This book is a character study of people living in one neighborhood as they get to know one another in the middle of the tragedy of one of them being murdered. The characterization is amazingly complex and intricate yet so compelling. Alexis and Sam are the newest addition to the wealthy neighborhood. Alexis is trying to fit in while Sam is busy working on becoming a partner in his law firm. The first to welcome them are Blair and Teddy and they welcome the new couple with enthusiastic good cheer. However, Alexis is soon confronted with the reality of huge bills for their fixer-upper house and even worse, the murder of Teddy. The plot moves along at a good pace with secrets being revealed methodically at just the right time to keep the story moving. I did not particularly like any of the characters but they were well-developed to represent just what they were meant to. The writing was sharp, with a sensitive exploration of trying to fit in. This is a multi-layered and cleverly written novel that crackles with tension and page-turning twists. I especially enjoyed the intricacy of the plot and the realism of the characters. It’s definitely not a neighborhood I would like to live in, but this book would make a great television show!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This was not what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it all the same. I really enjoyed this domestic drama and will be looking for more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley, Melissa Adelman and St. Martins Press & Minotaur Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very entertaining domestic drama about rich, affluent families. I was hoping for more of a suspenseful thriller but this was still a very easy, and entertaining read and kept me engaged the entire way through. This book follows two neighbors, Blaire and Alexis and I definitely enjoyed Alexis' chapters more but I think you were supposed to ;)

This was a great debut and I'm looking forward to Melissa Adelman's next book!

I enjoyed this book from Melissa Adelman. This was a good domestic thriller that kept me engage with the characters to the very end. The end of the book was an excellent way to tie up the book and I enjoyed the alternate points of view while reading the book. I look forward to what Melissa writes next. 4/5! Highly recommend for the readers who enjoy domestic thriller novels!

Thank you Net Galley,St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for my advance reader copy!

I love a good domestic mystery/thriller and What the Neighbors Saw really hit the sweet spot. There’s something about the atmosphere of this slow burn domestic suspense that gives it an edge.

Alexis and Sam, along with their two small children, move into their dream home; hopefully, their forever home. Then they meet the friendly yet not so friendly affluent neighbors – the kind who have that way of making you feel unwelcome all while telling you they’re so pleased you’re here.

When one of their neighbors, Ted, is found murdered, the story begins in earnest. Alexis has watched Blair, Ted’s wife, now widow, with a bit of envy, in the past. Her life seemed so together, so perfect but as Alexis and Blair become friends, secrets are revealed and Alexis learns that things aren’t always what they seem, especially with those that have a lot to lose.

While I love a good red-herring, there were more than a few but the satisfying conclusion of What the Neighbors Saw more than made up for this.

My thanks to @StMartinsPress for this gifted DRC.

Alexis and Sam move into fixer-upper in an affluent neighborhood. When one of the neighbors is murdered, secrets and lies are uncovered about all the couples. No matter where you come from or how much money you have or pretend to have, the drama is the same. People with money are better at covering it for a while. I did not like any of the characters and I was disappointed that the story took a while to capture my interest. The twist toward the end flabbergasted me, I was not expecting that. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy domestic thrillers. I received an advance copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving my review.

Overall i thought this was a pretty decent "rich people drama" (but not so much of a thriller)

We follow the perspective of two neighbors, Blair and Alexis. I definitely preferred the storyline of Alexis more, but I think that's a given. There were a couple of red herrings that threw me off, and I definitely didn't guess the twist at the end.

Solid debut! I'll definitely read whatever Melissa Adelman writes next.

What the Neighbors Saw by Melissa Adelman is an exhilarating, highly compulsive, tension-filled debut novel. This book seriously kept me guessing throughout the story, and was completely shocking at the end. A huge thank you to Minotaur Books, the author and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of the book.

The premise of this enthralling novel is about Alexis and Sam, young married professionals who are looking to move into a very wealthy, exclusive community in a DC suburb. Alexis is pregnant with their second child and Sam is working to make partner at his law firm. When the opportunity to buy a Cap Cod fixer upper comes up that they are excited, and grab the chance to be apart of this ideal neighborhood.

Being new to the community Alexis wants for nothing more than to leave her troubled past behind her, to get a fresh start and be accepted. As her prestigious neighbors welcome them into the community all is not quite what it seems. The neighborhood’s impeccable image is fractured when their neighbor Teddy – an attractive, successful father of three is found dead.

The bedrock of the community is shaken to its foundation. And with increasing tension, neighbors grow hostile, become divided and long held secrets are revealed. However, in spite of the trouble throughout the neighborhood Alexis kindles a new friendship with Blair, queen bee of the community and the widow of the deceased. The two women bond and become close.

While a murder investigation ensues the police struggle to determine the identify of the killer. Finally when the inconceivable truth about what really happened to Teddy surfaces Alexis and Blair have to figure out how far they are willing to go to maintain the facade of their meticulously curated lives.

If you love reading books or watching shows with morally dubious characters such as Big Little Lies or Desperate Housewives then this a book that you definitely want to read. A fantastic read for summer vacation!

3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5) Alexis and her husband Sam buy a house they can barely afford in an upscale Washington DC neighborhood. The house needs a lot of work but they love it. Once they start meeting the neighbors, they feel something is different about this neighborhood.


This exclusive neighborhood isn’t all it seems. Secrets start creeping in. Enough that Alexis starts looking at each neighbor in a different light. Even the one friend she has made on the street. While she gathers information and gossip from each of them, she starts putting pieces together. Is anyone happily married? Financially stable? Does anyone not have “habits” that are very questionable? What kind of neighborhood did she just move her family to?

Along with the questionable neighbors, Alexis and Sam are having their own struggles with childcare, work, money to fix the house and many things going wrong with the house. They’re constantly fighting.

The end of the book was part revenge, part collaboration. It was somewhat sweet justice while also being horribly wrong. But it fit in with the neighborhood and now Alexis will too. Oh the sweet drama of all the crimes and secrets!

I recommend this for domestic thriller lovers!

General content summary: F words= 36, racism, intimacy (some details), alcohol (alcoholism), body found in water (grief, homicide, funeral), story of a child found dead in dumpster (previous), naked woman (no details), alleged rape, bulimia (previous) and food disorders (mentioned multiple), infidelity (multiple, few details), heart attack death (few details), rape (previous), death from a large height (few details), blunt force trauma death (some details).

Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for the copy!

The book releases June 20, 2023.

Shortly after Alexis and Sam move to an overpriced fixer upper in Cape Cod, the quiet neighborhood is rocked with tragedy. Blair’s husband, Teddy is found dead and it’s been ruled a homicide rocking the charm of the perfect neighborhood.  

What the Neighbors saw had me at “Desperate Housewives meets The Couple Next Door”. Unfortunately, to me, it didn’t live up to that quote as a fan of both of those. It’s told via multiple POV between two very unreliable and unlikeable MCs which normally I enjoy; in this case, both women just irritated me. The slow burn was just a bit too slow throughout the most of the book. The last quarter of the book is when it picked up and piqued my interest. The twist at the end caught me by surprise. Overall, I enjoyed it, it’s just not the book for me.  

Thank you to Minotaur & St. Martins Press for these ARCs in exchange for a review!

This book started out slowly, but turned into a good domestic suspense thriller, I look forward to reading more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, for the opportunity to read this book. I give this book 3.5. I wasn't sure what rating to give this book. I hovered back and forth between 3, 3.5 and sometimes in the story, even up to a 4. That being said, there were some aspects of the plot/story that ultimately fell short in my opinion, which resulted in settling at 3.5. . This story is presented through a dual narrative in alternating chapters. It goes between Alexis, a Mom that has just moved into an affluent, highly sought after neighbourhood and Blair, a wealthy resident of said neighbourhood. Initially, I was intrigued by the idea of a mysterious death and what was bound to be an interesting journey through these rich people's secrets and lives. I was looking forward to an interesting domestic suspense thriller but found that what followed was a long, drawn-out narrative of the lives of the affluent. It focused on their lies and secrets, marriage issues and infidelities and jealousies. I found that the mystery, which I expected to be at the heart of the story ended up taking a backseat. The plot progression was slow, and at times, repetitive. The characters were mostly unlikable and unrelatable. There was some disjointedness in some of the characters' personalities, such as Alex's husband Sam who increasingly gets more and more mean to his wife. It kind of annoyed me when she put up with it or was passive aggressive about it. Lots of "gas lighting" going on in that relationship. That being said, the author did do a good job of really allowing the reader to get to know the characters and their motivations etc. It was well written in that sense, but it wasn't until around the last 20% or so of the novel that my interest was piqued again. This was because we were finally being redirected back to the "who killed this person and why?" part of the story . I didn’t see the end coming which is always a good thing, and something I always appreciate in a mystery. And the reasons behind the killing raised my eyebrows! Overall, while the concept of the novel seemed promising, I was a tad disappointed with its execution. Overall, more drama than real mystery and a bit lacking in the tension building that a good mystery needs. There was an added twist at the end though, which I also didn't see coming. So that was a bit of a bonus.

WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW - Melissa Adelman

SUSPENSEFUL - 3.5 stars

Plot - 4 stars - When Alexis and her husband Sam buy a neglected Cape Cod house in an exclusive DC suburb, they are ecstatic. But the neighborhood’s picture-perfect image is shattered when their neighbor Teddy is found dead. The community is shaken, and as the police struggle to identify and apprehend the killer, tension in the neighborhood mounts and long-buried secrets start to emerge.

Writing - 3 stars - The first part of the book seemed a little disjointed. Although there are clear timelines outlined at the beginning of each section, I had to keep going back to remind myself how much time had passed between each chapter since it seemed to be inconsistent. I also had a hard time keeping track of the neighbors and who was married to whom. Adelman, however, was able to build a very suspenseful story that kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen.

Characters - 2,5 stars - We see the story mostly through both Alexis's and Blair's eyes. Alexis is the unsure new mom, feeling self-conscious since they are new in the neighborhood as well as clearly less well off than their neighbors. I had a hard time connecting with Alexis since she seemed up-and-down in her relationship with her husband Sam. They would seem fine together, but then she'd complain that he was mean to her, although I hadn't seen any lead-up to that accusation. I just couldn't get a handle on Alexis or why she was so interested in her neighbors' activities. Blair is the wife of the murder victim who seems very confident, although we see some breaks in that from time to time when she's alone. She was less appealing to me since she seemed so cavalier about her husband's recent death.

Title - 3 stars - There was a lot of negative poking around by all of the neighbors. Quite an unpleasant place to live, although the title made sense, I suppose.

Cover - 4 stars - A dark and suspicious cover, but in a jewel-tone blue that draws the eye. When you look closer, you can see the neighborhood, looking peaceful and innocent.

Overall - 3.5 stars - Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It was focused on Alexis (the new neighbor) and Blair (the wife of the murdered man), but I wasn't quite sure why. As the story continued, I didn't feel particularly close to either of them, possibly because Alexis spent a lot of time complaining about her lot in life (despite the fact that she and her husband have been able to purchase into this exclusive neighborhood). And we don't know a lot about Blair--it is left to Alexis to unravel her situation. Somehow the book didn't quite click together for me. I liked the suspense, and the neighbors and neighborhood were well-built so that I was able to picture the scene. But there was almost too much going on, making things a little too confusing.

What the Neighbors Saw
by Melissa Adelman
4 stars

A domestic suspense thriller, with a dual timeline, fast-paced, keeps you wondering, starts out slow then picks up in the middle and the ending will surprise you. I would not have guessed that ending at all. The neighbors, the drama, my goodness this neighborhood is one no one wants to be a part of. Maybe some people but that's too much drama on one block for me.

Alexis and Sam are starting to grow their family and as such it's time to move into a house that can fit them all. Alexis finds a fixer-upper that would work perfectly for their family. Tragedy strikes the neighborhood when one of the neighbors is found dead. Alexis can't help but wonder if she made the right choice in bringing her family to this neighborhood.

Thank you, Net Galley and St. Martins Press for the eARC for an honest review.

What The Neighbors saw was a good storyline although overdone these days.

Neighbors in an exclusive neighborhood behaving badly.

Told in the two povs of Blair and Alexis, this one starts with murder and ends with a good twist!

Neither main character was likeable to me but the book was a fun easy read. I would def read more by this author.

Thanks 🙏 for my early copy!

Aside from romance, domestic thrillers and suspense novels are my favorite genre and What the Neighbors Saw really delivered. I found myself hooked from the start and finished in just 2 days. I love when I don't see a twist coming! Told through the alternating POVs of 2 women, the story was engaging and entertaining. Looking forward to author Melissa Adelman's next release.

Alexis and her husband, Sam, buy a fixer-upper in an affluent neighborhood that has a lot of drama, secrets, lies and scandals. People who like Desperate Housewives will enjoy this domestic suspense novel.

Thanks to NetGalley, publisher St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and author Melissa Adelman for providing me with an advance read copy of this book.

I'm a sucker for a good neighborhood drama thriller. And this one gave me major Shari Lapena vibes mixed with DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES. Despite being a slow burn, I was invested in the story and found myself looking forward to reading more. The last third was juicy and twisty.

My major problem with it was that the main characters were insufferable. I feel like we were supposed to be rooting for Alexis but she really bothered me. Also the amount of times she called herself fat or commented negatively towards her body really made me upset. Reading about the glorification of her eating disorder was major ick.

What the Neighbors Saw is a debut novel by Melissa Adelman, and I enjoyed it very much. It is a low-key thriller, a notch above a cozy mystery, and a great summer read!
It tells the story of Alexis and Sam, her rather unlikeable husband, who move into a more expensive neighborhood they can afford because they buy a fixer-upper house that they will renovate over time. They have a toddler and a newborn, and Alexis recently took a demotion with a new job so Sam could focus on his fast-track partner job and be the breadwinner.
Shortly after moving into their new neighborhood, one of their neighbors is murdered. Alexis develops a friendship with his widow, as well as many of the other neighborhood wives, and begins to see the scratches in the surface of their upscale neighborhood. Should she be concerned that Teddy's murderer may be after her too? It seems like it, at times.
Overall this book was enjoyable. It wasn't very intense, which I think makes it a good beach read.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy of this book!

This was a pretty good neighborhood drama. I don’t know that I would call it a thriller though tbh. It was missing the creepy vibes. I was suspicious of the person who ended up being the murderer from the beginning but there were a few twists I didn’t see coming. I think the biggest negative for this book was that there were too many subplots that I think some information just got lost. I just feel like I was missing something when the book ended.