The Neighbor by N.L. Hinkens
published by Joffe Books
on 4 March 2025
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Zooloo’s Book Tours – Book Tour Schedule (4-10 March)
The Author
NYT and USA Today bestselling author N. L. Hinkens writes twisty psychological suspense thrillers with unexpected endings. She’s a travel junkie, coffee hound, and idea wrangler, in no particular order. She grew up in Ireland—land of legends and storytelling, and now resides in the US. Her work has won the Grand Prize Next Generation Indie Book Award for fiction, as well as numerous other awards.
More about NL Hinkens can be found on her website https://normahinkens.com/ and you can follow for news on Facebook, Instagram and X.
My review
The Neighbor is a gripping and well-written read that kept me engaged from start to finish. The vivid descriptions and unsettling atmosphere pull you into the story, making you question every character’s motives. From the outset, there’s a growing sense of unease—not just about the new neighbours, Gary and Beth, but also about Kay, the woman keeping an unusually close eye on them.
As president of the Homeowners’ Association, Kay takes her role as the neighbourhood watchdog very seriously—perhaps a little too seriously. She prides herself on being a friendly, helpful neighbour, but what she sees as kindness could just as easily be read as overbearing interference. She’s convinced something is off about Gary and Beth, but is she picking up on genuine red flags, or is her imagination running wild? Her husband, Warren, mostly humours her suspicions to keep the peace, but Kay becomes increasingly determined to get to the truth.
Gary’s behaviour certainly raises suspicions—he’s domineering, often speaking for Beth and keeping a firm grip on their interactions—while Beth remains quiet and withdrawn, giving off ‘controlled wife’ vibes. Kay becomes convinced Beth is in danger, but as a reader, you’re left wondering whether Kay’s instincts are right or if she’s leaping to conclusions. Some of her assumptions had me cringing, but that only added to the intrigue.
The suspense builds well throughout, and just when I thought I had things figured out, an unexpected twist turned everything on its head! While some moments felt a little far-fetched, and the tone occasionally leaned towards a cosy mystery rather than a full-blown psychological thriller, I was thoroughly entertained.
Would I want Kay as my neighbour? Absolutely not. But did I enjoy the story? Definitely!
The Virtual Book Tour for The Neighbor, hosted by Zooloo’s Book Tours, runs 4 – 10 March and I suggest checking out the reviews from my fellow early readers on the tour to see what they are sharing about this thriller.
#NLHinkens #TheNeighbor #JoffeBooks #ZooloosBookTours #VirtualBookTour #Thriller #BookReview
All views expressed are my own. This review, or parts of it, may also be shared on my social media channels and various book platforms. Links are accurate at the time of publication.
MoMoBookDiary 