The Neighbour

by Gemma Rogers

Love thy neighbour or fear thy neighbour?
For myself and Lauren, my 10-year-old daughter No3 Beech Close was to be our refuge after two years of hell nursing my sick mother.

In need of a fresh start and wanting to distance ourselves from the bad memories of my mother’s house we moved to Beech Close, a small cul-de-sac of six houses situated around a picture-perfect green.

It seemed perfect but I had underestimated the secrets that this tightknit community shared.

Within hours of moving in my next-door neighbour Valerie made it abundantly clear we were not welcome.

I soon discovered that Valerie hadn’t welcomed the previous occupant either and she’d since disappeared without a trace.

Had I put myself and my daughter in danger moving to Beech Close?

Which neighbours, if any could I trust?

And how far would they go to keep their secret?

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 5, 2023

About the author

Gemma Rogers is the bestselling author of gripping domestic thrillers that delve into dark secrets, twisted relationships, and shocking betrayals. Her books often explore the hidden dangers lurking behind closed doors in seemingly perfect families and communities.

Writing for Boldwood Books, Gemma has become known for her fast-paced plots, unpredictable twists, and relatable yet flawed characters. Her novels frequently chart in the psychological suspense and crime thriller categories on Amazon.

If you enjoy tense, emotionally-charged thrillers in the vein of Lisa Jewell, B.A. Paris, or K.L. Slater, you’ll feel right at home with Gemma’s books.

When she’s not plotting her next twist, Gemma enjoys include horror and thriller movies, country walks, swimming and anything involving cake.

With over eleven titles published Gemma's twelfth book, The Stranger at No.6 is out on the 8th September and available to pre-order now.

All the below are standalone titles in publication order:

Stalker (2019)
The Secret (2020) *previously published as Payback*
The Teacher (2020) *previously published as Reckless*
The Mistake (2021) *previously published as Bad Girls*
The Babysitter (2021)
The Feud (2022)
The Neighbour (2023)
The Good Wife (2023)
The Flatmate (2023)
The Honeymoon (2024)
The Night Shift (2025)
The Stranger at No. 6 (2025)

Follow her on:

X/Twitter: gemmarogers79
Facebook & Instagram: GemmaRogersAuthor

Reviews

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐

Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, single mom, dementia, references to child abuse

Shelly and her 10 year old daughter, Lauren, have moved into the tight-nit neighborhood of Beech Close after Shelly's mom has passed away. Shelly's house is the only rental out of 6 houses making her already feel like an outlier. But when she figures out the previous tenant, Danielle, moved out abruptly and is now deemed missing she can't help but suspect her neighbors know more than they are letting on.

It was a bit slow moving since there is a lot more monologue than dialogue making for some long paragraphs. It took me a few chapters to keep everyone's name and house number straight. There were some delightful and some not so delightful characters and everyone seemed like they could be a suspect one time or another. I really enjoyed Shelly and Josh's relationship ~ they were definitely bff goals. Josh's mom, Joyce, was great too. I loved Teddy the dog ~ he was referenced so often that I thought something bad might happen to him, but thankfully he was unharmed throughout.

My heart was really pounding at the end there ~ one of my biggest fears is what happened after she was out of the van. I was really pleased with how everything turned out. I'll definitely be reading more of Gemma's work in the future.

*Thanks to Gemma Rogers, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to the Neighborhood!

Shelly and her 10-year-old daughter, Lauren, are ready for a new start. Shelly had been taking care of her sick mother for the last two years. It was a stressful and difficult endeavor. A new beginning is just what Shelly and Lauren need. Shelly feels so lucky to have a home in a beautiful neighborhood.

Valerie, the next-door neighbor is less than impressed with her new neighbors. Shortly after moving in, their dog left a mess in her yard and Valerie made her thoughts crystal clear to Shelly.

It turns out that Valerie did not like the previous tenant either. No one knows why the woman left so abruptly. Every community has its secrets and there is always that one grumpy neighbor, but location is everything, isn't it?

I enjoyed the mystery in this book. Right from the beginning, things begin to happen and it's clear that Shelly and her daughter did not move into Mister Rodgers neighborhood. The characters/neighbors in this book are an interesting bunch. They all have distinct personalities and after getting to know them, it becomes obvious that there is more going on with most than meets the eye.

A new beginning becomes a tense and anxiety filled experience for Shelly. As she tries to uncover what happened to the woman who lived in the home before her, there is an uneasy feel to the book. The tension mounts as secrets are revealed.

This was my first book by Gemma Rogers, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.


#TheNeighbour #NetGalley

Thank you to Boldwood Books 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.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Louise Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In need of a fresh start and wanting to distance ourselves from bad memories of my mother's house, we move to Beech Close, a small cul-de-sac of six houses situated around a picture-perfect green. It seemed perfect but I had underestimated the secrets that this tightknit community shared. Within hours of moving in, my next-door neighbour, Valerie, made it abundantly clear we were not welcome. I soon discovered that Valerie hadn't welcomed the previous occupant either and she'd since disappeared without trace.

After the death of Shelly's mother, she wants a fresh start so Shelly, her daughter Lauren and their dog Teddy move to Beech Close. But her new neighbour, Valerie, seems to have taken an instant dislike to them. The characters are a mixed bunch, some likeable, others not so much. There's a creepy vibe surrounding bouse number three. The pace is steady. Shelly starts looking into the previous tenant's disappearance, but has she gotten herself too involved? This is a well written and gripping read.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #GemmaRogers for my ARC of #TheNeighbour in exchange for an honest review.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shelley has had a bad few years,very bad,her Mum’s dementia had become life changing for all and although Shelley has done her best the last few years have not been easy,now,after her Mum’s passing she has moved….a fresh start with her daughter,they chose a respectable,quiet cul de sac…….life was going to become easier
Except it didn’t and Shelly soon realises she has moved to a very secretive and dark neighbourhood where she feels she can trust no one……she feels she is in danger….she doesn’t realise just how much
I love a story about moving home,new neighbours and discovering who is who and trying to fit in but in this dark story we are kept very much on our toes as there is much more than ‘fitting in’ to worry about….told in the authors own special way that draws you into a characters life, there is real tension and a thrilling storyline as Shelly battles to figure out the secrets she has become apart of and that are threatening to take over her life
I always really enjoy this authors books and this once again is a fast paced exciting drama,a great read

10/10
5 Stars

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked how the author captured Shelly's uncomfortable newcomer to a close-knit cul-de-sac as the relationship between her neighbour became instantly rocky as Beech Close newest resident dog Teddy decided to go toilet in the wrong yard!

Valerie obviously not impressed makes it clear that Shelly and her 10 year old daughter Lauren not welcomed.
It's a bad to start to the move as Shelly had hoped that the fresh start would do then good after spending the previous two years caring for her sick mother.

The main mystery that Shelly discovers that Valerie hadn't welcomed the previous occupant either makes her worried, especially as they disappeared without a trace.

I loved the suspicion and tension rises throughout the novel as Shelly is fascinated to learn the truth of Danielle's fate.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shelley has moved house with her daughter Lauren aged 10 to Beech Close to start again.

She had been looking after her sick mother for the last 2 years, so this is a fresh start for them both.

However Valerie is not so welcoming to her new neighbours and had history with the previous tenant who left so suddenly.

This is such a great read, full of secrets and suspense. Who can you trust?

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kay Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shelly needs a new start and moves as far away as she can with her daughter. They both hope they can heal and move on. However, their new neighbor gets in the way . . . The previous tenant disappeared and she's getting notes telling her to leave.

Spooky, full of intrigue, and so mysterious. I would have liked a little less focus on trauma and dementia and more of the mystery at hand. Otherwise, this was excellent. Unexpected twists adding up to a pretty good thriller.

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Fresh Start*

After two years of looking after her sick mother who put them through hell, when she passes away, Shelly & her daughter Lauren need a fresh start.

Shelly soon finds a new place to rent while awaiting the sale of her mother’s home. There are only a few homes in the cul-de-sac and it is in the catchment area for the school that Lauren will attend.

Having finally settled into the new home it soon becomes clear that nothing is what it seems.

The female members of the close seem all to be perfectly dressed immaculate makeup etc not far off The Stepford wives. Shelly is not like them and when she comes across items from the previous tenant, things take a turn for the worst as there are buried secrets that some will not welcome being exposed. The more questions she asks about the previous tenant, the more Shelly unwittingly puts herself in danger. Will she ever be able to find the truth? Who can be trusted….

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book but not enough because it felt incredibly slow and the plot development too obvious. It was only the last quarter that I got truly invested but even then, I could foresee how the novel would conclude.

It appears that Shelly has landed on her feet with her new rental property. The greenery of Beech Close is idyllic, the identical homes look charming and the neighbours are, well, rather friendly. Even Shelly sees the irony that the women are more like 'Desperate Housewives' than they realise, and I think this was one of the reasons why Shelly tries to maintain a bit of a distance – coupled with the fact that she is a single mother too.

However, despite trying to keep away from her new neighbours (which I wasn’t quite convinced was the right thing to do), events unfold that leave Shelly questioning their personalities. The previous tenant of her home has been reported missing, her immediate neighbour seems to want to terrorise her, and the saccharine nature of the neighbourhood seems too good to be true. Shelly can’t help but ask questions, especially when she uncovers a disturbing message inside her house. What really happened to Danielle? Are her new neighbours what they seem?

Rogers is very keen for readers to judge particular characters. Shelly has moved after her mother’s recent passing and it is evident that both she and Lauren, her daughter, are still very traumatised by seeing Shelly’s mother suffering from severe dementia. This is more prevalent because Valerie, Shelly’s new neighbour, is also declining into this state. She sympathises with Valerie’s son, especially when Valerie has “Jekyll and Hyde” tendencies, leaving Shelly particularly disturbed. Yet, I did not get a sense of this, feeling this aspect of the plot too convenient to distract readers. Furthermore, it felt like it was leaning towards the unrealistic, especially considering how much Valerie is clearly suffering from the disease. I would have expected social services or doctors to be more involved in Valerie’s treatment, especially when her safety is clearly a cause for concern.

The other wives are portrayed as quite glamourous, leaving Shelly constantly feeling like an outsider. I disliked this aspect of her personality, feeling like she always had to prove herself, and I was irritated by her need to please these new acquaintances. It didn’t feel like she was being true to herself and hid frequently behind her daughter or dog as an excuse, or consuming copious amounts of alcohol. On the other hand, I admired her grit and determination to ensure she and Lauren have a better quality of life, especially when it is revealed how difficult things became with Shelly’s mother.

I was curious to see how this story would conclude but I was disappointed how obvious this ending became. There were certainly some tense moments but I thought this was a long time coming. Instead, the majority of the book felt like a character assassination of new acquaintances, with the protagonist coming across a bit patronising as a result.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Diane Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an ending!!!! This book was fast paced. Pulled me right in to all the drama and mystery going on. Well written with great chapter lengths. Characters that you loved, and love to hate or maybe just feel a little sorry for.
Be sure to pick this one up!

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

[Silvie Klokgieter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beech Close 3 zou voor mij en mijn 10-jarige dochter Lauren een nieuw begin worden, na twee uitputtende jaren voor mijn zieke moeder gezorgd te hebben. We waren toe aan een nieuwe start en wilden de slechte herinneringen aan die plek en mijn moeder snel achter ons laten.

Het leek het perfecte toevluchtsoord, maar ik had niet verwacht dat deze hechte gemeenschap duistere geheimen verbergt. Een paar uur na de verhuizing maakte mijn buurvrouw Valerie al duidelijk dat we hier niet welkom zijn.

Ik ontdekte al snel dat Valerie de vorige bewoonster ook niet met open armen had ontvangen en dat ze sindsdien spoorloos verdwenen is. Had ik mezelf en mijn dochter in gevaar gebracht door naar Beech Close te verhuizen?

Je maakt in dit verhaal kennis met Shelly en haar tienjarige dochter Lauren. Al meteen bij aankomst voel je een bepaalde spanning tussen Shelly en haar buurvrouw Valerie.

Dan ontdekt Shelly dat de vorige bewoonster van haar huis plotseling is verdwenen en niemand in de straat weet wat er met haar is gebeurd. Shelly voelt dat er dingen niet kloppen en probeert uit te zoeken wat er met de vrouw is gebeurd.

Hoe verder ze in deze zaak duikt, hoe vreemder de dingen worden. En wie kan ze écht vertrouwen in deze rare straat? Het lijkt er namelijk op dat iedereen zo zijn/haar geheimen heeft.

Dit verhaal begon meteen goed. De ontmoeting tussen Shelly en Valerie roept al meteen vragen op, want waarom doet Valerie zo raar en gemeen?

Naarmate het verhaal vordert, weet je echt niet wie je kunt vertrouwen, want het lijkt erop dat iedereen achter de verdwijning van de vrouw kan zitten. Of is ze toch vrijwillig vertrokken?

Ik vond dit verhaal heel vlot lezen en was enorm benieuwd naar de ontknoping. Die gaat wel plotseling heel snel, maar ik was er behoorlijk tevreden mee. Deze thriller raad ik jullie dan ook zeker aan en je kunt 'm lezen op Kobo Plus of Storytel.

Beoordeling: 4,0 ⭐️

[Angel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The narrator’s voice was so annoying and too dramatic at times. Shelly was way to vested in Danielle’s disappearance but the book never made us understand why we should care. Nothing was compelling or intriguing about the supposed mystery. I didn’t are about what actually happened. Her sleuthing was boring and came across as just obsessive. Shelly’s relationship with Remy was odd and blah….she was too weird and prudish.

[StinaStaffymum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crikey! Who'd want to live in Beech Close? With neighbours like a cross between "desperate housewives" and "the Stepford wives"? They were a mad bunch...the lot of them! But aside from that, THE NEIGHBOUR is filled with tension and intrigue with a sense of spookiness that gives you the chills.

Shelly and her 10 year old daughter Lauren are in need of a fresh start after having cared for her own mother in the final years of her life, battling dementia. Selling the cottage which was filled with unwelcome memories, they packed up and moved to the idyllic location of number 3 Beech Close...or so they thought. The move was meant to bring healing to enable them to move on but they had barely unpacked the first box when Shelly had an unpleasant run-in with her immediate neighbour, Valerie. The next thing she knows she finds an unwelcome gift shoved through the letterbox and a half eaten chocolate bar in the backyard, which had likely caused their dog Teddy to be sick overnight. Valerie, it seems, has taken an instant dislike to Teddy who is a dear sweet dog. But the strange occurrences don't end there.

When her best friend Josh finds a box of belongings in the loft, Shelly tries to find the previous tenant to return them to her. But hits a brick wall. And then she discovers that Danielle, the previous tenant and school teacher, had lost her dog just three days before she herself disappeared. Trying to find out what happened, she's told that Danielle fled Beech Close to the sunny climes of Egypt as soon as term ended. But why would she leave when she had been searching for her beloved dog? According to her friend, Mark, she would never have left without him. Shelly tries to ask the neighbours but no one seems forthcoming with answers and she begins to wonder if everyone else knows what happened to Danielle except her. So what exactly happened to Danielle?

Shelly's attention is somewhat sidetracked when she meets Remy, Valerie's son, who spends much of his time there caring for his mother who has dementia. She is at once sympathetic having just spent that last few years caring for her own parent with the dreaded disease, and she offers Remy a friendly shoulder. But Shelly instead finds herself attracted to Remy, as it's been a long time between drinks for her. Then as the story proceeds Remy's behaviour begins to leave question marks also. What is it with this place?

Shelly gets a strange vibe emanating from Beech Close and she wonders if it's all it's cracked up to be. Everyone appears to have secrets and not all of them the average kind either. And her dipping her toes into the murky waters of Danielle's disappearance begins to lead her into dangerous territory. Are she and Lauren safe in Beech Close? Or has she gotten too close for someone's comfort?

THE NEIGHBOUR is a fast paced engrossing page-turner that, while a tad far-fetched in reality, on page it's a compelling tale. There is an air of creepiness surrounding the little cul-de-sac of Beech Close that will leave you with a feeling of unease.

This is my first read by Gemma Rogers and I thoroughly enjoyed it but my favourite was that ending. While I had tied most of the pieces together, even down to that final confirmation at the end, it was the innocence in which those final words were delivered that just packed a punch.

And can I just give a shout out to my favourite character in the book? Which was undoubtedly Teddy the dog. Thank goodness no harm came to him...or any other dog in the story.

I would like to thank #GemmaRogers, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources#TheNeighbour in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shelley and her daughter Lauren have finally moved away from her mother's cottage after a crazy last couple of years. They are hoping that this small community will be their new fresh start as for the past couple of years Shelley was the caretaker for her mother who had dementia. The thing though is that she gets off with her next-door neighbour on the wrong foot as it turns out she isn't exactly warm to her dog Teddy and soon crazy things start happening to cause both PTSD reactions for Shelley and especially her daughter Lauren. When cleaning out the attic, Shelley's friend Josh finds a box of belongings from the previous tenant. Why would she leave this here? To return them, Shelley starts digging and soon finds out that the previous tenant Danielle is missing and it looks like someone is trying to be clever to cover it up and make it look like she went travelling. This perfect neighbourhood isn't quite perfect as strange things are happening behind closed doors, from next-door neighbour Valerie who has dementia herself, and her son Remy - who likes it rough and then Dennis who is a pervy old man and if Shelley isn't careful and keeps digging around trying to get to the bottom of what happened to Danielle, she might just end up like her and her daughter be raised without a mother. Can Shelley and Lauren escape the close-knit community of Beech Close alive or will they be forever living in the neighbourhood from hell, having to watch their every move as they discover they can't trust anyone if they want to survive.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up.

This book had an interesting premise. Shelly and her daughter Lauren move into a new neighborhood after spending years taking care of Shelly's mother who was battling dementia. Shelly's mother passes away and Shelly inherits her house and all the money she squirreled away. Shelly quickly puts the house on the market and her she is excited to live somewhere with nice and friendly neighbors. The move seems more like an excape because we get hints that not-so-great things happened with Grandma.

After a few days in the new place, her new neighbors seem to be a little odd. Especially her next door neighbor, Valerie, who yells at her (and her dog!) any chance she gets. Plus, Shelly discovers the previous tenant went missing and she goes digging to uncover the mystery.

My biggest issue with this book (and frankly, some other books I've read recently) is that it feels like it checks the boxes of the genre (this one being suspense, murder, creepy neighbors, twist ending) but it missed the mark for me. The character development was lacking —the neighbors were portrayed as creepy but I never got chills from them. Shelly did not feel like a fully formed character. The book was slow going and by the time we finally got to some action at the 88% mark, I was still pretty bored. I think the last line of the book was intended to be shocking, but I feel like the so-called twist was already revealed.
Thank you Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC for my honest review.

[Lisa Kusel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook. 3.5 rounded up.

Attributes I liked:
--fast-paced, great setting, amateur sleuthing fun, authentic character depictions (particularly regarding someone with dementia), good-enough twist, ever-growing suspense, excellent sidekick, dog-love, absolutely nothing OTT about it--which I truly appreciate.

Not so much:
--far too much quotidian detail about food and shopping (did we need to be in IKEA for so long?) and using the bathroom and OMG if she took Teddy out for a wee one more time I was going to DNF!!
--the narrator's unbridled enthusiasm annoyed me.

[Sara Oyston · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Short chapters
- Slow burn neighbourhood suspense
- Well detailed characters
- Heavy focus on the MC childhood trauma and her mother's illness
- Intriguing but plausible storyline
- Last line of the epilogue came as a surprise

There are a few trigger warnings on this one. Please ensure you look them up before diving in

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shelly and Lauren are so excited for the past few years since Lauren was a tiny girl they’ve been taking care of her grandma who is suffering from dementia and would act in scary ways. She has since passed away and Shelly has found a cute cottage in a place called Beach close. There’s only a few houses on the street and she is excited to start a new peaceful life with her daughter and their dog Teddy. While moving in her dog Teddy gets out and go straight to the neighbors yard to use the bathroom, Shelley doesn’t have any bags in her pockets so she gets the dog to bring him back home and retrieve a bag.Before she could do that though the neighbors outside reprimanding Shelly and acting like a crazy person no matter how much she apologizes the woman blows her off like she was lying about coming back. Although Shelley is shaken up she does her best to Forget about it . This will not be the only crazy incident with her new neighbor Valerie. To make things even worse one of her neighbors Nyim invites her over for a welcome to the close party and she wasn’t going to go but her best friend Josh was over setting up furniture for her When Nyim knocked on the door. She wanted to make sure she was coming and Josh confirmed “yes, she’ll be there in an hour.”. This is where she finds out that the rude woman next-door Valerie has a good looking son named Remi. Shelley can’t help but notice the swirling nervousness she feels upon meeting him but because she is just starting her new life she tries her best to ignore it. When her and Lauren go to walk their dog Teddy they notice a missing dog sign and like any pet owner feels bad and hopes they found their dog. Later on that night when Shelley is sitting back and relaxing she starts hearing strange noises and turns around only to see a gas leak ghostly face in the window. She looks out her door only to see it’s Valerie again soon her son Remi comes over to apologize and explain to her yet again that his mom has dementia, but shelli isn’t so certain. It seemed this time when he apologized and she made him a drink that they shared a real moment as if he felt something similar to what she felt when around him. When he leaves she goes through the box of stuff that her best friend Josh got out of the loft that was left by the last tenant. With the Momentos she left behind and the strange carving in the pantry upstairs saying leave now and the strange behavior of Valerie she feels like something is definitely up with her neighbor but eventually it won’t just be Valerie that seems strange to her, well asking questions about the last tenant in danger her life and if it does will she find out before it’s too late? I know this isn’t tn the best summary at all especially since this book had my heart palpitation until it was over because it goes from one heart pounding scene to another. This book was so good it was OMG good and no eye rolling involved. They have no moments where y’all like that couldn’t happen because throughout the whole book the plot is plausible and thrilling! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I received the book from net Gally and BoldwoodBooks but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Samantha Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this book. Shelly such a loveable character. And Lauren a very grown up 11 year old

Was faced paced for me. Enjoyed every bit of this book

Look forward to reading more of this authors books

[LəəÄŋŋ Ā · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this read! Although a bit slow at first, it became suspenseful with a trust no one theme. Overall very well written.

[Barbara Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fast read

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Gemma’s work ever since I had the good fortune to pick up a copy of her first book, which is called ‘Stalker’, back in 2019. Since then I have read and loved each and every book that she has written. Gemma’s most recent release is called ‘The Neighbour’ and it was released on 5th January 2023. It’s another cracker of a read, which I Thoroughly enjoyed reading but more about that in a bit.

I was drawn into this book from the synopsis and when I started reading the story properly that was it and I was away as the saying goes. To say that reading ‘The Neighbour’ became addictive is a bit like me saying that I like eating cake- in other words a massive understatement. I would pick the book up only intending to read a chapter or two but I would become so wrapped up in the story that I would read more like 6 chapters in one go. If I had to put the book to one side for any reason then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I developed my own theories as to what was going to happen and of course I had to keep reading to see if I was on the right track or if I had wandered off in the opposite direction. The pages turned increasingly quickly as I worked my way through the book. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘The Neighbour’. I found ‘The Neighbour’ to be a gritty and gripping read, which certainly kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat.

‘The Neighbour’ is extremely well written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Gemma. Gemma certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story. For me, this was more of a slow burn type of story- it started slowly but as time went on, the story gathered pace and momentum and the tension levels increased before concluding in a tense and dramatic fashion. Gemma describes her characters so well that they seem as real as you and I. I was so convinced by them that I began to compare them to people that I know. Reading ‘The Neighbour’ felt like being on an at times scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. I love the way in which the author makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Neighbour’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Gemma’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[navelliaa_books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un thriller domestique dans un quartier résidentiel aux allures calmes ? C’est pour moi 😍

- service de presse non rémunéré, livre offert par les éditions City.

Attention aux TW qui devraient être mentionnés : mention d’abus sur enfant, maltraitance, démence, violence sur soi-même et envers les autres.

Ici, on suit Shelley qui vient s’installer dans un nouveau quartier, Beech Close, avec sa fille, Lauren qui a 10 ans. Mais, ce quartier aux apparences calmes et bienveillantes cache des choses. Qui est cette femme, Valérie, qui dit clairement à Shelley qu’elle n’est pas la bienvenue ? Et pourquoi la personne qui vivait dans la maison de Shelley juste avant elle, a disparu du jour au lendemain sans que personne ne s’en inquiète ? Que cache ce voisinage ?

Le début est long à se mettre en place, mais en même temps, c’est ce qui permet de s’imprégner au plus proche de l’ambiance de ce voisinage. Mais j’avoue que je ne savais pas où ça allait et j’étais un peu impatiente. En revanche, j’étais quand même happée avec une hâte de continuer. La plume est fluide et c’est ce qui m’a fait dévorer le livre.

L’ambiance transmise est hyper oppressante, intrigante et on se pose plein de questions. Je me suis vraiment mise à la place de Shelley et j’ai eu peur, j’ai eu des soupçons, j’ai été énervé..

Et mention spéciale pour Lauren, la fille de Shelley. On ne s’en rend pas toujours compte, mais les enfants voient tout et vivent tout. Ils ont aussi leur trauma mais sont forts. Lauren a grandi avant son âge, malheureusement, mais elle est incroyable et je l’admire énormément.

Bref, j’adore ces histoires où on soupçonne tout le monde pour tout et rien. Je m’attendais un petit peu à cette fin mais en même temps j’avais pas du tout tout anticipé. Je m’attendais quand même à un retournement de cerveau plus impressionnant mais ce n’est pas grave !

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shelly, a single mother, has just moved into a rental home along with her daughter, Lauren, 10, and their dog, Teddy. Shelly had been caring for her mother for 2 years before she passed away. Now, she has sold her mother’s cottage and is happy to be away from it, especially as the woman had abused her as a child..

Most of the neighbors are nice, except for an elderly woman next door, Valerie, who has dementia. She seems to dislike Shelly on sight. Her son apologizes for his mother explaining her illness which Shelly certainly understands.

When she learns that the tenant in her home before her disappeared, Shelly becomes quite concerned and can’t help but feel that something about the house isn’t right.

This story shows a woman who is not very comfortable with others but the neighbors all like to get together and eat and drink. But, Shelly does her best to join in.

There are lots of twists and I wondered if the house she had rented was haunted. But the dementia-ridden Valerie is really scary and I wouldn’t want to live next door to her. The good things I saw was a devoted mother who adored Lauren and did everything she could to protect her and give her her undivided attention. The characters of Josh and his mother, Joyce, were terrific. Two wonderful people for her have in her life.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good thriller / suspense! I was not prepared for the twist at the very end!

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bumped this up to four stars from 3 because there were some good parts to it. Shelly moves into the neighborhood with her ten year old daughter. There are six houses on the street and she finds all the neighbors to be odd. The entire book takes place in a weeks time, so she must do a lot of socializing to know so much in a week. This ten year old was the most annoying character ever. She was on spring break from school and needed constant, and I do mean constant entertaining. This child couldn't occupy herself if her life depended on it. But I digress. I can't give away much more without giving away the plot, but although I enjoyed the book, I wouldn't really call it a thriller. Maybe a domestic thriller light. It's worth a read as it went fast. I'll try another book from this author and see how that goes. This one was good but really needed something to give it some oomph.

[Ria Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a fun light thriller. The main character is likable, the story keeps your interest with the weirdness that goes on, and a little touch of spiciness! However, the plot feels a little weak. Everything was just explained at the end rather than play out further.
The writing was good, a quick, interesting easy read. I would definitely read more of Gemma's titles.
Thank you NetGalley, publisher, and author for the RAC.

[Karen Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not the first book by Gemma that I've read and I doubt this will be my last. Gemmas books keep you gripped and wanting to know more.

The Neighbour is a good read, it was quite a quick read which was fast paced and I really wanted to know what had happened.

I really warmed to Shelley and Lauren, not to forget little Teddy the dog.

An all round good read ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Mark Tully · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very poor. Most of the novel is filler; just day to day menial life, which I get is part of what makes a domestic thriller but there is very little tension until the final chapters and the overall plot is paper thin. The whole thing reads as a rough first draft.

[Smitha Shetty · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are times when you come across a short story of maybe 60 pages and wish that it was longer maybe 300 pages…and then there are books like this one, which is 300 pages and wish it was 60 pages!!