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Friends & Neighbors
Some bonds are meant to be broken, while others refuse to let go...
After a small-town tragedy, Erin returns to her late uncle’s house, seeking a fresh start. But the quaint street she remembers hides dark secrets within its seemingly perfect homes.
As she digs deeper into the mystery of her uncle's death, Erin is pulled back into the life of her first love, Caleb. Their reunion stirs up long-buried emotions, threatening to reveal truths that could ruin them both.
Forced to confront her own demons, Erin must decide what family really means. With neighbors who are as mysterious as they are deceptive, she has no idea who to trust. As past and present intertwine in a twisted tale of passion, deceit, and betrayal, Erin must face the devastating mistake that haunts her.
But the closer she gets to the truth—and to Caleb—the more dangerous her situation becomes. In this gripping psychological suspense, trust is a luxury, and the familiar may be deadly.
After a small-town tragedy, Erin returns to her late uncle’s house, seeking a fresh start. But the quaint street she remembers hides dark secrets within its seemingly perfect homes.
As she digs deeper into the mystery of her uncle's death, Erin is pulled back into the life of her first love, Caleb. Their reunion stirs up long-buried emotions, threatening to reveal truths that could ruin them both.
Forced to confront her own demons, Erin must decide what family really means. With neighbors who are as mysterious as they are deceptive, she has no idea who to trust. As past and present intertwine in a twisted tale of passion, deceit, and betrayal, Erin must face the devastating mistake that haunts her.
But the closer she gets to the truth—and to Caleb—the more dangerous her situation becomes. In this gripping psychological suspense, trust is a luxury, and the familiar may be deadly.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2024
35 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 4, 2024
*3.75 rounded up to 4*
I was drawn to “Friends & Neighbors” because of its cover and its tagline. It is an easy read that pulls you in. There are a lot of twists and turns in this book which made me say “just one more chapter!” before bed.
After losing her mother ten years ago, her husband five years ago, and now her uncle, Erin just inherited her Uncle Albert’s home and dog after he passed due to an accident at home. Despite her family’s wishes for her to stay close to where they live, Erin wants a fresh start and moves in to Albert’s home, located in a small town and at the end of a quiet, secluded, dead-end street surrounded by forest and three neighbors. Erin is fond of her uncle and hopes for closure with his death through living in his home, befriending his neighbors, and going through his things – specifically his research and journals he kept as a philosophy professor. However, she can’t help her curiosity about Albert's passing… Both neighbors and her family comment on Albert’s mental state before he passed – and how he declined rapidly before his passing. It was an accident, right?
The start of Erin’s new chapter is upended when she learns her new neighbor is her ex-boyfriend, Caleb. She finds it odd her uncle never mentioned this, though she and Albert hadn’t spoken much in recent years. Much to her dismay, Caleb is one of the limited sources of information as there are only two other neighbors on the street. Much of Erin’s past – that she desperately wants to keep in the past – rears its ugly head and resurfaces throughout the book, intertwining with her uncle’s past… more than she could ever imagine.
Thank you BookSirens for the complementary advanced review copy of “Friends & Neighbors," and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.
The author did a fantastic job with her debut novel! I enjoyed the “easter eggs” throughout the book that were just enough to catch my attention, read over a few times, and make a mental note about. Reading this book was exciting, seeing how the spiderweb of clues came together throughout the book. Yet, I was repeatedly surprised, chapter after chapter! The storyline and its ending were very unique. I look forward to seeing more books written by Lisa in the future!
I was drawn to “Friends & Neighbors” because of its cover and its tagline. It is an easy read that pulls you in. There are a lot of twists and turns in this book which made me say “just one more chapter!” before bed.
After losing her mother ten years ago, her husband five years ago, and now her uncle, Erin just inherited her Uncle Albert’s home and dog after he passed due to an accident at home. Despite her family’s wishes for her to stay close to where they live, Erin wants a fresh start and moves in to Albert’s home, located in a small town and at the end of a quiet, secluded, dead-end street surrounded by forest and three neighbors. Erin is fond of her uncle and hopes for closure with his death through living in his home, befriending his neighbors, and going through his things – specifically his research and journals he kept as a philosophy professor. However, she can’t help her curiosity about Albert's passing… Both neighbors and her family comment on Albert’s mental state before he passed – and how he declined rapidly before his passing. It was an accident, right?
The start of Erin’s new chapter is upended when she learns her new neighbor is her ex-boyfriend, Caleb. She finds it odd her uncle never mentioned this, though she and Albert hadn’t spoken much in recent years. Much to her dismay, Caleb is one of the limited sources of information as there are only two other neighbors on the street. Much of Erin’s past – that she desperately wants to keep in the past – rears its ugly head and resurfaces throughout the book, intertwining with her uncle’s past… more than she could ever imagine.
Thank you BookSirens for the complementary advanced review copy of “Friends & Neighbors," and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.
The author did a fantastic job with her debut novel! I enjoyed the “easter eggs” throughout the book that were just enough to catch my attention, read over a few times, and make a mental note about. Reading this book was exciting, seeing how the spiderweb of clues came together throughout the book. Yet, I was repeatedly surprised, chapter after chapter! The storyline and its ending were very unique. I look forward to seeing more books written by Lisa in the future!
November 5, 2024
The cover, tagline, and brief synopsis of "Friends & Neighbors" really caught my attention, and I'm so glad I decided to review it! This book is an easy read that grabs you right from the start. I thoroughly enjoyed the series of twists that unfolded all the way to the end. After a heartbreaking incident in her small town, Erin returns to her late uncle’s house, hoping for a fresh start. Yet, the charming street she once knew is hiding some dark secrets behind its seemingly perfect homes. As she inches closer to the truth—and to Caleb—her circumstances grow more dangerous. This thrilling psychological suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat, where trust is a rare luxury and the familiar can turn deadly. I would definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a quick and entertaining read!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank You BookSirens for allowing me to review this ARC.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank You BookSirens for allowing me to review this ARC.
November 25, 2024
Friends & Neighbors by Lisa Underwood is a compelling slow-burn thriller that keeps you questioning who to trust. Erin returns to her late uncle's house in a small town, seeking a fresh start after a tragedy, only to find dark secrets lurking beneath the town’s perfect exterior. As she investigates her uncle’s death, she reconnects with Caleb, her first love, and is forced to confront painful truths about herself and those around her.
The novel expertly builds tension, with every character seeming both familiar and suspicious. As secrets unfold, the suspense heightens, keeping you on edge as you try to figure out who might betray Erin next. The pace may be slow at times, but it allows the tension to grow and the story to unravel in a satisfying way. If you enjoy psychological thrillers that keep you guessing, Friends & Neighbors is a must-read.
Thank you to BookSirens for providing an advanced copy of this book. This review is my honest and voluntary opinion.
The novel expertly builds tension, with every character seeming both familiar and suspicious. As secrets unfold, the suspense heightens, keeping you on edge as you try to figure out who might betray Erin next. The pace may be slow at times, but it allows the tension to grow and the story to unravel in a satisfying way. If you enjoy psychological thrillers that keep you guessing, Friends & Neighbors is a must-read.
Thank you to BookSirens for providing an advanced copy of this book. This review is my honest and voluntary opinion.
November 25, 2024
Firstly I would like to thank Booksirens, the author: Lisa Underwood and the publisher, for the ARC. The following feedback is based on my own opinion and are without any bias.
Lisa Underwood’s "Friends & Neighbors" is a real page-turner, seamlessly blending mystery with domestic drama. Erin, the protagonist, feels like someone you’d actually want to know—her emotional journey is authentic and engaging. The small-town setting is spot-on, making you feel like you're right there in the neighborhood. The plot twists are well-placed, keeping you hooked and eager to see what’s next.
While the book is generally engaging, some parts drag a bit. Picking up the pace in these areas would keep the excitement level up. A few of the secondary characters could use more fleshing out to add more depth to the story. Giving them clearer motivations and backstories would really round out the narrative.
November 24, 2024
A great cover and the tag line is perfection!! Both of these things caught my attention and Lisa did not disappoint!! Many surprises and the twists will make you keep turning the pages wanting more!! These are definitely things I know I look for in a psychological thriller and I made a great call by picking this book! I finished it in one day...so stop contemplating and just start reading!! I look forward to more from this author!!.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 21, 2024
I absolutely cannot believe this is a debut novel. I cannot describe how much I LOVED this book. The twists were perfect, the attention to detail was perfect (using the name of a philosopher for the dog seems absolutely like something Albert would do), the ending was perfect. 100% perfect, no notes, I want more from this author immediately!!
November 9, 2024
I enjoyed this book. It had everything you would want. There were several twists and surprises and everything was tied up in a neat bow at the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 26, 2025
starts out enthralling and then …
This story gets off to a good start, but then becomes so complicated and has so many plot twists that it ends up being absolutely unbelievable. Sometimes less is more.
This story gets off to a good start, but then becomes so complicated and has so many plot twists that it ends up being absolutely unbelievable. Sometimes less is more.
November 16, 2024
this book was really good i thought it was going to end differently i was surprised
November 28, 2025
I love an ending I could not have predicted!
December 16, 2025
3.5 rounded up ❤️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
December 8, 2025
This book is boring, I kept falling asleep and yea that does happen sometimes even with a good book so I kept trying. I got about halfway through and then started skipping and skimming through chapters until the end. I got the gist of what happened and it was mostly predictable and the parts that weren’t predictable were just overall just disappointing. I don’t know why this book has so many good reviews. I also thought the main character was very annoying and un-interesting, in general. In fact most of the characters lacked depth and personality, so it was extremely hard to care what was happening with any of them, except for the dog. He was the only one I cared about. The writing was sub par and I would not recommend this book. I am not rating it because maybe it’s just not for me and I don’t want to spoil the high rating.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews