This review is provided as part of the Virtual Book Tour hosted by Zooloo’s Book Tours which runs 19 – 25 October 2025. Follow along, using the links provided on the Book Tour Schedule
Thank you Matt McGregor, Inkubator Books and Zooloo’s Book Tours for including me on this book tour and providing a digital arc of this thriller read.
About the Book
She’s beautiful. She’s charming. She’s going to destroy your life.When her only son leaves for college, Helen Martin thinks her biggest worry is an empty house.
Then Dakota moves in next door. Young, beautiful, and brash, Dakota quickly attracts the ire of the homeowners association — and the wandering eyes of Helen’s husband, Sam.
But Helen is determined to be a good neighbor. When Dakota’s violent ex-husband comes looking for her, Helen thinks she can help drive him away.
She’s wrong.
What starts as a simple act of kindness spirals into a nightmare of obsession, lies, and deadly secrets that will threaten her marriage — and her life.
How far will Helen go to save herself, her home, and her family?
The Girl Next Door by Matt McGregor
published 19 October 2025 by Inkubator Books
Who is Matt McGregor?
Matt McGregor is a writer of psychological thrillers from New Zealand. Before becoming a writer, Matt taught English (briefly), ran a nonprofit, worked with maps, and led a marketing team for a tech startup.
Now, he mostly spends his time inventing surprising ways to murder his characters, which is totally fine and nothing for you to worry about. When he’s not writing in the third person, he likes to explore the local wilderness, swim in the sea, and play with his exhaustingly energetic young children.
You can find out more about Matt’s books on his website and on Facebook
My review
I read a lot of psychological thrillers so it takes something pretty exceptional to completely knock me sideways. While The Girl Next Door didn’t quite reach that level for me personally, it’s still a solid, twisty thriller that I think many readers will genuinely enjoy.
From the start, there’s an uneasy tension running through the story that kept me turning the pages. I liked the setup of an ordinary suburban life slowly cracking open, and the shifting dynamics between Helen, Sam and Dakota felt believable in that uncomfortable, voyeuristic way domestic thrillers do so well. The author builds suspicion and doubt cleverly, letting small choices snowball into something much darker.
I also appreciated that the drama felt grounded rather than overly theatrical. The characters make choices that frustrate you at times, but not in a way that feels unrealistic. You can easily imagine this kind of situation playing out behind closed doors in any neighbourhood, and that is part of the appeal.
For me, it just didn’t pack the same punch as some of the standout thrillers I’ve read recently. That’s not a flaw in the book — it’s more to do with how many of these stories I go through and how high my personal bar has become. For the average thriller reader, especially those who don’t devour them daily, this will likely hit the spot.
It’s well written, easy to follow, and the tension builds nicely all the way through. If you enjoy domestic suspicion, secrets between neighbours, and the slow unraveling of “normal” lives, this one is definitely worth picking up.
A strong four stars from me — not a new favourite, but a good, engaging read that many thriller lovers will get a lot out of.
This review may also appear on my social media and selected book platforms. All links are correct at the time of posting.
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