Being Neighborly

by Karla Brandenburg

Sue Sheffield maintains a friendship with her alcoholic ex-husband, hoping he can find his way back to the man he used to be—until he falls off the wagon, wraps his car around a tree, and dies.

When rock guitarist Heath Fitzgerald hears his new neighbor sobbing, he rushes to check on her. After his previous roommate’s recent suicide, Heath’s determined not to let anyone else suffer in silence. He cheers her up the only way he knows how—with dad jokes, his knee-jerk response to stress.

After learning Heath’s day job is voice-over work, including audiobooks, Sue looks him up online. Chillingly, he was a person of interest in his roommate’s death. But if the death was ruled a suicide, why did they interrogate Heath? Investigating further uncovers the roommate’s deviant skeletons, further straining friendships he’d stretched to the breaking point. Solving crimes in real life isn’t as glamourous as it is in the mystery books Sue devours. She receives anonymous threats to leave it alone. Whether or not Heath is a killer, Sue finds him a person of interest for entirely different reasons.

215 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 12, 2022

About the author

Karla Brandenburg is an award-winning author of contemporary romance novels which include paranormal elements. Now that her children have settled into lives of their own, she loves to go out into the world on adventures with her husband, from Milwaukee to the French Riviera, but the Chicago suburbs have always been “home.” She is an avid reader across multiple genres and is a card-carrying cookie-holic (we all have our vices). Sign up for her newsletter

Reviews

[Terry Odell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karla Brandenburg adds to her Hoffman Grove series with Sue Sheffield’s story. Sue’s getting over the death of her ex-husband. Although they divorced after he abused her, she still harbors feelings for him. She loved him once and can’t ignore her past feelings.

Her new duplex neighbor, Heath Fitzgerald, is dealing with discovering the body of his roommate in what was apparently a suicide. He wonders if he missed the signs, if he could have done something about it. He hides his insecurities behind silly dad jokes.

Although the police have cleared Heath of any involvement in his roommate’s death, Sue—an avid mystery reader—is curious. If the cops are wrong, could she be living next door to a killer?
Together, Sue and Heath work to see if the investigation missed something.

Brandenburg deftly handles timely topics and character growth in times of tragedy and brings romance to these two people rediscovering themselves without dwelling on the darkness.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sue Sheffield cries her eyes out after her ex-husband's funeral, much to the bafflement of her brand new neighbor in the Hoffman Grove duplex they share. Sue and neighbor Heath Fitzgerald immediately find they have two things in common--they're grieving a loss and they've both been burned by someone they trusted. Under the meddling and well-meaning eyes of friends and family, these two struggle to find their way forward, individually and as a couple. They must rise above what their head is telling them and follow their heart if each wants their happily ever after.

A heartwarming sweet romance in a friendly small town where everyone knows your name. Thoroughly enjoyable and a wonderful escape.

[Kathy Kornatz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the silly jokes that the neighbors shared! Nice, easy read with the neighbors coming together as expected! There was a lot of time spent analyzing whether the neighbor could be a killer or not. Since we visited that topic all the way through the book, even after uncovering details indicating suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of his friend. I really expected that this was a murder. I felt the answer was too easy to fall back on. Maybe I have read too many plot twisting murder mysteries recently! Enjoyed the story regardless.

[BookHound · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two people suffering terrible losses become neighbors in a duplex. Through misunderstandings and the deaths of those close to them and a possible murder to solve, Heath and Sue walk a bumpy road learning to trust while getting to know each other. A very enjoyable story.