Claire Douglas has such an engaging way of writing that it is impossible not to be drawn into her work. She consistently plants a hook in readers and leaves us hanging there until the very end. Her latest release, THE NEW NEIGHBORS, is no exception.

This twisty domestic thriller takes place in Bristol in 2024. Lena meets her new neighbors, retired couple Henry and Marielle Morgan, who have just become grandparents and moved to the area to be close to their family.

"Red herrings and additional clues continue to drive the narrative, and different relationships dissect each other to create a web of troubling activity that keeps the pages turning."

Lena's 17-year-son, Rufus, is working on a school project that involves using a super strong microphone to pick up sounds in the neighborhood. It unwitingly allows him to overhear a conversation from the new neighbors, who use words like “taking her” and “after what happened before, should we really try again?” This more than fuels Lena’s curiosity to find out what exactly is going on with the couple next door.

Chapters are told from the perspectives of different characters, including flashback sequences that are sometimes decades old. One of them begins in 1986 and is told from the perspective of Henry, who was once a top surgeon. We see how he met Marielle and where their relationship would lead them, providing more of a peek into what they are all about, as well as what they have done that is arousing suspicion in the present.

We also hear from Natalie, who seems to be running from someone or something and is obviously living under an assumed name. This only drives the plot forward and keeps readers off balance as they try to piece together the mystery that Douglas is spinning.

Lena finds evidence that someone may have been exploring her backyard after hours as one of her terra cotta pots is overturned and broken. She is shrewd enough to know that this likely was not the result of nocturnal animal activity. Lena works for an organization that helps people with financial and housing matters. She finds it quite strange that a client she has just assisted is having what looks like an intense conversation with Henry. How could they possibly know each other?

There is an opportunity for Lena to get answers to her questions about the Morgans when they leave their house, and she is able to explore it. What she finds is alarming, including a room with odd newspaper clippings and personalized notes. She also comes across something that is extremely unsettling, leading her to wonder what they are up to here. Later we get a glimpse of Natalie, who appears to have been abducted.

Red herrings and additional clues continue to drive the narrative, and different relationships dissect each other to create a web of troubling activity that keeps the pages turning. Lena’s search for the truth will place her in great danger, and Claire Douglas remains in full control as THE NEW NEIGHBORS hurtles towards an eye-opening conclusion.