Claire Vogel is a recently divorced mother of four girls and a successful counselor living in a planned and prestigious community. She knows all her neighbors, and they know her. But Claire has a secret. To cope with hidden, deep-rooted pain, she often participates in risky, reckless behavior.
When the mysterious Steel Nolan moves in next door to Claire, their flirtation quickly develops into a deeper attraction. But soon after, Claire and her children contend with sleepwalking, shadow men, and disembodied voices.
As Claire begins to remember childhood memories and learns more about her new neighbor's past, her concern for her children's safety grows. Is Steel Nolan the man of her dreams … or the stuff of nightmares?
Terrifying and disturbing, The Neighbor explores the thrill of danger, the depths of evil, and the dark and sinister elements that can haunt us for a lifetime.
The neighborhood ladies do more wine drinking than talking books at their Book club get together. Tonight the hot topic is the new neighbor! One of the ladies has been eyeing him from across the street and claims to have the scoop on him.
She announces that his name is Steel Nolan, thirty-five-ish and single. Apparently, Dawn rushed him at the mailbox and got the low down! The ladies sit attentively on the edge of their seats listening to all the gossip she has to share.
Claire is a mom of four and she should know better than to get involved so soon after her divorce! BUT, the abs of Steel are calling her in more ways than she knows! Claire's neighbors soon notice she is glowing like an ember. Her cheeks blush whenever they mention Steel's name. Perhaps having a torrid affair with the hot neighbor can do that.
The pace doesn't let up much as super creepy things begin to happen in the house - Annalen, her 14 year old daughter has taken up singing The Cat's in the Cradle. Her five year old, Paris' stuffed cat keeps showing up in various locations with glowing, glassy eyes. She thinks he blinked at her once. Shadows, voices, and alarms going off are making Claire feel like she is caught in a nightmare that she can't pull herself out of.
Genre is Horror, although it is not the slasher/blood and gore type. It is more of haunted house tale of good vs. evil. I laughed many times as I side-eyed a few creaks and noises in my own house. I'd just say to myself, "Okay stop it now"!
A very fun, witty read that provided shivers, page turning entertainment, and a soft spot for several characters. I'll read what ever London Clarke writes next!
Thanks NG and the publisher for my early copy! OUT as of March 10, 2021
Recently divorced mother of four, Claire Vogel is a therapist living in a prestigious community. But make no mistake, this is not Mr. Rogers neighborhood! When Steel Nolan, the handsome construction worker moves in next door, he gets the neighborhood women's hearts beating all a flutter. He offers to tear down Claire's damaged shed and build her a new one. After all, it’s the neighborly thing to do! But when they meet out one night, he offers her much, much more.
As I mentioned, this neighborhood looks picture perfect. But there is a teenager who drives recklessly down the street, Claire's oldest daughter, Annalen begins sleepwalking, her youngest, Paris, sees dark shapes and hears something in her room talking to her.
That is only the beginning!
Creepy, gripping and the stuff that nightmares are made of!!!
I do not think that horror books need to be gory or bloody to be good. In my opinion, the most enjoyable horror books are ones that creep me out, make me feel uneasy and have me looking under my bed and pulling back the shower curtain. You know the ones!?! Blood and guts do not bother me as much as things that go bump in the night. Things that get my heart pounding, things that have me questioning is this really happening or is something sinister to blame?
I have always been more freaked out by the things that can get you that you cannot even image. Haunted homes, ghosts, demons have always been frightening to me. If you cannot feel safe in your own home, where can you feel safe? What is worse than not feeling safe. Home is where the heart is. It is where you family is. It is supposed to be your happy place. Where you can let your hair down, it is a place to relax and rejuvenate. What happens when all of that is gone?
I also have to say, when I read the name Steel, I thought that is the perfect porn star or alpha male in erotic fiction name. That name just conjures up sexy, good looking, great in bed vibes to me. Will the Steel in this book live up to those names? I digress. I also thought this book could have been written with Claire having two daughters and not four. Her oldest and youngest daughters get the most action while the other two are mentioned and play a part, but the book could have also worked without them. At times, I also thought “Seriously Claire?” She had me shaking my head a times. Take your foot off the gas already woman! That is just a little quibble and did not affect my enjoyment of the book at all.
I enjoyed how things unfolded in this book. The Neighbor begins slowly but is never dull. This book will creep up on you when you least expect it. It will give you shivers, have you guessing and worrying for the characters. This book is fraught with tension and an underlying sense of danger.
I also enjoyed the supernatural elements of this book. Plus, you may never looked at stuffed animals the same way again. Then there is a little message at the end about getting to know your neighbors. Advice we should all take!
Horrifying, pulse pounding, spooky, and dangerous The Neighbor does not disappoint.
This was my first book by this author and will not be my last.
Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Claire is a recently divorced mom to 4 girls. She lives in a close knit neighborhood where everyone knows everyone. The ladies even have a book club where more wine is poured than book discussions. Then, one day, a new and handsome neighbor moves in giving the ladies much to talk about.
Claire, while out, has a chance encounter with this mysterious man. His name is Steel Nolan and the attraction between the two is instant. When the girls go to stay with their father on the weekends Claire and Steel spend most of that time in bed together.
Then strange things start occurring. Voices in the night, a stuffed animal that moves on its own, nightmares, sleepwalking, but what is most concerning is her oldest daughter, Annalen, seems to be exhibiting strange behaviors that are completely unlike herself.
"Yes, I have done quite well in this neighborhood, but even when I first scoped it out, I could tell it was ripe for the picking. Lot's of secrets, gossip, strife, and angst. The Devil's playground."
I will say no more.
Right from the start this book gave me the creeps and I don't say that often. I'm talking the spine tingling, hair raising kind of creeps. This book definitely has Poltergeist (1982) vibes to it so if that is a movie you love (like me) then this will work well for you. Obviously some suspension of disbelief needs to be had but in horror novels I never have a problem doing that. I loved Claire and her daughters especially little Paris. She loved her girls fiercely and would do anything to protect them from harm. All in all I found this one to be a rare gem and I will definitely put London Clarke on my authors to watch list. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for my copy.
Claire Vogel is a divorced and dedicated mother of four young daughters who doesn't have much time to herself when she suddenly and surprisingly finds herself attracted to her charming and very handsome neighbor who recently moved in next door to her. Claire has lived in harmony within the neighborhood for many years when out of nowhere the teenage boy down the road becomes a nightmare scaring parents and children with his reckless driving and other behaviors and his parents seem to have lost control over him. Then Claire's fourteen year old starts sleepwalking during the night, her youngest is hearing voices talking to her and seeing shadow figures in the house and Claire also feels as if she is starting to lose her mind because her child's stuffed toy kitten keeps disappearing and reappearing everywhere Claire goes. At the same time Claire has a feeling of being watched and sometimes sees a man following her and she doesn't understand why all these things are happening within her family. Claire is not a superstitious person or believes in the supernatural but unfortunately she doesn't believe in God either. Eventually things get to a breaking point for Claire so she hires a private investigator as well as a paranormal team to come out and check her house because she knows now that she is really going crazy or there really is something very unnatural, evil and threatening happening in her home.
This book was deliciously spooky and very scary at times. Definitely a winner if you enjoy getting goosebumps and looking over your shoulder to see if something is in the room with you. Although this was my first book by London Clarke it certainly won't be my last since I enjoyed every little bit of the story from beginning to a very climatic ending. There was a little bit of everything in this book from possible romance, innocent children and don't be put off about the strange stuffed kitten who seemed adorable at first and then became something I couldn't wrap my mind around (Again, Spoooky). I loved the combination of a loving and beautiful family being terrorized by some unknown sinister force. This book may not be for everyone due to the graphic nature of some of the horrors involved but if you are a true horror devotee, I would not want to miss out on this chill inducing wonderful read.
I want to thank the author London Clarke and the publisher "BookGoSocial" and Netgalley for giving the opportunity to read this terrific story and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I highly recommend this very creepy horror book and have given a rating of 4 1/2 Terrifying 🌟🌟🌟🌟✴ Stars!!
Publication date: May 10, 2921 Author: London Clarke Publisher: BookGoSocial
Definitely weird and definitely haunted or perhaps better words might be sinister and devilish.
Claire Vogel a newly divorced mother of four, lives in a prestigious neighborhood where everyone seems to know one another. When a man moves in next door, Claire is curious and finds that Steel Nolan is quite her cup of tea. Claire does like to take risks as it is the way she experiences her thrills, and Steel does indeed seem to be quite a risk. In the past Claire had experienced something that seem to encourage the risks she takes and the more she interacts with Steel, the more bits and pieces of that memory return to her.
They start a steamy romance, and soon mysterious and sometimes deadly things start happening to her neighbors, and then to Claire and her children. Steel does seem to be the man of what dreams are made of but as things continue, situations arise that take on a more sinister intent, Claire realizes that what she originally thought to be her heart's desire might be turning into a frightening trip into evil doings.
AS Claire faces reality, she comes to the realization that not only is she in danger but also her daughters seem to be traipsing on the doorstep of hell, especially her oldest daughter. It's a harrowing time and one where the reader wonders if Claire and her daughters will survive the onslaught of malevolence and vileness.
People who like traveling down a hellish road in their reading, might enjoy this one.
Thank you to London Clark, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of this dark book.
A domestic thriller meets Poltergeist and The Exorcist! This is a totally creative horror/thriller book about a woman, Claire, who meets a handsome neighbor...but then things start going very, very wrong all throughout her neighborhood.
Claire has four kids, and her husband has recently left her and quickly remarried. So when all the neighborhood ladies notice the gorgeous new neighbor, Steel Nolan (I had to LOL at the name), at first, Claire is not sure she’s ready to begin any kind of relationship. But Steel is so gorgeous and charming and hard to resist. I don’t want to say too much more about the plot lest I ruin the fun, except to say, as sort of a side note, Claire is a therapist and I loved one of her patients, Whitney.
The book starts off as a typical domestic thriller but morphs into a supernatural horror book, and I for one loved the transformation. London Clarke, who I had never read before, does a great job building the creepiness and parallels to other well-known horror tales, while keeping her own story totally original and fun. This writer has a truly twisted and elaborate imagination, and I loved it!
Hard to say more without ruining all the fun, but I recommend this one to horror fans! It brings the thrills throughout and is a very fun read.
Thanks to BooksGoSocial, NetGalley and the author for the ARC of this creepy thrill ride!
This was very good. 4.5 stars and highly recommend! A page turner that kept me up late at night. I’ve read two other books by this author and this is the best one yet. A lot of suspense and fear. Satisfying ending.
This book was seriously amazing like read it in one sitting unable to put down glued to my hand good. It’s my first book by this author but certainly won’t be my last. When I put in to read this I was unaware I’d shelved other books by this writer on my TBR shelf I will definitely be moving them up the list now that’s for sure.
So genre-wise this is a suspenseful paranormal horror story. It was creepy and chilling and had me on the edge of my seat agitated with nervous anticipation. It’s told from the POV of Clare a divorced mother of four girls and what starts off here as fairly benign soon morphs into so much more.
Clare’s new neighbour is kind and extremely helpful and though Clare is not ready yet to move on she can’t help but be interested in her charismatic new neighbour Steel. When she’s around him her good intentions seem to fly out of the window and she keeps finding herself right on back in his arms. There’s just something about him that calls to her.
But Steel has secrets dark ones and it’s not long before Clare is fighting a battle one that ultimately will Pitt good against evil and Steel seems to be at the epicentre of it all, all roads leading back to him.
This had it all and there wasn’t a dull minute the pace of this moved very fast building fantastic tension and apprehension along the way. If this was a movie I’d definitely be watching this ticked every one of my boxes. The writing here was fantastic and the characters fully dimensional. Clare’s terrified headspace and her dawning realisation of the truth of it all was so well done. I could taste her desperation at keeping her girls safe whatever the personal cost. I was also relieved and satisfied by the ending I must admit I was getting a tad worried there for a bit.
I recommend this one very highly it’s been a while since I’ve experienced a suspenseful horror story that’s managed to grip me as swiftly as this one. I voluntary reviewed a copy of The Neighbour.
I really enjoyed this horror novel, and felt that it was very fast-paced and unique. It centers on Claire, a divorced mom of 4 who lives in a close-knit neighborhood of folks who are naturally curious when a handsome single man moves in next door. Claire gets close quickly to the new neighbor, Steel, but weird things keep happening with him and in general, which makes her question what his intentions really are.
This is a horror book with a supernatural aspect, so if you are expecting a thriller that does not require you to suspend your disbelief, this is not the book for you. If you are all in on exploring the supernatural and evil, you'll have trouble putting this one down.
I did find Claire occasionally annoying and thought some of her decisions were not smart ones. That being said, she was an authentic character who I couldn't help rooting for throughout the book. When her secrets were revealed, a lot of her behavior made even more sense.
Overall, this book was a lot of fun and I found myself looking to see what other books Clarke has written. It's a little different than your average thriller and will likely keep you reading well into the night. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The most terrifying thing about this book is that is so believeable....neighbors who behave oddly, some uncontrollable teens and a lonely divorcee, a handsome, helpful neighbor who seems too good to be true - a past trauma coming back to haunt you.
London skillfully weaves all the strands of the story together to create a chain of events that is non-stop horror! The pace never really lets up - from the slightly creepy begining, to the double headed twist at the end, it was a quick read for me and was as horrifying as it was enjoyable!
Highly recommended if you like your books well written, yet scary and disturbing.
When I first read the description, and then got into the beginning of the book, I thought this was going to turn into one of those tawdry romance novels and that maybe the handsome hunk next door comes to the rescue of poor damsel in distress Claire. It's been a while since I've been so wrong! Yes Claire is a respected professional by day and a party girl by night if her kids are off with their father, but the new handsome hunk is not coming to anyone's rescue and sometimes you need to believe that pets and children can sense danger better than adults.
After getting involved with the new neighbor, Claire and her daughters begin to experience some very creepy happenings. Soon it becomes apparent that something supernatural is afoot in the entire neighborhood. This is no haunted house that you can just pack up and move away from. I'm not going to get into the plot more than I have because it is best discovered for yourself. I will tell you it scared me. I read the first half very quickly because I was hooked from the start. Once I got to the halfway mark I kept putting it down. Not because it isn't good, but because it gave me the heebie jeebies. It takes a lot to scare me but The Neighbor did the trick.
Wine Book club Cute Guy next door Shadows Haunted house Out of hand daughter Neighbors dying
What does it all lead to? Demons! I wasn’t really sure where this book was going at first, so it took me a bit to figure out. Loved the concept and the characters.
Generally speaking, to ask someone how they sleep at night is considered a bit of an insult. However, London Clarke, how do you sleep? Your imagination must run wild with scenarios like those in the book. This is my first Gothic thriller (?) genre, and I really enjoyed it. Claire, a divorced mum of 4 daughters, meets the hunky guy next door, who appears to be heaven sent. However, as the book moves on, is evidently the exact opposite. I really enjoyed the tension ratcheting up- the imagery such as the increasing rain, the popping of popcorn, spooky toy popping up everywhere, etc made this easy to picture in my mind movie. The deeper themes are there too, no one is who you think they are, everyone has a past, and the unassailable fact that you’d do anything for your kids - even go through hell. With thanks to Netgalley, Carfax Abbey, and London Clarke for an advance copy. I’m off to check the back lawn for sinkholes.
With Thanks to London Clarke and BooksGoSocial for an advanced readers copy of this book.
4*
A pleasant surprise, with some genuinely creepy moments.
The story follows Claire, single mother of four as she becomes wrapped up with the influence and charm of new neighbour on the block Steel. What starts off as a typical psych thriller quickly builds layers and morphs into a full blow supernatural horror, that left even this veteran of fights uneasy in a dark room.
This book was a thrill to read from the moment that I started. I could not put it down no matter what I needed to do. I was hooked on it and needed to finish it in one sitting. It moves along at a great pace which was neither too fast nor too slow but just perfect for the story. The characters are amazing you feel as though you know them and no matter what you want o be there to help them. The story will grab you and keep you interested all the way through and when you get to the end you need more. This book is a must read, no doubt about it.
I've greatly enjoyed every novel by London Clarke, and THE NEIGHBOR is another non-stop, can't-stop, heart in mouth and screaming, roller coaster ride into some seriously dark places (both human evil and Supernatural). Psychological issues, eternal good vs. Evil conflict, despair, faith, humans out of control, past and present trauma intertwined and humming future horror: THE NEIGHBOR is jaw-dropping, can't sleep till it's over, Implacable Horror tuned up Horror!
A dark, sinister tale that portrays the message of how looks can be deceiving, and for Claire, her family and neighbourhood, they can be hell!
Claire is a 40-something mother of 4 girls, who is juggling motherhood and her job as a therapist, on top of learning her ex-husband has recently eloped and remarried, just a year after their divorce. A mysterious, handsome new stranger, Steel, moves into her neighbourhood, in fact right next door, and soon polite flirtation turns into a deeper attraction, and as Claire and Steels relationship intensifies, strange and threatening things begin to happen, making Claire suspect her house may be haunted. Affecting not only Claire and her family, but her neighbours, friends and work as well. As she recognises similarities in a patients life to her own, notices strange figures lurking in the shadows and childhood memories, that were long hidden, begin to resurface. Claire soon realises Steel Nolan is not all he seems and is about to find out who he really is!
This book had me gripped once I’d got a few chapters in. Soon the suspense of what was happening in the book had me holding my breath as I turned each page, hair standing up on end, as I was eagerly anticipating what was going to happen, delving deeper into the dark, terror that awaited me. London Clarke’s writing style had me quickly reading through page after page, and in parts chilling me to my core. I was able to picture each character in my head, particularly the darker, more sinister characters, and clearly see them in the way the author portrays them in her wording.
If you are looking for a nail biting, breath holding, dark, sinister read, that in parts gives you a scare, then this is the book for you!
(This review will be on my blog All the Ups and Downs soon.) --- I can not get enough of London Clarke's books. I have not read a bad one yet, so when I saw that she had released a new book entitled The Neighbor, I knew I had to read it. To say I was blown away is an understatement. The Neighbor has now become my favorite London Clarke book so far.
The plot of The Neighbor was definitely frightening. However, I could not put this book down. I kept trying to find opportunities when I had free time to read it. I was terrified for Claire and her four girls. I found myself wanting to protect them from whatever evil had invaded their house. I loved how the supernatural element of the story did not feel forced or cheesy. It was very believable so much so that I kept having to check for shadows as I read this book! The pacing was done perfectly. Although there are some parts of the story that are a bit predictable with how they will play out, I felt that it didn't take away from the narrative at all. I will say all the demon encounters were the spookiest though! However, London Clarke writes them in a way that won't leave you too scared to continue reading. She writes them in a way that will leave you wanting to know more. By the end of the book, all loose ends had been tied up, and there were no cliff hangers.
All of the characters in The Neighbor were fleshed out perfectly even the supporting characters. I really connected with Claire the most, not because she was the main character, but because we are both mothers. While I have two boys instead of four girls, my youngest, funnily enough named Levi (if you read The Neighbor, you'll find out why I find it funny), is the same age as Claire's youngest daughter named Paris. My oldest isn't much older than Claire's oldest daughter Annalen. Plus, Claire and myself are very close in age. I was behind Claire 100 percent, and it annoyed me when her ex-husband, Gunnar, thought she was just losing her mind instead of trying to help her out. I found Clair to be a very strong female character, and I felt so much admiration for her for what she chose to go through for her girls. (I know that most parents would have done the same though.) I also felt bad for Claire that one decision is what caused this whole supernatural mess. Steel was a definitely an interesting character that I did not trust from the very beginning. He is written perfectly, and even though I didn't trust him very much, he was still fun to read about. I found myself trying to figure him out all the time! Whitney was another character that I liked but didn't trust. It was so weird how her life seemed to mimic Claire's.
Trigger warnings for The Neighbor include profanity, violence, murder, death, suicide, alcohol, pedophilia (though not graphic), sex scenes (not very graphic), demons, and the occult.
Overall, The Neighbor is one heck of a rollercoaster ride, so be sure to strap yourself in tight. With it's terrifying plot and interesting characters, this book sucks you in from the very first page and won't spit you back out until it's had its wicked way with you. This is one book that needs to be made into a movie now. I would definitely recommend The Neighbor by London Clarke to those aged 18+ who love their spooky novels with a big helping of terrifying on the side. You will not be disappointed, that's for sure!
The Neighbor is my favorite London Clarke book, and that’s saying a lot, because Pearse (See her Legacy of Darkness series). This book is a magnificent roller coaster ride from start to finish and I did not want to get off. Claire meets the hot, hunky neighbor, Steel and becomes involved. But all is not what it seems with Steel, with the neighborhood, and specifically, with her house. I will not give away any spoilers but this book captured me with its relevance to divorce, single parenthood, dating, and teens. Since I belong in that group, I could easily put myself in Claire’s shoes and what a mother will do to protect her kids. It was chilling, with that feeling that something is sneaking up behind you, some malevolent force is hiding in the shadows behind you. This book has all the elements of what a horror novel should be, without going over the top. London is a master storyteller, with flawed characters that you find every day in life, and the classic good versus evil amped up to cause shivers up and down your spine. The pace never lets up, never really lets you relax, yet you find yourself devouring this book because you cannot wait to find out what happens in this ever twisty, mind bending race to save the very souls of those you love. I have loved every London Clarke novel and cannot wait to read whatever she writes next. And a fun side note, I have a “thing” with trying to figure who the main male will remind me of. In Wildfell, it was utterly obvious and so very delicious (oh, hello Irish hunk with the sexy, slightly imperfect front teeth!). In The Neighbor, from the second I read “Slight Dutch accent”, it could only be MH. If you’re wondering, visit London’s Pinterest page. This makes each book a double delight! @londonclarke2
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book with every promise to rate it honestly. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.
I already read before bed and every single twist and turn kept me interested and terrified.
A newly divorced mom, with four daughters, is adjusting to her new life. When she's not working or trying to be the best mom in the world, she has a dirty secret. Her secret life is dangerous - dressing up and going into sketchy bars to lead men on. Then...she meets her new neighbor, Steel Nolan. (Yes, very porn star name). They quickly fall for each other - all the while strange things start happening in her house. A stuffed cat that keeps reappearing, dark shadows in the corners, a man with a leather hat keeps staring at her.....
But then, THEN this turns into something even scarier. Murders, suicide, and strange flashbacks. Ugh, I can't even talk about without getting a little shaky.
London Clarke knows exactly how to write a book that will scare people. I'm running to buy everything else that she's written.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.
This novel is a bit out of my genre, given I haven’t read much horror, but wowza! I was sucked right in!
Claire is a therapist, mother of 4, and newly divorced by day, but by night, she’s a confident, brazen woman who likes to draw men in, just to push them away….until she meets the new, sexy neighbor…..who is definitely not who he says he is.
This book gave me goosebumps and creeped me out to the point where I wanted to stop reading it in the dark….but, it was too delicious, I couldn’t help myself!
A special thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and London Clarke for providing me with an ARC.
When love thy neighbor becomes a terrifying ordeal.
Claire Vogel is a divorced mother of 4 girls and a successful counsellor. She lives in a wonderful community where everyone knows everyone and they all look out for each other. She likes an element of danger and often puts herself in risky and dangerous situations. Steel Nolan moves in next door and they quickly become attracted to each other but Steel is a bit of an enigma and shortly after becoming involved with him Claire and the girls begin to experience weird happenings in their home, voices and sleepwalking. As Claire learns more about her neighbors past she becomes more and more anxious about her family's safety. Is Steel the man of her dreams or the stuff of nightmares?
Terrifying and sinister.
For any lover of the horror genre or the movie poltergeist then this book has everything you could possibly want all in one book. It was the cover of this book that enticed me to read it, it was so intriguing, and invited me right in. This was my first netgalley and first London Clarke read and I'm going to look up her other books as I haven't read such a delicious and suspenseful book in a long time. Claire is the embodiment of a mother who will stop at nothing to protect her babies, and of course as she tries to explain the strange incidents going on around her it's put down to her being a hysterical woman. Who can she turn to? Who will help her? What in her past is connected to the now?
I would highly recommend this book I completely devoured it. I adored Claire and her spirit and especially her youngest girl Paris. Her community too were great with every single character being there for a reason and not being a fluffy filler, which you can sometimes find in this genre. It was fast paced and kept me wanting to turn the page even when I was barely able to keep my eyes open.
Just like all her books I start reading it and I simply can’t put it down! I’m such a baby I hate scary movies but these books keep me glued to each page!!
Wow! I have a new favourite Author @londonclarke. I have always loved supernatural books and this one was amazing! I read the entire thing in one sitting which was over a few hours but this one was gripping and I got annoyed at anyone trying to interrupt me haha. I am currently searching for London's other books. Until Death is another book which is in the Neighborhood Nightmares series. Can't wait to read it!
This book is fantastic! I am new to the writing of London Clarke, and I can say honestly - WOW! I don't understand why I didn't meet her books earlier.
Claire Vogel is a divorced mum with four daughters, working as a social worker and living in the prestigious part of the city with a good neighbourhood. Everything complicates when a new neighbour is moving in. One day, Steel Nolan will help her restore the broken shed and then their fates are intertwined. Once that part of the story began, you can't manage to put the book down.
Amazingly, the author mixes romance, thriller and mystery, but don't forget about haunting and paranormal activity. Strange things start befalling. The mysterious bruises, which cannot be explained either way and the peculiar behaviour of teenagers. The obscure website which in some unnatural way exposing your darkest fears. Some voices, ghosts, some events... are those all really coincidences? Why is Claire's life so complicated? What were the secrets buried in the past? Who can you trust? Can you even trust what you see? The unexpected twist in the book and a surprising ending.
I read this book in two days, and it was keeping me intrigued from the very beginning. It gave me chills. Sinister story - creepy in so many details, keeps me interested all the time. Well written, easy to read and to expose every part - so straightforward to imagine. You will love Claire and fully understand all emotions which accompany her from the very beginning.
If you are a fan of horrors, 'the Neighbour' this would be definitely for you.
Thank you, NetGalley and BookGoSocial, for an opportunity to read this book.
Oh my god, I loved this one so much. This is one of those rare books where you forget you're reading. It was like watching a movie, really. Afterwards, I kept recalling scene and trying to talk about it with my partner, only realizing it wasn't a movie that we had watched together. This *should* be a movie.
It's creepy as hell! Don't read by yourself or at night. I never feel that way when I read, so ... yeah, that's saying something. London Clarke has a great way of putting us right in the action. I will be rereading this in the future, and it's going on my favorites list and best books of 2021 list.
There are some minor copyediting issues, but this is a case where the story is so good, I didn't think about it too much.
Content note: off-screen pedophilia, murder, children harmed, some religious content (not gratuitous jesus stuff thankfully).
A huge thanks to London Clarke, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for a copy of the ARC. This was fantastic.
First time reading her books. This was a lot better than I expected. Very mysterious and it had plenty of scariness too. Enjoyed it quite a bit. I might try her other books as well! 4 stars.
This very well could be yet another instance of "it's not you, it's me" because there are TONS of favorable reviews for The Neighbor. At no point did I find myself invested in the MC - she wasn't annoying, she wasn't stupid or abrasive. She was just kind of...meh. The dialogue and plot choices were a little Demonology 101, too. I wouldn't really have a problem with this on it's own, but the execution seemed uninspired. It was as if Clarke just threw down all the exorcism/demon tropes she learned from Hollywood movies.
I rushed through the last 20-30 pages because at that point I was ready to get off the ride. Again, check out other reviews and judge for yourself! There were some genuinely creepy moments and while some of the details weren't the most original, the general concept was interesting enough.