British author Caleb Crowe returns following his smashing debut, THE GIRL IN THE PAINTING, with his latest horror thriller, THE WRONG NEIGHBOUR.

Stepping into a realm much darker and more sinister than his previous novel, Caleb Crowe delves into the underbelly of humanity. A couple, Megan and Nick, embark on a journey to their dream home, only to discover their next-door neighbors are pure evil and despicable. Their dream home quickly transforms into a nightmarish prison, a place they cannot seem to escape, driving them to the brink of madness.

Welcome to the neighborhood! How far will you go when pushed to your limits out of desperation?

About...

A couple, Megan and Nick, are driving from Manchester to Whales to their new dream cliffside home on the coast in a little cove, Bae Breiuddwyd (Dreamer's Cove). They were sold the home by Peter and Gavin they met at a party thrown by Meg's friend Pippa from school.

Meg was unsure about this house as they could not afford it, and it was further out, but Nick pushed it. Little did they know what they were getting into.

Meg is a jewelry maker and works from home. She recently came into money with her parent's death and then a divorce. She and Nick were living together. Nick says she has to trust him. Life was too short to be cautious he said. Except Nick is hiding things from her she later discovers.

When they meet their neighbors, everything changes, and their lives will never be the same again.

Ron and Jackie Evans are the kind of neighbors you hope to never meet. They are crass, unrefined, rude, insensitive, loud, obnoxious, violent, and confrontational. They only live there because they won the lottery and do not fit in.

The loud noises, weird visitors, notes, constant construction, and vicious dogs barking all hours of the night were out of control. Then there is building things on their land and a runover from a septic tank. Plus, Ron is downright scary and mean, plus the vicious dogs and strange actions.

But they cannot afford to move since they have money invested in the house nor can they afford an attorney. Nick is going into town all the time, leaving Meg alone to deal with this.

Jackie seems okay, but look who she is married to. But is she evil, too? Soon, the stress of the neighbors causes stress in the relationship, and then she finds out she is pregnant, which would not be worse timing. She is obsessed with discovering more about these neighbors and stopping the madness.

They try to resolve the issues; however, nothing is done, just worsens. Nick is acting strange, and he has secrets from Meg, and she is finding herself driven to insanity, ready to murder Ron and Jackie.

How well do Nick and Meg know one another? What secrets life behind the neighbors? How will this nightmare end? Who will die, and who will be left unscathed? What are people capable of when pushed to the limit out of desperation?

My thoughts...

Even though I enjoyed Caleb Crowe's debut, unfortunately, THE WRONG NEIGHBOUR was not my cup of tea. There was no literary fiction here. I disliked all the characters, too much violence, gore, horror, and dislike any books with people training animals to kill and be violent. There was no good. All evil. This book was so different from the first; it was hard to believe it was by the same author. There is nothing wrong with the writing, it was the subject material and content.

In addition, no pregnant woman would be capable of such acts. Yes, there was a twist, but it was all too violent, turning into horror (which I do not care for the genre), and too unbelievable and should come with major trigger warnings. Also, there was no dark humor, but again, it was bleak, dark and unenjoyable. Nothing the characters did was thought out, and they were very impulsive, making crazy, delusional decisions. I did not sympathize with any of the characters.

I look forward to reading the author's next book, where I hope we get more of the type from the debut.

Thanks to Inkubator Books and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
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@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pub date: June 23, 2024

The Wrong Neighbour by Caleb Crowe
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#CalebCrowe




Rating 5 stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
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A page turner from beginning to end
Lots of twists and turns


Gavin and Peter need to sell their home quickly. Peter's mom is sick, or so they say, and they are willing to go down on the price as well. What's the real reason they are in a hurry to go and willing to sell the house at such a sweet deal
The ocean front home with marble and beautiful rooms is love at first sight for Meagan and Nick. They make an offer and move into the home right away
Then they meet Ron and Jackie, the next-door neighbors. Now that's a pair. Loud music blasting. Dogs barking. And the constant noise from whatever they are building is non-stop. What is wrong with this pair?
Things go from bad to worse. This couple won't let up. They are building features onto Meagan and Nick's portion of their property, but when Meagan and Nick try to intercede, the property managers are saying that the land belongs to Ron and Jackie
What is one to do when all their finances are tied up in a home where they no longer want to live in
Ron is impossible! And he is sketchy, too! Something is not right with him! He's Dangerous for sure! But how can Meagan and Nick get away from these neighbors, and this home that is costing them a fortune due to things Ron has hands in.
Can they stay? And consistently put up with the on goings or do they take a major lost and just get away from Ron as fast as they can

Excellent novel! The characters were well thought out, the storyline kept me intrigued and I couldn't put the book down! Loved it all!

Megan and Nick have moved into their seaside dream house. Their future looks bright and full of promise. Gradually their dream turns into their worst nightmare. Saying they have neighbors from hell is putting it mildly. Things quickly go from bad to worse as their world rapidly begins to unravel. This story is a testament to how far one will go when pushed to the brink of insanity. Who is the victim and who is the villain in the twisted tale of betrayal, regret, and vengeance? The protagonist frustrated me while pulling me in as the plot unfolded. There were surprising twists throughout with a jaw-dropping conclusion I never saw coming. This is the first book I have read by this author but definitely will not be the last. Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for my copy.

Who among us hasn't worried about getting the neighbors from hell? It seems Megan and Nick have tunnel vision when they view the house they deem their dream home. The fact that they get it at such a great deal should have been a clue, but the sound and smell of the sea only tightened the blinders.

From the start of moving in everything starts to go wrong. What should have been an exciting new beginning quickly becomes their worst nightmare thanks to the neighbors from hell who will stop at nothing to get what they want.

This was a phenomenal book from a new to me author. It delves into the issues of bad neighbors, trust in our loved ones and the reliability of the ones meant to have our backs.

Although this book does contain the trigger of animal cruelty, (which I skimmed over) I couldn't stop reading until I got to the explosive ending.

Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator books for the digital ARC of this book

Book/Story: ⭐⭐⭐
Book Cover: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

TRIGGER(S): LOSS OF PARENTS (mentioned), CANCER (mentioned), ALCOHOLISM, MURDER, MISCARRIAGE (mentioned), ANIMAL CRUELTY/DEATH (mentioned), ANIMAL ATTACKS

POV: Singular, First Person
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Part of a series: No
Safe or Dark: Dark (see trigger warnings above)

My husband and I lived in a condo with noisy neighbors. They played music with loud bass in the middle of the night and would roll around in their chairs on hardwood. We probably didn’t get a good night's sleep for a year straight. We talked to them about it, and although they were very understanding, nothing changed. We just thought it was the worst thing to have to deal with. However, after reading this book, I realize that when it comes to bad neighbors, we got off easy. 

This book plays on a lot of people’s worst fears. Having horrible neighbors. Nothing could be more disappointing than moving into a new house, meeting your neighbors, and finding out they are crap, or worse, violent and aggressive. 

Ron and Jackie Evans are the kind of neighbors' nightmares are made of. They are obnoxious, violent, and confrontational. They’re just the absolute worst. The two of them made Nick and Megan strangers in what was once their dream home. A rash decision to take a risk and go for what they wanted ruined their lives. My heart went out to them. The two were in a loving relationship and quickly went off the rails after meeting the Evans'. 

Nothing about the young couple’s move was well thought out, and both were rather impulsive. But that didn’t mean they deserved what happened to them. Their exciting new adventure turned into a disaster over the short span of three months. It was a perfect storm that came to an explosive head. 

Well, the Evans aren’t fully responsible for the collapse of Nick and Megan’s relationship. We find out rather quickly that the foundation of their love was a fragile one. Things weren’t all roses, like Meg initially believed. 

Megan: Even though Megan was one of the victims in this story, I found it hard to like her. She came across as very judgy at times. Megan would often judge Ron and Jackie’s decorative choices for their own home and their physical appearances. She was on a bit of a high horse, and she shouldn’t have been because she herself was a bit shady. She made some questionable decisions that I had a hard time understanding. 

Megan finds out she is pregnant (it’s in the synopsis, so that isn’t a spoiler), and she does things that seem plain dumb while carrying a child. In order to see what was going on in Ron and Jackie’s yard, she would pull a chair away from her work bench (she made jewelry for a living) and stand on it so she could look out a window. That doesn’t sound like something a smart pregnant woman would do since it’s a fall risk. But I’ve never been and never want to be pregnant, so what do I know? 

Despite only knowing Nick for roughly six months and having a bad feeling about buying a home with him, she still does it. She ignores all her alarm bells because she is madly in love with a man she barely knows. It just irritated me. 

Nick: My husband’s name is Nick, so this guy was already an A+ in my eyes before I even started the book. Well, it turns out the name is the only thing this man shares with my husband since he quickly dropped to a C minus at best.

Ron: This dude was a certified psychopath. That’s all I have to say about him. 

Jackie: Although obnoxious and over-the-top at times, she was sweet in her own way. I think she tried her best and, at times, meant well. Believe it or not, she was somewhat likeable. 

This book had me gripped from page one, and I had a hard time putting it down. I would finish one chapter and be dying to find out what happened in the next. It was a roller coaster of a ride, to say the least. It was not hard to get invested in the storyline. 

Caleb Crowe paints a lovely picture of the scenery. I felt like I was at a house by the sea in Wales. I could smell the salty air and hear the relaxing sound of waves. His writing flowed nicely, and the style was easy to follow. 

I didn’t rate this book higher because of a few things: 

There was animal cruelty in this story, and although it was not a lot, it was very detailed and hard to stomach. But I can see why it was important to plot and how things played out. 

The pregnancy timeline was all off. It was as if the author didn’t know how pregnancies work. It was just weird and quickly became annoying. Other than the timeline, some things Megan said regarding the pregnancy were just silly and stupid. It had me scratching my head. 

The last 20% of the story was a bit too fast-paced. Things picked up too quickly and seemed to rush towards the conclusion of the book. I am still trying to figure out how I felt about the ending of the book. On one hand, I was satisfied with the way things played out, but on the other, it was very far-fetched and hard to believe. It all wrapped up too neatly as well. Things just worked out, and that was that. Although it did get me thinking about what people are capable of once they've been pushed too far and reach their breaking point.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and I am open to checking out other work by Caleb Crowe. 

TLDR: WORTH PICKING UP. A SOLID THREE STARS.

I would like to thank Inkubator Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

This is my voluntary, unbiased, and honest review.

This was a really thrilling and dark read overall, the paranoia and mistrust of neighbours that has us questioning ourselves and who to trust is so scary as we start to find out more secrets about those around us!

As someone who has had nightmare neighbours, I can say now they were a dream compared to the neighbours depicted in this book.
I was drawn in immediately - knowing that the picture perfect dream wasn't going to last long. What came were characters who made me angry, upset, very uncomfortable and made my skin crawl.

Then to realise that even at home there were secrets and nightmares. It really made me feel for Megan's character.

You could feel the danger and threats intensifying and it really felt like she was backed into a corner.

But the ending... it escalated so quickly. It was a complete shock to the system, I feel slightly sick and I probably shouldn't have finished the book right before bed...

The Wrong Neighbor by Caleb Crowe

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book grabbed my attention because of the cover and the title.
The fact that it’s a psychological thriller sealed the deal for me!

This book is a fast-paced read that I would have finished in a day, but because I have kids and a never-ending to-do list, it took me a bit longer than I would have liked. But it did not disappoint!

The author of this book ensured that, as readers, we are given detailed character insights and left each chapter wondering what happens next. And let me tell you, the neighbors “Ron & Jackie” are definitely the type of neighbors you DON’T want living next to you!

The ENDING 😳 shocked me. It’s safe to say I was not expecting that. I have an active imagination, but it failed me this time around.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Wrong Neighbour by Caleb Crowe will definitely tickle the nerves and make you angry! The unfairness and manipulation are the main highlights and you must breathe deeply to get through it.
Even though the ending was a bit too far stretched I loved it!

When Megan and Nick were ready for the new start they didn't know this was the start of the nightmare! If something can go wrong it will and soon Megan realises that there is no one she can trust and she must do what it takes to protect her baby.

Great thriller that will keep your nerves stretched and blood pressure high!

Thank you, NetGalley and Inkubator Books for this copy!

📖Book Review📖
#TheWrongNeighbour

Tension! Drama!
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5) gave it 4 for the website since I rated it down due to my own triggers

If you think you have bad neighbors then read this book. These neighbors are the definition of horrible neighbors.

Read this if you like:
* First Person Narrative
* Short Chapters

I enjoyed the book but wish I knew the triggers before agreeing to read. The summary says dangerous dogs that bark and howl all night. I guess I should have assumed there would be descriptions of graphic dog fights. As a dog rescuer of bully breeds this hit home a little too much for me.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC
#arcreader #arcreview #bookstagram

Wow, what a twist at the end. This book kept me interested and guessing...I never would have guessed the ending by the way the book starts. I love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
What a roller coaster of a ride this book was! If you think you have bad neighbors then read this book. They have nothing on this couple. I finished this book in two nights because I kept wanting to see what bizarre disturbance would happen next.
There were some surprises I did not like and others that I did.
A crazy book that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Really good book, full of suspense. I did not expect to love it so much, read it in a day, Full of suspense!

Wow! This book was so filled with tension and suspense that I just couldn't put it down! I thought that I had some bad neighbors but this book takes the concept to a whole new level! This book was very fast paced and led to a very satisfying conclusion. This was my first book from Caleb Crowe but I'd love to read more from him!
Thank you, NetGalley, for a wonderful time with this ARC!

Megan and Nick move into their dream house - a gorgeous home on the beach. The couple settles in quickly and is happy with their new home, that is, until their neighbours return home from a cruise. Neighbours Ron and Jackie are obnoxious, loud, and eccentric. As time goes on, Megan and Nick realize that their neighbours are truly neighbours from hell. Things quickly escalate. Megan and Nick are living a terrible nightmare and cannot escape....

The last portion of this book truly shocked me! This seemed like sort of your run of the mill thriller, but things really escalated near the end. The entire story really makes you wonder who you can trust. It is an easy read with quick chapters. The author does a great job at making the reader feel like they are living the nightmare with Megan and Nick. I felt really anxious for them!

This was my first read by Caleb Crowe and it did not disappoint!

Thank you Inkubator Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to read this one. Unfortunately, it hit the mark for me. I got 45% of the way through and I was just dreading reading it every day. I found it extremely boring and could not continue. It was a DNF for me. It definitely sounds like a lifetime movie I would enjoy. But the execution just wasn't there

Move into your dream home by the ocean, what could go wrong? Well, for Megan and Nick there's an endless list of things that go wrong. What will they do to get back their tranquility?
This book was fast paced and had short chapters, if you are sometimes an impatient reader like myself. The author did a great job of painting a picture of each character so that you could imagine them. I like the author kept you filled with little tidbits to keep you wondering who the actual villain was. I also liked the ending, although this is something you wouldn't wish on someone in real life, I think it was fitting to round out the story and give us one last twist. Overall, I enjoyed this read and it was very quick tor me.

I read this book in a day.

I was hooked from page 1. The horrible neighbors in this book make me super glad we don’t have neighbors 🤪. Our closest neighbors are .5 miles and they’re the best! I’m just thankful we don’t live in town with neighbors that are insanely close.

The author did an amazing job at creating characters that were easy to hate! Truly awful! The twists in this one were unexpected and very surprising.

Thank you, NetGalley for letting me read this one before it releases!

At first, The Wrong Neighbour seemed like an enticing read that I couldn't put down. The premise was interesting and I felt I would breeze through this book. But then the animal abuse started, something that I thought I could press through and I did. What I could not press through was getting facts wrong that could have easily been researched (in this case pregnancy timelines). Not only should the author have researched this, but also an editor. Yet, somehow I continued reading because I thought maybe there would be an explanation or a good ending to this book, but boy was I wrong. I hated the ending. It was rushed and sloppy. It ruined the entire book, and I don't say this lightly. I see the good reviews, and I'm glad people liked this thriller but it was not for me. At all.