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The Quiet Neighbor
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Expected 27 Jan 26Win a free kindle copy of this book!
9 days and 17:56:42
100 copies available
U.S. only
A heart-stopping tale of family secrets, buried trauma, and the lengths a mother will go to save her child, even when that child might not want to be saved.
Cynthia Burrows thought she’d built the perfect life—successful law career, loving husband, beautiful daughter. But when eighteen-year-old Tori vanishes without a trace, Cynthia’s carefully constructed world begins to crumble.
The school says Tori was excused by family. Security footage shows her leaving with an older man. And the boy she was supposedly dating? His name sends chills down Cynthia’s spine—Alexander Beaufort.
That’s impossible. Alexander Beaufort is the serial killer who destroyed Cynthia’s childhood, murdered her best friend, and forced her into witness protection twenty years ago. He’s supposed to be locked away forever.
But someone is playing a deadly game, leaving clues that drag Cynthia back to her darkest memories. With only three days to find her daughter, she must confront the monster from her past and the shocking secrets Tori has been hiding.
In this quiet suburban neighborhood, everyone has something to conceal. And some neighbors are more dangerous than others.
Cynthia Burrows thought she’d built the perfect life—successful law career, loving husband, beautiful daughter. But when eighteen-year-old Tori vanishes without a trace, Cynthia’s carefully constructed world begins to crumble.
The school says Tori was excused by family. Security footage shows her leaving with an older man. And the boy she was supposedly dating? His name sends chills down Cynthia’s spine—Alexander Beaufort.
That’s impossible. Alexander Beaufort is the serial killer who destroyed Cynthia’s childhood, murdered her best friend, and forced her into witness protection twenty years ago. He’s supposed to be locked away forever.
But someone is playing a deadly game, leaving clues that drag Cynthia back to her darkest memories. With only three days to find her daughter, she must confront the monster from her past and the shocking secrets Tori has been hiding.
In this quiet suburban neighborhood, everyone has something to conceal. And some neighbors are more dangerous than others.
352 pages, Paperback
Expected publication January 27, 2026
5551 people want to read
About the author
J.D. Barker
55 books6,849 followersJ.D. Barker is the New York Times and international best-selling author of numerous novels, including DRACUL and the wildly popular 4MK series. He is currently collaborating with James Patterson. His books have been translated into two dozen languages, sold in more than 150 countries, and optioned for both film and television. Barker resides in coastal New Hampshire with his wife, Dayna, and their daughter, Ember.
A note from J.D.
As a child I was always told the dark could not hurt me, that the shadows creeping in the corners of my room were nothing more than just that, shadows. The sounds nothing more than the settling of our old home, creaking as it found comfort in the earth only to move again when it became restless, if ever so slightly. I would never sleep without closing the closet door, oh no; the door had to be shut tight. The darkness lurking inside needed to be held at bay, the whispers silenced. Rest would only come after I checked under the bed at least twice and quickly wrapped myself in the safety of the sheets (which no monster could penetrate), pulling them tight over my head.
I would never go down to the basement.
Never.
I had seen enough movies to know better, I had read enough stories to know what happens to little boys who wandered off into dark, dismal places alone. And there were stories, so many stories.
Reading was my sanctuary, a place where I could disappear for hours at a time, lost in the pages of a good book. It didn’t take long before I felt the urge to create my own.
I first began to write as a child, spinning tales of ghosts and gremlins, mystical places and people. For most of us, that’s where it begins—as children we have such wonderful imaginations, some of us have simply found it hard to grow up. I’ve spent countless hours trying to explain to friends and family why I enjoy it, why I would rather lock myself in a quiet little room and put pen to paper for hours at a time than throw around a baseball or simply watch television. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I want to do just that, sometimes I wish for it, but even then the need to write is always there in the back of my mind, the characters are impatiently tapping their feet, waiting their turn, wanting to be heard. I wake in the middle of the night and reach for the pad beside my bed, sometimes scrawling page after page of their words, their lives. Then they’re quiet, if only for a little while. To stop would mean madness, or even worse—the calm, numbing sanity I see in others as they slip through the day without purpose. They don’t know what it’s like, they don’t understand. Something as simple as a pencil can open the door to a new world, can create life or experience death. Writing can take you to places you’ve never been, introduce you to people you’ve never met, take you back to when you first saw those shadows in your room, when you first heard the sounds mumbling ever so softly from your closet, and it can show you what uttered them. It can scare the hell out of you, and that’s when you know it’s good.
jd
A note from J.D.
As a child I was always told the dark could not hurt me, that the shadows creeping in the corners of my room were nothing more than just that, shadows. The sounds nothing more than the settling of our old home, creaking as it found comfort in the earth only to move again when it became restless, if ever so slightly. I would never sleep without closing the closet door, oh no; the door had to be shut tight. The darkness lurking inside needed to be held at bay, the whispers silenced. Rest would only come after I checked under the bed at least twice and quickly wrapped myself in the safety of the sheets (which no monster could penetrate), pulling them tight over my head.
I would never go down to the basement.
Never.
I had seen enough movies to know better, I had read enough stories to know what happens to little boys who wandered off into dark, dismal places alone. And there were stories, so many stories.
Reading was my sanctuary, a place where I could disappear for hours at a time, lost in the pages of a good book. It didn’t take long before I felt the urge to create my own.
I first began to write as a child, spinning tales of ghosts and gremlins, mystical places and people. For most of us, that’s where it begins—as children we have such wonderful imaginations, some of us have simply found it hard to grow up. I’ve spent countless hours trying to explain to friends and family why I enjoy it, why I would rather lock myself in a quiet little room and put pen to paper for hours at a time than throw around a baseball or simply watch television. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I want to do just that, sometimes I wish for it, but even then the need to write is always there in the back of my mind, the characters are impatiently tapping their feet, waiting their turn, wanting to be heard. I wake in the middle of the night and reach for the pad beside my bed, sometimes scrawling page after page of their words, their lives. Then they’re quiet, if only for a little while. To stop would mean madness, or even worse—the calm, numbing sanity I see in others as they slip through the day without purpose. They don’t know what it’s like, they don’t understand. Something as simple as a pencil can open the door to a new world, can create life or experience death. Writing can take you to places you’ve never been, introduce you to people you’ve never met, take you back to when you first saw those shadows in your room, when you first heard the sounds mumbling ever so softly from your closet, and it can show you what uttered them. It can scare the hell out of you, and that’s when you know it’s good.
jd
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
December 4, 2025
J.D. is back in action with The Quiet Neighbor! A storyline that hooks the reader and reels you in page by page. An engaging plot about a woman in the Witness Protection Program. She entered the program as a young girl, after testifying against a serial monster. Decades later, married and with a child of her own. She fears that monster has found her and this time is after her child. The reading experience is similar to that of The Coast to Coast Murders and A Caller's Game!
*Thanks to J.D. Barker via NetGalley for the DRC*
*Thanks to J.D. Barker via NetGalley for the DRC*
December 6, 2025
What a tangled web we weave! Gripping, shocking, twist filled, dark, and deadly! J.D. Barker, along with Adam Roach, has delivered once again with The Quiet Neighbor! As the saying goes "It's always the quiet ones" but which quiet ones??? I enjoyed the premise of a mother trying to save her child but had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this book. Secrets, lies, trauma, and family secrets are the name of the game in The Quiet Neighbor! How well do we know those in our lives? hmmmm......
Cynthia Burrows has a picture-perfect life. She has a job she loves, a wonderful husband and daughter, but everything is shattered in her life when her eighteen-year-old daughter, Tori, vanishes. Her school shows her as being excused but by who? Who was the older man she was seen leaving with? When Cynthia hears the name, Alexander Beaufort, the chills go up and down her spine. She knows that name. It is the name of a serial killer who killed her best friend years ago!!!!!
This book proved to be a fast and intriguing read. I enjoyed the tension, the mounting sense of dread, danger, and suspense. I loved how J.D. Barker slowly unraveled the events of the past while unfolding the chilling events of the present. It becomes a race against time as Cynthia tries to locate her daughter before it's too late!
This book kept me on my toes with many twists and reveals. Cynthia learns some hard truths about her daughter while searching for her. Her husband also learned some hard truths about Cynthia as well. Again, there are a lot of secrets and lies jumping from the pages! There were sometimes I shook my head at some of the things that Cynthia did while searching for her daughter.
Thrilling, chilling, gripping, dark, and full of twists!
**A wonderful witches words buddy read with Carolyn. Please read her review as well to get her thoughts on The Quiet Neighbor!
Thank you to J.D. Barker and Hampton Creek Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Cynthia Burrows has a picture-perfect life. She has a job she loves, a wonderful husband and daughter, but everything is shattered in her life when her eighteen-year-old daughter, Tori, vanishes. Her school shows her as being excused but by who? Who was the older man she was seen leaving with? When Cynthia hears the name, Alexander Beaufort, the chills go up and down her spine. She knows that name. It is the name of a serial killer who killed her best friend years ago!!!!!
This book proved to be a fast and intriguing read. I enjoyed the tension, the mounting sense of dread, danger, and suspense. I loved how J.D. Barker slowly unraveled the events of the past while unfolding the chilling events of the present. It becomes a race against time as Cynthia tries to locate her daughter before it's too late!
This book kept me on my toes with many twists and reveals. Cynthia learns some hard truths about her daughter while searching for her. Her husband also learned some hard truths about Cynthia as well. Again, there are a lot of secrets and lies jumping from the pages! There were sometimes I shook my head at some of the things that Cynthia did while searching for her daughter.
Thrilling, chilling, gripping, dark, and full of twists!
**A wonderful witches words buddy read with Carolyn. Please read her review as well to get her thoughts on The Quiet Neighbor!
Thank you to J.D. Barker and Hampton Creek Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
October 15, 2025
There’s a would be killer desperate to scratch the itch.
In the present day, Cynthia’s 18-year-old daughter Tori is not in school, she previously announces that later she has a date with ‘Blue Eyes’ from the coffee shop, but he’s not at work either. She does some digging and gets his name and it one heck of a shock….. because it can’t be HIM, can it? After all, he’d be 60 by now wouldn’t he? Has he taken Tori but why hasn’t he taken Cynthia? His name sends shivers down her spine because it’s a ghost from her past. Alexander Beaufort is a serial killer who murders her best friend years ago and sends her into witness protection. Is someone playing a revengeful and deadly game, reviving the past and forcing her to relive her darkest memories?
There’s plenty that I enjoy in this psychological thriller collaboration especially in the first half which positively ripples with tension which almost jumps off the pages. The scenario is a desperate cat/mouse situation with a precious life at stake. It’s very creepy with neighbours past and present that delivers unsettling vibes with the spider senses on full alert. I particularly like the theme of how well do you actually know your own family and there are plenty of shocks here as the plot unfolds.
The narrative is interspersed with extracts from a journal and that is chilling and in addition, has my mind in overdrive trying to figure out the identity of the author. I can’t say it’s a huge surprise when it’s revealed, but thankfully it’s not a left field revelation.
Although overall I do enjoy the book, I don’t think the second half has as much strength as the first. Part of that is I don’t find it particularly believable that the investigative agencies cut Cynthia so much slack… But it is fiction, so hey ho! However, she is almost giving the orders! I don’t know whether to admire her chutzpah or dislike her pushiness. There are aspects to that I guess correctly which I don’t mind at all but is it a bit too easily resolved at the end???
However, it is an immersive read but it is a pity that the quality isn’t maintained throughout although the final journal entry certainly delivers the shivers.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hampton Creek Press/Simon and Schuster for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
October 13, 2025
***10/13/25 update: I am starting to see some other reviews for this book come in, most of them are rated higher than my rating so make sure to check them out!! ***
Thoughts to come…but right now, (although don’t know this for a fact because I don’t see any other reviews for this book) ‘Every party has a pooper that’s why we invited you, party pooper’ is in my head. I have a feeling this will be accurate and I will be on outlier island with this book as more people read it.
4/10: 2⭐️
I think this will be a case of it’s me, not the book.
Short synopsis: Cynthia learns that her daughter Tori is missing when she receives a notice from the school that Tori has been excused by a family member. Neither Cynthia nor her husband gave permission for her to leave and Cynthia is in a panic.
Has a past that Cynthia has kept secret from everyone, even her husband, except for FBI best friend from college Gabby, come back to haunt her? Or is it the secret life her daughter seems to have hidden from her parents that is responsible for her disappearance? That secret life, and oh what a secret life it is, YIKES, comes to light as Cynthia searches for her daughter.
The premise seemed really promising.
This book is done in a Then and Now dual timeline. I appreciate that the authors separated them by chapters. It made it much easier to follow along with. Beyond that, the flow of the book seemed very wobbly to me. I am not sure if this is the way J.D. Barker typically writes or if it’s a collaboration that didn’t mesh well, but something felt very off to me. Like things were left out almost? Little details that would have maybe made the writing seem steadier. Or this is the sometimes annoyingly overcritical me just being overly critical….?
I also struggled with how Cynthia kind of took over the investigation. For some reason rules that would normally apply to civilians didn’t apply here at all, because her best friend was an FBI agent? It seemed odd to me and at times really bothered me. Yes, she had really helpful information for them, but there didn’t seem to be any boundaries for her which made it seem a bit unrealistic to me.
I figured out who did it early on, sometimes that doesn’t bother me, in fact I get a little proud of myself in some instances, but this time, it took away from the story for me. I had a few other things figured out early on as well.
I hope others enjoy this much more than my nit-picky self did. Like I said before, it’s probably a me issue, not the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read the digital arc of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Rating and original review posted: 10/5/25
Brief update at top of review on other reviews posted: 10/13/25
Thoughts to come…but right now, (although don’t know this for a fact because I don’t see any other reviews for this book) ‘Every party has a pooper that’s why we invited you, party pooper’ is in my head. I have a feeling this will be accurate and I will be on outlier island with this book as more people read it.
4/10: 2⭐️
I think this will be a case of it’s me, not the book.
Short synopsis: Cynthia learns that her daughter Tori is missing when she receives a notice from the school that Tori has been excused by a family member. Neither Cynthia nor her husband gave permission for her to leave and Cynthia is in a panic.
Has a past that Cynthia has kept secret from everyone, even her husband, except for FBI best friend from college Gabby, come back to haunt her? Or is it the secret life her daughter seems to have hidden from her parents that is responsible for her disappearance? That secret life, and oh what a secret life it is, YIKES, comes to light as Cynthia searches for her daughter.
The premise seemed really promising.
This book is done in a Then and Now dual timeline. I appreciate that the authors separated them by chapters. It made it much easier to follow along with. Beyond that, the flow of the book seemed very wobbly to me. I am not sure if this is the way J.D. Barker typically writes or if it’s a collaboration that didn’t mesh well, but something felt very off to me. Like things were left out almost? Little details that would have maybe made the writing seem steadier. Or this is the sometimes annoyingly overcritical me just being overly critical….?
I also struggled with how Cynthia kind of took over the investigation. For some reason rules that would normally apply to civilians didn’t apply here at all, because her best friend was an FBI agent? It seemed odd to me and at times really bothered me. Yes, she had really helpful information for them, but there didn’t seem to be any boundaries for her which made it seem a bit unrealistic to me.
I figured out who did it early on, sometimes that doesn’t bother me, in fact I get a little proud of myself in some instances, but this time, it took away from the story for me. I had a few other things figured out early on as well.
I hope others enjoy this much more than my nit-picky self did. Like I said before, it’s probably a me issue, not the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read the digital arc of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Rating and original review posted: 10/5/25
Brief update at top of review on other reviews posted: 10/13/25
November 3, 2025
I've read quite a few of j.D. Barker books.This one was an okay read, not much excitement for me.Cynthia Burrows works in law her teenage daughter disappeared, has it something to do with her past? a serial killer who killed her best friend was it him as he was meant to be locked away... and many hidden secrets with the neighbours... I'm looking forward to reading more of his books.
October 9, 2025
Rating: 3.5 ⭐
Pros: This book did remind me of Freida McFadden books in a good way. Short chapters and in the starting it was fast paced. It really was enjoyable. I had a good time. The book started really strong. Two timelines(Past and Now), also if you love journal entries from characters!!!
HOWEVER,
Cons: This could've been shorter. I think 50 pages can be easily chopped. The middle part dragged for too long without any revelation and not enough hints for the reveal.
Why:
Final Thoughts: But still it was really enjoyable. The Past and Now Timelines. Also journal entries. You can def give it a try.
Thanks to NetGallery for the free ARC in exchange of an honest review.
pre-read:
My first ARC!!!! So far I'm having a good time(40% in)
Pros: This book did remind me of Freida McFadden books in a good way. Short chapters and in the starting it was fast paced. It really was enjoyable. I had a good time. The book started really strong. Two timelines(Past and Now), also if you love journal entries from characters!!!
HOWEVER,
Cons: This could've been shorter. I think 50 pages can be easily chopped. The middle part dragged for too long without any revelation and not enough hints for the reveal.
Why:
Final Thoughts: But still it was really enjoyable. The Past and Now Timelines. Also journal entries. You can def give it a try.
Thanks to NetGallery for the free ARC in exchange of an honest review.
pre-read:
My first ARC!!!! So far I'm having a good time(40% in)
October 16, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for this fun, if slightly silly race against time/serial killer story.
When lawyer Cynthias teenage daughter Tori goes missing from school, she gets flashback to her past and her childhood, to secrets so deep that she hasn’t shared them with anyone apart from her best friend from college and now FBI agent. Is her past finally coming back to haunt her and can she find her daughter before it’s too late?
This one starts off really strong, like it bolts out of the gate and doesn’t break a stride for at least 30% of the book. The first half really is some riveting stuff.
The second half of the book is where it falls apart a little with the obviously distressed and manic Cynthia nearly taking over the investigation, being allowed way too many liberties despite her friend being in the FBI. It grated after a while and took me out of the story because of its lack of connection to reality. Yes this is a work of fiction but you still have to have things at least plausible and this element certainly pushed the envelope.
Also, after most of the set up and leg work has been done (excellently)in the first half of the book we are left with a second half that is mostly a mother chasing around looking for her daughter in a constant state of near breakdown. Like it kind of became repetitive. It is helped with a fun ending though. I just think the second half could have been pared down considerably without losing anything from the story and the book would have been the better for it.
I really like Barker as a writer but some of his collaborations I have found to be really poor. So much so that I’m wary of reading them whereas a book of his own I would jump at.
Happily (for me) this is one of the better collabs he has done. Yes it has its flaws and with a bit more thought and editing could have been even better but I had a really fun time overall reading this and, at the end of the day isn’t that why we read these type of books?
Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
When lawyer Cynthias teenage daughter Tori goes missing from school, she gets flashback to her past and her childhood, to secrets so deep that she hasn’t shared them with anyone apart from her best friend from college and now FBI agent. Is her past finally coming back to haunt her and can she find her daughter before it’s too late?
This one starts off really strong, like it bolts out of the gate and doesn’t break a stride for at least 30% of the book. The first half really is some riveting stuff.
The second half of the book is where it falls apart a little with the obviously distressed and manic Cynthia nearly taking over the investigation, being allowed way too many liberties despite her friend being in the FBI. It grated after a while and took me out of the story because of its lack of connection to reality. Yes this is a work of fiction but you still have to have things at least plausible and this element certainly pushed the envelope.
Also, after most of the set up and leg work has been done (excellently)in the first half of the book we are left with a second half that is mostly a mother chasing around looking for her daughter in a constant state of near breakdown. Like it kind of became repetitive. It is helped with a fun ending though. I just think the second half could have been pared down considerably without losing anything from the story and the book would have been the better for it.
I really like Barker as a writer but some of his collaborations I have found to be really poor. So much so that I’m wary of reading them whereas a book of his own I would jump at.
Happily (for me) this is one of the better collabs he has done. Yes it has its flaws and with a bit more thought and editing could have been even better but I had a really fun time overall reading this and, at the end of the day isn’t that why we read these type of books?
Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
November 20, 2025
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, J.D. Barker, Adam Roach, Hampton Creek Press, Simon & Schuster, and Independent Book Publishers Association for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Eager to return to the work of J.D. Barker, I was pleased to access this ARC. Collaborating with Adam Roach, Barker adds another great thriller to keep the reader hooked! Cynthia Burrows has been happy with the life she’s led. She has a great job and a supportive family, including a loving husband and intelligent daughter. Tori is eighteen and dedicated to her schoolwork, but disappears one day when she is to be in class. This commences the destruction of Cynthia’s life, as she tries to piece it all together. School messaging says she was excused by a family member and video footage shows Tori departing with an older man. When Cynthia discovers the boy Tori has been dating, she is horrified. Alexander Beaufort is a serial killer who destroyed Cynthia’s life, killing her childhood friend and sending her into protective custody. Beaufort was to be locked away, but seems to have found Tori for a new form of retribution. With three days to find her daughter, Cynthia will have to face her darkest truths as she fights to save all that is good in her life. Is it enough time? Barker and Roach spin a story that is as addictive as it is well-written.
The story proves to be a stellar thriller that had many sharp edges I enjoy in this genre. J.D.Barker and Adam Roach use a great premise I could follow from the outset, getting more enthralled as I advanced through the novel. The narrative takes the reader in many tense directions, building on one another to ensure the reader is fully committed. With multiple perspectives, all angles are covered. The writers kept things clipping along with short chapters that dangle information and keep the reader pushing on to learn more. There is so much going on, from the race to get answers through to the dark sides that Cynthia Burrows must face to admit the past she tried to erase. I could not have asked for more with this.
Key characters provide some backstories to create a foundation for the reader. While I learned about a few characters, their advancement in this piece created something onto which I could latch with ease. The authors craft themes that are developed by those who grace the pages of this novel. There are some that flavour the story well, while others prove to simply help bridge between two points in the book. Both are essential and work well in this piece!
A few key plot twists used by the authors add to the underlying mystery. I sought something thrilling and was not disappointed. Barker and Roach left me wanting more collaborations, as their surprises kept me on my toes. Barker has always had a way with darker books and his collaborators complement these with their own personal twists.
Kudos, Messrs. Barker and Roach, for a gripping story!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Eager to return to the work of J.D. Barker, I was pleased to access this ARC. Collaborating with Adam Roach, Barker adds another great thriller to keep the reader hooked! Cynthia Burrows has been happy with the life she’s led. She has a great job and a supportive family, including a loving husband and intelligent daughter. Tori is eighteen and dedicated to her schoolwork, but disappears one day when she is to be in class. This commences the destruction of Cynthia’s life, as she tries to piece it all together. School messaging says she was excused by a family member and video footage shows Tori departing with an older man. When Cynthia discovers the boy Tori has been dating, she is horrified. Alexander Beaufort is a serial killer who destroyed Cynthia’s life, killing her childhood friend and sending her into protective custody. Beaufort was to be locked away, but seems to have found Tori for a new form of retribution. With three days to find her daughter, Cynthia will have to face her darkest truths as she fights to save all that is good in her life. Is it enough time? Barker and Roach spin a story that is as addictive as it is well-written.
The story proves to be a stellar thriller that had many sharp edges I enjoy in this genre. J.D.Barker and Adam Roach use a great premise I could follow from the outset, getting more enthralled as I advanced through the novel. The narrative takes the reader in many tense directions, building on one another to ensure the reader is fully committed. With multiple perspectives, all angles are covered. The writers kept things clipping along with short chapters that dangle information and keep the reader pushing on to learn more. There is so much going on, from the race to get answers through to the dark sides that Cynthia Burrows must face to admit the past she tried to erase. I could not have asked for more with this.
Key characters provide some backstories to create a foundation for the reader. While I learned about a few characters, their advancement in this piece created something onto which I could latch with ease. The authors craft themes that are developed by those who grace the pages of this novel. There are some that flavour the story well, while others prove to simply help bridge between two points in the book. Both are essential and work well in this piece!
A few key plot twists used by the authors add to the underlying mystery. I sought something thrilling and was not disappointed. Barker and Roach left me wanting more collaborations, as their surprises kept me on my toes. Barker has always had a way with darker books and his collaborators complement these with their own personal twists.
Kudos, Messrs. Barker and Roach, for a gripping story!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
October 22, 2025
When Cynthia’s teenage daughter goes missing, she will do everything in her power to find her. Cynthia has been through this before when she was a teenager herself and her best friend went missing.
A tense thriller that kept me engaged.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
A tense thriller that kept me engaged.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 27, 2025
I am a J.D. Barker fan, and I've really liked most of his books, but this one fell short for me. It is a very intriguing storyline, but not very well executed, and extremely predictable. The twists were way too easy to figure out, it was so obvious that I thought there had to be a better one coming, but it was just what I thought the whole time. This was missed for me, but I'm a fan and will continue to read his books.
Thank you to J. D. Barker and the publisher for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to J. D. Barker and the publisher for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 13, 2025
Nice use of multiple time lines. Our main character was a bit too whiney but overall great story! Unexpected ending is always fun! 😱
October 10, 2025
4.5
Nothing like being up until 1 am with your heart pumping to finish a thrilling ARC!
Holy crap! The back and forth between three narratives/two timelines was somewhat difficult to keep straight but WOW when it all came together?? Floored. Absolutely floored. Very fast read. The writing style is very easy and still interesting, some confusion on characters because you could see the plots coming together from 30 miles away but didn’t know how it would, and did the end leave room for a follow up? Again, wow. The multiple storytelling angles made this difficult to put down and pick back up without being a little confused, so just read it in one sitting! I am hooked for more!
Nothing like being up until 1 am with your heart pumping to finish a thrilling ARC!
Holy crap! The back and forth between three narratives/two timelines was somewhat difficult to keep straight but WOW when it all came together?? Floored. Absolutely floored. Very fast read. The writing style is very easy and still interesting, some confusion on characters because you could see the plots coming together from 30 miles away but didn’t know how it would, and did the end leave room for a follow up? Again, wow. The multiple storytelling angles made this difficult to put down and pick back up without being a little confused, so just read it in one sitting! I am hooked for more!
October 8, 2025
I will read anything Barker writes as he scares me to death but always comes through in the end! Cynthia and David's daughter, Tori has gone missing from school and they worry as she's never done this before. Then there are the journal entries written by an unnamed narrator that are chilling by themselves. When Tori;'s parents discover she may have been kidnapped, it's a race against time as they get odd messages from an unnamed source and aren't sure where to turn. This is one of those novels that will keep you up all night--if you dare--and have you questioning even those closest to you!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
November 17, 2025
This book ticks so many boxes for me. Serial killer, cold case, and a past that won’t stay buried. It’s fast-paced, racing from page one like a car without brakes. The structure is wonderful, weaving the past and present together, slowly reveals the secrets from the older case, shaping the story and holding the tension.
And I have to say I love the sudden contrast point between happy suburban life and intense chilling drama.
Cynthia is the standout character. She's created to make you feel every painful decision. The supporting cast do their jobs well, more so in the past timeline, and this adds to the emotional depth the fast and furious present-day scenes don’t always have time for.
Some of the surprises are visible from a mile away, but they still fit neatly into the story. This books is more about the ride than the reveal anyway. But, there are still some surprises that will knock your socks off! Believe me - this book does get twisty.
The only thing I could say I'd have preferred is for this book to go darker and deeper, but that would impact the pace and make this a longer read. That seems at odds with what many readers want now, shorter books and quick reads. I like commitment in a story, and I know JD Barker can embrace darkness in a book. I’d have loved that extra layer, even if it slowed the pulse a little.
Still, this is a quick, tense, and satisfying read that knows exactly what kind of thriller it wants to be, and I think nailed everything it set out to do.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
And I have to say I love the sudden contrast point between happy suburban life and intense chilling drama.
Cynthia is the standout character. She's created to make you feel every painful decision. The supporting cast do their jobs well, more so in the past timeline, and this adds to the emotional depth the fast and furious present-day scenes don’t always have time for.
Some of the surprises are visible from a mile away, but they still fit neatly into the story. This books is more about the ride than the reveal anyway. But, there are still some surprises that will knock your socks off! Believe me - this book does get twisty.
The only thing I could say I'd have preferred is for this book to go darker and deeper, but that would impact the pace and make this a longer read. That seems at odds with what many readers want now, shorter books and quick reads. I like commitment in a story, and I know JD Barker can embrace darkness in a book. I’d have loved that extra layer, even if it slowed the pulse a little.
Still, this is a quick, tense, and satisfying read that knows exactly what kind of thriller it wants to be, and I think nailed everything it set out to do.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2025
The Quiet Neighbor by Kevin wroach and JD Barker, this awesome twisty read has way too much going on in it to give a brief summary just know Cindy’s daughter Tori goes missing and all the clues not only eventually lead to her daughter but absolutely unearth the past she tried to hide for years. it also reveals a side of her daughter Cindy finds hard to grapple with but with her best friend Gabby who works for the FBI Cindy will investigate until it’s over there’s also a POV of a young girl named Sam who’s best friend Vicky went missing and I was shocked when I found out how that tie to the main story there’s many dead bodies and even more twist and turns this is a great book and one I definitely recommend I do want to say I found the whole thing with Maryann strange and couldn’t correlate how she even fit in the story I got it she was Detective Marshalls wife but how did she… You know what I’m saying? Either way a definite recommend from me. #netGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #JDBarker, #KevinRoach, #TheQuietNeighbor,
November 30, 2025
I am dismayed by this book. There are few things that had me perplexed about my view of the book. Story of Tori and her mother starts off amazingly well. The suspense and mystery behind Tori’s early disappearance brought about so many questions. After the argument with her mother, how did Tori supposedly get to school?
There were a number of things that pointed me right to the killer. Mainly the journal told me everything. I basically put two and two together. The other trifecta that had me perplexed is Gabby’s and Cynthia’s relationship. At a time such as what Cynthia going through over Tori is discussed mainly with the best friends instead of the father.
Earlier in the book Cynthia is desperately trying to reach the father and talks to him, but as soon as he arrives; it’s like he doesn’t even exist to her. Then when Cynthia’s and Gabby are discussing theories over Tori’s disappearance Gabby pours herself and Cynthia wine. Now I do not presume to call myself a member of the law enforcement, but isn’t unwise to have the person that your questioning during an active case drink any type of alcoholic beverage? But hold on the question gets even better! It’s also unwise for said FBI Agent to be drinking alcohol while questioning or providing an inter while questioning all parties of interest?
Well this book had all that and a bag of chips. The plot and the synopsis may sound good, but once you read it I lost all imagination of this plot having any realism to it. Once you lose the reader over the plot, you lose the reader to the connection with the book. And that’s so disappointing to, because this writer is a brilliant writer! A lot of the work from this writer is bloody brilliant.
Until next time my fellow readers. Read on. I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
There were a number of things that pointed me right to the killer. Mainly the journal told me everything. I basically put two and two together. The other trifecta that had me perplexed is Gabby’s and Cynthia’s relationship. At a time such as what Cynthia going through over Tori is discussed mainly with the best friends instead of the father.
Earlier in the book Cynthia is desperately trying to reach the father and talks to him, but as soon as he arrives; it’s like he doesn’t even exist to her. Then when Cynthia’s and Gabby are discussing theories over Tori’s disappearance Gabby pours herself and Cynthia wine. Now I do not presume to call myself a member of the law enforcement, but isn’t unwise to have the person that your questioning during an active case drink any type of alcoholic beverage? But hold on the question gets even better! It’s also unwise for said FBI Agent to be drinking alcohol while questioning or providing an inter while questioning all parties of interest?
Well this book had all that and a bag of chips. The plot and the synopsis may sound good, but once you read it I lost all imagination of this plot having any realism to it. Once you lose the reader over the plot, you lose the reader to the connection with the book. And that’s so disappointing to, because this writer is a brilliant writer! A lot of the work from this writer is bloody brilliant.
Until next time my fellow readers. Read on. I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2025
Y’ALL. This book had me pacing my living room like a feral raccoon with anxiety. 😅🔥
Cynthia Burrows thinks she’s living her best suburban life—fresh coffee, steady career, happy family—until her daughter Tori vanishes and every cozy detail turns sinister. The air practically crackles with dread as clues point to the impossible: Alexander Beaufort, the serial killer who destroyed Cynthia’s childhood, might be back. Or someone wants her to think so…
Barker & Roach deliver a taut, sensory-packed thriller—sharp writing, breathless pacing, and a mother on the brink who refuses to break. Cynthia’s fear tastes metallic, her memories hit like blunt-force trauma, and every neighbor suddenly feels like a walking red flag. 🚩
A couple twists went a little wild for me, but honestly? Still devoured it. Fast, dark, emotional, and full of “wait—WHAT?!” energy. If you love thrillers with secrets, trauma, and suburban creepiness turned to eleven, this one delivers the punch. 👀🖤
Thanks to Hampton Creek Press for providing this advance copy via #NetGalley for my honest, voluntary review.#TheQuietNeighbor
Cynthia Burrows thinks she’s living her best suburban life—fresh coffee, steady career, happy family—until her daughter Tori vanishes and every cozy detail turns sinister. The air practically crackles with dread as clues point to the impossible: Alexander Beaufort, the serial killer who destroyed Cynthia’s childhood, might be back. Or someone wants her to think so…
Barker & Roach deliver a taut, sensory-packed thriller—sharp writing, breathless pacing, and a mother on the brink who refuses to break. Cynthia’s fear tastes metallic, her memories hit like blunt-force trauma, and every neighbor suddenly feels like a walking red flag. 🚩
A couple twists went a little wild for me, but honestly? Still devoured it. Fast, dark, emotional, and full of “wait—WHAT?!” energy. If you love thrillers with secrets, trauma, and suburban creepiness turned to eleven, this one delivers the punch. 👀🖤
Thanks to Hampton Creek Press for providing this advance copy via #NetGalley for my honest, voluntary review.#TheQuietNeighbor
October 11, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of Quiet Neighbour. I have read JD Barker before so knew I was in for a treat. This was a brilliant, tense and emotional thriller that had me guessing from the first page. Cynthia’s life unravels when her daughter, Tori, disappears. The alternating perspectives of past and present alongside journal entries from an unknown narrator added real depth and intrigue. The plot was really pacy with twists that kept me going back for more.
The characters felt believable, especially Cynthia, whose fear and determination were beautifully written. Barker and Roach have created a dark, riveting story. A superb psychological thriller, I can sense a follow up, and I would be first in the queue.
The characters felt believable, especially Cynthia, whose fear and determination were beautifully written. Barker and Roach have created a dark, riveting story. A superb psychological thriller, I can sense a follow up, and I would be first in the queue.
October 17, 2025
Edit: I am raising my review from 3 to 4 stars. One of the authors commented in a FB post about this book that my callout related to the Glock not having a safety will be fixed prior to publication. I appreciate their openness to receiving constructive criticism.
—-
The first half of this book was a solid 5 star read. At about the 50% point it started to go off the rails. The main character completely lost my empathy with her barging into every crime scene (both with and without her FBI friend Gabby), along with completely leaving her husband in the dust.
I did like the timeline switching, and joining them together at the apex was exciting. There was just too much suspension of belief needed from me to make this a solid 4 or 5 star read.
Also, a Glock 9mm handgun does not have a safety; it has safety features which prevent it from accidentally discharging when dropped, but there is not a safety “switch”, per se, that can be engaged; this bothered me as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read access.
—-
The first half of this book was a solid 5 star read. At about the 50% point it started to go off the rails. The main character completely lost my empathy with her barging into every crime scene (both with and without her FBI friend Gabby), along with completely leaving her husband in the dust.
I did like the timeline switching, and joining them together at the apex was exciting. There was just too much suspension of belief needed from me to make this a solid 4 or 5 star read.
Also, a Glock 9mm handgun does not have a safety; it has safety features which prevent it from accidentally discharging when dropped, but there is not a safety “switch”, per se, that can be engaged; this bothered me as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read access.
November 11, 2025
Book Review: The Quiet Neighbor by J.D. Barker & Adam Roach
The Quiet Neighbor by J.D. Barker and Adam Roach is a tense, twist-filled thriller that had me hooked from start to finish. As a mother, I couldn’t help but ask myself—how far would I go to protect my child? And how do you confront the monster that haunts your past when it comes knocking again?
From the beginning, I felt suspicious of almost everyone around Cynthia, especially those closest to her. The authors did an incredible job of building tension and keeping me guessing. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist would unravel, changing everything I believed.
The emotional depth combined with the dark, unsettling atmosphere made this story both heartbreaking and thrilling. The final reveal completely took me by surprise—it was clever, shocking, and unforgettable.
⭐️ 5/5 – A gripping psychological thriller full of secrets, suspense, and the lengths a mother will go to for her child.
The Quiet Neighbor by J.D. Barker and Adam Roach is a tense, twist-filled thriller that had me hooked from start to finish. As a mother, I couldn’t help but ask myself—how far would I go to protect my child? And how do you confront the monster that haunts your past when it comes knocking again?
From the beginning, I felt suspicious of almost everyone around Cynthia, especially those closest to her. The authors did an incredible job of building tension and keeping me guessing. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist would unravel, changing everything I believed.
The emotional depth combined with the dark, unsettling atmosphere made this story both heartbreaking and thrilling. The final reveal completely took me by surprise—it was clever, shocking, and unforgettable.
⭐️ 5/5 – A gripping psychological thriller full of secrets, suspense, and the lengths a mother will go to for her child.
November 22, 2025
When Cynthia gets a call that her daughter Tori was excused from school, she immediately panics because she knows neither she nor her husband David did it. Now she can't get a hold of Tori and has no idea what happened to her, sparking a wave of memories from her past. Someone is playing a deadly game when bodies start turning up that have ties to Tori and clues to her past.
A suspenseful psychological thriller woven into a game of cat and mouse as Cynthia only has 72 hours to find her daughter. I loved the suspense and the slow reveal. The twist wasn't too shocking as it's easy to figure out what is going on, although there are a few red herrings thrown out there. An entertaining thriller with a creepy ending.
*Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book to read and review*
A suspenseful psychological thriller woven into a game of cat and mouse as Cynthia only has 72 hours to find her daughter. I loved the suspense and the slow reveal. The twist wasn't too shocking as it's easy to figure out what is going on, although there are a few red herrings thrown out there. An entertaining thriller with a creepy ending.
*Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book to read and review*
November 25, 2025
The Quiet Neighbor by Adam Roach, overseen by J.D Barker... I saw you Jonathan, and the Great Expectations reference was awesome! The story kept my friend and me up long into the night reading that one more chapter, and another! The dual timeline and snippets of journal entries worked flawlessly to relay just enough of the facts to make us guess what was going on, while also making us suspect everyone! Cynthia has a secret past that her husband and teenage daughter are unaware of. Everything comes crashing down when her daughter, Tori, doesn't show up at school one day. The only disappointing thing was how 'conveniently' Cynthia weaselled herself into the investigation and crime scenes as if she owned the place, simply because her bestie was an FBI agent. Many thanks to the author and Netgalley for the advanced copy for an honest review.
December 17, 2025
NEW ARC READ!!!
RELEASING 27TH JANUARY 2026
Date : 16th December 2025
Book : The Quiet Neighbor
Author : J.D Barker and Adam Roach
Genre : Psychological Thriller
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(3.75 - I still recommend it as it was highly engaging)
Cynthia Burrows lives a good life with her husband and her teenage daughter. But it all comes crashing down when her daughter, Tori claims to have a date with a guy called Blue Eyes. As her dad teases her on her on this date with this mystery guy with a weird nickname, Cynthia finds herself panicking and is in full mama bear mode. Ofcourse Tori gets the full lecture on being safe and that school comes first and all.
Except, the next day Cynthia finds out that Tori did not attend school. She finds this suspicious behaviour because her daughter has never acted this way, so Cyin starts to spiral. She then receives an unexpected call that she has 3 days to figure out where her daughter is.
The worse part of it all is that she now knows who’s behind this. Because she too has a secret that she’s been living with for 15 years and she’s now afraid it’s all coming to light.
Thank you to the author for my gifted copy and for letting me give my honest review on it.
#thequietneighbor #psychologicalthriller #thriller #thrillerbooks #thrillerbooksaddict #book #books #bookish #bookworm #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bookaholic #booksofinstagram #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #bibliophile #bookwithme
RELEASING 27TH JANUARY 2026
Date : 16th December 2025
Book : The Quiet Neighbor
Author : J.D Barker and Adam Roach
Genre : Psychological Thriller
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(3.75 - I still recommend it as it was highly engaging)
Cynthia Burrows lives a good life with her husband and her teenage daughter. But it all comes crashing down when her daughter, Tori claims to have a date with a guy called Blue Eyes. As her dad teases her on her on this date with this mystery guy with a weird nickname, Cynthia finds herself panicking and is in full mama bear mode. Ofcourse Tori gets the full lecture on being safe and that school comes first and all.
Except, the next day Cynthia finds out that Tori did not attend school. She finds this suspicious behaviour because her daughter has never acted this way, so Cyin starts to spiral. She then receives an unexpected call that she has 3 days to figure out where her daughter is.
The worse part of it all is that she now knows who’s behind this. Because she too has a secret that she’s been living with for 15 years and she’s now afraid it’s all coming to light.
Thank you to the author for my gifted copy and for letting me give my honest review on it.
#thequietneighbor #psychologicalthriller #thriller #thrillerbooks #thrillerbooksaddict #book #books #bookish #bookworm #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bookaholic #booksofinstagram #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #bibliophile #bookwithme
November 2, 2025
Well shoot, this one had me sitting up straight like my futon caught fire. It started off all good and then this fancy lawyer named Cynthia thinks she has got it made. House, husband, kid, all that. Till all of a sudden her daughter ups and disappears just like that. No note, no nothing. The school says she was picked up by family, but that isn't true.
Then here comes a man from the past who's supposed to be locked up tighter than a tick, and somehow he's back creeping around. Next thing you know, Cynthia has got three days to find her girl, and the whole town started acting like they haven't seen anything. But you can tell everybody has got secrets. Nosy neighbors all around, doors closing, blinds twitching. I tell you it was like a soap opera met a nightmare.
It kept twisting and turning. I had to stop a few times because I swear I could feel that crazy man breathing down my neck. The end had knocked me out of my futon. Not really! It all came together in ways I didn't see coming. I was hollering at my Kindle like it could hear me. It was wild, spooky, and fast like a race car on bad tires.
I give it 4 outta 5 catfish!
Then here comes a man from the past who's supposed to be locked up tighter than a tick, and somehow he's back creeping around. Next thing you know, Cynthia has got three days to find her girl, and the whole town started acting like they haven't seen anything. But you can tell everybody has got secrets. Nosy neighbors all around, doors closing, blinds twitching. I tell you it was like a soap opera met a nightmare.
It kept twisting and turning. I had to stop a few times because I swear I could feel that crazy man breathing down my neck. The end had knocked me out of my futon. Not really! It all came together in ways I didn't see coming. I was hollering at my Kindle like it could hear me. It was wild, spooky, and fast like a race car on bad tires.
I give it 4 outta 5 catfish!
October 11, 2025
Crazy spin of a ride reading this book. So much happening and such a fabulous twist on the going ons. Brilliant read. The characters were all just perfect.
Thank to the authors the publisher and Netgalley for a early release of this book
Thank to the authors the publisher and Netgalley for a early release of this book
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Quiet Neighbor is a twisty mystery/thriller that dives into family secrets and what happens when they start to unravel, even if the secret is for the best.
In this book we meet Cynthia - a successful lawyer, happily married and with the perfect teenage daughter. Things are going well until Cynthia learns that her daughter, Tori, was reported as excused from school, with neither parent authorizing this. Cynthia is panicked more than a typical mother would be as we learn that she is hiding from a dangerous past, and she is afaid that her daughter was taken as a result of the past catching up with her.
Cynthia had a childhood friend that was the victim of a serial killer, and the killer finally tracked her Cynthia down and is now playing a game with her, with Tori's life as prize. The story unfolds through the current events, flashbacks to Cynthia's childhood, and bread crumbs left in what appears to be the killer's journal.
I love JD Barker's work and this is no exception. He layers the story in a way that always has you switching gears and theories through each reveal. I felt some Fourth Monkey vibes from the nature of the relationship between Cynthia and the killer, and the cat and mouse between them. The journal was brilliant as the potential author changed each time an excerpt was given. Once the author of the journal became clear, it was exciting to see it play out since there was even more going on than at first glance.
I definitely recommend this book and I thank NetGallet and Hampton Creek Press for the advanced copy.
October 10, 2025
The Quiet Neighbor is a fast paced tense read that keeps you guessing.
The story is written in two time lines and more intriguing there are journal entries that will grab your attention as you wonder who the writer is.
Cynthia's daughter Tori doesn't show up for school one day and Cynthia knows from past history that something is very wrong.
Secrets, lies and deception are prevalent as the police and the FBI race agains the clock to find Tori alive.
J. D. Barker and Adam Roach sublty lead the reader down a twisted path with a jaw dropping twist you wont see soming.
The Quiet Neighbor should come with a warning that once you start reading its almost impossible to put the book down.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press/Simon & Schuster/Independent Book Publishers Association Mysteries & Thrillers for the privilege of reading and reviewing The Quiet Neighbor.
The story is written in two time lines and more intriguing there are journal entries that will grab your attention as you wonder who the writer is.
Cynthia's daughter Tori doesn't show up for school one day and Cynthia knows from past history that something is very wrong.
Secrets, lies and deception are prevalent as the police and the FBI race agains the clock to find Tori alive.
J. D. Barker and Adam Roach sublty lead the reader down a twisted path with a jaw dropping twist you wont see soming.
The Quiet Neighbor should come with a warning that once you start reading its almost impossible to put the book down.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press/Simon & Schuster/Independent Book Publishers Association Mysteries & Thrillers for the privilege of reading and reviewing The Quiet Neighbor.
November 11, 2025
“From the horrors she survived to the dangers she now faces, her fight for her daughter could cost everything but is it worth it?”
✨The Quiet Neighbor
By J.D. Barker & Adam Roach
Pub Date: Jan 27, 2026
Publisher: Hampton Creek Press / Simon & Schuster
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
Blurb:
Cynthia Burrows thought she had the perfect life a great career, a loving husband, a wonderful daughter. But when eighteen year old Tori disappears, everything unravels.
Security footage shows her leaving with an older man and his name is Alexander Beaufort, the serial killer who destroyed Cynthia’s childhood and was supposed to be behind bars.
Now, someone’s playing a deadly game. With only three days to find her daughter, Cynthia must face her darkest past because in this quiet neighborhood, some neighbors are far more dangerous than they seem.
My Thoughts:
This book completely amazed me! It kicks off with a missing teenager and boom, I was instantly panicked and hooked. The storytelling jumps between then and now the haunting past of Samantha and the present mystery of Tori and it’s done so brilliantly that you just can’t stop reading.
I was tense the whole time, literally holding my breath, flipping page after page with my heart racing. There’s not a single dull moment it pulls you in and doesn’t let go till the last line.
And that ending… WHAT did I just read?? 😱 Dude, what was that?! Omg!! Total shocker! It’s a tornado of a thriller fast, dark, and absolutely wild.
Not just unputdownable this one explodes with twists and leaves you staring at the last page in disbelief. Highly, highly recommend this absolute thriller! 👌🔥
Thank you, @NetGalley and @HamptonCreekPress @Simon&Schuster for the ARC!
#TheQuietNeighbor #JDBarker #NetGalley #ThrillerBooks #BookReview #MysteryThriller #PsychologicalThriller #Bookstagram #ARCReview #hamptoncreekpress
✨The Quiet Neighbor
By J.D. Barker & Adam Roach
Pub Date: Jan 27, 2026
Publisher: Hampton Creek Press / Simon & Schuster
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
Blurb:
Cynthia Burrows thought she had the perfect life a great career, a loving husband, a wonderful daughter. But when eighteen year old Tori disappears, everything unravels.
Security footage shows her leaving with an older man and his name is Alexander Beaufort, the serial killer who destroyed Cynthia’s childhood and was supposed to be behind bars.
Now, someone’s playing a deadly game. With only three days to find her daughter, Cynthia must face her darkest past because in this quiet neighborhood, some neighbors are far more dangerous than they seem.
My Thoughts:
This book completely amazed me! It kicks off with a missing teenager and boom, I was instantly panicked and hooked. The storytelling jumps between then and now the haunting past of Samantha and the present mystery of Tori and it’s done so brilliantly that you just can’t stop reading.
I was tense the whole time, literally holding my breath, flipping page after page with my heart racing. There’s not a single dull moment it pulls you in and doesn’t let go till the last line.
And that ending… WHAT did I just read?? 😱 Dude, what was that?! Omg!! Total shocker! It’s a tornado of a thriller fast, dark, and absolutely wild.
Not just unputdownable this one explodes with twists and leaves you staring at the last page in disbelief. Highly, highly recommend this absolute thriller! 👌🔥
Thank you, @NetGalley and @HamptonCreekPress @Simon&Schuster for the ARC!
#TheQuietNeighbor #JDBarker #NetGalley #ThrillerBooks #BookReview #MysteryThriller #PsychologicalThriller #Bookstagram #ARCReview #hamptoncreekpress
October 18, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Told in both past and present, this book was very easy to follow and understand.
Cynthia Burrows thought she had it all a successful law career, a loving husband, and a beautiful daughter. But when eighteen-year-old Tori suddenly disappears, Cynthia’s perfect world begins to unravel. The school insists Tori was excused by family, the security footage shows her leaving with an older man, and the name of the boy she was supposed to meet? Alexander Beaufort the same man who murdered Cynthia’s best friend twenty years ago and put her into witness protection.
The premise immediately pulled me in, and the pacing kept me hooked the entire time. I really liked how the story balanced the tension between past and present, it was easy to keep track of timelines while still feeling that mounting dread and mystery.
I took notes as I was reading, and while one twist did surprise me, the ending made me realize I was right all along (which honestly made it even more satisfying). I love when a book keeps me second-guessing my theories right up until the last few pages.
This one had great suspense, well-timed reveals, and the kind of “just one more chapter” energy that kept me turning the pages late into the night.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Told in both past and present, this book was very easy to follow and understand.
Cynthia Burrows thought she had it all a successful law career, a loving husband, and a beautiful daughter. But when eighteen-year-old Tori suddenly disappears, Cynthia’s perfect world begins to unravel. The school insists Tori was excused by family, the security footage shows her leaving with an older man, and the name of the boy she was supposed to meet? Alexander Beaufort the same man who murdered Cynthia’s best friend twenty years ago and put her into witness protection.
The premise immediately pulled me in, and the pacing kept me hooked the entire time. I really liked how the story balanced the tension between past and present, it was easy to keep track of timelines while still feeling that mounting dread and mystery.
I took notes as I was reading, and while one twist did surprise me, the ending made me realize I was right all along (which honestly made it even more satisfying). I love when a book keeps me second-guessing my theories right up until the last few pages.
This one had great suspense, well-timed reveals, and the kind of “just one more chapter” energy that kept me turning the pages late into the night.
December 9, 2025
I enjoy plotlines involving serial killers, so I was looking forward to jumping into this one.
This story takes place in two different timelines ‘then and now’. It grabbed my attention right away, with Cynthia, looking for her teenage daughter Tori who didn’t show up for school. Cynthia quickly realizes Tori isn’t quite the daughter she thought she knew so well.
Then we go back years previous, and follow Samantha as she deals with her best friend Vicky going missing. Samantha seems to have the perfect, tidy life, while Vicky lives on the wrong side of town and her Mother barely knows she exists.
With two odd neighbours, one from each timeline, I wondered where this was headed. Cynthia has a past of her own tied to a man named Alexander Beaufort.
I enjoyed this one. I thought the writing was great overall and I was invested in the storyline. My only gripes with the book were, I felt the leeway Cynthia had in the investigation was pretty implausible. She became a bit annoying, and the story seemed to fall flat in the middle. The “Revelation” was impressive, but then it felt like the story dragged on. I definitely enjoyed the Journal aspects to the book, especially that last entry!
I would definitely recommend this one and look forward to reading more books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for the early digital copy.
This book releases on January 27th, 2026.
This story takes place in two different timelines ‘then and now’. It grabbed my attention right away, with Cynthia, looking for her teenage daughter Tori who didn’t show up for school. Cynthia quickly realizes Tori isn’t quite the daughter she thought she knew so well.
Then we go back years previous, and follow Samantha as she deals with her best friend Vicky going missing. Samantha seems to have the perfect, tidy life, while Vicky lives on the wrong side of town and her Mother barely knows she exists.
With two odd neighbours, one from each timeline, I wondered where this was headed. Cynthia has a past of her own tied to a man named Alexander Beaufort.
I enjoyed this one. I thought the writing was great overall and I was invested in the storyline. My only gripes with the book were, I felt the leeway Cynthia had in the investigation was pretty implausible. She became a bit annoying, and the story seemed to fall flat in the middle. The “Revelation” was impressive, but then it felt like the story dragged on. I definitely enjoyed the Journal aspects to the book, especially that last entry!
I would definitely recommend this one and look forward to reading more books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for the early digital copy.
This book releases on January 27th, 2026.
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