The Mother Next Door is a fun thriller that will hit home for any parent who's traversed the trenches of mom cliques and petty neighborhood squabbles. Plenty of twists and a satisfying ending made it a book I couldn't put down!

This story is set in a close-knit neighborhood with a gang of control-freak moms running the show and a new neighbor lady who wants in on the action. During the buildup to the epic annual Halloween block party, someone starts sending threatening messages to the bossy moms.

I half liked this and half hated it. I enjoyed the urban legend component and some of the mom snark and not knowing who to trust, but I feel like I’ve read multiple versions of this story before and didn’t particularly enjoy the ending to this one.

If you’re a seasonal reader looking for a spooky novel with just enough gossip and drama to keep you interested, look no further. This is the book for you.
Set on and around Halloween, the author creates an eerie atmosphere and serves up a couple of chills along the way. There isn’t a whole lot of depth or deep thinking, but that’s okay. The plot skims along and keeps the reader entertained from beginning to end.
Theresa is happy to have moved into her idea of a perfect house – but there is an undercurrent of unease in the neighborhood. It could just be the season, because the annual Halloween block party is coming up. Or there could be past events coming back to haunt the residents of Ivy Woods.
Maybe it’s both.
I thought that the author set the tone in an excellent manner, introducing the story with a mystery narrator. It was atmospheric, and the continued narration scattered throughout the chapters was eerie.
I keep using those words (creepy and eerie). Honestly, I typed them in my notes several times as I was reading. I can’t stress enough how atmospheric the story was.
And that attention to making it spooky and creating doubt as to what was going on and who was responsible is what absolutely makes this novel.
There are plot points that seemed thin, and a few things that just didn’t ring true. For example, Kendra’s attitude toward younger women seemed to be thrown in merely for a motivation – there wasn’t a lot of backup or other examples of why she felt that way. The same could be said for the rest of the Ivies…there wasn’t a lot of depth or follow up to their characters.
But once again, that didn’t matter to me, because that’s not how I was reading the book. I took it for a fun October read with a few surprises and I thoroughly enjoyed it for that.
So just let yourself skate along with the narrative. Don’t think too much or expect deep revelations. Think of it as a favorite scary movie that you watch every year.
If you do that, you’ll definitely enjoy this book.

3.5 ⭐️‘S
Thirteen years ago a tragedy struck Ivy Woods, a promising life cut short in the midst of their Halloween Block party. The urban legend of Ghost Girl is now alive and well in their community and many claim to have seen her down by the railroad bridge at night. Over the years an elite group of moms (the Ivies) did not let the tragedy stop the block party, but instead grew it to mass proportions. People come from all over to trick or treat and to see the decorations. The Ivies started out as a group of five, but one of those has been missing for quite some time. When Theresa (wife of the new High School principal), moves into the neighborhood, she yearns to be part of their group. As Halloween approaches the Ivies start receiving threatening notes, notes about their past that no one else should know about. As Theresa joins the group, she, too, receives notes, notes that shake her to her core. Notes about a past that has come back to haunt her. Who is threatening the Ivies and what is their connection to Theresa? Will the past ruin their future? Will tragedy once again strike Ivy Woods on Halloween or will the Ivies once again prevail?

Theresa is happy- so happy- to be included in the cliquish Ivy Four so that they can once again be the Ivy Five. She, and her family, are new to the neighborhood so she doesn't know what has happened and why they are only four but she's gonna find out. Told alternately by Theresa, Kendra (the alpha of the group) and an unnamed narrator, this is one of those suburban secrets and lies novels that has a good twist or two. The characters might seem a tad familiar- but that's because you've probably met at least one of them in real life. Everything is coming to a head around Halloween--oooh. No spoilers from me but know that there's at least one surprise ahead. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read.

A new family moves to town and brings their own secrets to an already secret filled street. The setting is October and Halloween is a big part of the book. Several years ago something happened to one of the mothers on the street on Halloween and someone wants revenge this year. I liked the setting and the book being told from multiple POV. This story is filled with secrets and I loved how they intertwined.

Good October mystery to set the mood for Halloween.

Theresa always wanted what her mother wanted for her - a nice home, a great husband, the job and children. She finds herself realizing all those dreams - but is it really all she dreamed of? Is being part of the clique all she wants?

Great characters, moral dilemmas and setting.

The Mother Next Door was a domestic suspense with a very mean girl feel to it. The cliques were so sinister to me for some reason and I enjoyed the unknown character's pov! It really added to the atmosphere! I was really satisfied how the puzzle came together at the end!

Thank you so much to the publishers for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Part Big Little Lies, Desperate Housewives and Gossip Girl vibes, this light 'thriller' is more neighborhood drama with a clique of mothers in a neighborhood I would never want to live in. 😏 I really wanted to like this book more than I did. It centers around a Halloween party (yay! My favorite time of year!), has lies, history amongst the women... in which the Ivy Five is actually four but have they found their new fifth in Theresa?

As someone who reads a ton of thrillers, this one felt a teeny bit repetitive of ones that I've read before. And trust me, I know that the amount of books I devour will lead to a lot of this... especially in this genre but bear with me! The chapters go back and forth with the different perspectives of some of the moms and there are occasional "Halloween" chapters that gives us a look into the past. I love a good full circle feel of a story. However, I could never get myself to really care about any of the characters... especially towards that end that may have stretched it a bit too far. Secrets can only get you so far... but I'll hush for now. And dangit, I also sure do love urban legends and this one has the Ghost Girl.

Personally, I think this was just a reader/book mismatch. However, if you like neighborhood drama with a touch of suspense, grab that popcorn and crack open your beverage of choice.

3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars.

Theresa Pressley recently moved into a home on Ivy Woods Drive with her husband, Adam Wallace who is the new principal at the high school, and her daughter Lily, a high-school freshman. Ivy Woods Drive is a cul-de-sac in close-knit neighborhood, where everything appears idyllic but nothing is as it seems.

A group of four mothers, referred to as the Ivy Five (one left years ago under strange circumstances so there are currently only four), are the main force behind every social event that occurs in the neighborhood, and have similar influence at the schools their children attend. Theresa is eager to fit in and wants to belong to the Ivy Five. They, in turn, have their eyes on Theresa for their own purposes.

The most anticipated of Ivy Woods' social events is the annual Halloween block party. The Ivy Five go all out each year to make this event memorable, planning it for months. But this year, members of the elite group begin to receive messages threatening to expose the truth about something that happened at one of the past Halloween events. This year's block party may be more memorable than they hoped!

This perfect neighborhood and the Ivy Five are full of secrets, partial truths, lies, betrayals, egos, personal agendas, and competition. The story is told by the voices of Theresa and the Ivy Five as well as the person sending the messages. The author's use of a countdown to the Halloween party is quite effective in escalating the suspense. As more is revealed to the reader, there are also unexpected twists to savor.

Quite a good read, especially in the weeks leading up to Halloween!!

My thanks to NetGalley and Graydon House for allowing me to read an e-copy of this novel which is scheduled to be published on 10/12/21. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

After being granted an ARC of The Mother Next Door in May, somehow it slipped through my reading list until just now - and what a fun, atmospheric read for October!

Ivy Woods is the "it" neighborhood, known for their picturesque houses on the lake, the enormous Halloween block party they throw every year, and the Ivy Five. The Ivy Five is composed of five of the mothers we all know - the gorgeous women with the achieving children, beautiful homes, influential careers, devoted husbands, academic influence, and so much more. But the Ivy Five has something else...secrets. They welcome neighborhood newcomer and principal's wife Theresa into their group, and Theresa begins to help plan the epic Halloween party. However, each women starts getting vague threats about Halloweens past...and they wonder who is out to expose the Ivy Five and why? What has happened at Halloweens past? And what will be revealed this year?

I enjoyed a fun Halloween read without gore or terror -- this is a true domestic thriller. I will say that I guessed a lot of the twists, but that didn't lessen the fun. A bit of suspension of disbelief is required, but it isn't outrageous. If you're looking for a nice, easy read with a little Spooky Season spirit, this is the read for you. I'll always look forward to a Tara Laskowski release!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for my ARC. All opinions are always my own!

The Mother Next Door is just in time for Fall/Halloween, so if you're looking for something to put you in the mood for the season, this is a good way to go. It's more domestic drama/suspense than thriller in my opinion, but it certainly has all the right elements to draw you in and keep you guessing. The story does have a sinister, even kind of creepy, vibe, but it's not as dark as I expected from the blurb. I'll just throw it out there that I didn't much like any of the characters, but I really don't think we're supposed to, and that combined with some over-the-top moments made for a fun seasonal read. The book is well-written, and the storyline is perfect for curling up in your favorite chair for an entertaining weekend read.

A mystery that takes place at the perfect time of the year, the lead up to Halloween as these neighborhood mothers try to plan the perfect Halloween party every year. Theresa has just moved to a suburb of DC and these moms have high expectations for the lives they curate for their kids and their families. Theresa is brought into the fold, but there are mysteries and secrets behind every door.

The mothers take turns telling this story as there are two timelines included in this book, one takes place during the lead up to Theresa's first Halloween and the other storyline is during one of the Halloween parties where the biggest of dramas unfolded. I loved that there were two storylines and while the reader knows sort of how they are connected, bits and pieces are still coming out as the story progresses.

While I am not a mom, I could appreciate the politics that goes into the mom culture and how hard it can be to keep your child's best interest in mind while also dealing with the personalities of other parents.

I read this book at the perfect time at the end of September when I was decorating our home for fall. It was the perfect addition to my reading at this time of year while I was prepping for the seasons to change.

I couldn't figure out what was what through a lot of this, which is of course the point. Some things fell flat but it was a good heading toward Halloween read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Mother Next Door is the perfect book to read in October with Halloween on our doorstep. As the Ivy Five prepare for the annual Halloween block extravaganza anonymous messages threaten to uncover their many lies and secrets that have been hidden over the years..In this novel perfect to the public moms make more suspense than the teenager Pretty Little Liars ever did.. It was quite an entertaining mystery.

The Mother Next Door is a Halloween story that's less slasher and more domestic.

Theresa moves with her daughter and new husband to Ivy Woods, an affluent neighborhood with a close-knit group of women. Theresa is eager to please and throws herself into volunteering and rubbing elbows with the Ivy Five who are now only four. But secrets plaque all the women. The Ivy Five are being threatened by someone, someone who knows their secrets. Is it the new mother next door? Is Theresa here to cause problems? What secrets is she hiding?

The mystery takes you in from the very beginning. An anonymous narrator sets up for secrets and murder on Halloween. Even though I figured the biggest twist, Tara Laskowski had more tricks up her sleeve. I loved the mystery weaved into the story and how it wasn't as straightforward as it seemed. And the end had a fun, creepy little twist.

Mainly, though, the author focuses on the mystery and not the spooky. I expected something scarier from the setup, the setting, and the idea of the Ghost Girl. The mystery isn't quite balanced with the domestic issues of Theresa and her new home. I think this is because the mystery is mostly in the second perspective of one of the Ivy Five that is included in the book.

Overall, The Mother Next Door was entertaining but is not as spooky as it should have been.

Publication Date:

I received an arc from the publisher; all opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

This is THEE BEST kind of October reading - set around Halloween, slow burn suspense with characters who all have secrets they are dying to keep and an underlying tension that you know is about to bubble over.

I ended up completely devouring this book simply because I had to find out what had really happened and how the drama between this group of mothers was ultimately going to explode. And it totally surprised me, in the most delightful way.

Suburban moms behaving badly might be one of my new favorite genre twists and this is the kind of delicious reading that will let you fall right into that terrific drama.

This is a must for spooky season reading!

Full of secrets, this was a great fall read with its atmospheric, lead-up to Halloween setting. Everybody has secrets, but the ones that the Ivy Hive- or is it Five? - are hiding might be bigger than most. and Theresa is drawn into their group by proximity and intrigue. This was a soapy read that I'll hand to readers of Liane Moriarty looking for neighborhood mysteries.

What I Loved

The Mother Next Door is a suspenseful and atmospheric Halloween tale of what happens when suburban moms cross the line. I love that the suburban setting is eerily recognizable. It could be anywhere in the USA and is so accurately portrayed it gives the story an even more sinister feel.

Profound truths are buried underneath the recognizable setting, making the story a unique look at social hierarchies and power. We always think of middle school as a place that breeds social bullying because of the development of children and the need to belong that occurs around those middle-grade years. But what people rarely talk about is how that never changes in some women and how specific settings promote its occurrence. The Ivy Five is a neighborhood clique. You are someone if you wear the Ivy pin and just a face in the crowd if you don’t. But what happens if that power derived from those feelings of superiority crosses the line? You have to read the story to find out.

Technically, two unique perspectives tell the tale. Theresa is the new mom in the neighborhood, just trying to fit in. And Kendra is the queen bee of the Ivy Five or Ivy Hive, as they are also called. Both narrators tell an essential aspect of this story about a particular group of friends and their many secrets. I loved the complex twists and turns in the story that the two narrators slowly reveal different aspects of those secrets.

I particularly enjoyed the sections interspersed throughout the story by the perpetrator. They were dark and creepy and gave me all sorts of chills. The ending, too, sent shivers down my spine as the reality of the deep core of the perpetrator was revealed.


Characters

As I mentioned, the characters are not deeply developed, but I will say that if you are a suburban mom yourself, you will find the characters instantly recognizable. They all remind me of various real-life people that I have been surrounded by my entire adult life.


Reminds Me Of

The Mother Next Door reminds me of a boarding school type of thriller as in look what happens now that they are adults’ kind of way. It has a similar social construct and similar abuse of power situations. When people grow to think that they are above the law or, worse, that they are the law – bad things happen.

What I Wish

Though The Mother Next Door is told by two narrators, it is a more plot-driven rather than character-driven story. This leads to the characters, even the main character, being only minimally developed. I enjoy complex characters, so I would have loved to see more complexity in character development infused into the tale.


To Read or Not to Read
If you are looking for a Halloween-themed domestic thriller, this is one you will enjoy with all its twisty turns and a high level of suspense.

Desperate Housewives meets Mean Girls in "The Mother Next Door'. This book takes the reader on a vicarious romp through a neighborhood of families that have a secret. You won't believe who really done it.