Thank you Netgalley and Inkubatorbooks for this ARC.

Premise: Isobel loves her little neighborhood called The Close until a young man was killed in a hit and run on their private street. A new neighbor Linette moves in six months later. She breathes new life into the little community…at least until she doesn’t AND she turns up dead.

Is someone in The Close a murderer? Isobel begins to suspect all of her neighbors and the story takes you on a wild ride. You along with Isobel suspect everyone until the final twist you don’t see coming!

I look forward to future books from this author!

This was a quick and easy read and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Not only did I receive a copy through NetGalley, but I was also honored to have been asked to participate in the cover reveal (super cool!) .

The big question is.... How well do you really know your neighbors?

Miranda Rijks did an incredible job at keeping you engaged from page one. This book is filled with secrets both new and old. This book has such an incredible ending filled with a major twist and OH MY GOD moment, that you will never see coming. I found the characters to be very well developed with multiple layers. I felt as though I knew them on a personal basis and could not wait to see what would happen next.

This is not a book that you can read over a period of time. Once you set yourself up to start, plan on staying put until you finish. Yes, it is that good!

Five Stars!

I found this book to be a quick, suspenseful read. The author does a great job at keeping you guessing throughout the book.

There are quite a few characters as the setting takes place in a tight-nit community, but I didn’t feel lost at all with who they were.

Although the suspense was good, I felt a little bored during the first half of the book. But, the second half I flew through and I enjoyed the twist and the ending.

Thank you @netgalley and @inkubatorbooks for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest review!

3.5/5

Another fantastic read and yet very creepy... I don't know what it is about these creepy neighbors but dang it's freaking me out reading it! Excellent writing and the characters were fantastic. Must read!

Been very lucky in reading so amazing books lately! This is the first book I've read by Miranda, I'll have to look out for more.
It's was very suspenseful. I loved how Linette portrayed, was very clever.
I did feel bad for Isobel, she seemed to have alot on her plate, as I mother of a non verbal autistic son myself, I could certainly relate to the struggles.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, managed to get through it really quickly too.

Thanks to the publishers for sharing this one. I've really enjoyed all the Miranda Rijks books I've read so far, this one included. My full review appears on Weekend Notes.

I certainly do not find it enjoyable to read about a main character with no brain power, no critical thinking abilities & little going for them in terms of personality or depth. It is even more utterly frustrating when said character brings about the demise of a long-con murder plot which is resolved by their ability to be at the right place at the most acutely perfect time, no thanks to their inabilities to read the room. To top all of this off; if I had to read one more character say “let it go”…I might have totally lost my mind.

In “The New Neighbour”, the reader is introduced to Isobel Floyd, a thirty-something mother of two children under the ages of seven (7), married to a successful city architect; living in a corner of the countryside surrounded by neighbours whom she has never had anything to do with more than to exchange a passing greeting. We follow Isobel’s point of view as she navigates the habitual dullness of her privileged middle-class life as a stay-at-home-mom working as an aesthetician part-time from her home. From the introductory chapter it is evident that this book struggles to find its tone; the writing is choppy & evokes a difficulty in settling itself in a way as to render the reader interested in any of the plot or the characters.

Isobel reads as an absolute moron. This is partly due to the writing as we spend an absolutely glorified amount of time reading repetitive events. For example, she tells her client that she’s never been inside the house of Number 2 The Close, then we read about her inner monologue repeating said fact to the reader a couple pages later when Linette brings-up the topic. This same thing happens repeatedly throughout the story. An event will transpire or a character will express something, wether to themselves (inner monologue) or in a shared dialogue, then we re-read this same thought or event a couple pages later & it is always presented to us as though it were for the first time. This resulted in my feeling as though Isobel did not have a clue as to what was going on in the reality around her because she would have conversations with her kids & then totally lapse & seem beyond stunned when they would bring up the exact thing we were just reading about, again, a couple pages later. I appreciate that mother’s have a lot on their plate & it is not ridiculous to acknowledge that they wouldn’t / couldn’t remember every little detail. However, bringing-up the fact that Linette was visiting in Josie’s home while her kids were around, more than twice, was insulting to everyone. Events loose their suspense & carry little weight in terms of reinforcing the genre when they are not properly employed.

Another reason that I found Isobel’s character to poorly in terms of traditional intelligence was due to her focus on such inconsequential aspects of life. She states she does’t want to be a housewife from the 1950’s but explains that she has no problem fulfilling the role because she wanted to spend time with her children. Fine, that’s wonderful, we can leave it at that. Unfortunately, we then have the entirety of the story to work through in which Isobel rehashes her decision to qui her job to be a stay-at-home-mom; we get it, you quit your job, there’s only so many times we can go over this event before it reads as Isobel having nothing going on in her life so she overly fixates on past events & things of no consequence. If you’re unhappy because you want to return to the workplace, make a change, choose what you want. We should not be spending the entirety on the story fixated on this one decision. Isobel reads as a 10 year old child filling the role of an adult parent, put-on for a school production of a familial based drama. She felt completely inauthentic & by the end of the book I found her thought process insulting. You’re recalling going to apply for a job at the firm where your criminal husband used to work? Do you have no pride? Do you not feel that you have an ounce of self-worth? Evidently not because we had to read chapters on end about her random babbling on about her ‘brave’ husband who only ever told her to ‘let it go’ any time she brought up any topic of conversation.

There is a lot of work left to be done in terms of editing. I often came across grammar errors, sentence structure problems which rendered the phrasing to feel as though it were poorly translated rather than demonstrate a clear flow of thoughts & plot development. There were times when character names were employed in error. However, these are things that can be dealt with during a diligent editing process. So, should you decide to read this book after publishing, take this part with a grain of salt for, these kinks might have been worked out by said time.

Though this book might fall under the mystery & suspense genres, I found that much of what might attribute it to them fell flat or we never visited the dialogue which was hopeful to insight suspense after it was written-out. For example, when Isobel questions how Linette would have known her & Mike were away for three (3) days. Rather than look at this situation as a creepy questioning from a person you barely know, one might simply grasp the fact that Linette has no job, she lives directly across the street from Isobel & Mike, who have two (2) children who mist probably play outside when the weather permits. Therefore, it’s not far-fetched to think that Linette might have noticed the kids playing with a grandmother-type person rather than either of their parents, therefore deducing that they were away. The same could be said for almost every other situation in which reflective questioning is brought-up.

Much of my review centres around Isobel as she was the main character & narrator of the story. However, Linette did have her own chapters on occasion & therefore merits some criticism as well. As a character who was meant to come across as secretive, conniving, vengeful & smart, the mark was severely missed. Instead, Linette reads as a teenager on the cusp of an emotional fit. I appreciate that she finally got sober & had little time left with two of her family members but, that doesn’t mean that every single neighbour is to blame because your sister was unwell. Mona having SAD disease was no one’s responsibility by her own; her son being bludgeoned to death was cast aside by the fault of the investigating bodies. It would have been fairly obvious that Wilson was bludgeoned & not simply hit by a vehicle on a residential street. However, no one seemed to put forth any work in solving the case because if they had, they would have taken note that a neighbour had their car in a mechanics the day after the assault. However, we have to wait for Isobel to randomly find a receipt for something the police could have garnered by simply doing basic investigating. Then we have to read about Linette wanting to enact revenge for her family members. What was her plan? Was she going to kill people? What happened when you found out who killed Wilson? What was the actual thought process behind moving to this neighbourhood & causing an uproar? It doesn’t bring anyone back. If anything, it resulted in the worst case scenario for her.

This review could rave on forever; why was Mike brought into custody for the hammer (murder weapon) whereas Isobel was left to her own devices? She also lived in the house, she also had ample time to either commit or assist in the murder yet, no one cared. What was the purpose of introducing the green burial site, it brought nothing to a story which was already walking in circles because Isobel could only focus on her superficial complaints. Why did we have to read about Isobel constantly presenting what she knew as being truths she could not reveal to the police, only for her to spill her guts two phrases later? This brought no conflict, induced no suspense, it was simply annoying to read & rendered me frustrated in her inability to gauge the importance of information she was going out of her way to collect.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this book. I laughed when I shouldn’t have been laughing & I read on in the hopes that something might actually come of the story. This book requires a lot fo editing & proof-reading. The characters require more depth as, where it stands, they appear one-dimensional with little redeeming factors to entice a reader to connect or long for resolve of any of the conflicts presented. When the editing is done, this story could have potential to be a good teen-read. However, there is a long way to go, in my opinion, before that can be attained.

Thank you to NetGalley, Inkubator Books & Miranda Rijks for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

#TheNewNeighbour #NetGalley

Miranda Rijks, The New Neighbour, Inkubator Books, 2021

Thank you NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

A theme that resonates with current issues around the pandemic – the responsibilities people have for each other – is graphically expressed in this fictional account of a neighbourhood grappling with the aftermath of a crisis. The Close is located on a private road, emphasising the geographic closeness of the community, which during the course of the novel is found to be missing amongst its inhabitants. The dwellings include a farmhouse, emphasising the rural nature of the location, together with the intrusions of city lifestyles exemplified by the use of surrounding land for desirable housing located away from the village. Neighbours are linked by proximity; their interest in maintaining property prices; and the school.
The prologue introduces a figure who seeks to be neighbourly – although the manifestation of this, with the activity taking place in the middle of the night, hidden from the neighbours raises questions. At the end of the prologue the figure is hit by a car and appears to be undamaged. However, the new neighbour moves into the house formerly occupied by him and his family – what has appeared to be a benign situation is shown to have been a crisis. As the narrative proceeds, another theme becomes apparent: secrecy, which in some cases have roots well in the past.

The new neighbour, Linette, is a welcomed into the community, developing relationships that have eluded long term neighbours. The uneasiness about the neighbours’ response to the departing family is articulated by Isobel, mother of Harry and Harper, wife of Mike, and former friend of Josie. The behaviour of neighbours towards the devastated family and reception of the new neighbour are observed and expressed through Isobel’s reactions, observations and thoughts. Isobel has her own problems too, Harry is being tested for autism, Mike is busy at work, she has given up her successful career as an architect to become a full-time parent, only recently augmented by a home beauty salon. In addition, her belief in the neighbourliness of the community has suffered a jolt as she realises that superficiality rather than sincerity influences those around her.

Hostilities, initially vague, become a feature an enduring feature in neighbourhood and personal relationships. The community on the private road has not been particularly close knit, nevertheless the appearance of accord, only partially impacted by unease over the original crisis, becomes even more fragmented. Investigating secrets is never easy, and Isobel finds herself at the hub of several.

I found the development of the narrative through Isobel thoroughly engaging. It not only illuminated her character which is thoughtful and principled, it demonstrated how such positive attributes could be swamped by lack of time and personal concerns. Isobel is the ultimate good neighbour whose aspirations are only limited by the essential day-to-day activities that sometime conflict with the best of ideals.

As a story of intrigue, I was less impressed with The New Neighbour. I felt that some of the plot was predictable, and the story behind Linette’s arrival and behaviour needed more subtlety. However, I was glad to have had the opportunity to read yet another of Miranda Rijks novels. I did not enjoy it as much as What She Knew, which I found a perfect debut for my interest in Rijks’ work. However, once again I note that The New Neighbour will not be the last of her work that I read.

This is one of my favorite authors who tells interesting and suspenseful stories and this book was written the same way. There are lots of secrets to be discovered in this neighborhood, throw in a surprise ending and you’ve got one great book!

An easy to read psychological thriller. Lots of intrigue, twists, turns and the inevitable smoke screen. Worth a read.

The residents of The Close, an exclusive rural community, do not love thy neighbor. In fact, many of them barely know thy neighbor, and none attend the funeral of 19 year old resident Wilson Walker, who died after a hit-and-run right near his home.

The Walkers, too devastated to stay, rent the home to recent divorcee Linette. The neighbors of The Close start seeing much more of one another as Linette brings them all together - and brings out their secrets. When Linette is murdered, the police take a closer look at Wilson Walker's death as well. Could there be a serial killer next door?

I love a good neighborhood murder mystery, but most of the book is inside the head of our protagonist, Isobel Floyd. And I mean in her head - she goes over every scenario as if the writer is doing an outline of the book. The events do not unfold organically and there's much more thinking than showing or doing. And with how well we get to know Isobel - there is one action she takes, the action that becomes the catalyst for everything else, that seems completely out of character.

I will leave the review spoiler-free, but hope the editing process weeds out some of the internal monologue to let the action take center stage.

By the end of the book, there may be a few houses up for sale in The Close. If you decide to move in, maybe lock the door extra tight at night.

Thank you Netgalley for the preview!

There were a lot oftypos and grammatical errors in this book, which was very off-putting. The story itself drags on, with slow moving action and not enough intrigue to keep my interest.

I learned of this book when I was invited to do a cover reveal for its upcoming release, and now I have added all of @mirandarijksauthor books to my ever-growing wishlist!

Isobel loves living in The Close, a small community consisting of only a handful of houses, until a teenage boy ends up dead from an apparent hit-and-run. Six months later, a new neighbour shows up, renting the home of the family who lost their son, and Isobel thinks that, perhaps, this is the perfect opportunity to re-ignite some sense of community. However, when another neighbour is found dead, Isobel discovers that her family might be in danger, and when she starts searching for answers, she finds that people have been hiding many more secrets than she could ever imagine.

I really enjoyed this book! It gave me The Therapist by B.A. Paris vibes - small gated community, full of secrets and struck by an unresolved heinous crime. (so if you’ve read that book and enjoyed it, you will definitely enjoy this one too!) I did 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 predict the ending, but not until I got to the last 6-7 chapters - though the extent of all the secrets uncovered hit me out of nowhere! And I loved the fast paced plot and twists, until the end… those last 6-7 chapters seemed a bit rushed to me. At one point, when I only had the last couple chapters left, I thought to myself, how is this going to wrap up in only X amount of pages… I just finished the book feeling as if I wanted a bit more. The range of characters was quite intriguing, though if I was Isobel, I do not think I’d love living in that community. Even before the secrets start to unravel, they were some pretty aggravating people 😅

A big thank you to @carriereadsthem_all for including me in this cover reveal, as well as @netgalley and @inkubatorbooks for providing me with an eARC of this book. I can’t wait to read more from @mirandarijksauthor

The New Neighbour by Miranda Rijks was an excellent read. I was hooked from the beginning till the end. This new book was a great psychological thriller with lots of great twists and turns and you wont see coming!

I highly recommend this book! 5 stars from me!

Big thank both NetGalley and Inkubator Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

⭐⭐⭐⭐Thanks to #netgalley and #inkubator books for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. A fast paced thriller set in a quiet little close where one of the neighbours teenagers was hit by a car and killed recently. The hit and run was never solved, the grieving family left the close, now a new neighbour has moved in, determined to get to the bottom of what happened. A twisty read, neighbourhood secrets all interwoven into another great read from Miranda Rijks. #netgalley #inkubatorbooks #tea_sipping_bookworm #goodreads #thestorygraph #litsy #amazonkindle #bookqueen #bookstagram #thriller

3.5 -4 stars.

I would say that the book is slightly above average. I do like this author as she develops well fast pace mystery novels and I have enjoyed The New Neighbour. So if you need to disappear for a weekend into another life, it is a perfect book. The only downside is that the end is often as fast written, something unexpected but almost random and often not enough explained, and thus the book is less memorable. Miranda Rijks does have a lot of books published within the same year so it can explain the less constructed endings.

But I would still read this book and others by Rijks as it has sufficient quality, and well developed endings are rarely to come by (for a deeper mystery I highly recommend Brianna Labuskes).

Thanks NetGalley for a free copy in exchange of the honest review.

The New Neighbour, by Miranda Rijks, is a thriller that's all about the secrets and mysteries that are held within families. The main character and her children are the only likeable ones and that's a huge part of what keeps the book interesting.
Isobel used to be so fond of The Close, the street that her home is on. The peaceful English countryside seemed like the perfect place to raise their family. Unfortunately, after a teenage boy was killed by a hit & run driver, she hasn't been feeling very safe.
When Linette moves in, across the street, arrives, Isobel takes it as a sign for a fresh start with old and new friendships. But bad things start happening again, including a murder. Now she knows that the life that she loves is in danger of evaporating before her very eyes.

In a small community outside of London is a neighborhood called The Close. With only a handful of houses situated on this one road residential area, the neighbors are from varied walks of life; an architect, a retired couple, a farming family and an investor. Some get along with one another better than others and some keep to themselves. One house sits empty after a tragic accident. When someone rents the vacant house, a series of events begin to unravel with rumors of truth and lies and all of the neighbors have a change of heart towards one another. When another tragedy happens at The Close, nobody can be trusted and lives will forever change.

This book is fast paced and very thrilling! If I didn’t have so many obligations this month, I would have finished it over a weekend. There are many twists and turns throughout the book that kept me guessing. I ultimately had it narrowed down with 25% left to read but throughly enjoyed reading until the very end. I will be reading my by this author!

This is the 2nd book by this author that I have read and I wasn't disappointed.

A few notes: the word mauve was used far too often.
The story did get a bit convoluted at times, and then rushed towards the end. However, it had a few twists and turns and wasn't as obvious. I like the way the author tells you some of the mysteries early on, but then there is a final twist

Overall I enjoyed reading this

This was a fast read, a neighborhood full of secrets disrupted by the newest arrival.. Interesting enough but nothing thought provoking or memorable