This domestic thriller has a very interesting premise: Beth Bradford, a CIA employee and mother of three, who lives on a quiet cul-de-sac, has spent more than a decade trying to figure out who The Neighbor (an Iranian spy) actually is. And her search for The Neighbor continues in this novel.

This read is definitely a slow burn, and I wanted to like the novel much more than I did. Although it has lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing, but the conclusion is so wholly unbelievable (bordering on preposterous) that it made this novel very disappointing to me. Nonetheless, I can see why many other readers really enjoyed it.

I have been a big fan of Karen Cleveland and was very excited to see what she had in store next with "The New Neighbor", unfortunately this new novel was not my favorite. The premise sounded interesting, Beth has been working for the CIA and is finally getting closer to finding an Iranian spy she has spent years looking for, only to realize they are closer to home that she thought. The book was slow starting, unlike her previous books that get the action going very quickly and dramatically. I did enjoy many of the twists and turns along the way, and never knowing who to suspect. I found Beth to be tiresome in how she constantly was breaking rules and carrying on with extremely poor judgement, and somehow getting away with minimal punishment. If you enjoy a spy novel that will keep you on your toes, and don't mind a slow burn, this one is for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, what a dark, thrilling ride!
I absolutely loved "Need To Know", so I jumped at the chance to read "The New Neighbor".
Karen Cleveland is so well versed in FBI / CIA protocol that you feel right there, in the middle of the action. Her writing is also spot on regarding work, friends & family dynamics.
The protagonist is bright, assertive woman, but not necessarily a reliable narrator, which actually makes her more human. She sometimes makes snap judgments and blurts something out, which makes her seem a little unhinged to those around her.
The setting is a perfect little cul de sac, where it seems that nothing bad can happen, but it oh boy does it ever! And the ending is very satisfying...but is it really the end?

I really enjoyed parts of The New Neighbor (Karen Cleveland) and other parts I wanted to throw my Kindle against the wall. I just couldn't understand any CIA Agent putting a case in jeopardy the way Beth did constantly. I want to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an early copy to review.

Beth Bradford feels like her life is falling apart. Her empty nest is on the market; after dropping her son at college, her husband announces that he is moving out; and at work, she is removed from the case of her career - tracking an Iranian agent known as the Neighbor. Her career as a CIA intelligence analyst is over.

Beth can't stop watching the new owner of her house - Madeline Sterling. Madeline has it all - the house, a family, and the neighbors who used to be Beth's friends. Beth becomes suspicious that Madeline is not who she claims to be. As Beth follows Madeline - even going so far as to sneak into the house, she becomes more and more convinced that Madeline is not who she claims to be.

Is Beth on the right track to breaking the case of her life or has she let her paranoia and jealousy go toofar?

Cleveland's thriller is a quick, fun read that will keep the reader on their toes. The ending was not what I expected and that's always fun!

2.5 stars, rounded down
At the start of this book, Beth Bradford is having a really bad day. She’s just dropped her youngest son off for his freshman year of college when her boss at the CIA notifies her about an unwanted job transfer and her husband announces he’s leaving her.
She quickly becomes obsessed with the family that has bought their house, especially the wife. I’m not a big fan of books with unreliable narrators and Beth is definitely unreliable. She just seemed to be grasping at straws, even to the point of appearing unhinged. In fact, as the story went on, I kept wondering why the CIA didn’t haul her in for a psych evaluation.
I’ve enjoyed Karen Cleveland’s prior works but this left me bored for large segments. I found myself skimming pages. There were a few twists, not all of which I foresaw. But the ending was just too out there for me.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House- Ballantine for an advance copy of this book.

"The New Neighbor" has all the potential to be a great twisty story with CIA agent Beth Bradford and her investigation into an Iranian intelligence agent code name "The Neighbor". However for me it just didn't grab my attention. There were times I was very frustrated by the main character and found points of this book just dragged on.
"Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Beth is A CIA analyst dealing with a lot— her youngest child is off to college, she and her husband are separating, and they are downsizing and moving out of their family home. To top it off, Beth is taken off of a case that’s been her focus for over a decade. As she continues to work the case on her own, things spiral even more out of control, and Beth finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about her life.

This story had me hooked from page one. In fact, if anyone ever asked me, “Hey Jana, what kind of books do you like?”, I could pretty much tell them to read this book to find out.

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse #ballantinebooks for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Beth has been working a case for the CIA for fifteen years. All.of a sudden she is thrown off the case. Her life starts to get out of control. Ever since she was thrown off the case that's all she can think about. At this point everyone is a suspect including the women who bought Beth's home and her soon to be ex husband. No is really innocent. The people and the life Beth knew to hers is not at all what it seemed.

I enjoyed some parts of this book by Karen Cleveland but I found myself distracted throughout the whole story. I was frustrated with the main character and a bit annoyed. I wanted to throw this book at my neighbor and be done with it!
A quiet cul-de-sac and close knit neighborhood. A CIA agent on a mission. And the elusive Iranian intel agent coded as "the Neighbor." It's a slow burn, if you like that sort of thing. Beth is the CIA agent who's life fell apart after her youngest son went off to college. She loses the case she's been working on and her husband leaves her. In order to stay busy, she becomes obsessed with 'the neighbor'. and the woman who bought her house. Her revolving door of theories is exhausting. The conclusion was outrageous. If you like a wild ride and guessing game- this book is for you. Otherwise it's a miss for me.

There were parts I definitely enjoyed but I mainly rolled my eyes or wanted to scream with frustration through the majority of the book. 🙄

I didn’t feel sorry for the main character whatsoever. She couldn’t do her CIA job right and was demoted and surprise… she also didn’t put in the effort in her marriage either to leave her husband ending things. 🫠

Did the book have twists? Of course. Were they predictable? Some were, some weren’t. Was I blown away? Absolutely not. Was is overall enjoyable? Sure

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Karen Cleveland knocks this one out of the park. Just like she has done with all of her previous books the action is non stop and makes you rapidly flip the pages. This book is a summer beach read you do not want to miss! Another excellent edge of your seat thriller. Can’t wait for the next one by Karen!

Beth Bradford is an analyst for the CIA. Her and her family have lived on a nice cul-de-sac where all the families have jobs with the government so they all know important secrets. Beth and her husband Mike have sold their home and are downsizing after the last child is off to college. When Beth goes to work one morning after having been off a few days she finds her office packed up and she has been removed from one of her cases she has worked for years---finding The Neighbor---someone who is giving secrets to Iranian intelligence. But Beth will not stop. She works on her own to find The Neighbor. And in her search she finds out more secrets than she can believe she never knew about her own neighbors.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this Arc!

I read this so fast. Once I started and got into the story I just couldn't put it down!

Beth and her husband take their youngest child to move in to his college dorm room. It's an exciting day and a sad one for Beth. Beth's perfect home, where her and her husband raised their three children, is about to be sold. However, there are a few other things that Beth soon learns. Her husband is ready to leave her and her career at the CIA is over. Well, not exactly over, but she has been demoted and taken off the case she has been working on for years.

However, Beth is an unstoppable force in this book. I couldn't help but question everything and everyone in this story. It is so suspenseful and I never could have guessed at the ending. I could totally see a sequel to this and I'd be first in line! Just saying!!

I highly recommend this to thriller fans or anyone looking for a suspenseful, fast-paced read!

Out July 26, 2022!

Karen Cleveland's book The New Neighbor is well-written and paints a clear descriptive picture for readers. Cleveland keeps the action moving with surprising plot twists that lead to a shocking conclusion.

Synopsis:
Beth Bradford is a CIA analyst. Her youngest child departs for college and her husband ends their marriage, leaving Beth alone. When Beth sells her house to Madeline Sterling and her husband, the couple appears to have the lifestyle Beth dreams of until strange things start happening in the neighborhood. Beth suspects that Madeline may have ties with a notorious Iranian espionage group. Can Beth uncover the truth about Madeline?

The New Neighbor is packed with delicious lies and mysterious circumstances. Karen Cleveland leads readers on an adventure that keeps them on their toes. It may feel a bit repetitive to readers at first, but it is in the retelling of the story to get to the unexpected conclusion. Fans of curvy CIA fiction will enjoy this book. As with many novels, one must suspend belief to appreciate it. I look forward to reading more of Karen Cleveland's work. (4⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The New Neighbor is available on July 26th.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine, for allowing me to review this book. Your kindness is appreciated.

When we meet narrator and protagonist Beth, she is seeing her youngest child off to college. As empty nesters, Beth and her husband Mike have sold their northern Virginia suburban home in a cozy cul de sac and are going to move to a smaller place. It’s a sad but normal part of a mother’s life. But then other events occur that are far from normal. She is removed from her job in counterterrorism at CIA searching for an elusive agent nicknamed The Neighbor who has been recruiting CIA informants and is put “on the shelf” in the CIA training school. Then her marriage breaks up. Her previously wonderful life has gone to pieces. Beth determines to fight back and show her management that she is not washed up, and she vows to learn the identity of The Neighbor despite having had her access to information on the case cut off.
In the first part of The New Neighbor we get to know Karen’s OLD neighbors, the residents of the cul de sac where she raised her family. Most of them also work for CIA, which is not surprising , since Langley is very much a bedroom community for the agency. This section of the book read more like a mainstream family life novel than a thriller, but it was relevant background. The focus changed as Beth becomes more involved in her pursuit of The Neighbor. She has to face two challenges; not only does she have to learn the identity of The Neighbor and The Neighbor’s recruited sources, but she has to do it without normal access to the classified data.
I found a number of the aspects of the whole case not quite believable, but the final denouement was really clever, and I admit I did not see it coming.
Karen Cleveland was a CIA analyst before she became an author, and I very much enjoy her informed portrayal of the intelligence agency, with accurate terms and procedures. The description of suburban life was also well done.
I loved Cleveland’s first book, Need to Know, so much that it would have been difficult for her to repeat her achievement, but overall this was not a bad read. Bottom line? I had not realized she has written two more standalone thrillers about women CIA employees, and I definitely plan to read them both.
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.

Beth Bradford works for the CIA and she's been tracking an Iranian intelligence agent known as The Neighbor. That is until she is removed from the case and asked to teach new CIA recruits instead. Throw in a failed marriage, the last kid is off to college and she's moving out of the house she's called home for a long time. She's dealing with a lot. When Madeline moves into her house sight unseen, Beth doesn't trust her. She decides to continue her investigation into The Neighbor and you won't believe what she uncovers.

I think this is perfect for people who love a good government mystery story. The pacing is pretty good, the chapters are short and the overall story is decent. Some parts were a bit predictable and I am not sure if something like this could actually happen in real life. I didn't particularly care for any of the characters either. I didn't love this one but I didn't hate it either.

The New Neighbor by Karen Cleveland just didn't get off the ground for me. I feel this premise has been played before and been done over and over. Gave up midway through the book.

I completely forgot I requested this book as an arc and was excited when I saw it on my shelf. I've read one previous Karen Cleveland book - Need to Know -- and thoroughly enjoyed it. I wish I could say the same about this one. It was a page-turner for sure, but I found Beth to be so unlikeable and grating that I just did not sympathize with her. I understand her obsession and trying to control the one thing in her life that she could amongst all the upheaval, but even understanding her thoughts and feelings did not endear her. She reminded me of Carrie Matheson from Homeland - another character I did not like. She came off incompetent, and I don't understand how she wasn't fired? She really deserved to be. The twists and turns, suspects, and revelations felt more and more ridiculous. The final reveal of The Neighbor had me shaking my head. What a bunch of idiots! If everyone is this easy to turn, then this country is in real trouble. lol

This is interesting and suspenseful, definitely unique. I felt there were too many conspiracy theories and red herrings - all the switches and changes gave me whiplash. Still fun if you can keep up and suspend belief a bit.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.