Salma Khatun, her husband, Bil, and their teenage son, Zain, have moved to a suburban area in Blenheim with the hope of a fresh start. They are a Muslim family of East Indian origin determined to avoid bad influences on Zain from his friends. A stunning, thought-provoking and morally challenging read. It had me guessing until the ingenious reveal – a world-class story’ Graham Bartlett, author of Bad For Good The hardest part of the story is that feelings are hurt and they never feel a sense of belonging. The book A Good Neighborhood by Theresa Anne Fowler came to mind while reading this one. "What does it mean to be a good neighbor? How do we live alongside each other when we don't see eye to eye?"

Those People Next Door | Kia Abdullah | 9780008433703 - NetGalley Those People Next Door | Kia Abdullah | 9780008433703 - NetGalley

Interesting that the subject of humour if not satire revolved around the neighbours played by Charles Victor and Gladys Henson, the first loudly preaching the Evils of Capitalism (in between whiles describing at great length ludicrous inventions of his own), his wife a permanent leach on the "people next door" constantly calling to "just borrow" something. I was utterly addicted to Those People Next Door. It's a stunning, thought-provoking and morally challenging read. It was so vivid and will make readers question their own values and viewpoints all in the context of a world-class story." - Graham Bartlett Terrific and hugely thought-provoking’ Ian Rankin ‘One of my ten best reads of the year. Easy five stars’ Lisa JewellMany thanks to Harper Collins UK Audio/HQ for gifting me an audio ARC of the latest thriller by Kia Abdullah, wonderfully narrated by Tania Rodrigues - 5 stars! Zain posts a video online where Tom makes a statement to Salma that could be interpreted as racist. The result is Tom being fired from a job where he had worked diligently for many years. In Salma's misguided attempt at revenge, there is an altercation between Tom and Willa, his beautiful pregnant wife, and Salma and Zain. This accidentally ends in tragedy and further hatred.

Those People next Door (1952) | BFI

An incredibily evocative, intense, and impactful book that highlights the many faces of ‘racism’; the ugly kind, the misconceptions, and the hurt and anguish felt by those who suffer from it and those that are wrongly accused of it. A mine field for many authors but not Kia Abdullah who has this remarkable ability to write a story that can keep everyone on side as she focuses a much-needed lens on the many faces of the ‘war on prejudice’. A toxic story, but relevant, thought provoking and balanced, and although it is mostly concentrated on racism, it could apply to any form of bigotry or bias. Also, the family’s dog, Molly, is used as a means to create tension and APPREHENSION-which never sits well with me. Salma Khatun is extremely hopeful about Blenheim, the safe suburban development to which she, her husband and their son have just moved. Their family is in need of a fresh start, and Blenheim feels like the right place to make that happen. Not long after they move in, Salma spots her neighbour, Tom Hutton, ripping out the anti-racist banner she put in her front garden. She chooses not to confront Tom because she wants to fit in. It's a small thing really. No need to make a fuss. So, Salma takes the banner inside and puts it in her window instead. But the next morning she wakes to find her window smeared with paint. The book showcased political commentary and the abduction of an elderly family dog and I do not enjoy fiction books with political overtones and/or animal cruelty. (Sorry, Kia Abdullah!)this was a good blend of a neighborhood suspense, family/moral drama and a procedural thriller. i expected a bit more “thriller” than we got, so i recommend adjusting expectations for a mystery / suspense with lots of drama and that should help! neighborhood thrillers are my fave trope, so i’m also a bit tougher on those books than most since i’ve read so many. Not long after they move in, Salma spots her neighbour, Tom Hutton, ripping out the anti-racist banner her son put in their front garden. She chooses not to confront Tom because she wants to fit in. It's a small thing, really. No need to make a fuss. So Salma takes the banner inside and puts it in her window instead. But the next morning she wakes up to find her window smeared with paint. Those People Next Door highlights the different forms of racism and prejudices in this compulsively readable thriller. Holy Hell. Have you ever had a neighbour that drives you crazy? Maybe plays their music too loud all hours of the day? Maybe doesn’t mow their lawn? Maybe just annoyingly chatty? Nosy? Do they make you tense with anxiety when you see them? Hoping to avoid them? this is a really well written story and so applicable to many things that happen in todays society. a definite must read for investigatory crime enthusiasts.

Those People Next Door (1953) - IMDb

Those People Next Door is a fast-paced, emotionally taut book, and in some ways, also a legal thriller. But mostly, it’s a psychological study of six people. All six are doing their best to get by in this world, yet because of…well, choices, they can’t quite have the lives they want. Many of their choices are understandable, if not unavoidable, yet throughout the story, you just keep wanting to ask: you may have won this round, but at what cost? Spicer, Andrew (3 October 2003). Typical Men: The Representation of Masculinity in Popular British Cinema. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 9781860649318– via Google Books.This is my second novel from Abdullah and I have given both 5-stars. I think it's fair to say, I'm a huge fan!

Those People Next Door - Kia Abdullah Those People Next Door - Kia Abdullah

The film puts across a message: that upper and working classes can each still respect the other's dignity and common human feelings. The odd ones out were the neighbours: he a left wing but harmless malcontent and impractical dreamer, she a habitual cadger. Quite a pointed message for all the film's apparent ordinariness. As with all of this authors work, heavy themes and thought-provoking intense scenarios are presented and explored. Emotions take hold of these characters decisions and things escalate toward grave consequences. This book takes neighbourhood drama to a whole new level. Kia has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Times, The Telegraph and the BBC, and has received a JB Priestley Award for Writers of Promise (2020). She is also the founder of Asian Booklist, a nonprofit that advocates for diversity in publishing. Overall, this was not a winner for me, but I sit at the outlier table as many have loved it. I remain a huge fan of this author as all of her previous books have been 4-5 star reads for me. I look forward to what she comes out with next.I'm not totally familiar with housing developments in the UK so I had trouble picturing what type of situation the Khatuns lived in, past and present. In Blenheim I picture what we call a semi-detached home in a neighbourhood controlled by a homeowners type association which aren't very common in Canada unless it's a condominium. You have been warned now about these two aspects. In other words, you may read things in this book that will make you uncomfortable. You may read things in this book that will make you angry, or emotional, but I promise, you'll walk away with a lot of thoughts and it will be memorable. However, they’ve not been there very long when their next door neighbour, Tom Hutton, takes an anti- racist banner out of Salma’s garden. Because they’re new here, she doesn’t want to make a fuss, so she puts the banner in her window and chooses not to say anything to Tom. Next morning she discovers that someone has painted her window white, but the banner and the paint are just the start of what is to become an absolute nightmare! Battle lines are drawn between the families that will lead to prejudice and anger of such volatility that it has devastating consequences for both families, and each will pay dearly for it. Needless to say, Perfectly Nice Neighbors keeps me hooked and surprises me with a twisty reveal. Kia Abdullah knows how to wrap it all up to a satisfying ending. And there’s an ending, well there’s more than one that blindsided me….I thought I knew the ending and actually admonished the author in my mind for making it ‘too easy to see what was going to happen’ how wrong I was and how great a book this is 🤗