The Neighbours Next Door

by Paul De Matteo

Some secrets should never be uncovered — even when they're right next door.

In a peaceful, well-to-do suburb, Alexander, a reclusive tech billionaire, is trying to rebuild his life after personal and professional upheaval. But when his neighbor Ethan mysteriously vanishes, that quiet routine is shattered. A simple act of neighborly concern quickly transforms into an unsettling investigation — one that pulls Alexander into a web of surveillance footage, encrypted files, and haunting signs that Ethan didn't just disappear... he was deliberately removed.

As Alexander digs deeper into Ethan's world, he finds disturbing similarities to his own — past traumas, buried secrets, and the growing sense that their lives were somehow meant to intersect. Are these coincidences, or is there a deeper force at play?

In a community where everyone has something to hide, Alexander begins to question everything he knows — about his neighbors, his past, and even his own mind. As the line between reality and paranoia begins to blur, he realizes the answers may not just expose Ethan's fate... but threaten his own.

The Neighbours Next Door is a tense psychological thriller that explores how fate, identity, and surveillance culture converge in chilling ways. If you enjoy novels with twisty suspense, slow-burning paranoia, and dark domestic secrets, this gripping page-turner belongs on your reading list.

Perfect for fans of:
✓ Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
✓ The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
✓ The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

85 pages, Paperback

Published May 29, 2025

Reviews

[Audrey Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Neighbours Next Door is a riveting domestic suspense novel that masterfully explores the hidden complexities lurking behind suburban fences. Paul De Matteo’s storytelling is sharp and cinematic, pulling readers into a world where seemingly ordinary lives conceal chilling secrets.

At its core, the novel is a slow-burn thriller that keeps the tension simmering with each chapter. De Matteo excels at character development, painting the neighbours with just enough warmth and suspicion to keep readers guessing who can truly be trusted. The pacing is deliberate but never dull, building an atmosphere of unease that lingers long after the final page.

The writing is crisp, with dialogue that feels authentic and observations that cut deep into the psychology of middle-class life. There’s a timeless quality to the way De Matteo captures the dynamics of community, privacy, and paranoia, making the novel feel both modern and classically suspenseful.

Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty or Shari Lapena, The Neighbours Next Door is a standout debut that proves Paul De Matteo is a name to watch in contemporary suspense fiction.

[Giff Lartin · Rating 5 out of 5]

he writing in The Neighbours Next Door is tight and purposeful — no fluff, no filler, just sharp prose that pulls you in. Paul De Matteo has crafted a thriller that refuses to rely on the usual clichés. Instead of leaning on shock-value twists or over-the-top action, this book builds tension through atmosphere, character development, and a genuine sense of unease.

The plot is layered in a way that rewards close reading. What starts as a missing-person mystery quietly morphs into something bigger — a web of surveillance, buried secrets, and power games that feel eerily relevant in today’s world. It’s slow-burn in the best way: every chapter adds something meaningful.

But what really sets it apart is the character work. Alexander and Maya aren’t just roles in a plot — they’re people with histories, motives, and emotional complexity. For a genre that sometimes prioritizes pace over depth, this was a refreshing surprise.

A real gem for readers who are tired of formulaic mysteries and want something with intelligence and substance. This book deserves to be talked about more — and Paul De Matteo is definitely an author to watch.

[Kelvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply unsettling thriller that lingers long after the final page.
Paul De Matteo has crafted a psychological thriller that not only grabs your attention but holds it hostage until the very end. The Neighbours Next Door begins with a simple mystery a missing neighbor but quickly evolves into a layered, mind-bending exploration of privacy, trauma, and fate. Alexander is a brilliant, reclusive protagonist whose own past is as mysterious as Ethan’s disappearance. The pacing is deliberate, the paranoia is real, and the twists are utterly satisfying. This is a book you’ll think about every time you hear a strange noise next door.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dark, twisty thriller that keeps your mind racing and your heart pounding.
The plot twists are subtle but devastating. Every discovery Alexander makes leads to deeper questions about his neighbor, his past, and himself. The author’s use of technology, especially in the surveillance scenes, adds a chilling realism to the story. It makes you wonder how much of your own life is visible to others and how easily it could all be manipulated. The Neighbours Next Door is a high-stakes thriller that feels eerily grounded in reality

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A haunting reminder that sometimes, the most dangerous secrets live closest to home.
This book masterfully captures the eeriness of suburbia the pristine lawns, the polite nods, and the unseen truths lurking behind closed doors. Alexander’s investigation into his missing neighbor leads to revelations that hit uncomfortably close to home. The writing is vivid, the mood is consistently tense, and the sense of creeping dread is real. If you enjoy psychological thrillers that take their time and build something truly memorable, this one’s for you.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book messes with your head in the best way possible.
Just when you think you know what’s happening, Paul De Matteo pulls the rug out from under you. There are so many moments that made me question whether Alexander was a reliable narrator and yet, that uncertainty is part of the brilliance. The book explores surveillance culture, identity, and trauma with nuance and intensity. It’s a mind game that plays out in layers, and the payoff is incredibly satisfying. One of the most thought-provoking thrillers I’ve read in years.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exploration of secrets, fate, and the dark side of suburbia.
The Neighbours Next Door takes the familiar setting of a quiet suburb and turns it into something ominous. Every neighbor has something to hide. Every conversation feels loaded with meaning. As Alexander investigates Ethan’s disappearance, the story slowly reveals how their lives and their pasts may be more connected than anyone expected. It’s creepy in the best way. The psychological undertones make this more than a thriller it’s a study in how much we can (or can’t) trust what we think we know.

[Kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Neighbours Next Door is a suspenseful, thought-provoking sci-fi thriller that explores what happens when ordinary suburban life collides with extraordinary secrets. Paul De Matteo masterfully builds tension as strange behavior and mysterious disappearances lead a curious protagonist to uncover a shocking truth about those living right next door. With sharp dialogue, eerie atmosphere, and a steady unraveling of suspense, the novel keeps readers hooked until the final twist. It’s a chilling reminder that not everything is as it seems.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful, smart, and impossible to put down.
From the very first page, I was hooked. The writing is immersive, the pacing is perfect, and the suspense never lets up. I loved how the mystery deepens with every chapter, yet the answers never feel predictable. Instead of relying on cheap jump scares or shocking twists, this book delivers intelligent, emotionally rich suspense. By the end, I wasn’t just invested in the mystery, I cared deeply about Alexander and what this journey meant for him.

[Trevor Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul De Matteo brings a fresh voice to the thriller genre with a story that feels both timely and timeless. The Neighbours Next Door is more than just a whodunit it’s a meditation on trust, privacy, and the dark underbelly of suburban life. The pacing is deliberate but effective, and the tension builds to a satisfying crescendo. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy their thrillers with intelligence and depth.

[Julia Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the smartest thrillers I’ve read in a while. De Matteo manages to balance tech paranoia with emotional realism, crafting a world that feels unsettlingly familiar. The relationship between Alexander and Maya adds intrigue without becoming predictable. If you liked The Girl Before or The Night Agent, this one’s a mustread.

[Michael DeWitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I loved most about this book was how it didn’t just focus on plot it explored the emotional consequences of surveillance, mistrust, and secrecy. Alexander Kane is a compelling lead, and Maya Chen brings a mysterious intensity that keeps you guessing. De Matteo writes with confidence and restraint every detail matters. A brilliant read from start to finish.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely chilling.
This book had me double-checking my locks and side-eyeing my neighbors. The slow unraveling of secrets was masterfully done, and the twists kept me hooked until the final page. A psychological thriller at its finest.

[Marc Delacroix · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the kind of book that throws you into chaos from page one but it’s all the more dangerous for it. The suspense creeps up like fog, slowly suffocating every sense. By the time you realize something’s wrong, it’s already too late to put it down.

[Damien Rousseau · Rating 4 out of 5]

De Matteo's novel isn’t just a thriller, it's a bleak meditation on modern life, where surveillance is invisible and neighbours are unknowable. The book made me feel like safety is nothing but an illusion built on habits and hedges.

[Mark Twain · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who's been in boardrooms where NDAs are stronger than marriages, the corporate espionage here hits uncomfortably close to reality. The paranoia is justified. The characters Too real. This book understands tech secrecy like few do.

[Camden Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t Dostoevsky. But it doesn’t try to be. Instead, it crafts a precision thriller with modern anxieties as its fuel. Suburban dread is the perfect setting for a story about the fragility of our digital facades.

[Heath Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally I read about teapots and nosy grandmas solving crimes. But this book Wow. The silence in that perfect neighbourhood gave me chills. I missed my knitting group to finish it and I regret nothing.

[F. Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

What’s compelling isn’t just the plot, it’s how the story critiques performative normalcy in digital spaces. The idea that a neighbourhood is a curated brand, not a community, is subtly but powerfully embedded throughout.

[Caleb Donovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel smartly subverts genre conventions the 'everyman neighbour' becomes a cipher, and the elite protagonist is forced to descend into a world far beneath his status. There’s something Kafkaesque about the suffocating surveillance and futile search for truth.

[Gregory Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tense, smart, and eerily plausible. The Neighbours Next Door combines domestic suspense with high-stakes espionage in a way that feels all too real. The suburban setting is perfectly creepy, and Alexander Kane is a protagonist you won't forget.

[Latoya Mitchell Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t stop reading. Every chapter revealed a deeper layer of paranoia and betrayal. If you're into thrillers where the "perfect" neighborhood hides secrets darker than anyone expects, this one delivers.

[Claire Deakin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul De Matteo nails the eerie atmosphere of suburbia with surgical precision. The suspense builds beautifully, and the twists are rooted in character, not just shock value. If you love intelligent thrillers, don’t miss this one.

[Samantha Aldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly crafted story about surveillance, secrets, and identity. Alexander Kane is a unique protagonist, and the writing is top-tier. De Matteo is clearly a talent to watch. Highly recommended for fans of cerebral suspense.

[Ernest Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paranoia, disassociation, cognitive dissonance, this book is a crash course in psychological unraveling. The real thrill wasn’t external action, but watching Alexander's mind slowly fracture under pressure.

[Sierra Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suburban hell never looked so stylish. Between shady billionaires and spy worthy operatives, it’s like Desperate Housewives with encryption keys. Maya Chen’s dry wit alone made me snort coffee twice.

[Tamsin Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s fiction, but you’ll swear it isn’t. This story could be lifted from a secret file somewhere down to the cryptic messages, unreliable witnesses, and motive laden pasts. Truth really is stranger than fiction. Unless you're reading this book.

[Mira Hollis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cinematic in structure, methodical in pacing. I could see the shadows on the blinds, hear the soft click of surveillance equipment. With the right director, this would be an Oscar level slow burn.

[Marcus O'Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thriller with brains and heart. Alexander and Maya are unforgettable, and the story is packed with twists that make sense. Can’t recommend this enough to anyone who loves layered, modern suspense.

[Leon Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first chapter, I felt like I was watching a prestige miniseries unfold on the page. The writing is visual and crisp, the suspense slow-building but deeply rewarding. This is a thriller for readers who appreciate mood, atmosphere, and psychological complexity.