Theres something so great about a neighborhood thriller! I was hooked from the start and intrigued to learn more. This is one of those books you can read in one sitting and be along for the journey.

Alexis and Sam are a young successful couple who both have law careers. With one toddler, Caleb, and another baby on the way, they decide to find their forever family home to raise their children and find a home in an affluent neighbourhood. The home will need some work and TLC but they figure it is a small price to pay to live in a well to do and safe area.

It isn't long after baby number two Carter is born when the quiet neighbourhood is shaken up with the news, Teddy, father of three and husband of Blair, is found murdered. Perhaps the neighbourhood isn't as safe as they thought. Soon after Teddy's murder, we are introduced to the neighbours and the question on everyone's tongue is "Who killed Teddy?"

The book started out slow for me. Being introduced to all the neighbours took a bit of memory work. I got the key players right away but I really didn't connect or care for any of the characters. Alexis and Sam have a lot of marital issues. I can't stand Alexis for being weak and taking his verbal abuse and I think Sam needs a throat punch. (I said what I said)

After Teddy's death, Alexis forms a friendship with his widow Blair. Blair introduces her to the other wives on the street and it is clear, everyone plays nice in the sandbox but they really do not like each other. As the book progresses, we learn of many dirty little secrets. As the synopsis claims, "Sometimes the darkest acts occur in the most beautiful houses" mmmhmmmm.

The second half of the book picks up at a fast speed and finally, I am in the "cannot turn the page fast enough" phase. Things are starting to come out, accusations are made, secrets come out and the tension is building.

Overall: I loved the dysfunction. The slow build up of the first half tested my impatience but I was rewarded with a majestic roller coaster ride at the end. I had my suspicions how it was going to go down and they were fairly accurate but I did enjoy reading how it all came together.

Four solid stars! Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy and allow me to review it!

This was a decent story that was made better by a surprise twist. The story centers on Alexis, who moves to a ritzy suburb outside of Washington DC with her family. Shortly after, a neighbor named Teddy is found dead and it turns out that there are secrets being harbored throughout what seemed like the perfect neighborhood. You also get chapters told from the POV of the dead man’s wife, Blair.

I felt like not a lot happened in the first part of the book beyond Teddy’s death but I think that was so the author could paint the picture of the dynamics between the neighbors. Once Alexis stumbles onto a secret that was worth killing for, the pace picked up. There were a couple of twists, one that was quite unique. I did feel like there were some big things that were not fully explained, though, and wish I wasn’t left with some unanswered questions.

Overall, I liked the book and appreciated the surprises and the fact that the storyline ended up being out of the ordinary. I’d recommend it to those who like domestic suspense and are fascinated by an out of the box storyline. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Great thriller with lots of suspense! Really liked this one! Kept me interested and engaged from the very first page.

I was enjoying this but it lost me with the motive of the crime. It was gross in my opinion and even though it was for shock value, I would have liked the book a lot better without it.

Alexis and her husband Sam feel like they have won the lottery when then buy a fixer upper home in a beautiful neighborhood outside of DC. Alexis is pregnant with their second child and Sam is about to make partner at his law firm.. things are definitely going well for the young couple. That is, until one of their new neighbors ,Teddy, is found dead, murdered, on a trail along the Potomac River. Tensions are high and as time passes no suspect has been named. Alexis finds herself drawn to Teddy’s wife Blair and the two begin an unlikely friendship. All of the neighbors are on edge and everyone seems to be hiding secrets. Alexis doesn’t know who to trust, even her husband seems suspicious. This was a great novel and the twist completely shocked me. Loved this novel and gave it a solid 4 stars.

I feel like I was starving and had an absolutely delicious meal but was wasn't satisfied when I finished devouring it. The writing was great as well as the story, the characters had every different personality you could hope for in a book, I was just expecting more at the end. That being said, it was still worth the read and I look forward to reading what this author has in store for us next. Three and a half Stars rounded up.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

I love suburban thrillers, but this was just alright. The plot, while promising at first, developed in ways that I just didn't care about. It did have some good moments, though, and I think certain readers will appreciate this book.

"What the Neighbors Saw" is a good, summer-y thriller; however the major "twist" towards the end of the book really was not to my liking.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of What the Neighbors Saw in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

Desperate Housewives meets The Couple Next Door. I love murder mystery thrillers set in neighborhoods. They are very atmospheric for me!

This story revolves around Alexis & Sam who purchase a “fixer upper” in an exclusive neighborhood in Cape Code. Everything is going great until one of their neighbors is murdered. The neighborhood begins to turn on each other as secrets begin to emerge. Alexis also becomes close with the widow of Teddy (the dead neighbor) and their friendship is tested as everyone gets closer to the truth.

This story is full of lies and deceptions, even from those who were deemed trustworthy. It’s a good example that you never really know someone no matter how much you think you do. This is one of those novels where no one is really innocent, but that doesn’t mean that everyone is a murderer.

Great writing, great pacing, great twists & turns and great writing of the characters. This book was well done and I would definitely recommend giving it a read.

I rated this 4 Stars

Wow. Just wow. Loved this book.
Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

What the Neighbors Saw is Melissa Adelman’s first novel. Alexis, Sam, 2 kids and nanny move to a fixer-upper house in a very affluent neighborhood. Then we meet Blair and her husband Teddy and a murder occurs there. Who did it? Someone in the neighborhood? Someone passing through? Told in POV’s between Blair and Alexis, this kept me interested from the first page. This reminded me of Desperate Housewives with lots of gossip, secrets, lies, etc. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published June 2023.

Does anyone ever really know their neighbors? What the Neighbors Saw is a twisty book full of lies and deceptions. Everything unfolds in a desirable and wealthy DC community. Split between the POVs of Alexis, and Blair. Alexis a mom of two, and married to her husband Sam move into a fixer upper house in the prominent neighborhood. Blair is their neighbor with three great kids and a perfect husband. But her husband dies one weekend on the neighborhood trail. Question is who did it? Could it be one if the neighbors? What dark secrets are Blair and Alexis hiding?

What I enjoyed:
- none of the characters were likable. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t enjoyable to follow. I honestly didn’t like anyone in this book. But I found myself interested in everyone’s secrets and hidden agendas
- Dual POVs are always my favorite. It is fun seeing things from all different POVs
- This felt like a slow burn. But i was kept interested through out it all. The whodunit was what kept me going
- Multicultural MC and side characters
- The final twists!

I thought this was an interesting debut novel. I liked how easy it was to hate this neighborhood and its occupants. I was on my toes the whole time trying to figure things out. Plus a couple twist had me saying what?! Enjoyable and twisty. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I will definitely be looking for more titles from
this author. A combination of Liv Constantine, Lianne Moriarity, and Sheri Lapena this is a fun beach read. The only reason this won’t be getting 5 stars is some of the sun plots which seemed undeveloped and thrown in? The main character is clearly suffering from
An eating disorder or body dysmorphia which is like a side note and definitely downplays what is a potentially serious disease? Otherwise, I loved the character development, the back and forth and the way the story unfolded! Thank you again for the advance readers copy!!!

“…I see that the same dirty sins stain everyone. The clean, bright wash of wealth is just a more effective cover.”

When Alexis and her husband Sam buy what he calls “worst house, best block” on exclusive Shadow Road, Alexis worries about fitting in. She has a newborn and a toddler, her husband is working long hours on partner track and her house is almost literally falling apart around her. She is befriended by her gorgeous neighbor Blair, greeted warmly by others and is settling in to suburban life when Blair’s husband is murdered. The death marks the beginning of some disturbing incidents on Shadow Road. All will lead to an alarming, life changing conclusion.

What the Neighbors Saw is a tightly plotted mystery that is impossible to put down. None of the characters is likeable, or innocent, but that doesn’t matter. The narrators are Alexis and Blair and and both have very different views of the happenings in the neighborhood. Both are secretive, manipulative and determined to have their way. Wait to see which woman wins. Or if anyone does. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Melissa Adelman for this ARC.

Fabulous!

The blurb calls it “Desperate Housewives meets The Couple Next Door.” I’d say that’s accurate, with a dash of “The Good Neighbor” thrown in for good measure.

This story centers around Alexis and her husband Sam moving to an exclusive Washington D.C. neighborhood. The house they move into is less than stellar, but would be beautiful when renovated. However, in the meantime, Alexis, stays home while the house seems to be crumbling around her! The move is more or less a fresh start for the couple, who have one child No another on the way. Alexis is trying to leave her past, in the past, and her husband is furthering his career. The new neighbors welcome them, and invite them into their exclusive world. Of course, something goes terribly wrong, or in this case something bad happens. One of the neighbors, Teddy, is found dead? Alexis becomes friends with Blair, the wife of the deceases. who is an enigma, and the friendship blossoms as the hunt for the killer continues. Not all is what it seems in this exclusive neighborhood and this death is only the beginning of disturbing incidents. What happens with the two of them once the killer is found…?

This novel, is tight, taut, and so suspenseful. The main characters, Alexis and Blair. are neither likable or have any redeeming qualities, which makes them all the more delicious! These two women are manipulators, self serving and have so many secrets it makes your head spin.

When you think you have figured this story out, you will realize you weren’t even close.

Thank you NetGalley, the Publisher and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

SYNOPSIS:

Sam, Alexis, their son Caleb, & their live-in nanny Elena move into 51 Shadow, a fixer upper house in an upscale neighborhood in a DC suburb. Alexis is pregnant with their second child. While the neighborhood appears picture perfect, everything is not as it seems.

MY THOUGHTS
- This book felt slower paced to me in comparison with other thrillers.
- I liked the cover of the book.
- The book is structured alternating perspectives between Alexis & Blair (who is a neighbor that quickly becomes Alexis’ close friend).
- There wasn’t much depth or character development. For that reason, I didn’t find any of the characters likable.
- Unfortunately, I wasn’t satisfied with the ending.
- I felt like this book droned on in a lot of places.
- I do think it’s worth a read, but it’s not one I will be reading a 2nd time.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️Three stars. Interesting setting. Not great character development; lacks satisfying ending.


Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur, and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. It's due to be published on June 20, 2023.

Buying a home in an area that they can't truly afford is the least of Alexis and Sam's issues in this domst thriller set in a rich enclave. Alexis does her best to fit in and hold down the rapidly deteriorating fort as Sam is away for longer and longer periods of time. A mystery murder in the development only increases her anxiety and she begins watching more closely what goes on outside at night. The question is whether someone is also watching her. #STMartinsPress #WhatTheNeighborsSaw

Overall, I liked this book and appreciate the opportunity to read it. I thought the first half was very engaging, intriguing and suspenseful. However, it started to feel flat and fairly slow around the halfway mark. I also didn’t feel especially connected to some of the characters.

I finished the book at the same day I got its digital copy! Its fast pacing, thrilling, absolutely scandalous, mysterious thriller makes your jaw drop! At least that’s what happened to me as I reached the last quarter. One of the twists was totally shocking. The author plays with us so adroitly!

The plot promoted as Desperate Housewives meets The couple next door which makes sense. But I have to say nothing desperate about the wives who keep really earth shattering secrets.

The only thing rubbed me wrong was the unlikable POVs of the book. Don’t get me wrong. The writing style is capturing. Alexis and Blair seem like opposite characters. Alexis comes from poverty, depressed, insecure as Blair is confident, wealthy, pretty, bold, arrogant. But there are so many common qualities they both have. You’ll find out as soon as you start reading their perspectives.

The story starts Alexis and Sam’s house hunting that results with buying a neglected, mostly dilapidated Cape Cod house which seems like money trap, needing extra reconstructions.
They recently welcomed their baby boy and Alexis is pregnant again. Their budget is tight. But they try to take their chances.

At their first day,they meet with their future neighbor, handsome, successful businessman Teddy and his three teenage sons. He and his wife Blair seems like ideal happy couple but when we read what happened behind the closed doors, both of the couples have troubled marriages.

A few weeks later, fishermen identify a dead body on banks of the Potomac. That body belongs to Teddy. Blair is devastated because her husband’s death is announced as homicide. Who may have killed him?

After Teddy’s death, Alexis spends more time with Blair. Their blooming friendship attracts attention of their neighbors as neighborhood becomes more divided. Then Alexis finds out something which rocks her world! Ok! I’m stopping right here!

I didn’t like Alexis and Blair but the smart writing style , quick pace, shocking revelations absolutely earned my four stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.