From the minute I started reading this book I just knew that I would be hooked, I really enjoyed everything about it. The plot had me thinking I knew exactly what was going on but how wrong I was. Full of twists that navigate you around the lives of the residents of Magnolia Close, everybody has a story and not all is as it seems. This is one of my favourite books this year!

*3.5 stars

The perfect example of the old adage: you never know what goes on behind closed doors and the question, "How well do you know your neighbors?"/

Kristie is a young mother with a six month old daughter. One night she hears through the baby monitor a man talking about taking the baby. Well, no one else in the neighborhood has a baby besides her. This sets off an obsession of making sure her daughter is safe. She constantly checks to make sure the windows are shut, the doors locked, never having the baby leave her side, and even sleeping next to the baby cot every night. Kirstie's husband thinks she's becoming paranoid and unhinged but he spends most of his time away either at work or training for a triathlon. Which sparks the question is he having an affair. I admit that Kirstie's paranoia became too much. Blaming her best friend, neighbors, and her husband of everything. It honestly became tedious. You didn't know if some things had some truth to them or if Kirstie was becoming crazy. It was interesting but I could have done without so much paranoia. I did enjoy the epilogue; that was a nice twist!

**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fast paced page turner that pulls you in all directions but the correct one .My only criticism is that the storyline is too close to a a few books I’ve read before meaning this book didn’t stand out . 3.5 stars rounded to 4 with my thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy

This is my second book by this author and another of her hard to put down stories. Her descriptions are so incredibly vivid that I could picture the scenes and feel the emotions of the main character, Kristie. Believe me, this book is intense! There were carefully added little tidbits, but how do you know which ones actually mean something, and which ones lead nowhere? I was so tempted to just skip to the end and find out exactly what was going on. It took a lot of willpower to wait.

In the end, the book wraps up neatly—kind of. When you finally know what happened with Kristie and why, wouldn’t you know, the author left one little piece for me to mull over. I wonder if there will be a follow-up with the same characters.

All I can say is:”Well done!”

There are a few curse words in the book.

What makes Shalini Boland stand out is her knack of taking an everyday situation, and gradually weaving in shreds of doubt until they form a colossal web of deceit.

From the outset, this spine tingling narrative hooks the reader by taking a cosy domestic setting and dragging the protagonist into every parent’s nightmare. When Kirstie hears a voice on the baby monitor, she believes somebody is in her house and trying to steal her baby. This sense of fear is heightened by the author’s use of a first-person perspective which puts the reader right in her shoes.

When no intruder can be found, the police think the monitor has picked up a signal from another house. But nobody in the cul-de-sac has a baby; and behind them is a field. Did she really hear anything? Is she paranoid? Everybody around her seems to think so. But Kirstie is adamant she’s right and will go to any lengths to protect her baby: including putting herself in danger. Just as well she has a loving husband who she’s known since school and can trust implicitly to protect her. And a best friend who lives just over the road.

But can she really trust them? Do they have anything to hide? And then there’s the other neighbours in the cul-de-sac: from the weird widower next door on one side, to the pompous headmaster (who is also her boss) on the other. As well as the ex-school friend making an appearance, who just so happens to be her husband’s ex too. With red herrings galore, nobody is above suspicion and as soon as you think you’ve sussed out what’s going on: WHAM oh no it’s not. Tricked you.

This is another fantastic book by Shalini Boland, who is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.
Under Literature Love’s rating system this book has been awarded 5 out of 5 stars.

Having read Shalini Bolands work before I was excited to see a new release from her- and it was a really good book!

The story tells of Kirsty- a new mum chilling out one evening when she hears something quite disturbing through the baby monitor- someone saying Take the baby- thinking it's her own child in peril- she dashes up the stairs to see that her own daughter is fast asleep in her bed- but where did the noise come from?

There's no other babies on her street?

Who's baby is being abducted?

The book does drag slightly- we are then fed the tale of Kirsty knowing something is wrong- knowing that something is amiss on her street- she becomes obsessed with finding out- and also obsessed with the fact that someone is trying to steal her baby.

I did have my suspocions on who the perpatrator was- but I didnt expect the twist in the story.

As per usual with Shalini's writing- in the end it all falls perfectly and the whole story comes together.

I did drop this a star as i felt that at times the story dragged a little too much.

I did enjoy the ending too.

4*'s from me

When Kirstie Rawlings hears someone's voice over her baby monitor planning a child abduction she races to her babies room to stop them. No one is in her house and her baby is sound asleep. So where are the people she heard on her monito?. She reports this to the police who investigate and find nothing amiss. Kirstie cannot let the fear of what she heard go and becomes a virtual prisoner in her home letting her thoughts get away from her until even she believes that she may be going crazy. A pretty wild story with a good ending.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

Kirstie is at home alone with her new baby when she hears a man's voice through her baby monitor saying "take the baby". She rushes into her baby Daisy's room but there is nobody there but her sleeping child. The police are called and enquiries are made but there is no evidence of anything untoward. Kirstie becomes increasingly paranoid and obsessive that someone is out to kidnap her baby.

This is a well written clever psychological drama with some well thought out characters. The ending was a surprise and I never guessed the twist.

This was a really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was very suspensful and kept me hooked. Really enjoy this authors books

This is the second Shalini Boland books I have read and it didn’t disappoint. The book focuses on Kirstie, a new mother and the other residents of the cul de sac she lives in. When strange things keep happening you would think it’s all in her head. As more events unfold her husband and friends make her feel as though she is going mad. It has plenty of twists and turns where you suspect it’s her husband ,friends and neighbours plotting against her. It’s not till near the end that a whole new secret comes out that I didn’t see coming. A great physiological thriller.

I am a big fan of Shalini Boland.. She really knows how to write a brilliant thriller. This book is fast paced with a lot of action. It kept me gripped the whole way through. It is amazing what goes on behind closed doors and the secrets people keep. Looking forward to the next book.

3.5*
Kirstie hears faint whispers coming from her baby monitor. All she’s able to make out is that someone wants to take a baby. Naturally, she’s immediately fearful that her baby is the topic of conversation. Why won’t someone, anyone listen or understand her fears. Soon, with the stress mounting, Kirstie is unable to sleep or let her baby out of her sight for even a moment. Is there someone out there trying to take her baby? Why is her not-so-busy husband always too busy to help calm her fears?

Though there was building suspense, this thriller never really took off for me until the final 20%. When Shalini Boland filled the ending with fireworks! I’ve read a lot of thrillers lately and unfortunately this one fell short of standing out to me. In fact, it was so similar to one I’d just read 2 weeks ago, that I thought I was having Deja-vu! Had a hard time keeping them apart. (Maybe it’s time for a thriller break....ha-ha! Kidding!)

This is a thriller I’ll say I enjoyed, but still wanted something more to distinguish it from the pack. I did enjoy the writing style and would still be interested in reading another by this author in the future.

As always - a wonderful Traveling Sister read with Brenda and Susanne!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

For our full Traveling sister review please visit Brenda and Norma's fabulous book blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/

Another winner from Shalini! She has delivered another gripping, psychological thriller. Is Kirstie going crazy? She is woken up by a baby crying. She checks on Daisy, her baby daughter, but she is OK and then she hears voices on the baby monitor “lets just take the child and go”. When she reports this to the police they don’t believe her and neither does her husband. Kirstie then fears for the safety of Daisy and starts looking at the residents of Magnolia Close, is anyone hiding a baby? They all seem to be hiding secrets and want to stop Kirstie from finding them out. This is a story that will keep you wanting more and keep you guessing right until the end with so many unexpected twists and turns. An absolutely mesmerising book, don’t miss reading it,
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

AWowzers.... What can I say? What a book. This is certainly one of those books that keep you thinking, keep you guessing. It certainly keeps you on your toes.
Freaky, scary. kirstie is convinced she has just heard voices over her baby intercom. Frozen with fear, but knowing she has to go rescue her daughter. Her daughter is fine, fast asleep.
Kirsty becomes almost neurotic, convinced that her child is not safe, convinced someone is trying to steal her baby girl.
If her child is safe then maybe it's another child that is in danger. Kirstie is then convinced her neighbour is harbouring secrets and makes it her mission to find out what.
Is it that Kirstie is going a little deranged, imagining the worst case scenario on everything, or is she perfectly sane and the only person that can see something is not right.
Why won't people believe her, or is there anything to actually believe in.
A story that will keep you guessing, keep you wondering, it certainly keeps you turning the page. I think this book was put together brilliantly. A story that keeps you wanting more. I was holding my breath right at the beginning of this book, then it gives you an ending that leaves you thinking, What!!! Wow, I didn't see that coming.
This is a psychological thriller ​you don't want to miss.

Kirstie Rawlings is a new mum.She loves her baby daughter to bits. When she hears a voice on the baby monitor saying, "Quick, lets just take the baby & go!" she panics and rushes to her baby's room. To her relief Daisy is fine, but memories of the voice will not leave her alone. There are no other babies living close by. The police just thinks it was a fluke, maybe a radio signal? Nothing can convince Kirstie that all is well. She becomes more and more convinced that someone wants her child and she cannot rest until she solves the mystery.

I must admit that Kirstie's paranoia really got on my nerves! I wanted to drag her to the Doctors and get her some help! But is it being paranoid if they really are out to get you? Shlani Boland keeps the reading on their toes throughout & leaves us wondering what happened after the last page- a mark of a good read!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for giving me the chance to read & review this book.

On the cover we see Kirstie going to open the front door of the house as if she was going to greet someone. A catchphrase says a lot about the book: "The most safe place can hide dark secrets".

It all starts when Kirstie hears in the baby monitor: Do not take my baby, she has just been awakened by crying children. Except that her daughter is safe and comfortable in her bed. She asks herself questions. Especially since there are no other children for miles around. The police do not believe her, her husband either. The more she goes into her neighbor's business, the more she collapses. Because they will do everything so that nobody knows the truth.

A very good psychological thriller as I like, well written with a story that holds the road and engaging with endearing characters especially that of Kirstie. This author has potential and deserves her books to be translated into other languages ​​such as French to have more readers. Look forward to reading other books of this author.

I was lost in the cloudy, dry coulee with Kaceey and Susanne reading The Child Next Door feeling a little paranoid as we read this story and were looking over our shoulders and questioning if we heard whispering in the brushes.

The Child Next Door is an entertaining yet frightening story filled with suspense that delves into the anxiety and paranoid feeling of a mother who feels her child is in danger.

Shalini Boland took us on quite an emotional ride here filled with anxiety and feeling of paranoid. She takes her time here with creating the anxiety for our main character Kristie and for us in the coulee. At times Kaceey and I wanted to jump out of the coulee leaving Susanne turning the pages as fast as she could to get some answers to her questions. Things started to pick up for us and Kaceey and I were soon pulled back down into this story and not moving till we reached that final twist.

In the end, we ended up on different sides of the coulee with how we felt about the story. Susanne feeling quite satisfied and really enjoyed the story. Kaceey on the other side left wanting a bit more from the story and me in the middle trying to catch my breath from all the excitement.

Thank you, NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for a copy to read and review.

Review written and posted on our themed book blog Two Sisters Lost In A Coulee Reading.
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com
Coulee: a term applied rather loosely to different landforms, all of which refer to a kind of valley.

4 Stars.

In her latest novel, “The Child Next Door” Shalini Boland makes you feel anxious and she ties your stomach in knots. This is one suspense novel that keeps you glued to the pages and should not be missed.

Kirstie Rawlings is a new mother to six month old Daisy. Her life revolves around her little girl. When she is awakened by a baby’s cry she immediately goes running, only to discover that it wasn’t her child that was crying. Then the unimaginable happens: she hears voices on her baby monitor saying “let’s just take the baby and go.” My stomach just about dropped hearing those words and I'm not even a mother.

From then on, Kirstie becomes a nervous wreck thinking someone is out to kidnap her baby. Unfortunately, no one believes her, not even after strange things start happening, thus she starts investigating on her own. Can you say dangerous? Is Kirstie making it up? Is she imagining things? What is going on? With my nerves on edge from the very first, I was on a roller coaster ride right up until the very end. “The Child Next Door” is my fourth Shalini Boland novel and in case you couldn't tell, I enjoyed it immensely and can’t wait to see what Ms. Boland comes out with next.

This was a Traveling Sister read with Brenda and Kaceey. For the all Sister Reviews, please see Brenda and Norma's incredible blog: https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on Goodreads, Amazon and Twitter.

OMG I totally loved this psychological thriller! Full of twists and turns throughout, you can't help but be drawn into a world of suspense and mystery, where everyone's a suspect. I rate this book 5 out of 5 and totally recommend it. You definitely won't be disappointed!

I absolutely love Shalini Boland every single book has been gripping with lots of twists and this one didn't fail either. Loved how the story was based in a small ordinary street that could be any street up and down the country. Keeping an eye on the neighbours maybe all isn't as it seems. Receommended to all my friends.