Neighborhood Watch

by Andrew Neiderman

Welcome to Emerald Lake -- where the security is to die for. From bestselling author Andrew Neiderman comes a chilling tale of the perfect family, the perfect neighborhood, and the perfect nightmare... Dr. Teddy Morris and his wife, Kristin, are on the verge of having everything they want. Their beautiful daughter is already five, and they expect their second child in a few months. All they need now is a bigger house... Emerald Lake is a paradise on earth, a gated community built around a glimmering lake in upstate New York. The houses are equally gorgeous -- individually designed by the community's founder, Philip Slater. As president of the Homeowners Association, Slater is the watchdog of Emerald Lake, and he makes sure that each resident does their part to keep the neighborhood beautiful. But something isn't quite right at Emerald Lake -- something beyond the strict rules and super-security. The Morrises begin to ask unwelcome questions. Like what happened to the previous owners of their house? What secret does the Homeowners Association protect? And how far will it go to protect it? Teddy and Kristin Morris get only one disturbing enemies of the neighborhood are likely to be found dead wrong.

Genres: Horror, Thriller

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Andrew Neiderman is the author of over 44 thrillers, including six of which have been translated onto film, including the big hit, 'The Devil's Advocate', a story in which he also wrote a libretto for the music-stage adaptation. One of his novels, Tender Loving Care, has been adapted into a CD-Rom interactive movie.

Andrew Neiderman became the ghostwriter for V.C. Andrews following her death in 1986. He was the screenwriter for Rain, a film based on a series of books under Andrews name. Between the novels written under her name and his own, he has published over 100 novels.

Reviews

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH by Andrew Neiderman

Just this week I've read two excellent books with this title, the first being NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH by Stuart R. West. However, the horror/thriller I had in mind while reading Andrew Neiderman's NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH was THE ASSOCIATION by Bentley Little, which I read some years ago. Both focus on gated communities, overseen (and ordered) by a narcissistic leader and his minions. In the Little novel, there was much emphasis on brutality and horror. Mr. Neiderman's novel does contain violence, but the story as a whole relies on psychological horror rather than “gore for gore's sake.” I think Andrew Neiderman's novels are noted for their psychological emphasis, and here it carries the story as he examines the psychological underpinnings of a large number of characters. In some ways it was rather like reading both a psychological treatise and a sociological study, but neither aspect detracted at all from my total enjoyment of and absorption in the story.

[Adam Hofbauer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this in the bathroom and then I threw it in the garbage.

[Adam Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Neighborhood Association by Andrey Littleman was a fun, three-star book that might have been a four-star read if I hadn't already read a five-star novel with the

EXACT SAME PLOT! This one came out two years or so before Bentley Little's book so, whether or not Little somehow read it and coppied Neiderman's idea, he did it better

and I won't think less of him for it. Anyway, this book (summed up nicely by the title) follows a family who moves into a mysteriously cheap house surrounded by perfect

property and on a beautiful lake. Mysteriously, the previous owner (who was mysteriously and recently widowed) is mysteriously fleeing the home and the community which

is nice, but full of mysterious...aww forget it. Little's idea of a ridiculously strict neighborhood association was so intriguing that I enjoyed this book as well, but

Neiderman's wasn't anything special. For being so short, I found it rather slow and barely suspenseful at all. I did get frightened at one point when our family buys a

puppy, names it Mr. Sniffles, and then finds out that it is not allowed in the neighborhood. I hate books, especially horror novels, where dogs are harmed. This

incident was solved with no violence though which was nice, but anticlimactic. Yes, things do speed up near the end, but for a seasoned horror fan, it is like traveling

around the country, seeing the snowcapped mountains of Alasksa, the Grand Canyon, and then, on your way back to whatever boring town you call home, stopping to look at

the cornfields of Nebraska.

[Zulmajdi Zainal Abidin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novels begs the question ; " Is there such a place as the perfect community ? " ... All I can say is , this thriller got me going on the get go , a mysterious suicide at a place where security seems to be almost " perfect "... " Almost " .. Just another example that, you cannot gain something , without sacrificing something in return. Kristin and his husband thought that they have gain the perfect place to settle down at Emerald Lake, but she got more than she bargain for in the end... It seems that THE PERFECT PLACE also required THE PERFECT OWNER and the individuals from the NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH will do anything to keep them in line, ANYTHING! A great page turner and even though the pace of the novel gets into a snail pace at several chapter, Mr Neiderman keeps the reader intrigue with a plot twist that will keep you reaching for more.. I personally love it !













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[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for a well written book this one is not for you. However if you are looking for a beach read or airplane book this is a good choice. The plot is interesting. A gated community that has a very large book of rules and that totally believes and enforces those rules. A family with a very independent woman moves in and the rules are questioned. This is a page turner, especially at the end. I easily read this book in one day and wondered about this concept of how much privacy are you willing to give up in order to be "safe". Personally, I found the community to be suffocating, and would rather take my chances in the real world.

[Tim Popko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic novel. It had no fluff, and read exactly the way a thriller should. What made it even better for me is the fact that I've worked as a manager of homeowner's associations for years now, and the story struck so many good themes I work with everyday: the vanity and excess power of many boardmembers, the hive mentality and resignation so many residents have to their elected officials, and the ability of a closed community to commit crime - even murder - outside the auspices of the law. It's a terrific read for anyone in coop/condo management, although it is a little softcore in the violence/horror department.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit when I started this book I was concerned. As a fan of Bentley Little and in particular his book The Association, on the face of it this sounded extremely similar. A gated community with a homeowner's association who seem over zealous with their rules and regulations. However I'm glad I did as this goes in a different direction to The Association.

Highly recommended for any suspense fans.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. Chilling and suspenseful. Nice story line that kept me engaged and wondering "What in the world?!?!"

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great suspense filled book, it was really hard to put down. Kind of reminded me of the Stepford Wives in a way.

[Paul Bolton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good all-round thriller, keeps your tension up all the way to the end. Very enjoyable.

[Jlither · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stepford Wives meets your HOA.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read. Nice suspense story that reads like a lifetime movie.

[Summer Leblanc · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down.