Earl Keese's quiet suburban existence is shattered when a younger couple moves in next door and begins a campaign of psychological torment. The narrative unfolds over a single 24-hour period, during which Earl, a pudgy homeowner, is subjected to increasingly bizarre and unsettling harassment by his new neighbors. Their actions oscillate between the sinister and the strangely alluring, pushing Earl to react in kind, blurring the lines between his reality and his deepest fears.

Thomas Berger's 'Neighbors' is often characterized by its unsettling blend of dark humor and psychological suspense. The novel's premise, which details the escalating torment of a suburban homeowner by his new neighbors, sets up a narrative that probes the fragility of normalcy and the descent into absurdity. Critics have noted Berger's skill in creating an atmosphere where the mundane becomes menacing, and the characters' reactions push the boundaries of believable behavior. The story's exploration of paranoia and the breakdown of social order within a confined setting is a recurring point of discussion.