The Unseen Neighbor

Barren Pines

by Kate Bold

“This is an excellent book… When you start reading, be sure you don’t have to wake up early!”
—Reader review for The Killing Game
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the impeccable suburb of Barren Pines, uniform houses and manicured lawns conceal the imperfect truths and deadly secrets of its residents' lives.

Eliza Bennett's world unravels thread by thread when she discovers her husband's double life—one tangled with another woman and a series of chilling vanishings.

But Eliza is a woman with ghosts of her own. Haunted by a history of paranoia and psychiatric treatment, her quest for the truth is mired in her own skepticism.

As the façade of their picture-perfect marriage crumbles, does the evidence at her fingertips reveal a sinister betrayal and buried secrets? Or could it be the creation of her own troubled mind?


THE UNSEEN NEIGHBOR (BARREN BOOK 1) is the first book in a thrilling new psychological suspense series by #1 bestselling mystery and suspense author Kate Bold, whose bestseller NOT NOW (a free download) has received over 600 five star ratings and reviews.

Future books in the series are also available!

“This book moved very fast and every page was exciting. Plenty of dialogue, you absolutely love the characters, and you were rooting for the good guy throughout the whole story… I look forward to reading the next in the series.”
—Reader review for The Killing Game
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Kate did an amazing job on this book and I was hooked from the first chapter!”
—Reader review for The Killing Game
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I really enjoyed this book. The characters were authentic, and I see the bad guys as something we hear about daily on the news... Looking forward to book 2.”
—Reader review for The Killing Game
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This was a really good book. The main characters were real, flawed and human. The story went along quickly and wasn't mired in too many unnecessary details. I really enjoyed it.”
—Reader review for The Killing Game
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Alexa Chase is headstrong, impatient, but most of all brave with a capital B. She never, repeat never, backs down until the bad guys are put where they belong. Clearly five stars!”
—Reader review for The Killing Game
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Captivating and riveting serial murder with a twist of the macabre… Very well done.”
—Reader review for The Killing Game
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“WOW what a great read! Talk about a diabolical killer! Really enjoyed this book. Looking forward to reading others by this author as well.”
—Reader review for The Killing Game
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Page turner for sure. Great characters and relationships. I got into the middle of this story and couldn’t put it down. Looking forward to more from Kate Bold.”
—Reader review for The Killing Game
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Hard to put down. It has an excellent plot and has the right amount of suspense. I really enjoyed this book.

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Ebooks, Mystery, Fiction

185 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 19, 2024

About the author

Bestselling author Kate Bold is author of the ALEXA CHASE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the ASHLEY HOPE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the CAMILLE GRACE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising eight books (and counting); of the HARLEY COLE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising ten books (and counting); of the KAYLIE BROOKS SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); and of the EVE HOPE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting). Kate loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.kateboldauthor.com to join the mailing list, receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.

BOOKS BY KATE BOLD

EVE HOPE SUSPENSE THRILLER

IN HIS BLOOD (Book #1)

IN HIS SIGHTS (Book #2)

IN HIS REACH (Book #3)

IN HIS MIND (Book #4)

IN HIS WAY (Book #5)

(and counting)

KAYLIE BROOKS SUSPENSE THRILLER

LAST BREATH (Book #1)

LAST CHANCE (Book #2)

LAST WISH (Book #3)

LAST SHOT (Book #4)

LAST MISTAKE (Book #5)

(and counting)

HARLEY COLE SUSPENSE THRILLER

NOWHERE SAFE (Book #1)

NOWHERE LEFT (Book #2)

NOWHERE TO RUN (Book #3)

NOWHERE LIKE THIS (Book #4)

NOWHERE GIRL (Book #5)

NOWHERE TO HIDE (Book #6)

NOWHERE CERTAIN (Book #7)

NOWHERE PURE (Book #8)

NOWHERE SOUND (Book #9)

NOWHERE SANE (Book #10)

(and counting)

CAMILLE GRACE SUSPENSE THRILLER

NOT ME (Book #1)

NOT NOW (Book #2)

NOT WELL (Book #3)

NOT HER (Book #4)

NOT NORMAL (Book #5)

NOT AGAIN (Book #6)

NOT SAFE (Book #7)

NOT TODAY (Book #8)

(and counting)

ALEXA CHASE SUSPENSE THRILLER

THE KILLING GAME (Book #1)

THE KILLING TIDE (Book #2)

THE KILLING HOUR (Book #3)

THE KILLING POINT (Book #4)

THE KILLING FOG (Book #5)

THE KILLING PLACE (Book #6)

(and counting)

ASHLEY HOPE SUSPENSE THRILLER

LET ME GO (Book #1)

LET ME OUT (Book #2)

LET ME LIVE (Book #3)

LET ME BREATHE (Book #4)

LET ME FORGET (Book #5)

LET ME ESCAPE (Book #6)

(and counting)

Reviews

[Anita · Rating 1 out of 5]

This might be one of the most poorly written books I've ever read. It takes a very thin, predictable plot with cookie cutter characters and wraps it in the most overwrought writing imaginable. Every sentence seemed designed to wring the most melodrama out of it. The descriptions bulged in purple prose and the repetition was laughable. For example, every time Victoria showed up she was never without her ice-blue eyes and silver glowing hair. In fact, her "silver hair" was practically its own character. I finished reading this because it was short and also a fascinating study in what not to do if I ever decide to write a book. Good grief.

[Berty Morales · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I was really disappointed 😕 and I won’t deny that I didn’t even finish it—I just couldn’t get through it 🚫📖. It failed to hold my interest, and I found myself unable to connect with the story.

Sometimes a book just isn’t the right fit, and this one missed the mark for me

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good plot, not good execution. The main character is irritating and stupid. PTSD/mental illness, previous trauma aside, she is still stupid. Dont take a photo for proof. Don’t do anything to prove you did/saw/said…
And repeat 8000 times that you had a stalker (no rape, no assault, so now you are mentally ill and certifiable. 😳
I skimmed some.

[Sophie Parker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really struggled to look past the overuse of the following words:
• facade
• façade
• normalcy
• spectre
• belies
• anchor
• stark contrast...

The plot was dull, and I felt like the narrator needed the world's biggest violin...

[diannscollins]

Unnecessary Detail

This reader skimmed through the book in less than an hour. The content was predictable and the emotional details made up most of the book.

[Cary Hall · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst written books I have ever read.

[Marisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story. Horrible execution. Feels like it didn't have an editor.

Author repeated the words: ash, steel, soul, fragile, charade, facade and many others an absolute ton, especially for a novella!

At approximately 50% through, the main character escaped through the back door only to be in the kitchen in the next paragraph and preparing to exit through the back door. A simple thing that distracted from the story and should've been caught by a proofreader.

[Jaquie · Rating 1 out of 5]

couldn’t wait to finish it

I did not enjoy this book at all. It went on and on with descriptions, way too many words…to the point of me skipping parts as they were totally not necessary.
I don’t like starting books and not finishing them so I ploughed through but it was a chore. I will not be reading anything else from this author.

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give it 1.5 stars rounded up because a 1 star is a DNF and technically I finished it but I just skimmed it.
OMG the descriptions. I have never read the words facade or enveloped so many times in a book.
There wasn't much of a plot either. If you took out all the descriptions and just focused on the plot, the book would have been about 75 pages.
I was hoping for a new series to read but I'll keep looking.

[Angel Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had a good plot but i feel like the story just dragged on. Also i counted at least 19 uses of the words “facade” which about drove me crazy to read

[Megan Pasquale · Rating 1 out of 5]

One star because of the overuse of so many words! I’m going to have nightmares about the words “stark contrast.” The story line wasn’t bad though.

[Kayleigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author should use a few more rhetorical questions, I don’t know if at least three on every page was enough. Written like it was a GCSE paper 🥴

[Autumn Hanson · Rating 1 out of 5]

The overuse of the word facade almost became comical to the point I was just ready to finish the book. This book had a mediocre plot but just seemed very lackadaisical in its writing.

[Rhea Courante · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve gotta be real, this is one of the worst books I’ve ever read.

[Ishaslanky · Rating 1 out of 5]

shit

[Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her husband was her rescuer who helped Eliza Bennett pick up the pieces after she was left with PTSD from a series of stalking incidents. She now fears he's straying with a carbon copy of herself. With the aid of a PI, Eliza determines the truth once and for all.

This work felt overwritten. Eliza is described by one of the other characters as being overwrought which was how this entire piece felt. It took dedication to read through the story, partly due to an uncovered spoiler I read before finishing the book. One incident was left dangling without explanation. Who on earth tried to kidnap her? And, was he brought to justice?

Sidenote: I was amused that this heroine had a variation of the main character's name from Pride And Prejudice. In an outstanding coincidence, the last book I read was a modern telling of another Jane Austen story with Eliza Darcy leading the mystery team. (In Pride and Prejudice, Eliza Bennett is courted by Fitzwilliam Darcy.)

If you like a slow burn with much description, this might be the thriller for you. It was not a great fit for me.

[Sheila · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written with weak storyline.

[Emily Santiago · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea but finished it because it was short.. I think the book was a good idea but execution lacked. Very repetitive & melodramatic

[Caroline Rebisz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot was decent but the writing was far too descriptive with every scene over-played. I ended up skim reading purely to find out what would happen.

[AMY · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be fair, I'm only on page 32.
Here is an excerpt, an example of the writing style:

... Colt Kimble's office is a needle in the haystack of this city's heartbeat, and I am the thread trembling on its approach ...

Bold, Kate. The Unseen Neighbor (Barren Pines: Book 1): An absolutely engrossing psychological thriller packed with twists you'll never see coming (p. 32). UNKNOWN. Kindle Edition.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

repetitive

I did not care for the writing at all. A synopsis of this story could be summed up in 25 words or less. There was way too much repetition, and too many irrelevant descriptive details to fill the page in what is a very weak storyline.

[Rhonda Grimes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank god it was short. Human trafficking. Husband was supposed to sell her but fell in love. Terrible writing

[Sonia Aggarwal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Literally the worst book I’ve ever read.

[Janejellyroll · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kate Bold is credited with writing close to 500 books here and while I'm sure many of those are translations into other languages, that's a lot of books! That's an enviable rate of production, right? Well, if the rest are of the same quality as this one, I wouldn't be so sure.

First, the plot of this book is very unoriginal. It's a domestic thriller set in a wealthy community, a potentially unreliable narrator of an MC, and a lying husband. Basically the current domestic thriller template where the MC is constantly thinking about lies and appearances. She doesn't control basic conditions of her own life. Her husband makes all the money and she's beginning to dabble in the floral business (not once in the book do we see her dealing with a client or any business at all -- the closest she comes is using "I'm going to get flower seeds" as an excuse for leaving the house when her husband gets suspicious of her movements). The crux of the plot turns on human trafficking, the current white woman panic. And not the real kind of human trafficking, the bugaboo of a conspiracy to snatch rich, beautiful, successful white teenage girls . It's like this book was constructed out of the scraps from other domestic thrillers.

The writing is . . . not good. The work "belies" occurs throughout the book. I don't know if the writer thinks it sounds appropriately atmospheric, but it's ridiculous.

"I stand up, smoothing down the fabric of my sundress, the one that belies the turmoil brewing . . . "

"His calm demeanor belies the late hour and the abruptness of my visit . . ."

Stuff like that. I don't know how a sundress belies bad feelings inside. I guess the important thing is that the MC believes that it does.

There's vivid details throughout the book, but they don't always make sense. For example, our rich MC hires a private detective who, I assume, would be somewhat successful. The description of his office when he is introduced certainly makes us think he is. But when he goes to her town to investigate her husband, we're told that his hotel room has worn-out furniture and a "threadbare carpet." Can he not afford a decent hotel? He has a "diamond-shaped jaw" (??) and he's no great shakes as an investigator. Despite our MC knowing the name of the person she suspects her husband is having an affair with, he tells her that unless she personally obtains the woman's phone number, he can't do much to find her. Most of his "investigation" involves him calling his former partner and getting information from him. Then he goes online and does a lot of searches and somehow determines that there's a massive human trafficking conspiracy right under the MC's nose, but Bold never really bothers to tell us what he found or how he connected the dots .

The guy himself seems brand new to the world of investigation and human emotions. Our MC comes to him and basically says "My husband has a phone he is hiding from me with one contact -- a woman I don't know. And there are thousands of dollars missing from our bank accounts that he won't discuss with me." And his internal dialogue? "It makes him wonder about her story, about what drives her to seek truth so fervently." Dude, are you kidding me? What spouse wouldn't "fervently" want truth in that situation?

Our MC really likes sun dresses/sundresses (it flips back and forth in the book). They're usually "modest." She likes them so much that when she dresses up for a gala in a "crisp green dress," later in the gala we're told that she's clutching her sun dress/sundresses. I guess she brought a spare with her to change into before the big confrontation? After she puts on the "crisp green dress" for the gala, she also puts on "lipstick, a shade that matches the dress." She tells us it's to "steel my resolve." I do agree that a green lipstick would steel my resolve. My resolve for what, I'm not sure, but it's certainly a distinctive color choice.

I think my takeaway here is that you can get to close to 500 books published by ignoring stuff like a coherent plot, remembering what characters are wearing from one scene to the next, including vivid details that don't make sense, and using the same words over and over again. But maybe it would be better to have slightly fewer books and less green lipstick to steel resolve.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

free ebook

she had a stalker in college. he was arrested and killed in prison

her husband seemed so nice. but then there was money missing from their account. she saw a woman who looked like her at their party, but no one else saw her.

she found a flip phone in his study, it said rachel wells for a call

she hired a pi and he found her husband was doing business with her. she found a life insurance policy made out to rachel, she took it but it disappeared from her purse before she could show the pi

he had looked her up so now he thinks she is paranoid. her husband made her go back to the counselor who also thinks shes paranoid

but she feels something is up, she follows rachel after she left work

the mother and son were involved with the woman who is human trafficking. they were supposed to sell her too but he loved her and kept her

she outed them at the party
they were arrested
she moved out and the pi likes her

[Avid · Rating 3 out of 5]

It flowed smoothly and at a fast pace. It didn't hold any real surprises or leave me hanging on the edge. However, it was seamless, and I never had to 2nd guess what was happening like many of the recent books I've read lately.

I also liked the portrayal of the main character. I'm really tired of both the helpless housewife who needs a man to rescue her and the reverse of a woman who must prove herself and in doing so refuses any help from anyone and acts like a complete jerk to any man within a city block. This character, after suffering from PTSD, is working on healing and setting boundaries. She knows how to admit when she needs help and will seek it out when needed, but she also is strong enough now not to accept bullshit from others again.

Overall, the book is a nice quick, easy read.

Recommended 👍

📚📚📚

[Eva Edge · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Unseen Neighbor by Kate Bold is a suspenseful story filled with deceit and manipulation, where mental health is weaponised to make you doubt your own sanity.
I didn't see that ending coming. Loved it. Loved it how it was presented and loved the twist. That's why I give it four stars.

Eliza appears to have everything—a wonderful relationship with her successful businessman husband and a well-respected home in the quaint town of Barren Pines. However, cracks begin to show. Her husband skillfully deceives her, almost leading her to believe that she is the one who is delusional, while he plays the role of the 'innocent victim' of her paranoia. Determined, Eliza sets out on a mission, convinced that she witnessed something significant and that her husband is concealing the truth.
This book is chilling because it feels all too real. The fact that such horrors occur around the world is deeply unsettling.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Unseen Neighbour - a review by Rosemary Kenny.

The Barren Pines series-opener The Unseen Neighbour by Kate Bold, is an unputdownable, psychological thriller that reminded me in some respects of the Ashley Judd movie Double Jeopardy, in the way its main character Eliza Bennett - who has much of the integrity, and determination of her 'namesake' Elizabeth Bennett of Pride and Prejudice fame - is skillfully lied to by her husband, and almost manipulated into believing that she's delusional, and he's just the 'innocent victim' of her paranoia.

Where do past and present collide and who's telling the truth? Find out in The Unseen Neighbour...and remember, you can choose your friends - but not your family!

[Laura Rizza · Rating 1 out of 5]

This may have been the most ridiculous book I’ve read. Too many metaphors, the same descriptive words used over and over again, and blatant sloppiness in writing. In one paragraph, the excruciating main character states, “I slip out into the safety of the backyard”. The very next paragraph is, “I press my back against the cool marble of the kitchen counter.” How did an editor not see that error?? There were so many inconsistencies that were laughable. I’m just glad it was only 185 pages. Only finished it because it turned into a joke where I would read aloud the ridiculous parts for my amusement. I can’t believe this author has so many books! I’m one and done. I’m sure there’s an audience out there for her. Bless her heart.

[Maryann Hornbaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting Storyline

This interesting story could have been told in about half the space. Although the story itself was unique most of it is about what Eliza is thinking. Not much action nor dialog.
I got to the point where I could skip half a paragraph and read 2 pages in 30 seconds.

However poor Eliza, being traumatized by a stalker and abuser while in college is working her way through the trauma. She is “rescued” by Micheal who marries her and provides Very well for her. But she discovers some odd occurrences and begins questioning him. What she discovers is shocking. If you skip through the wordy paragraphs, you could read it in less than 3 hours.