The New Neighbour by Miranda Rijks
Genre: Domestic thriller, Psychological thriller, Suspense, Mystery
Read: 19th December 2021
Amazon
Published: 10th December 2021
★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)
DESCRIPTION:
A small community. A deadly secret.
Until recently, Isobel has always loved The Close. A quiet road of large houses tucked away in the beautiful English countryside, it seemed like the perfect place to live.
Then, six months ago, a young man was killed in a mysterious hit-and-run incident. The police investigated but no one was charged.
It’s left a bad feeling in this little community, a feeling that someone knows more than they are saying.
So when new neighbour Linette arrives, Isobel thinks it’s the perfect chance to make a fresh start, to repair relationships and rebuild her community.
But someone else has a very different plan, and bad things start to happen.
When there’s another death, Isobel realises her home, her marriage, and her family are all in terrible danger. She is certain that what’s happening is connected to the hit-and-run. But how? What really happened on the night of the fatal accident? And above all, who is Linette and what does she really want?
The New Neighbour, the stunning psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Visitors, The Only Child and The Arrangement.
MY REVIEW:
I love neighbourhood thrillers. You are given a glimpse into the lives of those you think you know but really you don't and then from out of nowhere you are hit head on with a twist you very probably didn't see coming! In this case, with regards to the culprit, I did because well...now that would be telling...lol
Seriously, I cannot believe I haven't discovered Miranda Rijks before now. Well, I had...I just hadn't gotten around to reading one of her books though I have a few stored on my cloud. But what an introduction. The reader is thrown headlong into the midst of a tragedy from which the residents of the affluent area of The Close are still trying to come to grips with six months on.
The story begins with a prologue from the first person narrative of someone seemingly up to no good. They appear to be trespassing but for what reason that isn't clear at this stage. But their presence is soon noticed as they are warned off before running out into the lane...and smack bang into a car that was driving with its headlights off. The victim doesn't appear to be hurt and yet is found in a pool of blood in the road.
Six months on and the residents of The Close are still reeling from the thus far unsolved hit and run of 19 year old Wilson Walker. His family was so distraught they upped and left and their house was put on the market to let. Now a new neighbour has moved into the house and is keen to make friends with the other residents who largely keep themselves to themselves. But Linette Smith will not be swayed. She meets Isobel on the first day, afterwhich she invites all the ladies over for a kind of meet and greet, and surprisingly she appears to make friends with the other two women in the Close - Josie Abbott and the elderly Mrs Quinn. Isobel can hardly believe it particularly as the Quinns have lived in the Close for near on forty years and have never been known to mingle with anyone. Maybe Linette is the breath of fresh air the community needs.
Before settling in the house of their dreams, Isobel was an architect along with her husband Mike. That is until their son Harry was born and it became apparent that he needed extra care that as a mother she wasn't able to provide if she was working. So Isobel became a stay-at-home-mum. A couple of years later, Harper joined the family and Isobel began a nail and beauty salon business run out of the front rooms of their sprawling house. She had a steady flow of customers which helped bring in a little extra income.
But then one day, Isobel's regulars began cancelling their appointments. Some didn't even show at all. And Isobel was puzzled. But then one of her friends informed her that there was some malicious gossip about her business going around - something about not properly sterilising equipment or keeping her premises clean resulting in one of her clients now in hospital with an infection. Isobel can hardly believe it. Who would say such a thing? But that's not the only strange thing happening. Her neighbour Josie was always something of a friend now visibly snubs her in public and even ostracises her son Harry, who is on the spectrum and didn't understand why his friend didn't invite him to his Halloween party. And then when she tries voicing her concerns to her husband, he dismisses them with his interest more on his phone than his wife.
Then there are loud parties across the road at Linette's place, disruptive teenagers burning rubber down the lane, bonfires dousing them all in smoke, drones flying around their properties seemingly spying on them and then Linette gets herself a pig for a pet who promptly escapes and churns up Isobel and Mike's carefully manicured garden as well as the Abbotts' farm next door. Suddenly the residents are not so thrilled with their new neighbour and the disruption she seems to have brought with her. Isobel doesn't know where it all went wrong because Linette appeared friendly and eager to get to know everyone. But is she really?
Then when Linette has a surprising piece of information to impart on Isobel, she is so angered by her news that she denies all probability before ordering the woman off her property. Whilst on the one hand she is devastated, on the other she begins an investigation of sorts to get to the bottom of who Linette really is and what is she doing in The Close. And how does any of this relate to Wilson Walker's death six months ago? What has happened to their quiet little lane and their beautiful forever home?
And then another tragedy occurs in The Close that sends another shockwave through the residents. Another death...and this time it's murder. Who has a motive to commit these crimes? Can anyone be trusted? And how well do we really know our neighbours?
Secrets abound in this tight-knit little community as one by one they unravel revealing the truth, the lies and the deception and the link between past and present crimes.
THE NEW NEIGHBOUR was an unexpected delight that I devoured, enjoying the twists and reveals as they gradually unfolded. The narrative is primarily from Isobel's perspective apart from the Prologue, who we learn is Wilson, and a couple of chapters from Linette's viewpoint. We also learn very early on who Linette really is and why she has chosen this quiet neighbourhood. Why? Because the story takes a different and surprising direction peppered with red herrings throughout as we try to unravel the clues.
The cast of characters were a delight, if not all likeable.
First we have Isobel who is married to Mike with two children Harry and Harper. As Isobel is the main narrator we are privy to the goings on in their house from the get-go. What Isobel doesn't know is why is Mike working such long hours and withdrawn affection from her? Aside from that she has to juggle Harry's specific needs where he has decided not only will he not eat anything brown but he's also decided he no longer eats anything that is yellow after someone at school told him food that is green is better for you. So now Isobel has to cook and colour foods for Harry to actually eat.
Then there is Josie, her neighbour, who was once a relatively good friend if not a close one but now visibly and publicly snubs Isobel. For what reason, she has no idea. As farmers, Josie and her husband Jack appear to be struggling financially and surprise the residents with submitting a planning application that will most certainly disrupt Isobel and Mike's life, if not everyone else's.
The Quinns are septuagenarians who have lived on The Close for around forty years and keep themselves to themselves, never socialising with the other residents, which is why Isobel found it so surprising to find Mrs Quinn at Linette's get together and Mr Quinn's friendly acceptance of her. Mrs Quinn suffers from dementia, barely leaves her home and is closely monitored by her husband.
Thomas Adler is a bachelor with a lavish lifestyle funded by a suspected shady online business, most notably when he trades in his modest VW Golf for a Lamborghini as well as purchasing the latest Tesla. He's a little creepy particularly when he continues to fly his drone around his neighbours' properties despite pleas for him to refrain.
So when Linette moves in as the new neighbour at Number 2, she raises merry hell that The Close have no idea what has hit them. Which begs the question amongst residents...who is Linette and why is she here?
I thoroughly enjoyed THE NEW NEIGHBOUR which I devoured in a matter of hours. It is a quick read that is engaging, thrilling and so completely absorbing you won't want to put it down either! None of the neighbours are particularly likeable as they all have something to hide...the question is what? The addition of Twiglet is amusing. I mean, she is not a cute little pot belly pig either but an actual large farm pig!! And then wreaks havoc, which was bound to happen, and did bring a smirk to my face.
Cleverly crafted and well-written, THE NEW NEIGHBOUR is a delightful read and addictive whodunnit as you try to unravel the mysteries and secrets that lay buried on The Close.
If you love a good domestic thriller sprinkled with psychological mystery, then you will love THE NEW NEIGHBOUR. And I can safely say that, although this may be my first, it will not be my last Miranda Rijks thriller.
Edit: It's actually NOT my first Miranda Rijks thriller, as I had previously read "Roses are Red".
I would like to thank #MirandaRijks, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheNewNeighbour in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
After a degree in Law, Miranda worked in marketing in London and Eastern Europe before setting up businesses in the horticultural, leisure and retail sectors. Along the way, she got a masters in writing and wrote the self-help book, ‘How Compatible Are You?’ and biography, ‘The Eccentric Entrepreneur’. In 2018, Miranda wrote ‘Don’t Call Me Brave’, a novel very loosely drawing upon her experiences of having a rare bone cancer.
She feels extremely lucky to be living the dream, writing psychological thrillers full time!
Miranda loves connecting with her readers, so feel free to drop her a line.
Social Media Links:
Thank you so much for your review and for taking part in the tour and to help close the tour today xx
ReplyDelete