The Apartment Across The Hall
They say you can't pick your neighbors... but can you survive them?
When Salem Ripley moves into her New York City apartment, it's not quite what she expected. Her neighbor across the hall seems perfect - handsome, charming, and always with a beautiful girlfriend.
Until Salem sees him with other women. And more. And more. And none of them ever seem to leave.
She knows she should mind her own business... but something feels dangerously wrong. And Salem will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.
- Salem - Protagonist
- Derek - Salem's friend
- Victor - Salem's across-the-hall neighbor
- Claire - Pretends to be Victor's girlfriend
- Anya - Victor's girlfriend
- Dr DeLuca - Salem's psychiatrist
- Derek helps Salem find an apartment.
- Salem sees Victor walking around the building with blood on his shirt several times.
- Salem sees Claire leaving Victor's apartment and tries to tell her that she thinks Victor is dangerous.
- Claire gets angry and tells Salem to leave them both alone.
- Salem sees Derek drag a heavy, full, black trash bag leaking blood into his apartment.
- Salem calls 911 and the police show up quickly but there is no body and no blood.
- Salem breaks into Victor's apartment and discovers a secret room with handcuffs attached to the wall.
- When Claire comes to see Victor, Salem shows her pictures of the secret room, desperate to save her from being hurt.
- Claire and Salem go into Victor's apartment, where Claire turns on Salem.
- The truth is revealed: Claire is forcing everyone in the building to work for her, producing drugs and hiding them in trash bags full of raw meat.
- Claire controls Victor because she has Anya locked up in the apartment next to Salem.
- Claire chains Salem to her toilet, but Salem escapes, breaks through the wall, and finds Anya chained to a chair and being tortured with deafening noise.
- Salem goes across the hall and frees Victor and waits for Claire to arrive.
- Claire arrives and threatens to shoot Salem.
- Derek shows up and reveals that Claire is his girlfriend.
- The cops start pounding on the door so Claire shoots Derek and flees via the fire escape.
- Claire falls off the fire escape and dies.
- Derek tells the cops the truth about everything.
- The final twist reveals that Salem killed her abusive mother by pushing her down the stairs - and Dr. DeLuca secretly encouraged her.
A fast-paced story with some solid twists along the way. Not a standout, but it wrapped up nicely and was enjoyable enough for a quick read.
- Salem - Alive - Living in a new apartment and happy to have new friends, Victor and Anya
- Derek - Alive - Presumed to be in prison
- Dr DeLuca - Alive - Proud of Salem for killing her mother
- Victor - Alive - Happily back with Anya
- Claire - Dead - Fell off the fire escape
- Anya - Alive - Healing well but with permanent hearing loss from her torture
- Kidnapping
- Murder
- Physical abuse
- Slavery
- Torture
- Gun violence
Hopeful
Publisher: Black Alley Press
ISBN: 9798304141475
Publication Date: January 3, 2025
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
