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The New Neighbours
You know your neighbours are plotting a crime but no one believes you . . .
When Lena helps her teenage son gather sounds for his media studies project, she doesn't expect her boom-microphone to pick up a conversation between her neighbours, the Morgans.
And she’s certain they are planning a crime.
Her family and friends tell her that she must have misheard. After all, the Morgans are a well-respected, upstanding couple in their early sixties. They’ve never been in trouble with the law.
Yet Lena can’t stop thinking about it. Because what if she hasn’t misheard? What if she can prevent something awful happening?
After all, stopping it could help ease her conscience about her own dark past . . .
When Lena helps her teenage son gather sounds for his media studies project, she doesn't expect her boom-microphone to pick up a conversation between her neighbours, the Morgans.
And she’s certain they are planning a crime.
Her family and friends tell her that she must have misheard. After all, the Morgans are a well-respected, upstanding couple in their early sixties. They’ve never been in trouble with the law.
Yet Lena can’t stop thinking about it. Because what if she hasn’t misheard? What if she can prevent something awful happening?
After all, stopping it could help ease her conscience about her own dark past . . .
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2025
1542 people are currently reading
16540 people want to read
About the author
Claire Douglas
18 books5,940 followersClaire Douglas always wanted to write novels and, after many years of trying to get published, her dream came true when she won the Marie Claire Debut Novel Award in 2013 with THE SISTERS.
Her second and third novels, LOCAL GIRL MISSING and LAST SEEN ALIVE (Penguin), are Sunday Times bestsellers.
Her second and third novels, LOCAL GIRL MISSING and LAST SEEN ALIVE (Penguin), are Sunday Times bestsellers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,150 reviews
October 21, 2025
Like her previous gripping mysteries, Claire Douglas does not just meet expectations—she leapfrogs them. This is a perfectly sinister slow-burn told through multiple POVs and timelines (some deliciously unreliable), and the prose has that magnetic, “one more chapter” pull. The hook is immediate, the tension is calibrated with surgeon-steady hands, and by the time the truth surfaces, your pulse will be doing cardio.
What it’s about (spoiler-light)
Lena, mid-forties and newly separated from her rock-star husband Charley, has just sent her son Rufus off to university. She’s working part-time for Citizens Advice, trying to make peace with the quiet of her house—and the louder questions about who she is when no one needs her. Enter the neighbors: the impeccably respectable Henry Morgan (a surgeon) and his polished, old-money wife Marielle.
When Lena borrows Rufus’s old-school recorder (he uses it for field sound), it accidentally picks up a private conversation next door—snippets that sound a lot like a plan involving a woman, and not a legal one. She tries to shake it off, until a client named Drew mentions his sister is missing… and that she used to work with Henry Morgan. Drew swears the doctor lied about her departure, and a blue car—just like the Morgans’—was tailing her before she vanished.
Curiosity becomes vigilance; vigilance becomes obsession. Is Lena projecting loneliness onto a shadowplay she’s invented, or are her elder, eminently respectable neighbors actually hiding something chilling? To investigate is to trespass—on property, on privacy, and on the fragile life Lena is barely holding together.
Why it works
Structure that bites: The novel unfolds in three parts, and each section detonates with a twist I did not see coming. The final reveal? Icy enough to make your blood run cold.
Voice & momentum: Douglas’s writing is knife-clean yet empathetic—no filler, just scene after scene that tightens the vise. The “hook and sink” effect is real; once caught, you’re in.
A heroine you feel: Lena’s ache—emptiness, embarrassment, the way silence echoes after a child leaves—rings heartbreakingly true. You get why her focus drifts to the house next door. And you keep asking: Would I look away—or would I dig?
Moral fog: Is Lena an unreliable witness, biased by hurt, or the only person willing to name what she sees? The book lives in that electric gray zone where doubt and danger overlap.
Creepy-neighbor perfection: Henry and Marielle are pitch-perfect: cordial, immaculate, and somehow… off. The social choreography of driveways, hedges, and half-smiles becomes its own thriller.
Themes that linger
Loneliness vs. vigilance: When you’re isolated, observation can feel like purpose. Where’s the line between being a good neighbor and becoming a watchman no one asked for?
Power, reputation, and who gets believed: A beloved surgeon, a beautiful wife, an ordinary woman next door—the optics alone shape what people choose to “know.”
The cost of curiosity: Truth-telling here isn’t noble; it’s hazardous. Every answer extracts a price.
Craft notes
Multiple POVs/timelines: Clear, propulsive, never confusing. Douglas uses them to plant fair-play clues you’ll only recognize in hindsight.
Pacing: A true slow burn—but not a soft one. Suspicion accrues grain by grain until the avalanche hits.
Set-piece turns: Each part lands with a reveal that forces you to re-read earlier assumptions. I love when a mystery respects the reader enough to beat us fairly.
Final take
I raced through this and loved every minute—especially the final quarter, which is all edge, no slack. Smart. Twisty. Nerve-tensing. Claire Douglas delivers a razor-sharp suburban nightmare that asks whether seeing is believing—or just the first step toward danger.
Five “won’t-you-be-my-neighbor?” stars. And if you hear something through the wall after finishing… maybe don’t press record.
A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for sharing this smart thriller’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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What it’s about (spoiler-light)
Lena, mid-forties and newly separated from her rock-star husband Charley, has just sent her son Rufus off to university. She’s working part-time for Citizens Advice, trying to make peace with the quiet of her house—and the louder questions about who she is when no one needs her. Enter the neighbors: the impeccably respectable Henry Morgan (a surgeon) and his polished, old-money wife Marielle.
When Lena borrows Rufus’s old-school recorder (he uses it for field sound), it accidentally picks up a private conversation next door—snippets that sound a lot like a plan involving a woman, and not a legal one. She tries to shake it off, until a client named Drew mentions his sister is missing… and that she used to work with Henry Morgan. Drew swears the doctor lied about her departure, and a blue car—just like the Morgans’—was tailing her before she vanished.
Curiosity becomes vigilance; vigilance becomes obsession. Is Lena projecting loneliness onto a shadowplay she’s invented, or are her elder, eminently respectable neighbors actually hiding something chilling? To investigate is to trespass—on property, on privacy, and on the fragile life Lena is barely holding together.
Why it works
Structure that bites: The novel unfolds in three parts, and each section detonates with a twist I did not see coming. The final reveal? Icy enough to make your blood run cold.
Voice & momentum: Douglas’s writing is knife-clean yet empathetic—no filler, just scene after scene that tightens the vise. The “hook and sink” effect is real; once caught, you’re in.
A heroine you feel: Lena’s ache—emptiness, embarrassment, the way silence echoes after a child leaves—rings heartbreakingly true. You get why her focus drifts to the house next door. And you keep asking: Would I look away—or would I dig?
Moral fog: Is Lena an unreliable witness, biased by hurt, or the only person willing to name what she sees? The book lives in that electric gray zone where doubt and danger overlap.
Creepy-neighbor perfection: Henry and Marielle are pitch-perfect: cordial, immaculate, and somehow… off. The social choreography of driveways, hedges, and half-smiles becomes its own thriller.
Themes that linger
Loneliness vs. vigilance: When you’re isolated, observation can feel like purpose. Where’s the line between being a good neighbor and becoming a watchman no one asked for?
Power, reputation, and who gets believed: A beloved surgeon, a beautiful wife, an ordinary woman next door—the optics alone shape what people choose to “know.”
The cost of curiosity: Truth-telling here isn’t noble; it’s hazardous. Every answer extracts a price.
Craft notes
Multiple POVs/timelines: Clear, propulsive, never confusing. Douglas uses them to plant fair-play clues you’ll only recognize in hindsight.
Pacing: A true slow burn—but not a soft one. Suspicion accrues grain by grain until the avalanche hits.
Set-piece turns: Each part lands with a reveal that forces you to re-read earlier assumptions. I love when a mystery respects the reader enough to beat us fairly.
Final take
I raced through this and loved every minute—especially the final quarter, which is all edge, no slack. Smart. Twisty. Nerve-tensing. Claire Douglas delivers a razor-sharp suburban nightmare that asks whether seeing is believing—or just the first step toward danger.
Five “won’t-you-be-my-neighbor?” stars. And if you hear something through the wall after finishing… maybe don’t press record.
A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for sharing this smart thriller’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
January 22, 2025
This was a largely frustrating read for me. Whilst I enjoyed the story, there was an aspect of the writing which is my absolute pet peeve in a book which I will explain further below. In order to do so, I will give an example from the book and, whilst this will not be a spoiler, you may not want to read if you don't want to know anything about the book before you read.
The New Neighbours tells the story of Lena who lives with her son, 17 year old Rufus and who welcomes her new neighbours who have recently moved in next door. One night whilst helping Rufus recording sounds for his school work, Lena accidentally records a conversation between her new neighbours which suggests they are up to no good. Lena doesn't quite believe it - the couple are elderly and retired and, at first, Lena thinks she has it all wrong. Until strange things happen around her house and the neighbourhood which force her to confront her initial feelings...
All good so far? Yeah, it was for me.
However, what I really disliked about the book was just how overwritten it was and how much unnecessary exposition it contained.
For example, and this reveals a very small part of the story, there is a scene where Lena sees one of her neighbours talking to a client of hers from her job at the Citizens Advice Bureau. She then writes about how this 'surely can't be a coincidence', 'couldn't they have spoken on the phone?' 'why did they meet in person for 15 minutes?' - as the reader, when these two people met, it gave an element of surprise (much like Lena felt) and you knew that it couldn't be a coincidence - I don't think we needed to be told that it couldn't be a coincidence or that it was strange they met for so long.
I get that she is trying to convey Lena's thoughts but I think the reader could have understood what Lena's feelings would have been at that point without the unnecessary rhetorical questions.
There is a similar part when she catches the neighbour out in a lie. Again, we hear from Lena 'does this mean I can't trust her?' 'Is everything she told me a lie?' - I just felt we were being told unnecessarily every thought in Lena's head when the reader would have gotten there anyway.
I probably haven't explained that too well but it is a pet peeve of mine when the reader is told what everyone is thinking and feeling rather than telling the story and letting the reader get there themselves.
It wasn't a bad book and many seem to love it but it just wasn't really for me
The New Neighbours tells the story of Lena who lives with her son, 17 year old Rufus and who welcomes her new neighbours who have recently moved in next door. One night whilst helping Rufus recording sounds for his school work, Lena accidentally records a conversation between her new neighbours which suggests they are up to no good. Lena doesn't quite believe it - the couple are elderly and retired and, at first, Lena thinks she has it all wrong. Until strange things happen around her house and the neighbourhood which force her to confront her initial feelings...
All good so far? Yeah, it was for me.
However, what I really disliked about the book was just how overwritten it was and how much unnecessary exposition it contained.
For example, and this reveals a very small part of the story, there is a scene where Lena sees one of her neighbours talking to a client of hers from her job at the Citizens Advice Bureau. She then writes about how this 'surely can't be a coincidence', 'couldn't they have spoken on the phone?' 'why did they meet in person for 15 minutes?' - as the reader, when these two people met, it gave an element of surprise (much like Lena felt) and you knew that it couldn't be a coincidence - I don't think we needed to be told that it couldn't be a coincidence or that it was strange they met for so long.
I get that she is trying to convey Lena's thoughts but I think the reader could have understood what Lena's feelings would have been at that point without the unnecessary rhetorical questions.
There is a similar part when she catches the neighbour out in a lie. Again, we hear from Lena 'does this mean I can't trust her?' 'Is everything she told me a lie?' - I just felt we were being told unnecessarily every thought in Lena's head when the reader would have gotten there anyway.
I probably haven't explained that too well but it is a pet peeve of mine when the reader is told what everyone is thinking and feeling rather than telling the story and letting the reader get there themselves.
It wasn't a bad book and many seem to love it but it just wasn't really for me
April 16, 2025
This book sounded so promising but fell so flat for me.
The prose was overly descriptive in the most inane way and there were so many unnecessary things that not only did not add to the plot, they either left gaping plot holes or were just an absolute chore to slough through.
For example, Lena noticing a new flower tattoo on Jo's wrist, which ended up having no bearing on the plot AT ALL. They didn't even have a throwaway conversation about it. The author also took such pains to tell us how Jo loves dyeing her hair and wearing brightly coloured clothes to defy expectations of a barrister...yet Jo never actually did anything wild or outlandish beyond her hair and clothes and tattoos. In fact, she was the one who kept telling Lena to be careful. Why set up this whole thing about Jo being more carefree when it didn't even matter?
[Slight spoiler here] Then there was the whole thing with Drew, only for her to end up being friendly with him again at the end and no explanation as to who ratted her out to Susi? Huh????
Finally. The MC. Lena. I could not care less if she ended up getting electrocuted by lightning on a sunny day and back flipping off a cliff to her death because of how incredibly boring and stupid she is.
[More spoilers here] I cannot stand how she's all "woe is me I asked for a separation and now my husband is seeing someone else SEVEN MONTHS LATER even though I only asked for the separation because I wanted him to fight for me", "oh my husband ended his new relationship to get back with me but actually I was right about asking for a separation even though I spent 80% of the book moping about not having him in my life anymore and feeling bitter that he had moved on", "poor me I fought with my ex-boss and quit my job because her kid bullied my kid oh hold on it was all a misunderstanding because I didn't give my kid a chance to explain anything to me", "oh I'm so smart I'm going to investigate the neighbour's house and FORGET TO BRING MY PHONE WITH ME". Ugh. I've never wanted to throttle a fictional character more.
0.5 star but since I can't do that, 1 star.
The prose was overly descriptive in the most inane way and there were so many unnecessary things that not only did not add to the plot, they either left gaping plot holes or were just an absolute chore to slough through.
For example, Lena noticing a new flower tattoo on Jo's wrist, which ended up having no bearing on the plot AT ALL. They didn't even have a throwaway conversation about it. The author also took such pains to tell us how Jo loves dyeing her hair and wearing brightly coloured clothes to defy expectations of a barrister...yet Jo never actually did anything wild or outlandish beyond her hair and clothes and tattoos. In fact, she was the one who kept telling Lena to be careful. Why set up this whole thing about Jo being more carefree when it didn't even matter?
[Slight spoiler here] Then there was the whole thing with Drew, only for her to end up being friendly with him again at the end and no explanation as to who ratted her out to Susi? Huh????
Finally. The MC. Lena. I could not care less if she ended up getting electrocuted by lightning on a sunny day and back flipping off a cliff to her death because of how incredibly boring and stupid she is.
[More spoilers here] I cannot stand how she's all "woe is me I asked for a separation and now my husband is seeing someone else SEVEN MONTHS LATER even though I only asked for the separation because I wanted him to fight for me", "oh my husband ended his new relationship to get back with me but actually I was right about asking for a separation even though I spent 80% of the book moping about not having him in my life anymore and feeling bitter that he had moved on", "poor me I fought with my ex-boss and quit my job because her kid bullied my kid oh hold on it was all a misunderstanding because I didn't give my kid a chance to explain anything to me", "oh I'm so smart I'm going to investigate the neighbour's house and FORGET TO BRING MY PHONE WITH ME". Ugh. I've never wanted to throttle a fictional character more.
0.5 star but since I can't do that, 1 star.
July 9, 2025
So many neighborhood books, so little time!
This dark, twisty, and intricately plotted neighborhood book is a standout.
What happens when a deeply flawed female protagonist overhears a dodgy conversation between her new next-door neighbors?
Unfolding from multiple POVs and timelines, clues and misdirections are expertly planted in both timelines to heighten the suspense.
Although the ending was eye-rolling, overall, the book was a satisfying and suspense-filled read.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Sophie Rundle, Kristin Atherton, Justin Avoth, and
Sebastian Humphreys.
Full-cast audiobook narrations are always a treat, and all narrators gave superb performances.
4,5 stars
October 7, 2025
3.5⭐️
As always with thrillers I was hoping for a bit more with the ending & the twists but it was definitely a page turner!
This follows Lena going through a divorce, and her son moving out soon to go to uni, so she feels like she’s losing everything and gets tied up into what she over hears her new neighbours saying one day by accident, and thinks they’re planning a crime
Marielle & Henry seem like the perfect couple from the outside but they both hold dark secrets, as well as Lena’s past being tied in but she can’t figure out entirely all of the connections!
This was good until it became a bit predictable at the end but I find that happens with a lot of domestic thrillers for me anyway it takes a lot to completely blow me away 🤣
As always with thrillers I was hoping for a bit more with the ending & the twists but it was definitely a page turner!
This follows Lena going through a divorce, and her son moving out soon to go to uni, so she feels like she’s losing everything and gets tied up into what she over hears her new neighbours saying one day by accident, and thinks they’re planning a crime
Marielle & Henry seem like the perfect couple from the outside but they both hold dark secrets, as well as Lena’s past being tied in but she can’t figure out entirely all of the connections!
This was good until it became a bit predictable at the end but I find that happens with a lot of domestic thrillers for me anyway it takes a lot to completely blow me away 🤣
January 30, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up - thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest feedback!
Publishes March 13th. I thought this book was entertaining. However, based on what little information Lena overheard I found the fact that she then obsesses over it a bit much. So, throughout I was trying to figure out what she may be hiding that would have her so deeply intrigued because it really just didn’t make sense to me.
We get a few different POVs in the story and a couple different timelines, then they all come together in the end which is something I really enjoy in a book.
I thought this book was intricate and tense, but I had a bit of a hard time connecting to the characters. I think it’s a really solid thriller mystery, but I wasn’t blown away.
This was my 7th book by this author and probably my second to least favorite
Video: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT22GKEUT/
Publishes March 13th. I thought this book was entertaining. However, based on what little information Lena overheard I found the fact that she then obsesses over it a bit much. So, throughout I was trying to figure out what she may be hiding that would have her so deeply intrigued because it really just didn’t make sense to me.
We get a few different POVs in the story and a couple different timelines, then they all come together in the end which is something I really enjoy in a book.
I thought this book was intricate and tense, but I had a bit of a hard time connecting to the characters. I think it’s a really solid thriller mystery, but I wasn’t blown away.
This was my 7th book by this author and probably my second to least favorite
Video: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT22GKEUT/
March 8, 2025
If you are prepared to remember this is fiction and so not question the likelihood of what is happening actually happening, the coincidences and the tall tale plot then it is a good read,certainly well written and with interesting characters
And who doesn’t love a book about new neighbours? I LOVE books that involve them and street dynamics and who gets on with who etc
One thing got to say is that old problem of flushing was present, at one point both characters were doing it ( male and female ) hot flushes here, a flush creeping up there and you got the feeling everyone flushed at least hourly
Involved some emotional subjects and by lines that were handled well
I guess I would say not believable in parts but written well enough to enjoy none the less
And who doesn’t love a book about new neighbours? I LOVE books that involve them and street dynamics and who gets on with who etc
One thing got to say is that old problem of flushing was present, at one point both characters were doing it ( male and female ) hot flushes here, a flush creeping up there and you got the feeling everyone flushed at least hourly
Involved some emotional subjects and by lines that were handled well
I guess I would say not believable in parts but written well enough to enjoy none the less
February 13, 2025
Lena helps her teenage son Rufus gather sounds for his media studies project. The boom-microphone picks up a conversation between her neighbours, the Morgans. And she’s certain they are planning a crime. Her friends and family tell her she must have misheard, but she is not so sure!
This was such a page turner! Claire Douglas is a great story teller. It was a difficult book to put down and it constantly held my attention.
Main character Lena definitely crosses the line a lot which added to the enjoyment of the story.
There are multiple POVs which come together really well towards the end. I did feel the ending was a little rushed and could have done with another twist.
There’s not much else I can say really but this was an enjoyable and easy thriller read!
This was such a page turner! Claire Douglas is a great story teller. It was a difficult book to put down and it constantly held my attention.
Main character Lena definitely crosses the line a lot which added to the enjoyment of the story.
There are multiple POVs which come together really well towards the end. I did feel the ending was a little rushed and could have done with another twist.
There’s not much else I can say really but this was an enjoyable and easy thriller read!
March 13, 2025
Review to follow nearer publication date.
‘You know your neighbours are plotting a crime but no one believes you . . .’
Lena and her son Rufus live together after Lena splits from her husband. When they get new neighbours they are pleased that they seem a nice older couple . When Lena accidentally overhears a conversation between them she suspects something isn’t right.
I really enjoyed this story and always find Claire Douglas books suspenseful.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
‘You know your neighbours are plotting a crime but no one believes you . . .’
Lena and her son Rufus live together after Lena splits from her husband. When they get new neighbours they are pleased that they seem a nice older couple . When Lena accidentally overhears a conversation between them she suspects something isn’t right.
I really enjoyed this story and always find Claire Douglas books suspenseful.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
December 30, 2024
Wowee wow. The most gripping book I've read in a while, I flew through the final 200 pages in one sitting. Claire always follows through on the big twists. Consider me SPOOKED.
November 7, 2025
Claire Douglas is always an instant read for me and her latest psychological thriller is just as enjoyable.
The plot follows Lena who has recently separated from her husband and is dreading the day that her son goes off to University.
The have a great close relationship which includes watching films, as a cinephile myself it was fun to pick out all the various movies.
Another intresting aspect of Lena's life is that she works at Citizen's Advice only 3 days a week, as her life is reaching a crossroads she's desperate to pick up more hours.
The whole mystery surrounds her new neighbours the Morgan's who seem nice, but Lena overhears a conversation as she's helping her son with a media project that feels like they're planning something.
A nice straightforward plot with intresting characters, it's another enjoyable read from Douglas.
The plot follows Lena who has recently separated from her husband and is dreading the day that her son goes off to University.
The have a great close relationship which includes watching films, as a cinephile myself it was fun to pick out all the various movies.
Another intresting aspect of Lena's life is that she works at Citizen's Advice only 3 days a week, as her life is reaching a crossroads she's desperate to pick up more hours.
The whole mystery surrounds her new neighbours the Morgan's who seem nice, but Lena overhears a conversation as she's helping her son with a media project that feels like they're planning something.
A nice straightforward plot with intresting characters, it's another enjoyable read from Douglas.
January 19, 2025
It’s always a bit of a nervous time when you get new neighbours. Will they turn out to be the neighbours from hell? You would think Lena would be pleased to have a retired couple moving in, no loud parties to worry about. On first appearances the Morgan’s seem like a nice respectable couple but when Lena overhears a conversation between the pair that she isn’t meant to hear, alarm bells start ringing.
Lena starts to become slightly obsessed with her new neighbours and what they could be up to. It starts to take over her life with her taking risks. Even when her son, ex and best friend all tell her to let it go, the more she sees of her neighbours, the more determined she becomes to get answers. There is no way I would ever have guessed at what this couple were up to. There is such a tangled web of lies that has you not knowing what to think. All I know is that I was as invested in this couple as Lena was although I did fear for her life more than a few times through out the story.
The New Neighbours was a tense and consuming story. I read it in one day as I had to know what the Morgan’s were up to. I particularly enjoyed the thread to do with Lena’s son, Rufus which had it’s on surprises in store. Overall this was an immensely tense read that had me on the edge of my seat as we get closer to discovering the truth with so many twists and turns towards the end. It was highly compulsive with the pacing ramping up relentlessly. Suspenseful and engrossing with every page turned, Claire Douglas is a master when it comes to gripping psychological thrillers!
Lena starts to become slightly obsessed with her new neighbours and what they could be up to. It starts to take over her life with her taking risks. Even when her son, ex and best friend all tell her to let it go, the more she sees of her neighbours, the more determined she becomes to get answers. There is no way I would ever have guessed at what this couple were up to. There is such a tangled web of lies that has you not knowing what to think. All I know is that I was as invested in this couple as Lena was although I did fear for her life more than a few times through out the story.
The New Neighbours was a tense and consuming story. I read it in one day as I had to know what the Morgan’s were up to. I particularly enjoyed the thread to do with Lena’s son, Rufus which had it’s on surprises in store. Overall this was an immensely tense read that had me on the edge of my seat as we get closer to discovering the truth with so many twists and turns towards the end. It was highly compulsive with the pacing ramping up relentlessly. Suspenseful and engrossing with every page turned, Claire Douglas is a master when it comes to gripping psychological thrillers!
February 11, 2025
Lena lives with her teenage son Rufus after recently separated from her husband Charlie. Rufus is about to set off to Uni and Lena feels a bit lonely. But she is happy when she sees she has new neighbours retired Doctor Henry and his wife Marella. But she soon finds out that the couple are not as they appear to be when Lena whilst in the garden overhears her neighbours plotting a crime. She tells her nearest and dearest what she overheard, and they warn her to be careful. But Lena can’t get it out of her head the conversation she heard and sets off to investigate.
Thank you, the publisher, for a copy of Claire Douglas latest novel. I have read most of the authors work and like her others this does not disappoint. This is a tense, gripping thriller. The storyline is well thought out and has lots of twists and turns that keeps to guessing and wanting more. I was just a bit disappointed at the ending. It wasn’t so much a big reveal at the end but a satisfying one nevertheless. 4 stars from me
Thank you, the publisher, for a copy of Claire Douglas latest novel. I have read most of the authors work and like her others this does not disappoint. This is a tense, gripping thriller. The storyline is well thought out and has lots of twists and turns that keeps to guessing and wanting more. I was just a bit disappointed at the ending. It wasn’t so much a big reveal at the end but a satisfying one nevertheless. 4 stars from me
July 3, 2025
Lena lives in Bristol, in the house that she shared with her husband, Charlie - until they recently split up – and teenage son, Rufus.
New neighbours move in next door, a friendly retired couple called Henry, who was an eminent surgeon, and Marielle. They have a baby grandson who they look after once a week, although Marielle isn’t too keen on people getting a close look into his pram.
Rufus is going out and asks his mum to help with his current school project, which involves recording nighttime nature noises in the garden. Lena does this and then realises that the microphone has picked up snippets of a strange conversation between Henry and Marielle. Lena is then far too nosy and gets involved in a story with lots of twists and turns.
New neighbours move in next door, a friendly retired couple called Henry, who was an eminent surgeon, and Marielle. They have a baby grandson who they look after once a week, although Marielle isn’t too keen on people getting a close look into his pram.
Rufus is going out and asks his mum to help with his current school project, which involves recording nighttime nature noises in the garden. Lena does this and then realises that the microphone has picked up snippets of a strange conversation between Henry and Marielle. Lena is then far too nosy and gets involved in a story with lots of twists and turns.
October 7, 2025
4 Stars
I think this is my second book by this author and liked it.
A different take on a neighbourhood thriller.
Lana introduces herself to the new neighbours Henry and Marbella but starts to suspect they aren't who they seem when she sees odd things happen.
The book goes back to Henry and Lana's past which aren't related until further into the book.
The characters were well written and the story has a good twist at the end.
I think this is my second book by this author and liked it.
A different take on a neighbourhood thriller.
Lana introduces herself to the new neighbours Henry and Marbella but starts to suspect they aren't who they seem when she sees odd things happen.
The book goes back to Henry and Lana's past which aren't related until further into the book.
The characters were well written and the story has a good twist at the end.
October 14, 2025
3 stars
I like Claire Douglas's books. They are entertaining reads, despite being a bit predictable, repetitive at times with over the top endings. She's a fine writer and I usually get sucked in the story.
I enjoyed this book as it has quite a few things going on and some are harder to see or anticipate.
I like Claire Douglas's books. They are entertaining reads, despite being a bit predictable, repetitive at times with over the top endings. She's a fine writer and I usually get sucked in the story.
I enjoyed this book as it has quite a few things going on and some are harder to see or anticipate.
February 12, 2025
I have not read a Claire Douglas book since 2023. I am not sure why I have not read more of this author’s books; her stories are gripping and well-plotted. I must remember to add more of her books to my TBR pile.
Claire Douglas delivers a compelling domestic thriller with The New Neighbours, a story that blends suspense, secrets, and a touch of paranoia. The novel keeps readers on edge, questioning what’s real and what’s imagined, making it a captivating page-turner.
Lena is a relatable and complex protagonist, and her inner conflict adds depth to the story. Her discovery of the suspicious conversation through the boom microphone is such a simple yet effective premise, pulling readers into her growing obsession with uncovering the truth. The Morgans, seemingly perfect neighbours, are written with just the right amount of mystery to make you second-guess their intentions at every turn.
The strength of this book lies in its layered storytelling. While the central mystery involving the Morgans is compelling, the exploration of Lena’s own dark past adds another dimension. It’s not just about uncovering the truth but also about redemption and how guilt can cloud one’s judgment.
Douglas creates an atmosphere of unease, and the tension builds steadily throughout the novel. The pacing is excellent, with twists and turns that keep you guessing. Even when you think you’ve figured it out, Douglas throws in another curveball that makes you question everything.
The only reason this isn’t a five-star read is that the ending while satisfying, felt slightly rushed. The New Neighbours is a gripping, thought-provoking thriller that will leave you questioning the seemingly normal people around you. It’s perfect for fans of domestic suspense who enjoy twists, secrets, and a protagonist struggling with her own demons.
https://featzreviews.com/the-new-neig...
Claire Douglas delivers a compelling domestic thriller with The New Neighbours, a story that blends suspense, secrets, and a touch of paranoia. The novel keeps readers on edge, questioning what’s real and what’s imagined, making it a captivating page-turner.
Lena is a relatable and complex protagonist, and her inner conflict adds depth to the story. Her discovery of the suspicious conversation through the boom microphone is such a simple yet effective premise, pulling readers into her growing obsession with uncovering the truth. The Morgans, seemingly perfect neighbours, are written with just the right amount of mystery to make you second-guess their intentions at every turn.
The strength of this book lies in its layered storytelling. While the central mystery involving the Morgans is compelling, the exploration of Lena’s own dark past adds another dimension. It’s not just about uncovering the truth but also about redemption and how guilt can cloud one’s judgment.
Douglas creates an atmosphere of unease, and the tension builds steadily throughout the novel. The pacing is excellent, with twists and turns that keep you guessing. Even when you think you’ve figured it out, Douglas throws in another curveball that makes you question everything.
The only reason this isn’t a five-star read is that the ending while satisfying, felt slightly rushed. The New Neighbours is a gripping, thought-provoking thriller that will leave you questioning the seemingly normal people around you. It’s perfect for fans of domestic suspense who enjoy twists, secrets, and a protagonist struggling with her own demons.
https://featzreviews.com/the-new-neig...
January 26, 2025
The blurb:
When Lena overhears a conversation between her next-door-neighbours she thinks she must have misheard.
After all, the Morgans are a kind, retired couple who have moved to a suburban street in Bristol where nothing ever happens. But it sounded like they were planning a crime.
Her family and friends tell her that she’s made a mistake.
Yet Lena can’t stop thinking about it.
Because what if they are about to do something terrible?
What if she can prevent it?
And what if, in doing so, it might help ease her conscience about her own dark past . . .
My thoughts:
OMG what a book! Claire has done it again!! Wow!
I love Claire’s storytelling. The way she weaves the story, leaving little hints about what could be going on, whilst keeping you guessing about what might happen next… The story is fairly fast paced and mysterious and twisty!
I had a few theories going on in my head as I read, the end of part 2 confirmed a theory I’d had early on but dismissed!
A great story.
Really enjoyed this one. Claire is an auto buy author for me, so I am feeling incredibly grateful to Claire Douglas and Michael J Books for the early proof of this one to read.
This is one you need to add to your tbr!
When Lena overhears a conversation between her next-door-neighbours she thinks she must have misheard.
After all, the Morgans are a kind, retired couple who have moved to a suburban street in Bristol where nothing ever happens. But it sounded like they were planning a crime.
Her family and friends tell her that she’s made a mistake.
Yet Lena can’t stop thinking about it.
Because what if they are about to do something terrible?
What if she can prevent it?
And what if, in doing so, it might help ease her conscience about her own dark past . . .
My thoughts:
OMG what a book! Claire has done it again!! Wow!
I love Claire’s storytelling. The way she weaves the story, leaving little hints about what could be going on, whilst keeping you guessing about what might happen next… The story is fairly fast paced and mysterious and twisty!
I had a few theories going on in my head as I read, the end of part 2 confirmed a theory I’d had early on but dismissed!
A great story.
Really enjoyed this one. Claire is an auto buy author for me, so I am feeling incredibly grateful to Claire Douglas and Michael J Books for the early proof of this one to read.
This is one you need to add to your tbr!
June 19, 2025
A good, solid thriller/mystery. Perfect for a quick read.
Read
December 18, 2025Kindled.
Claire Douglas is such a good writer. She truly knows how to get into the heads of her characters. Whether their intentions are good or evil, the majority of people who populate her novels are multi-faceted, well-drawn, and oft-times relatable. In this particular story, I was quite touched by the maternally-fraught tug of war Lena felt toward her son Rufus. The emotions and actions surrounding her marriage to Charlie, though vague, felt thoroughly organic.
That said, the longer I read, the more restless I grew with the tale. I had a sense of where it was heading but the ultimate twist/reasoning for all the suspense felt disjointed, confusing and oh so needless. So much intricate planning went into what was such a simple quest. I didn't get why they didn't just knock on the door and ask, ffs.
Claire Douglas is such a good writer. She truly knows how to get into the heads of her characters. Whether their intentions are good or evil, the majority of people who populate her novels are multi-faceted, well-drawn, and oft-times relatable. In this particular story, I was quite touched by the maternally-fraught tug of war Lena felt toward her son Rufus. The emotions and actions surrounding her marriage to Charlie, though vague, felt thoroughly organic.
That said, the longer I read, the more restless I grew with the tale. I had a sense of where it was heading but the ultimate twist/reasoning for all the suspense felt disjointed, confusing and oh so needless. So much intricate planning went into what was such a simple quest. I didn't get why they didn't just knock on the door and ask, ffs.
January 23, 2025
The New Neighbours by Claire Douglas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolutely loved this book. Couldn’t stop reading and had me holding my breath at times. Lena has new neighbours move in next door and from the minute she meets them she can tell everything is not as it seems. Highly Highly recommend. Published on 13th March 2025. Thank you to Penguin & Netgalley for an advance copy.
Absolutely loved this book. Couldn’t stop reading and had me holding my breath at times. Lena has new neighbours move in next door and from the minute she meets them she can tell everything is not as it seems. Highly Highly recommend. Published on 13th March 2025. Thank you to Penguin & Netgalley for an advance copy.
August 9, 2025
*https://www.instagram.com/mrsb_book_r...
🏘The New Neighbours is the latest release from British thriller author ClaireDouglas. It signals the seventh novel I have read by this Marie Claire Debut Novel award Winner. A story of misheard conversations, a possible crime, the pursuit for the truth and a haunting dark past, this is an unnerving new tale from the Bristol, based author.
🏘The New Neighbours is a quick and easy read that I managed to knock off in just an evening. The premise was intriguing and soon reeled me in. A woman overhears her neighbours seemingly plotting a crime and this fateful conversation sets off a chain of events surrounded by feelings of deep paranoia, withheld secrets and suspicion. The New Neighbours offers readers a suspenseful unravelling of hidden pasts, private versus public personas and the dangers of jumping to conclusions.
🏘In her new book, Douglas explores themes of obsession, misjudgement, misheard conversations and unreliable impressions. The story considers questions around how well we really know those in our proximity and how our own traumas or assumptions can distort reality. Douglas takes quite a psychological slant to her new novel as she explores how imagination can spiral, particularly in the face of only a small amount of truthful information.
🏘The New Neighbours is told in the format of multiple perspectives and timelines. This seemed to add a complex feeling to the story at hand and it worked to compound the slow reveal process. Lena was a flawed and interesting lead and we watch on as she crosses difficult lines while struggling with her own dark history. Watching how far Lena would step was one of the more interesting aspects of the book along with the final moments of the tale.
🏘Overall, The New Neighbours was okay thriller-mystery with an interesting concept backing it, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It had potential and it didn't leave a lasting impact.
3.5 stars 🌟 🌟🌟
🏘The New Neighbours is the latest release from British thriller author ClaireDouglas. It signals the seventh novel I have read by this Marie Claire Debut Novel award Winner. A story of misheard conversations, a possible crime, the pursuit for the truth and a haunting dark past, this is an unnerving new tale from the Bristol, based author.
🏘The New Neighbours is a quick and easy read that I managed to knock off in just an evening. The premise was intriguing and soon reeled me in. A woman overhears her neighbours seemingly plotting a crime and this fateful conversation sets off a chain of events surrounded by feelings of deep paranoia, withheld secrets and suspicion. The New Neighbours offers readers a suspenseful unravelling of hidden pasts, private versus public personas and the dangers of jumping to conclusions.
🏘In her new book, Douglas explores themes of obsession, misjudgement, misheard conversations and unreliable impressions. The story considers questions around how well we really know those in our proximity and how our own traumas or assumptions can distort reality. Douglas takes quite a psychological slant to her new novel as she explores how imagination can spiral, particularly in the face of only a small amount of truthful information.
🏘The New Neighbours is told in the format of multiple perspectives and timelines. This seemed to add a complex feeling to the story at hand and it worked to compound the slow reveal process. Lena was a flawed and interesting lead and we watch on as she crosses difficult lines while struggling with her own dark history. Watching how far Lena would step was one of the more interesting aspects of the book along with the final moments of the tale.
🏘Overall, The New Neighbours was okay thriller-mystery with an interesting concept backing it, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It had potential and it didn't leave a lasting impact.
3.5 stars 🌟 🌟🌟
April 8, 2025
Nothing really happened for the majority of this book, rather boring characters and sub-plots that weren’t interesting or relevant. What a shame
November 9, 2025
in the past two weeks I have read three books by this author and given each three stars. Run of the mill bog wash.
Lena has separated from her husband Charlie. Her idea not his. She spends most of the book wishing he'd refused to move out and stood up to her instead. She never expected to spend her life without him, she states. Yet at the end when he says, he loves and misses her and basically wants to get back with her, she blows him out 🤣
The plots about an elderly couple next door who are sociopaths who think nothing of killing people to find their lost son. One ex midwife is Lena hence why they've moved in next door, as they guess she knows the whereabouts of their lost child and mean to drug and kill her to find out. Does that sound ludicrous? Of course it does 😄
It's also completely obvious from the first time Lena meets the young man who's accompanying her son Rufus, that he's the long lost son straight off the bat.
Predictable stuff
Lena has separated from her husband Charlie. Her idea not his. She spends most of the book wishing he'd refused to move out and stood up to her instead. She never expected to spend her life without him, she states. Yet at the end when he says, he loves and misses her and basically wants to get back with her, she blows him out 🤣
The plots about an elderly couple next door who are sociopaths who think nothing of killing people to find their lost son. One ex midwife is Lena hence why they've moved in next door, as they guess she knows the whereabouts of their lost child and mean to drug and kill her to find out. Does that sound ludicrous? Of course it does 😄
It's also completely obvious from the first time Lena meets the young man who's accompanying her son Rufus, that he's the long lost son straight off the bat.
Predictable stuff
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2025
I’ve found a new favourite author
April 16, 2025
A bit odd. Like there isn’t really a story? I love this author usually but this was definitely the weakest of all her novels.
August 23, 2025
3.5 I have mixed feelings about this one.
It was a compelling read for the most part and I do love her style of writing. The ending happened so quickly and was a bit odd.
I'd still recommend but it's not my favourite of good old Claire!
It was a compelling read for the most part and I do love her style of writing. The ending happened so quickly and was a bit odd.
I'd still recommend but it's not my favourite of good old Claire!
September 23, 2025
Not my favourite by this author. I was constantly battling the idea that I’d read it before.
Read
June 10, 2025Slightly disappointed. I love this authors books but I felt this one dragged a little. I honestly think it’s because the main character was unlikeable and the ending happened too fast.
April 4, 2025
Just finished listening to this while sick and I don’t know if I would give it more stars if I felt better.
It reads like a Bath Mum’s wet dream. You can see that the author knows the city’s middle class.
The book is a good portrait of an insufferable and self centred ‘mama bear’ (this term is mentioned in the book) from the South West but it lacks the irony that would make it bearable for me. I feel like I know the character in real life and that she would love being the centre of a thrilling crime and the love interest of two men. It rings so true that it feels like a Bath Mum writing fanfiction.
In any case, I was following the mystery and was sort of interested so not much fault in there in an easy I have seen it before way. I don’t mind that books aren’t well written if they are thrilling but this one was overly simplified and it treats the reader like an idiot with constant overwriting and over explaining. The bad guys are not only outlandish but also two dimensional.
I wanted a thrilling easy read and I got disappointed and bothered anyway so you might as well pick up another book.
It reads like a Bath Mum’s wet dream. You can see that the author knows the city’s middle class.
The book is a good portrait of an insufferable and self centred ‘mama bear’ (this term is mentioned in the book) from the South West but it lacks the irony that would make it bearable for me. I feel like I know the character in real life and that she would love being the centre of a thrilling crime and the love interest of two men. It rings so true that it feels like a Bath Mum writing fanfiction.
In any case, I was following the mystery and was sort of interested so not much fault in there in an easy I have seen it before way. I don’t mind that books aren’t well written if they are thrilling but this one was overly simplified and it treats the reader like an idiot with constant overwriting and over explaining. The bad guys are not only outlandish but also two dimensional.
I wanted a thrilling easy read and I got disappointed and bothered anyway so you might as well pick up another book.
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