An easy-reading suspense, that kept me guessing until right near the end.

Freya and her fiance Jack move into a house that needs quite a lot of work doing to it, and on moving in meet their next door neighbours, Emily, Michael and their daughter Thea. Freya is happy as Emily seems lovely and she hopes she's made a friend. But Michael is a bit odd and definitely not friendly.

But then Emily and Thea disappear, the police get involved, but nothing ever seems to get resolved. They're just missing persons as far as the police are concerned, but Freya is sure something more sinister has gone on and starts trying to figure it out by herself, mostly by stalking Michael. She ends up breaking into the shed in his garden, and in his house, as she's sure he's killed both his wife and daughter, sets up a Facebook page, and pesters the police with her 'findings'.

Freya does get far too obsessed with everything, especially as she has a miscarriage during all this, and it just seems to send her further down the obsessive road, thinking a variety of people are involved in her neighbours disappearance.

For me this was one of those books that I had to keep reading to find out what happened, as I really wasn't entirely sure until near the end when it was revealed what exactly had gone on. But I did find Freya to be quite irritating in her pursuance of the truth, and quite hard to like.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.
My first read by Chris Merritt did not disappoint.
The New Home is written from Freyas point of view as the new owner of a property in the London area. She meets and befriends a neighbour who then vanishes.
We follow Freya desperately trying to find out what happened to her friend as she discovers everyone can look like a suspect.
Loved this book, well written and kept me guessing.

Thank you NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review The New Home, prior to its release date. This is my first novel by Chris Merritt and I was pleasantly surprised with the how much I did enjoy it.

This book is based on Freya, Freya has moved into a new house with her fiance, Jack. Freya instantly becomes best friends with her new neighbor, Emily.

Emily's daughter has disappeared. Freya, starts to suspect Emily's husband is involved so she launches her own investigation to find her best friends daughter.

This was a fast paced novel but I feel as though the character development could have been a bit better. All in all I did enjoy this book. There are many twists and turns and an ending you wont see coming.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.

Jack and Freya move into their new home beside Michael and Emily and their daughter Thea. Freya and Emily become friends until one day Emily and Thea disappear. Emily becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to them.

I almost stopped reading this book several times. I skimmed parts but kept going thinking the big reveal was going to be worth it. This story was drawn out way too much with nothing really exciting in between. The big reveal was not that huge and if I didn’t want to slap every character in this book the reveal may have been enough.

If there's any character in any book who personifies the old maxim, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you," it's Freya Northcott, the main character in this book. But honestly, knowing that didn't decrease my urge to throttle her most of the way through the story. In fact, when other characters urged her to take anxiety-relieving drugs, I kept hoping they'd ignore her refusals, tie her down and get 'em in her one way or another.

But paranoia also can make for a don't-want-to put-down adventure, and this tale qualifies. Freya and her fiance Jack have moved to a fixer-upper home in the London suburb of Waybridge, which is closer to the hospital where he works as a cardiology consultant. Freya is a developer/producer of video documentaries, but she has no projects in the works at present, in part because the pandemic has put the brakes on most parts of the economy. She also has a vivid imagination, which can be helpful in her professional endeavors. In her private life? Maybe yes, maybe no.

When she and Jack first meet Emily and Michael, the couple next door, for instance, Freya gleans a hint that Jack and Emily aren't strangers. When they meet the elderly Cathy, the neighbor on the other side of the house, Freya intuits that life isn't all roses for Emily and Michael. When Emily and her young daughter Thea go missing, then, it's an easy leap for Freya's ever-suspicious mind to conclude that Michael is the culprit.

Something else that happens to Freya sends her paranoid genes into overdrive; after that, she vows not to stop until she's found Emily and Thea even though logic tells her they're dead. From that point on, she pretty much goes bonkers - going places and doing things that "normal" people - including the police and her fiance - consider both illogical and downright illegal. All the while, she rationalizes that she's doing it in the best interests of her close friend Emily (whom she's known for all of a few days total).

Needless to say, at least some of Freya's illusions may be real; as readers learn along the way, several characters aren't exactly who they claim to be (i.e., they have secrets they'd rather not be revealed). So how does Freya sort out truth from fiction (maybe more to the point, how can readers know who's who and what's what)? By the somewhat surprising end - in fact, even after it - I'm not totally sure any of us has a good answer. But getting there certainly was an engaging adventure - as expected from this talented author - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The New Home is a suspenseful story about Freya and her neighbor, Emily, who has suddenly disappeared, along with her daughter, Thea. Freya, unhappy with the lack of interest after the newness of the disappearance has worn off by detectives, takes it upon herself to discover what happened to her new neighbors. Along the way, she questions Emily’s husband’s, Michael, role in her disappearance, as well as what possible connection her fiancé, Jack, has to Emily from the past. And what is it about Freya’s elderly, off-kilter neighbor, Cathy, that puzzles Freya about how much she clearly knows about what has happened and who the neighbors are?

As I was reading, I found myself not particularly caring for the character of Freya. I felt she was a little flat and the predictability of her obsessive quest to find out what happened to Emily and Thea exhausting. Yes, I appreciated the expected twists and turns as the story progressed, but when the psychological “whodunit” was revealed, my reaction was more meh than shock or surprise. I finished the story in a short period of time, but it was more to fulfill my ARC obligation to read and review than wanting to know how it ends. How does it end? No spoilers, but it ends in a neatly wrapped package.

#netgalley #arc #thenewhome

I enjoyed the story itself, and I definitely didn't see the twist coming, however I found it dragged a bit in the middle. It was definitely worth sticking with. I wasn't too sure about the basin character, Freya, as she seemed very obsessed and opinionated and sure if herself, without really having any credible reason. It certainly redeemed itself and I would definitely read another by this author

Freya has a new home. It is a fixer-upper and Freya and her fiancee plan to do just that. The grounds are a mess and all the rooms need paint and renovation. Freya is a freelance journalist. She does documentary films and one of her favorite subjects is women. Shortly after she and her fiancee move in they meet Emily, the beautiful neighbor next door, and her husband. She becomes a friend, along with an elderly neighbor whose property also adjoins Freya's and Emily's. A disappearance happens and Freya's active imagination, nosiness, and suspicions about everyone go into overdrive. Emily's husband does really look guilty and what about her own fiancee?. Is he harboring secrets too? It seems the only one she can trust is the person that is counseling her about her own issues as well as giving her much-needed attention for free.
#TheNewHome is an interesting novel with a surprising plot. It takes a while to get to know everyone in the book but once the reader does it becomes an enthralling mystery. As a reader, I didn't like Freya very much so I had a real problem getting into the novel, however by the last twenty-five percent I was anxious to see what was going on. It does have a surprising ending and is well worth the read. Thanks to #TheNewHome#NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have read a few of the authors books before and couldn’t wait to read this one.

This is a read with so many twists throughout I couldn’t keep up at times. I went from thinking I knew what was going on to realising I didn’t. The story kept me gripped all the way to the end.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.

Heartfelt gratitude to the good folks at Bookouture for my e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Ever daydreamed of the perfect home for you and your family? I have but New Home will make you suscipious of your neighbors because #behindcloseddoors. The New Home follows Freya who has just fallen for her new home in an affluent suburb. Like every woman she makes friends with her neighbor Emily . Now she can enjoy wine dates and hot gossip right !? Everything changes when Emily and her daughter dissapears. Did the husband do it? I don't want to spoil it but read it when it comes out if you enjoy a domestic thriller

This book will grasp your attention quickly and will keep it to the end. The author created a very troubled main character which added a lot of suspense to the book. There are lots of twists throughout the book and you will kept wondering just what is going on. I really liked that the author tied up all of the various subplots so you aren’t left wondering.

Thank you to Bookoutre and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

Interesting concept however long winded and it seemed to take awhile gor the story to develop. The main character lacked depth, and I found the whole story lacking overall.

I enjoyed the fact that chapters were short which made the reading experience more enjoyable. I didn't like any of the characters, and Freya was a total pain in the neck. The twists in the story were quite good, even though some of it was predictable. I found it too descriptive. For me, there was something missing. That said, I was glued to it! I would read more from this author.

Bloody hell! What a story! The New Home is one of those clever stories where you think you’ve got it figured out...only to have the rug pulled from under your feet!

Freya is probably the most interesting character I’ve met this year! I wish the other characters were more supportive of her since that was the hardest part of the story to believe. The twist in The New Home will leave you reeling and second guessing everything.

A strong 4/5.

Jack and Freya are engaged and move across London to Surrey to be nearer to Jack’s new job as a cardiologist. They buy a ‘doer-upper’ and start to make great plans for developing their new home.

Meanwhile, they make friends with the couple next-door or, rather, Freya makes friends with Emily, as Emily’s husband Michael isn’t a very sociable person. Freya also makes friends with the older lady, Cathy, who lives in the house on the other side of them.

One day, Emily and her little girl, Thea, go missing. The police don’t seem to be doing much so Emily takes it upon herself to find them and takes some enormous risks in her search.

This is one of those clever stories where you suspect each character and really can’t work out which one is the perpetrator. I really enjoyed it and struggled to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Jack and Freya buy a new house near to Nick’s new job. The house needs a lot of work, but they can see it’s potential, so they are both excited and raring to go. They are welcomed to the area by Emily, the next door neighbour, along with her small daughter, Thea. Michael, Emily’s husband, seems less keen to socialise with the new couple. The neighbour on the other side is Cathy, an elderly lady who gets a little confused and whose mind tends to wonder.

When Emily and Thea go missing, Freya decides it’s her role to find them as no one else seems interested. This is when secrets and lies start to unfold , and, along with Freya’s paranoia the story finally gets going!

I haven’t read this author before and enjoyed this book. At times the story was a little predictable and slow, with too much narrative from Freya’s point of view, but there are plenty of little twists and turns to keep the reader interested.

Thank you NetGalley.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC. I thought the story was really interesting and I loved what the truth was. I didn't like the first person narrative though. So much of the book was about what Freya thought and she was a little unhinged in my opinion. She made terrible decisions and took unbelievable chances. As I said, the story was great, and so even though i didn't like any of the characters this was a three star book for me. - I enjoyed it but didn't love it. I look forward to reading more of Chris Merritt's books!

Freya, a freelance documentary filmmaker, and her fiancé, Jack, a cardiologist, have just moved to #12 Sunningdale Road in the London suburb of Weybridge. It’s not a dream home, by any stretch; it’s a dilapidated middle terrace house. Michael, a coder, and his wife, Emily, and their daughter, Thea, live in #13 and Cathy, a widowed elderly lady lives in #11.

A few days after a dinner party at #13, Emily and Thea go missing. When Freya thinks that the investigation isn’t being handled with the attention it deserves, she starts her own investigative work, bypassing the nonchalant police force. The remainder of book is dedicated to Freya’s quest to find out what happened to them after their mysterious disappearance. When clues point to someone on Sunningdale Road, everyone becomes a suspect.

Spanning seven months from March through October, readers get a glimpse into this Weybridge neighbourhood where all is not as it seems. Filled with spine tingling suspense, characters readers will care about, and more than enough red herrings, this psychological thriller was a nail-biting read. I was initially intrigued about a male author choosing to write from a female perspective. With the exception of surprise candor in broaching miscarriage, I was impressed. His choice to intersperse the plot with mystery entries was superb. Written so as not to give away the identity, the entries added to the mystery and depth of the plot. The author has chosen to highlight several important real-world topics which underpin his plot – partner violence, coercive control/gaslighting, trauma of miscarriage and experiences of paranoia/delusional beliefs. He feels that a greater public awareness is needed to create positive change and help alleviate suffering; therefore, this would make a great buddy read or incite meaningful discussions as a book club choice.

Chris Merritt, a British author, foreign diplomat and clinical psychologist, has masterfully combined an intense psychological thriller, with crescendoing suspense and engaging characters to produce a read worthy of adding to your TBR list.

Publishes September 7, 2021.

I was gifted this advance copy by Chris Merritt, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

When Freya and her husband Jack move into their new home, a fixer-upper on a quiet suburban street in London, it feels like it's the start of the newest chapter in their lives together. But just weeks after they've moved in, their quiet street is rocked when beautiful neighbour Emily and her small daughter Thea are reported missing.

Determined to get to the bottom of things and find her new friend, Freya begins digging. But what she will uncover might be closer to home than she guessed...

I liked the way the novel was interspersed with short sections written by a mystery person with their own agenda (and credit to the author, I didn't guess the mystery character correctly). I also liked that there were a couple of unexpected twists here - Freya's own background, for example. What pained me a bit was all the red herrings - it felt like too way too many, and a lot of them just felt like they'd been added for the sake of it, and didn't really advance the story.

It was a decent storyline with some unexpected twists, but something about this one fell a little flat for me. Would like to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher, who granted me a free ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review
Publish date September 7, 2021
Mystery/Thriller
Freya and Jack move into a new home and befriend neighbors Emily and Michael. Freya and Emily formed a friendship, but when Emily and her young daughter, Thea go missing, Freya takes on the responsibility of trying to figure out what happened to them. Freya is definitely an unreliable narrator and I was annoyed with her for most the book. But wasn't sure who could be trusted. There were some sneaky twists and some side storylines thrown in to keep the reader guessing. I enjoyed the book but wasn't in love with it. The first half was a bit slow to get through, the second half picked up and I found myself wanting to finish to figure out how it all ends... and boy was I surprised. This is my first book by Chris Merritt and I am interested in reading more by him.

Thank you netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced readers copy.