I was really looking forward to this Desperate Housewives-y neighborhood gossipy thriller, but it just fell flat for me. The drama was non existent until about 80% in, and even then it was just eh. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, who were all pretty unlikable. Alexis was okay but very flawed. I was hoping for more, and it never delivered.

Very interesting read with lots of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. This is a new to me author and I’m excited to read future books.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC. Set an a wealthy neighborhood and a murder and secrets. A quick raid with some twists that I did not see coming. Definitely recommend.

Okay so, I received an invitation to read this book and let me say, thank you!! Talk about good! A great murder mystery that will leave you double reading the pages! LOL! I also really enjoyed the different points of view. This will definitely have you wondering if we really know our neighbors. And do we want to?

A voyeuristic look at the domestic life (and all they try to keep hidden) of the wealthy.

When a new couple moves in to a swanky new address, they are desperate to fit in. But, there’s more beneath the surface if they’re glittering new neighbors.

It’s a Be Careful What You Wish For tale with consequences.

I found myself engrossed in this story despite a lack of stereotypical suspense one would expect from this genre.

Alexis and Sam have just welcomed their second child into the world and purchased a new home in an affluent neighbourhood. While the house is in need of major renovation, it allows the young family to forge connections with their new wealthy neighbours. However, dark events begin to unfold in the neighbourhood, and Alexis quickly
comes to realize that money can't buy you happiness, or safety.

Pros: I enjoyed the character of Alexis and Blair. They propelled the story forward for me. Maybe it's because I'm 3 weeks post-partum, but I found Alexis to be a relatable character with some depth.

Cons: the mystery of the story doesn't really invoke suspense and the revelation isn't mind blowing or well developed.

Overall, if you go into it with the expectation of a good story about a neighbourhood full of secrets, rather than an intense thriller, you will enjoy the read! I will definitely be checking out other titles by Adelman.

Thanks to Minotaur books and NetGalley for the free digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. This talented author has written a novel of mystery and intrigue. A couple move into a fixer upper in a prestigious neighborhood hoping to redo the house. A murder occurs…red herrings abound. Secrets and lies…the wife befriends the murdered man’s wife and the story continues. Secrets and lies keep the story moving. I was not sure what was real and what was not. This is a quick read. Enjoy.

What the Neighbors Saw is reminiscent of the Desperate Housewives TV show, soapy drama that starts with a death. Alexis and her husband Sam move into a fixer upper in a posh part of town just outside of DC. While they struggle with the demands of jobs and two children, their neighbor across the street is murdered. Alexis befriends the widow, Blair and their friendship grows over the course of the summer. The book is told from both Alexis and Blair’s POV. While the majority of the book is about the drama of the neighborhood, the murder of Blair’s husband finally comes into focus towards the end of the book. There is a twist I did not see coming, even with a few hints that I now recognize. I wanted to like Alexis, but how her character acted throughout the book ended up grating on my nerves. Overall, it was an interesting book and I would read another from the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

What a fabulous debut by Melissa Adelman! This domestic thriller based in a wealthy superb of DC filled with an eclectic group of neighbors was a magnificent backdrop for this story. Alexis and Sam are desperate to move from their tiny city row home to a single home on a cul-de-sac street. Stress builds as they move into a money pit, extend their family and get sucked into suburban drama. Thank you NetGalley for this entertaining ARC. Well done Melissa!

The premise of this book is very intriguing. Murder in the neighborhood with lots of suspects. unfortunately the intrigue never happens. The murder is almost ignored until the last few chapters. The main focus of the book is about neighbors gossiping about each other. Worrying about weight, fashion and wealth.
This effort just wasn't worth the time.

This book is a slow burn and it is crazy to think of buying $1.6 million dollar fixer upper house. The couple is caught up in appearances so longs to live in this posh neighborhood. They soon realize their house is a money pit and they will have to sink almost all their money into it. This causes a huge strain on their relationship and they soon realize this was a big mistake.

Unfortunately, they learn quickly that moving into the house isn't the dream living they thought it would be. All the neighbors have secrets and some are darker than others. Learning about what goes on behind closed doors and how awful some of the relationships are made this a very entertaining read. Makes you wonder about your own neighbors?

An ending I didn't see coming but was so perfect!

I'm grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book that looked like a real winner. However, nowhere in any reviews I read did it mention having to learn the details of people receiving orgasms, etc, etc. It was too nasty for me to finish, although I gave it several "second chances". I did like how it was written from two different view points, the main two characters. But speaking of characters, I didn't, particularly, like any of them. When I had to continually force myself to pick up my Kindle and read, I switched to another book.

Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

A well to do DC neighbourhood is the setting for a murder. All is not what it seems or is it? What is hidden in this neighbourhood and the residents that reside there?

A thriller that what will leave a mark as you question your surroundings. It was a fair thriller but it did not really hit the mark.

I found this book to be a little predictable, the seemingly high class neighborhood with a lot of secrets. There's plenty of money, adultery and murder to go around. One of the more interesting details was one of familial relationships. Otherwise, this was fairly predictable with no real likeable characters. Alex was annoying too.

What the Neighbors Saw is a book that takes you on a journey with Alexis, her husband Sam and the soon to be “new friends like Blair”. She navigates marital life in a new home that is in a neighborhood that Alexis thinks is where she needs to live. You join her as she navigates how her past has influenced what she perceives is the way life should look and how it should equate to happiness. The reality of looking the other way for the sake of love and what happens when the fancy neighbors in your new new neighborhood show their true selves is the base of Alexis journey. Sometimes the masks we create for others and ourselves when removed lead to realities that we may not want to see. Definitely worth the read.

Alexa and Sam are a young couple who have found a fixer upper in a very nice (costly) neighborhood to buy. Their plan is to buy it as is and then gradually fix it to their taste. Alexis is pregnant with their second child and Sam has volunteered to spend time at the house with the contractors who are refurbishing the kitchen. When more is done they move in. One of the first things Sam does is purchase a BMW for their driveway. The day they move in Blair, their across the street neighbor, comes over to introduce herself and leave a basket of goodies. Shortly thereafter Blair’s husband is found dead in the nearby river. His death is ruled a homicide. Going further would lead to spoilers, but I guarantee no reader would want to live in this neighborhood. It is a complex novel with lots and lots of twists and turns and not many characters with redeeming qualities. It is also good reading. Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for an ARC for an honest review.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.
I truly enjoyed this book different stories kept unfolding for all the neighbors in this book. I was surprised this was her first book and I hope she is working on her next book.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. It was a fast paced read even though it was somewhat typical of all thrillers regarding “neighbors” whodonit books. Always somewhat unbelievable that one street can have so many evil, conniving, adulterous people…yet still a good book and the very end was not the killer I expected. Would recommend.

This debut novel is a page-turner for sure. Set in a wealthy Northern Virginia suburb just across the river from Washington DC, What the Neighbors Saw alternates viewpoints between our two main characters: Alexis, a Black woman who just moved into the neighborhood with her husband Sam and their two young children, and Blair, a wealthy mother of three whose marriage and life are picture perfect. Shortly after Alexis and Sam move in, Blair's husband Teddy is found murdered, and the police are short on suspects. Over the course of the summer, Alexis and Blair become close, each finding comfort in the other and their growing friendship as the police continue to search for Teddy's killer, and Alexis' marriage (and their newly purchased house) falls apart. Meanwhile, their neighbors' secrets and scandals are getting revealed, and seemingly anyone could snap at any time. Even the most picture-perfect community has skeletons in the closet.

This is a compelling story that digs into marriage dynamics, the relationships between mothers and daughters, and the friendships of women. If you've liked books like The Golden Couple (Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen) and Invisible Girl (Lisa Jewell) you'll enjoy What the Neighbors Saw. This was a strong first showing from Melissa Adelman; I look forward to reading many more of her books!

I had never heard of this author before but the description intrigued me. The beginning seemed to lag a bit…back & forth, mundane days & details (by a couple different narrators, POVs) and I even stopped about 20% through & read another book. However 3/4 days later, I turned back to “What the Neighbors Saw” & am so glad I did. Maybe a little past 50%, Alexis’, Sam’s & Blair’s story picks up & doesn’t stop until the very end when you sit back & say “do whaaat??”…..”where did that….how….wow”. Once the pace picks up, hold on tight because you’re in for a ride & can’t even begin to guess where you’re headed. I’ll be watching for other books by this author. Enjoy the read, I certainly did!!