The Family at Number 11

by Kathryn Whitfield

The perfect neighbours. Or your worst nightmare?

Penny and Jake live in a beautiful home in a beautiful neighbourhood with their beautiful baby boy. It's the perfect life. Except that Penny is desperately lonely and can't shake the feeling that she isn't bonding with her baby like she should be.

So when Celia moves in across the street with her husband, Pete, and their gorgeous children, Penny is delighted to have a friend.

But things aren't quite what they seem behind closed doors. Because Celia and Pete have a secret. And the truth threatens to devastate everyone around them.

A completely gripping and unputdownable psychological suspense that will have you turning the pages long into the night. Perfect for fans of The Family Across the Street, The Woman Next Door and Shari Lapena.

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 6, 2023

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows Penny who is a new mother, struggling to adjust to motherhood and bond with her baby. Her husband, Jake, is supportive but sometimes grows frustrated with her lack of bond with the baby. Around the same time, a new family moves in across the street. A couple called Celia and Pete and their two young children. Penny instantly becomes friends with Celia and feels supported having a friend going through motherhood like her. It soon becomes apparent to Penny though that the family aren’t quite what they seem and they’re keeping secrets, some which could be deadly…

This was a good thriller with a good plot and a few twists. I liked reading about these characters, although sometimes I was frustrated by Penny but I did sympathise with her and was rooting for her by the end. Some of the things didn’t add up for me or left me with questions, but overall this was a good story and the last part of this book was really good and twisty! I’d recommend this to thriller fans!
Thank you so much to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Linda Schodowsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another one of those 'new mother' books where are the new mother is frazzled and can't really connect with the baby. Those seem to be a popular theme of the books I've been listening to, lately. This one wasn't any different. Although I really enjoyed the story, the ending took way too long. I actually sped up the book to 1.7 and I usually slow down books when I listen to them. I really enjoyed the narrational voice on this one.

[Staci Quigley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I wanted to give this book 3.5 stars but it doesn't allow half stars! This book was a decent mystery and did keep me guessing. For the most part, it held my interest throughout the book. What stops me from rating it higher is some of the plot felt a bit disjointed/disconnected for me. The main character, Penny, who is a new Mom struggling to bond with her baby and get through the first weeks of new motherhood and survive the exhaustion etc. was a bit irritating at times. I mean the entire book's premise was about her as a new mother, but it just seemed to bounce from 'I'm not bonding with my baby" to "I can't leave him for 5 seconds, even with my husband, who happens to be a doctor". There is really no gradual shift from one perspective to the other. She comes across as slightly neurotic and obsessive, but at the same time she also comes off as a sympathetic character because anyone that's had a baby can relate to some of the feelings. But there are parts where it's distracting. Also, the introduction of Penny's best friend Sarah seems rather pointless. Not to mention a scene with Penny's Mom where we find out she has cancer. This is not a spoiler, I promise because her mother is mentioned once or twice only...and other than one mention, we don't read another word about her mother, her cancer, her upcoming treatment. What daughter doesn't follow up to see how her mother is doing after cancer treatment?? It just makes Penny come off as all-consumed by her own issues and life. So if the author wasn't going to weave that relationship challenge into the story, then why bother mentioning it at all? It was lost on me as to why it was in there at all. But, that being said, the book got a bit stronger with the story in the end and had some minor plot twists. The character of Celia (the new and seemingly perfect new neighbour that moved in across the street and befriended Penny) was a bit one-dimensional, but the author made her story arc tie up with a bang! Good writing for the most part...decent story and mystery, but just a few things that stopped me from rating it higher than I did. I always appreciate the amount of effort that must go into writing a mystery/thriller. So many layers to worry about...so I give kudos to the author for mostly pulling it off.

[Michelle Flair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing, a proper page turner. Read this in 2 days as I just couldn't put it down. the plot getting thicker with every page turned and the need to know what was going to happen next. Did not expect that ending at all. My mind is literally blown 100% recommend.

[Nicola Poole · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely gripping psychological domestic drama. Penny, a new mother struggling to bond with her baby gets embroiled in the lives of new neighbours who are not exactly who they seem. If you like Lisa Jewell or Louise Candlish novels, you will love this one. I couldn't put it down.

[Quarnita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read and had me at the edge of my seat.

[Margaret Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

HELD MY INTEREST

I looked forward to getting back to reading this book. When I had to take breaks. I telated to the complicated feelings of the mother – loving her child, and yet feeling overwhelmed at times, and doubting herself. Liked guessing how it was all going to come out.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Family at Number 11 by Kathryn Whitfield.
Penny and Jake live in a beautiful home in a beautiful neighbourhood with their beautiful baby boy. It's the perfect life. Except that Penny is desperately lonely and can't shake the feeling that she isn't bonding with her baby like she should be.
I did enjoy this book. gripping and twisty. I liked Penny and Jake. I didn't see that coming. Definitely recommend. 5*.

[Graeme Robisnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book, it had everything and was definitely one of my favourite books this year, I’m looking forward to reading more in the future

[Angela Holden Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

When we move house we wonder what our new neighbours will be like.
Penny and Jake thinks this.
When Celia and Pete move across the road, Penny is glad she will have a friend
But Pete and Celia have a secret which will affect everyone in their neighbourhood.

I loved this book.
The story was brilliant and the characters were well drawn and very believable.
It was a thrilling read and I wanted to keep reading, staying up into the early hours.

I would recommend this book to everyone. it is that good.

[Christi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I.LOVED.IT. I'm quickly discovering that I may not be the fastest reader around (Im writing this June 14th 2023, 6 days after the book came out) but I wanted to get here the minute I finished just to tell you all- Plain and simple, this book needs to be at the top of your list!
An ordinary neighborhood with a new family that is anything but ordinary. A peculiar scenario that keeps building with mystery and suspense that it makes it hard to put down
This is a story that flawlessly weaves the past and the present together, giving you insight one minute and then twisting things just enough the next to have you questioning what you Think you know. Are the people you think can trust Really the ones that you should trust?

[James Cowie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fucking horrible

[Sian Morant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny and Jake are a typical middle-class couple. They live in a beautiful home in a lovely neighbourhood. Their happiness is completed by the idyllic arrival of a baby boy. However, underneath this perfect exterior, all is not well. Penny is lonely and exhausted. She doesn’t feel a bond with her baby. This is compounded by the fact that nobody around her including Jake, a busy doctor, seems to notice her distress.
Penny’s loneliness leads her to become interested in her neighbours across the road. When she finally meets Celia, she can’t believe her luck. Here is someone who seems to intuitively know how she is feeling and offers her the support and company she is craving.
From the start, Penny does think that Celia is holding back on certain things, then as time goes on she realises that something is really off with the whole family. Unfortunately, Penny doesn’t get to grips with the true extent of the secrets and lies in the family across the road, not how dangerous Celia is going to be.

This is a really good debut novel from this talented author. Up until halfway through, I did find Penny a bit annoying with her constant moaning and whining insecurities, but the author’s excellent writing led me to end up really rooting for her,
My thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an open and honest review.

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny and Jake are a couple who have recently had their first child, and Penny is fretting a great deal about the fact that she feels she is not bonding well with the baby.

So, when Celia moves into their neighbourhood with her family, Penny is only too happy to have a new friend who has not only successfully raised her children, but is good company as well.

It is only after she has spent some time with Celia that Penny figures out that things are not quite as they seem in Celia's family. What Penny doesn't realise though, is just how dangerous the secrets that Celia is keeping actually are...

This is a good thriller, which gives the reader the gift of some excellent twists, particularly in the last part of the book. I did find Penny's character a little tiresome at times, but that was more than made up for by the way that the writer tied up all the loose ends in a very neat bow at the end of the novel. I love a satisfying conclusion to a complicated story!

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Megan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this intense thriller. Penny and Jake are two strong, likeable characters and it was a joy getting to know them and their relationship. I felt it even more when their relationship starts to unravel due to events around them.
Throughout this book it is obvious that something dark is looming and there is a definite edge to the atmosphere, I was hooked as Whitfield reveals just enough to reel you in but then leaves you wanting more and guessing at the revelations to come. There are some plot twists in this, I found them fairly obvious but this was okay as it worked for the plot. I was hooked by this intense, electrifying thriller and I highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an advance copy.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and read it very quickly , unwilling to put it down. I liked the style of writing…. clear ,concise not overly descriptive ,easy to follow and this led me to being able to devour this book in two sittings. as well as my desire to find out just what was going on. Who were the family at no11 ? Were they as perfect as they seemed? There were a lot of twists and turns to the story and I found I just didn’t know who to believe. A bit of confusion over exactly what was happening at the end but altogether an excellent read.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this book.

[Lynk · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first it was good and then I kept reading confused on why I’m even reading it. I thought this was a thriller, but I was just a story about people and their lives that i am not interested in. Next thing you know, at around 70%, the story actually picks up and they quickly start throwing twists and turns at you.

Idk, this isn’t for me, just a slow start and when it gets to the end, it’s not interesting as I had clocked out chapters before. I feel like when Penny talks to Celia’s mum was a cop out instead of actually developing the story naturally.

I’m not having much luck with thriller reads so far lol

[Susan Bauder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of this book was very exciting. Short chapters, with the main character giving first-person thoughts and descriptions, as well as flashbacks in the first-person by other main characters. When I got to about 20 pages left, I found the book got a little too much. The fighting back and forth just seemed to go on forever. The grabbing of ankles,etc. went on and on. Also, in my opinion, all the breast-feeding descriptions time and time again. The book seemed to focus on it! Other than that, I did enjoy the book. 4.7/5

[Jennifer Holloway Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt that this book was just ok for me. This trope has become popular, however this book just felt like it has been done before and was nothing new to me. I am not a huge fan on books where a conversation with the spouse would have solved most of the questions easily. The new mom could have asked about Pete and cleared up a lot of things. The fear of talking to her spouse about things just adds something that makes the story just seem lazy. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

[Kate Galley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing, tense and incredibly suspenseful!
This book is a cracking debut and has all the ingredients of an explosive psychological thriller.
Very much looking forward to reading more from this talented writer!

*This book should not be confused with The Family at Number 12 by Anita Waller published in November 2022*

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Headline and NetGalley for an early copy of The Family at Number 11. This was a great debut, it kept me guessing what exactly was going on. A true psychological! The only thing that was a bit far-fetched was the ending, the fighting was a bit unrealistic but otherwise the plot was Awesome. Keep writing Kathryn, can't wait for your next one.

[D. Tuchman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book

Until the end it was so slow. Even the ending did not justify the time I spent struggling to make myself read the book. For me it was not a twisty, nail-biting and unputdownable psychological thriller. I will not rely on those words for future books. Best wishes to the author. I’m sure you have some good books in you.

[Susan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Read this book on holiday couldn't put it down so twisty wanted to get to the end to find out what happens hope Kathryn writes another one soon. I can see this one becoming a film.

[Tami Kliefoth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Almost couldn't finish due to little plot or character development, but 2/3 in, the book caught its' stride and ended well.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read, liked the twists and turns. Ending was a bit too drawn out for me.

[Terri Rutherford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one started slow, evolved into a skimmer, then picked up the pace in the last 50 pages. Way too many pages on the main character breastfeeding her baby. Way.

[Trudy Medwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read, but very repetitive. I got tired of reading about sore boobs…. I got the point early on

[Gemma Callaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A psychological thriller with just the right level of suspense. This book has short, snappy chapters that keep you engaged until the end. There’s a couple of creepy parts that made me shudder a bit.
I did predict the ending so I wasn’t at all surprised but it was still an enjoyable read.