You'll Pay

by Alex Moon

My husband is missing – and there’s a dead body in my bed.

Six weeks ago, my husband Henry wrapped his truck around a telephone pole. Now he’s laid up at home with a shattered leg – and we’re barely keeping our heads above water. Medical bills. Past-due payments on his mom’s retirement home. A mortgage we’re in no shape to cover.

We’re running out of time.

Then our new neighbors moved in.

They’re charming. Wealthy. Generous. They offer us small jobs around their house - painting, gardening, unpacking. Easy work. And the pay is unbelievable.

But then things starts to get . . . weird.

AN EXHILARATING BLEND OF BREATHTAKING SUSPENSE AND NAIL-BITING TENSION WITH A SHOCKING FINAL TWIST.

Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, T.M. Logan, and Shalini Boland.

Please note this book was previously published as The Neighbors.

Genres: Psychological Thriller

240 pages, Paperback

Published April 30, 2026

Reviews

[Michelle Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, author Alex Moon, and Joffe Publishing for the ARC and the opportunity to review this book.

This novel offers a refreshing take on the psychological thriller genre, bringing a slightly different angle that helps it stand out from more traditional storylines. It was an engaging read overall, and I found myself invested in how the plot would unfold.

The author does a commendable job of tying the story together, ensuring that key elements are resolved in a satisfying way. However, I did feel that the final reveal lacked the impactful “wow” moment I had been anticipating. The build up to the villain’s disclosure created a sense of expectation that ultimately didn’t fully deliver on its promise.

That said, this is still a solid and enjoyable read, particularly for fans of psychological thrillers looking for something a little different.

3⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publishes April 30, 2026

[Addie Buchner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a ride!! I absolutely flew through this book. Incredibly engaging thriller with fantastic twists and turns. I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend!

Thank you to the author, Alex Moon, for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Phil Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

If an offer seems too good to be true – it usually is!
There’s no such thing as a free lunch, someone has to pay. When Ellie and husband
Henry are barely covering their rising bills a catastrophe strikes and Henry us involved in
a car crash. No health insurance and faced with huge medical bills this is the final
straw. The only thing that can save them now is the promotion that Ellie has been
waiting and working for years for. She desperately needs to be made partner in the
successful firm of architects. She’s earned it and everyone knows she’s capable of it.
The day that the new partner is named disaster strikes again as her vindictive boss sidelines her and promotes a guy who is Ellies Junior and way less capable. She arrives
home and to break the news to Henry and finds a pair of heavies roughing up Henry for
non payment of a loan. Both are resigned to losing their home and are years trying to
clear debts. Just then they notice that new people moving in across the street and the
new guy approaches them to apologise that he has mistakenly opened a letter
addressed to them. Mortified they look and see that it is a final demand and it itemises
to the strangers how deeply they are in debt. The following morning, Sophia their new
neighbour approaches them with a job offer, she wants Henry’s advice on gardening and
some simple house arranging work from Ellie. That evening they are stunned to find a
wad of several thousand dollars pay for the small jobs completed. Sophia and her
husband explain that they have more money than they know what to do with and know
how desperate Ellie and Henry are.
Too good to be true but in the state that they are in they agree to do the odd job for cash
and lots of cash! They soon realise that the work they are asked to do is obviously illegal
and dangerous. However they are now committed and the plot gets wilder and more
desperate as Ellie tries to get them out of the spiders web as the body count rises
A very intricate tangle of lies and trickery, a little too contrived but a very clever plot and
end an unexpected ending

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dark psychological thriller that will make you think, and hard! My first book by Alex Moon and an author I am glad to have discovered, thanks Zoe!!

 Ellie and her husband Henry are struggling with money, due to Henry having an accident and Ellie not getting the promotion she wanted. Their neighbours who have just moved in offer to pay them for doing odd jobs around the house. Of course, Ellie and her husband grab the offer with both hands until things start to shift leaving them wishing they had left the new neighbours well alone!

 It seems simple enough, and something lots of people do, help out someone for a monetary reward... until it isn't! I was almost shouting at Henry!! At times I wondered if he had a brain! Ellie is a character I could get behind, poor woman, nothing goes right for her. Then this predicament too.

 Alex Moon has brought characters that are flawed enough to feel they could be real. Then the desperation of the lure of money too. I found this a book that gripped me, with enough suspense to keep me turning the pages. I needed to know how badly it would turn out for them. It had hooked me to the point I couldn't leave it alone for long. This author's storytelling skill has convinced me I need to read more from them!

 

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow—this was such an addictive read. You’ll Pay is one of those books that completely pulls you in and refuses to let go.

From the very first chapters, the tension is there, building steadily with every page. It’s fast-paced, gripping, and full of that underlying unease that keeps you turning “just one more chapter”… until suddenly you’re halfway through the book.

What I loved most was how relentless it felt. There’s always something happening; new revelations, shifting suspicions, and moments that make you question everything you thought you understood. It’s the kind of thriller where you’re constantly trying to piece things together, but the story stays one step ahead.

The pacing is spot on, making it incredibly easy to fly through, and the twists land perfectly without feeling overdone. It’s one of those reads that’s genuinely hard to put down once you get going.

Overall, a seriously gripping, page-turning thriller that I absolutely loved. If you’re after something fast, addictive, and full of tension, this is definitely one to pick up.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok

This is a quick read type thriller. You do have to suspend belief since so many of the behavior of the characters are ridiculous.

The story started off well but it floundered into the ridiculous for me at the end.

2.5 stars

[Georgie · Rating 4 out of 5]

AN ADVANCED COPY FOR AN HONEST REVIEW BEFORE BEING PUBLISHED

Wow, wow, wow!

From page one I was addicted. It was engaging throughout! It didn’t take me long to finish this one. The chapters weren’t too long which I love!

I felt that there was always something going on with twists constantly happening.

This is the first I have read of the author ‘Alex Moon’ and I will look forward to reading more.

When things are bad, your partner has gone into debt, has an injury, trying to pay for his mum in a retirement home and get offered 5k a week for easy jobs.
Would you accept the offer?

Is it worth it?

They found out if it was for the good or bad soon enough with a lot of will power.

[Padmajha [PJ] Me and My Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started the book, I was not sure which way it would go. But as I read on, it pulled me in, and I finished it in one sitting!
At first, it felt like pure luck. With Ellie’s and Henry’s money issues, I was wondering how they would manage everything. When they started receiving unbelievably generous payments from their neighbours, Harry and Sophia, for small, odd jobs, it almost seemed like an act of kindness. I could see how tempting it must have been to accept without asking too many questions. But as the requests grew stranger, involving questionable people and transporting unusual items, that initial relief slowly turned into unease. Though Ellie’s instincts clearly warned her that something wasn’t right, she chose to push those doubts aside rather than risk upsetting Henry and the people who were helping them stay afloat.
There were moments when I wanted to shake both Ellie and Henry and tell them to stop. I could see so many red flags that they chose to ignore. But at the same time, considering the financial burden, it justified their actions.
From the beginning, the story felt realistic. The financial strain, quiet desperation, all felt incredibly real. It made the “easy money” almost impossible to refuse, and I could completely understand how Ellie got pulled in by the promise of help from seemingly kind neighbours. But by the time she begins to realise that things aren’t what they seem, she’s already too deeply entangled to walk away.
I liked the relationship between Ellie and her sister Hannah. Though it showed that she hadn’t spoken or replied to her in a while, later on, it was nice to see Ellie asking her sister to help her out and how things worked out between them. Their shared past and complicated family memories added emotional depth to the story. I especially liked how their bond was revealed through email exchanges. It felt more intimate and layered.
I detested a few characters like Sophia, Harry, Hoskins and a few others. But their presence intensified the storyline. Henry’s presence and his absence added another layer of tension that lingers throughout the story, making everything feel more personal and unsettling. Harry and Sophia were charming and generous on the surface, yet just unsettling enough to keep me questioning their true intentions from the very beginning.
The discovery of the body marks a sharp shift in tone. From that point on, the story becomes darker, tighter. I constantly felt like Ellie was spiralling, making decisions she couldn’t take back. By the end, everything seemed to close in with an almost inevitable force, leaving me both uncomfortable and completely hooked.
What I liked the most was how unpredictable the story remained. Just when I thought things might settle, another twist would show up. I found myself constantly guessing and trying to piece everything together, but the tension kept building. It was one of those gripping, character-driven thrillers that I simply couldn’t put down.
If you love thrillers and murder mysteries, this one is sure to hold your attention.

[Lisa Ahlstedt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellie and her husband Henry are having an extraordinarily bad run of luck. Henry can’t work because of an accident. He was driving his work truck to a landscaping job when it was hit. The truck was totaled and Henry’s broken leg means he’s not able to do any physically demanding work. It also doesn’t help that Henry was in the process of changing insurance companies at the time, so he had no health insurance when the accident happened. His mother has also recently gone into an expensive care home that he’s helping to pay for. Ellie knows the only chance they have to ward off impending financial disaster is for her to get the promotion at her architecture firm. She’s worked there for 10 years and is the obvious choice for the promotion, but she’s worried her horrible boss Hoskins will delight in denying her the job. As if all that wasn’t bad enough, she soon finds out Henry has borrowed some money from some very shady people who are pressuring him to repay. The answer to her prayers seems to come in the form of their new neighbors. Sophia and Harry move into the house across the street. When Harry (whose name is very similar to Henry’s) opens a collection letter meant for Ellie by mistake, they claim they want to help. The new neighbors claim to be very wealthy philanthropists who like nothing better than helping people directly, so they can observe the benefits of their generosity first-hand. They begin offering Ellie and Henry small jobs to do around their house and property, jobs which pay $2000 per day. They are overjoyed at this sudden and unexpected good fortune, which will allow them to get out of debt quickly. Soon, however, Ellie begins to have her doubts. The jobs seem risky and borderline illegal, but she can’t really pinpoint anything specific. Then when she expresses a desire to stop doing the jobs, Henry goes missing and a dead body turns up in her house. It seems the neighbors were too good to be true after all, but why did they target Ellie and how can she escape the situation?

This book certainly had lots of twists and turns! There was no way to predict what was going to happen next. It turned out that the entire story was the definition of “playing the long game.” I really enjoyed the suspense and trying to figure out who the bad guys were and what their agenda was.

I received an ARC from Joffe Books.

[Alison Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellie Walker is desperately hoping for a promotion at work. With her husband Henry off work due to a broken leg, the couple are already struggling financially. Things take a turn for the worse when Ellie discovers that Henry has borrowed money from a loan shark. When the promotion she was relying on falls through, it feels like their situation couldn’t possibly get any worse.
Then new neighbours move in across the street — Sophia and Harry Walters.
After some of Ellie and Henry’s mail is accidentally delivered to their house, Harry and Sophia become aware of the couple’s financial troubles. They soon approach Henry with an offer: they need help with some odd jobs around their new house and are willing to pay him very generously for his time.
Henry is stunned by how much they’re offering.
The money seems like the answer to all their problems, and although the work feels strange and raises a few questions, Ellie and Henry are in no position to refuse. Their desperation pushes them to ignore the warning signs and continue accepting the jobs.
But as the tasks become increasingly unusual, Ellie begins to question whether what they’re doing is even legal. Eventually, her fear outweighs her need for the money, and she decides she can’t keep working for the Walters. Terrified of what might happen next, Ellie confronts Sophie.
What follows will change Ellie and Henry’s lives completely.
Now Ellie must find a way to dig herself out of the dangerous situation she’s in before she loses everything.
This was a thrilling read. The storyline was gripping from the start and packed with some seriously dodgy characters that kept me guessing. I found myself eager to keep turning the pages to discover how everything would unfold.
I was especially impressed with the pacing of the novel — the tension builds perfectly throughout, keeping the suspense high. The ending was also very satisfying and tied everything together brilliantly.
Overall, this was an exciting and engaging thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’ll Pay is one of those thrillers that creeps under your skin from the very first line and refuses to loosen its grip. It opens on a marriage already buckling under pressure — medical bills, a fractured future, and a sense of dread that feels almost domestic in its familiarity — and then twists the knife with a single, chilling discovery: a dead body where safety should be.

What follows is a taut, steadily tightening spiral of suspicion and unease. The arrival of the new neighbours feels innocuous at first, almost like a blessing dropped into the middle of a crisis. They’re warm, polished, impossibly generous — the kind of people you want to trust because life would be easier if you could. But the author is clever in the way she lets the edges fray: a strange comment here, an unsettling request there, the creeping sense that every kindness comes with a price tag you can’t quite see yet.

The tension builds beautifully. There’s a constant hum of “something isn’t right,” and the slow drip of revelations keeps the pages turning with that delicious mix of dread and curiosity. The financial desperation running through the story adds a raw, relatable vulnerability — the kind that makes every decision feel both understandable and dangerous.

By the time the truth snaps into place, the twist lands with the kind of jolt that makes you rethink every earlier chapter. It’s sharp, shocking, and satisfying in that way only a well‑constructed psychological thriller can be.

Dark, pacey, and unsettling in all the right ways, You’ll Pay is a compulsive read perfect for fans of twisty domestic suspense and morally murky characters. It’s the kind of book you inhale in a single sitting, heart thudding, telling yourself “just one more chapter” long after you know you’re lying.

With thanks to Alex Moon, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

[T. Wynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

You’ll Pay by Alex Moon ended up being one of those quick, popcorn thriller reads for me, the kind where you sit down to read a few chapters, and suddenly you are halfway through. The first half really pulled me in. I liked the setup, the tension was solid, and it felt like the story was building toward something sharp and unsettling. It had a clear direction early on that kept me invested.

Unfortunately, once I got past the midpoint, it started to lose that focus. The story took a turn that felt a bit scattered, like it was trying to do too much at once without fully committing to any one idea. The pacing shifted in a way that did not work as well for me. It leaned heavily on exposition, which slowed things down and detracted from the suspense that had been working so well earlier. Instead of tightening things up, it felt like it was over-explaining.

By the end, the payoff did not quite land for me. It ended up feeling more like a wrong place, wrong time situation than the deeper thriller I thought it was building toward. It gave me a bit of a The Strangers vibe, more about random and unsettling circumstances than complex motivations, but without the same impact.

That said, I do enjoy Alex Moon’s writing style overall. It is very readable and easy to move through, even when the story itself does not fully come together. I would definitely check out their future books, even if this one ended up being just an average read for me.

Thank you to Alex Moon, Joffe Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Cidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodness what a book, what a story!! It certainly makes you sit up and take notice, a young couple are struggling for money as the husband Jeff has crashed his van and broken his leg and he was inbetween changing his insurance policy so is not covered for not being able to work for the next 4wks or more, and his wife Ellie works at a company called Powerhouse and is expecting to get promoted to a higher position, but in the end to the astonishment of the rest of the staff, is overlooked by her boss, you will see why later in the book. Meanwhile a young couple move in across the road and they come over and say that they realise they may need the money as her husband isn't able to work so they can find him some jobs to do in their new house over the road, standing jobs because of his knee. (Huh? How do they know he doesn't have insurance, and a lot of it at that?). Next day they pay him $2,000 for doing some small jobs in the house whilst Ellie is at work. It can't be just me at this point saying whoo hold on there, back away, don't trust them. If I was Ellie I would smell a big fat rat here. Surprisingly neither of them really do.

Then the plot really thickens and gains pace and even Ellie can see something is seriously wrong and is about to be arrested a few times and drives away before she finds more about this couple and how they can escape their grip on her and her husband. This was actually a very good plot and it really holds your attention right from the beginning to the end without slowing its pace. Well worth the read.

[Akku · Rating 4 out of 5]

• 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 4✨

• 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 - april 30, 2026 now live

• 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 -
- missing husband
- dead body mystery
- suspicious neighbors
- financial desperation
- lies & manipulation
- psychological suspense

• 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 -
Ellie’s life is already falling apart after her husband’s accident leaves them drowning in debt. Medical bills are piling up, payments are overdue, and everything feels like it’s slipping away. Then their new wealthy neighbors step in with easy jobs and unbelievable pay. It feels like a lifeline at first, until Ellie’s husband disappears and she wakes up with a dead body in her bed. From there, everything turns dark, messy, and dangerously twisted.
This was such a fast and addictive thriller for me. The story pulled me in from the first chapter and kept me hooked with all the secrets and strange situations. I loved how the tension kept building and every little detail started feeling important.
The neighbors gave me such creepy vibes, and I honestly loved that uneasy feeling throughout the book. Ellie’s desperation felt real, which made her choices believable even when things got intense. The twists were good and kept me curious till the end.
The ending was chaotic, shocking, and satisfying. Some parts felt a little predictable for me, but overall it was still a solid thriller and super entertaining. If you love domestic thrillers with manipulation, secrets, and messy mind games, this one is worth picking up.
Thank you zoolosbooktour for the ARC!

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This thriller had an intriguing premise and certainly delivered moments of tension, but overall it landed in the “good, not great” category for me. The opening, waking to find a husband missing and a dead body in the bed sets the stage for a gripping story, and the couple’s financial desperation adds a believable emotional weight. Their wealthy new neighbours offering unbelievably well paid odd jobs creates an immediate sense of unease, and the gradual shift from generosity to something far stranger is handled well. Secrets, lies, and betrayals begin to pile up, showing just how quickly ordinary lives can spiral when pressure and fear collide.

While the book didn’t fully captivate me in the way I’ had hoped, it was still an enjoyable read with a solid atmosphere and a storyline that kept me curious about where it was heading. The suspense builds steadily, and the author does a good job exploring how misplaced trust and hidden motives can wreak havoc on people’s lives. Even if it wasn’t a standout thriller for me, it had enough twists and tension to make it a worthwhile experience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, the review is my personal opinion only.

[Jane Ruff · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚 Thank you to the author @alex.wolfgang.moon, @joffebooks, and @zooloosbooktours for having me on this tour. 📚

🔪 🔪 Dead bodies, shell companies, computer hacks, pig's blood, glass art, bald men....DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION? 🔪🔪

You'll Pay is a cat-and-mouse thriller that kept me guessing. It is the story of Ellie, an architect, and Henry, who owns his own landscaping company. They are a normal, boring couple.

Henry has an accident in his work truck. They are between insurance companies, so they have no insurance. His Mom is in a care facility. Ellie does not get her promotion. They get bogged down with bills and collection agencies. But then...

A couple moves in across the street, Sophia and Harry. As the couples get to know each other, Sophia and Harry start offering odd jobs to Henry and Ellie. They pay in cash. The amounts are ridiculously high for "odd jobs". Ellie starts to wonder...what is really going on? But, desparate times call for desparate measures.

Is it a far-fetched story? Yes. Is it fun to read? Yes. Did I roll my eyes at the fact that our characters could not figure this out before all hell broke loose? Yes!

Great storytelling, twists and turns, and a side-story about sisterly bonds, this book had me hooked!

[Rustic_Reads_ Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

What makes this story stand out is how grounded and real it feels at the start- the financial stress, the strain on a relationship already pushed to its limits, and that quiet desperation that makes the “easy money” impossible to refuse. It’s easy to see how Ellie was pulled in by the lure of a friendly neighbour offering a help. By the time she realises everything is not as it seems, it’s far too late and she’s in too deep. Henry isn’t just a background character either; his absence hangs over everything, making the mystery feel more personal and unsettling as it unfolds. The neighbours are particularly well drawn- Sophia and Harry are polished and generous on the surface, but with just enough oddness to keep you questioning their motives from the beginning.

The moment the body is discovered shifts the tone sharply, and from there the story becomes much darker and more claustrophobic. There’s a constant sense that Ellie is in over her head and making choices she can’t undo. By the end, it feels like everything has tightened into something inevitable and uncomfortable- making it a gripping, character-driven thriller that I couldn’t put down.

[Jo Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know what they say, if something seems too good to be true then it probably is? It kept popping into my mind as I read You’ll Pay by Alex Moon.

At first, it seems like a kindness when Ellie and Henry receive unbelievable amounts of money from their neighbours, Harry and Sophia, for odd jobs, which really helps them out when they’re in a financial black hole. But then their requests start to involve shady people and strange items. Ellie’s gut instinct is telling her that something really isn’t right, but she tries to ignore it rather than risk annoying Harry and Sophia.

On one hand, I wanted to shake Ellie and Henry but the book made me question: What would I be willing to turn a blind eye to in order to escape financial problems?

In the background, there was also Ellie’s fragile relationship with her sister, Hannah, and the memories they shared about their family life growing up. I liked that this included us being privy to their email exchanges rather than just dialogue.

It was an interesting read and one I think fans of Frieda McFadden will enjoy!

[Pauline Render · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Ellie and her husband Henry find their bills piling up after he was involved in an accident and she fails to win a promotion at work, although it seems strange that their new neighbours are willing to pay a ridiculous amount of money for odd jobs, they put it down to the eccentricities of the very rich. And the money will help get them out of the ever increasing hole they’re in. But when Ellie becomes increasingly suspicious, the sudden disappearance of her husband and the dead body in her bed, forces her to find out the truth about her neighbours before she gets arrested for murder. This is a tale full of twists and turns as Ellie doesn’t know exactly who she can trust as appearances can be deceptive. At times I felt like I wanted to shake her because of her gullibility but as the story progressed, I slowly became impressed by her tenacity. But this story also shows just how easy it can be deceived by what you see and read.
After reading You’ll Pay, I’ll be looking forward to reading the next book by Alex.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If it sounds to good to be true, it likely is. That’s a phrase that neither Ellie nor her husband Henry have heard. Henry broke his leg in a car accident while he was “between insurance”. Bills are mounting, Ellie didn’t get a promotion and they may lose their house. Then the Walkers move next door. Henry and Sophia seem to be incredibly wealthy and after learning of Henry and Ellie’s financial problems, suggest a unique idea. Henry and Ellie will work for them, doing odd jobs and errands. At first, the work is simple and they are seriously overpaid. Ellie begins to suspect something else is going on. She’s right.

You’ll Pay is a fast paced psychological drama with a totally surprising ending that you will not see coming. While at times I though Ellie and Henry were incredibly naive, I could not figure out what was going on until the final pages. 5 stars.

Than you to NetGalley, Joffe Books and Alex Moon for this ARC.

[Andria Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was a wild ride. I was hooked from the beginning. The two main characters were down on their luck financially, with Henry having an accident and injury with no insurance and Ellie working at a job where she's passed over for a promotion, mortgage is due and loan sharks are threatening them. New neighbors move in next door and seduce Ellie and Henry to work for them and the money is very very good. Things are too good to be true! The problem is Ellie and Henry are naive and don't want to see the bad at first. But once Ellie wakes up, she finds herself in deep deep trouble. There are twists and turns in the story. I found the story very entertaining and fast-paced and I couldn't help but pull for Ellie to stay ahead of the police and the killers. Thank you Netgally and Joffe Books for the complimentary copy of the story.

[Diane Elizabeth Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

If It Seems Too Good To Be True...
3.5 ⭐ In this gripping psychological thriller, we follow Ellie, a relatable protagonist who, after being unfairly passed over for a promotion, finds her family facing financial ruin following her husband Henry’s debilitating car accident.
When two wealthy new neighbours offer them a lucrative "employment" opportunity, it feels like a godsend. However, the "work" soon turns sinister.
As Ellie digs deeper, she triggers a chain of events far more terrifying than she ever imagined. This clever premise explores the dark lengths people will go to for money.
With well-crafted danger and a fairly unpredictable ending, this is a suspenseful rollercoaster that demands you suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride.
My thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC. This is my own opinion.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for me.

After her husband accident Ellie is stuggling with mortage and hospital bills.When new neighbours move in they propose for Henry and Ellie do some odd jobs.Ellie is suspicious of this generosity,and when she refuse to work anymore she will pay consequences.The offer was to good to be true,and it seems that Ellie may be in big trouble.
What is going to happen when Ellie decide she had enough?

It was a quick and engrossing psychological thriller.Twist and mistrust at every corner,this is not something that you can start to read and then put down.I liked Ellie,her troubles were real and the way they treat her at work horrible.The action and clever way the plot was executed keep the tenion to the end.My first book by this author and hope to read more.

Thank you Joffe Books publisher for arc,my review is honest and my own.

[Adam Forster-Nnachi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It might not have been a mind-bending thriller with epic twists and turns but I really enjoyed reading this book.


Can't fault the pacing of the story and there was plenty of action to keep me invested right until the end.


I found the main character to be relatable, even if she did at times make some questionable decisions, albeit under serious presssure. 


It was hard to know who to trust and I didn't have a clue who the puppet master behind everything was until it was revealed. The author did a good job of throwing you off the scent with some well placed misdirection and red herrings.


Yes, at times you need to suspend your disbelief, but it is a work of fiction so it's hardly a big ask. 


The ending was satisfying and there were a few surprises right up until the end. A solid read that I would definitely recommend.

[Hannah Boyland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one heck of a crazy ride!

To start with, I admittedly wasn't sure I was going to get along with this read, but somewhere along the line I got super gripped! It was very suspenseful, and I felt anxious to have all of it solved!!

Some of the twists felt a bit predictable, but others were definitely more wild! The ending didnt feel as satisfying as I would've liked, but I did love that all the loose ends felt tied up for once.

I wish we had learnt a bit more about Ellie and Hannah's childhood - it seemed to play an important role in Ellie's behaviour and responses, so it would have been interesting to see.

Having said that, Alex's reading style was overall super easy to read and get stuck into. It was a fast paced thriller which I always love, it's nice when things aren't too dragged out!

[Cassie’s Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the definition of addictive. I started it expecting a fast-paced domestic thriller, but the deeper the story went, the more tense and unsettling it became. The constant feeling that something was “off” kept me flying through the chapters.
The financial stress and desperation felt so real, which made every decision the characters made even more intense. The mysterious neighbors added such a creepy atmosphere, and once the twists started coming, they did not stop. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the story completely surprised me.
Fast-paced, suspenseful, and packed with shocking reveals, this is the perfect binge-worthy thriller for fans of Freida McFadden and Daniel Hurst.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️ Trigger Warnings: murder, manipulation, financial hardship, injury/medical trauma, emotional abuse, violence, and death.

[Ney oh the thrill of it FN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Alex Moon and Joffe Books for this advanced complimentary copy via Netgalley. This review is being left voluntarily and the opinions are my own.  

This book was an enjoyable read. I was very curious to see which direction it would go in.

It's your classic 'If it seems too good to be true, it probably is'! I found myself screaming at the characters as they became more entagled in a web of lies, manipulation and outright danger! 

There were times I had to suspend reality because this was honestly a wild ride! This book at times had me questioning what the hell did I just read!? 

The ending ties things up quite neatly. I guess the moral of the story is nothing in this life comes for free...look out for those hidden price tags!

Good read, would definitely recommend!

[Patrice Gotting - #prdgreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts: this book was fantastic, it was creepy, it was chilling and genuinely scared the life out of me because of how realistic it was & how easy it is to fall into the trap that both Ellie and Henry fell into through no fault of their own!


As realistic as it felt at times, I did fine myself rolling my eyes at how naive Henry in particular was, but then I started questioning wether he was actually naive or wether he was just turning a blind eye to everything that was happening around him.

This book was dark, a lot darker than I expected, but I was hooked, it had drawn me in so much that I just couldn’t put it down!

Highly recommend, this is my first dive into Alex’s work & it’s left me so excited to read more in the future!

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, the ending lacked "pizazz." The beginning of the book starts off good. Gripping and intriguing to the reader. There are moments of unease, tension, death...all the characteristics of a great psychological thriller. As the story progressed, I just found the book not to be continuing that uphill climb and thrusting me into thrill after thrill. Do I think it is a good read? Absolutely, yes. Do I think it's the read of the Summer? Unfortunately, no.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the eArc.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is a perfectly powerful psychological thriller that has a storyline that is in no way similar to other psychological thrillers that I have read. It's about a couple Henry and Ellie who are struggling to pay bills and make ends meet. When new neighbours arrive they offer a opportunity to work for them and the pay is more than generous. But they say if it sounds to good to be true it usually is. I didn't know where this book was leading so I felt on edge and continually surprised. It had me invested and random thoughts about what would happen next kept popping up in my mind.