.
Take a marriage on the rocks; husban...more
I am not sure that I understand the bad reviews and ratings for either of Christopher Ransom's books that I have read, The Birthing House or The People Next Door. Both are fair horror novels, both have horrible reviews and both are better than some John Saul or Richard Laymon books that I have read that have glowing reviews.
That being said, I am giving this book 3 stars with a bias towards 3 1/2.
A Colorado family's life is falling apart. Their family restaurant is failing. Their teenage son is r...more
That being said, I am giving this book 3 stars with a bias towards 3 1/2.
A Colorado family's life is falling apart. Their family restaurant is failing. Their teenage son is r...more
The People Next Door represents a missed opportunity. A chance for a book to be spoken in the same breathe as a Stephen King novel like The Shining or It. Because the premise of this book is good.
An ordinary family get new neighbours and right away they realise something's off about them. What's their secret? As a reader you'll really want to know.
It's all very well having a cracking plot, but if the characters are uninvolving and weak and you don't give a stuff about what's happening to them,...more
An ordinary family get new neighbours and right away they realise something's off about them. What's their secret? As a reader you'll really want to know.
It's all very well having a cracking plot, but if the characters are uninvolving and weak and you don't give a stuff about what's happening to them,...more
When I received this book for review, I didn't know a thing about it. The cover looked creepy and after reading the blurb, I was really curious about it. Besides, I like a good horror story. So I started reading it with enthusiasm...
The Nash family have some new neighbours, but there's something really creepy about them. Yet, that's not the most horrifying thing going on in their lives.
Each member of the family is going through their own thing at the moment. The father, Mick, is struggling to k...more
The Nash family have some new neighbours, but there's something really creepy about them. Yet, that's not the most horrifying thing going on in their lives.
Each member of the family is going through their own thing at the moment. The father, Mick, is struggling to k...more
3 likes · like · see review
Not really sure how to review this one....hmmm
Was sucked in by the 'You'll never forget the twist!' On the back while stalking some books for my holiday. So being sucked in I was hoping for a shocking, gasping twist.
But sadly that did not happen.
To be truthful I did enjoy this book however at some points I felt the book repeated itself in some areas over and over again while others were repated for no reason and got annoyed with Mick straight away.
The story of the neighbours 'The Renders' is qu...more
Was sucked in by the 'You'll never forget the twist!' On the back while stalking some books for my holiday. So being sucked in I was hoping for a shocking, gasping twist.
But sadly that did not happen.
To be truthful I did enjoy this book however at some points I felt the book repeated itself in some areas over and over again while others were repated for no reason and got annoyed with Mick straight away.
The story of the neighbours 'The Renders' is qu...more
I ain't never read a book like 'The People Next Door' in my life. Christopher Ransom had me scared, and I mean sleeping with the light on scared. This book has so many twists in it that I didn't really know what was going on until it ended, I kind of held my breath and kept reading until I got to the last page.
The book is about a 2.4 family who seem to be falling apart, the husband is on the verge of losing his business and the wife seems to be in a state of depression while there two children...more
The book is about a 2.4 family who seem to be falling apart, the husband is on the verge of losing his business and the wife seems to be in a state of depression while there two children...more
I'm not one to give up on a book halfway through but with this one I got to page 200 and couldn't bear to carry on. It actually started as a fairly decent story with lots of mystery surrounding the strange figures appearing next door but does drag into a quite bizarre and nonsense tale that you have to suspend your belief further than normal with this ridiculous tale. The writing style is a little hard to follow at times even though the story is fairly simple. The characters are all depressing a...more
2 likes · like · see review
(Rating inbetween 3 or 4 stars)
The people next Door is a highly detailed book with very graphic describtions.
There are horror/gorey scenes in the book but not as many as i expected. And sometimes it felt like it didn't have an asenshall storyline as such.
I wasn't really drawn into the book at first, but as i continued it got better nd i was drawn in more and (near) the ending i couldn't put it down.
I liked how it showed different view points in the book, not only from Nick and his Family (Amy, K...more
The people next Door is a highly detailed book with very graphic describtions.
There are horror/gorey scenes in the book but not as many as i expected. And sometimes it felt like it didn't have an asenshall storyline as such.
I wasn't really drawn into the book at first, but as i continued it got better nd i was drawn in more and (near) the ending i couldn't put it down.
I liked how it showed different view points in the book, not only from Nick and his Family (Amy, K...more
I think the author needs to identify who his target audience are.
Is it the teen/adolescent market, who will understand the pop culture he likes to name drop, or the serious horror fan market.
I didnt have high expectations for this book, after reading one of his earlier works, and agree with a previous reviewer who says his publishing company are genius. The book looked good, and is intriguingly packaged.
However, I was drawn in, and found the book an improvement on his last. Unfortunately the cha...more
Is it the teen/adolescent market, who will understand the pop culture he likes to name drop, or the serious horror fan market.
I didnt have high expectations for this book, after reading one of his earlier works, and agree with a previous reviewer who says his publishing company are genius. The book looked good, and is intriguingly packaged.
However, I was drawn in, and found the book an improvement on his last. Unfortunately the cha...more
I'd never read anything by this author before and so had no idea what to expect. Well enough written to carry you along, somehow it missed the mark. I didn't really care about any of the characters at all. In attempting to conceal the 'twist' the author smothered any detail that might have rounded them out. The storytelling was heavy handed with too many narrators. The additional viewpoints only served to further confuse an already muddied plot. There were some good ideas there and although I wo...more
I was left very disappointed by this book having been grabbed by the cover and backpage writing. I was looking forward to the excitement of such a good read as this book has potential which seems to have been lost in the telling.
Well horror didn't turn up till about page 201 half way threw the book and to be honest I am still left with a sense of wonderment. Yes there was a "twist" in the tale but I had guessed that almost at the start especially after the first Island living chapter appeared o...more
Well horror didn't turn up till about page 201 half way threw the book and to be honest I am still left with a sense of wonderment. Yes there was a "twist" in the tale but I had guessed that almost at the start especially after the first Island living chapter appeared o...more
Whoever writes his 'blurbs' must be very well paid because although they aim to intrigue you about the story, the actuality is that the story doesn't live up to the blurb!
Having read The Birthing House and, I admit to having being intrigued by it, if confused by the finale, I thought I would give his third novel a go, despite being 'harangued' by fellow readers not to......
The People Next Door starts slowly and amidst some confusion with the 'flashbacks' to 'Island Living' which don't explain m...more
Having read The Birthing House and, I admit to having being intrigued by it, if confused by the finale, I thought I would give his third novel a go, despite being 'harangued' by fellow readers not to......
The People Next Door starts slowly and amidst some confusion with the 'flashbacks' to 'Island Living' which don't explain m...more
1 like · like · see review
It was okay, but not as good as I had hopped. The about 220 first pages felt like one very long introduction, followed by a couple of pages of actual story, and then a long interlude, again a couple of pages of story, interlude and so on til the disappointing and slightly confusing end.
I kept reading though, and it was intriguing at some points. I wanted to know how it all would end, even though I was on the border to boredom at times.
As a shorter story, it might have worked out better, but as a...more
I kept reading though, and it was intriguing at some points. I wanted to know how it all would end, even though I was on the border to boredom at times.
As a shorter story, it might have worked out better, but as a...more
I finished this book and resented it for the time it had taken away from me! Once I've started a book I cant just give up on it. I always hope it might get better. The storyline may develop to a better one, suddenly start to be written better. The characters may become a bit more believable,less annoying. Alas none of these things happened. I perceived as how can i give a true representation of the book if i gave up half way which is exactly what i wish i had done. The biggest disappointment was...more
Nov 19, 2011
Barbara Elsborg
added it
I couldn't finish the book. The blurb made me buy it and I liked the first fifty or so pages and then I got lost. It just didn't interest me enough to keep reading to find out what this so called twist was. I'd never read a book by Mr. Ransom before so I didn't realise it was a 'horror' story. I thought it was more of a suspense so I might not be a target reader. I liked the waterskiing and the mystery of the boat etc but after the 'drowning' I found it not enjoyable enough to continue reading.
Whoever wrote the blurb deserves a pay rise and a pat on the back because it suckered me in hook line and sinker. The beginning was good, it went down hill pretty fast and barely made it across to the finish line in one piece. It was confusing, there was no twist worth reading for (never mind remembering) and it was more or less a waste of money. On the other hand I have an incredibly short attention span and the writing was good enough to keep me reading in the hopes the plot would be as good a...more
I liked this book. I thought that the characters were believable and I felt like the story flowed. I also felt that I got lost in each of the characters stories. I've never read anything by Christopher Ransom before and after having read this book I might read another one of his books. The only down side to this book was that the 'Shocking Twist' at the end was shocking, but I think the blurb and the cover of the book may have over sold how shocking the twist actually was.
Over all it was a good...more
Over all it was a good...more
"the most electrifying twist ending in years" was the quote on the back. Not really. It was a good twist but it wasn't electrifying.
This is a story of a family coming apart at the seams. Mick's restaurant is going down the pan, his wife is a teacher having discipline problems with some of her students, their son is becoming a typical teenager and their daughter is prone to sudden outbursts of tantrums. When Mick nearly drowns his perspective of life changes and he starts seeing strange things to...more
This is a story of a family coming apart at the seams. Mick's restaurant is going down the pan, his wife is a teacher having discipline problems with some of her students, their son is becoming a typical teenager and their daughter is prone to sudden outbursts of tantrums. When Mick nearly drowns his perspective of life changes and he starts seeing strange things to...more
Nov 03, 2012
Helen
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction,
horror-fiction
This is a strange one, for me. There was enough I liked here for me to keep reading, but at the same time a fair few things irritated me; the writing style was hit-and-miss, and some barely made sense at all, the characters felt 'real' enough but weren't sympathetic or even likeable, and 'The People Next Door' turned out to be less interesting than I'd hoped.
That said, it's an admirable attempt at writing horror in an original way, but the chaotic structure of the novel renders it obtuse and unn...more
That said, it's an admirable attempt at writing horror in an original way, but the chaotic structure of the novel renders it obtuse and unn...more
(Kylie) Christopher Ransom is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. He manages to delve into the reader's darkest fears, draw them out, twist them round and spit them right back at you - scarier and more wonderful than ever.
There is never a moment to relax in a Ransom book and The People Next Door is no exception. Never that moment where you think you've got it all worked out. Sure, you have your theories and sometimes they're close but there's always something else, something hidden, waiti...more
There is never a moment to relax in a Ransom book and The People Next Door is no exception. Never that moment where you think you've got it all worked out. Sure, you have your theories and sometimes they're close but there's always something else, something hidden, waiti...more
I half guessed the ending halfway through. It did not shock. It was poorly constructed, there was zero real in depth character development, I didn't care about anyone, everything was only half depicted, there were huge gaps, plot holes, it got astoundingly ridiculous, and then the ending was barely there. Adhered it failed to be eerie our suspenseful. Took absolutely ages to start or follow in any way. Do not read.
2 likes · like · see review
Good idea but the convoluted storylines made it difficult to get into, and almost impossible to empathise with the characters.
I was sceptical about the unforseeable 'shocking twist', but I have to admit that I didn't see it coming.
Definitely an improvement on The Birthing House, but it could have done with 100-200 pages being edited out. This would have made for a much sharper & punchier storyline.
I was sceptical about the unforseeable 'shocking twist', but I have to admit that I didn't see it coming.
Definitely an improvement on The Birthing House, but it could have done with 100-200 pages being edited out. This would have made for a much sharper & punchier storyline.
No idea if this is a 'good read' or not as I gave up after two chapters. This was mainly due to the spelling mistakes!!! And I don't mean the UK/US spelling differences, I mean full blown grammatically incorrect spellings! "The rope was taught?!!" Really?!! Not 'taut' then?!! Truly awful, couldn't read another word after that one popped up!!
1 like · like · see review
If I'm honest, there were times while reading this book that I got quite freaked out, it is a scary story after all, I really liked this book mostly because, well I can't say because I'm not spoiling it for anyone, the twist nearish to the end is literally something to make your jaw drop.
Read this book if you're into horror/psycological stories.
Read this book if you're into horror/psycological stories.
I did enjoy this book. The opening really caught my attention, then I felt the pace was a little slow (for me, this is just personal preference)after that until the last third of the book. I really enjoyed the last third of the book the most and the ending was satisfying. The story was an interesting concept. I didn't find it overly frightening or gory.
Via http://onlectus.blogspot.com/2013/05/...
A family goes on a trip to the beach and the father, Mick, has an "accident" and almost drowned. After they go back home, Mick starts seeing strange thing in the house next to theirs. The house used to be empty and now is not. Who are those people and where they came from?
Everybody in the family has their own thing going on, but I didn't care for anybody and just got bored of their chit-chat. The story is supposed to be creepy but I didn't get that fee...more
A family goes on a trip to the beach and the father, Mick, has an "accident" and almost drowned. After they go back home, Mick starts seeing strange thing in the house next to theirs. The house used to be empty and now is not. Who are those people and where they came from?
Everybody in the family has their own thing going on, but I didn't care for anybody and just got bored of their chit-chat. The story is supposed to be creepy but I didn't get that fee...more
Bleugh- this book was awful, I have to say. After spending time reading the back cover, I was ready for a really good, 'scary' read, and was disppointed by this novel, due to its over-contrived story line, lack of any interesting characters, and the fact that it really had, well... no plot. And no point. Well.
It's tough times for Boulder couple Mick and Amy Nash. Money is tight, their business is failing, and now they've got weird new neighbors to deal with next door.
Completely unexpected! There is no way you'll figure out what's going on! Ransom is doing fantastic things and I look forward to each of his new works.
Completely unexpected! There is no way you'll figure out what's going on! Ransom is doing fantastic things and I look forward to each of his new works.
Finally i got thru and quite liked it....certainly stayed with me for some time afterwards.....
Got confused at times with the writing styles and vague leads or threats.....twas a twist at the end which i had not been expecting.....
First review i made while still reading it was...not worth reading....but i had to delete that because i found it quite a good read after all....a somewot different story.
Got confused at times with the writing styles and vague leads or threats.....twas a twist at the end which i had not been expecting.....
First review i made while still reading it was...not worth reading....but i had to delete that because i found it quite a good read after all....a somewot different story.
Could have been better. I just didn't care about the characters enough. Good twist, but not (as it claims) 'the most electrifying twist ending in years.' That goes to Mygale by Thierry Jonquet. Nor is it 'the most terrifying, unforgettable novel you'll read all year.' I've already read two more terrifying, unforgettable novels this year and it's only the beginning of March.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A 'Purpose' to Horror? | 2 | 17 | 23. Februar, 03:58 Uhr |
08. November, 02:06 Uhr
24. Januar, 04:55 Uhr