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The Neighbour
The gripping crime thriller of the year with a twist you’ll never see coming . . .
FOR SALE: A lovely family home with good-sized garden and treehouse occupying a plot close to woodland. Perfect for kids, fitness enthusiasts, dog walkers . . .
And, it seems, the perfect hunting ground for a serial killer.
On a hot July day, Garrick and Olivia Lockwood and their two children move into 25 The Avenue looking for a fresh start. They arrive in the midst of a media they’d heard about the local murders in the press, but Garrick was certain the killer would be caught and it would all be over in no time. Besides, they’d got the house at a steal and he was convinced he could flip it for a fortune.
The neighbours seemed to be the very picture of community spirit. But everyone has secrets, and the residents in The Avenue are no exception.
After six months on the case with no real leads, the most recent murder has turned DC Wildeve Stanton’s life upside down, and now she has her own motive for hunting down the killer – quickly.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2019
371 people are currently reading
4658 people want to read
About the author
Fiona Cummins
11 books556 followersFiona Cummins is an award-winning former Daily Mirror showbusiness journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy Writing A Novel course. She lives in Essex with her family. Rattle is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 479 reviews
March 10, 2019
Fiona Cummins has established herself as a crime writer with strong elements of creepiness, menace and horror. All these elements are present in this standalone psychological thriller, set in Essex, where a serial killer, dubbed 'The Dollmaker' by the media, has claimed a fifth victim discovered in Blatches Wood, next to The Avenue. The police team are led by DCI Clive 'Mac' Mackie, under severe pressure and under the threat of being removed from the inquiry. With tensions growing in the team, the investigation has stalled and there are no fresh leads, and the latest victim is one of their own. DS Wildeve Stanton had a traumatic childhood and is struggling with grief and a devastating sense of loss with the latest tragedy, it has also fired inside her a strong motive and determination to chase down the killer, no matter what it costs.
Garrick and Olivia Lockwood, and their two children, 9 year old Evan and teenager, Aster, are moving into 25 The Avenue, securing the house at a knockdown price, given that a serial killer lurks in the area. They are hoping to patch their marriage together after recent stresses, although there are festering and fraught emotions that threaten to spill over. The family are going to regret ever having moved to The Avenue, surrounded by neighbours with secrets, strange disappearances and deceptions. All the victims share the same MO, dressed with immaculate care, painted faces, with eyes removed and substituted with glass eyes, just like dolls. However, the police have failed to identify the direct cause of death, despite the cardiac arrest and respiratory failure. Young Evan is drawn to the treehouse in the garden, despite his mother forbidding him from going there. Aster is resentful at having to move and in seeking to belong, gets involved with a local group of boys. There are a host of suspects, including Trefor Lovell, who runs a doll shop on the street.
Cummins gives us different timelines and insights into the killer's life and mind in this chilling read. There are numerous misdirections and twists, and a compelling police officer in DS Wildeve Stanton, with a strong personal drive to seek the truth and identify the killer. However, I must admit it took me a long time to immerse myself and emotionally engage in the story and the characters. In fact, it was only in the last 20 per cent that I finally invested in the book, finding it hugely gripping from that point on. Do not get me wrong, I was definitely interested in the unfolding tale, more than sufficiently to keep me reading. Fans of Fiona Cummins previous novels and those who enjoy chilling crime reads will enjoy this. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
Garrick and Olivia Lockwood, and their two children, 9 year old Evan and teenager, Aster, are moving into 25 The Avenue, securing the house at a knockdown price, given that a serial killer lurks in the area. They are hoping to patch their marriage together after recent stresses, although there are festering and fraught emotions that threaten to spill over. The family are going to regret ever having moved to The Avenue, surrounded by neighbours with secrets, strange disappearances and deceptions. All the victims share the same MO, dressed with immaculate care, painted faces, with eyes removed and substituted with glass eyes, just like dolls. However, the police have failed to identify the direct cause of death, despite the cardiac arrest and respiratory failure. Young Evan is drawn to the treehouse in the garden, despite his mother forbidding him from going there. Aster is resentful at having to move and in seeking to belong, gets involved with a local group of boys. There are a host of suspects, including Trefor Lovell, who runs a doll shop on the street.
Cummins gives us different timelines and insights into the killer's life and mind in this chilling read. There are numerous misdirections and twists, and a compelling police officer in DS Wildeve Stanton, with a strong personal drive to seek the truth and identify the killer. However, I must admit it took me a long time to immerse myself and emotionally engage in the story and the characters. In fact, it was only in the last 20 per cent that I finally invested in the book, finding it hugely gripping from that point on. Do not get me wrong, I was definitely interested in the unfolding tale, more than sufficiently to keep me reading. Fans of Fiona Cummins previous novels and those who enjoy chilling crime reads will enjoy this. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
November 9, 2018
Wow, this was incredible! It's safe to say that Fiona Cummins upcoming novel The Neighbour has kicked my reading slump to the curb! Now, the question is, will it create a new reading slump in its place? ;) Highly recommended and full review to come once I process my thoughts.
*Thanks Laura for sharing your ARC with me!
*Thanks Laura for sharing your ARC with me!
December 10, 2019
*To be published in the US under the title The Family Next Door. Release Date: January 28th, 2020. Available to request on Netgalley.*
Every chapter was teeth-chattering chilling!
The Lockwood family's removal van pulls up outside their new home at 25 The Avenue.
Lights and sirens sound in the distance. The police and forensic van screeches to a halt outside the neighbourhood entrance to Blatches Woods – thirty seven acres of greenery right on the Lockwood's doorstep.
Three hours later they bring out a body.
It's the fifth victim.
All the bodies have been dumped in the woods – cause of death unknown, their eyes removed, replaced with glass eyes, their faces painted to resemble a doll.
There's a serial killer on the loose, dubbed The Doll Maker. One who's closer than the Lockwood family ever imagined.
Sinister, nightmarish, and relentlessly surprisingly, every single neighbour comes across as creepy – even the postman! – with secrets ranging from titillating to grisly. On top of that there's the macabre ‘Doll and Fancy Dress Emporium’ near the end of the street, with a prologue containing the most disturbing puppet show ever! It's no Punch and Judy that's for sure. Mainly focused on psychological suspense and domestic noir, with some police procedural. And, considering the gruesome summary I wrote, is surprisingly gore-free, and non-graphic.
The short 2-4 page chapters and quick-switch multiple narrators not only made for a fast-moving and tense story, but offered up a wider scope of what was going on in The Avenue. Every character behaved and reacted like real people residing in the same neighborhood would. The various perspectives were the Lockwood family of four (mum, dad, teenage daughter, pre-teen son), their neighbours, the postman, DS Wildeve Stanton (Wild), who's been personally as well as professionally affected by the crime, and the serial killer. Because the writing was descriptive, and jumped POV's every few pages, it did take me five chapters (15 pages) to get into the swing of things, and begin to work out what was going on, but once I did, I couldn't put the book down, and only wanted it to end because I was desperate to find out who the killer was.
My top read for April, and one of my favourite novels of the year.
Every chapter was teeth-chattering chilling!
The Lockwood family's removal van pulls up outside their new home at 25 The Avenue.
Lights and sirens sound in the distance. The police and forensic van screeches to a halt outside the neighbourhood entrance to Blatches Woods – thirty seven acres of greenery right on the Lockwood's doorstep.
Three hours later they bring out a body.
It's the fifth victim.
All the bodies have been dumped in the woods – cause of death unknown, their eyes removed, replaced with glass eyes, their faces painted to resemble a doll.
There's a serial killer on the loose, dubbed The Doll Maker. One who's closer than the Lockwood family ever imagined.
Sinister, nightmarish, and relentlessly surprisingly, every single neighbour comes across as creepy – even the postman! – with secrets ranging from titillating to grisly. On top of that there's the macabre ‘Doll and Fancy Dress Emporium’ near the end of the street, with a prologue containing the most disturbing puppet show ever! It's no Punch and Judy that's for sure. Mainly focused on psychological suspense and domestic noir, with some police procedural. And, considering the gruesome summary I wrote, is surprisingly gore-free, and non-graphic.
The short 2-4 page chapters and quick-switch multiple narrators not only made for a fast-moving and tense story, but offered up a wider scope of what was going on in The Avenue. Every character behaved and reacted like real people residing in the same neighborhood would. The various perspectives were the Lockwood family of four (mum, dad, teenage daughter, pre-teen son), their neighbours, the postman, DS Wildeve Stanton (Wild), who's been personally as well as professionally affected by the crime, and the serial killer. Because the writing was descriptive, and jumped POV's every few pages, it did take me five chapters (15 pages) to get into the swing of things, and begin to work out what was going on, but once I did, I couldn't put the book down, and only wanted it to end because I was desperate to find out who the killer was.
My top read for April, and one of my favourite novels of the year.
March 9, 2019
This is my first Fiona Cummins book. From the opening paragraph I was totally hooked and completely thrown headfirst into this chilling but compelling story!!
The Lockwood family move to The Avenue on the coast of Essex. Garrick is an Architect and has bought the house for a real bargain, he plans to extend it and then sell at a later date to make a profit.
There is a serial killer amongst the residents of The Avenue and there have been 5 victims so far. All of the neighbours seem to have their own secrets and are all acting suspiciously.
My favourite line “Nobody comes to The Avenue without death seeping through the gaps in their walls”
Loved how the tension slowly builds, you have an insight into the neighbours lives where everyone seems guilty and everyone is watching each other.
Amazing twist and the ending which I did not see coming. Made me take a good look around after reading this book, definitely shutting the curtains tonight just incase someone is watching!!
A must read book that is creepy but 100% addictive. Do you ever know what goes on in you’re neighbours lives? Now that’s a thought!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
The Lockwood family move to The Avenue on the coast of Essex. Garrick is an Architect and has bought the house for a real bargain, he plans to extend it and then sell at a later date to make a profit.
There is a serial killer amongst the residents of The Avenue and there have been 5 victims so far. All of the neighbours seem to have their own secrets and are all acting suspiciously.
My favourite line “Nobody comes to The Avenue without death seeping through the gaps in their walls”
Loved how the tension slowly builds, you have an insight into the neighbours lives where everyone seems guilty and everyone is watching each other.
Amazing twist and the ending which I did not see coming. Made me take a good look around after reading this book, definitely shutting the curtains tonight just incase someone is watching!!
A must read book that is creepy but 100% addictive. Do you ever know what goes on in you’re neighbours lives? Now that’s a thought!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
May 31, 2019
With another psychological thriller, Fiona Cummins shakes the reader to the core as they wonder who might be watching them from behind a covered window. In a small Essex town, there have been a handful of murders that cannot be explained. The eerie sense of something wrong is concentrated on The Avenue, a residential area where the homeowners can only wonder who might be behind the crimes. The bodies appear peaceful, with no marks left on them, save the eyes removed and replaced with fakes. The victims seem left like discarded dolls, left in the woods to fend for themselves. Some residents point the fingers to a reclusive doll maker who is rarely seen, though youths do all they can to provoke him, while others wonder if it could be another neighbour, who seems just a little too...different. When the Lockwoods move in, some hope this is a sign of new life. Knowing the history of the area, Olivia and Garrick hope to make a brief impact while they renovate and sell for a profit. Meanwhile, the killer seems to have focussed their attention on the fresh blood, staying one step ahead of all others in a plan to strike at any moment. Someone is out there, watching, and waiting. The further the investigation goes, the more is revealed, though this is not always a good thing. The killer will strike again, though it is impossible to tell when and who could have the motive to complete such heinous attacks. Told from the perspective of many, including the killer, Cummins leaves the reader to guess as they peer through the eyes of many, piecing this story together. A wonderful tale that will send chills down the spines of many and keep the reader wondering if they really know that person who lives up the road. Recommended for those who enjoy a well-balanced thriller with twists throughout.
I discovered Fiona Cummins not too long ago and was hooked by her short series about the hunt for a serial murderer. From there, I promised myself that I would keep an eye out to see if she wrote anything else. When this book crossed my radar, I knew that I would have to get my hands on it, to see if it reached the same level of intensity. It did, and then some, as I sought to see if I could crack the mystery while others in the story hid behind their curtains and speculated over tea. While there are many characters who grace the pages of this piece, the killer appears to be one whose presence cannot be forgotten. Told through a series of memories about events in this small town, the killer recounts of a simple life of children and entertaining, which turned sour at one point and left a pall of death and despair. With a focus on the Lockwood family, new to the area, the killer has a plan with the new blood placed before them, upping the ante and keeping the reader wondering what might be next. With the varied perspectives in this book, the reader will not be short of any character development or flavoured narrative, particularly as they muddle through the various perspectives Cummins offers when it comes to analyzing the crime. The story is well developed as it keeps the reader wondering just who might be involved and how the investigation will play out. With short chapters that alternate between ‘now’—when the killer takes control of the narrative and offers insight—and the summer of 2018, Cummins paints a picture of how this bucolic Essex community turned to one where no one can trust anyone else and all eyes look for clues as to who might be to blame. There is a definitive chill factor here and I know I will keep the blinds down, just in case!
Kudos, Madam Cummins, for another winner. I have come to enjoy your style of writing and hope to see more from you in the coming years!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I discovered Fiona Cummins not too long ago and was hooked by her short series about the hunt for a serial murderer. From there, I promised myself that I would keep an eye out to see if she wrote anything else. When this book crossed my radar, I knew that I would have to get my hands on it, to see if it reached the same level of intensity. It did, and then some, as I sought to see if I could crack the mystery while others in the story hid behind their curtains and speculated over tea. While there are many characters who grace the pages of this piece, the killer appears to be one whose presence cannot be forgotten. Told through a series of memories about events in this small town, the killer recounts of a simple life of children and entertaining, which turned sour at one point and left a pall of death and despair. With a focus on the Lockwood family, new to the area, the killer has a plan with the new blood placed before them, upping the ante and keeping the reader wondering what might be next. With the varied perspectives in this book, the reader will not be short of any character development or flavoured narrative, particularly as they muddle through the various perspectives Cummins offers when it comes to analyzing the crime. The story is well developed as it keeps the reader wondering just who might be involved and how the investigation will play out. With short chapters that alternate between ‘now’—when the killer takes control of the narrative and offers insight—and the summer of 2018, Cummins paints a picture of how this bucolic Essex community turned to one where no one can trust anyone else and all eyes look for clues as to who might be to blame. There is a definitive chill factor here and I know I will keep the blinds down, just in case!
Kudos, Madam Cummins, for another winner. I have come to enjoy your style of writing and hope to see more from you in the coming years!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
December 11, 2019
The Avenue, is an idyllic neighborhood in Essex with tree lined streets and gardens exploding in rainbow colored blossoms. Anyone would be proud to call this home, right?
WRONG!
Talk about a neighborhood filled with creepers and weirdos. Everyone on this street has secrets and it's time for them to spill.
PASS ME THE POPCORN!
Do porcelain dolls and puppets frighten you? Well, you may want to skip the Grand Reopening at the Doll & Fancy Dress Emporium.
EEK!
Oh, did I mention there is a serial killer roaming the neighborhood that likes to pluck out the eyeballs of their victims?
OOPS! MY BAD!
Yeah, this was good. Very good, actually. Best of all, I never guessed the culprit. It took me completely by surprise. My only two niggles are these: It did take me until the 30% mark before I felt invested and that was mainly due to the large cast of characters and changing perspectives. My only other complaint, and it's about as petty as they come, but MY GAWD, the name Wildeve drove me crazy. Other than that this book was a nightmarish delight! 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
WRONG!
Talk about a neighborhood filled with creepers and weirdos. Everyone on this street has secrets and it's time for them to spill.
PASS ME THE POPCORN!
Do porcelain dolls and puppets frighten you? Well, you may want to skip the Grand Reopening at the Doll & Fancy Dress Emporium.
EEK!
Oh, did I mention there is a serial killer roaming the neighborhood that likes to pluck out the eyeballs of their victims?
OOPS! MY BAD!
Yeah, this was good. Very good, actually. Best of all, I never guessed the culprit. It took me completely by surprise. My only two niggles are these: It did take me until the 30% mark before I felt invested and that was mainly due to the large cast of characters and changing perspectives. My only other complaint, and it's about as petty as they come, but MY GAWD, the name Wildeve drove me crazy. Other than that this book was a nightmarish delight! 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 15, 2022
The best part of the book was the writing. It was lyrical and sometimes beautiful. What I had a problem with however was all the different characters and keeping track of their stories. I know it created more suspense, but it sometimes got confusing and disturbed the flow.
May 4, 2019
OKAY.
Imagine you're standing there innocently enough and then someone starts throwing random jigsaw puzzle pieces at your head. It feels kinda weird, and you stand their rubbing your forehead in mild annoyance but mostly confusion, until you look down and realise that all of the puzzle pieces at your feet are starting to resemble a pretty impressive picture.
That's what reading this book felt like.
IT WAS AWESOME.
This was my first book by this author and I'll be certain to pick up more from her in the future! This had me captivated from page 1 and just did not let up at all. Highly addictive but also unusual in the way it all unfolded!
Events start when the Lockwood family move in to The Avenue, but there's not really a main protagonist here. There's detective Wildeve Stanton (whose strange name is disappointingly never discussed - is it only strange to me?) who is working hard to solve the case for personal reasons, but the main character here is really the general cloud of secrets surrounding everyone.
Honestly I had so much fun just letting this all wash over me. There are brilliant characters and cloudy judgements and you can't really tell where any of it is going until its already upon you.
Brilliant and unique and actually kinda fun for a crime novel! Highly recommend!
Imagine you're standing there innocently enough and then someone starts throwing random jigsaw puzzle pieces at your head. It feels kinda weird, and you stand their rubbing your forehead in mild annoyance but mostly confusion, until you look down and realise that all of the puzzle pieces at your feet are starting to resemble a pretty impressive picture.
That's what reading this book felt like.
IT WAS AWESOME.
This was my first book by this author and I'll be certain to pick up more from her in the future! This had me captivated from page 1 and just did not let up at all. Highly addictive but also unusual in the way it all unfolded!
Events start when the Lockwood family move in to The Avenue, but there's not really a main protagonist here. There's detective Wildeve Stanton (whose strange name is disappointingly never discussed - is it only strange to me?) who is working hard to solve the case for personal reasons, but the main character here is really the general cloud of secrets surrounding everyone.
Honestly I had so much fun just letting this all wash over me. There are brilliant characters and cloudy judgements and you can't really tell where any of it is going until its already upon you.
Brilliant and unique and actually kinda fun for a crime novel! Highly recommend!
July 20, 2022
3.5 Stars easily rounded up to 4!
Another brilliantly complex and layered mystery from Fiona Cummins!
It takes a while to settle into this one with its multi POV initially making for some confusing reading. However, once the voices crystallised for me then the foreboding sense of menace and chills set in. Suspension of disbelief is required because of the crazy collection of characters that 'happen' to be residing within this small zip code. A serial killer nick-named 'The Dollmaker' has been terrorising the neighbourhood and DC Wildeve Stanton and DCI Clive 'Mac' Mackie don't seem to be making any headway with the case. Disaster strikes for the police when one of their own is murdered and immediately the case becomes personal. With so many twisted characters and slippery turns I was genuinely unsure how things would unfold. A gritty murder mystery!
Another brilliantly complex and layered mystery from Fiona Cummins!
It takes a while to settle into this one with its multi POV initially making for some confusing reading. However, once the voices crystallised for me then the foreboding sense of menace and chills set in. Suspension of disbelief is required because of the crazy collection of characters that 'happen' to be residing within this small zip code. A serial killer nick-named 'The Dollmaker' has been terrorising the neighbourhood and DC Wildeve Stanton and DCI Clive 'Mac' Mackie don't seem to be making any headway with the case. Disaster strikes for the police when one of their own is murdered and immediately the case becomes personal. With so many twisted characters and slippery turns I was genuinely unsure how things would unfold. A gritty murder mystery!
July 10, 2019
What a dark and creepy read that was!! Would not want to live on that street! A fantastic story that sucked me in from the start. Really enjoyed it
February 5, 2020
EXCERPT: ....no one noticed a small girl - the youngest of the group - back away from the puppet theatre with its dead crow's head and limp feathers, stumbling over her best shoes, finding her way to a storeroom that should have been locked.
No one saw her scramble between the old boxes and piles of dust sheets, tears wetting her face, or stopped her squeezing through racks of fraying costumes, spiderwebs catching in her hair, until she found herself crouching behind a deep, wooden chest, curiosity driving her to open it.
No one noticed her at all.
Until the screaming began.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: For Sale: Lovely family home, ready for your updates. Friendly neighborhood setting close to park; secluded.
If not for the bodies discovered in the woods behind their new home, Garrick and Olivia Lockwood couldn't have afforded to buy number 25 The Avenue. It's the fresh start they and their two children badly need. Soon, these terrible crimes will be solved, they tell themselves, and once Garrick has remodeled, he's confident they'll sell the house for a profit.
But the darkest secrets can reside on quiet, ordinary streets like this - behind the doors of
well-kept houses and neighbors' friendly faces. Secrets that can destroy a family, or savagely end a life, and will surface just when they're least expected . . .
MY THOUGHTS: Creepy. Menacing. Dark and disturbing....
I took today off work in part so that I could finish this book. I think I did the same for her other novels, Rattle, and The Collector. Also creepy, menacing, dark and disturbing.
There are several different timelines in this story, giving us insight into the background of the killer, but we don't know who s/he is. The clues to the killer's identity are skilful but ambiguous. There are several people who fit the bill. I must have discarded three or four suspects before I selected my final one, and still I got it wrong.
I found The Family Next Door hard to settle into to begin with. The chapters are very short with many different narrators, and jumped about a bit too much for my liking. But by the time I was half way through, I had become accustomed to the writing style and I couldn't put it down. I found myself thinking, once or twice, that Ms Cummins could give Stephen King a run for his money characterwise.
Heart-pounding stuff.
This novel was previously published under the title 'The Neighbour'.
#TheFamilyNextDoor #NetGalley
❤😱❤😱❤
Some snippets I would like to share with you:
'....our secrets are never as well hidden as we think they are. A freeze framed expression. A forgotten newspaper photograph. A bloody secret buried beneath layers and layers of paint.'
'Smoke. Mirrors. Secrets. Lies. We believe what we want to, don't we? Our version of the truth. But there are many layers, many truths. We sift and curate and cherry-pick the parts that best suit the face we present to the world. Nobody is a true version of themselves. Everyone pretends.'
'...so much of the ugliness of her job was found not in city alleyways or late night street stabbings, but behind the mown lawns and washed cars and laundry on the line, the mundane and everyday. Inside lives quietly lived.'
'Grief was a complex emotion. It was possible to laugh, to go to work, to eat, at the same time as waves crashed against you, threatening to dash you against the cliffs and overwhelm you.'
THE AUTHOR: Fiona Cummins is an award-winning former Daily Mirror showbusiness journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy Writing A Novel course. She lives in Essex with her family.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Family Next Door by Fiona Cummins. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
No one saw her scramble between the old boxes and piles of dust sheets, tears wetting her face, or stopped her squeezing through racks of fraying costumes, spiderwebs catching in her hair, until she found herself crouching behind a deep, wooden chest, curiosity driving her to open it.
No one noticed her at all.
Until the screaming began.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: For Sale: Lovely family home, ready for your updates. Friendly neighborhood setting close to park; secluded.
If not for the bodies discovered in the woods behind their new home, Garrick and Olivia Lockwood couldn't have afforded to buy number 25 The Avenue. It's the fresh start they and their two children badly need. Soon, these terrible crimes will be solved, they tell themselves, and once Garrick has remodeled, he's confident they'll sell the house for a profit.
But the darkest secrets can reside on quiet, ordinary streets like this - behind the doors of
well-kept houses and neighbors' friendly faces. Secrets that can destroy a family, or savagely end a life, and will surface just when they're least expected . . .
MY THOUGHTS: Creepy. Menacing. Dark and disturbing....
I took today off work in part so that I could finish this book. I think I did the same for her other novels, Rattle, and The Collector. Also creepy, menacing, dark and disturbing.
There are several different timelines in this story, giving us insight into the background of the killer, but we don't know who s/he is. The clues to the killer's identity are skilful but ambiguous. There are several people who fit the bill. I must have discarded three or four suspects before I selected my final one, and still I got it wrong.
I found The Family Next Door hard to settle into to begin with. The chapters are very short with many different narrators, and jumped about a bit too much for my liking. But by the time I was half way through, I had become accustomed to the writing style and I couldn't put it down. I found myself thinking, once or twice, that Ms Cummins could give Stephen King a run for his money characterwise.
Heart-pounding stuff.
This novel was previously published under the title 'The Neighbour'.
#TheFamilyNextDoor #NetGalley
❤😱❤😱❤
Some snippets I would like to share with you:
'....our secrets are never as well hidden as we think they are. A freeze framed expression. A forgotten newspaper photograph. A bloody secret buried beneath layers and layers of paint.'
'Smoke. Mirrors. Secrets. Lies. We believe what we want to, don't we? Our version of the truth. But there are many layers, many truths. We sift and curate and cherry-pick the parts that best suit the face we present to the world. Nobody is a true version of themselves. Everyone pretends.'
'...so much of the ugliness of her job was found not in city alleyways or late night street stabbings, but behind the mown lawns and washed cars and laundry on the line, the mundane and everyday. Inside lives quietly lived.'
'Grief was a complex emotion. It was possible to laugh, to go to work, to eat, at the same time as waves crashed against you, threatening to dash you against the cliffs and overwhelm you.'
THE AUTHOR: Fiona Cummins is an award-winning former Daily Mirror showbusiness journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy Writing A Novel course. She lives in Essex with her family.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Family Next Door by Fiona Cummins. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 14, 2018
Wow. Well you know I’d been looking forward to this one, turns out for good reason, because when I read crime THIS is exactly what I’m looking for.
From the haunting opening to the emotional hit of an ending, The Neighbour is a brilliantly creepy, so so beautifully written and totally absorbing crime drama, that will have you looking at your own neighbours with side glancing suspicion.
On The Avenue, secrets and lies are everywhere, a serial killer hides in plain sight and as readers we are given snapshot glances behind closed doors – a voyeuristic journey with an edgy, ever growing sense of menace.
Everyone hides something, silently within, from the innocuous to the horrific. Fiona Cummins takes this reality and runs with it – The Neighbour takes us on a twisty, often very disturbing, always fascinating path through the Avenue and the community within.
There are surprises along the way, each new revelation leading us ever closer to the finale and exploring many levels of human nature as we go.
Creepy dolls too. I mean I’m just saying…
The Neighbour is everything crime writing should be in my opinion. Fantastic and genuinely talented writing with depth and beauty. Thought provoking, darkly entertaining, character driven – and with a healthy dose of realism about life, love, loss, dark hearts and the hidden side of all of us.
Loved it.
Highly Recommended.
From the haunting opening to the emotional hit of an ending, The Neighbour is a brilliantly creepy, so so beautifully written and totally absorbing crime drama, that will have you looking at your own neighbours with side glancing suspicion.
On The Avenue, secrets and lies are everywhere, a serial killer hides in plain sight and as readers we are given snapshot glances behind closed doors – a voyeuristic journey with an edgy, ever growing sense of menace.
Everyone hides something, silently within, from the innocuous to the horrific. Fiona Cummins takes this reality and runs with it – The Neighbour takes us on a twisty, often very disturbing, always fascinating path through the Avenue and the community within.
There are surprises along the way, each new revelation leading us ever closer to the finale and exploring many levels of human nature as we go.
Creepy dolls too. I mean I’m just saying…
The Neighbour is everything crime writing should be in my opinion. Fantastic and genuinely talented writing with depth and beauty. Thought provoking, darkly entertaining, character driven – and with a healthy dose of realism about life, love, loss, dark hearts and the hidden side of all of us.
Loved it.
Highly Recommended.
April 4, 2019
I always think the reason novels that reminds us of the possibility that we are living in close proximity to a criminal or a potential criminal are so successful is no-one wants to think about that in too much detail. It's a scary thought and one you can do little about. Ms Cummins plays on those fears perfectly creating her best thriller to date, but it is also so much more than that. It breaks murder down to look at its impact on the community and its people, and the author expertly crafts a cast of enigmatic characters who we know little about but who grip and intrigue us all the same. From page one you are quickly immersed in the scenic Essex setting and from then on it's a case of reading it in a single suspenseful sitting.
This has to be one of the most cleverly plotted thrillers I've read in years with its twisty reveals, red herrings and ample misdirection, which throws you off the scent many times. The Avenue is perceived by outsiders as a haven but most of those living on the street have secrets and hide behind a facade. I can usually determine the culprit quite early on or at least before it is made obvious, but not here; I admit I was clueless and I loved that. It has everything you could ever want in a crime thriller, so I'm positive it will become another bestseller. Simply superb and a must-read for crime aficionados.
Many thanks to Macmillan for an ARC.
This has to be one of the most cleverly plotted thrillers I've read in years with its twisty reveals, red herrings and ample misdirection, which throws you off the scent many times. The Avenue is perceived by outsiders as a haven but most of those living on the street have secrets and hide behind a facade. I can usually determine the culprit quite early on or at least before it is made obvious, but not here; I admit I was clueless and I loved that. It has everything you could ever want in a crime thriller, so I'm positive it will become another bestseller. Simply superb and a must-read for crime aficionados.
Many thanks to Macmillan for an ARC.
January 16, 2020
I'm honestly not sure what to say about this book.
The first 20% was all over the place and I was feeling pretty frustrated. But then things started coming together, and I was engrossed. The red herrings were good, each and every one with dark secrets of their own. I thought to myself frequently, "This is one effed up neighborhood." About halfway through, I suspected who the killer was, and was ultimately proven correct. At that point, unfortunately, the story lost some of its urgency for me.
There was something about the writing, too, which bothered me. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but I think, ?maybe?, it was the lack of cohesion. So many new characters were introduced, and instead of giving some sort of background on each, their chapters would start in the middle of one of their thoughts. I was frequently floundering around trying to figure out who in the bloody hell this person was. I'm sure it was an intentional technique to foster confusion in the reader...and it definitely worked!
The conclusion was okay. I can definitely see people being surprised.
Recommended to those who enjoy the thriller/suspense genre.
**Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
The first 20% was all over the place and I was feeling pretty frustrated. But then things started coming together, and I was engrossed. The red herrings were good, each and every one with dark secrets of their own. I thought to myself frequently, "This is one effed up neighborhood." About halfway through, I suspected who the killer was, and was ultimately proven correct. At that point, unfortunately, the story lost some of its urgency for me.
There was something about the writing, too, which bothered me. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but I think, ?maybe?, it was the lack of cohesion. So many new characters were introduced, and instead of giving some sort of background on each, their chapters would start in the middle of one of their thoughts. I was frequently floundering around trying to figure out who in the bloody hell this person was. I'm sure it was an intentional technique to foster confusion in the reader...and it definitely worked!
The conclusion was okay. I can definitely see people being surprised.
Recommended to those who enjoy the thriller/suspense genre.
**Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
October 26, 2019
Moving into a new house can be stressful, though the Lockwood’s hopes for a fresh start in the normally quite Essex street might be more than they’ve bargained for.
As the family move into 25 The Avenue a fifth body in what the press have dubbed the serial killer as ‘The Doll Maker’ has also been discovered...
With each victims eyes being replaced with fakes, these creepy deaths makes it seem that the owner of the fancy dress emporium is the prime suspect.
All of the chapters are so short that it’s easy to keep turning the page and wanting to find out more.
With the various switches between the residents POV’s casts the suspicions over everyone, all seem to be acting out of character.
It does mean that most didn’t really stand out, though this was more a plot driven story.
The police procedural aspect was the strongest part of this novel, with each new clue flummoxing both them and the reader.
Addictively good with a great ending!
As the family move into 25 The Avenue a fifth body in what the press have dubbed the serial killer as ‘The Doll Maker’ has also been discovered...
With each victims eyes being replaced with fakes, these creepy deaths makes it seem that the owner of the fancy dress emporium is the prime suspect.
All of the chapters are so short that it’s easy to keep turning the page and wanting to find out more.
With the various switches between the residents POV’s casts the suspicions over everyone, all seem to be acting out of character.
It does mean that most didn’t really stand out, though this was more a plot driven story.
The police procedural aspect was the strongest part of this novel, with each new clue flummoxing both them and the reader.
Addictively good with a great ending!
December 26, 2019
Garrick and Olivia Lockwood couldn’t have afforded to buy number 25 The Avenue if the bodies had not been discovered in the woods behind their home.
But they figured, once the crimes were solved and they had finished remodeling, they would sell for a profit.
The moving van packed with their furniture and their hopes arrived-accidentally clipping the Rhododendron bushes...(loosely quoted)
Excerpt: “But as the heat trembled in the air around them, this family had no idea of how they would come to pray that 25 The Avenue had remained a blurry photograph on the real estate agent’s website, and no idea that by the end of the summer, their lives would be as scarred as the stem bleeding sap onto the concrete.”
Yes, the serial killer dubbed “The Dollmaker” is terrorizing this neighborhood, painting the faces of the victims, brushing their hair, and gouging out their eyes with a scalpel and replacing them with glass replicas...
To me, this book is a mixture of CRIME and HORROR, but despite many of my friends LOVING it, I struggled with the VERY descriptive writing like the excerpt I shared above and just felt a disconnect the whole time.
If that type of writing did not bother you, and you like your thrillers DARK-I think YOU will find the book more satisfying. Though her writing is not for ME, I can see why the author has many fans...
Originally published as “The Neighbour” the name was changed for the US release, but since I read another book titled “The Family Next Door” (Sally Hepworth) this past year, I don’t think this title was any better!
I would’ve called it Number 25, The Avenue...but, they didn’t ask me! 😏
Available January 28, 2020.
Thank You to Netgalley, Pinnacle and Fiona Cummins for the digital ARC I received in exchange for a candid review!
But they figured, once the crimes were solved and they had finished remodeling, they would sell for a profit.
The moving van packed with their furniture and their hopes arrived-accidentally clipping the Rhododendron bushes...(loosely quoted)
Excerpt: “But as the heat trembled in the air around them, this family had no idea of how they would come to pray that 25 The Avenue had remained a blurry photograph on the real estate agent’s website, and no idea that by the end of the summer, their lives would be as scarred as the stem bleeding sap onto the concrete.”
Yes, the serial killer dubbed “The Dollmaker” is terrorizing this neighborhood, painting the faces of the victims, brushing their hair, and gouging out their eyes with a scalpel and replacing them with glass replicas...
To me, this book is a mixture of CRIME and HORROR, but despite many of my friends LOVING it, I struggled with the VERY descriptive writing like the excerpt I shared above and just felt a disconnect the whole time.
If that type of writing did not bother you, and you like your thrillers DARK-I think YOU will find the book more satisfying. Though her writing is not for ME, I can see why the author has many fans...
Originally published as “The Neighbour” the name was changed for the US release, but since I read another book titled “The Family Next Door” (Sally Hepworth) this past year, I don’t think this title was any better!
I would’ve called it Number 25, The Avenue...but, they didn’t ask me! 😏
Available January 28, 2020.
Thank You to Netgalley, Pinnacle and Fiona Cummins for the digital ARC I received in exchange for a candid review!
December 29, 2020
This book grabbed me from the first page it was gore & guts as the author described the bodies that were found behind 25 the Avenue, the Lockwood's move into the home, they also know the gruesome past the home has with its secrets, but they are looking forward to living there.
From Across the street neighbours are watching knowing the dangers they are in, four move in but only one comes out the press calls the killer THE DOLL MAKER this was a gruesome read very graphic but well written for me i found it a bit long not that my concentration levels were waning, it could have been shorter in my opinion. The pacing was good & the characters especially Wild Eve Stanton who loses her lover to the dollmaker, rage consumes her & she will do anything to avenge his death.
From Across the street neighbours are watching knowing the dangers they are in, four move in but only one comes out the press calls the killer THE DOLL MAKER this was a gruesome read very graphic but well written for me i found it a bit long not that my concentration levels were waning, it could have been shorter in my opinion. The pacing was good & the characters especially Wild Eve Stanton who loses her lover to the dollmaker, rage consumes her & she will do anything to avenge his death.
January 9, 2020
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
3.5 stars
Former Daily Mirror journalist and award winning author Fiona Cummins brings her readers The Neighbour, a chilling standalone thriller, following the success of her first two novels, Rattle and The Collector. The Neighbour is a dark and menacing tale, set in an ordinary suburban location, with extraordinary secrets. This novel will have you shaking in your boots, in a bid to uncover the true identity of the killer that lurks somewhere on The Avenue.
The Neighbour is suburban domestic noir, with a murderous twist. This chilling and tense tale introduces the reader to the residents of The Avenue. This seemingly perfect neighbourhood is the ideal hunting ground for a deranged serial killer. The Lockwoods are the latest residents to move into The Avenue. They consider themselves lucky to find a bargain house in this appealing locale, which is close the schools, the coast and London. However, this lucrative locale has recently been subjected to plenty of unwanted media attention. The Avenue has been linked to a series of local murders, but this doesn’t seem to worry the Lockwoods, they are just pleased to have acquired their new home at a bargain price. As the months roll on, The Avenue slowly begins to reveal its hidden secrets, striking at the heart of this picture perfect community.
I have read one of the two previous books penned by British author Fiona Cummins. I recall being quite disturbed by this tale, which was spine tingling and very creepy. Cummins draws on these chills yet again in her latest novel, which is a new standalone thriller, focussing on a deranged killer, with a preoccupation for eyes. The Neighbour is a novel that hooked me in from the first page, the prologue was incredibly chilling, but also intriguing. It set a precedent for the incoming story.
The Neighbour is a book that easily forms part of the domestic fiction and suburban noir genre, a category of books that has really surged in the popularity stakes in recent times. I enjoy these books, as they are a slight deviation from traditional thrillers and whodunit mystery novels. Cummins goes that one step further with The Neighbour, adding in a creepy serial killer element, which ramps up the chill factor.
Cummins’ approach is astute, she definitely has the upper hand over the reader, which she maintains until the very close of the novel. There are a host of suspects to select, plenty of red herrings, plot diversions and shady characters, who come with a bevy of secrets. This book leaps around a bit in terms of point of view and it includes the eerie outside narration of the murderer. The reader is kept in the dark in regards to the true identity of the killer. This is a clever narrative trick on behalf of the author, as it works to bamboozle the reader. I certainly had no clue in this department.
Cummins builds a stirring atmosphere in her third novel. There is a mix between the familiar suburban setting of The Avenue, which is contrasted to the true horror and menace that stalks the residents of this seemingly normal location. There are some squeamish moments that may raise a hair or two, it is disturbing, but you will find it hard pressed to turn your eyes away. Cummins continues to pull the wool over the eyes of her audience until the last heart beating moments. The end hits you quite hard, but it offers plenty of entertainment value.
I loved the additional touch of pictorial map outlining the location of the various houses on The Avenue, it was a thoughtful touch. I found the map helped to guide me through this knotty tale!
Take a walk to The Avenue and experience the menace that haunts this seemingly perfect suburban retreat. The Neighbour is a book that will strike a chord with thriller, crime and horror fans.
*I wish to thank Pan Macmillan for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
POPSUGAR READING CHALLENGE 2020: A Book with a map.
3.5 stars
Former Daily Mirror journalist and award winning author Fiona Cummins brings her readers The Neighbour, a chilling standalone thriller, following the success of her first two novels, Rattle and The Collector. The Neighbour is a dark and menacing tale, set in an ordinary suburban location, with extraordinary secrets. This novel will have you shaking in your boots, in a bid to uncover the true identity of the killer that lurks somewhere on The Avenue.
The Neighbour is suburban domestic noir, with a murderous twist. This chilling and tense tale introduces the reader to the residents of The Avenue. This seemingly perfect neighbourhood is the ideal hunting ground for a deranged serial killer. The Lockwoods are the latest residents to move into The Avenue. They consider themselves lucky to find a bargain house in this appealing locale, which is close the schools, the coast and London. However, this lucrative locale has recently been subjected to plenty of unwanted media attention. The Avenue has been linked to a series of local murders, but this doesn’t seem to worry the Lockwoods, they are just pleased to have acquired their new home at a bargain price. As the months roll on, The Avenue slowly begins to reveal its hidden secrets, striking at the heart of this picture perfect community.
I have read one of the two previous books penned by British author Fiona Cummins. I recall being quite disturbed by this tale, which was spine tingling and very creepy. Cummins draws on these chills yet again in her latest novel, which is a new standalone thriller, focussing on a deranged killer, with a preoccupation for eyes. The Neighbour is a novel that hooked me in from the first page, the prologue was incredibly chilling, but also intriguing. It set a precedent for the incoming story.
The Neighbour is a book that easily forms part of the domestic fiction and suburban noir genre, a category of books that has really surged in the popularity stakes in recent times. I enjoy these books, as they are a slight deviation from traditional thrillers and whodunit mystery novels. Cummins goes that one step further with The Neighbour, adding in a creepy serial killer element, which ramps up the chill factor.
Cummins’ approach is astute, she definitely has the upper hand over the reader, which she maintains until the very close of the novel. There are a host of suspects to select, plenty of red herrings, plot diversions and shady characters, who come with a bevy of secrets. This book leaps around a bit in terms of point of view and it includes the eerie outside narration of the murderer. The reader is kept in the dark in regards to the true identity of the killer. This is a clever narrative trick on behalf of the author, as it works to bamboozle the reader. I certainly had no clue in this department.
Cummins builds a stirring atmosphere in her third novel. There is a mix between the familiar suburban setting of The Avenue, which is contrasted to the true horror and menace that stalks the residents of this seemingly normal location. There are some squeamish moments that may raise a hair or two, it is disturbing, but you will find it hard pressed to turn your eyes away. Cummins continues to pull the wool over the eyes of her audience until the last heart beating moments. The end hits you quite hard, but it offers plenty of entertainment value.
I loved the additional touch of pictorial map outlining the location of the various houses on The Avenue, it was a thoughtful touch. I found the map helped to guide me through this knotty tale!
Take a walk to The Avenue and experience the menace that haunts this seemingly perfect suburban retreat. The Neighbour is a book that will strike a chord with thriller, crime and horror fans.
*I wish to thank Pan Macmillan for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
POPSUGAR READING CHALLENGE 2020: A Book with a map.
August 30, 2019
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**3.5 stars**
The Neighbour by Fiona Cummins. (2019).
On a hot July day, Garrick and Olivia with their two children move into a house on The Avenue for a fresh start. They arrive in the middle of a frenzy: there is a local serial killer. The neighbours seem to be the picture of community spirit but everyone has secrets. After six months on the case with no real leads, the most recent murder has turned DS Wildeve's life upside down and now she has a personal motive for hunting down the killer.
Let me just say, I don't want to ever live in a street like this haha. Full of red herrings in relation to who the serial killer is, this street is full of people with dark secrets which makes you want to second guess your own neighbours. I liked this book well enough overall but I found some of the chapter changes a bit disconnected in that it felt like a rough transition between the various different point of views. I didn't pick who was the serial killer so that was good, and the pace of the story moved fairly quickly. Even though all of the characters perspectives ended up coming together and making sense, at times it felt like there was too many characters to keep track of. I'd recommend this novel for those that enjoy the thriller genre.
www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**3.5 stars**
The Neighbour by Fiona Cummins. (2019).
On a hot July day, Garrick and Olivia with their two children move into a house on The Avenue for a fresh start. They arrive in the middle of a frenzy: there is a local serial killer. The neighbours seem to be the picture of community spirit but everyone has secrets. After six months on the case with no real leads, the most recent murder has turned DS Wildeve's life upside down and now she has a personal motive for hunting down the killer.
Let me just say, I don't want to ever live in a street like this haha. Full of red herrings in relation to who the serial killer is, this street is full of people with dark secrets which makes you want to second guess your own neighbours. I liked this book well enough overall but I found some of the chapter changes a bit disconnected in that it felt like a rough transition between the various different point of views. I didn't pick who was the serial killer so that was good, and the pace of the story moved fairly quickly. Even though all of the characters perspectives ended up coming together and making sense, at times it felt like there was too many characters to keep track of. I'd recommend this novel for those that enjoy the thriller genre.
February 9, 2020
When Garrick and Olivia Lockwood move into 25 the avenue with their two children, they can’t believe how cheap the house was. In a seemingly quiet suburban neighbourhood on the brink of Blatches woods, it’s the perfect project. Planning to resell after renovation, It’s the ideal tempory stop for the family to collect themselves. However they get far more than they bargained for. Sinister things are happening on the avenue and the body count has just been raised. The police are beside themselves and the search intensifies when the latest victim is identified. There are plenty of suspects behind closed doors and detective Wildeve Staunton is determined to hunt them out.
I was completely baffled for the first 100 pages. The narrrative is one character per chapter and I was constantly mixing these up. As the story progresses each personality becomes clear and the character easily distinguishable. Everyone’s a suspect, each with their own secrets and horrors. An enjoyable read, 4 stars from me. ✨
I was completely baffled for the first 100 pages. The narrrative is one character per chapter and I was constantly mixing these up. As the story progresses each personality becomes clear and the character easily distinguishable. Everyone’s a suspect, each with their own secrets and horrors. An enjoyable read, 4 stars from me. ✨
July 19, 2019
4 - 5 ⭐️
Well. The start immediately grabs your attention and makes you sit bolt upright. However, the first few chapters whilst they are of brace yourself calibre left me feeling a bit confused.com. Once you’ve overcome this initial bewilderment the frantic, tense, dark, twisty, scary and bone shakingly good story grabs your total attention.
The story centres around a series of murders by a serial killer christened by some The Dollmaker. I don’t know about anyone else but I find old dolls rather creepy (I’m not talking Barbie here obviously!) as to me they seem to be watching you!! So, this element gave me the chills and the killings are brutal. The story unfolds well although you have to pay attention as it’s told from several perspectives and the killer is one of them.
There are some really good characters such as DS Wildeve Stanton, DC Mackie and the Lockwood children especially Evan. Some odious ones such as DC French who happily got his just desserts. The ending is really good, you think it’s all over ..... and then there’s another twist!
I’ve liked all Fiona Cummins books so far and if you like twisty and even twistier then this is for you.
Well. The start immediately grabs your attention and makes you sit bolt upright. However, the first few chapters whilst they are of brace yourself calibre left me feeling a bit confused.com. Once you’ve overcome this initial bewilderment the frantic, tense, dark, twisty, scary and bone shakingly good story grabs your total attention.
The story centres around a series of murders by a serial killer christened by some The Dollmaker. I don’t know about anyone else but I find old dolls rather creepy (I’m not talking Barbie here obviously!) as to me they seem to be watching you!! So, this element gave me the chills and the killings are brutal. The story unfolds well although you have to pay attention as it’s told from several perspectives and the killer is one of them.
There are some really good characters such as DS Wildeve Stanton, DC Mackie and the Lockwood children especially Evan. Some odious ones such as DC French who happily got his just desserts. The ending is really good, you think it’s all over ..... and then there’s another twist!
I’ve liked all Fiona Cummins books so far and if you like twisty and even twistier then this is for you.
dnf
May 7, 2022Garrick and Olivia Lockwood have moved into number 25 The Avenue in Essex with their two children, a teenage daughter and a 9-year-old son. Although a number of bodies have been found in the abutting woods, it's the fresh start they need and they're hopeful that the killer will soon be caught. I feel silly even writing that since, really, who would move into such a house? Another body is being removed from the woods even as they're moving in.
First of all I have to say that there are a lot of characters in this book and many points of view and it's quite easy to lose track, especially since some of them are anonymous. Did I mention there are also flashbacks? The book was also published as "The Neighbour" in 2019.
I read two previous books by this author and really enjoyed them but this was way too hard for me to get into and I was getting more and more irritated. By the time I got to about 30% I realized I no longer cared about the characters or the story so I decided to dnf it. Highly unusual for me but since it's a library book I don't imagine it'll affect my stats!
Many reviewers rated this book pretty highly so if you're interested you should read it and judge for yourself. I'm still interested in reading other books by this author, just not this one.
First of all I have to say that there are a lot of characters in this book and many points of view and it's quite easy to lose track, especially since some of them are anonymous. Did I mention there are also flashbacks? The book was also published as "The Neighbour" in 2019.
I read two previous books by this author and really enjoyed them but this was way too hard for me to get into and I was getting more and more irritated. By the time I got to about 30% I realized I no longer cared about the characters or the story so I decided to dnf it. Highly unusual for me but since it's a library book I don't imagine it'll affect my stats!
Many reviewers rated this book pretty highly so if you're interested you should read it and judge for yourself. I'm still interested in reading other books by this author, just not this one.
April 16, 2019
The Neighbour is a stand-alone psychological thriller from Fiona Cummins, and very different in tone to Rattle and The Collector (I loved both books). So I opened this book with some trepidation, and the reason for my trepidation? I have read many crime thrillers with “neighbours” as the main theme, so I wasn’t convinced the author could come up with a plot that would standout from the crowd. As usual, any doubts I had were dismissed once I read the prologue and the first couple of chapters. The Neighbour has to have one of the creepiest prologues EVER! It literally sent shivers down my spine.
FOR SALE: A lovely family home with a good-sized garden and treehouse occupying a plot close to woodland. Perfect for kids, fitness enthusiasts, dog walkers . .. sounds perfect doesn’t it? but there’s a catch the area where the house stands is the hunting ground for a serial killer dubbed the Doll Maker. This doesn’t stop the Lockwood family moving into their new home on The Avenue. Even before the removal vans unload, a fifth body is found in nearby Woods. The police seem to be struggling for leads and the Lockwoods’ neighbours all seem to have guilty secrets they would prefer to remain hidden, but which one is capable of murder?
The chapters give a “through the keyhole” view into each of the neighbours lives, allowing the reader to learn more about the secrets each one is hiding, there’s a growing sense of mistrust as you try to work out which of the oddball neighbours is most likely to be the killer. The story is told in short chapters, some of the chapters shine the spotlight on the owners living in the Avenue, whilst others relate to the investigation, but it’s the chapters that are narrated from the killers POV I found the most unsettling. You can’t beat a well-depicted serial in a crime thriller and the author has created a monster, as you learn more about them through past events, and their very dark thoughts regarding the crimes they committed I found myself repulsed by the killer, but a small part of me also found this insight strangely fascinating.
Fiona Cummins has a remarkable talent she can write gruesome crime scenes, layered in horror and menace, and yet her writing is memorising and very descriptive, which seems at odds with the books she writes, but they fit perfectly together, making her books even more compelling to read. Without a shadow of doubt the author knows how to write a top-notch psychological/crime thriller, the sense of horror, menace, and trepidation is palatable throughout. The Neighbour is a powerful, dark and disturbing story with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing right up until it’s heart stopping conclusion, cliched I know but also very true. Highly recommended to those who enjoy a crime thriller with a dark heart and a chilling premise.
FOR SALE: A lovely family home with a good-sized garden and treehouse occupying a plot close to woodland. Perfect for kids, fitness enthusiasts, dog walkers . .. sounds perfect doesn’t it? but there’s a catch the area where the house stands is the hunting ground for a serial killer dubbed the Doll Maker. This doesn’t stop the Lockwood family moving into their new home on The Avenue. Even before the removal vans unload, a fifth body is found in nearby Woods. The police seem to be struggling for leads and the Lockwoods’ neighbours all seem to have guilty secrets they would prefer to remain hidden, but which one is capable of murder?
The chapters give a “through the keyhole” view into each of the neighbours lives, allowing the reader to learn more about the secrets each one is hiding, there’s a growing sense of mistrust as you try to work out which of the oddball neighbours is most likely to be the killer. The story is told in short chapters, some of the chapters shine the spotlight on the owners living in the Avenue, whilst others relate to the investigation, but it’s the chapters that are narrated from the killers POV I found the most unsettling. You can’t beat a well-depicted serial in a crime thriller and the author has created a monster, as you learn more about them through past events, and their very dark thoughts regarding the crimes they committed I found myself repulsed by the killer, but a small part of me also found this insight strangely fascinating.
Fiona Cummins has a remarkable talent she can write gruesome crime scenes, layered in horror and menace, and yet her writing is memorising and very descriptive, which seems at odds with the books she writes, but they fit perfectly together, making her books even more compelling to read. Without a shadow of doubt the author knows how to write a top-notch psychological/crime thriller, the sense of horror, menace, and trepidation is palatable throughout. The Neighbour is a powerful, dark and disturbing story with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing right up until it’s heart stopping conclusion, cliched I know but also very true. Highly recommended to those who enjoy a crime thriller with a dark heart and a chilling premise.
August 17, 2019
The Neighbour (also titled The Family Next Door) is the third novel by award-winning British journalist and author, Fiona Cummins. While the house at Number 25 The Avenue may have been a bargain purchase, for the Lockwood family the move to this Essex village from their rambling former vicarage in Cheshire is a reluctant downsizing. And on the afternoon they move in, police have flooded the village coordinating the removal of a corpse from nearby Blatches Woods, the fifth victim of a serial killer the press have dubbed “the Doll Maker”.
For the police team working the case, this fifth murder is a real blow: the victim is DI Adam Stanton, one of their own, who was working on this very case. But for DS Wildeve Stanton, this effect is horribly magnified, because Adam was her husband. Apart from the post-mortem mutilation and decoration, the five victims appear to have nothing in common: how and why they were murdered remains a mystery, and the case is at a standstill.
The arrival of the Lockwood family seems to serve as a catalyst for a number of dramatic events in the village. All the villagers are concerned about the murders, perhaps wondering about their neighbours. While the elderly couple next door is obviously benign, with his greenhouse and her popular chocolate brownies and celebrated Dundee cake, the reclusive man in the toy shop, handcrafting dolls to order, has attracted the adverse attention of the local teens.
Armed with his notebook, telescope and camera, the man in Number 26 claims to be interested in cloud formations, but where else might he be pointing that telescope? And the Postman seems to be hanging around The Avenue quite a lot: what’s that about?
The story is told from multiple perspectives and, initially, the narrative from the murderer’s perspective feels a bit vague, but it is worth persisting, because as soon as the other characters have been established, it all becomes very intriguing. The astute reader will have the murderer pegged about a third of the way in, but the how and why of it keep the pages turning, and there are several red herrings to create doubt before the final, brilliant twist. A riveting read.
For the police team working the case, this fifth murder is a real blow: the victim is DI Adam Stanton, one of their own, who was working on this very case. But for DS Wildeve Stanton, this effect is horribly magnified, because Adam was her husband. Apart from the post-mortem mutilation and decoration, the five victims appear to have nothing in common: how and why they were murdered remains a mystery, and the case is at a standstill.
The arrival of the Lockwood family seems to serve as a catalyst for a number of dramatic events in the village. All the villagers are concerned about the murders, perhaps wondering about their neighbours. While the elderly couple next door is obviously benign, with his greenhouse and her popular chocolate brownies and celebrated Dundee cake, the reclusive man in the toy shop, handcrafting dolls to order, has attracted the adverse attention of the local teens.
Armed with his notebook, telescope and camera, the man in Number 26 claims to be interested in cloud formations, but where else might he be pointing that telescope? And the Postman seems to be hanging around The Avenue quite a lot: what’s that about?
The story is told from multiple perspectives and, initially, the narrative from the murderer’s perspective feels a bit vague, but it is worth persisting, because as soon as the other characters have been established, it all becomes very intriguing. The astute reader will have the murderer pegged about a third of the way in, but the how and why of it keep the pages turning, and there are several red herrings to create doubt before the final, brilliant twist. A riveting read.
May 5, 2019
Wow this book was brilliant. It was entertaining from start to finish. This book had everything you could want in a book. I liked how it had chapters from the neighbours and that everyone had a secret so everyone was suspicious. I had my suspicions but I wasn’t right until I twigged at the end. There was some really heartbreaking pages in the book which made me feel so sad. It just shows you never know what really goes on behind closed doors. It had a wide variety of people in the book who were all interesting and had their own story to tell. All in all a great book. I can’t wait to read more from the author and I definitely recommend this book.
March 31, 2019
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This book is everything I want in a crime novel!
Fiona Cummins strikes the perfect balance between suspense, creepiness and realism as we're taken into the world of residents on The Avenue, where a spate of killings has taken place. Each character seems to have their own secrets, and I felt that they were all surprisingly realistic too - many are people I can imagine running into in any town, and their intertwining stories kept me completely gripped.
Every so often we get a chapter told from the perspective of who we assume to be the killer, and throughout the novel there are hints and details which make us think that must be the person behind each crime, but everyone down that street seems to have something to hide so, let's face it, there’s lots of people it could be! For me, this really keeps the mystery alive as the shadow of suspension continues to fall on different people.
The book had such a strong sense of foreboding... I felt like there was constantly something bad about to happen and the atmosphere in the book reflected this. There's some truly dark occurences and some creepy people lurking around the town in Essex where the book is set. I also loved DS Wildeve and her her boss Mac, and would love to read further books featuring their detective skills.
Fiona Cummis does such a great job of keeping the reader on their toes, with twists and surprises that left me finishing the book with a satisfied smile on my face - I loved it! Now, to read everything else she's ever published and lose even more sleep as I stay up late, not wanting to put them down!
This book is everything I want in a crime novel!
Fiona Cummins strikes the perfect balance between suspense, creepiness and realism as we're taken into the world of residents on The Avenue, where a spate of killings has taken place. Each character seems to have their own secrets, and I felt that they were all surprisingly realistic too - many are people I can imagine running into in any town, and their intertwining stories kept me completely gripped.
Every so often we get a chapter told from the perspective of who we assume to be the killer, and throughout the novel there are hints and details which make us think that must be the person behind each crime, but everyone down that street seems to have something to hide so, let's face it, there’s lots of people it could be! For me, this really keeps the mystery alive as the shadow of suspension continues to fall on different people.
The book had such a strong sense of foreboding... I felt like there was constantly something bad about to happen and the atmosphere in the book reflected this. There's some truly dark occurences and some creepy people lurking around the town in Essex where the book is set. I also loved DS Wildeve and her her boss Mac, and would love to read further books featuring their detective skills.
Fiona Cummis does such a great job of keeping the reader on their toes, with twists and surprises that left me finishing the book with a satisfied smile on my face - I loved it! Now, to read everything else she's ever published and lose even more sleep as I stay up late, not wanting to put them down!
October 13, 2018
Well this one gave me a real case of the creeps! People watching people watch people. Murders from past and present collide and make for one intense story. This was a great book to read with Halloween coming near but could be read any time for a good thriller with a kick! Great characters!
Thanks so much to the author for this very early copy:)
Thanks so much to the author for this very early copy:)
November 14, 2019
I didn't enjoy this. The characters were unlikeable and 2 dimensional and the red herrings were annoying. It's unbelievable that so many deeply flawed characters all lived on one quiet street.
February 16, 2020
FOR SALE: A lovely family home with a good-sized garden and treehouse occupying a plot close to woodland. Perfect for kids, fitness enthusiasts, dog walkers . .. sounds perfect doesn’t it? but there’s a catch the area where the house stands is the hunting ground for a serial killer dubbed the Doll Maker. This doesn’t stop the Lockwood family moving into their new home on The Avenue. Even before the removal vans unload, a fifth body is found in nearby Woods. The police seem to be struggling for leads and the Lockwoods’ neighbours all seem to have guilty secrets they would prefer to remain hidden, but which one is capable of murder?
The chapters give a “through the keyhole” view into each of the neighbours lives, allowing the reader to learn more about the secrets each one is hiding, there’s a growing sense of mistrust as you try to work out which of the oddball neighbours is most likely to be the killer. The story is told in short chapters, some of the chapters shine the spotlight on the owners living in the Avenue, whilst others relate to the investigation, but it’s the chapters that are narrated from the killers Point of view I found the most unsettling.
The chapters give a “through the keyhole” view into each of the neighbours lives, allowing the reader to learn more about the secrets each one is hiding, there’s a growing sense of mistrust as you try to work out which of the oddball neighbours is most likely to be the killer. The story is told in short chapters, some of the chapters shine the spotlight on the owners living in the Avenue, whilst others relate to the investigation, but it’s the chapters that are narrated from the killers Point of view I found the most unsettling.
October 25, 2018
Such a powerful, disturbing, gripping and dark and sinister novel! Fiona Cummins is the master of mood and it's taken to new levels here. At times, I found its menace too much to cope with and had to break away to read elsewhere but I was always looking forward to returning to it. Review to follow closer to publication on For Winter Nights. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
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