Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press along with Victoria Cardoso for inviting me to read this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A murder is committed in a well-to-do neighborhood. The newest neighbor, Alexis, has enough on her plate- a new baby, an active toddler, arguing with her husband BUT she cannot resist trying to figure it all out. Deciding to make friends with the grieving widow, Blair, Alexis soon realizes that all households have their secrets- even hers.

This debut novel was just okay for me. I wasn't always interested in the going on in the neighborhood and occasionally I forgot that we were supposed to be focusing on " Who murdered Teddy?" I guess we would say that makes it a "slow-burn suspense" On the other hand, the last few chapters definitely paid off, and that would entice me to try another title by this author.




Publication Date 20/06/23
Goodreads review 25/06/23

2.75 stars Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

The ending has two interesting twists but overall the characters were not interesting enough for me to get attached to or care about. And it was quite obvious that the lead male character was having an affair so no shocker when that was revealed . The premise and description of the book made me want to read it but overall it was a letdown due to the lack of interest in the characters.

Also reviewed on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5644465124

Ah, the labyrinth of neighbor relationships, coupled with a murder and all of the motivations and suspicions that surround it, and you have yourself a mystery! The writing was detailed and well done, the characters varied and the plot just twisted enough that it leaves you wondering what the heck happened, and who did it?? A great summer read.

When I saw that this was described as Desperate Housewives meets The Couple Next Door, I knew I had to read it. I really liked that this was told in dual POV's between Alexis, a married mom to two young children who moved recently to the neighborhood, and Blair, an established resident of the neighborhood. The story starts off as a slow burn. We know that Blair's husband is found murdered, but a lot of the first half of the book is spent setting the scene of the neighborhood dynamics. The second half I flew through, though. There were some twists, most of which I saw coming and a few that I didn't. And, I just need to say, that I absolutely HATED Alexis's husband, Sam. He got under my skin from the very beginning. Definitely a solid debut novel, and I will read more from this author in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book.

I was engaged in the book in beginning and then lost interest. I did finish it later. There were a few side stories within the book that I found to be distracting. I would still recommend the book to a friend since it wasn’t the fault of the author that I lost interest (death in family). This book would be one to read within a short span of time to be able to keep up with.

Great twists and turns. I honestly didn’t see them coming. So many shady characters, and lots of neighborhood drama

This book is described as Desperate Housewives meets The Couple Next Door and that's pretty spot on. There is lots of drama in this neighbourhood (and between these pages) with twists a plenty. This is a case of keeping up with the Joneses and be careful what you wish for. Alexis and her husband have bought a fixer-upper in an affluent D.C. neighbourhood and they desperately want to fit in but have a hard time doing so.

The story is very engaging and I loved the dual perspectives of Alexis and Blair. The best thing about this book is everything is wonderfully secret until the very end plus the plot line wasn't too out there. The author's characterization was wonderful as I could clearly picture each character (and there are many) in my head. It was a bit of a slow burn at the start and nothing really exciting happens until about halfway through. But if you're patient this one is a decent domestic suspense with a murder mystery thrown in!

I have been to Alexandria, Virginia many times and am familiar with the area where this story takes place. so it was pretty neat to be taken back there again through this story. Melissa Adelman writes a pretty satisfying debut and I look forward to what she comes up with next.

Pub date: 6/20/23
Genre: domestic suspense
Quick summary: Alexis and Sam bought a rundown house in a fancy neighborhood to fit their growing family - but a nearby murder shocks them out of their suburban comfort.

I love a story about rich people behaving badly - and the good news is that the ending of this one really surprised me! The less good news - it took a little too much time to get there. I was expecting more of a fast-paced thriller, but this one was a slow burn. I felt like there were too many plot points, which weighed down the narrative a bit.

But I did still really want to find out what happened, and I ended up hybrid reading the text and audio in one day. I'd try another book by Adelman since this is her debut novel.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for providing an e-ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Nice neighborhood: Not so Nice People

It’s an incredible find, a fixer-upper, but it’s in a beautiful neighborhood just minutes from downtown Washington DC. It’s a stretch for Alexis and Sam, but it’s the chance of a lifetime. It could be their forever home.

Sam and Alexis are young and successful. He’s about to make partner in a law firm. She’s a business consultant. They have one child and another on the way. It seems like a dream come true, and at first it is. They meet the next door neighbors, Teddy and Blair. Teddy seems like a really nice guy and Blair and Alexis hit it off. Then the unthinkable happens. Teddy is found dead on the neighborhood path and the police don’t think it’s an accident.

The novel is not fast paced. It takes place over several years and is told in alternating chapters by Alexis and Blair. The perspectives of the two women are well done and make the ending much more realistic. I can’t say that I liked the main characters. Alexis seemed to have her insecurities close to the surface. Maybe she doesn’t really belong in this wealthy neighborhood. She’s a scholarship kid, raised by a single mother, and her skin color is dark. I couldn’t like Sam at all. He was mean to Alexis when there was no reason to be so hurtful. They went into the house together, but when the repairs mount up, he blames her.

This is a well done plot, but if you’re interested in murder mysteries, this one is more of a character study.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this book.

Alexis and Sam have an opportunity to move into a very ritzy neighborhood. The house is probably out of their price range. Plus, this house needs so much work! They bite the bullet and move in. They really believe they are in a very safe area until one of their neighbors dies under questionable circumstances. Then, there are more strange things that begin to occur!

I really did not like any of these characters. Sam is verbally abusive to his wife, Alexis. Alexis is an attorney but she acts dumber than dirt. And she really makes so many very questionable decisions. Now, that that is out of the way, I did enjoy this story though!

This mystery is a bit intricate but the further you go along the more you are questioning…WHO DID IT! I figured out who did it but I had no idea why until the end and BOY…what a twisted ending! You will have to read this to find out. But…it is not what you think!

Need a murder mystery that has a family twist….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

In the thriller, What the Neighbors Saw, we meet Sam and Alexis, a young couple who are working hard to build their careers and their family. With a second baby on the way, they succumb to the allure of an upscale D.C. suburb with rich residents by purchasing a fixer upper as their ticket to join. It doesn't take long for a mysterious death and neighbors with secrets cause Alexis to wonder if they have made the right decision.

This book was like watching and episode of Desperate Housewives told in dual timelines by Alexis and her neighbor Blair. The twisted behavior of the neighbors, the level of betrayal that some people will go to and the final outcome surprised me. I enjoyed both the audio and print versions. There were a lot of characters to get straight in the beginning along with a few far fetched scenes, but overall it was a fast paced, entertaining, summer read.

Thanks to the Macmillan Audio Influencer Program, St. Martin's Press, NetGalley and the author for audio and digital ARC's in exchange for my honest opinion!

I had high hopes for this book after reading the preview. Rich neighborhood, secrets, affairs, death, trouble…. What could be better? Unfortunately, this one fell a bit short for me. It wasn’t the “I couldn’t put down page turner” that I wanted it to be. Overall an ok read good, but not great.

A slow burn domestic thriller that fell a bit short for me. The title and synopsis were enticing and the story had a promising start but once I got towards the middle of the book, it started to feel dragged on. It felt as if the story was going in so many directions and in the end they seemed irrelevant to have been brought up in the first place.

I did like the twists that came in the end but they unfortunately came too late and it wasn't too exciting to make up for the lackluster middle part, and it also felt rushed.

Decent but could have definitely been better.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the gifted eARC.

I was really looking forward to this one and I had not heard about this author before. The story centered around a wealthy neighborhood of people who were friends and one of them ended up dead at the bottom of a cliff on a trail near his house. There were plenty of people who could be suspect for the crime. The book dragged a bit for me and when it did pick up the big reveal was nothing I could have ever thought of. It was really out there, even for me. I did enjoy the setting of DC and could imagine those type of neighborhoods there. Overall, a three star read for me.

What the Neighbors Saw is a slow burn of a domestic drama. When Alexis and Sam move to an upscale neighborhood they imagine all their family dreams would come true. Instead resentment and neighborhood scandal becomes the norm. I struggled to get through this book. Not one likable character, all a bit underdeveloped and too many sub plots to care what happened to anybody. While the writing was good and the potential was there I just felt let down by the time I got to the end of the book. There are lots of other people out there though that enjoyed this book so I'd say give it a try. Just could be a me thing and not the book.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.

The plot in What The Neighbors Saw moved along. There were lot of back stories that were revealed. And, of course, secrets, mayhem, mystery and.murder were present. The premise was interesting and it included the right elements but, for me, it was a good read, not a great one.

Love a domestic thriller and What The Neighbors Saw is a great addition to the subgenre.

A young family stretches their budget to buy the fixer-upper of their dreams, only to discover that one of their new neighbors was murdered. Will this new mom solve the case? Which of her neighbors did it?

This book will keep you guessing until the end!

3.75ish stars

Another fun, twisty domestic thriller set in a well-off neighbourhood where, as expected, something goes horribly wrong. I enjoyed my journey through the story and thought the ending was okay, if not super unexpected and surprising. It was a good one I’ve been thinking amont for quite a while, and I’m glad I had time to get into it now.

A neighborhood full of secrets, a perfect setting for murder. Lots of drama, twists and turns galore. I was hooked right to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.

Intriguing mystery and neighborhood drama.

When Alexis and her husband, Sam move to an exclusive neighborhood in a DC suburb, they think their biggest worry is remodeling the run down mini mansion. They have no idea that soon a neighborhood will show up dead and the focus on their neighborhood will suddenly blow up. When it does, you see how many of the neighbors aren't nice people and may even have something to hide. Meanwhile, Alexis is trying to settle into the new neighborhood after recently having their second child. She feels overwhelmed and insecure when dealing with some of these people. So, when one of the neighbors reaches out and befriends her, Alexis gobbles up the attention.

This was a well written story. Even though I suspected a few of the "twists," it still kept me turning the pages until the end.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I was fortunate enough to also receive an early listening copy and that enabled me to bounce back and forth between the ebook and audiobook. With that ability, I breezed right through this book and when I reached the end, I found myself so disappointed in all the characters as they were selfish and unkind people for the most part. The narration in this audio was really good and kept me immersed in the storyline. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook. I voluntarily chose to review them and the opinions contained within are my own.