This was an easy read, with engaging characters and a plot I haven’t read before. Lots of family drama & keeping up with the Jone’s! This story isn’t a whodunit, but a when will people find out, verging near the side of cosy, this is not a deep gritty thriller.

If you’re after an easy read, check it out in August!

Dark witty page turner that kept me up well past my bed time it was so good I read it very fast I loved ut I will recommend this read I really loved this book iris best friend and her husband Steve was so unlikable why would they do that to her I don’t want to say too much but this book has a bit of everything in it and so good wow this book was nothing that I thought it was going to be wtffff did I just read come again I will be recommending this book !!!! My second favorite read of the year

This book fell completely short in my opinion. This was not a fast paced domestic thriller, as the synopsis claims, but rather a slow, boring read. This book drug on, was constantly repetitive, and full of whiny “poor me” characters. Half the “twists and turns” can be seen from miles away. I felt the characters were also boring, tiresome, and flat and you couldn’t connect to any of them. I ended up finishing this book just to finish it and mark it off, not because I actually wanted to know what happened.

A suspenseful premise, but a mixed reading experience for me. The Family at No. 23 is told from the dual perspectives of Iris and Laura, longtime friends whose sons are entering high school. When Laura’s financial situation improves, she moves into an upscale neighborhood with a top-tier school, sparking jealousy in Iris, who harbors a dark secret of her own and finds a way to follow.

I really liked the setup and the gradual unveiling of secrets, it had the potential for a gripping domestic thriller. However, I struggled to connect with the characters and found it hard to stay fully engaged. One subplot involving a mistreated cat was particularly difficult to read and took away from the experience for me.

That said, I was curious enough to stick with it, and the final twist was well done. Overall, a 3-star read for me, interesting concept, but not quite the execution I was hoping for.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was really fast paced and had me up the entire night reading it. I simply could not put it down. It had everything I was looking for in a thriller and then some. If you are looking for a book that is really going to capture your attention immediately this is the book for you. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for this book. I am really glad I had the opportunity to read this book.

I wanted to care. The premise had all the makings of a twisty domestic thriller—secrets, lies, an ominous house number—but 30% in and I still didn’t give a damn about any of it. The pacing dragged, the characters felt like cardboard cutouts of people who might be interesting in a different book, and the tension was all buildup with no actual bite. I kept waiting for that thing to click into place, but it never did. Eventually I realized I was forcing myself to keep going out of obligation, not curiosity, and that’s always my cue to bow out.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, but this one just wasn’t it for me.

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this one because I love a psychological thriller, and from the start, it delivered. By 21%, I was completely hooked. The characters had me fully invested, the house itself felt like a character, and I already had a list of theories forming. The character development is brilliant, and let’s be honest, we’ve all met an Iris or a Laura. I picked it up after work and didn’t want to put it down.

By 66%, I still couldn’t. I stayed up late to finish it, which says a lot with 4 kids and a full time job. I was gripped right to the end. I’d been hoping for a few more twists, so I’m knocking off half a star, but overall this is a great domestic thriller. It might have been even better with a darker edge, but I really enjoyed it.

And that last paragraph? Perfect.

Kathryn Sharman’s debut is a binge-worthy domestic suspense that is gripping from the beginning and easy to fly through. I love this genre and setting, and the cast of characters who definitely weren’t what they seemed on the surface added an extra layer of fun. Even with often unlikeable characters, the story made me empathize with their choices, blurring the lines between right and wrong ⚖️. The contrasts and parallels between the two protagonists were especially entertaining, and I really enjoyed the clever moment at the end where the author uses the same word to mean different things for each of them 👥.

The main premise does ask the reader to suspend disbelief a fair bit. It seemed like some of it would have been too easily found out in the real world. I wished there was a bit more justification to make it seem more plausible, which is the main reason for giving it 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️.

That said, I really enjoyed the dry humor (the peanut scene stands out🥜) and the clever exploration of class dynamics. Overall, I’m excited to see what Sharman publishes next 📚!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#TheFamilyatNo23 #NetGalley

Iris helps an old woman back from the supermarket and the next thing she knows, she is living in a house with all the trappings of a magazine lifestyle - terracotta tiles, cornices and the right catchment area for a good school. What could possibly go wrong? Meanwhile, across the neighbourhood, friends Laura and Ivo seem to have everything. Or do they?

This is a fast paced read where judgements of questionable morality and intent lead to dark and difficult dilemmas.

A confident debut from this author. Well done!

Kathryn Sharman’s psychological thriller intertwines the lives of two couples into an intricate web of secrets and deception. The Family at No. 23. thrives on the suspense of not knowing who can truly be trusted. It is so much fun to see as alliances shift throughout the book.

At its core, the story explores themes of jealousy and the lengths of desperation Iris will go to in order to match the luxurious life of her friend Laura. Iris has no idea that Laura is also guarding a lie. We all know that lies cannot stay hidden for long.

The secret Iris harbours is about how she acquired the house, and someone knows the truth. Through the story Iris is manipulated by those around her. She becomes entangled in psychological games and she begins to second-guess her own reality.

If you like psychological thrillers such as Lisa Jewel, Frieda McFadden, etc. you will enjoy this book. It certainly had me engaged from the very first chapter.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, for this opportunity to read the ARC.

Iris looks on enviously when her friend Laura moves to a desirable neighbourhood that Iris could never afford. But soon after she is presented with an unexpected opportunity to move to the much sought after Riddleston Road.
Iris and her family move into number twenty three but they shouldn't be there. As they make the house their home, Iris begins to feel more uncomfortable, she is suspicious of everyone and terrified her secret will be uncovered. How far will she go to protect it?
When you read as many psychological thrillers as I do, there's bound to be some similarities of the plot themes so it's always good to read something a bit different. This is a slow burn but the hint of underlying tension is always bubbling under the surface and it is an easy to read, engrossing page turner.
Iris is a complex character, I was both appalled by her and sympathetic to her, and perfect Laura is not quite as perfect as people think. Throw into the mix their husbands and sons and you have a small but interesting cast.
There is a final shocking twist in the penultimate paragraph, what a way to end the book!

This was a nice easy thriller to read. Characters weren't overly likable, but I think that was intended. Ending felt a little rushed. Overall good read where I wanted to know what happens. Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for this Arc

This book had me interested from start to finish. Never a dull moment. I liked that the characters had personalities and were very different from each other. I loved the author included an epilogue explaining where each character was six months later. If you forget about reality it’s a very enjoyable story. I was left with a few unanswered questions and would have liked more details (which I can’t specify without spoilers). I would love for there to be a sequel fast forwarding into the future.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

This was a fast paced edge of your seat thriller! It kept me hanging on chapter after chapter. The characters were written just perfectly so that it was like I knew them personally.

Great book. Was up all night reading it. I loved the characters & the storyline. I totally recommend reading this book straight away, the twists and turns are fab. Definitely 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh my god! I literally couldn’t put this book down! I had to keep reading, the suspense is unreal. Absolutely packed with twists and shocking turns. Definitely a book I will be recommending.

The Family at No. 23 provides exactly what you want from a book like this; it’s twisty, turny, and it’s full of characters you veer between rooting for and feeling grateful that they aren’t a part of your life!

This is a self-assured debut, rich in the traditions of a psychological thriller, but somehow gentler than others in the genre, and all the better for it in my view. The ‘mystery’ of the book is revealed up front; we know right away what Iris has done, and in making this part of the story, we don’t get the usual (and somewhat tired) trope of hints throughout the majority of the book as to what might be happening.

There’s still plenty to keep the reader guessing, but Sharman doesn’t fall into the trap of planting lots of seeds, only for them to come to fruition at the climax. Instead, we’re treated to a series of revelations peppered throughout the story, making the conclusion all the more satisfying when it does throw up something unexpected.

I can’t wait to see what comes next from Sharman, as I absolutely devoured this debut in just a couple of sittings!

A quick easy read that I finished in one sitting. Well paced, a good level of tension and suspense with twists that kept me guessing all the way way through. I really enjoyed it.

The Family at No23 was a strange story to get into. Was not sure that I was not sure I would finish but it kept me wanting to find out what happens. Iris Simmonds is the main character. She is walking home when she sees an elderly woman who has fallen and hit her head. She helps the woman home. Her name is Rosemary Parker. The woman lived in a rundown home on Riddleston Road, a very desirable street. No 23, very close to her friend, Laura iand her husband, Ivo live. Their sons, Ben and Freddie are good childhood friends. She feels that Rosemary should go to the hospital but she refuses. Iris makes Rosemary some tea and takes it to her in her parlor where she finds her dead. Rosemary had lived in the house all her life and it had been left to her by her parents,

Six months later, iris and her husband, Steve and their son Ben have moved into the house which they are renting. It is in the school district that Iris wants her son to attend. the private school, Toppingdon. A tortoiseshell cat dits in her yard and juslt looks at the house.. Her friend, Laura surrprises Iris to welcome Iris to the new home which she is fixing up. Although Ben and Freddie are in the same school they are not in the same form. Freddie is popular with the boys playing sports while Ben stays in the library,

Of note: Iris had wrapped Rosemary in the pink sheets from her bed when she buries the body. She came back when it was dark and dug the grave, etc. Iris pretended that the house had come up for rent and while her husband was on a business trip she moved them into the house. She has taken a part-time job at a consignment shop. She kept the secret of Rosemary from her husband. Iris is called to the principal's office as they are concerned about Ben. He has not been sleeping well and having strange dreams. Iris does not take the information well, Ben seems to spend most of his time in the house in his bedroom. Steve likes to watch TV in the parlor but Iris does not like being in the room.

Laura after years of trying to get pregnant she finds that she is. She calls Steve to tell him about the pregnancy. She has been having an affair with him.

One evening an older man arrives at Iris's door. It is the caretaker at the school. He had found the rugby boots that Ben claimed was taken and wass returning them to Iris. He tells her that he knew Rosemary and her sister, June. They had grown up together. June had gotten pregnant and her mother threw her out of the house as it was a complete scandel for the family. He didn't know what had happened to June and her baby after she left.

This is where the story takes off with all it's twists and turns, There is so much going on that I will leave it to the reader to enjoy to the surprising ending. I was surprised but happy to read that Iris and Ben are happily living in a new apartment in the city.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for this ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

The Family at No 23 by Kathryn Sharman is a psychological thriller set on Riddleston Road, where each house appears pristine but hides dark secrets. The story follows Iris, who moves into Number 23 with the hope of securing a better future for her son. However, she harbors a secret about how she acquired the house, and someone knows the truth. Through the story Iris is manipulated by those around her and she becomes entangled in psychological games and she begins to second-guess her own reality. The tension that is around her in the seemingly perfect neighbourhood makes Iris question who she can trust and Iris's choices leave to a series of events that force her to confront the consequences of her actions.

I enjoyed this book and read through it in one night as i got that involved. Good if you enjoy psychological thriller books and enjoy other authors in this genre such as Freida McFadden or Lisa Jewell. Its a good story which keeps you guessing until the end.