Outstanding and has taught me a lesson that instant gratification in a book is not always needed, not when the writing and story is so so good Benjamin and his sister Virginia set off my creeper alarm almost immediately. Ellie meets Benjamin at the veterinarian’s office when she brings in the dog she hit with her car. They strike up a conversation and realize they are neighbors, so Ellie befriends him. The more he comes around, the more creepy he seems. It doesn’t take me long to realize he’s obsessed with Ellie and it seems like he’s always finding an excuse to come over. As creepy as he appears, he also seems harmless. His sister, on the other hand, comes across as even more creepier. She’s mentally ill, doesn’t verbalize and never leaves the house. Ellie tries to interact with her but is unsuccessful.

As with all of this authors work, heavy themes and thought-provoking intense scenarios are presented and explored. Emotions take hold of these characters decisions and things escalate toward grave consequences. This book takes neighbourhood drama to a whole new level.This book dives deep into the human condition. Like all the books from this author, it will stay with you long after finishing and keep you thinking… The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they aren't true, but they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story." - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie I received a copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape, through Netgalley. This review is my honest opinion. The plot starts as a potentially engaging thriller then turns in to a bonkers loads of random events with no effort to link them together or any progress or conclusion to ANY of them.

Upon learning that a brutal murder occurred in the house five years before and the seventeen-year-old daughter of the murder victim is missing, Ellie is less than happy that she was not made aware of this before purchasing the home. This right here is why I prefer to buy my homes brand spanking new. I want to be the first owner in the home. I want my bum to be the first on the toilet. I can’t be having no murder nonsense happening in the home prior to my owning it. Ellie and Ash have just moved to a new house. As they work to restore it they learn more about its history. Mysterious disappearances of the previous occupants have Ellie feeling jumpy. She does take up an easy friendship with her new neighbor Benjamin. But his sister Virginia scares her. And as more and more weird things happen Ellie becomes paranoid and isn't sure who to trust.The narrator of this audiobook did a fantastic job. She was excellent at the different voices of the characters. Benjamin’s voice was super creepy! The narration definitely made the book! Since the author's "Next of Kin" was one of my favorite books of 2021, this book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023. Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP PUTNAM/G.P. Putnam's Sons for sharing this amazing book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts. The book had a nice flow to it. The author does a good job at pulling yo There are twists upon twists. However, one of the final reveals was a bit of a letdown. It seemed to come out of nowhere.

It was full of twists and turns making you doubt or suspect different characters or events and I kept reading, wanting to know what happened. Lana and Roman Wade have fled the city for a little corner of paradise, exchanging their flat with its unhappy memories for a small honey-coloured house among the rolling green hills of Oxfordshire. Their new home, set in a residential Close known as The Gardens, is their dream and their new neighbours are charming. Keri Beevis is one of the few authors where I have successfully managed to read all of her releases. Each time, I have not been disappointed but this book, I think shows Beevis’s writing go to another level. Frequently I felt my heart-rate increase with the tension that Beevis creates in the narrative. It was a spooky, chilling, atmospheric read and I loved immersing myself in the story. I actually forced myself to slow down reading it, rather than consuming the book in one sitting, because I was enjoying it so much. If you have yet to sample any of this writer, this should certainly be your first choice. Benjamin is the perfect neighbour and his Sister Virginia, well she may be a tad odd but she is harmless…they both areThere's just no words really to describe how much I LOVED this book. Tony Parson has moved his way up to be one of my favourite authors, and if you read this book he will be one of yours too!

The snowball keeps rolling until the point where I was feeling emotionally drained. I don't mean this as a bad thing, because hey, at least I was feeling something. A brilliantly spooky tale of moving house, new beginnings, fresh neighbours and the drip drip feed of stark terror as reality and fear mix in this chilling psychological thriller Soon Lana discovers the truth behind what happened in their dream home and it is increasingly making her uneasy. She can't settle, especially when she discovers strangers trespassing on her property stealing a photo of her house or two. When she discovers that Roman knew about the house's history she is furious. How could he even think she would want to live here with that hanging over them? And then a chance encounter with the internet sleuths who she caught on her property has her digging for answers about what really happened behind these closed doors. But the more Lana digs, the more uneasy she feels.

The author’s writing style is very engaging and near unputdownable. This is the second book I’ve read of hers, and it was just as gripping. She strikes a nice balance between characterization and moving the plot along. I have read several of Tony Parsons books and always enjoyed them, but I don't quite know what to make of this one, I can't put my finger on it.