Please note: If you decide to read this book (which I advise against), know there are some VERY unsettling scenes featuring attempted self-abortion, sexual assault (more than once), LGBT shaming, and rape. I did not have a physical book, so I can't speak for that, but there are no content warnings at the beginning of the audiobook. There really need to be because I think everyone needs to know what kind of difficult content exists here, even though this is a book about a serial killer (somewhat).

Unfortunately, I did not care for this book one bit. It started out promising, and I enjoyed the friendship between Joy and Queenie. But then Queenie and Joy's fiancé, Charles, have a one night stand. The whole build-up to that act, turns Queenie from likable to deplorable real quick. There seems to be no reason for Queenie to sleep with him other than he flirts with her like once. Or so she thinks because afterward they have sex, he just leaves. Then, OF COURSE, we have the WORST trope in all media. Queenie is suddenly pregnant. I get it. She's young. While it can be easier for young people to get pregnant, these characters slept together ONE TIME. Though it happens all the time in movies, books, and TV shows, it's just so painfully unrealistic that I can't help but roll my eyes. I really wish people would stop using miraculous pregnancies in media, especially after one night stands. They're the worst.

Next, Christie's POV chapters made me rather uncomfortable. I'm pretty sure I don't need to know how much male serial killers hate women and blame women for ruining their lives thus making them serial killers. I was also uninterested in hearing how Christie felt he needed the women that he stalked to pay for the way other women treated him.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Jonathan Keeble and Daphne Kouma were wonderful narrators, and I loved the voices they used.

I received an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review

Loved, loved, loved this book!
This author keeps getting better and better and the narration made it super creepy! Definitely worth a listen or a read.

I got 40% of the way through this one and I'm not sure I know what's going on. Is it a thriller? If so, more should be happening. If not, then it wasn't marketed correctly because I was expecting something else.

4 stars

This is my first Rebecca Griffiths book, and I *will* be back for more! Also, I received the audio version and loved the narrators: Jonathan Keeble and Daphne Kouma. These two add so much life and complexity to an already compelling tale. Folks who have access to the audiobook should absolutely snap it up.

The cast of characters here is extremely engaging. John Christie is a murderer, and this is not surprising because he creeps on, stalks, and generally terrorizes everyone he encounters. Queenie and Joy are close friends until Joy finds out about Queenie's betrayal. Despite this massive snag, both of these characters are interesting and sympathetic. It's easy to see how each finds herself in various unfortunate circumstances, and they each pay dearly for their choices and mis/fortunes. The ancillary characters also add to the intrigue in their own ways.

While I had no idea about the true crime components or even a single detail relating to the actual John Christie, the most horrifying part of this novel isn't even the sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, or murder; it's the various social circumstances that women and queer characters face. Even more disturbing is that this is all contemporary to 1949...and also Texas in 2021 apparently. In a surprise twist, the scariest part of this novel is that not enough has changed.

For me, this was a quick and engaging listen. I found myself invested in the characters and hopeful for their outcomes and - overall - quite pleased with the ending (which is not always likely in this genre). Recommended with a note to add Rebecca Griffiths to my TBR list.

At first I enjoyed the chapters following the killer but then it got uncomfortable listening to his inner thoughts. I’ve listened to a handful other podcasts or watched documentaries that followed this case but this was the only one I couldn’t handle. Some might actually enjoy getting into his head, but I didn’t. I ended up DNF-ing this audiobook because I really could care less of the secondary characters & their personal lives. It just dulled. I felt terrible because I don’t normally DNF books, but I sadly was struggling.

The girl at my door by: Rebecca Griffith

This audiobook was a very slow start. I found it hard to get into the narrative with the thick accents through the audiobooks. Once I got used to it, It got so much better! After I got into the book I couldn’t stop listening to it. Such a dark, twisted and CHILLING story based on the True crime story of John Reginald Christie ( Rillington Place murders) with fictionalized characters! Prior to reading this book I had not heard of the Rillington Place Murders, but after this book I’m quite curious to investigate more into the full story!

“The girl at my door” gave multiple view points through the books. Which was a little confusing at first but became more clear as the book progressed!

Queenie was a very unlikeable selfish character that lets jealousy fuel her conversations and actions. Her best friend Joy I adored her character! Joy was a polite and a poise character who has had a hard life, with such a huge betrayal by somebody she thought was her best friend (Queenie).

The point of view of John Reginald Christie was chilling and disturbing. To look inside the mind of a serial killer and to listen to his deep obsession with Joy He was beyond manipulative and descriptive in his conquest to lure victims back to his house. Preying on the woman who found themselves in a tough situation searching for back alley abortions, pretending he might be able to help.

If you like true crime/thriller novels this is definitely the book for you!

Thank you #NetGalley and #Bookouture for this ARC copy for my honest review!

This book will be released September 23rd!

Griffiths takes real life serial killer John Reginald Christie and casts him as the killer in her novel. As is real life, Christie was an unremarkable man, never arousing suspicion from those who knew him. In this story, he enjoys listening to the exuberant Queenie and her band at a local. But he always has one eye open for potential victims, and this time his eye settle on Joy, a young waitress and he begins to stalk her. Queenie, meanwhile, may be engaged, but she has long head feelings for Christie, and that attraction leads her to commit a terrible act that will cost Joy dearly. This is a seriously creepy story, made even more unsettling because of its basis in a real killer

I wanted to like this book so badly. I was looking forward to it!

The narrators are excellent, and they give the book a theatricality that kept me listening through over half the book.

Unfortunately, the characters are simply too unlikable. Queenie is selfish, proud, and completely unbearable. When the killer started to turn his attention toward her, I couldn’t bring myself to worry.

I’m afraid I was unable to finish this one, and I won’t be posting about it on my blog.

We travel in time. London. Late 40s last century. The story is inspired by the true crime story of the Rillington Place murders. Serial killer is real?
We meet Queenie Osbourne, John Reginald Christie, Charles and Joy as the main characters. Many things happend like in a modern world like abortion and homosesuality. It was interesting reading about the dynamcs of that time. Usually I d not read but this was quite a surprise. It was a mix of evrything behind the doors, tense, sexy and dark.

Thanks to Netgalley.com and Bookouture Audio for a free audio copy.