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The Neighbor's Secret
“Addictive, suspenseful and masterfully written...will delight fans of Big Little Lies .” ―Michele Campbell
“[A] witty, hyperlocal mystery…With a light, Liane Moriarty-esque touch...” ― New York Times
L. Alison Heller, whose work has been praised by Liane Moriarty as "warm, witty…refreshingly true to life,” explores the ultimate sacrifices of parenting in The Neighbor’s Secret , a propulsive and juicy novel filled with gripping twists and instantly recognizable characters.
How well do you really know your neighbors?
With its sprawling yards and excellent schools, Cottonwood Estates is the perfect place to raise children. The Cottonwood Book Club serves as the subdivision’s eyes and ears, meeting once a month for discussion, gossip, and cocktails. If their selections trend toward twisty thrillers and salacious murder mysteries, it’s only because the members feel secure that such evil has no place in their own cul-de-sacs.
Or does it?
What happened to Lena’s family fifteen years ago was a tragic accident, and she will never admit otherwise. Devoted wife and mother Annie refuses to acknowledge―even to herself―the weight of a past shame. And new resident Jen wants friends, but as always, worry about her troubled son gets in the way.
When late-night acts of vandalism target the women of the book club in increasingly violent and personal ways, they will be forced to decide how far to go to keep their secrets. At least they all agree on what’s most important: protecting their children at any cost―even if it means someone has to die.
“[A] witty, hyperlocal mystery…With a light, Liane Moriarty-esque touch...” ― New York Times
L. Alison Heller, whose work has been praised by Liane Moriarty as "warm, witty…refreshingly true to life,” explores the ultimate sacrifices of parenting in The Neighbor’s Secret , a propulsive and juicy novel filled with gripping twists and instantly recognizable characters.
How well do you really know your neighbors?
With its sprawling yards and excellent schools, Cottonwood Estates is the perfect place to raise children. The Cottonwood Book Club serves as the subdivision’s eyes and ears, meeting once a month for discussion, gossip, and cocktails. If their selections trend toward twisty thrillers and salacious murder mysteries, it’s only because the members feel secure that such evil has no place in their own cul-de-sacs.
Or does it?
What happened to Lena’s family fifteen years ago was a tragic accident, and she will never admit otherwise. Devoted wife and mother Annie refuses to acknowledge―even to herself―the weight of a past shame. And new resident Jen wants friends, but as always, worry about her troubled son gets in the way.
When late-night acts of vandalism target the women of the book club in increasingly violent and personal ways, they will be forced to decide how far to go to keep their secrets. At least they all agree on what’s most important: protecting their children at any cost―even if it means someone has to die.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 2021
675 people are currently reading
21877 people want to read
About the author
L. Alison Heller
3 books237 followersL. Alison Heller is the author of The Neighbor's Secret, The Never Never Sisters, and The Love Wars. She lives in Colorado with her family and two dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,083 reviews
September 5, 2022
This is such a great fit for die hard fans of Liane Moriarty! Slow burn- high tension- triggering- well constructed mystery centered around a lovely neighborhood where the women like to discuss books, drinking strong cocktails, enjoying gossips and keeping heavy secrets.
There are several characters are introduced starting from Lena, living isolated life, barely seeing her estranged prodigy daughter who is recently engaged, still suffering from 15 years old tragedy has taken away her husband.
When vandalism starts threatening that peaceful neighborhood, Annie, devoted wife, mother of two kids knocks her door to warn her somebody vandalized her mailbox which ends Lena’s inviting her to her house for tea and cakes.
They slowly form a friendship which gives enough courage to Annie invite Lena to their Cottonwood Book Club meetings.
We are also introduced several more characters who are the part of book club, raising their kids, dealing with different dysfunctional family issues like Jen whose son Abe diagnosed as sociopath is recently suspended from his school for stabbing a student. Her son’s diagnosis is too heavy to carry on her shoulders. But she’s not the only one carrying secrets at this neighborhood.
As we read at the beginning: there’s something suspicious happened at the house party. An argument occurred and somebody is dead. One of them is the murderer. But who and why?
Everybody keeps bigger secrets to keep their children out of trouble! How far you go to save your child’s life? How much you’re ready to sacrifice?
Overall: it’s smart, slow-burn mystery with well developed, detailed characterization we can easily connect with and satisfying wrapping up of the entire premise.
Earned my 4 web of lies, secrets, growing pains of teenager children, nosy neighbors stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
There are several characters are introduced starting from Lena, living isolated life, barely seeing her estranged prodigy daughter who is recently engaged, still suffering from 15 years old tragedy has taken away her husband.
When vandalism starts threatening that peaceful neighborhood, Annie, devoted wife, mother of two kids knocks her door to warn her somebody vandalized her mailbox which ends Lena’s inviting her to her house for tea and cakes.
They slowly form a friendship which gives enough courage to Annie invite Lena to their Cottonwood Book Club meetings.
We are also introduced several more characters who are the part of book club, raising their kids, dealing with different dysfunctional family issues like Jen whose son Abe diagnosed as sociopath is recently suspended from his school for stabbing a student. Her son’s diagnosis is too heavy to carry on her shoulders. But she’s not the only one carrying secrets at this neighborhood.
As we read at the beginning: there’s something suspicious happened at the house party. An argument occurred and somebody is dead. One of them is the murderer. But who and why?
Everybody keeps bigger secrets to keep their children out of trouble! How far you go to save your child’s life? How much you’re ready to sacrifice?
Overall: it’s smart, slow-burn mystery with well developed, detailed characterization we can easily connect with and satisfying wrapping up of the entire premise.
Earned my 4 web of lies, secrets, growing pains of teenager children, nosy neighbors stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
October 5, 2021
3.5 ⭐️
The book opens with an unidentified narrator confessing that she saw “THE TWO OF THEM” leave the party five minutes apart, like they didn’t want to be seen-and with no good reason to sneak off together, and wondering AFTER the body was found-if it was MURDER?
A Vandal, targeting the homes of the women who attend the Cottonwood Book Club.
And, one of the members, Jen wondering if she is raising the Vandal, or worse-if he is a Sociopath in the making.
Ok! You have my attention!!
I thought I was settling in for a 5⭐️ Read!
But, despite some great ideas, and some smart writing, I never really connected with this book.
I usually love a good suspense story which revolves around one neighborhood and the secrets of its residents but I think that these stories work best when the secrets are being confided to us in the first person POV.
They just seem juicier and more scandalous when they are whispered directly to us.
As written, I just NEVER felt ANY tension. The entire book felt like filler, with flashback chapters from 15 years prior, filling us in on the secrets, until we got to the end, and learned the answers to those first few questions posed.
But, I would like to join the Cottonwood Book Club!
Not only did the women enjoy monthly meetings with themed snacks and drinks-they actually discussed some Classics-from the opposing POV’s of members! This book club wasn’t JUST gossip!
And, I loved how one of the members, Deb, referred to a certain book as “dingbat lit”! You know the kind that has a protagonist who infuriates you when she suspects someone of being a murderer but doesn’t call the Police, choosing instead to interrogate the person on her own, and ends up chloroformed and bound in the trunk of the car! Love that term, Deb! PRICELESS. If you are looking for a new book club-look me up!
I would like to thank Flatiron Books for my gifted copy via NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
AVAILABLE NOW!
The book opens with an unidentified narrator confessing that she saw “THE TWO OF THEM” leave the party five minutes apart, like they didn’t want to be seen-and with no good reason to sneak off together, and wondering AFTER the body was found-if it was MURDER?
A Vandal, targeting the homes of the women who attend the Cottonwood Book Club.
And, one of the members, Jen wondering if she is raising the Vandal, or worse-if he is a Sociopath in the making.
Ok! You have my attention!!
I thought I was settling in for a 5⭐️ Read!
But, despite some great ideas, and some smart writing, I never really connected with this book.
I usually love a good suspense story which revolves around one neighborhood and the secrets of its residents but I think that these stories work best when the secrets are being confided to us in the first person POV.
They just seem juicier and more scandalous when they are whispered directly to us.
As written, I just NEVER felt ANY tension. The entire book felt like filler, with flashback chapters from 15 years prior, filling us in on the secrets, until we got to the end, and learned the answers to those first few questions posed.
But, I would like to join the Cottonwood Book Club!
Not only did the women enjoy monthly meetings with themed snacks and drinks-they actually discussed some Classics-from the opposing POV’s of members! This book club wasn’t JUST gossip!
And, I loved how one of the members, Deb, referred to a certain book as “dingbat lit”! You know the kind that has a protagonist who infuriates you when she suspects someone of being a murderer but doesn’t call the Police, choosing instead to interrogate the person on her own, and ends up chloroformed and bound in the trunk of the car! Love that term, Deb! PRICELESS. If you are looking for a new book club-look me up!
I would like to thank Flatiron Books for my gifted copy via NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
AVAILABLE NOW!
February 10, 2022
An intriguing neighborhood suspense about the community of Cottonwood Estates. The ladies of the subdivision’s book club meet once a month, but usually spend more time drinking specialty aperitifs and gossiping than actually discussing the chosen book.
Yeah, it’s that kind of story…and for the most part, it works.
We know from the start that something bad happens at the end of a party. We don’t know who exactly it involves or why…but plenty of the women in Cottonwood Estates are keeping secrets. Could one of them be deadly?
I’ve been on and off about reading this one for months, but glad I finally dived in. There’s a lot of fun snark, some slow-building suspense, and intriguing characters that made me laugh more than once.
The book occasionally loses itself in some confusing back and forths in the timeline, and maybe a few too many characters. The denouement is a bit over the top, but also pretty darn satisfying.
Overall, while it won’t make my favorites list…this is an enjoyable, gossipy, soap opera-esque story that is interspersed with some really fun emails from the book club president.
3.5 stars.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Yeah, it’s that kind of story…and for the most part, it works.
We know from the start that something bad happens at the end of a party. We don’t know who exactly it involves or why…but plenty of the women in Cottonwood Estates are keeping secrets. Could one of them be deadly?
I’ve been on and off about reading this one for months, but glad I finally dived in. There’s a lot of fun snark, some slow-building suspense, and intriguing characters that made me laugh more than once.
The book occasionally loses itself in some confusing back and forths in the timeline, and maybe a few too many characters. The denouement is a bit over the top, but also pretty darn satisfying.
Overall, while it won’t make my favorites list…this is an enjoyable, gossipy, soap opera-esque story that is interspersed with some really fun emails from the book club president.
3.5 stars.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
November 3, 2021
4 Stars
I really enjoyed this. Was it the best thing I've ever read? No, of course not.
But I'm a sucker for a decent domestic thriller, especially one that gets all Revolutionary Road in the suburbs, with neighbors all up in each other's business.
All the sniping.
All the two-faced merriment.
It warms the soul and makes us all feel better about ourselves, no?
I really enjoyed the different character perspectives here and the way things unfolded. I thought the author did a great job of setting up the reader to make certain assumptions and then changing things in a way that didn't feel contrived.
Again, was this the best thing I've ever read? No. But it definitely had me turning the pages at a decent clip and I unhurriedly finished it in less than a day.
Also, being that this was compared so heavily to Liane Moriarty, I should probably pick up one of her books one of these days. I hear they make good television.
I really enjoyed this. Was it the best thing I've ever read? No, of course not.
But I'm a sucker for a decent domestic thriller, especially one that gets all Revolutionary Road in the suburbs, with neighbors all up in each other's business.
All the sniping.
All the two-faced merriment.
It warms the soul and makes us all feel better about ourselves, no?
I really enjoyed the different character perspectives here and the way things unfolded. I thought the author did a great job of setting up the reader to make certain assumptions and then changing things in a way that didn't feel contrived.
Again, was this the best thing I've ever read? No. But it definitely had me turning the pages at a decent clip and I unhurriedly finished it in less than a day.
Also, being that this was compared so heavily to Liane Moriarty, I should probably pick up one of her books one of these days. I hear they make good television.
September 10, 2021
This was my September BOTM, and while there is nothing inherently wrong with it, it was just a middle-of-the-pack read for me.
Maybe I'm just tiring of the seemingly wonderful suburban neighborhood where the women drink wine and attend monthly book club but nothing is as it seems trope, but this story was a bit sluggish for the majority of the book. It centers around three main characters: Annie, who has a teenage daughter that seems to be rebelling in spades; Lena, who lives in the biggest house but everyone knows something tragic occurred with her family years ago, and she is become somewhat of a recluse; and Jen, who has a teenage son on the spectrum with diagnosed conduct disorder and whom she fears may potentially be a sociopath. Then throw in a bunch of other random book club members along with a neighborhood vandal, and there you have the cast of characters and the basic plot points.
There are several puzzles to figure out in this one, and a few unexpected twists that I enjoyed, but there are just too many POVs and storyline gaps. It was one of those books where I could not keep the characters straight for most of the book, as their voices were too similar (and I'm NOT a fan of making notes just to keep characters straight!). Unfortunately, I think that kept me from really connecting with any of the characters.
I must say that I had a good laugh at the book club emails, as they were very clever and witty - my favorite parts of the book! I also enjoyed the way the three storylines intersected at the end, but getting there was a bit of a chore, and I certainly wouldn't classify this as a taut psychological thriller. 3 stars.
Maybe I'm just tiring of the seemingly wonderful suburban neighborhood where the women drink wine and attend monthly book club but nothing is as it seems trope, but this story was a bit sluggish for the majority of the book. It centers around three main characters: Annie, who has a teenage daughter that seems to be rebelling in spades; Lena, who lives in the biggest house but everyone knows something tragic occurred with her family years ago, and she is become somewhat of a recluse; and Jen, who has a teenage son on the spectrum with diagnosed conduct disorder and whom she fears may potentially be a sociopath. Then throw in a bunch of other random book club members along with a neighborhood vandal, and there you have the cast of characters and the basic plot points.
There are several puzzles to figure out in this one, and a few unexpected twists that I enjoyed, but there are just too many POVs and storyline gaps. It was one of those books where I could not keep the characters straight for most of the book, as their voices were too similar (and I'm NOT a fan of making notes just to keep characters straight!). Unfortunately, I think that kept me from really connecting with any of the characters.
I must say that I had a good laugh at the book club emails, as they were very clever and witty - my favorite parts of the book! I also enjoyed the way the three storylines intersected at the end, but getting there was a bit of a chore, and I certainly wouldn't classify this as a taut psychological thriller. 3 stars.
January 26, 2022
3.5 stars
So many fun things about this book--a neighborhood book club, some people holding deep dark secrets, others doing terrible things to people, all culminating in an over the top graduation party where everything is brought into the open.
I kind of felt like a voyeur looking into these lives and was so curious as to the identity of the neighborhood vandal, what one daughter was up to during her nightly jogs, is one of the others a sociopath? And finally, what happened so many years before that still has effects today?
Although this is a soapy, intriguing story, I never fully connected with it. I think that it mostly has to do with the sheer number of characters. I had a bit of difficulty keeping them straight until I started to figure out who the main players were. There are actually three main point of view characters and the rest just round out the book club and neighborhood. Some parts and solutions to mysteries and secrets uncovered are non-events and others are surprising.
I listened to this as an audiobook and Allyson Ryan is a fantastic narrator, I particularly liked her depiction of the various book club members and the e-mails announcing the meetings. This is a worthwhile listen and kept me entertained and engaged throughout.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
So many fun things about this book--a neighborhood book club, some people holding deep dark secrets, others doing terrible things to people, all culminating in an over the top graduation party where everything is brought into the open.
I kind of felt like a voyeur looking into these lives and was so curious as to the identity of the neighborhood vandal, what one daughter was up to during her nightly jogs, is one of the others a sociopath? And finally, what happened so many years before that still has effects today?
Although this is a soapy, intriguing story, I never fully connected with it. I think that it mostly has to do with the sheer number of characters. I had a bit of difficulty keeping them straight until I started to figure out who the main players were. There are actually three main point of view characters and the rest just round out the book club and neighborhood. Some parts and solutions to mysteries and secrets uncovered are non-events and others are surprising.
I listened to this as an audiobook and Allyson Ryan is a fantastic narrator, I particularly liked her depiction of the various book club members and the e-mails announcing the meetings. This is a worthwhile listen and kept me entertained and engaged throughout.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
October 12, 2021
This novel sounded like it was going to be spot on. You have a person going around vandalizing things in the neighborhood… there’s Jen who thinks she may just be raising a sociopath, her son Abe, who may just be terrorizing the neighborhood, and you have Lena and Annie… two women drawn together by a strange and tortured past, a dead husband in the mix … oh my goodness… I’m ready for the popcorn and the snuggly blankets, and all my attention has been deftly tuned to the plight of this crazy neighborhood and the women in this book club …
So this is a S-L-O-O-O-O-O-W-W-W burn 🔥 story. I mean slow as in if each letter of the word slow were separated 1000 pages apart and you had to turn and “read” each page between the letters, before finally finding out 4000 pages later that EVERYTHING you read previously could have been summed up so much cleaner and faster… you wouldn’t have turned old and your drink dried up, causing dehydration and your poor eyeballs are blinking dust going what the heck?? I devoted all this time and energy and brain power and have been waiting on the tension and thriller and … this is it??? What the heck??? “
For me, I never really found myself drawn to any of the characters, I thought they were all equally sneaky, dishonest, trouble causing, rumor starting … okay reigning that back in … 😂 which the humdrum pace and interactions caused me to find myself skimming the paragraphs and having to go back thinking - wait!? Did I miss something? Did something happen as I was drifting off thinking about laundry and house cleaning … and and …
It’s only in the last few pages that the questions are answered (as in most thrillers) but this one just felt fluffed. Over fluffed. Suffocating fluffed. Great story premise. I found myself stubborn enough to not want to not finish and see what the twist or hook was. It was a good answer … as I refuse to give spoilers… but I just found myself let down… this was just not the ”thriller” for me.
Who knows? Maybe I missed something. This is one that I could have just skipped … but let me know what you think!
I would rate this a 2 out of 5 stars - great premise - just dragged out overkill in my humble opinion.
You can follow along with all my book reviews and book art fun at http://www.oceansofbooks.com
Happy reading my friends! May your next read be phenomenal!
So this is a S-L-O-O-O-O-O-W-W-W burn 🔥 story. I mean slow as in if each letter of the word slow were separated 1000 pages apart and you had to turn and “read” each page between the letters, before finally finding out 4000 pages later that EVERYTHING you read previously could have been summed up so much cleaner and faster… you wouldn’t have turned old and your drink dried up, causing dehydration and your poor eyeballs are blinking dust going what the heck?? I devoted all this time and energy and brain power and have been waiting on the tension and thriller and … this is it??? What the heck??? “
For me, I never really found myself drawn to any of the characters, I thought they were all equally sneaky, dishonest, trouble causing, rumor starting … okay reigning that back in … 😂 which the humdrum pace and interactions caused me to find myself skimming the paragraphs and having to go back thinking - wait!? Did I miss something? Did something happen as I was drifting off thinking about laundry and house cleaning … and and …
It’s only in the last few pages that the questions are answered (as in most thrillers) but this one just felt fluffed. Over fluffed. Suffocating fluffed. Great story premise. I found myself stubborn enough to not want to not finish and see what the twist or hook was. It was a good answer … as I refuse to give spoilers… but I just found myself let down… this was just not the ”thriller” for me.
Who knows? Maybe I missed something. This is one that I could have just skipped … but let me know what you think!
I would rate this a 2 out of 5 stars - great premise - just dragged out overkill in my humble opinion.
You can follow along with all my book reviews and book art fun at http://www.oceansofbooks.com
Happy reading my friends! May your next read be phenomenal!
October 21, 2021
Since this didn’t have a house on the cover I had every intention of passing it by (if you think that’s a joke, you don’t know me very well). Then it started hitting Bookstagram and the FOMO won out. Luckily I didn’t have to wait long for my turn at the library to come around and I even took a gander at the synopsis to see what I was potentially getting myself into since I had zero clue aside from I want to read all the new things.
The blurb says this one is for fans of Big Little Lies and I am oh so very happy to report that was certainly the case with me. After being let down by Apples Never Fall this was just the sort of neighborhood trash I was hoping for.
The premise here is that a group of gals who live in the same subdivision gather every month for . . . . .
They talk about the book selection of the month . . . . eventually, but they also swap the goings on of their individual families as well as the neighborhood vandal’s latest antics. And then there’s Lena. She’s pretty much been holed up in her house for the past 15 years due to a . . . .
Yeah, you’re gonna have to read this to find out her story. And everyone else’s too. All you’re going to get from me is this truly delivers like a Moriarty. We open at a party and then immediately back track one year to see how everything builds up to the climactic ending. There’s a poopton of narrators which I have noticed has been a complaint by many, but when it comes to my reaction to neighborhood tales and that delivery?????
Back before I became addicted to all things “real” housewives, I used to love spending an hour with these ladies on Sunday nights . . . .
I am ALL about suburban drama and this one sure delivered. Everything about it worked for me. The inner workings of the various families, the pacing, the completely satisfactory ending, the page turnability. I was there for it and read it in one sitting after work the other night. #nomnomnomnom
The blurb says this one is for fans of Big Little Lies and I am oh so very happy to report that was certainly the case with me. After being let down by Apples Never Fall this was just the sort of neighborhood trash I was hoping for.
The premise here is that a group of gals who live in the same subdivision gather every month for . . . . .
They talk about the book selection of the month . . . . eventually, but they also swap the goings on of their individual families as well as the neighborhood vandal’s latest antics. And then there’s Lena. She’s pretty much been holed up in her house for the past 15 years due to a . . . .
Yeah, you’re gonna have to read this to find out her story. And everyone else’s too. All you’re going to get from me is this truly delivers like a Moriarty. We open at a party and then immediately back track one year to see how everything builds up to the climactic ending. There’s a poopton of narrators which I have noticed has been a complaint by many, but when it comes to my reaction to neighborhood tales and that delivery?????
Back before I became addicted to all things “real” housewives, I used to love spending an hour with these ladies on Sunday nights . . . .
I am ALL about suburban drama and this one sure delivered. Everything about it worked for me. The inner workings of the various families, the pacing, the completely satisfactory ending, the page turnability. I was there for it and read it in one sitting after work the other night. #nomnomnomnom
October 27, 2021
This was an unexpected delight!
This is definitely a case of - I’m so glad I tried a book in a genre subset that I don’t normally read - because I usually don’t care for domestic suspense. I find so many of the books full of rich, white women who deal with issues like cheating spouses or crazy assistants or would be super detectives and those just aren’t for me. I know my limits. I’m way too serious of a person and I don’t like to suspend belief too much.
So I am SO happy to say that if you’re like me I’m thinking that way about most domestic suspense books - this is the book for you. It’s very similar to Big Little Lies, but not once did I ever think this was a copycat or that I’ve read this book before - I’m referencing BLL so you have something to compare it too - if you liked that then you’ll love this, etc.
I am so impressed by the writing. It was modern, fresh and oh so pitch perfect. I loved the diversity of characters and the book club meetings were amazing and some of my favorite parts. I loved how the author included emails from the President of Book Club. 🤪🤪 The formatting of the book was so creative and the dialogue was clever, truthful and fun. The pacing is very methodical, and if you’re a person that needs something super fast paced with a huge cliffhanger at the end of every chapter, be warned this is different. I thought the chapter endings were much more nuanced, yet they begged me to continue reading. It only took me so long to finish (about a week and a half) because my life is crazy at the moment. However, I thoroughly enjoyed cracking the book open each night and finding out what this neighborhood was up to. I really hope if you haven’t already, you decide to read this or put it on your tbr!
Thank you to Flatiron Books and the author for the gifted finished copy!
Review Date: 10/25/2021
Publication Date: 10/05/2021
This is definitely a case of - I’m so glad I tried a book in a genre subset that I don’t normally read - because I usually don’t care for domestic suspense. I find so many of the books full of rich, white women who deal with issues like cheating spouses or crazy assistants or would be super detectives and those just aren’t for me. I know my limits. I’m way too serious of a person and I don’t like to suspend belief too much.
So I am SO happy to say that if you’re like me I’m thinking that way about most domestic suspense books - this is the book for you. It’s very similar to Big Little Lies, but not once did I ever think this was a copycat or that I’ve read this book before - I’m referencing BLL so you have something to compare it too - if you liked that then you’ll love this, etc.
I am so impressed by the writing. It was modern, fresh and oh so pitch perfect. I loved the diversity of characters and the book club meetings were amazing and some of my favorite parts. I loved how the author included emails from the President of Book Club. 🤪🤪 The formatting of the book was so creative and the dialogue was clever, truthful and fun. The pacing is very methodical, and if you’re a person that needs something super fast paced with a huge cliffhanger at the end of every chapter, be warned this is different. I thought the chapter endings were much more nuanced, yet they begged me to continue reading. It only took me so long to finish (about a week and a half) because my life is crazy at the moment. However, I thoroughly enjoyed cracking the book open each night and finding out what this neighborhood was up to. I really hope if you haven’t already, you decide to read this or put it on your tbr!
Thank you to Flatiron Books and the author for the gifted finished copy!
Review Date: 10/25/2021
Publication Date: 10/05/2021
Want to read
March 1, 2022No rating, sending back to the library
Abandoning on page 123, its fine just not grabbing my interest (except the bookclub chapters)!
April 6, 2021
I love it when a thriller hits me in the funny bone, and The Neighbor’s Secret did just that. Smart and darkly comedic, with nuanced characters delivering whip-smart dialogue, this story will have you grinning as you race through the pages. An absorbing tale that delivers some juicy surprises.
September 12, 2021
I'm gonna say it with my full chest this time - stop comparing your books to hugely successful books/authors if they're not comparable. Honestly, it does nothing but causes a huge letdown when it fails to live up to the hype.
That's what happened here for me. Liane Moriarty books (and especially Big Little Lies) are like a dirty indulgence for me, so obviously I was excited to see a book compared to that. It failed to deliver. I can see how the bare bones of the book are similar to Moriarty's work - a bunch of rich, suburban women with a bunch of #firstworldproblems. But that's about it.
First, the characters are not well written at all. There are a lot of rich, suburban women and nothing is done to characterize each of them to make them distinguishable. With how often the book switches between the different women, I found myself stopping all the time to think "now which one is Jen again?" and so on. It takes away from the reading experience to have to do that.
Second, and probably my biggest issue, the book is EXTREMELY messy. It's clear that the author tried to do the Moriarty thing - all of these separate women that somehow get their lives tangled together in a big incident - but the delivery was way off. So much happened, and so much of it was inconsequential and didn't drive the story. None of it pieced together cleanly.
Lastly, the suspense and tension just weren't there. I've heard some criticism of Big Little Lies for the fact that the tension is built around first-world problems so it's hard to feel sympathetic for the rich women facing those issues (I disagree since so much of it is about domestic violence/rape but I digress), but with this book I 100% think that is the case. The big "tension" in this book is a vandal that we're told is committing increasingly violent acts - the most violent of which turns out to be *GASP* breaking a window. Bone-chilling violence right there. And any steam that the book did have was completely let go of when we find out who the vandal is - you (try to) build tension around this then Talk about letting the wind out of the sails. Additionally, the suspense towards the climax and the reveal were non-existent. It was like 250 pages of this group of suburban women with their non-problem problems then all of a sudden something actually happens, only tangentially related to the vandalism issue.
Altogether, this one really missed the mark for me. Even if it hadn't been billed as a Moriarty/Big Little Lies-esque novel, getting my hopes up, I still don't think I would've enjoyed it. It's just that nothing really happens and I'm not sure why I'm supposed to care about what does actually happen because the characters are blah and unrelatable, and their problems are the same.
That's what happened here for me. Liane Moriarty books (and especially Big Little Lies) are like a dirty indulgence for me, so obviously I was excited to see a book compared to that. It failed to deliver. I can see how the bare bones of the book are similar to Moriarty's work - a bunch of rich, suburban women with a bunch of #firstworldproblems. But that's about it.
First, the characters are not well written at all. There are a lot of rich, suburban women and nothing is done to characterize each of them to make them distinguishable. With how often the book switches between the different women, I found myself stopping all the time to think "now which one is Jen again?" and so on. It takes away from the reading experience to have to do that.
Second, and probably my biggest issue, the book is EXTREMELY messy. It's clear that the author tried to do the Moriarty thing - all of these separate women that somehow get their lives tangled together in a big incident - but the delivery was way off. So much happened, and so much of it was inconsequential and didn't drive the story. None of it pieced together cleanly.
Lastly, the suspense and tension just weren't there. I've heard some criticism of Big Little Lies for the fact that the tension is built around first-world problems so it's hard to feel sympathetic for the rich women facing those issues (I disagree since so much of it is about domestic violence/rape but I digress), but with this book I 100% think that is the case. The big "tension" in this book is a vandal that we're told is committing increasingly violent acts - the most violent of which turns out to be *GASP* breaking a window. Bone-chilling violence right there. And any steam that the book did have was completely let go of when we find out who the vandal is - you (try to) build tension around this then Talk about letting the wind out of the sails. Additionally, the suspense towards the climax and the reveal were non-existent. It was like 250 pages of this group of suburban women with their non-problem problems then all of a sudden something actually happens, only tangentially related to the vandalism issue.
Altogether, this one really missed the mark for me. Even if it hadn't been billed as a Moriarty/Big Little Lies-esque novel, getting my hopes up, I still don't think I would've enjoyed it. It's just that nothing really happens and I'm not sure why I'm supposed to care about what does actually happen because the characters are blah and unrelatable, and their problems are the same.
September 19, 2021
A lighter read than the books I have been reading which was nice. I had some out loud giggles throughout the book, and got some strange looks from people around me. The little community and it's secrets that unravel were pretty fun and slightly frustrating at the same time. I didn't connect with any of the characters or like them much, but it was still and entertaining read.
August 15, 2022
I really did like this book. I liked the individual stories with all the different characters. The book club was the best part of the book. It really makes the reader feel like you wish you could be part of the book club or part of their group. This book deals with a murder, lies and half truths. It was a fun read.
September 20, 2021
I really enjoyed this book and had trouble putting it down. It is a domestic suspense story, centering on a group of neighbors in an excusive community and how their lives intertwine. The book alternates POVs between Annie, who is struggling with her rebellious teenage daughter, Jen, who is worried that her son may have serious behavioral issues, and Lena, who is living the aftermath of a series of terrible incidents that happened at a party 15 years prior. Turns all all the women (not to mention other characters in the book) have secrets they are hiding, and some of them may hit closer to home to the rest of the group than expected.
I enjoyed the back-and-forth between the 3 voices as well as the flashbacks to 15 years ago. I saw some other reviewers say that they had trouble following what was going on, but I think that was the point. The author sets up seemingly innocuous (or red herring) scenarios throughout the story and the end ties up all the loose ends (very well). There were some pretty major twists in the book, most of which I didn't see coming but ended up making total sense once revealed. I found all 3 women to be semi-likeable, or at least realistic, in the lengths they would go to in order to protect themselves and their kids. I could definitely empathize with each one, even when they made poor decisions. I also thought the book club gossip and possible over-reactions to local vandalism in the neighborhood, felt real.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this book to those who like domestic suspense stories. I was literally reading during commercials of the football game I was watching because I was too impatient to find out how it all ended. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the back-and-forth between the 3 voices as well as the flashbacks to 15 years ago. I saw some other reviewers say that they had trouble following what was going on, but I think that was the point. The author sets up seemingly innocuous (or red herring) scenarios throughout the story and the end ties up all the loose ends (very well). There were some pretty major twists in the book, most of which I didn't see coming but ended up making total sense once revealed. I found all 3 women to be semi-likeable, or at least realistic, in the lengths they would go to in order to protect themselves and their kids. I could definitely empathize with each one, even when they made poor decisions. I also thought the book club gossip and possible over-reactions to local vandalism in the neighborhood, felt real.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this book to those who like domestic suspense stories. I was literally reading during commercials of the football game I was watching because I was too impatient to find out how it all ended. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2021
Pros: Ms. Heller did a great job creating a family large group of characters to form her suburban book club. Most of the women were likable and I enjoyed sitting in on their meetings while they drank too much booze and got off topic. My favorite character was Jen. I felt her struggle to do right by her son with a behavioral disorder felt very genuine.
Cons: The alternating POVs in this book weakened the suspense. By the time we reached the big reveal, the central mystery was fairly obvious and the reveal of the secondary mystery lost its impact.
Overall, it’s a quick, fun read. And while it lacks the tension of a thriller, it offers dark comedy in places and realistic mom/wife/friend struggles in others.
Cons: The alternating POVs in this book weakened the suspense. By the time we reached the big reveal, the central mystery was fairly obvious and the reveal of the secondary mystery lost its impact.
Overall, it’s a quick, fun read. And while it lacks the tension of a thriller, it offers dark comedy in places and realistic mom/wife/friend struggles in others.
October 17, 2021
Despite two homicides, I felt this was “light reading”… and that is not a criticism. I found the book to be entertaining. Perhaps it was the ladies of the book club who were presented with humor, yet quite realistic!
There are a couple of secrets to unravel here and as one reads there are hints of some impending catastrophe and one from the past is slowly revealed as well. A fast, well paced read.
There are a couple of secrets to unravel here and as one reads there are hints of some impending catastrophe and one from the past is slowly revealed as well. A fast, well paced read.
April 20, 2021
The Neighbor’s Secret is the rare thriller that actually leaves you feeling better about humanity. Buoyant and big-hearted, I had zero self-control when it came to inhaling chapters to uncover each delicious new secret. This will be an easy book to recommend to everyone I know—an absolute crowd pleaser!
September 18, 2021
DNF at about halfway through. Really tried to power through this one for BOTM but I simply could not bring myself to care about any of the characters and won’t lose a single wink of sleep over not knowing the ending
July 6, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
The Neighbor's Secret.
I was intrigued by the premise and excited when my request was approved but sadly, this didn't live up to my expectations.
There are many characters, family drama, and random flashbacks that muddy up the narrative, which is plodding and uninteresting.
The writing is good, but this is one of those novels that focuses on the family hijinks of each family, while slowly dropping tidbits of a shocking secret from the past and sprinkling red herrings and jokes and drama before finally getting to the end and the big reveal.
I didn't like anyone or empathize with anyone; I didn't care about their secrets or who did what to whom.
In other words, the juice isn't worth the squeeze.
I was intrigued by the premise and excited when my request was approved but sadly, this didn't live up to my expectations.
There are many characters, family drama, and random flashbacks that muddy up the narrative, which is plodding and uninteresting.
The writing is good, but this is one of those novels that focuses on the family hijinks of each family, while slowly dropping tidbits of a shocking secret from the past and sprinkling red herrings and jokes and drama before finally getting to the end and the big reveal.
I didn't like anyone or empathize with anyone; I didn't care about their secrets or who did what to whom.
In other words, the juice isn't worth the squeeze.
September 18, 2021
My insomnia deserves better
December 2, 2022
This was fun. Moms in the suburbs hiding secrets and putting on faces for the public. Didn't predict a few things so it was a fun time. Over the long term I think it will be forgettable, but I enjoyed it when I was reading it. Audiobook narrator was great!
April 12, 2021
This one is going to be perfect for Liane Moriarty fans. It's funny and quick on the surface, with deliciously dark secrets lurking underneath.
April 21, 2022
This was pretty good and I liked how the individual stories came together. I was really surprised by a lot of it!
My problem with it, as it so often is, is that it isn't clear when switching between narrators. I like for it to say it at the beginning of the chapter. Otherwise I waste time wondering who it is and accidentally skim over some parts. That's important when you're skipping between 3 women in the same town.
Good read though. Full on domestic drama. Not a thriller and not much of a mystery other than politely wondering who is vandalizing some things around the neighborhood.
My problem with it, as it so often is, is that it isn't clear when switching between narrators. I like for it to say it at the beginning of the chapter. Otherwise I waste time wondering who it is and accidentally skim over some parts. That's important when you're skipping between 3 women in the same town.
Good read though. Full on domestic drama. Not a thriller and not much of a mystery other than politely wondering who is vandalizing some things around the neighborhood.
September 7, 2021
It wasn’t awful but overall, i wasn’t super impressed. There were too many POVs for my taste, and I often found myself struggling to track with the timeline. The ending seemed rushed and the “surprise ending” didn’t really make a ton of sense to me? Like I get why it happened but it also seemed kinda random. Idk, this had potential and I feel like it just didn’t reach it.
Want to read
March 13, 2023This is me, begging Goodreads to please add a shelf called Did Not Finish. It would be helpful for my aging brain and it's not like we don't DNF some books.
January 9, 2024
2.75-3 stars
The Neighbor’s Secret started off strong. It’s more a character-driven, interpersonal relationship analysis in narrative form, with a side of mystery, than pure mystery. And these complex characters and their intricate relationships with one another are rather fascinating. I was intrigued by the implied mystery and the sense of mounting tension the author creates.
However, at some point, it became a bit monotonous as well as far-fetched. A voyeuristic tale of people behaving badly, read: abominably. It was more soap opera, than believable narrative. Every character was an absolute moral mess and it was hard to buy into their stories. There was definitely a sentiment of understanding, or compassion, to their motivations, but their actions were extreme. There are also some really dark topics handled in a rather cavalier manner, which could be the point, since it’s a reflection of the characters themselves, but I found it a bit off-putting.
Some people will enjoy this for the sheer drama of it all, as well as revelations of the reasons behind their behaviors, but it dragged for me and felt overdone, and ultimately, I just didn’t love it.
The Neighbor’s Secret started off strong. It’s more a character-driven, interpersonal relationship analysis in narrative form, with a side of mystery, than pure mystery. And these complex characters and their intricate relationships with one another are rather fascinating. I was intrigued by the implied mystery and the sense of mounting tension the author creates.
However, at some point, it became a bit monotonous as well as far-fetched. A voyeuristic tale of people behaving badly, read: abominably. It was more soap opera, than believable narrative. Every character was an absolute moral mess and it was hard to buy into their stories. There was definitely a sentiment of understanding, or compassion, to their motivations, but their actions were extreme. There are also some really dark topics handled in a rather cavalier manner, which could be the point, since it’s a reflection of the characters themselves, but I found it a bit off-putting.
Some people will enjoy this for the sheer drama of it all, as well as revelations of the reasons behind their behaviors, but it dragged for me and felt overdone, and ultimately, I just didn’t love it.
September 22, 2021
The Nighbor's Secret is as subtle as getting hit by a tractor trailer.....and about as sophisticated as that metaphor.
January 23, 2022
3.5 rounded up
Kept me guessing
Kept me guessing
September 11, 2021
This was a DNF at 150 pages for me.
When I saw the synopsis, I immediately added it to my cart. A BOOK about a BOOK CLUB? Some thrills, twists and suspense?! Umm, yes please. I was even more excited it got to my house so quickly and picked it up ASAP. That being said..
This was a dud and so confusing. By page 150, there were no thrills, twists, or suspense. What a perplexing synopsis we have here.. I would have stayed in it just for some messy suburban drama, but the cast of characters (parents, children, school administrators, neighbors, friends) was SO extensive I could not keep up. Who was who again! What child belonged to who? I couldn’t tell you. I even tried to picture the characters off of those from Desperate Housewives to make this more enjoyable, but that didn’t work because there weren’t enough characters in that fabulous tv show to cover all the ones in this damn book.
This gave me The Gifted School vibes (which I LOVED) but without enough background or foundational knowledge on each character and poor execution.
Why am I still giving it a three? The people I trust gave it a three as well (even though they weren’t huge fans either) as well as many other GR users. It’s one that it definitely wasn’t for me, but I could still potentially see it being for someone else.
When I saw the synopsis, I immediately added it to my cart. A BOOK about a BOOK CLUB? Some thrills, twists and suspense?! Umm, yes please. I was even more excited it got to my house so quickly and picked it up ASAP. That being said..
This was a dud and so confusing. By page 150, there were no thrills, twists, or suspense. What a perplexing synopsis we have here.. I would have stayed in it just for some messy suburban drama, but the cast of characters (parents, children, school administrators, neighbors, friends) was SO extensive I could not keep up. Who was who again! What child belonged to who? I couldn’t tell you. I even tried to picture the characters off of those from Desperate Housewives to make this more enjoyable, but that didn’t work because there weren’t enough characters in that fabulous tv show to cover all the ones in this damn book.
This gave me The Gifted School vibes (which I LOVED) but without enough background or foundational knowledge on each character and poor execution.
Why am I still giving it a three? The people I trust gave it a three as well (even though they weren’t huge fans either) as well as many other GR users. It’s one that it definitely wasn’t for me, but I could still potentially see it being for someone else.
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