Cover Image: The Family Across the Street

The Family Across the Street

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Member Reviews

This incredible thriller kept me on the edge of my seat until the last page. The characters draw you in and the plot is fast paced. I really enjoyed it and looking forward to recommending to friends.

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I received an eARC of The Family Across the Street by Nicole Trope from Bookouture and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
5 stars for this fast-paced thriller! The author did a phenomenal job with this story. It kept me on the edge of my seat. Highly recommend this for fans of domestic thrillers.

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*thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Nicole Trope for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!

Wow ohh WOW!!! That TWIST!!!!

See, I can end my review right there because that's all that needs to be said. It was SO massive I felt like a train had suddenly come out of nowhere and smacked into me! I actually even swore out loud when it clicked. I had not expected that at all. Yet looking back, there was one clue I remember but yeah, I didn't think much of it.

The story right from the beginning had my attention and was a decent 4 stars the whole way through but that twist, (I'm gonna be in shock for the whole day today I think), was an easy 5 stars so I averaged the book to be 4.5 stars but since there are no half stars to give, I'm bumping it up to 5.

I really also enjoyed the characters and how they each got a turn at being the narrator. You got to see the story come together from different views. Sometimes this doesn't work but for this book, it was done right and worked wonderfully.

This is one of those books I believe I will remember for a long time. The story was gripping, it didn't get boring, and I was interested in each character which is somewhat rare as most books tend to have only a couple or few characters I like, and could do without the rest. But with this story, all the characters gave me all I needed. I think this shows that Nicole Trope is an excellent writer and storyteller.

So yes, if you are after a story with a bombshell twist and one that holds your attention, pick this book up and start reading it!

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Could what happened The Family Across the Street happen to any family across the street? In this tense, gripping novel, Nicole Trope has written a domestic psychological thriller that feels alarmingly authentic and keeps a compelling momentum from the opening scene to the deadly conclusion.

On Hogarth Street, an affluent area in Sydney, Australia, a few concerned neighbours and a delivery driver are horrified when shots ring out behind the closed doors and blinds of number 24. The West family of husband and wife, John and Katherine and 5-year-old twins, George and Sophie, have endured a terrifying day, and it’s all about to end shortly.

The story takes a step back in time to earlier that day when a delivery man, Logan, attempts to deliver a package to number 24, but Katherine refuses to open the door and accept the parcel. Unable to deliver the item, Logan returns to his van but is concerned by Katherine’s fear and the refusal to accept her package. Logan is a fascinating character dealing with several family issues and being an ex-convict trying to hold down a job from his condescending brother-in-law. Mack is the delivery business owner and takes regular pleasure in denigrating Logan for his criminal appearance with tattoos covering his arms. Logan is also deeply concerned about his sister, Maddy, who is in hospital in Melbourne, having been savagely beaten by her boyfriend.

Gladys is an elderly next-door neighbour and somewhat of a neighbourhood watch. She hasn’t seen the children go to school, nor John go to work, and the blinds are still drawn. Unfortunately, she has a history of exaggerating neighbourhood issues to the police, so she is hesitant to report any concerns. Nevertheless, Gladys instinctively knows something is wrong with the West family. Dealing with her anxiety and compulsion to investigate, Gladys will explore every possibility to find out more.

The story also covers the POVs of Katherine and one other to create a brilliantly observed plot, atmosphere and drama. Nicole Trope does a fantastic job of developing the tension and the mental turmoil from each of the four main characters. Torn between respecting someone’s privacy and meddling because something doesn’t seem right, challenges Logan’s and Gladys’ conscience, and they return to number 24 several times until we are once again outside the house when the shots ring out.

I felt the authentic and gripping mood of the story the whole way through until the ending introduced a coincidence that shifted my believability. The Family Across the Street is a great psychological thriller that I would recommend, and thanks to many of my Goodreads friends for putting it on my radar. I want to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for providing a free ARC in return for an honest review.

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I really enjoyed this title. I liked the twists and turns and the writing style is nice and smooth. The story flows well and kept my attention. Thank you for the opportunity to read this title. I will be recommending this one to friends.

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Twisted, creepy and a psychological thriller with really-well rounded characters. I didn't see quite a few of then twists coming! Looking forward to much more from the author!

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Really enjoyed this book! I must admit that to me the blurb doesn't match the actual story all too much, the blurb talks a lot about the family pre the devastating events of that day but the book doesn't go into that much at all.
That said there was just the right amount of tension throughout the book to keep me turning the pages! And I was so shocked with the ending!!! Fantastic!

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I loved the description but unfortunatelt the book doesn't live up to it at all.

The writing is very hard to follow and the amount of characters only serves to make the narrative more disjointed and disorganised.

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Psych thrillers are an interesting genre. There are so many different types that follow different patterns of thrill.
I am going to try to do my best to review this book, but I will be totally honest in that my review may not make much sense. There was so much going on, and the twist was so good, that I don’t dare describe too much, for fear of giving the plot away.
And if there is any book where you do NOT want to know what the twist is, this is it.
Have you ever seen the movie The Sixth Sense? And you know how there is a big reveal that you didn’t see coming – and if anybody had ruined that reveal it would have totally changed your perspective on the movie?
This is that sort of thing, but in book form.
Since I’m trying to not give away the plot, I’ll just tell you what works.
The author successfully creates a delicate balance between the claustrophobic scenes of Katherine and the kids with the “outside” scenes from Logan and Gladys. There were times that I wanted to yell at Logan and Gladys, “Trust your instincts!”
I liked how the reader isn’t quite sure where Logan fits into the puzzle for quite a while. His detailed background was interesting, and it gave depth to his character.
In fact, I think he was the most complex character I have read in a long time. His past was pivotal in his decisions regarding the situation, and his hesitancy felt real and (unfortunately) legitimate. Sometimes it’s difficult to get past people’s first impressions.
Gladys was interesting, too. It was difficult to discern whether she was a bored old busybody who was trying to create something interesting for herself or if her feelings of something being off were legit as well.
As I mentioned, the author seamlessly switches between points of view of the three aforementioned characters. When the POVs start to converge, and the reader sees the possible connections…that’s when it really became a page turner.
Don’t get me wrong, it was solid up until then as well. It certainly drew me in and had me completely in the dark throughout the story.
The only thing that didn’t sit right with me, and this is a little nitpicky, is that I had a different idea about Katherine and the reveal made me rethink all of that…particularly her age. But in the end, I guess it didn’t matter too much. That was just one thing that stood out.
And speaking of the end, the author does a fantastic job of keeping the resolutions questionable right up until the last pages. I liked that a lot.
All told, this is an extremely solid and (dare I say) unputdownable story, that should definitely be on your TBR list.

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This was my first from this author. I really wanted to get into this book but I just couldn't. It seemed to be all over the place and too many people introduced at once.

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The blurb really had me looking forward to this one but I feel the blurb was written for a completely different book as it definitely didn’t match the book that I just read. I know I had a busy few weeks but at 248 pages this one took me an age. It never got going and was an extremely slow burn that I really had to pull myself through. It’s told from the point of view of each of the characters and where you are given background information on some you are given nothing on others which I felt was important to the storyline. The one part of the blurb that drew me in was never even addressed so was never delivered. It had great potential if it lived up to the blurb but unfortunately it didn’t.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this ARC that was published on the 6th of Aug.

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This one was a gripping read that starts with a bang and completely had my attention right from the start!
Such an intense read, that kept me on the edge of my seat and completely intrigued as to why Katherine and her twins, Sophie and George are being held hostage at gunpoint by one person that should love and protect them!
Told in multiple timelines, we get a good insight to the characters and their background. A Fast-paced and suspenseful story with nice short chapters! Quite the thrill ride!
This was a first read of this author for me and definitely won't be my last!

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A quiet street disrupted by the sound of gunshots. A family home that has become a prison. A race against time to prevent a tragedy...
The Family Across The Street is a stand alone psychological thriller set in Australia. The book is written from four perspectives: former bad boy Logan, nosy neighbour Gladys, Katherine and her captor. We learn from the prologue that a dangerous crisis is taking place within Katherine's house and then go back in time over the past few hours to see how events unfolded.
I was instantly drawn towards the characters of Logan and Gladys. Their lives have been full of difficulties and they are intensely vulnerable. Logan's life has been blighted by bad choices and a poor upbringing. He is often judged for his criminal background and feels very guilty for his previous behaviour. Gladys cares for her husband Lou who has Parkinsons. They have no children and her world revolves around trying to make human connections to combat the loneliness.
The scenes from Katherine and her captor's viewpoint show the crisis within their family, with 5 year old twins in danger which heightens the tension. There are some violent actions and a gun in involved.
Psychology features heavily in this book, especially with regard to the impact of parenting on a child's psyche. Katherine is concerned about the state of her marriage and considering the possible impact on her twins. Her captor has been significantly affected by his own parents' animosity towards each other. Logan's mother has failed him, causing his behaviour to spiral and he is struggling to prove himself worthy of a second chance.
The Family Across The Street is a thoroughly entertaining and tense novel about families and human instincts.

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Thanks to Netgalley for this book. I found it to be ok, but I found that the storyline dragged a bit, and it was confusing at times as there were so many characters. It was also a bit too predictable but overall a good read.

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This was a great read and kept me gripped from page one. The story is written from multiple POVs and takes place over a morning.
At first look it’s the perfect family neighbourhood but Kathryn and Josh don’t seem to join in with the neighbours. They have five year old twins, George and Sophie. One morning a delivery driver tries to deliver a parcel but Kathryn refuses to open the door. Gladys the next door neighbour thinks its odd that their blinds are still shut. What follows is an unfolding of a situation where nothing it quite what it seems.
This was a great page turner and the multiple characters all had their own subplots.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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What a rush! This book captured me from the first chapter. It was beautifully written from multiple characters perspectives. It invokes real terror throughout. But what really made this spectacular was the insane plot twist at the very end. It will leave your jaw in the floor and your heart in your throat. This was a fantastic read.

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Before I begin, let me start by saying that the synopsis for this book is not quite accurate. It was also originally called Home Sweet Home.
The story begins in a quiet neighborhood in Sydney. Margo is home with her baby when she hears a loud crack from outside. As she goes to investigate, she notices police cars pull up at the house across the street, where the West family lives. The neighborhood "busybody", Gladys, yells at her to go back inside as someone has a gun.
Katherine and John West are raising their twins in this usually quiet neighborhood. Gladys lives next door and makes it her business to know everything going on in the neighborhood. This particular morning she begins to worry as she hasn't seen the twins heading off to school. She recalls John's car screeching off earlier and assumes there has been an argument between the couple. As the day continues, a series of events cause her to worry even more.
Logan has not had an easy life and has made many mistakes in his past. He's trying to make a fresh start and put his past behind him. His newest job as a delivery driver has him at the West house that same morning. When the woman of the house refuses to open the door to accept the package, Logan cannot help feeling that something is wrong.
What is happening in the West house?

I did not see the twist in this book coming and I literally went back and read parts because I assumed I knew what was happening. We get different perspectives from the four main characters in the story. We learn more about each one's past and current situations. I thought all the characters were well developed and complex. This was definitely a page turner, although there were parts that dragged a bit. I have always enjoyed Nicole Trope as an author and this was no exception.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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The Family Across the Street is a quick, captivating and suspenseful read. On a quite morning on a tree-lined street Gladys notices something seems amiss with the young family next door. Katherine and her husband John are the parents of young twins and seemingly in love with a happy marriage. When they hear an argument the night before and tires screeching from John, Gladys realizes the twins weren't on their way to school that morning. Her husband urges her to mind her own business (as she has apparently called local authorities often over neighborhood issues). Around the same time a delivery driver attempts to deliver a package that requires a signature and Katherine won't let him in-and urges him to leave. Unfolding over the course of a day, the layers are pulled back, the little signs become major warnings and tragedy strikes. Trope's fast-paced storytelling, complete with twists, makes this a good read if you're looking for a quick psychological thriller!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

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A really topical and important theme in this novel.

Unfortunately, the pacing fell a bit flat for me in the first half and I wasn't really surprised by the twists. The second half however is super tense, and the pace really picks up. Just wish it was a bit more balanced there.

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Wow! This one was honest to goodness hard to put down! Gladys lives on Hogarth St with neighbours Margot and also Katherine and John West. Logan is a reformed criminal trying to make a fresh start with the support of his wife Debbie and his sister Maddy. Their lives are brought together on one steaming hot day when something goes horribly wrong in the West house. I won't give too much away but there were quite a few plot twists that I did not see coming and I just wanted to keep reading as the writing was amazing and built suspense. Told from different viewpoints that help give you an understanding of the different characters and their lives, this was a amazing read!

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