As always, the author deftly examines race, prejudice and preconceived notions, this time when Bilal and Salma Khatoun, and their son Zain move into a mostly “white” neighborhood in the suburb of Blenhem. this was a good blend of a neighborhood suspense, family/moral drama and a procedural thriller. i expected a bit more “thriller” than we got, so i recommend adjusting expectations for a mystery / suspense with lots of drama and that should help! neighborhood thrillers are my fave trope, so i’m also a bit tougher on those books than most since i’ve read so many. 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.

Basically, Salma and Tom get into it. They get into it deep. This is a neighbor feud for the freaking record books. Just when you think it can't get any worse, it does. However, much as it grieves me to give this author whose books I usually like a lower rating than normal, I’m sorry to say that it starts to get too OTT and far-fetched for me to buy into especially the conclusion. Some characters are not sufficiently fleshed out and so it doesn’t feel authentic and especially latterly, some of the dialogue makes me wince. The actual ending is extremely abrupt, what are we meant to make of that?

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i loved the eerily realistic themes and events of the current political and social world we live in right now and think Abdullah’s writing was chef’s kiss (per usual). The story was quite slow in parts and was difficult to get into initially. It felt more like cosy country mystery than thriller at times. Lana and Roman Wade are a young professional couples who have escaped unsafe and hectic London for a slower paced life in the idyllic Oxfordshire countryside. They move to an affluent area called "The Gardens" where the neighbours are friendly and tight-knit unlike in London. Whilst Roman relishes the move, Lana isn't so keen. There's something off about her neighbours and they seem to have secrets to hide... In this story we follow two families. Salma, Bil and their son Zain, who are the new family on the street, and Tom, Willa and their son Jamie, long-time neighborhood residents.

Lana and Roman Wade move from London to rural Oxfordshire and their pretty thatched cottages for a fresh start after a horrific experience that changed their lives. The new home in the residential close known as The Gardens is idyllic and charming. But is it too good to be true?Although there was some tension, their first neighborhood barbeque and meeting the neighbors went okay.

There were a lot of loose ends that were never solved. For example what was the relevance of the writing on the wall or the autopsy theory claiming that Bill Cutter didn't kill his family . There were also a lot of unanswered questions and unexplored depth that really could have added to the story Roman's involvement with the cult and motivation wasn't clear? Did he think that the cult would keep him and Lana safe after the traumatic burglary in London? The mystery of the Cutter family also wasn't solved. Did Bill Cutter really kill his family? Also the dynamics of the cult weren't really explored and there wasn't much psychological depth which would have really added to the story .A house with a safe room that gets mentioned frequently but then doesn't get used when somebody is in the house threatening Lana. I would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy tense neighborhood dramas that explore current societal issues. I know this won't work for everyone, but for the Readers who do end up enjoying it, I think they'll walk away feeling like they've had a memorable reading experience.

In Kia Abdullah’s latest, Those People Next Door, she gives something slightly different from her other books. She still has written a thought-provoking psychological thriller and courtroom drama with her trademark twist. She adds more drama to the story while exploring class, race, aggression, community dynamics, and neighbors misbehaving, and the underbelly of a picture-perfect suburban town. I don't regret reading this book nor did I dislike it, but I felt that there was a lot missing. There were still a lot of unanswered questions; something which I find to be one of the most frustrating weaknesses in writing, especially when the story is so promising. My favourite character was Sandy, Lana’s photography mentor, whose loyalties and support were solid and unwavering. The house they moved to, in The Gardens, felt full of mystery and long-held secrets & mysteries. The ending left me thinking long after I finished.

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One of the things that ai like most about this authors writing is that she is not afraid to go there. She will push that boundary and talk about the things that others may not be brave enough to. This book is all about racism and class. It always feels authentic in the writing and the characters are believable. You really do have strong feel is one way or another on what is happening and to who it is happening.