The Bad Neighbour by David Tallerman - A Blogtour Review

 When Ollie Clay comes into some money from an inheritance he decides to buy a home. Unfortunately the amount puts quite a limit on what kind of home. After looking at several rather squalid properties he 'panic buys' a rather run down property on the outer edges of Leeds. As it turns out though the squalid state of his new home is the least of his problems (I guess the title kinda gives that away).

Ollie's neighbour is Chas, a knuckle-headed thug with a penchant for loud music, drugs and beating people up for fun. Not a nice chap. He and his associates are very much of a 'Britain For The British' frame of mind so the fact that Ollie's new girlfriend, Yasmina, is of Iranian descent doesn't help matters along.

When the story starts Ollie, by all accounts, is a bit of a 'wet lettuce', spending most of his time cowering in the dark, hoping it will all go away. Obviously it won't and as the stresses and strains get to him we see him unravel and 'man up' a bit. When a local shop is firebombed and people go missing Ollie is certain his neighbour and his equally brutish and intimidating friends have links but trying to find proof might just be the worst idea he has had.

I must say, I was lucky enough to read an early version of this story a couple of years ago. I enjoyed it then and have enjoyed this newer, tightened up version just as much. Maybe with Brexit and the rise of the far right movement it is a tad more relevant now.

Before reading this I had only known David Tallerman as a writer of (rather excellent, in my opinion) Science Fiction and Fantasy but with The Bad Neighbour he shows he can turn his hand to Thrillers too.

Dark, unsettling and relevant - 4.5/5*

 Thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me to take part in this blog tour and please, if you get a moment, have a look at the other reviews and reviewers on the tour.