The Neighbors

by Ania Ahlborn

Andrew Morrison sacrificed everything—his childhood, his education, and the girl of his dreams—to look after his alcoholic mother. But enough is enough, and now he’s determined to get out and live his life. That means trading the home he grew up in for a rented room in the house of an old childhood friend— both of which are in sorry shape.The only thing worse than Drew’s squalid new digs and sullen new roommate is the envy he feels for the house next a picture-perfect suburban domicile straight out of Norman Rockwell, with a couple of happy householders to match. But the better acquainted he gets with his new neighbors—especially the sweet and sexy Harlow Ward—the more he suspects unspeakable darkness beyond the white picket fence.At the intersection of Blue Velvet and Basic Instinct lies The Neighbors, an insidiously entertaining tale of psychological suspense and mounting terror by the boldest new master of the form, Ania Ahlborn.

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

252 pages, Paperback

First published November 27, 2012

About the author

Born in Ciechanow Poland, Ania has always been drawn to the darker, mysterious, and sometimes morbid sides of life. Her earliest childhood memory is of crawling through a hole in the chain link fence that separated her family home from the large wooded cemetery next door. She’d spend hours among the headstones, breaking up bouquets of silk flowers so that everyone had their equal share.

Author of nine novels, Ania's books have been lauded by the likes of Publisher's Weekly, The New York Daily News, and The New York Times. Some titles have been optioned for film.

Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ania currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina.


For more from Ania, visit her site, or connect via social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Web: http://www.aniaahlborn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aniaahlborn
Twitter: @aniaahlborn

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drew seeks shelter with a former mate of his, Mick Fitch. The neighbors Red and Harlow Ward are very attentive and even offer a job to him. But there is something strange and manipulative on Harlow. What's her story? What happened to her before she married Red and what about all the boys that worked for her before? This is a very intriguing tale about child abuse, guilt, child neglect, relationship to an older woman and addiction. How will it end? Couldn't put this psychological page turner down until the denouement. Hitchcock couldn't have told the story in a better way. Very impressive. Another highlight from this author! Highly recommended!

[Sarah ♡ (let’s interact!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Neighbors is a slow-burning psychological tale of suspense.
Andrew Morrison has just moved in with his childhood friend, Mickey. He wants to start afresh after caring for his alcoholic mother - enough is enough now, he wants his own life. Mickey’s house is in squalor, just as run down as his mother’s. He becomes envious of the picture-perfect family home next door, which belongs to a married couple, Red and Harlow Ward. These friendly neighbours are quick to offer Andrew a job.
But what secrets are his new neighbours holding? Harlow seems to good to be true and the more Andrew gets to know them, the more she seems to be flirting with him. Will he be tempted by her? There seems to be something dark happening…

A slight annoyance I had was that the author kept switch between calling the character Andrew and Drew within her narrative, sometimes a few times within one paragraph 😅 idk why it irked me a bit but it did lol still couldn’t put this down though! I do like Ania Ahlborn’s writing style, even if this wasn’t my absolute favourite by her.

3.6 Stars

tw:// child abuse

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audio - 3.5 stars
Story - 2 stars

I didn’t think it was possible for a mindfuck read to be boring, but this story proved me wrong. It didn’t help that the shifting from present to past and the various characters’ povs had me so confused at times.

The idea of the story was interesting, dark, and twisted. An attractive, married, middle-aged woman seduces young men into her bed. Once she’s used them sexually, she kills them off. When she starts falling for her latest victim, it creates problems between her and her husband.

The story read like it was inspired by a weird dream. In the dream world, it was probably intriguing, but once the pen hit the paper, it just became a confusing boring mess.

[Zoeytron · Rating 3 out of 5]

The house on Magnolia Lane could have been taken out of a picture book, perfectly manicured lawn and bushes, gorgeous flowers, and even the requisite white picket fence. The occupants seem to match the perfection of their home. What is really peering out from behind those fluttering curtains? Cue music, the theme song from The Twilight Zone should do nicely.

The Neighbors has its moments and it certainly kept me reading, but it was my least favorite offering from this author. Ahlborn's writing chops have developed ferociously since this was written, giving us The Bird Eater, Within These Walls, and Brother.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

What A Bummer!

Small backstory:

Andrew wants to be out on his own as he wants to break away from his mother and her alcoholic ways so he moves in with one of his friends that he used to run around with in high school as his friend has his own house. After Andrew moves in though he notices that the neighbors (Harlow and Red) next door seem to be interested in his comings and goings but when the neighbor lady Harlow comes over with cookies to welcome Andrew he begins to wonder if she is just being nice or does she have an alternative motive!

That is about all I can hand out with a small backstory without giving away spoilers.

Thoughts:

This book should be rated around the four star mark but the story just seemed to take forever to get where it was going and even though there is some suspense and mystery within the story it slowly drags along as it was making me wonder when I was ever going to find out what was really going on with the story.

I do find out what is happening but not until about 75% into the book does the author finally reveal what is going on with the neighbors and even then I wasn't impressed with the reveal - I came close to laying this book down as a dnf around the 50% mark as there was nothing happening to really want me to continue but I just kept thinking that something horrifying was going to happen so I just kept reading. After learning what was going on I probably should have laid it down as a dnf as it turns out to be just a typical murder mystery book.

I usually love Ahlborn's books and normally give her books four stars but this one did not hit the mark for me - it was a great suspense story but that is about all it had going for it. Giving this book two "Sadly Disappointed" stars.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had no idea a book about a homicidal milf could be so boring

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won an advanced reading copy of this book in a Goodreads give-away.
I am a huge fan of this author's first book Seed and I was excited to begin this, her second. I'm happy to say that I was not disappointed.

As a young man of 23, Andrew(Drew),is already no stranger to disappointment. Between a father that deserted him and a mother who became agoraphobic as a result, Drew doesn't have much of a chance. Resentful of the fact that he is trapped in his hometown and trapped by his mother's illness, Drew finally snaps and moves out on his own. That's when the trouble starts.

Drew moves in with an old childhood friend, who seems to have appeared out of nowhere, offering him a way out. But there is a problem. There is no way out.

I won't go any further into the plot, but I found it to be intriguing. There were a couple of things that rode the border of not being believable, but I was having so much fun I didn't care. The story was fast paced and the protagonist compelling and truly a nice guy. I was really hoping that he would make it through. You will have to read it yourself to find out whether or not he does.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh what a disappointment. I expected to love this because Brother was so great. I just found most of the story so boring... Also the constant name switching drove me crazy. Was he Drew? Andrew? Andy? Pick one jeez. Overall I thought this was a below average and dull novel that felt like 600 pages, even though it's less than 300. Not recommended.

[Brandon Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was WILD!!! Bloody, tense, creepy, and again just bonkers 😂 It seems like a lot of the negative reviews say this one is slow, but I flew through it in no time. Another winner from Ania!!

[Gatorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally disappointing tale from Ahlborn, the follow up to the brilliant Seed, about a guy, Andy, running from issues with his family and into the arms of an old friend with bizarre connections to a pair of creepy husband and wife neighbors. The story is too over-the-top and silly to ever really work, although Ahlborn is game and tries her best and the story does hold your interest, for the most part, to the end. The characters lack real substance except perhaps for Harlow, the wife, who has an interestingly messed-up back story but she is played out in such a cartoonish fashion to ever take seriously. I've read later books from Ahlborn which are much better than this, so I'll just consider this one a try-too-hard-to-top-Seed miscalculation. 2.5 stars bumped up to 3 for the solid writing.

[Dannii Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew Morrison was an average kid from an average home with a bright future ahead of him. Until he wasn't. The death of his father and his mother's spiralling mental health meant he had to sacrifice everything to keep a roof over their heads. One day, he had enough of this existence and left.

Andrew decided to put his own needs first for a change. But this hasty decision to leave meant he had no prospects or sure direction of where to go. An old friend provided him with a room to sleep in and the friendly neighbours next door with some household chores to keep a small stream of money coming his way. He envies the financial freedom and beautiful lives of those he now lives besides. They welcome him into their home and he is as eager to be there as they are to begin the next stage of their plan with him...

This was a dark and unsettling read, that kept me invested in the mysteries it contained until the explosive conclusion, but ultimately proved a little tamer in the actual depictions of horror than I had anticipated. I think the multiple perspectives that ensured the reader knew every character's thoughts and actions also allowed for a lessening in tension and suspense. It was still as chilling a read as I have come to anticipate from this author but her paranormal horror reads still remain my favourites, when more is left to the reader's imagination and the fear of the unknown is allowed to dominate.

[11811 (Eleven) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know why I put this off for so long. Ania is 4 for 4 so far at writing kick ass horror novels. I'm looking forward to Within These Walls.

[Tina Hayes · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Neighbors" by Ania Ahlborn is a cliched tale about a perverted June Cleaver wannabe trying to lure an innocent young man into her bed, to please her there and to take over as clean up boy for her little serial murder hobby.

I like the main character and his loser roommate as written, but the story was just too much like a SNL sketch stretched beyond all believability. The only adjectives that come to mind are trite and jaded. Harlow walks around in dresses and high heels all day, baking cookies and such, while planning out who to murder next. The beginning of the tale implies she might have some supernatural hold over her husband and neighbor that makes them do her bidding, but even that fizzles out and we're left to believe a pretty blonde need only wink at or screw some man to get him to kill and dismember for no other reason. Oh, and her husband doesn't even seem to mind that she sleeps with her victims, until Drew moves next door.

This was presented as horror, but it was more like a sad murder comedy. I'm sorry, but I just did not like this and found it hard to finish, though I did. Wish I had those hours back...

[Joanne Sheppard · Rating 1 out of 5]

The blurb for The Neighbors describes it as "an insidiously entertaining tale of psychological suspense and mounting terror by the boldest new master of the form, at the intersection of Basic Instinct and Blue Velvet". It's the story of Andrew Morrison, who leaves home after a row with his alcoholic mother, moves into a rundown property with a deeply unpleasant housemate, and finds himself fascinated by Red and Harlow Ward, the strangely glamorous couple next door who seem keen to take him under their wing. To me, this all sounds quite promising.

Unfortunately, The Neighbors simply fails to deliver on pretty much every level.

First of all, Andrew - who is also irritatingly referred to as Drew and Andy throughout, despite the narrative being from a third person omniscient point of view - has little in the way of either depth or backbone. His departure from his mother's home is not especially convincing, and nor is his response to the strange reaction he gets from his new housemate Mickey (sometimes called Mick, which irked me as much as the Andrew/Drew/Andy business) when he arrives after agreeing to move in. He's perturbed by Mickey's incredible rudeness upon his arrival, but fails to confront him about it or even question it, despite Mickey being a old childhood friend. Moreover, his obsession with the Wards simply doesn't seem credible. Admittedly, Andrew might be looking for a mother figure or a family unit, given his background, but I still fail to see why he'd a) develop an erotic fixation with an obviously mad middle-aged woman solely because she's well-groomed and makes him some cookies or b) believe for one moment that a suburban couple could possibly need to pay him to work full-time simply on some low-skilled maintenance jobs around the house. Why does this not make him in any way suspicious?

Similarly, while we're constantly reminded that Harlow Ward is an attractive woman, there is no real explanation for her apparent magnetism or her ability to manipulate her husband into turning a blind eye to her blatant violent lunacy. It's simply not plausible in any way. I kept suspecting that there might be some sort of supernatural element to it, as this seemed the only possible explanation, but no, it's nowhere near as interesting as that.

Red Ward is largely devoid of character, as is Mickey. Harlow herself is essentially just a dangerous nutjob, and while some cursory effort is made to explain her psychological issues, it's a pretty poor one that's also tastelessly dismissive of the type of experience she's been through. And there is little suspense, either, simply because everything is so obvious and happens with such unlikely speed. There are no real surprises, and no attempt to build any kind of atmosphere.

Finally, the quality of the writing overall seems low to me. It's all telling and no showing, with clunky exposition and asides on the characters and their behaviour that take the place of character development through action and dialogue. Harlow Ward, supposedly the all-important, all-powerful lynch-pin of the novel, is reminiscent "of that Mad Men show - her hair, her clothes; they were profoundly retro". Is that kind of lazy catch-all, shorthand description really the best the author can do?

I honestly hate writing bad reviews, and I can usually find plenty to enjoy even in a book that didn't really work for me. Unfortunately, not this time.

[Jonann loves book talk❤♥️❤ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Do yourself a favor and skip this one!😎

[Jen 🎀 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the way Ania Ahlborn writes. She can write a horror story and somehow make it sound beautiful. This one was crafty. Didn’t expect the beginning to turn into what it was, but I liked it! Minus the abuse and sexual assault- this was pretty good.

[Leah Polcar · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is the epitome of average. If I remember it at all a few months from now, it will only be because I spent so much time at the beginning trying out a variety of possible plots that would make this story interesting. Aliens? OK. Vampires? Tired, but ok. Human-flesh-eating-monster-beasts? Hmmmm. Super-unrealistic serial killer? Uh, NO. . However, none of those possible plots developed, only a very silly story that is completely implausible. People, even severely dysfunctional people, just would not behave this way. If they do, then Ahlborn wasn't able to convey this with any sense of realism. The writing is acceptable and professional, but that's really all I can say for this book. If I were you, I would avoid it and spend your time on something else. Even if you can get it for free from the Kindle lending library.

[Marc-Antoine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deliciously disturbing, Ania Ahlborn is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

[Feblub · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5stars. Not bad. But I am missing something. There is an element missing that I can't really put my finger on. And yet, I'm still going to try her other books.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew has always lived in the shadow of his alcoholic mother and his father. While his mother tried to get the help that she needs to cure her addiction, Drew has had enough of her shenanigans. It is bad enough that the father that he loved the most leaves without a trace, he is left finding odd jobs to suit him. When he meets in with his friend, Mickey, things are starting to look up, but that is far from a good thing knowing their scored past. Living in a mole rotten place is anything better than living with his mother who he left alone. Yet a part of him misses the connection that they shared, thus he often calls her to see where things lead between their strained relationship.

Next door neighbors are welcoming and friendly to him. A kind and tender hearted woman who is very seductive catches his attention. Mickey warns of him of getting too close to his friendly neighbor hinting that they are very dangerous people. The only thing that Andrew can think about is their hospitality but it leads to dire consequences in this epic tale of intrigue and mystery.

I thought about rating it only four stars because I HATED the ending. Like why leave me hanging like that? The cliffhanger only left me wanting more but I could not rate it lower because of the characterization was not only remarkable, but the story was so damn good. It was a really good story though, the character of Andrew was very likable as well as the crazy neighbors.

Highly recommended, a really great novel!

[Melissa Chung · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Ania Ahlborn’s second published book and the third that I’ve read by her. They just keep getting better and better. I’m giving this a solid 4 stars.

The Neighbors, is about a guy named Andrew. He has a pretty sad upbringing and when he was little he made friends with a kid named Mickey. Mickey considered ‘Drew’, to be more of a little brother than just a friend. So I’m guessing there is a 2-5 year age gap.

We dont know how old Andrew is in present day, but I’m guessing in his mid-20’s. Long story short, Andrew ends up moving in with his long lost friend decades later. What happens next with the neighbors will really throw you for a loop. The neighbors are just a little too friendly.

I liked the slow reveal. How the author played with morality and the meaning of love in a twisted way, was so fun to read. I found the characters fictional, but also very realistic. Sort of like, you know its... a story that would be portrayed on tv.

Highly recommend!

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew has been a good son all his life. Looking after his alcoholic, agoraphobic mother ever since his father left, Andrew has given up his only love and any chance of a career to stay at home and look after his mother. One day, he snaps and moves in with a childhood friend, Mickey, who lives across town. He's immediately drawn to the picture perfect house next door and the friendly, helpful neighbors, Harlow and Red. But nothing is quite as it seems in suburbia.
Nowhere near as good as Brother. This was my first Ahlborn novel where I didn't feel invested in the characters at all. They lacked substance. Harlow, the wife, had an interesting backstory but she was characterized in an almost cartoonish manner. The Neighbors is more psychological suspense rather than horror. It was entertaining enough to keep listening, but the plot and the characters were pretty unremarkable.

[Bandit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Showing no signs of sophomore slump, Ania Ahlborn's second book completely lives up to the promise of her awesomely auspicious debut Seed. Forgoing supernatural themes, the author instead tells a blood curdling tale of the monsters who wear human skin and live right next door, confirming my long time suspicion that neighbors are in fact very dangerous and best left to their own devices. Good fences and all that. Terrific characters, well developed and sympathetic even at their lowest, great pacing, this book was nearly impossible to put down, so I didn't fight it and read it all in one afternoon. Excellent read. Highly recommended.

[Franco Santos · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Or maybe you can fall in love with him," he said. "Maybe you can do that right in front of me. That would probably kill me too."

Buen libro. Un thriller del montón, con todo lo que espero encontrarme en una historia del género: un psicópata bien f*cked-up, un secreto dando vueltas por ahí y una pobre víctima.

Me encariñé mucho con la víctima: Andrew Morrison. Un personaje complejo, excelentemente logrado y que hizo que me preocupara por él hasta la última página.

El final podría haber estado mejor, pero me gustó.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first book by Ahlborn that I didn't love. It's a really bizarre story. While it starts off mysterious and slowly feeds out the details before finally explaining what's going on, the deeper it gets the weaker the story gets. Ultimately, it felt like this might have worked better as a novella half its length, but fleshed out more it just lost steam.

[Boris Bacic · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Neighbors by Ania Ahlborn

It could have been longer, because it felt as though the book started slow and then suddenly picked up the pace. Overall, though, pretty good.

Not as good as Ahlborn's other books, but a VERY intriguing premise nonetheless.

[Miriam still reading! HIATUS from GR · Rating 1 out of 5]

3 stars audio
1 abso-fucking-lutely waste of my time star story!

There is no way to describe this book except,,WTF??!!!

[Katie T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very weak 3 stars

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4

Don't mind me....just side eyeing all my neighbors now.

[daniela weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

a too good to be true
sensation permeates this
atmospheric heartfelt tale 
of a search for freedom in
the very wrong place. :'(