The over all story was good.

Many POV
Twists
Cult/God
Twists
Now/than time lines

One part of this book was not for me, I don't enjoy reading anything religious.. but looking past that it is a solid 4 star read

THE BODY NEXT DOOR
Maia Change
On sale August 6th

When a body is discovered buried next door to their summer home on Orca Island, Hannah McCullough’s world does a flip flop. She is determined it has something to do with her husband, Allan. When she is called to her children’s school because her son has bitten someone, she decides to take the two children far away from her husband who wants to send their son the a private school, that “deals with children like him”. So she takes them to the place her husband would never suspect, the summer home.

Hannah has always hated the home, she feels it is too pretentious and it sits next to the site of a cult that a few years before had been involved in an uprising which lead to the death of two of its members.

But as the police investigation progresses, Hannah is forced to confront her complicated past and it will mean her picture perfect world will come crashing down.

For lovers of thrillers that will have you on the edge of your seat.

I am definitely a cover (window shopper) and this one did not disappoint.

Personally I love multiple POVs as I feel more connected with each character. There are many different twists and definitely an Erie plot line.

I loved the different personalities and perspectives of each character and how they are portrayed.

This was a great start to my thriller/ mystery months!

This was a really interesting book. I don’t usually read cult related books but this was well done without overdoing the cult aspect into the unbelievable range. This book had multiple narrators and each of them had something to hide. I loved how well written the characters were, how much I hated Caroline, how much concern I felt for Hannah and the amount of questions I had over the different children and several side characters. The way it all came together was such a good plot. Each plot twist was perfectly executed with no cliché endings which I appreciate. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Maia Chance and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I was very surprised by the supernatural twist that the story took, but I can see why she included it into the story. I really like Hannah, I felt like she was trying her best in many difficult situations. Allan was not my favorite character, but I can also see why he was written in that fashion. Maia Chance presented some unique plot twists; some I never saw coming. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes domestic thrillers with a hint of supernatural.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC. I will definitely read Maia's future novels.

The Body Next Door by Maia Chance is a gripping thriller set in the misty, evergreen landscape of Seattle, with intriguing detours to Europe (Szia Budapest and Ciao Italy!). This multi-POV novel explores the tumultuous lives of characters emerging from an oppressive cult on a remote homestead. The narrative revolves around Kestrel and Greene, who have endured a traumatic upbringing, and their new and formidable neighbor, Allan, along with his son and aspiring violinist, Josh.

From the moment Allan moves in, tensions escalate, and the Chance really pulls you into the harrowing journey of escaping a cult’s shadow. The plot oscillates between the past and the present, revealing how Allan’s intervention in Hannah’s life—saving her from dire circumstances—has created a complicated web of gratitude and obligation. Their seemingly idyllic life is shattered when a dead body is discovered near their property, thrusting them into a whirlwind of suspicion and danger.

“When people leave cults, their brains basically have to rewire. They go through a rocky transition back into the real world. It’s like landing a damaged plane in a hurricane. Sometimes I suspect I still haven’t landed.”

The fascination with cults, particularly those involving children, provides a gripping backdrop against this unique thriller novel. Survivors grappling with identity crises, anxiety, and deep-seated trauma make for a powerful narrative. While The Body Next Door took unexpected turns that I didn’t foresee—mostly in a positive way—the novel's supernatural elements and shifting timelines occasionally left me puzzled. The recurring “voice” that speaks to Greene was particularly enigmatic. Despite these minor confusions, the book captivated me with its suspense and richly developed characters.

Overall, I rated this book five stars. If you enjoy suspenseful, character-driven stories with a hint of the supernatural, I highly recommend The Body Next Door.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

This book follows Hannah, who is married to Allen, and has two kids. Hannah and Allen both have dark pasts that they wish to remain hidden. However, they may not get what they wish for when a body is found in the lot next door to their vacation home. Dark secrets are brought to light as the investigation into the murder unfolds.

In this book, there are two separate timelines- the past and the present - and is told from multiple different point of views. Due to this, at times, it can get confusing keeping track of everything that is happening and when it is happening, especially when a new character was getting introduced, but it was also good because it filled in a new piece that was missing from the puzzle. At first, it was a lot, not going to lie. But once you found out how everyone was connected, it all made so much more sense and it was so much easier to follow.

All of the characters were well written, and had a lot of layers to them. And all of the twists and turns had me constantly wondering and incorrectly guessing how the book will end. The first half was a bit slow, with all the different point of views kind of thrown in without knowing exactly how they connected, but things definitely picked up more in the second half.

This book is released on August 6th, 2024, and I would recommend this book for anyone that is interested in thriller books, with a cult-ish/religious twist.

An engrossing thriller but for the supernatural element.

3.5 stars.

When the body of a young woman is discovered on a remote island - most likely a member of a reclusive commune that used to live there before a federal raid turned into tragedy -, the discovery sends multiple people into a frenzy, all of them somehow connected to the body - and each other.

Switching between the present and the time before the government raid, and told from multiple points of view - suburban mom Hannah and her filthy rich, horrible husband Allan; internationally acclaimed violinist player Josh; obsessive cleaner Caroline; and young Greene, living at the commune with his mother - this thriller had a lot of great elements: a quick pace, multiple suspects and motives, a great setting, and even a cult element! I was drawn in quickly and flew through the book. In fact, I would have rated it much higher if not for one major flaw.

What‘s not to like? Well, there is a big supernatural element (not a ghost story, but something much weirder/less expected in this genre) that becomes evident after a while that I personally did not care for. First I thought it was just a quirky character trait that I was willing to ignore, but then it became an integral part of the storyline until it cumulated in a frankly ridiculous epilogue (if you‘re not expecting/do not particularly care for supernatural stuff, at least), which was the final nail in the coffin and sort of ruined the book for me.

That being said, it‘s totally a „me“ problem because supernatural elements in thrillers just aren‘t my cup of tea in general, and this one felt especially weird. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book, and I‘m guessing a lot of others will, too.

Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

„The Body Next Door“ is slated to be released on August 6, 2024.

Going in I had certain expectations about the plot, however it surprised me in a good way. This was a twisty, moody read where multiple storylines of past and present collide and provide a highly satisfying ending.

Read this if you like:
-isolated cult vibes
-multiple POVs
-dual timelines
-complex characters and different storylines that eventually connect
-snippets of magical realism
-many twists and turns
-satisfying ending
-seemingly perfect family that is unveiled to be the opposite of that
-childhood trauma and survival
-multiple characters hiding many secrets and lies

My rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing MIRA for this eARC that will be published August 6 2024.

This moves back and forth in time and between perspectives to tell the story of the death of a young girl on Orcas Island. Hannah has a dark secret in her past, a secret that's going to come out if she continues to look for the answers to the mystery, answers she needs. Her husband Allan has secrets too. This has multiple plot lines, leans into a cult, and has a touch of the paranormal (this was a weak part of the novel IMHO), It can feel confusing but then you'll see where Chance is g0ing. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read.

I enjoyed this one and loved that it contained a storyline that is not completely overdone. It was told in multiple POV and duel timeline (Then and now) which seemed confusing in the beginning, but all came together perfectly. This is a twisty thriller with cult aspects and bits and pieces of magical realism.
Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.

The Body Next Door
Maia Chance
Out 7/6

This was a culty little mystery/thriller with multiple perspectives and timelines, and a hint of the supernatural. Unfortunately, due to the shifting perspectives, I was never fully invested in the overall story. I also struggled with believability. But I'm a major outlier on this one as it's getting tons of rabve reviews, so definitely check out some other reviews. ☺️

Thank you HTP for my gifted ARC

I was invited to the blog tour for this book.
My link will be posted on my blog on Pub Day: 08/06/24

The Body Next Door had all the elements that I love in books: domestic suspense, magical realism and cults. I don’t think I’ve ever seen those three genres blended together before.

We follow multiple POVs (another thing that I love!) from past and present. In the present, a body is found next door to a couples home. In the past, we follow a boy as his mom is sucked into a cult. It was fun seeing how the POVs were going to blend together.

I liked this book, I enjoyed the ride. The characters were fun to follow. I didn’t expect magical realism from this book and that part left me wanting more. Something just felt missing when I finished the book but I can’t pinpoint what. I’ll definitely be keeping on eye out for any future thrillers from Maia Chance though!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
3.5 ⭐️

Okay so what did I just read? In a good way! I was not expecting anything to go the way it did during this book! It was crazy! Such a good thriller read! The plot was amazing, and the characters were good and just added to the story

This story begins with Hannah, mother to Oliver and Sibley, and wife to Allan. He is very well off and Hannah leads a privileged life, 180° different from the way she grew up. But when Oliver is suspended from school, the cracks start to show in this façade.
A dead body is found next to their summer house on Orcas Island. Hannah and Allan seem a little bit too interested and a lot of upset. What do they know about this crime?
Told in the past and in the present, we are also given POVs by Caroline, Trey, and Josh. How are all these people related? All will slowly be revealed. There is a lot going on here, even a touch of the supernatural/magical. I don’t want to fall into spoiler territory, but I’m actually not sure exactly what the origins of this magical element was, but it adds an interesting dynamic to the story.
There were quite a few surprises towards the end. While I was hoping for a slightly different ending, that’s not to imply that the wrap up was bad.

If you've followed my reviews for any length of time, you'll know that I really love a thriller that focuses on rich people behaving badly - especially when their past mistakes begin to catch up with them; that's exactly what I got with this one.

This time around, we're taken on a journey through the seemingly perfect life of Hannah McCullough, a young mother with a wealthy husband and a dark secret that threatens to unravel her carefully constructed façade. The 'rich people behaving badly' aspect comes into play as we delve into the moral and ethical dilemmas these characters face, and how their wealth and privilege influence their decisions and actions.

The story kicks off when a body is discovered near the McCulloughs' vacation home on Orcas Island near Seattle, setting off a chain of events that will challenge Hannah and her husband Allan in ways neither saw coming. They're rich, after all, and Allan has always been able to throw money at anything that could work against him or crack his perfect veneer. But, as the police investigation deepens, they find that the victim may have been a member of an apocalyptic cult that lived near the McCullough's vacation home, and Hannah may know more about her than anyone realizes.

I have to give the author kudos for building tension and keeping readers on the edge of their seats as the mystery unravels. There were several times when I thought I had it figured out, and then the story would throw a curveball and put me on a different path, only to jerk the wheel again - all without causing "twistplash". The eerie, remote setting of Orcas Island adds to the atmosphere, making it the perfect backdrop for a story filled with twists and turns; a sense of unease and suspense permeates every page.

The novel is well-paced, and Chance's writing is engaging and accessible. This makes it easy to get lost in the story and lose track of time. I will admit that when I started the book, I had a few concerns, mainly because we flipped between several different characters right off the bat. Usually, when a book alternates between multiple characters, I get annoyed. It ended up not being a problem in the end, primarily due to Chance really knowing her characters and giving each of them a distinct voice and perspective. I never felt lost or confused.

As Hannah's search for answers takes unexpected turns and she crosses paths with strangers harboring their own dark secrets, the stakes only get higher. The tension builds to a gripping climax that will leave readers breathless and satisfied with the resolution. My only problem with this one was the addition of the magical powers of one of the characters. While it was integral to the plot, it felt out of place to me because it seemed to shift the focus from the psychological thriller aspect to a more fantastical one. Usually, I'm okay with magical realism in books, but when it shows up unexpectedly in a thriller or mystery, I have a difficult time getting on board with it.

Overall, I found this novel to be a fast-paced, and fun read. Despite the unexpected introduction of magical elements, which initially caught me off guard, it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment. The well-crafted cast of characters, each of whom you either love or love to hate really made the book for me. If you are looking for a compelling mystery with a touch of magical realism, I would certainly recommend this one.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Maia Chance’s “The Body Next Door” takes a deliciously twisted turn on the classic thriller. Imagine a seemingly perfect family—wealthy, polished, and living the dream—until secrets start clawing their way to the surface. Add in a body unearthed near their vacation home on picturesque Orcas Island, and you’ve got a recipe for suspense.

Hannah McCollough’s life appears flawless: devoted mother, doting wife, and all the trappings of luxury. But beneath the designer clothes lies a dark secret—one that resurfaces when a construction crew discovers a young girl’s body. As the police investigation deepens, Hannah’s picture-perfect marriage begins to crack. Her desperate hunt for answers leads her to three strangers, each harboring shocking secrets of their own.

“The Body Next Door” is a riveting read. Maia Chance plunges us into cult dynamics, power struggles, and the fragility of the human heart. The setting—Orcas Island—is as gorgeous as it is eerie. Hannah’s journey from façade to truth is both chilling and compelling. Brace yourself for a rollercoaster ride through betrayal and buried truths.

For fans of moody, character-driven mysteries, this novel delivers. Well-developed characters and satisfying conclusion make it a worthwhile read. Dive in—you won’t be disappointed.

I was excited for the cult. I was excited for the murder, but the book lost me with the magic. I’m down for reading magical books and fantasy, if that is what I choose to read and know it going in, but this book was not touted as such. I did finish reading and enjoyed the cult-y/twisty parts, but the magical part was so much a part of the book that it took away from the parts I liked.

Thank you, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

2.5⭐️

So the book held my attention at first, then I took a break from it. I did want to finish to see how everything came together so I picked it up and continued on.

There were sooo many POVs at first and I had no idea who the people were. It was a bit overwhelming. Also the dual timeline added to the confusion.

At the end of the book I was just like wow, what was that? It wasn’t shocking nor climatic but I was happy to see a certain couple reunite. I wouldn’t say this is a suspenseful thriller. More like a mystery.

There was a “magical” element to the story as well so it didn’t seem entirely realistic.

I’m glad to see many people loved this one. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Pub date is 8/6/24