Title: THOSE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR
Author: KIA ABDULLAH
ISBN: 9780008399703
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 304
Source: Private Copy
You can choose your house. Not your neighbours.
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 desperate need of a fresh start, and Blenheim feels like the 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 up to find her window smeared with paint. This time she does confront Tom, and the battle lines between the two families are drawn. As things begin to escalate and the stakes become higher and higher, it’s clear that a reckoning is coming… And someone is going to get hurt.
Official Summary
08 July 2026
This was my first Kia Abdullah book. Although tagged as a legal thriller, I found it somewhat light on the “legal” elements. Instead, it is a story centred on prejudice, assumptions, and how quickly we form opinions about others.
Salma is convinced of Tom’s guilt each time a new incident unfolds, and honestly, it is difficult not to agree with her. Tom’s behaviour remains questionable throughout the story, with almost everything he does making him appear suspicious. Even his wife and some of those around him seem secretive, creating the impression that they may be hiding something.
While I struggled with some of the more stereotypical elements surrounding racism and prejudice, I still found myself thoroughly engrossed in the story. The characters felt realistic, shaped by their insecurities, flaws, and personal biases. The escalating neighbourly feud proved gripping, and the final twist caught me completely off guard.
Overall, this was a uniquely compelling read. While the strong focus on racial tension and social themes was not entirely to my personal taste, the tension, drama, and unpredictability kept me invested from beginning to end.
Also By Kia Abdullah
NEXT OF KIN
ON AN ORDINARY WORKING DAY…
Leila Syed receives a call that cleaves her life in two. Her brother-in-law’s voice is filled with panic. He’s at his son’s nursery to pick up Max. But he isn’t there.
YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE…
Leila was supposed to drop Max off that morning. But she forgot.
Racing to the car park, she grasps the horror of what she has done. Max has been locked in her car for three hours on the hottest day of the year.
IS ABOUT TO COME TRUE…
But she’s too late.
What follows is an explosive, high-profile trial that will tear the family apart. But as the case progresses, it becomes clear there’s more to this incident than meets the eye…
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Kia Abdullah is a bestselling author and travel writer. Her novels include Take It Back (a Guardian and Telegraph thriller of the year), Truth Be Told (shortlisted for a Diverse Book Award), Next Of Kin (longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award) and Those People Next Door (a Times Bestseller and Waterstones Thriller of the Month). Her new novel, What Happens in the Dark, is out now.
Kia has won a Diverse Book Award (2022) and a JB Priestley Award for Writers of Promise (2020), and has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Times, The Telegraph and the BBC. She is also the founder of Asian Booklist, a nonprofit that advocates for diversity in publishing.
Thank you for visiting the blog and reading my review. Are you a Kia Abdullah fan? I am new to her books, and I have a few waiting on my TBR shelf, so you can expect to see more reviews coming your way. Until next time… Happy Reading!
