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The New Neighbor: A Novel
In the tradition of Zoe Heller’s What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal, The New Neighbor is “a chilling page-turner” (People) with “simple, elegant language” (The New York Times Book Review) about an old woman’s curiosity turned into a dangerous obsession as she becomes involved in her mysterious new neighbor’s complicated life.
How much can you really know about the woman next door?
Ninety-year-old Margaret Riley is content hiding from the world. Stoic and independent, she rarely leaves the Tennessee mountaintop where she lives, finding comfort in the mystery novels that keep her company—until she spots a woman who’s moved into the long-empty house across the pond.
Her neighbor, Jennifer Young, is also looking to hide. On the run from her old life, she and her four-year-old son, Milo, have moved to a quiet town where no one from her past can find her.
In Jennifer, Margaret sees both a potential companion for her loneliness and a mystery to be solved. She thinks if she says the right thing, tells the right story, Jennifer will open up, but Jennifer refuses to talk about herself, her son, his missing father, or her past. Frustrated, Margaret crosses more and more boundaries in pursuit of the truth, threatening to unravel the new life Jennifer has so painstakingly created—and reveal some secrets of her own…
From the critically acclaimed author of The History of Us and The Myth of You and Me, The New Neighbor is “a promising exploration of the secrets we all carry and our refusal to forgive ourselves” (Publishers Weekly).
How much can you really know about the woman next door?
Ninety-year-old Margaret Riley is content hiding from the world. Stoic and independent, she rarely leaves the Tennessee mountaintop where she lives, finding comfort in the mystery novels that keep her company—until she spots a woman who’s moved into the long-empty house across the pond.
Her neighbor, Jennifer Young, is also looking to hide. On the run from her old life, she and her four-year-old son, Milo, have moved to a quiet town where no one from her past can find her.
In Jennifer, Margaret sees both a potential companion for her loneliness and a mystery to be solved. She thinks if she says the right thing, tells the right story, Jennifer will open up, but Jennifer refuses to talk about herself, her son, his missing father, or her past. Frustrated, Margaret crosses more and more boundaries in pursuit of the truth, threatening to unravel the new life Jennifer has so painstakingly created—and reveal some secrets of her own…
From the critically acclaimed author of The History of Us and The Myth of You and Me, The New Neighbor is “a promising exploration of the secrets we all carry and our refusal to forgive ourselves” (Publishers Weekly).
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2015
148 people are currently reading
5113 people want to read
About the author
Leah Stewart
15 books368 followersI'm the author of five novels: BODY OF A GIRL, THE MYTH OF YOU AND ME, HUSBAND AND WIFE, THE HISTORY OF US, and THE NEW NEIGHBOR. I teach in the creative writing program at the University of Cincinnati.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 403 reviews
July 26, 2015
Margaret is 91, lives in a house on a Tennessee mountaintop. The house across from the pond from hers has remained empty since the woman that had lived there had died. Empty., until Jennifer and her four year old son moved in, an occurrence that both intrigues and upsets Margaret. She had come to prize her solitude, but she can't help but be curious. Jennifer has come, seeking a new life for her and her son.
The structure of this book is rather simple, each chapter narrated by Margaret or Jennifer and a little later on by Zoe. While the structure is simple the unraveling of the plot is brilliant. Slowly the reader comes to realize that both these women have secrets in their pasts. The novel is a quiet one, told in linear fashion but with many flashbacks to let the reader know what happened in their pasts. Margaret tells hers or most of hers in conversations with Jennifer because she wants to leave a written record of her life, having been a nurse in WWII, and had seen many terrible things. Margaret's curiosity soon turns into an obsession. She will not stop until she learns all of Jennifer's secrets. There is no overt air of suspense to this novel just a feeling of dread, or at least that is how I felt.
Not sure if I really liked any of these characters, but I understood them. Beaten down in different ways by life they had each put up a shell that was hard to break through. I do love that the author avoided a cliched ending, instead wrote one that I felt was more realistic to the storyline and the characters past actions. A good book that takes a fair amount of patience, especially at the beginning.
I think the motto of this novel is: If you have secrets do not move anywhere near an elderly, single woman.
The structure of this book is rather simple, each chapter narrated by Margaret or Jennifer and a little later on by Zoe. While the structure is simple the unraveling of the plot is brilliant. Slowly the reader comes to realize that both these women have secrets in their pasts. The novel is a quiet one, told in linear fashion but with many flashbacks to let the reader know what happened in their pasts. Margaret tells hers or most of hers in conversations with Jennifer because she wants to leave a written record of her life, having been a nurse in WWII, and had seen many terrible things. Margaret's curiosity soon turns into an obsession. She will not stop until she learns all of Jennifer's secrets. There is no overt air of suspense to this novel just a feeling of dread, or at least that is how I felt.
Not sure if I really liked any of these characters, but I understood them. Beaten down in different ways by life they had each put up a shell that was hard to break through. I do love that the author avoided a cliched ending, instead wrote one that I felt was more realistic to the storyline and the characters past actions. A good book that takes a fair amount of patience, especially at the beginning.
I think the motto of this novel is: If you have secrets do not move anywhere near an elderly, single woman.
September 16, 2015
This book just rambled on and on....What, pray tell, was the point in it? It took forever to drag through this. The whole point of the story was ridiculous. This very similar plot came up in another book, but it was a blip in the context of the whole book. My apologies for not remembering the title of the book, but it was a much better read. (If I remember it, I will add it to this review.)
I wouldn't waste my time on this book. None of the characters are likeable, nor did I care what happened to them. The writing was mediocre. As I said, the whole story... just....dragged....and.... dragged....and.... dragged....on....for....what.... seemed....an....eternity.
I wouldn't waste my time on this book. None of the characters are likeable, nor did I care what happened to them. The writing was mediocre. As I said, the whole story... just....dragged....and.... dragged....and.... dragged....on....for....what.... seemed....an....eternity.
July 10, 2015
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Many thanks to Touchstone for making it available!
"Who in the world will still want you, once they know everything you have to tell?"
Margaret Riley is 90 years old. She lives by herself on a Tennessee mountaintop, and feels that her age gives her the right to keep people at arm's length, to speak sharply and to the point, and even be cruel when she wants to. But what most people in her town don't know is the type of life Margaret lived when she was younger—a fiercely independent nurse who served in World War II and saw more than her share of death and destruction. She also loved deeply and has more secrets than she cares to admit.
One day Margaret's relatively dull existence is disturbed by the arrival of Jennifer Young, who moves into the long-empty house across the pond, with her young son, Milo. Margaret can sense there is something Jennifer is hiding and is determined to figure out what it is, and she's not above using her age and a little subterfuge to aid her detective work.
Jennifer is hiding something. She's hiding herself and Milo, determined to make a new start, away from the trauma and guilt that plagued her life before she fled. She wants Milo to grow up happy and healthy and safe, and she tries her hardest to keep everyone at arm's length so no one cares enough to try and figure out what her story is. But living this kind of solitary life is hard, so she starts to let down her guard. And then when Margaret asks her to help record her life story, she is tremendously intrigued to find out what secrets the old woman has been hiding—but she doesn't realize Margaret is manipulating her.
The New Neighbor is billed as a different twist on Zoe Heller's What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal , a book I absolutely loved. And while Margaret's lonely and predatory nature is somewhat similar to Barbara's in Heller's book, I found the tales Margaret told to be a little unclear, and at points I wasn't sure if what she was saying really happened or she was just using the story to manipulate Jennifer into divulging her own secrets. I felt that Leah Stewart was setting the plot up for a confrontation that never happened, and while I was glad the story wasn't that predictable, I still wanted more.
I absolutely loved Stewart's earlier novel, The Myth of You and Me , and devoured it in practically one sitting several years ago. While The New Neighbor isn't as strong as that book, Stewart's talent for storytelling and character development (even unlikeable characters) is still evident, making this book an intriguing if not entirely satisfying read.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
"Who in the world will still want you, once they know everything you have to tell?"
Margaret Riley is 90 years old. She lives by herself on a Tennessee mountaintop, and feels that her age gives her the right to keep people at arm's length, to speak sharply and to the point, and even be cruel when she wants to. But what most people in her town don't know is the type of life Margaret lived when she was younger—a fiercely independent nurse who served in World War II and saw more than her share of death and destruction. She also loved deeply and has more secrets than she cares to admit.
One day Margaret's relatively dull existence is disturbed by the arrival of Jennifer Young, who moves into the long-empty house across the pond, with her young son, Milo. Margaret can sense there is something Jennifer is hiding and is determined to figure out what it is, and she's not above using her age and a little subterfuge to aid her detective work.
Jennifer is hiding something. She's hiding herself and Milo, determined to make a new start, away from the trauma and guilt that plagued her life before she fled. She wants Milo to grow up happy and healthy and safe, and she tries her hardest to keep everyone at arm's length so no one cares enough to try and figure out what her story is. But living this kind of solitary life is hard, so she starts to let down her guard. And then when Margaret asks her to help record her life story, she is tremendously intrigued to find out what secrets the old woman has been hiding—but she doesn't realize Margaret is manipulating her.
The New Neighbor is billed as a different twist on Zoe Heller's What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal , a book I absolutely loved. And while Margaret's lonely and predatory nature is somewhat similar to Barbara's in Heller's book, I found the tales Margaret told to be a little unclear, and at points I wasn't sure if what she was saying really happened or she was just using the story to manipulate Jennifer into divulging her own secrets. I felt that Leah Stewart was setting the plot up for a confrontation that never happened, and while I was glad the story wasn't that predictable, I still wanted more.
I absolutely loved Stewart's earlier novel, The Myth of You and Me , and devoured it in practically one sitting several years ago. While The New Neighbor isn't as strong as that book, Stewart's talent for storytelling and character development (even unlikeable characters) is still evident, making this book an intriguing if not entirely satisfying read.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
November 30, 2015
I think this might be my favourite Leah Stewart Novel so far. She's such a great writer, good characters, atmosphere and suspense. Highly recommend.
August 5, 2015
Tennessee mountaintop.
This is the base of the story where Jennifer Young and her young son Milo go to live, running away from a past that you don't get to know about anytime soon. Its kept quite quiet like a ticking bomb behind the scenes of this story.
Then there is this little old lady who has lived on the moutaintop alone, and never venture far, reclusive. She is used to looking across the way and seeing the other place empty. So now she is intrigued, but also quietly annoyed.
She loves her alone time, she likes her solitude. She treasures her peace and quiet without any interference.
Doesn't stop her from being curious though.
Each one had built a wall around them which was hard to penetrate.
I'm just not sure about this story. In all, it was good but didn't keep me reading and flicking pages. I was happy to get up and put the kettle on.
I love Leah Stewart's book, just this one was a little slow for me and at times felt just a little unreal.
All in all, I would say it was an OK read.
**My thanks go to Touchstone via Net Galley for my individual copy to read and review **
November 14, 2016
"The New Neighbor" was my first novel by Leah Stewart. I have no idea if this book reflects her typical writing style. Before I could connect with one character to any degree, she would switch to a different character. It didn't help that all the characters were unlikable, either. The storyline seemed to meander throughout the book, changing from one timeframe to another. The ending? Well, it ended.
"...so little time." With all the books to choose from and the hours we invest in them, there are those unfortunate times that we unknowingly set ourselves up for disappointments. This was one of those times.
I've commented numerous times how books attract us to them. Kudos to Olga Grlic, the jacket designer. Great book cover!
2.5 stars
"...so little time." With all the books to choose from and the hours we invest in them, there are those unfortunate times that we unknowingly set ourselves up for disappointments. This was one of those times.
I've commented numerous times how books attract us to them. Kudos to Olga Grlic, the jacket designer. Great book cover!
2.5 stars
June 8, 2015
I had very high hopes for this novel. I've read previous books by this author, and I want to put it right out there that by no means was this a bad book. But ultimately, it made a few promises and didn't seem to deliver on them. The book claimed to be like "What Was She Thinking" by Zoe Heller, a good psychological literary page turner. This book was a bit weaker than that. Let's get into the plot, shall we?
A woman named Jennifer moves into an area that is very isolated and she attracts the attention of the very lonely Margaret, a 90 year old woman. Margaret becomes very interested in learning about Jennifer, almost to the point of obsession. What sort of secret is Jennifer hiding? And what is Margaret hiding as well?
The issue I had with this book was that once the secrets were revealed, they were neither particularly original, nor compelling. When I got to the last page of the book last night, my first thought was..that's it? There are a few creepy moments, but the vast majority of the book was a bit disappointing because nothing really happens.
I think this would make a fine beach read but when it comes to the end of the year, this book will not be a memorable one for me.
A woman named Jennifer moves into an area that is very isolated and she attracts the attention of the very lonely Margaret, a 90 year old woman. Margaret becomes very interested in learning about Jennifer, almost to the point of obsession. What sort of secret is Jennifer hiding? And what is Margaret hiding as well?
The issue I had with this book was that once the secrets were revealed, they were neither particularly original, nor compelling. When I got to the last page of the book last night, my first thought was..that's it? There are a few creepy moments, but the vast majority of the book was a bit disappointing because nothing really happens.
I think this would make a fine beach read but when it comes to the end of the year, this book will not be a memorable one for me.
June 6, 2016
This is the most boring book I have read this year. The writing was redundant and repetitive. For example in the same sentence Stewart wrote She was bored, did I mention she was bored. This book was boring, boring, boring. Did I say boring? It was touted as the new psychological thriller. Nope. This book all 288 pages of it told you nothing exciting. There was no reason to turn the page, it was just pure boring.
August 27, 2015
Melancholic read about a woman with secrets and her nosy & emotionally needy neighbor.
July 19, 2015
"We do bad things and yet think of ourselves as good. Fundamentally good, despite a slip-up or two. Other people, though. When they do a bad thing, we tend to think they're bad." 90 year old Margaret, is spending her last years reading mystery novels on her back deck. So, she recognizes a mystery when the long-empty house across the lake suddenly gets a new tenant. One that doesn't want to talk about herself, her son, his missing father or her past. But Margaret, isn't going to let her off the hook so easily. Solid 3.5 stars!
July 3, 2017
This was a book I found on Marilyn's shelves and I wanted to read it for her. It looks like we agree on this one, I'm also giving it 4 stars. I liked how the author went back and fourth between a 3rd person narrative and Margaret's own voice. I really liked Margaret. I'm not sure if that was the author's intention or not. She's 91 years old, angry, lonely, and very manipulative. Jennifer is her new neighbor across the pond, and instantly she knows that something is off. We find out later what and why. A good read, good flow. Not an intense thriller but a steady climb and a satisfying ending. 4 stars.
April 11, 2021
This was disappointing.... I feel like this book had an identity crisis - Was it a drama, a mystery, historical fiction?? It certainly wasn’t a thriller although that’s what it was supposed to be.... “A chilling page turner” (that’s what I was promised) but it was anything but. Not chilling, not a page turner, there was just nothing gripping about this. Considering it was only 288 pages it took me a long time to finish this too. It’s got to be 2 stars from me. Though it was by no means awful, it is not a book i would recommend.
July 16, 2015
In the tradition of Zoe Heller's What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal, The New Neighbor is a darkly sophisticated novel about an old woman's curiosity turned into a dangerous obsession as she becomes involved in her new neighbor's complicated and cloaked life.
Ninety-year-old Margaret Riley is content hiding from the world. Stoic and independent, she rarely leaves the Tennessee mountaintop where she lives, finding comfort in the mystery novels that keep her company, that is, until she spots a woman who's moved into the long-empty house across the pond.
Jennifer Young is also looking to hide. On the run from her old life, she and her four-year-old son Milo have moved to a quiet town where no one from her past can find her.
In Jennifer, Margaret sees both a potential companion in her loneliness and a mystery to be solved. But Jennifer refuses to talk about herself, her son, his missing father, or her past. Frustrated, Margaret crosses more and more boundaries in pursuit of the truth, threatening to unravel the new life Jennifer has so painstakingly created and reveal some secrets of her own.
--My thoughts. A MUST read. If you like thrillers, then this one is for you. Clear your schedule though because you won't want anything to interrupt you once you start it. What starts out as innocent friendship, just escalates. Margaret gets nosy. She just doesn't understand why Jennifer isn't telling her much about herself, so crosses the line. At the end of the book, the author talks a bit about how she came to write the book, which meant a lot more.
I just love this author, and now I really do. Do yourself a favor and just pick this book up!
I received a copy of this book from Goodreads first reads program in exchange for my honest opinion.
Ninety-year-old Margaret Riley is content hiding from the world. Stoic and independent, she rarely leaves the Tennessee mountaintop where she lives, finding comfort in the mystery novels that keep her company, that is, until she spots a woman who's moved into the long-empty house across the pond.
Jennifer Young is also looking to hide. On the run from her old life, she and her four-year-old son Milo have moved to a quiet town where no one from her past can find her.
In Jennifer, Margaret sees both a potential companion in her loneliness and a mystery to be solved. But Jennifer refuses to talk about herself, her son, his missing father, or her past. Frustrated, Margaret crosses more and more boundaries in pursuit of the truth, threatening to unravel the new life Jennifer has so painstakingly created and reveal some secrets of her own.
--My thoughts. A MUST read. If you like thrillers, then this one is for you. Clear your schedule though because you won't want anything to interrupt you once you start it. What starts out as innocent friendship, just escalates. Margaret gets nosy. She just doesn't understand why Jennifer isn't telling her much about herself, so crosses the line. At the end of the book, the author talks a bit about how she came to write the book, which meant a lot more.
I just love this author, and now I really do. Do yourself a favor and just pick this book up!
I received a copy of this book from Goodreads first reads program in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 14, 2016
I'm not quite sure what to think about this book. I liked it, but so many actions of the characters made me feel uncomfortable for some reason. I guess it was a situation where they all seemed confrontational on some level, and it wasn't clear what their motivations were until the last few pages.
People filled with suspicion, guilt, loneliness and more. And one recurring element was unburdening. It presented itself in interesting ways and was a driving force.
People filled with suspicion, guilt, loneliness and more. And one recurring element was unburdening. It presented itself in interesting ways and was a driving force.
January 22, 2021
Margaret, a ninety-year-old woman, has a new neighbor across the pond. She loves reading and solving mysteries is one of her last pleasures, and Jennifer Young and her four-year-old son Milo is her current focus.
As a ruse, she convinces Jennifer that she needs her services as a massage therapist. From there, Maggie starts telling Jennifer her story in the war in order to figure out Jennifer's story. Jennifer is tight-lipped not only to Margaret, but also to her new friend Megan.
Solving the mystery of Jennifer may just destroy them both, and all who are connected to them. Overall, a psychological thriller.
Quotes to remember:
"No one will love us if they know the worse and yet if they don't know the worse we can't trust their love." (p. 106)
"We're all a little morally ambiguous..." (p. 160)
"We do bad things and yet think of ourselves as good. Fundamentally good, despite a slip-up or two. Other people, though. When they do a bad thing, we tend to think they're bad." (p. 160)
As a ruse, she convinces Jennifer that she needs her services as a massage therapist. From there, Maggie starts telling Jennifer her story in the war in order to figure out Jennifer's story. Jennifer is tight-lipped not only to Margaret, but also to her new friend Megan.
Solving the mystery of Jennifer may just destroy them both, and all who are connected to them. Overall, a psychological thriller.
Quotes to remember:
"No one will love us if they know the worse and yet if they don't know the worse we can't trust their love." (p. 106)
"We're all a little morally ambiguous..." (p. 160)
"We do bad things and yet think of ourselves as good. Fundamentally good, despite a slip-up or two. Other people, though. When they do a bad thing, we tend to think they're bad." (p. 160)
September 30, 2015
"First-read" I won this book on GR. I'm going to write my review later but let me say, WOW! I really liked it. I was getting a bit pissed off by the jumping back and forth and trying to figure out whose talking now and what is going on. And it wasn't until the end that I realized that was the hook, I'm revved up, I'm aggravated, I'm curious... And the drama of it all and then bam. It's not what you think, it's better. It's two lost hurt souls who need a shoulder to cry on but are to prideful, ashamed and human to open up, to be less like themselves or whatever it is they need to find peace in their lives. I confess through you, you confess through me. I'm angry, I'm bitter, I'm prideful & that's all I'm going to say. This novel is GREAT! 4.5 stars really. Only reason I didn't say 5 stars is because I wanted a HEA. Closure. Only Margaret got that, at the expense of another.
September 14, 2015
This is a hard one to review. It was an interesting enough story, but there were large chunks that were extremely boring.
The end result of the book was satisfying, and that is why my rating went up to a three.
The end result of the book was satisfying, and that is why my rating went up to a three.
December 13, 2018
Audio book .... Christ alive the main character 91 year old Margaret is an interfering old bitch !!!!
It does not actually ever have a point this book .. it just sort of rambles but it was ok to listen in the car or whilst making the evening meal. I’m relieved I didn’t actually buy it though !!!!
It does not actually ever have a point this book .. it just sort of rambles but it was ok to listen in the car or whilst making the evening meal. I’m relieved I didn’t actually buy it though !!!!
July 13, 2021
Interesting book that illustrates how we don’t always know what people are REALLY like—even when we get to know them. Moves a little slowly at times, but worth a read (but not on the top of the TBR pile)
September 8, 2015
Writing
As soon as I read the blurb's comparison to Zoe Heller's What Was She Thinking, I requested a copy of this one from NetGalley. Unfortunately that comparison seems to be a bit...overambitious. It's not that the writing here is bad, it's just not great and it's definitely not something I'd characterize as literary in the way I would Heller's novel. It's straight up women's fiction - decent women's fiction, but certainly not what I'd consider a work of literature either. The author does a fine job and could easily blend in with Kristin Hannah, Barbara Delinski, or Jodi Picoult. There are mysterious pasts explored in both the present and during Margert's time as a nurse in World War II, but the real meat of the book is focused on the characters' emotions and relationships. My only critique in terms of the quality of writing is that I found several plot trails to be extraneous to the story as a whole. She starts going interesting places with Jennifer's new Megan, her potential alcoholism and oppressive husband, but this thread never really leads anywhere and just fizzles out at the end.
Entertainment Value
My real problem with the book lay in what I felt like was a misleading blurb. Phrases like "darkly sophisticated" and "dangerous obsession" just do not describe anything found in the book. Had I known it was straight up women's fiction, I probably wouldn't have chosen it. The description of a dark novel, a thriller, a book with danger and the comparison to Heller's What Was She Thinking are what drew me to request the book. Nothing even remotely dangerous happens here. There is no crime committed, just a curious, lonely old lady who fancies herself a detective. No one is ever in danger of anything other than having a secret past exposed and potential gossip.
It's really not that the book itself isn't successful for what it is - women's fiction with two relationship-based mysteries. I enjoyed the read, particularly the portions set in the past, but I felt like I spent the entire book waiting on a sense of danger, dread, or suspense that never came. I kept thinking at any moment I was going to be introduced to larger stakes for the characters or an unforeseen twist, but it plays out as you would expect with no surprises or twists.
Overall
It's a fine book and if you're a fan of women's fiction, it's worth a read. But don't go into it expecting dark psychological drama or any form of suspense/dangerous stakes. The book is about relationships and what the truth means to different characters and how they choose to face their pasts.
It does get bonus points for being set in and around Sewannee, Monteagle, and Chattanooga - all places I know and love.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to review!
As soon as I read the blurb's comparison to Zoe Heller's What Was She Thinking, I requested a copy of this one from NetGalley. Unfortunately that comparison seems to be a bit...overambitious. It's not that the writing here is bad, it's just not great and it's definitely not something I'd characterize as literary in the way I would Heller's novel. It's straight up women's fiction - decent women's fiction, but certainly not what I'd consider a work of literature either. The author does a fine job and could easily blend in with Kristin Hannah, Barbara Delinski, or Jodi Picoult. There are mysterious pasts explored in both the present and during Margert's time as a nurse in World War II, but the real meat of the book is focused on the characters' emotions and relationships. My only critique in terms of the quality of writing is that I found several plot trails to be extraneous to the story as a whole. She starts going interesting places with Jennifer's new Megan, her potential alcoholism and oppressive husband, but this thread never really leads anywhere and just fizzles out at the end.
Entertainment Value
My real problem with the book lay in what I felt like was a misleading blurb. Phrases like "darkly sophisticated" and "dangerous obsession" just do not describe anything found in the book. Had I known it was straight up women's fiction, I probably wouldn't have chosen it. The description of a dark novel, a thriller, a book with danger and the comparison to Heller's What Was She Thinking are what drew me to request the book. Nothing even remotely dangerous happens here. There is no crime committed, just a curious, lonely old lady who fancies herself a detective. No one is ever in danger of anything other than having a secret past exposed and potential gossip.
It's really not that the book itself isn't successful for what it is - women's fiction with two relationship-based mysteries. I enjoyed the read, particularly the portions set in the past, but I felt like I spent the entire book waiting on a sense of danger, dread, or suspense that never came. I kept thinking at any moment I was going to be introduced to larger stakes for the characters or an unforeseen twist, but it plays out as you would expect with no surprises or twists.
Overall
It's a fine book and if you're a fan of women's fiction, it's worth a read. But don't go into it expecting dark psychological drama or any form of suspense/dangerous stakes. The book is about relationships and what the truth means to different characters and how they choose to face their pasts.
It does get bonus points for being set in and around Sewannee, Monteagle, and Chattanooga - all places I know and love.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to review!
February 4, 2016
“We do bad things and yet think of ourselves as good. Fundamentally good, you see, despite a slipup or two. Other people, though. When they do a bad thing, we tend to think they're bad.”
I started this book on a whim and at first it didn't really catch my attention very well. At one point I even forgot I was reading it and started on a completely separate book only to pick it back up a few months later. I'm extremely glad I finished it though because it got so much more interesting. I received the ebook for free courtesy of Jellybooks as a research project they were doing so I didn't have knowledge of it prior to reading it and therefore wasn't sure what to expect; and it did a great job at keeping me guessing throughout.
Rating: 4/5
It almost got a full five but I had to cut a point off because it started to feel a little bit rushed toward the end. Other than that I have no real complaints.
Things I didn't like:
As mentioned above, things began to feel rushed toward the end of the book. It seemed like the author was crunched for time or possibly even just really ready to wrap it all up.
Things I did like:
I chose the quote I did because the best part of this book for me was that none of the characters were "good." They all had decent qualities but they were also all flawed, a few more than others but it was so real and I loved that. They were all "morally ambiguous," as Milo would say.
I'm usually iffy about books that have dialogue for young children but this one didn't seem awkward or unrealistic. Milo, Ben, and young Jennifer all had distinct voices and all said things I can imagine a child saying.
The portrayals of characters, their development, and the concept of things hardly ever being what they seem like on the outside. I really enjoyed that this book showed how flawed and messy love can be when in the beginning it's nothing but ignorant bliss. I enjoyed every single character even when I got annoyed with them.
In other words...
This book covered an array of things from love to war, from old age to the innocence of childhood. In some moments it was intense, in others sad, and in others it was very sweet. All in all it was a great read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone 16 and up. I'll definitely be buying a hard copy in the near future.
July 3, 2015
The New Neighbor is a very observational story where one’s curiosity about her neighbor becomes a crazy obsession eventually going too far.
Margaret is a ninety year old woman who has been living alone for quite some time. She is very lonely and rarely has contact with other people. She is often reading detective novels on her back deck. When she notices the house she can see across the pond is all of a sudden occupied, her curiosity becomes a bit too much. Margaret is desperate to have her neighbor in her life wanting to know all about her turning it into a mystery for herself. Jennifer is a woman with a four year old son just looking to escape her old life. Changing her last name and keeping to herself is what Jennifer wants, but she immediately notices the neighbor across the pond is watching her. The two women’s paths do eventually cross when Jennifer looks for clients to massage. As the story progresses, Margaret gets desperate to share her past with someone, while Jennifer remains so desperate to keep hers to herself. Both of the women’s pasts do eventually come to light slowly throughout the book. The story goes places I did not expect, but enjoyed.
The narrators alternate between chapters from Margaret to Jennifer throughout the whole book, adding an additional POV to the rotation in the last part. At times I found the story a bit on the slow side, but I still finished it in less than a day for what that is worth. It gets a bit psychological throughout and is very observational. Loneliness is a common theme throughout the novel.
I would recommend to anyone who enjoyed What Was She Thinking: Notes on a Scandal.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.
Margaret is a ninety year old woman who has been living alone for quite some time. She is very lonely and rarely has contact with other people. She is often reading detective novels on her back deck. When she notices the house she can see across the pond is all of a sudden occupied, her curiosity becomes a bit too much. Margaret is desperate to have her neighbor in her life wanting to know all about her turning it into a mystery for herself. Jennifer is a woman with a four year old son just looking to escape her old life. Changing her last name and keeping to herself is what Jennifer wants, but she immediately notices the neighbor across the pond is watching her. The two women’s paths do eventually cross when Jennifer looks for clients to massage. As the story progresses, Margaret gets desperate to share her past with someone, while Jennifer remains so desperate to keep hers to herself. Both of the women’s pasts do eventually come to light slowly throughout the book. The story goes places I did not expect, but enjoyed.
The narrators alternate between chapters from Margaret to Jennifer throughout the whole book, adding an additional POV to the rotation in the last part. At times I found the story a bit on the slow side, but I still finished it in less than a day for what that is worth. It gets a bit psychological throughout and is very observational. Loneliness is a common theme throughout the novel.
I would recommend to anyone who enjoyed What Was She Thinking: Notes on a Scandal.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.
January 12, 2016
This is my first book by Leah Stewart and I'm wondering how she has not been on my radar before now. Thank you to author Catherine McKenzie for offering this book as a giveaway. I loved the atmosphere of the book. It's all dark and moody, which I enjoy. The story follows 91 year old Margaret and her new neighbor Jennifer. Margaret leads a quiet life alone, but she has an inquisitive nature and loves reading mysteries. Margaret recognizes there more to Jennifer than she lets on and Margaret decides to find a way to draw the woman's story out. She does that by providing her own story to Jennifer. There's much more to Margaret than meets the eye. No spoilers, but there's a major plot twist toward the end. The story will not spell it all out for you and I like how the author leaves it up to the reader to interpret the ending a bit.
February 26, 2016
Margaret Riley, a ninety-year-old woman living a solitary life on a Tennessee mountain, notices a new neighbor moving in across the pond. Jennifer Young is hiding from her old life with her four-year-old son, Milo. Both Margaret and Jennifer have dark secrets. The third main character is Zoe, Jennifer’s daughter.
This book certainly held my interest, but I was disappointed in Margaret and I felt rather depressed as I finished reading. I guess it proves that actions definitely have consequences.
This book certainly held my interest, but I was disappointed in Margaret and I felt rather depressed as I finished reading. I guess it proves that actions definitely have consequences.
January 18, 2016
read this one straight through. I disliked all the characters, yet I was enthralled by how toxic people could be to each other. the way the book unfolded kept me glued. very well written.
November 19, 2018
To paraphrase Blanche Dubois, "this is not the book I was expecting". It's not really a mystery, more, oh I don't know, a sort of so-so novel about the fact that everyone has secrets. Who cares.
August 17, 2020
This is a book that I did not want to end. Stewart’s writing astounded me, moved me, and deeply disturbed me at times. Her ability to put me in the mindset of 91 year old Margaret was inspired “it’s not the world I can’t escape but my body. Not so much it’s demands at this stage, but it’s complaints and limitations. It’s resistance and it’s pain.”
Margaret’s busy body nature gets the best of her as she coerces Jennifer into her life. Jennifer has mysteriously moved into the long vacant house across the pond with her 4 year old son Milo. Before long, Jennifer has been hired as a masseuse, then a recorder of Margaret’s experiences in WWII. But there is so much more to this deeply layered story which is why I gave it 5 stars...a heart wrenching tale of love, loss, regret, and redemption.
I should also point out that I attended Sewanee as an undergrad and she captured its essence perfectly “Sometimes up here on this mountain it can feel like there is no rest of the world. All those other places we’ve been are just dreams we had, as life would seem like a dream from the pretty claustrophobia of heaven.”
Margaret’s busy body nature gets the best of her as she coerces Jennifer into her life. Jennifer has mysteriously moved into the long vacant house across the pond with her 4 year old son Milo. Before long, Jennifer has been hired as a masseuse, then a recorder of Margaret’s experiences in WWII. But there is so much more to this deeply layered story which is why I gave it 5 stars...a heart wrenching tale of love, loss, regret, and redemption.
I should also point out that I attended Sewanee as an undergrad and she captured its essence perfectly “Sometimes up here on this mountain it can feel like there is no rest of the world. All those other places we’ve been are just dreams we had, as life would seem like a dream from the pretty claustrophobia of heaven.”
August 6, 2018
I did not finish this book and as a rule I NEVER NOT finish a book even if I'm not into the story. But all my other books came in, so I had 9 books to read so I just put this book back. It was kind of dragging for me, was not to much into the story, although I will say I WOULD re check this book out, because I would like to know how it ends.
June 6, 2018
This got even better, page by page. Not at all what I expected by the title. Very strong characters, I really related to Margaret, I’m not that old but getting there! No romance in this book, just good stories that intertwine into a great conclusion. Will look forward to more by this author.
December 17, 2022
Well. I would’ve recommended this book up until the last 30 pages. It seems as if the author got tired of writing the book, decided to throw an extra character in last minute, and leave things unresolved. Not a fan.
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