This debut novel is a page-turner for sure. Set in a wealthy Northern Virginia suburb just across the river from Washington DC, What the Neighbors Saw alternates viewpoints between our two main characters: Alexis, a Black woman who just moved into the neighborhood with her husband Sam and their two young children, and Blair, a wealthy mother of three whose marriage and life are picture perfect. Shortly after Alexis and Sam move in, Blair's husband Teddy is found murdered, and the police are short on suspects. Over the course of the summer, Alexis and Blair become close, each finding comfort in the other and their growing friendship as the police continue to search for Teddy's killer, and Alexis' marriage (and their newly purchased house) falls apart. Meanwhile, their neighbors' secrets and scandals are getting revealed, and seemingly anyone could snap at any time. Even the most picture-perfect community has skeletons in the closet.

This is a compelling story that digs into marriage dynamics, the relationships between mothers and daughters, and the friendships of women. If you've liked books like The Golden Couple (Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen) and Invisible Girl (Lisa Jewell) you'll enjoy What the Neighbors Saw. This was a strong first showing from Melissa Adelman; I look forward to reading many more of her books!

I had never heard of this author before but the description intrigued me. The beginning seemed to lag a bit…back & forth, mundane days & details (by a couple different narrators, POVs) and I even stopped about 20% through & read another book. However 3/4 days later, I turned back to “What the Neighbors Saw” & am so glad I did. Maybe a little past 50%, Alexis’, Sam’s & Blair’s story picks up & doesn’t stop until the very end when you sit back & say “do whaaat??”…..”where did that….how….wow”. Once the pace picks up, hold on tight because you’re in for a ride & can’t even begin to guess where you’re headed. I’ll be watching for other books by this author. Enjoy the read, I certainly did!!

I enjoyed reading alternating chapters from Alexis and Blair, who are neighbors in a wealthy area of Washington, DC. The pacing was slow at times, with a lot of "telling" and internal thoughts, but I wanted to know if Alexis would get a backbone and stand up for herself and how the story would turn out. I was surprised by the twist(s) at the end. A satisfying tale of domestic suspense.

This debut novel by Melissa Adelman is completely engrossing and addictive. It starts off a little slow but accelerates into one heck of a story.

Alexis and Sam move into a ritzy neighborhood even though they can barely afford to. They like the thought of living amongst the beautiful homes and the well-to-do neighbors. Much to their dismay, a neighbor is murdered soon after they move in, leaving them to wonder if they’d made a mistake. After Alexis has a baby, she’s finding herself awake in the wee hours of the morning, and often sees things, people, in the woods while looking out her window. She befriends Blair, the recently widowed neighbor, and confides in her about what she sees, though Blair does her best to put Alexis’ mind at ease.

The slow build of suspense will keep you hooked, and the twist at the end just might fool you. Four stars for this one.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

What the Neighbors Saw by M. Adelman, published by St. Martin's Books / Minotaur Books, is a full-length, stand-alone novel that stays with me days after reading.
Alexis and her husband Sam are the proud owners of a new home. He's a lawyer about to become partner and Alexis can leave her rough past behind. Their future looks so shiny when their neighbor is found dead. And so it begins.
While the police is looking for the villain, Alexis becomes friends with Blair, the widow and bit by bit she discovers hidden secrets, lies, truths.
A twisty, angsty read that will keep the reader on the edge of its seat from start til the last page. Fantastic, suspenseful, unputdownable.

This is one of the best mysteries I've read lately. It kept me guessing, and then doubting myself when I did actually figure it out. It is an engaging page-turner that kept me interested in all of the characters (and there were quite a few in that neighborhood). I hope Melissa Adelman writes more books. I would love to read them.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing for this ARC.

This is Melissa Adelman’s debut novel and I have to say I really enjoyed it. There were a lot of moving parts and the ending wrapped everything up so well, with some twists thrown in! I loved the relatable characters, and the neighborhood drama. I wouldn’t necessarily call this a “thriller” though, it’s definitely more along the lines of a drama, but it was well-written and held my attention. I look forward to more books from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing for this ARC and the opportunity to read and review this book!

Sam and Alex think that they’ve purchased 51 Shadow Road ‘ by an incredible stroke of luck’ only to discover that things may not be what/how they appear to be. What the Neighbours Saw is a fast paced,, page turner. There are a lot of neighbours to keep tabs on but you’ll want to know what they’re all up to.
Thank You to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and enjoy this ARC.

I really enjoyed this debut by Melissa Adelman. I’ll definitely be looking for more from her. Great domestic thriller with all the moving parts. I loved all of the relatable, rich characters. Fresh take on neighborhood secrets and drama.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

I enjoyed this. I wouldn't necessarily call this a thriller -- I'd say it was a "Suburban Drama." There were a few twists near the end that were pretty good. All in all, a solid first novel. Nothing new or earth-shaking, but enjoyable nonetheless.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another entry in the very popular domestic suspense genre, What the Neighbors Saw takes a peek behind the curtain of an upscale Washington DC suburb. Picture perfect on the outside, but teeming with secrets and bad behavior underneath.

I really liked the premise of this book and going back and forth between the viewpoints of two of the main characters. There were some good twists and turns along the way. But I didn't like any of the characters enough to really care what happened to them. I ended up skimming the book just to see who, if anyone, got what they deserved. I am looking forward to seeing what the author does next, though--there was a lot of potential in this one, I think it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you to Victoria Cardoso at Minotaur Books via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide feedback on this book.

This was an engaging and quick read that I read in one sitting because I just had to know what happened. The mystery left me guessing until the end and I never would have predicted the turns it took. I have been trying to read a bit more fiction, and although I just don’t typically enjoy fiction as much as nonfiction, this was definitely one that I liked more than I typically do.

I appreciated the main character and the author’s discussion of issues of race and socioeconomic privilege and family trauma via development of this character and her relationships with other characters. It added welcome substance to the plot-line.

I did not overly enjoy this book. I found the plot was stale, characters were boring, and it was slow. The saving grace was 3 strong final chapters, when the circumstances behind the murder of Teddy is revealed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story kept unfolding and bringing in different aspects of suburban life and motherhood. Exploring the compulsions to keep up appearances at all costs and the very real feelings that we aren't good enough.

Very well written. I was surprised to learn she's a first time novelist

I loved this book and look forward to more from this author.

I struggled with this book, becuase I genuienly disliked all the characters. The plot was slow, but the last 10% of the book kept me guessing. I just wish it would have picked up sooner.

Absolutely incredible book! I wasn't sure when I first started but once Alexis and her husband moved to their new home and all "the things" started to unravel, I couldn't put the book down!!! I thought I had it figured out and the author threw me for a loop...thank you! Or not! LOL! I love how the author made you think everyone was friends, neighborly, etc. but I guess you better always watch your back! Thank you for writing this fun, yet mysterious book!

I liked the DC suburbs setting. It's a nice change from so much in NYC and LA while still feeling "familiar". I liked the idea of them having renvo a house in order to live there--very realistic. I don't think the crime parts were as well done as the regular life parts.

Solid 4.5 stars. Grabs you from the beginning and keeps the pages turning. The twists that came up in this book were good, and as an avid reader, I did not see them coming.

Adelman is an excellent writer and I look forward to what she comes up with next..

2.25/5 stars! This was my first book by author Melissa Adelman. This is one of those neighborhood 'who-done-its' filled with long-buried secrets. I liked the premise of the story and the general trajectory of the story worked. However, the pacing was incredibly slow and I didn't like or root for any of the characters. Just a really bland thriller.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

This was a nice quick read! I was able to figure out the who pretty early on, but the why and the twist at the end really got me. I enjoyed also enjoyed the added detail of each neighbor and their weird drama.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a digital ARC in exchange for my review. No other compensation was provided. Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books/St. Martins Press, and Melissa Adelman

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