THE HOA: BEHIND EVERY GATE, EVERY RESIDENT IS A TARGET

The HOA #1

by Tanya Smith

Genres: Mystery

406 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 3, 2026

Reviews

[Eileen Murphy-Schmehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to Vellamar Estates- An exclusive neighborhood that is as beautiful as it is safe. People go about their lives not knowing they are being watched. The secrets that they carry will be leveraged against them. Patricia, the HOA president walks the streets and looks for violations, but will the residents catch on and fight for their lives?

A must read thriller that definitely made me glad that I live in the country on a dead end street…..

I received an advance copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had me really wondering what was going on. The homeowners association didn't want the wrong demographic in the neighborhood. They were watching inside and out. And even though this book was long that didn't bother me. However, the end felt rushed to me. It seemed to jump a few weeks forward and that threw me off. It just didn't seem cohesive with the rest of the story. There was also a character that seemed unfinished.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The HOA is a deliciously unsettling dive into the dark underbelly of suburban perfection—the kind of thriller that makes you look twice at every neatly trimmed hedge and overly friendly neighbour. Vellamar Estates promises safety, order, and peace of mind, but from the very first chapter it’s clear that what residents are really buying is surveillance wrapped in a smile.

The story follows four families, each carrying secrets heavy enough to crack the glossy veneer of their gated haven. A mother living two lives to keep her daughter safe, a former athlete slipping deeper into dangerous debt, a landscaper laundering money out of desperate loyalty, and a couple simply trying to exist without apology. Their struggles feel raw and human, and that emotional grounding makes the tension hit even harder.

What really elevates The HOA is the way Vellamar itself becomes a character—quiet, watchful, and far too informed. Hidden cameras, secret files, and an unspoken understanding that shame is the sharpest tool in the box. The atmosphere tightens page by page, until the neighbourhood feels less like a refuge and more like a beautifully maintained trap.

This is a story about the cost of belonging, the weight of secrets, and the terrifying ease with which safety can become control. It’s gripping, atmospheric, and surprisingly tender in its portrayal of flawed people trying to protect what matters most.

A smart, unsettling suburban thriller that lingers long after you close the book. For the paranoid, you were right.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lori Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as a review copy from Booksirens, this is an honest review.

You'll NEVER look at your home they same way again... after reading this extraordinary, twisted psychological thriller.

The HOA by Tanya Smith presents the elite gated community of Vellamar Estates where residents pay enough you'll earn not only a luxurious home but privacy for your deepest, darkest secrets that the outside world won't know about. At least, that's how the community had been shown to Rashad Jacobson, Orson & Blair Bailey, Jessica Williamson and Tommy Callazo. And despite the world around them feels something taken from The Stepford Wives; it was home and all of them fought to be their- and are desperate to hold onto their protected lives. For those that run and rule this Utopian kingdom, these people don't fit the world they want- and the dark, secret war begins to weed "the undesirables" out no matter the cost or consequences the achieve their goal. As the game of survival unfolds behind protected walls, the secrets become currency, leverage and determination to the people whose they belong to, know them and the shadows willing to abuse them.

The HOA is a nightmare war for personal privacy and accepting the terrible scars that come with its.


Highly recommended.

[jj Wiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The HOA absolutely wrecked me in the best way. From page one there's this creeping feeling that someone is watching you, and it never goes away. The dread is relentless from start to finish, building so slowly you almost don't notice it until you're completely consumed by it. Every single character feels like a real person,. And the villain? Genuinely one of the most unsettling I've read. Like I'm still thinking of these characters. What really got me is how the author shows the way everyday systems, the kind designed to keep people safe, can be twisted into something truly sinister. It feels so plausible it's almost uncomfortable. Honestly, I thought I was watching a movie in my head. Tommy was everything. Absolutely my favorite. And that ending, I literally put the book down and just stared at the wall. Can't wait for book 2 of this series.

[Rane Sterling · Rating 5 out of 5]

​"Most of us fear a fine for long grass, but The HOA takes suburban dread to a whole new level. This book is a masterclass in building tension; what starts as a series of bureaucratic annoyances quickly spirals into a suffocating, psychological nightmare. The writing is sharp, making the 'perfect' neighborhood feel increasingly claustrophobic. If you’ve ever felt like your neighbors were watching you, this book will confirm your darkest suspicions. A chilling, addictive read that I couldn't put down until the final page."