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The Girl Next Door
One little lie just became deadly…
Perfect mother. Perfect wife. Jane Goodwin has spent years building her picture-perfect life in the quiet town of Ashdon.
So when the girl next door, sixteen-year-old Clare Edwards, is found murdered, Jane knows she must first protect her family.
Every marriage has a few white lies and hers is no exception. Jane’s worked hard to cover up her dark secret from all those years ago – and she’ll do anything to keep it hidden…
Perfect mother. Perfect wife. Jane Goodwin has spent years building her picture-perfect life in the quiet town of Ashdon.
So when the girl next door, sixteen-year-old Clare Edwards, is found murdered, Jane knows she must first protect her family.
Every marriage has a few white lies and hers is no exception. Jane’s worked hard to cover up her dark secret from all those years ago – and she’ll do anything to keep it hidden…
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2019
464 people are currently reading
3618 people want to read
About the author
Phoebe Morgan
12 books673 followersPhoebe Morgan is an author and editor. She studied English at Leeds University after growing up in the Suffolk countryside. She has previously worked as a journalist and now edits crime and women’s fiction for a publishing house during the day, and writes her own books in the evenings. She lives in London and you can follow her on Twitter @Phoebe_A_Morgan. The Doll House is her debut novel. It became a bestseller, topping the iBooks charts at #1 and the Amazon charts at #35.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 537 reviews
February 24, 2019
The Girl Next Door by Phoebe Morgan was a book that could very easily have read in one sitting. I was completely hooked in the story with all of its twists and turns. The residents of this town were intriguing and I did not know where it was going until it went there. I loved this book, it was very cleverly written , keeping me guessing all along.
Ashdon is a small, sleepy village where everybody knows everybody's business - or so they all think. Jane Goodwin is the perfect mother and the local doctors wife. She has a life that others are envious of but she is hiding some very dark secrets. So when her 16 year old neighbour Clare Edwards is found murdered she knows she must protect her family. Clare also had secrets from the world, can the police find her killer when nobody wants to tell the truth.
I read this book through daily staves over 11 days with thanks to Pigeonhole Books. It was a tough one to read such small snippets of but I loved every minute of it!
Ashdon is a small, sleepy village where everybody knows everybody's business - or so they all think. Jane Goodwin is the perfect mother and the local doctors wife. She has a life that others are envious of but she is hiding some very dark secrets. So when her 16 year old neighbour Clare Edwards is found murdered she knows she must protect her family. Clare also had secrets from the world, can the police find her killer when nobody wants to tell the truth.
I read this book through daily staves over 11 days with thanks to Pigeonhole Books. It was a tough one to read such small snippets of but I loved every minute of it!
January 28, 2019
I was given the opportunity to read an early copy of this book and boy am I glad I took it. Very early I was sucked into Jane's story and the mystery of the body in the field behind her house. The story was full of twists and turns, leaving me with an open mouth at times until the final conclusion that I didn't see coming. I haven't yet read The Doll's House, but I shall be remedying that as soon as I can. Highly recommended if you like your psychological thrillers atmospheric with a side order of palpable tension.
February 16, 2019
An interesting story about a teenage girl who is found dead and ( again ) a whodunit based around the parents and neighbours and people who live in the small Essex town of Ashdon
Of course there are secrets on secrets on secrets errr on secrets and nothing is quite as it seems
I really enjoyed the narrative of Jane ( the neighbour ) and how her thoughts were described and her sniffy on point observations of everyone where great
I thought the killer was quite easy to fathom out but didnt spoil the book for me at all
The actual WOAHHHHHHH of the book was not who the actual murderer was but who they pretended to be and what they actually were!!!and that nicely led to the NON all loose ends tied up everyones happy ending.....this is the opposite!!!
Its quite easy to say psychological thriller at the moment and cover a wide range of things but this truly is a book worthy of that description
8/10 4 Stars
December 29, 2018
The Girl Next Door by Phoebe Morgan is a psychological thriller with quite a few twist and turns.
A teenage girl is found murdered in the field behind her house.
Jane who lives next door is trying to help the family and also making sure that her children are safe. Both family's have secrets that they would rather stay hidden.
I enjoyed this book but guessed who the killer was quite early on.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
A teenage girl is found murdered in the field behind her house.
Jane who lives next door is trying to help the family and also making sure that her children are safe. Both family's have secrets that they would rather stay hidden.
I enjoyed this book but guessed who the killer was quite early on.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2019
The Girl Next Door, Phoebe Morgan's second novel, is a well-crafted tale that highlights how destructive secrets and lies can be. There are a few twists throughout and some of them were quite easy to predict, but I never saw the ending coming, so it remained a solid read despite my correct guesses of where it was heading. The characters are well built and believable, and although most of them are unlikeable it didn't impact my enjoyment. Morgan depicts a small town community where people hide behind a facade when behind it there is much jealousy and judgemental behaviour. This is rural Essex where gossip runs rife and is taken as gospel. You quickly realise that no-one can be trusted making the tension all the more palpable.
The multiple perspectives keep you engrossed and immersed in the story and lets us see things from various different points of view, and the pace and structure of the book made it extra suspenseful. Those of us who appreciate an unreliable narrator will no doubt love this novel. The author hooks you in from the very beginning and holds your attention right until the stunning and satisfying conclusion. I liked this a lot more than her debut as this is a real page-turner, which at certain points was dark and utterly chilling. However, I would've liked a little more background on DS Madeleine Shaw as she's a fascinating character, and I hope to see her making an appearance in future books. Ultimately this is a masterclass in how to create a gripping novel through unreliable narration.
Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.
The multiple perspectives keep you engrossed and immersed in the story and lets us see things from various different points of view, and the pace and structure of the book made it extra suspenseful. Those of us who appreciate an unreliable narrator will no doubt love this novel. The author hooks you in from the very beginning and holds your attention right until the stunning and satisfying conclusion. I liked this a lot more than her debut as this is a real page-turner, which at certain points was dark and utterly chilling. However, I would've liked a little more background on DS Madeleine Shaw as she's a fascinating character, and I hope to see her making an appearance in future books. Ultimately this is a masterclass in how to create a gripping novel through unreliable narration.
Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.
September 29, 2019
The girl next door by Phoebe Morgan
2,5 out of 5 ⭐️
For me this is yet another thriller that relies heavily on the formulaic who-dunnit, with the odd contrived twist and turn, but little else to get off the ground. It lacks any of the necessary complexity that a good thriller needs to excite the reader. I found simply that there was not a lot to it.
I also found myself highly irritated from the get go with this one, as it is so badly written. I just couldn't stomach sloppy lines such as "She texted Tricia and I" ! I found the plot riddled with holes, the charaterisation weak and many of the turn of events just didn’t seem credible. The narration was tedious. The story is told in turns by different members of the community - by Jane Goodwin, 'Perfect mother. Perfect wife' who I wanted to slap at every turn, by other not particularly complex characters, as well as the victim herself, Clare Edwards who is just as obsessed with her long blonde hair as the rest of the narrators. Vomit.
I appreciate that Jane's parochial character and inane commentary, such as saying that chocolate biscuits are reserved for special occasions - 'the last thing I need are multiple trips to the dentist', (more grammar slips here) are part of the plot, but I find this as a concept beyond the point of ridicule. The plot is weak and annoying, though it has 1 good twist at the end to redeem it. Maybe.
The girl next door reads fairly well in that it's easy to get info it, but it's just as easy to forget.
2,5 out of 5 ⭐️
For me this is yet another thriller that relies heavily on the formulaic who-dunnit, with the odd contrived twist and turn, but little else to get off the ground. It lacks any of the necessary complexity that a good thriller needs to excite the reader. I found simply that there was not a lot to it.
I also found myself highly irritated from the get go with this one, as it is so badly written. I just couldn't stomach sloppy lines such as "She texted Tricia and I" ! I found the plot riddled with holes, the charaterisation weak and many of the turn of events just didn’t seem credible. The narration was tedious. The story is told in turns by different members of the community - by Jane Goodwin, 'Perfect mother. Perfect wife' who I wanted to slap at every turn, by other not particularly complex characters, as well as the victim herself, Clare Edwards who is just as obsessed with her long blonde hair as the rest of the narrators. Vomit.
I appreciate that Jane's parochial character and inane commentary, such as saying that chocolate biscuits are reserved for special occasions - 'the last thing I need are multiple trips to the dentist', (more grammar slips here) are part of the plot, but I find this as a concept beyond the point of ridicule. The plot is weak and annoying, though it has 1 good twist at the end to redeem it. Maybe.
The girl next door reads fairly well in that it's easy to get info it, but it's just as easy to forget.
August 2, 2019
Compared to the other reviews I feel as if I may have read an amended copy of the novel because the other comments are so positive.
I found protagonist Jane utterly despicable with absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever. She made the read irritating, the righteousness of her diatribe and the stereotypical snobbery of her narrative did nothing to enhance what was trying to be achieved. My only hope in writing this review is to save others from this particular torture.
I found protagonist Jane utterly despicable with absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever. She made the read irritating, the righteousness of her diatribe and the stereotypical snobbery of her narrative did nothing to enhance what was trying to be achieved. My only hope in writing this review is to save others from this particular torture.
August 16, 2019
In 'The Girl Next Door', the serene atmosphere of a quiet village becomes charged with fear and tension when sixteen-year-old Clare goes missing and is subsequently found dead. Her distraught parents have no idea who could've killed her while their neighbour, Jane is determined to keep her family safe no matter what it takes..
This book started off well, with the discovery of the body which shook the whole town. I was curious about what went on behind closed doors as it was clear that Jane and her husband Jack weren't exactly living the fairytale life everyone else thought they were. The same applied to Clare's parents. Clare herself had a secret that involved a special someone. However, the more I read, the more I found myself losing interest due to several reasons.
Certain unimportant details were repeated ad nauseam. Almost all the females were described as "pretty", varying between "so pretty" and "quite pretty". Clare's long blonde hair (emphasis on blonde) was mentioned more than twenty times, by herself and others. Jane's nails painted in pink polish (emphasis on pink and how shiny they were) stole every scene they were in. Oh and how could I forget the bird bath outside Clare's house?
Even though the chapters alternated among Jane's life, Clare's point of view and the investigation, the content was repetitive and dull. It was impossible to like any characters, feel connected to them or even find them intriguing. The revelations were supposed to be shocking yet they had no impact whatsoever because the characters were too one-dimensional. It wasn't surprising to learn that .
My biggest gripe though was the police procedural. It was unrealistic and ridiculous how the cops quickly and easily believed whatever they were told. They had no incriminating evidence or leads. They couldn't find Clare's phone or even profile the murderer. All it took was one witness coming forward much later on and voila, an arrest was made! This was unconvincing on every level considering that:
That wasn't all.. they finally . This ending was incredibly infuriating as it was nonsensical. I don't expect cops in fiction to be highly intelligent but in this one, they were written to be as dense as possible to make .
Overall, 'The Girl Next Door' should've been titled 'Dumb Cops Investigating Murder of Blonde Girl'. The flat / despicable characters, inept police and predictable revelations made this a snoozeworthy read.
This book started off well, with the discovery of the body which shook the whole town. I was curious about what went on behind closed doors as it was clear that Jane and her husband Jack weren't exactly living the fairytale life everyone else thought they were. The same applied to Clare's parents. Clare herself had a secret that involved a special someone. However, the more I read, the more I found myself losing interest due to several reasons.
Certain unimportant details were repeated ad nauseam. Almost all the females were described as "pretty", varying between "so pretty" and "quite pretty". Clare's long blonde hair (emphasis on blonde) was mentioned more than twenty times, by herself and others. Jane's nails painted in pink polish (emphasis on pink and how shiny they were) stole every scene they were in. Oh and how could I forget the bird bath outside Clare's house?
Even though the chapters alternated among Jane's life, Clare's point of view and the investigation, the content was repetitive and dull. It was impossible to like any characters, feel connected to them or even find them intriguing. The revelations were supposed to be shocking yet they had no impact whatsoever because the characters were too one-dimensional. It wasn't surprising to learn that .
My biggest gripe though was the police procedural. It was unrealistic and ridiculous how the cops quickly and easily believed whatever they were told. They had no incriminating evidence or leads. They couldn't find Clare's phone or even profile the murderer. All it took was one witness coming forward much later on and voila, an arrest was made! This was unconvincing on every level considering that:
That wasn't all.. they finally . This ending was incredibly infuriating as it was nonsensical. I don't expect cops in fiction to be highly intelligent but in this one, they were written to be as dense as possible to make .
Overall, 'The Girl Next Door' should've been titled 'Dumb Cops Investigating Murder of Blonde Girl'. The flat / despicable characters, inept police and predictable revelations made this a snoozeworthy read.
February 12, 2019
The Girl Next Door is another brilliant release from Phoebe Morgan (I also loved her debut, The Doll House). It has some great characters – some more likable than others! – and an intriguing plot which kept me guessing but also wasn’t too far-fetched or ridiculous. It felt like it stayed on the right side of believable and, although I guessed some parts fairly early on, I hugely enjoyed it.
I feel that Phoebe Morgan really evoked a strong sense of tension and suspense in the little village of Ashdon; I could imagine the atmosphere and worry that would be created from a young girl’s suspicious death, in what is normally such a sleepy, safe village. I also really liked that the plot threw some key assumptions on its head; there were some twists which I found really satisfying - apart from anything else because they really did surprise me!
The multiple points of view – mainly focusing on next door neighbour Jane, DS Madeleine Shaw and victim Clare – kept me as the reader on my toes, and it’s always interesting to read the investigation from the perspective of different people in the case, instead of just the victim’s family, or just the police.
The Girl Next Door gives the reader a peek into family life and shows that all is often not quite as it seems. I finished this book with a real sense of satisfaction, so I’d say that’s a definite success!
I feel that Phoebe Morgan really evoked a strong sense of tension and suspense in the little village of Ashdon; I could imagine the atmosphere and worry that would be created from a young girl’s suspicious death, in what is normally such a sleepy, safe village. I also really liked that the plot threw some key assumptions on its head; there were some twists which I found really satisfying - apart from anything else because they really did surprise me!
The multiple points of view – mainly focusing on next door neighbour Jane, DS Madeleine Shaw and victim Clare – kept me as the reader on my toes, and it’s always interesting to read the investigation from the perspective of different people in the case, instead of just the victim’s family, or just the police.
The Girl Next Door gives the reader a peek into family life and shows that all is often not quite as it seems. I finished this book with a real sense of satisfaction, so I’d say that’s a definite success!
January 12, 2019
THE GIRL NEXT DOOR was my chosen holiday read; I certainly made the right call!
The premise pulled me in right away; Jane and her apparently perfect life in a quiet town. But all is not what it seems ...
Once I began reading, the strong writing and vivid, well-developed characters got me quickly invested in the story. In addition, the twisty, clever plotting kept me turning the pages until way past bedtime.
I raced through, finding this a pacy and gripping book, with a chilling conclusion that I did not anticipate!
Highly recommended for fans of well-written, pacy psychological thrillers.
The premise pulled me in right away; Jane and her apparently perfect life in a quiet town. But all is not what it seems ...
Once I began reading, the strong writing and vivid, well-developed characters got me quickly invested in the story. In addition, the twisty, clever plotting kept me turning the pages until way past bedtime.
I raced through, finding this a pacy and gripping book, with a chilling conclusion that I did not anticipate!
Highly recommended for fans of well-written, pacy psychological thrillers.
February 28, 2019
4.5 ⭐️ Ever since I read Phoebe Morgan’s debut novel The Doll House (which I really enjoyed)I’ve been eagerly awaiting her second novel The Girl Next Door, and my god it was definitely worth the wait. If anything, I enjoyed this devilishly twisted psychological thriller more; I enjoy a book where the author misdirects the reader at every given opportunity and the author certainly managed to do just that! If I had to choose just one thing I loved about this book, it would have to be the amount of surprises that were hidden within its pages, I’m trying to keep away from the “T” word (Twist in case you were wondering) as it seems to be the “buzz” word for all psychological thrillers, but hell yes it’s definitely got those “twists” all psychological thriller readers love.
Perfect wife, perfect mother, Jane Goodwin, is married to the local GP, living the dream in an affluent street with their three children. When the girl next door sixteen-year-old Clare, is found dead in a field nearby, Jane’s first thought is to protect her family from the gossip and scaremongering that follows. Jane was a difficult character to like, but also fascinating, she’s one of those people whose “all about the appearance”, quick to judge those less fortunate than herself. Jane is a woman who prefers to bury her head in the sand than deal with real-life issues, her mindset is one where if you don’t talk about it, it isn’t happening, but appearances can be deceptive, as the author scratches the surface you come to the realise that behind the cool exterior is a very troubled woman. Numerous characters come under suspicion In The Girl Next Door, some rouse more suspicion than others and although I worked out the killer about halfway through, it did not distract from my enjoyment of this book as I couldn’t fathom out their motive, which made the read all the more riveting.
Phoebe Morgans location is perfectly depicted, a small town where unsolicited rumours, pointing fingers, and mistrust building amongst the local community all add an unbearable sense of tension to the read. The Girl Next Door is narrated from three characters POV, DI Madeline Shaw, who leads the investigation into Clare’s murder, Jane the perfect mother, and Clare herself. The chapters told from Clare’s POV give an insight into the secretive teenager’s life, her dreams, her fears all add a dimension to her character that I wasn’t expecting. DI Madeline Shaw doesn’t take centre stage which I found made a refreshing change, there are so many thrillers that feature troubled detectives it can sometimes get a little weary. For me the second half of this book is the part I enjoyed the most, darker in tone, there were chapters I found genuinely chilling. The Girl Next Door is a fascinating read that delves into toxic relationships, the secrets, the lies but it also explores the lengths a mother will go to, to protect her family. Highly recommended to those who enjoy a dark psychological thriller.
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
Perfect wife, perfect mother, Jane Goodwin, is married to the local GP, living the dream in an affluent street with their three children. When the girl next door sixteen-year-old Clare, is found dead in a field nearby, Jane’s first thought is to protect her family from the gossip and scaremongering that follows. Jane was a difficult character to like, but also fascinating, she’s one of those people whose “all about the appearance”, quick to judge those less fortunate than herself. Jane is a woman who prefers to bury her head in the sand than deal with real-life issues, her mindset is one where if you don’t talk about it, it isn’t happening, but appearances can be deceptive, as the author scratches the surface you come to the realise that behind the cool exterior is a very troubled woman. Numerous characters come under suspicion In The Girl Next Door, some rouse more suspicion than others and although I worked out the killer about halfway through, it did not distract from my enjoyment of this book as I couldn’t fathom out their motive, which made the read all the more riveting.
Phoebe Morgans location is perfectly depicted, a small town where unsolicited rumours, pointing fingers, and mistrust building amongst the local community all add an unbearable sense of tension to the read. The Girl Next Door is narrated from three characters POV, DI Madeline Shaw, who leads the investigation into Clare’s murder, Jane the perfect mother, and Clare herself. The chapters told from Clare’s POV give an insight into the secretive teenager’s life, her dreams, her fears all add a dimension to her character that I wasn’t expecting. DI Madeline Shaw doesn’t take centre stage which I found made a refreshing change, there are so many thrillers that feature troubled detectives it can sometimes get a little weary. For me the second half of this book is the part I enjoyed the most, darker in tone, there were chapters I found genuinely chilling. The Girl Next Door is a fascinating read that delves into toxic relationships, the secrets, the lies but it also explores the lengths a mother will go to, to protect her family. Highly recommended to those who enjoy a dark psychological thriller.
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
June 17, 2021
It started so well... I loved the first half of the book. I was curious to see who did it in the end but then the twists began and, to be honest, that's where it lost me. It wasn't very believable at all, some bits of the storyline where never explored fully, others were changed along the way. The point of a good twist is that you don't see it coming because the reader is SUBTLY let down a certain path. There wasn't anything subtle about this one though. The reader is purposefully mislead and there is no way you can think back to what you've read and think "oh, I misinterpreted that!", which is what usually happens to me... Most of the characters were not at all likeable, the police did a lousy job, people were paid off and didn't come forward later, and someone is a criminal mastermind and a psychopath but nobody ever suspects anything...
May 11, 2019
The Goodwins and Edwards are next door neighbours in the leafy quiet town of Ashdon. Clare Edwards, teenager is the only child of Rachel and stepdad Ian. She is pretty and admired by the boys at school, particularly Harry Goodwin the son of the next door neighbours. However Clare has no interest in these boys and has only one close girlfriend Lauren who is a little jealous of all the interest Clare attracts as little seems to be directed to her. However Clare does have a sad past involving her deceased father but the author does not reveal the extent of the DV that had occurred. It is hinted in her personality and with flashbacks and imagery of her past that comes to light a few times in the book and at the worst and final time of her life when she comes into contact with what will be her killer.
Jane Goodwin tells her own story throughout the book, sharing her childhood which appears to be one of little joy and poverty. Her marriage to Dr Goodwin has enabled her to climb the social ladder of this small community, living in one of the best houses and driving a luxury vehicle. Jane is obsessive about everything, having the perfect husband the perfect family and being as she believes the envy of everyone, particularly as her husband is good looking which completes her shallow existence.
Nathan Warren a young intellect disadvantaged man reports to the Police events that he has witnessed regarding Clare at a quiet park area. Because of this young man's past difficulties he is at first high in the sights of the Police but even after this is dismissed by them he remains a victim of persecution by many of the town's residents.
The author cleverly weaves the story around the two families, their contacts and everyday lives, Clare's parents are self admonishing, their guilt of pushing Clare too heavily regarding school work and her mother's still lingering history of their past life. Jane plays her life as the victim of her husband's cruelty which she accidentally on purpose hints to Police. Both have been to anger management but it seems both still have problems in this area. However, it isn't revealed until the end the real destructive and psychopathic nature that is Jane Goodwin.
Jane Goodwin tells her own story throughout the book, sharing her childhood which appears to be one of little joy and poverty. Her marriage to Dr Goodwin has enabled her to climb the social ladder of this small community, living in one of the best houses and driving a luxury vehicle. Jane is obsessive about everything, having the perfect husband the perfect family and being as she believes the envy of everyone, particularly as her husband is good looking which completes her shallow existence.
Nathan Warren a young intellect disadvantaged man reports to the Police events that he has witnessed regarding Clare at a quiet park area. Because of this young man's past difficulties he is at first high in the sights of the Police but even after this is dismissed by them he remains a victim of persecution by many of the town's residents.
The author cleverly weaves the story around the two families, their contacts and everyday lives, Clare's parents are self admonishing, their guilt of pushing Clare too heavily regarding school work and her mother's still lingering history of their past life. Jane plays her life as the victim of her husband's cruelty which she accidentally on purpose hints to Police. Both have been to anger management but it seems both still have problems in this area. However, it isn't revealed until the end the real destructive and psychopathic nature that is Jane Goodwin.
March 14, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed Phoebe Morgan’s debut novel The Doll House when I read it last year but this one? Hoo boy! It’s on a completely different level and I absolutely loved it! From the very first pages, I could already tell I was in for a treat.
Have I mentioned yet how much I love small town settings? Life in the quiet town of Ashdon seems picture perfect. Nothing much ever happens here until the day sixteen year old Clare Edwards is found murdered. But even though we get a few flashbacks about Clare’s last day on the planet, this story isn’t really about her. It’s more about her neighbour, Jane. From the beginning, I sensed there was something off about her. Jane is very much about appearances and didn’t come across as particularly likeable. Yet it is also rather obvious that the mask she wears hides lies and secrets, making her instantly fascinating and intriguing.
At the heart of The Girl Next Door is quite a dark and disturbing topic. You just never know what goes on behind closed doors and this story is no different. So deliciously twisted and incredibly cleverly done, I found myself utterly engrossed. The pace was spot on and the storyline was so immensely compelling that I kept flipping the pages faster and faster.
Plenty of secrets and lies are to be discovered in Ashdon and of course, there is the death of Clare that needs solving. I thought I had this figured out, then kept changing my mind and ended up getting it entirely wrong. This is one of those books that lends itself perfectly to be read in one long reading session. It’s incredibly addictive and the few moments where I had to put the book down for pesky things like dinner, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Ultimately, this left me rather sad and angry at the injustice of it all but I loved every single word on every single page and I can’t wait to read more by Phoebe Morgan! I highly recommend The Girl Next Door and Phoebe Morgan is without a doubt one to watch!
Have I mentioned yet how much I love small town settings? Life in the quiet town of Ashdon seems picture perfect. Nothing much ever happens here until the day sixteen year old Clare Edwards is found murdered. But even though we get a few flashbacks about Clare’s last day on the planet, this story isn’t really about her. It’s more about her neighbour, Jane. From the beginning, I sensed there was something off about her. Jane is very much about appearances and didn’t come across as particularly likeable. Yet it is also rather obvious that the mask she wears hides lies and secrets, making her instantly fascinating and intriguing.
At the heart of The Girl Next Door is quite a dark and disturbing topic. You just never know what goes on behind closed doors and this story is no different. So deliciously twisted and incredibly cleverly done, I found myself utterly engrossed. The pace was spot on and the storyline was so immensely compelling that I kept flipping the pages faster and faster.
Plenty of secrets and lies are to be discovered in Ashdon and of course, there is the death of Clare that needs solving. I thought I had this figured out, then kept changing my mind and ended up getting it entirely wrong. This is one of those books that lends itself perfectly to be read in one long reading session. It’s incredibly addictive and the few moments where I had to put the book down for pesky things like dinner, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Ultimately, this left me rather sad and angry at the injustice of it all but I loved every single word on every single page and I can’t wait to read more by Phoebe Morgan! I highly recommend The Girl Next Door and Phoebe Morgan is without a doubt one to watch!
June 10, 2019
Whilst I did enjoy reading this book, I found I rattled through many theories so that by the time I reached the ending, I had confidently predicted the outcome. It’s not a bad read but not as gripping as some of the other suspense books I have encountered recently.
The narrative switches perspective between Jane, Detective Madeline Shaw and Clare. Jane is the neighbour to the murdered Clare and appears to be the perfect housewife. However, she harbours disturbing secrets that show life is not as superb as she portrays to the outside world. Shaw is leading the investigation of Clare’s murder and finds it frustrating that the leads are not bringing them closer to solving the case. Finally, Clare’s story shows the reader gradually what happened on the final day of her life.
This book reminded me of the line “show, don’t tell” and I think what lessened the impact of the plot was that there were too many obvious clues being revealed as the plot progressed. Don’t get me wrong, the story moves at a suitable pace so that it doesn’t feel like it is dragging, despite guessing the ending, but I do wonder if the writer could have been more subtle with her craft. Some of the characters are over-used stereotypes and this definitely lessened my interest in the plot. Overall, I think there was an opportunity missed for the writer to do something unique with this storyline.
Despite my misgivings, I did enjoy this easy read. I was drawn in very quickly to the “whodunnit” narrative and found the perspective shifts quite refreshing for an obvious plot. It was very easy to imagine the Chelmsford setting and the exclusive neighbourhood that Jane lives in. The idea that this exclusivity provides immunity to tragedy is an interesting concept and I think it mirrors what we see in society. I enjoyed how all of the characters are deceived by a leading member of the community and I think the novel would have benefited from a further epilogue at the end.
This is a decent read but I strongly feel there are better suspense novels available. This is my first read by this author and I am interested to see what else she has done; whether her other novels are more gripping than this one.
The narrative switches perspective between Jane, Detective Madeline Shaw and Clare. Jane is the neighbour to the murdered Clare and appears to be the perfect housewife. However, she harbours disturbing secrets that show life is not as superb as she portrays to the outside world. Shaw is leading the investigation of Clare’s murder and finds it frustrating that the leads are not bringing them closer to solving the case. Finally, Clare’s story shows the reader gradually what happened on the final day of her life.
This book reminded me of the line “show, don’t tell” and I think what lessened the impact of the plot was that there were too many obvious clues being revealed as the plot progressed. Don’t get me wrong, the story moves at a suitable pace so that it doesn’t feel like it is dragging, despite guessing the ending, but I do wonder if the writer could have been more subtle with her craft. Some of the characters are over-used stereotypes and this definitely lessened my interest in the plot. Overall, I think there was an opportunity missed for the writer to do something unique with this storyline.
Despite my misgivings, I did enjoy this easy read. I was drawn in very quickly to the “whodunnit” narrative and found the perspective shifts quite refreshing for an obvious plot. It was very easy to imagine the Chelmsford setting and the exclusive neighbourhood that Jane lives in. The idea that this exclusivity provides immunity to tragedy is an interesting concept and I think it mirrors what we see in society. I enjoyed how all of the characters are deceived by a leading member of the community and I think the novel would have benefited from a further epilogue at the end.
This is a decent read but I strongly feel there are better suspense novels available. This is my first read by this author and I am interested to see what else she has done; whether her other novels are more gripping than this one.
August 2, 2019
I’m not sure if I read the same book as the others who gave it any more than two stars. The quality of the writing reminded me of those stories in tacky women’s magazines!
A no from me.
A no from me.
February 17, 2019
Well if you like a book with lots of twists and turns then this is the book for you.
Clare doesn’t come home from school and her parents are becoming more and more worried. The Police are called and soon bring the terrible news that Clare has been murdered.
The village where it happens is a close knit community - or so they’d like to think. The truth is they all have their own secrets to hide.
Life goes on with the murder hanging over everyone and as the story develops we learn more about Clare and those around her.
I can’t say much more about the story as I don’t want to spoil it for you but this is a great read.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Clare doesn’t come home from school and her parents are becoming more and more worried. The Police are called and soon bring the terrible news that Clare has been murdered.
The village where it happens is a close knit community - or so they’d like to think. The truth is they all have their own secrets to hide.
Life goes on with the murder hanging over everyone and as the story develops we learn more about Clare and those around her.
I can’t say much more about the story as I don’t want to spoil it for you but this is a great read.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
May 26, 2023
Dacă nu prevedeam firul acțiunii, era mai bine, cred 🤷🏻♀️.
Dar partea bună a fost că s-a citit repede, e relativ alertă povestea, partea mai puțin bună: repetitivă în replici, acțiuni, plus de asta, nici cadrul poliției nu a fost creat să fie unul adevărat…
Dar partea bună a fost că s-a citit repede, e relativ alertă povestea, partea mai puțin bună: repetitivă în replici, acțiuni, plus de asta, nici cadrul poliției nu a fost creat să fie unul adevărat…
October 6, 2023
Odličan triler!
February 21, 2019
An involving, pacey psychological thriller that focuses on the murder of the girl next door, a girl whose voice is also heard in the novel, reminding us that a tragedy has taken place. I did work it out fairly early on, which meant that I didn't enjoy the second half quite as much as the first, but I really liked the character development here, especially the portrayal of our narrator Jane's circle of friends and her children. 3.5-4 stars. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
February 21, 2019
If you like your psychological thrillers formulaic: extreme plot twist and turns, unreliable female narrators, a whole host of unlikeable characters and bad people doing bad things, then by all means, pick this up and read it, because you will LOVE it.
If you're after something a little bit more original, then I advise you against this one.
If you're after something a little bit more original, then I advise you against this one.
April 11, 2020
pretty decent :) easy to read, fast paced, short - definitely recommend if you're looking for a quick read :)
May 17, 2019
This started off excellent and I was certain that I’d be giving it a 4 or 5 stars however the second half wasn’t that great. It did keep me gripped and it was easy to read and understand however one of the characters who I started off liking I ended up despising. I wasn’t impressed with who the killer turned out to be either however the twists involving it were pretty clever. All in all it was a decent book but not the best that I’ve read.
January 28, 2022
3.7 ⭐
Zabavno i brzo se čita.
Kao zabavna trač partija sa drugaricama. 😁
Mala zajednica, tajne, laži.
Pročitana u jednom sedenju.
Nije zaokružena 4, jer mi je falilo na kraju da zaključim priču iz još dva ugla.
Pogodila sam ubicu, ali ne i motiv i baš me šokiralo jedno saznanje.
Preporuka!
Nije savršena, ali sam se dobro zabavila.
Zabavno i brzo se čita.
Kao zabavna trač partija sa drugaricama. 😁
Mala zajednica, tajne, laži.
Pročitana u jednom sedenju.
Nije zaokružena 4, jer mi je falilo na kraju da zaključim priču iz još dva ugla.
Pogodila sam ubicu, ali ne i motiv i baš me šokiralo jedno saznanje.
Preporuka!
Nije savršena, ali sam se dobro zabavila.
May 29, 2019
Firstly I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me an eARC of The Girl Next Door. All opinions and views discussed are my own.
This is another one of those books that should be right up my alley because the premise just seems to fit the sort of book that I love. And again there’s nothing wrong with this book per-see I just couldn’t connect with it, and didn’t find it overly gripping. All of the characters seem to be bland one note characters and there’s never really a point where I was gripped. The first half of the book did start off stronger but as it just went along I just found myself getting less interested in the book.
I think part of the issue in this book is the lack of wider characters; we get focus on so few characters and the overwhelming focus is on the male characters that its just so clear it’s not them. This sadly did dull the tension of the book because if you’ve got very few characters to suspect you don’t have that who dunnit feel. I honestly suspected the mum at one point because she was going on about how she wasn’t a good mother – and the detective even focused on that point, and then it just seemed dropped? Also the son was a legit creepy stalker and someone should really have words with him about harassing teenage girls.
The fact that Jane is actually revealed to be the abusive one and the murderer was actually a really good twist, and I didn’t see it coming. I think this is why the use of an unreliable narrator works in a book like this; Jane never came out and said in her perspective that her husband was abusing her but that is what you assume. She is an all honesty a completely nutty character though – like absolutely bonkers. The ending had me baffled, why on earth did the husband think that his wife was just going to let him leave. It was so obvious he wasn’t going to be able to just sail away and see his children whenever he wanted. Did he just forget who he was married too for the last few pages??
It wasn’t a bad book overall and I liked the writing style of the book, I just couldn’t connect with it or the plot. It just failed slightly for me. I won’t be getting a physical copy of this book.
This is another one of those books that should be right up my alley because the premise just seems to fit the sort of book that I love. And again there’s nothing wrong with this book per-see I just couldn’t connect with it, and didn’t find it overly gripping. All of the characters seem to be bland one note characters and there’s never really a point where I was gripped. The first half of the book did start off stronger but as it just went along I just found myself getting less interested in the book.
I think part of the issue in this book is the lack of wider characters; we get focus on so few characters and the overwhelming focus is on the male characters that its just so clear it’s not them. This sadly did dull the tension of the book because if you’ve got very few characters to suspect you don’t have that who dunnit feel. I honestly suspected the mum at one point because she was going on about how she wasn’t a good mother – and the detective even focused on that point, and then it just seemed dropped? Also the son was a legit creepy stalker and someone should really have words with him about harassing teenage girls.
The fact that Jane is actually revealed to be the abusive one and the murderer was actually a really good twist, and I didn’t see it coming. I think this is why the use of an unreliable narrator works in a book like this; Jane never came out and said in her perspective that her husband was abusing her but that is what you assume. She is an all honesty a completely nutty character though – like absolutely bonkers. The ending had me baffled, why on earth did the husband think that his wife was just going to let him leave. It was so obvious he wasn’t going to be able to just sail away and see his children whenever he wanted. Did he just forget who he was married too for the last few pages??
It wasn’t a bad book overall and I liked the writing style of the book, I just couldn’t connect with it or the plot. It just failed slightly for me. I won’t be getting a physical copy of this book.
March 29, 2019
I thought this book had a really strong start/first half, the opening chapters had me hooked and I liked reading the story from the points of view of several of the main characters. There was a really good range of characters and I viewed many of them with suspicion as the story progressed. However, during the second half of the book it gradually became clear what had taken place and who was responsible which spoilt the impact for me especially after the author had successfully created so much suspense. I also think the police procedure was unrealistically slow-moving, hopefully it would be much faster in reality. A great plot though!
October 3, 2019
Dark suburban thriller
Thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced thriller that turns all the seemingly innocent elements of suburban parenthood - PTA, book clubs, gossip - into their dark malicious cousin. There are twists aplenty and it sped along, using multiple points of view, including that of the victim. Mind you, almost everyone is some kind of victim - you’ll see what I mean if you read it!
Thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced thriller that turns all the seemingly innocent elements of suburban parenthood - PTA, book clubs, gossip - into their dark malicious cousin. There are twists aplenty and it sped along, using multiple points of view, including that of the victim. Mind you, almost everyone is some kind of victim - you’ll see what I mean if you read it!
June 16, 2020
This is the first book of Phoebe Morgans I've read and I really enjoyed it. The story hooked me in from the beginning and was gripping and tense throughout.
Whilst I thought it was pretty easy to figure out who the killer was from the start, it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book.
Whilst I thought it was pretty easy to figure out who the killer was from the start, it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book.
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