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THE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR
Brought to you by Penguin.
Lana and Roman Wade have fled the city for a little corner of paradise, exchanging their flat with its unhappy memories for a small honey-coloured house among the rolling green hills of Oxfordshire. Their new home, set in a residential Close known as The Gardens, is their dream and their new neighbours are charming.
So why is Lana feeling so uneasy?
Lana and Roman may seem like an attractive, popular couple. But they are also a couple with a secret; a secret buried in the life they have left behind, a secret they have shared with no-one.
But their new neighbours - these charming, affluent men and women in the Gardens - have secrets of their own.
Terrible secrets; unimaginable secrets that include the apparently happy family who lived - and tragically died - in Lana and Roman's new home.
As Lana struggles to adjust to her new life in Paradise, she becomes convinced that her new neighbours are hiding something from her, something connected with the deaths of the family who lived in her house before she did, something that could put her own life in danger...
The People Next Door is a psychological thriller full of twists and turns, a murder mystery wrapped in a love story, and a love story wrapped in a murder mystery. It is about the secrets we all keep - and what we will do for love.
Tony Parsons 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022
Lana and Roman Wade have fled the city for a little corner of paradise, exchanging their flat with its unhappy memories for a small honey-coloured house among the rolling green hills of Oxfordshire. Their new home, set in a residential Close known as The Gardens, is their dream and their new neighbours are charming.
So why is Lana feeling so uneasy?
Lana and Roman may seem like an attractive, popular couple. But they are also a couple with a secret; a secret buried in the life they have left behind, a secret they have shared with no-one.
But their new neighbours - these charming, affluent men and women in the Gardens - have secrets of their own.
Terrible secrets; unimaginable secrets that include the apparently happy family who lived - and tragically died - in Lana and Roman's new home.
As Lana struggles to adjust to her new life in Paradise, she becomes convinced that her new neighbours are hiding something from her, something connected with the deaths of the family who lived in her house before she did, something that could put her own life in danger...
The People Next Door is a psychological thriller full of twists and turns, a murder mystery wrapped in a love story, and a love story wrapped in a murder mystery. It is about the secrets we all keep - and what we will do for love.
Tony Parsons 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022
Audible Audio
Published March 31, 2022
121 people are currently reading
1116 people want to read
About the author
Tony Parsons
66 books892 followersThere is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Tony Parsons (born 6 November 1953) is a British journalist broadcaster and author. He began his career as a music journalist on the NME, writing about punk music. Later, he wrote for The Daily Telegraph, before going on to write his current column for the Daily Mirror. Parsons was for a time a regular guest on the BBC Two arts review programme The Late Show, and still appears infrequently on the successor Newsnight Review; he also briefly hosted a series on Channel 4 called Big Mouth.
He is the author of the multi-million selling novel, Man and Boy (1999). Parsons had written a number of novels including The Kids (1976), Platinum Logic (1981) and Limelight Blues (1983), before he found mainstream success by focussing on the tribulations of thirty-something men. Parsons has since published a series of best-selling novels – One For My Baby (2001), Man and Wife (2003), The Family Way (2004), Stories We Could Tell (2006), My Favourite Wife (2007), Starting Over (2009) and Men From the Boys (2010). His novels typically deal with relationship problems, emotional dramas and the traumas of men and women in our time. He describes his writing as 'Men Lit', as opposed to the rising popularity of 'Chick Lit'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Par...
Tony Parsons (born 6 November 1953) is a British journalist broadcaster and author. He began his career as a music journalist on the NME, writing about punk music. Later, he wrote for The Daily Telegraph, before going on to write his current column for the Daily Mirror. Parsons was for a time a regular guest on the BBC Two arts review programme The Late Show, and still appears infrequently on the successor Newsnight Review; he also briefly hosted a series on Channel 4 called Big Mouth.
He is the author of the multi-million selling novel, Man and Boy (1999). Parsons had written a number of novels including The Kids (1976), Platinum Logic (1981) and Limelight Blues (1983), before he found mainstream success by focussing on the tribulations of thirty-something men. Parsons has since published a series of best-selling novels – One For My Baby (2001), Man and Wife (2003), The Family Way (2004), Stories We Could Tell (2006), My Favourite Wife (2007), Starting Over (2009) and Men From the Boys (2010). His novels typically deal with relationship problems, emotional dramas and the traumas of men and women in our time. He describes his writing as 'Men Lit', as opposed to the rising popularity of 'Chick Lit'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Par...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews
February 23, 2022
3.5 stars
Photographer Lana and Dr Roman Wade moved to Oxfordshire after a violent home invasion. Roman is very keen to settle in a more rural location, Lana less so. They’re warmly welcomed and told “nobody ever leaves“ so why is Lana so full of disquiet? Is it really a garden of paradise, an idyllic and beautiful village or do bad things happen here the same as elsewhere? Most importantly for Lana, what happened to the people who lived in their house before them? Sometimes, village life albeit a beautiful one, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, sometimes lives are just as broken as everywhere else.
This starts really well as a good slow burner psychological thriller. The author frequently lulls you into a false sense of security and that is certainly the case here. Initially all looks well and then the mystery of the small enclave starts to deepen. Equally puzzling is some of the behaviour. Lana is a bag of nerves but is she right about her seemingly upstanding “people next door“? Her charactisation is good though I frequently want to punch Roman who is so patronising at times and some of his behaviour doesn’t add up and you question his actions. There are some good twists as you realise that this is a very strange place with surface nice people.
However, much as it grieves me to give this author whose books I usually like a lower rating than normal, I’m sorry to say that it starts to get too OTT and far-fetched for me to buy into especially the conclusion. Some characters are not sufficiently fleshed out and so it doesn’t feel authentic and especially latterly, some of the dialogue makes me wince. The actual ending is extremely abrupt, what are we meant to make of that?
Overall much of this is enjoyable especially the first 60% but the last 30% percent is not to my taste.
PS definitely going to have to try Léoube as Lana quaffs it so happily!!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Cornerstone/Century for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Photographer Lana and Dr Roman Wade moved to Oxfordshire after a violent home invasion. Roman is very keen to settle in a more rural location, Lana less so. They’re warmly welcomed and told “nobody ever leaves“ so why is Lana so full of disquiet? Is it really a garden of paradise, an idyllic and beautiful village or do bad things happen here the same as elsewhere? Most importantly for Lana, what happened to the people who lived in their house before them? Sometimes, village life albeit a beautiful one, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, sometimes lives are just as broken as everywhere else.
This starts really well as a good slow burner psychological thriller. The author frequently lulls you into a false sense of security and that is certainly the case here. Initially all looks well and then the mystery of the small enclave starts to deepen. Equally puzzling is some of the behaviour. Lana is a bag of nerves but is she right about her seemingly upstanding “people next door“? Her charactisation is good though I frequently want to punch Roman who is so patronising at times and some of his behaviour doesn’t add up and you question his actions. There are some good twists as you realise that this is a very strange place with surface nice people.
However, much as it grieves me to give this author whose books I usually like a lower rating than normal, I’m sorry to say that it starts to get too OTT and far-fetched for me to buy into especially the conclusion. Some characters are not sufficiently fleshed out and so it doesn’t feel authentic and especially latterly, some of the dialogue makes me wince. The actual ending is extremely abrupt, what are we meant to make of that?
Overall much of this is enjoyable especially the first 60% but the last 30% percent is not to my taste.
PS definitely going to have to try Léoube as Lana quaffs it so happily!!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Cornerstone/Century for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
September 27, 2022
I thought I was really going to enjoy my first read from this author as the opening third strongly pulled me in.
The idea that Roman and Lana has swapped London for a more tranquil village location is an interesting one, especially as Lana starts to learn about this history of their new home.
I thought the story was going to just follow the reputations of a supposed mystery of the former inhabitants of there new home in Oxfordshire.
Instead we start to find out more about Lana and Roman's past life and this was were the novel became to convoluted and stretched credibility behond belief.
It eventually became a bit of a slog to finish....
The idea that Roman and Lana has swapped London for a more tranquil village location is an interesting one, especially as Lana starts to learn about this history of their new home.
I thought the story was going to just follow the reputations of a supposed mystery of the former inhabitants of there new home in Oxfordshire.
Instead we start to find out more about Lana and Roman's past life and this was were the novel became to convoluted and stretched credibility behond belief.
It eventually became a bit of a slog to finish....
March 19, 2022
I’m a sucker for a good thriller, and there were elements of this novel that were great. It was certainly readable, and there’s nothing to dislike in the main character of Lana. I particularly liked her friend Sandy- it’s a shame there wasn’t more of him in the novel to be honest.
You have to really REALLY suspend your disbelief in this one though. For starters, I’m not sure if the writer has ever visited an English village, but ‘The Gardens’ certainly doesn’t bear any resemblance to any English village I’ve ever visited! It’s apparently barely a village as it only has a couple of streets of shops…. Tell that to the village I live in - one pub, no shop! This village is certainly more of a small town, with its plural eating spots and Secondary School - oh, and don’t forget the heavily demonised council estate and the Yurt village where the local druggie lives. Bizarre.
The plot also heavily centres around a family of foxes who apparently scream but definitely aren’t mating. They also howl at odd moments and can be seen cavorting around in the empty swimming pool at all times of day and night. They are more like pets than wild animals to be honest. Oh, and the swimming pool - where Lana happily lounges, and even falls drowsily to sleep - in OCTOBER.
It might seem nit picky, and the story is all about end-of-the-world preppers, and does refer to Climate Change, but there were just too many incidences that required too much stretching of my imagination.
Then you have Lana, who for the first third of the novel is seldom seen without her faithful Leoubé - I’m not sure why the name of the wine had to be mentioned so frequently - and complains of being too tipsy just a page before she completely soberly drives her friend to the railway station.
I don’t think I have ever made so many notes in the margins of a book before. There were many other plot points and details that I have not mentioned here that I found equally frustrating! However, if you can see past these elements and enjoy a thriller this may be for you.
You have to really REALLY suspend your disbelief in this one though. For starters, I’m not sure if the writer has ever visited an English village, but ‘The Gardens’ certainly doesn’t bear any resemblance to any English village I’ve ever visited! It’s apparently barely a village as it only has a couple of streets of shops…. Tell that to the village I live in - one pub, no shop! This village is certainly more of a small town, with its plural eating spots and Secondary School - oh, and don’t forget the heavily demonised council estate and the Yurt village where the local druggie lives. Bizarre.
The plot also heavily centres around a family of foxes who apparently scream but definitely aren’t mating. They also howl at odd moments and can be seen cavorting around in the empty swimming pool at all times of day and night. They are more like pets than wild animals to be honest. Oh, and the swimming pool - where Lana happily lounges, and even falls drowsily to sleep - in OCTOBER.
It might seem nit picky, and the story is all about end-of-the-world preppers, and does refer to Climate Change, but there were just too many incidences that required too much stretching of my imagination.
Then you have Lana, who for the first third of the novel is seldom seen without her faithful Leoubé - I’m not sure why the name of the wine had to be mentioned so frequently - and complains of being too tipsy just a page before she completely soberly drives her friend to the railway station.
I don’t think I have ever made so many notes in the margins of a book before. There were many other plot points and details that I have not mentioned here that I found equally frustrating! However, if you can see past these elements and enjoy a thriller this may be for you.
March 16, 2022
Lana and Roman Wade have fled the city for a little corner of paradise, exchanging their flat with it's unhappy memories for a small honey-coloured house among the calling green hills of Oxfordshire. Their new home, set in the residential close known as The Gardens, is their dream and their new neighbours are charming. So why is Lana feeling so uneasy? Lana and Roman may seem like an attractive, popular couple. But they also have a secret; a secret buried in the life they left behind, a secret they have shared with no one.
Even though I thought this story was a bit far fetched, I still enjoyed it. Lana and Roman move to Oxfordshire after a terrifying experience in their old home. I wasn't keen on any of the characters. But things aren't ideal at their new home either. There seems to be secrets behind everyone of their new neighbours. There's a few twist and turns. I also felt the ending was a bit rushed.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUk and the author #TonyParsons for my ARC of #ThePeopleNextDoor in exchange for an honest review.
Even though I thought this story was a bit far fetched, I still enjoyed it. Lana and Roman move to Oxfordshire after a terrifying experience in their old home. I wasn't keen on any of the characters. But things aren't ideal at their new home either. There seems to be secrets behind everyone of their new neighbours. There's a few twist and turns. I also felt the ending was a bit rushed.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUk and the author #TonyParsons for my ARC of #ThePeopleNextDoor in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2022
The most amazing thing about this book is the fact that I finished it! It started off well enough, but by the time I was half way through I was ready to switch off. The events that occur in the second half of this book are as far fetched as sh*t from China. I won't rant on too much for fear of spoilers, but come on, an Oxfordshire village where you can swim in your outdoor pool in October, a never ending supply of Loeube wine for our female protagonist which she spends most of her time guzzling, even at 3am (it's mentioned on virtually every page so I had to google it. £20 a bottle), etc, etc. And then there's the stigma attached to council housing and the people who live on council estates (I was born in a council house, I have family who live in social housing and I work in social housing!) which is certainly alive and well in this author's head. Disgraceful. And the ending? Well, let's just say I'm as clueless now as I was when I started. Oh well, onwards.
March 20, 2022
Reading Stuff 'n' Things
Oh my gosh, I can't tell you how disappointed I am after finishing this. I am a huge fan of Tony Parsons' books and have enjoyed a few of them but this just didn't do it for me in any way, shape or form and for that, I am extremely sad.
I couldn't get into the plot ... it seemed to drone on and without much of a purpose, little excitement or thrills. I couldn't get into the characters .. I found them quite one-dimensional and boring and whilst I don't usually have a problem with suspending reality when reading thrillers, let's face it if you can't do that in a fiction book when can you, but this was just a tad OTT even for me and don't even get me started on the ending!
As I said, I am extremely sad to be so negative about this book but I certainly won't stop eagerly waiting for Tony Parson's next instalment and, if other reviews of The People Next Door are anything to go by, I am in the minority with this one so I urge you to give it a go.
Many thanks to Random House UK / Cornerstone and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Oh my gosh, I can't tell you how disappointed I am after finishing this. I am a huge fan of Tony Parsons' books and have enjoyed a few of them but this just didn't do it for me in any way, shape or form and for that, I am extremely sad.
I couldn't get into the plot ... it seemed to drone on and without much of a purpose, little excitement or thrills. I couldn't get into the characters .. I found them quite one-dimensional and boring and whilst I don't usually have a problem with suspending reality when reading thrillers, let's face it if you can't do that in a fiction book when can you, but this was just a tad OTT even for me and don't even get me started on the ending!
As I said, I am extremely sad to be so negative about this book but I certainly won't stop eagerly waiting for Tony Parson's next instalment and, if other reviews of The People Next Door are anything to go by, I am in the minority with this one so I urge you to give it a go.
Many thanks to Random House UK / Cornerstone and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
March 28, 2022
This is a hard one to review. I was sucked into this story, I was hooked and I was flying through it. There are some really good plot twists and surprises in it that have kept my interest until the end. But, the ending for me was way too far-fetched. I disliked most of the characters and I wouldn’t have mind that if the ending was mind blowing. The ending just really didn’t feel right, I felt like there where too many loose ends and it was way too rushed. It was a very quick read and I did kinda enjoy it. But it wasn’t what I hoped for.
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𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘞𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺-𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘹𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘴, 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨.
𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵; 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥, 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘰-𝘰𝘯𝘦.
𝘈𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳...
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Psychological thrillers
ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ:
𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘞𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺-𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘹𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘴, 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨.
𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵; 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥, 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘰-𝘰𝘯𝘦.
𝘈𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳...
February 13, 2022
Lana and Roman Wade have fled the city to a safe residential known as The Gardens. There's very little crime, a security guard and neighbours who will be there, no matter what. Lana knows there's something not quite right about the safe new neighbourhood though. Roman and Lana are still traumatised from the life they had to flee - but Lana is sure there's more going on than her imagination. The more she tries to dig, the more she brings attention to herself. In a place where everyone has secrets, this is more dangerous than Lana could ever imagine...
I think this might be Tony Parsons' best book yet! I could not put it down, I was gripped the whole way through. I finished the book devastated it was over. I needed more, not because it left anything unfinished, but just because the book was that good I wanted to keep reading it.
The twists in this book are unexpected and absolutely jaw dropping. Tony has you questioning your every assumption, taking a breather because so much is happening and I just needed to read it, I didn't want to stop!
There's just no words really to describe how much I LOVED this book. Tony Parson has moved his way up to be one of my favourite authors, and if you read this book he will be one of yours too!
This book is published 31st March 2022, preorder/add to your wishlist immediately!
I think this might be Tony Parsons' best book yet! I could not put it down, I was gripped the whole way through. I finished the book devastated it was over. I needed more, not because it left anything unfinished, but just because the book was that good I wanted to keep reading it.
The twists in this book are unexpected and absolutely jaw dropping. Tony has you questioning your every assumption, taking a breather because so much is happening and I just needed to read it, I didn't want to stop!
There's just no words really to describe how much I LOVED this book. Tony Parson has moved his way up to be one of my favourite authors, and if you read this book he will be one of yours too!
This book is published 31st March 2022, preorder/add to your wishlist immediately!
June 30, 2022
I think Tony has been watching/reading Rosemary's Baby.
This psychological thriller starts off OK, plods around clunkily, and then ends in a finale that embarrasses both the reader and the writer (probably not the writer).
A couple leave the mean streets of London following a house invasion. They move into an idyllic Cotswold Village but quite quickly learn that their house was the scene of a family tragedy, when the father lost his job and went mad with a shotgun.
It then jumps into the paranoid "everyone is out to get me" with the wife spotting areas of concerns, finding bones in the garden, putting two and two together that sinister things are afoot. Rosemary's Baby to the character names (a Roman). Toxix herbs are potentially used as murder weapons. The story wears its influences transparently.
There's other clunky plot twists/characters - a rougher council estate nearby and a theft by the local villain. End of world sects. An eastern european (of course!) security guard. Called Goran. But its the ending that pushes the envelope too far - stupidly abrupt and OTT.
The book is told from interchanging viewpoints between the man/woman couple. Tony still feels the need to use acronyms/cockney rhyming slang and then expanding what it means. To give you an idea "lets have a butchers", says one of the characters for Tony to then explain "Butchers. Butcher Hook. Look.". Cheers Tony. Try and get "Aris" into your next book.
This psychological thriller starts off OK, plods around clunkily, and then ends in a finale that embarrasses both the reader and the writer (probably not the writer).
A couple leave the mean streets of London following a house invasion. They move into an idyllic Cotswold Village but quite quickly learn that their house was the scene of a family tragedy, when the father lost his job and went mad with a shotgun.
It then jumps into the paranoid "everyone is out to get me" with the wife spotting areas of concerns, finding bones in the garden, putting two and two together that sinister things are afoot. Rosemary's Baby to the character names (a Roman). Toxix herbs are potentially used as murder weapons. The story wears its influences transparently.
There's other clunky plot twists/characters - a rougher council estate nearby and a theft by the local villain. End of world sects. An eastern european (of course!) security guard. Called Goran. But its the ending that pushes the envelope too far - stupidly abrupt and OTT.
The book is told from interchanging viewpoints between the man/woman couple. Tony still feels the need to use acronyms/cockney rhyming slang and then expanding what it means. To give you an idea "lets have a butchers", says one of the characters for Tony to then explain "Butchers. Butcher Hook. Look.". Cheers Tony. Try and get "Aris" into your next book.
April 25, 2022
⭐️ 4 ⭐️
I love Tony Parsons’ work, particularly the Detective Max Wolfe series (all excellent), so I was excited to read The People Next Door.
What a gripping read it was, I was totally immersed in the story and couldn’t put it down. It’s tense, atmospheric, and brimming with suspense; with a heavy sense of foreboding that lingers throughout. I felt a strange feeling of unease whilst reading it, and checked over my shoulder countless times.
The characters are well rounded (none particularly likeable), although I did warm slightly towards Lara as the the story progressed. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and I was certainly lead up the wrong garden path more than once.
There are a few loose ends at the end, but overall it’s an excellent read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I love Tony Parsons’ work, particularly the Detective Max Wolfe series (all excellent), so I was excited to read The People Next Door.
What a gripping read it was, I was totally immersed in the story and couldn’t put it down. It’s tense, atmospheric, and brimming with suspense; with a heavy sense of foreboding that lingers throughout. I felt a strange feeling of unease whilst reading it, and checked over my shoulder countless times.
The characters are well rounded (none particularly likeable), although I did warm slightly towards Lara as the the story progressed. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and I was certainly lead up the wrong garden path more than once.
There are a few loose ends at the end, but overall it’s an excellent read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
January 29, 2023
Absolute rubbish!
April 7, 2022
Waffly, unrealistic and as far from a thriller as you can get. I’m afraid Tony Parson’s latest novel The People Next Door, is just lacking in appealing characters and is a massive miss for me.
Photographer Lana, moves with husband and GP Roman, from busy, bustling city life, to the idyllic and relaxing countryside. Becoming tenants of ‘The Gardens’, a residential close where all the houses are large and expensive, and the residents are secretive and mysterious, Lana struggles to settle in. Are the neighbours hiding something sinister, or is she imagining it all?
I thought the novel started off okay, I liked the concept and I had house envy, even if I had to fill myself with disbelief that anyone would be swimming in an outdoor pool in late Autumn. However, the more I read, and the longer it was drawn out, I just became bored and more incredulous.
The characters were just caricatures and highly frustrating. Their actions weren’t believable and I found myself irritated by their choices and reactions. I did like the character of Sandy, but sadly his appearances were few and far between, and not enough to save it.
Some of the plot points were ridiculous and far-fetched, and I’m afraid I found it a total slog to get through. If this was the first Tony Parsons novel I picked up, I’m not sure I’d pick up another.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Photographer Lana, moves with husband and GP Roman, from busy, bustling city life, to the idyllic and relaxing countryside. Becoming tenants of ‘The Gardens’, a residential close where all the houses are large and expensive, and the residents are secretive and mysterious, Lana struggles to settle in. Are the neighbours hiding something sinister, or is she imagining it all?
I thought the novel started off okay, I liked the concept and I had house envy, even if I had to fill myself with disbelief that anyone would be swimming in an outdoor pool in late Autumn. However, the more I read, and the longer it was drawn out, I just became bored and more incredulous.
The characters were just caricatures and highly frustrating. Their actions weren’t believable and I found myself irritated by their choices and reactions. I did like the character of Sandy, but sadly his appearances were few and far between, and not enough to save it.
Some of the plot points were ridiculous and far-fetched, and I’m afraid I found it a total slog to get through. If this was the first Tony Parsons novel I picked up, I’m not sure I’d pick up another.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for an honest review.
June 3, 2023
As someone with a deep distrust of doctors, this was an extremely satisfying read.
July 31, 2024
The GRs score on this was so low I thought it was going to be rubbish but I enjoyed it. Yep a bit far fetched in places but enough originality to keep me interested. A couple move house to a place where everyone seems so nice and friendly but all isn’t what it seems. Is Lana over sensitive and paranoid or is there something weird about their new community?
September 24, 2023
die autorin hat sich einen absolut absurden plot ausgedacht, aber dann halt nicht aufgelöst?
das kann ich auch 😃😃
das kann ich auch 😃😃
March 2, 2022
After a terrifying experience in their old home Lana and Roman move to an idyllic picturesque village in the Cotswolds. The houses are charming and full of affluent people and the neighbours quickly introduce themselves. However, after Lana finds a panic room in her new home along with a true crime documentary about the previous owners she starts to wonder if everything is really as it seems.
This book covers a lot of topics including single parent families, Alzheimer’s and domestic violence but it does it in a way that adds to the story and doesn’t focus on it. The characters are really well written and even though not all likable they are believable.
It moves along rapidly and I found it hard to put down, it can be dark and depressing and at times made me feel really claustrophobic but I had to keep going. There are plenty of twists and turns and just when I thought I knew what was happening it all changed and I doubted myself which must be very similar to what Lana was feeling
If you want a fast-paced psychological thriller where nobody is really what they seem and your allegiances are challenged throughout then this is definitely one for you.
It was going to be 5 stars for me as it kept me gripped right up until the last page but the ending was really not an ending and it left me slightly confused and disappointed so I dropped it to 4.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC
This book covers a lot of topics including single parent families, Alzheimer’s and domestic violence but it does it in a way that adds to the story and doesn’t focus on it. The characters are really well written and even though not all likable they are believable.
It moves along rapidly and I found it hard to put down, it can be dark and depressing and at times made me feel really claustrophobic but I had to keep going. There are plenty of twists and turns and just when I thought I knew what was happening it all changed and I doubted myself which must be very similar to what Lana was feeling
If you want a fast-paced psychological thriller where nobody is really what they seem and your allegiances are challenged throughout then this is definitely one for you.
It was going to be 5 stars for me as it kept me gripped right up until the last page but the ending was really not an ending and it left me slightly confused and disappointed so I dropped it to 4.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC
August 13, 2023
I haven't read many thriller/crime books so my exceptionally high score might be influenced by that. Nevertheless, I was really gripped from the beginning to finish. Minor illogical details were a tad annoying and the behaviour of a main character Lana was sometimes making me roll my eyes. However, I really enjoyed the style of writing and the plot had so many possibilities that it was hard to guess which plot twists author is going to choose, and there were many! I read it within few days which is unusual for me. I would recommend this book to anybody, who like myself, not an expert in reading crime books, but is looking to begin somewhere. Enjoy!
May 9, 2023
"I should have fought them for you. I should have killed them all. I should have stayed. I should never have left you. But I screamed your name. And then I ran."
I don't know what to say about this one. It started well, and I thought this is well on the way to being a 5⭐️ read.
But...
Things started to get weird. I'm okay with weird, so I thought, maybe this one will sit strong at 4⭐️. And then it just went beyond bizarre. I was torn between 3 and 4 stars tbh. I decided to go with 4, as I did kind of enjoy reading it. Kind of. I think?
I genuinely have no idea where I thought this story was going, but it certainly wasn't this.
I don't know what to say about this one. It started well, and I thought this is well on the way to being a 5⭐️ read.
But...
Things started to get weird. I'm okay with weird, so I thought, maybe this one will sit strong at 4⭐️. And then it just went beyond bizarre. I was torn between 3 and 4 stars tbh. I decided to go with 4, as I did kind of enjoy reading it. Kind of. I think?
I genuinely have no idea where I thought this story was going, but it certainly wasn't this.
September 22, 2022
I was gripped by this book. I found most of the characters very annoying and the story line a tad far fetched but I did enjoy it and it kept me reading. The ending was a bit abrupt I thought
December 11, 2023
Following an horrendous and terrifying ordeal in their home, a young couple move to the English countryside to escape the memories, only to find the house they've moved to has his own horrific history. The people of the village - The People Next Door - appear perfect. Of course, they are not.
The prologue is harrowing and disturbing in places, but the book quickly moves on to the new characters in the new area, most of whom are successful, rich and or beautiful. The overlong introduction to them is like a television family drama, full of daily vacuous events, with a rather American flavour. Eventually things change when a young thief is run down by someone from the village. Everyone closes ranks as if there are things to hide...
The story is told from first person perspectives of the new couple in alternating sections. The man is trying to hold everything together while his wife is trying to find out what is not right about the perfect community. Some things fall into place while others are mere red herrings. In both cases, there is too much repetition and unnecessary filler. This feels like a very long book.
There is plenty of intrigue and suspense and sometimes the plot is far-fetched, but the path of someone suffering from anxiety and paranoia is the driving feature of the story. A book about fear, loyalty and several psychological conditions and mental health issues, with an ending worthy of a Hollywood action film.
The prologue is harrowing and disturbing in places, but the book quickly moves on to the new characters in the new area, most of whom are successful, rich and or beautiful. The overlong introduction to them is like a television family drama, full of daily vacuous events, with a rather American flavour. Eventually things change when a young thief is run down by someone from the village. Everyone closes ranks as if there are things to hide...
The story is told from first person perspectives of the new couple in alternating sections. The man is trying to hold everything together while his wife is trying to find out what is not right about the perfect community. Some things fall into place while others are mere red herrings. In both cases, there is too much repetition and unnecessary filler. This feels like a very long book.
There is plenty of intrigue and suspense and sometimes the plot is far-fetched, but the path of someone suffering from anxiety and paranoia is the driving feature of the story. A book about fear, loyalty and several psychological conditions and mental health issues, with an ending worthy of a Hollywood action film.
January 12, 2023
I seem to be on a roll this year reading books with horrible endings ones where you are left feeling like there is a chapter or 2 missing.
Lana and Roman move in to their new fancy house in the country following a secret incident in their old city house and things dont seem right.
The plot starts as a potentially engaging thriller then turns in to a bonkers loads of random events with no effort to link them together or any progress or conclusion to ANY of them.
Lana is portrayed as drunk and needy.
Roman the doctor has a secret and is drugging his wife and treats her terribly in public.
The beautiful neighbour , who is obviously having an affair.
The weed smoking handyman who lives in a tent.
Old lady hippy and poisonous plants.
Bodies under pools.
Hidden hard drives that get found but not looked at.
An immigrant security guard in a white van who runs somebody over.
A missing wife & mother.
A scar faced man with a knife carrying son.
A house with a safe room that gets mentioned frequently but then doesn't get used when somebody is in the house threatening Lana.
Arson
A German with dementia
Everybody has a shot gun
Doomsday preppers and conspiracy nut jobs
THE END
This book is worse than my review. Luckily it's a quick read and if you want to skim through it to kill a few hours in the airport or on a boring journey, crack on. It's so badly ridiculous it will keep you entertained.
Lana and Roman move in to their new fancy house in the country following a secret incident in their old city house and things dont seem right.
The plot starts as a potentially engaging thriller then turns in to a bonkers loads of random events with no effort to link them together or any progress or conclusion to ANY of them.
Lana is portrayed as drunk and needy.
Roman the doctor has a secret and is drugging his wife and treats her terribly in public.
The beautiful neighbour , who is obviously having an affair.
The weed smoking handyman who lives in a tent.
Old lady hippy and poisonous plants.
Bodies under pools.
Hidden hard drives that get found but not looked at.
An immigrant security guard in a white van who runs somebody over.
A missing wife & mother.
A scar faced man with a knife carrying son.
A house with a safe room that gets mentioned frequently but then doesn't get used when somebody is in the house threatening Lana.
Arson
A German with dementia
Everybody has a shot gun
Doomsday preppers and conspiracy nut jobs
THE END
This book is worse than my review. Luckily it's a quick read and if you want to skim through it to kill a few hours in the airport or on a boring journey, crack on. It's so badly ridiculous it will keep you entertained.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2022
Normally love Tony Parsons books, and this one was a good one in the beginning, but by the middle I felt it drifted and by the end, the plot became really weird and unbelievable.
Read it quickly as I wanted to know what happened, hence the 3 stars, but I think it could of been so much more in terms of how it played out.
Just a bit weird really.
Read it quickly as I wanted to know what happened, hence the 3 stars, but I think it could of been so much more in terms of how it played out.
Just a bit weird really.
December 30, 2023
Po romantických knihách jsem potřebovala trochu změnu a padla volba na LIDÉ ODVEDLE – je to má první přečtená kniha od tohoto autora a velmi mi sedla. Četlo se to parádně, ostatně knihy od MOBY už takové jsou. Ještě se mi nestalo, že by mě nějaká zklamala.
Manželé Wadeovi žíjí ve městě. Lana je talentovaná fotografka a Roman je lékař. Něco se stalo a manželé se rozhodli, že se přestěhují na vesnici, kde budou mít větší klid a kde uklidí své trápení. Tohle by mohlo znít tak nějak obyčejně, ale co z toho autor dokázal vytřískat, z toho mi spadla brada.
Příběh byl čtivý, napínavý a místy nás autor schválně pletl, že jsem nevěděla komu věřit. Blázen je manžel nebo manželka? Nebo to bude úplně jinak? Skoro do konce příběhu jsem se nemohla rozhodnout, na čí straně budu. A tímto tempem jsem přečetla celou knihu skoro na jeden zátah. Autor si semnu dokonale pohrál a to velmi oceňuji. A ten konec? No to už jsem fakt odpadla, něco tak jiného už jsem dlouho nečetla.
K naprosté dokonalosti tomu trochu chybělo, ale i tak hodnotím jako nadprůměrný psychothriller, který by mohl bavit velký okruh čtenářů.
Manželé Wadeovi žíjí ve městě. Lana je talentovaná fotografka a Roman je lékař. Něco se stalo a manželé se rozhodli, že se přestěhují na vesnici, kde budou mít větší klid a kde uklidí své trápení. Tohle by mohlo znít tak nějak obyčejně, ale co z toho autor dokázal vytřískat, z toho mi spadla brada.
Příběh byl čtivý, napínavý a místy nás autor schválně pletl, že jsem nevěděla komu věřit. Blázen je manžel nebo manželka? Nebo to bude úplně jinak? Skoro do konce příběhu jsem se nemohla rozhodnout, na čí straně budu. A tímto tempem jsem přečetla celou knihu skoro na jeden zátah. Autor si semnu dokonale pohrál a to velmi oceňuji. A ten konec? No to už jsem fakt odpadla, něco tak jiného už jsem dlouho nečetla.
K naprosté dokonalosti tomu trochu chybělo, ale i tak hodnotím jako nadprůměrný psychothriller, který by mohl bavit velký okruh čtenářů.
January 17, 2023
VIENAS DIDELIS MINDFUCK’AS. bet labai rekomenduoju!!!
March 19, 2022
Out on 31st March
The People Next Door by Tony Parsons
📚blurb📚
Lana and Roman Wade have fled the city for a little corner of paradise, exchanging their flat with its unhappy memories for a small honey-coloured house among the rolling green hills of Oxfordshire. Their new home, set in a residential Close known as The Gardens, is their dream and their new neighbours are charming. So why is Lana feeling so uneasy? Lana and Roman may seem like an attractive, popular couple. But they are also a couple with a secret; a secret buried in the life they have left behind, a secret they have shared with no-one. But their new neighbours - these charming, affluent men and women in the Gardens - have secrets of their own. Terrible secrets; unimaginable secrets that include the apparently happy family who lived - and tragically died - in Lana and Roman's new home. As Lana struggles to adjust to her new life in Paradise, she becomes convinced that her new neighbours are hiding something from her, something connected with the deaths of the family who lived in her house before she did, something that could put her own life in danger...
📖3.5🌟rounded to 4🌟review 📖
Finishing this book last night, I was left musing about how I felt about the book. It was definitely addictive reading and kept me hooked. The parts which left me wondering, were, I felt, a little too far-fetched.
The plot is intriguing and full of twists and turns, that had my loyalty flicking between characters, both equally compelling narrators. The author cleverly flips the readers perceptions of characters as the story progresses.
My favourite character was Sandy, Lana’s photography mentor, whose loyalties and support were solid and unwavering. The house they moved to, in The Gardens, felt full of mystery and long-held secrets & mysteries. The ending left me thinking long after I finished.
An enjoyable, unusual & mysterious read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK Cornerstone, I was given an early copy of this book for my unbiased and honest review.
The People Next Door by Tony Parsons
📚blurb📚
Lana and Roman Wade have fled the city for a little corner of paradise, exchanging their flat with its unhappy memories for a small honey-coloured house among the rolling green hills of Oxfordshire. Their new home, set in a residential Close known as The Gardens, is their dream and their new neighbours are charming. So why is Lana feeling so uneasy? Lana and Roman may seem like an attractive, popular couple. But they are also a couple with a secret; a secret buried in the life they have left behind, a secret they have shared with no-one. But their new neighbours - these charming, affluent men and women in the Gardens - have secrets of their own. Terrible secrets; unimaginable secrets that include the apparently happy family who lived - and tragically died - in Lana and Roman's new home. As Lana struggles to adjust to her new life in Paradise, she becomes convinced that her new neighbours are hiding something from her, something connected with the deaths of the family who lived in her house before she did, something that could put her own life in danger...
📖3.5🌟rounded to 4🌟review 📖
Finishing this book last night, I was left musing about how I felt about the book. It was definitely addictive reading and kept me hooked. The parts which left me wondering, were, I felt, a little too far-fetched.
The plot is intriguing and full of twists and turns, that had my loyalty flicking between characters, both equally compelling narrators. The author cleverly flips the readers perceptions of characters as the story progresses.
My favourite character was Sandy, Lana’s photography mentor, whose loyalties and support were solid and unwavering. The house they moved to, in The Gardens, felt full of mystery and long-held secrets & mysteries. The ending left me thinking long after I finished.
An enjoyable, unusual & mysterious read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK Cornerstone, I was given an early copy of this book for my unbiased and honest review.
April 6, 2022
Lana and Roman Wade, respectively a photographer and a doctor, have moved to The Gardens, in rural Oxfordshire, from the city. Their new neighbours are charming and friendly but everyone in The Gardens has a secret, including the Wades...
Although The People Next Door starts off slowly, the story soon picks up as it begins its meander towards a chilling ending. There are twists, turns and surprising moments as secrets aplenty come to fruition. The characters are the kind you love to hate and I was led up the garden path more than once. Great storytelling, tension-filled and very enjoyable.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Century via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Although The People Next Door starts off slowly, the story soon picks up as it begins its meander towards a chilling ending. There are twists, turns and surprising moments as secrets aplenty come to fruition. The characters are the kind you love to hate and I was led up the garden path more than once. Great storytelling, tension-filled and very enjoyable.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Century via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
July 25, 2022
3.5 stars.
I have read several of Tony Parsons books and always enjoyed them, but I don't quite know what to make of this one, I can't put my finger on it.
It was full of twists and turns making you doubt or suspect different characters or events and I kept reading, wanting to know what happened.
The only character I liked was Sandy, Lana's old friend. I didn't care what happened to the others.
The ending was far-fetched.
I have read several of Tony Parsons books and always enjoyed them, but I don't quite know what to make of this one, I can't put my finger on it.
It was full of twists and turns making you doubt or suspect different characters or events and I kept reading, wanting to know what happened.
The only character I liked was Sandy, Lana's old friend. I didn't care what happened to the others.
The ending was far-fetched.
April 4, 2022
I have loved listening to Tony Parson's books and was happy to see another release. It starts off okay as the setting builds. But then it got so ridiculous, it was laughable...
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