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A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder - Louise Candlish

 


Description

A gripping new thriller from the author of Our House, packed full of stunning twists!

‘Louise Candlish has a gift for examining hotly topical issues with intelligence, wit, and a keen eye for observational detail. A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder is a smartly constructed psychological thriller with a wicked twist in the tale. Flawless!’ Lucy Clarke

‘A terrific story, witty, engaging and a total page-turner.’ Liz Nugent

'A whip-smart, razor-sharp domestic thriller… a fiendishly twisty plot. Gwen is my new obsession!' Isabelle Broom

‘A brilliant mess-with-your-mind slow burn thriller. Louise is a master manipulator and this is not to be missed’ Nikki Smith

'Louise Candlish excels at issue-led plots. A clever “through the keyhole” take on neighbours.' Jane Corry

'Meticulously plotted with twists and turns aplenty. It's a truly addictive read.' Hannah Beckerman

Her secrets will be the death of you.

It’s rare for a room in beautiful, iconic Columbia Mansions to be up for grabs and retiree Gwen is thrilled when its new occupant Pixie turns out to be the most delightful neighbour she could have wished for. Before long the two women have formed an unlikely age-gap friendship and Gwen is making herself useful to Pixie in all kinds of ways.

But when a crime comes to light Gwen’s protective instincts go into overdrive, igniting an appetite for revenge that none of the residents are prepared for.

The last thing they need in Columbia Mansions is a scandal.

The last thing they want is a murder.


Review

Gwen is in her 70s and lives in a flat in a prestigious building. She is on the Board of Directors and is friends with one of the other occupants. However, when young Pixie moves in to her neighbour's flat under the "rent a room" scheme she feels a connection with her, a new young friend. Soon everyone in the building is part of Pixie's life and not for the right reasons.

I've really enjoyed previous books by this author, so I was looking forward to this one. It just didn't quite hit the mark for me. I kept checking the title of the book every so often, because I thought I was expecting something that wasn't going to happen. It also read more like a cosy crime drama - which is ok, just not what I was expecting.

I didn't care for any of the characters. Gwen is rather too much of a pushover, despite her own internal dialogue saying differently. Pixie has her own agenda and uses it to her advantage over others in the building. One of whom is Gwen's Son, who is staying with his Mother after his failed relationship and felt to me like a wet blanket.

The book highlights some of the modern day housing issues experienced in the UK. Also a portrayal of trial by social media, together with the journalistic hunt for a good story. It felt a little protracted with the initial minutia of the story, but at the same time it displays genius plot writing. I was glad I finished the book, it just wasn't really what I was expecting.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Net Galley for the ARC to review. The book is published on 17th July 2025.

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