Wow this was fantastic. I received this as an ARC and absolutely ate this one up. What a fantastic, gripping and well written read. I loved how twisty this one was and kept me guessing the whole time. Well worth the read.

Thank you to the author and netgalley for this Arc! Holy was this book good! It was a short read (wish it would have been longer) but it was so so good!! Reading this i loved Nikki, loved the husband but found him kind if a weenie hut junior for some of the stuff but then i came to realize why he was like that and then really hated him! I was totally shocked about marry and Noah!! The way I could not put this book down was insane! It was that good! Will definitely be reading more from this author!

I love Jack Dane’s books. They are fast-paced and have well-well thought out plots with interesting twists. This one was great!! And the twist?!?!? Whoo!! Can’t wait to devour more of his books!!

Okay… maybe I’m the odd one out here? This book just didn’t work for me the way I expected it to — especially coming from this author, whose work I usually breeze through and genuinely enjoy. While the synopsis promised a psychological thriller with suburban secrets and eerie neighbors, what I actually got was more or less… strange culty vibes.

Let’s start with the setup: Nikki and Noah move into a charming, seemingly perfect neighborhood just outside NYC. It’s all smiles, potlucks, and white picket fences — with just enough weirdness to suggest something sinister lurking beneath. Sounds promising, right? Unfortunately, the execution didn’t deliver.

The pacing felt off. Yes, it was fast-paced on paper with short chapters, but the story itself dragged. It honestly felt like 60% of the book was just about Petey the dog or still unpacking boxes. I get it, they just moved in — but did we really need to be reminded every other paragraph? It felt repetitive and didn’t move the plot forward.

As for the characters… Nikki grated on my nerves for most of the book. Her decisions, reactions, and overall vibe just didn’t click with me. Noah was fine — didn’t annoy me, but didn’t exactly stand out either. The neighbors were quirky and unsettling, but not in a compelling or creepy way. Just kind of... there.

Plot-wise, there were glimpses of something interesting. Just when it started to look like we were getting somewhere, the momentum would drop off again. It felt like a lot of buildup with no real payoff. The “thriller” aspect? Barely there. Psychological tension? Missing. If anything, it was more of a mild mystery with a sprinkle of suburban weirdness that never fully committed.

That said, the second half was better than the first. Once we hit that 50% mark, things picked up a bit, and I found myself more engaged (though still not loving the writing style or dialogue). I just wish the story had gone deeper and actually resolved the many unanswered questions left dangling at the end.

If you're looking for a chilling psychological thriller, this probably isn’t it. But if you're into light, cult-adjacent neighborhood mysteries with surface level suspense, it might still be your thing. For me, it felt unfinished, underwhelming, and sadly kind of boring.

- 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯💐ᡣ𐭩

WOW 😲 This is my first book back Jack Dane and I was not disappointed. Nikki and Noah move to a suburb and have the home of their dreams..or so they thought! I couldn't have predicted any of the twists and turns this book gave me. I loved all the details and the need to not put this book down. I will definitely be checking out his other books.
Thank you netgalley and publishers and Jack for letting me have an arc for an honest review.

Loved!! The whole vibe was amazing! A change of pace compared to all the other thriller books!

Cult vibes always get me!

Nikki and Noah are newly married and eager to leave New York City for the suburbs. The noise and constant rhythm of the city is but a drive away, where the birds sing every morning. Life is good;maybe even perfect. Sleep comes easily in a quiet environment.
But soon, the perfection seems to have cracks. Who are the neighbors in this serene neighborhood.? The comforts of a dog and a lawn are so different from the noise of the city where concrete abounds. Oh, to fit in , enjoy barbecues and parties and meet some new friends.
I read the novel in just a couple of hours, and must admit, it scared me. The author paced the book so the suspense built up slowly, and the fear increased slowly too. By the time I finished it, I had to turn on a nice, bright lamp.

Thanks to the author and publisher for sending me a copy of the ARC. All opinions are strictly my own.

A psychological thriller that will have you questioning just how well you know your own neighbors. Full of twists and turns. Loved it!

This was such a great book to read. I usually read thrillers in between fantasy for a palate cleanser and it didn’t disappoint. Highly recommend

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In Such Lovely Neighbors Jack Dane delivers a psychological gut-punch that weaponizes the mundane. Set in the leafy cul-de-sacs of suburban perfection, the novel follows Clara Reynolds, a newcomer drawn into the seemingly idyllic lives of her neighbors. But as Clara is pulled deeper into block parties and book clubs, the sunshine façade begins to fracture, revealing something far more sinister—and intimately human—beneath.

What makes Dane’s thriller exceptional isn’t just the suspense (though that’s razor-sharp), but how he manipulates atmosphere and ambiguity. Every friendly smile holds a question; every closed door, a secret. Clara’s unraveling psychological state is mirrored by Dane’s prose—precise but increasingly fragmented, as if the narrative itself is cracking under the weight of hidden truths.

Each neighbor wears a carefully curated mask. Dane peels these layers with scalpel-like precision, inviting readers to question who’s truly watching whom.

The nonlinear storytelling and journal-like entries heighten suspense while disorienting just enough to mimic Clara’s own descent.

Without being didactic, the novel critiques suburban conformity and the quiet violences we accept for the sake of belonging.

Clara is not always likable—but she is believable. Her inner monologues hum with anxiety, guilt, and yearning, grounding the novel’s more surreal moments in psychological realism. By the final act, Dane twists the knife with a revelation that reconfigures everything that came before, daring the reader to reevaluate every pleasant interaction.

In short, Such Lovely Neighbors is less about monstrous acts and more about the monstrous ease with which people hide them. It’s a whispered warning to always look twice at what we call “normal.”

Nikki and Noah move into their first stand-alone home together, in a nice suburb within commuting distance to NYC. What starts off as an idyllic neighbourhood with friendly neighbours quickly turns into a nightmare for the young couple.

This book reminded me of The Wild Things by Landon Clarke, although I much preferred the Wild Things! So I somewhat had that in the background of my mind while reading this one and kept having deja vu. This is one of the big reasons for my three star rating. It is a very quick and easy read, but with that, some of the story felt rushed and it really lacked the depth to make this a 4 or 5 star book. The ending was really crazy but you REALLY need to suspend your beliefs.

Thank you to Back Alley Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WHOA!! WHAT A RIDE!!! This book was a fantastic quick read. The twists at the end gave me whip lash in the best way possible! They just kept coming! I will definitely be recommending this book to anyone who will listen!

Loved, loved, loved!!!
Jack Dane ALWAYS gives twists that the reader isn't expecting. This one, I wouldn't have figured out in a million years.
Nikki and her husband move from the city into a beautiful quaint neighborhood. Stramge things start happening, and instead of fitting in, they're wondering if they made huge mistake.
The book is so hard to summarize without giving things away. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.

This book was very suspenseful making continue to read to find out what was happening. There were times that I was completely creeped out by the events. A scene at the neighbors house after a party had me literally gasp out loud!

Noah and Nikki Anderson move from their small NYC apartment to a spacious house outside the city in a cul-de-sac neighborhood. On their first day of moving in, all the neighbors are coming over with some type of treat welcoming them to the neighborhood. They are immediately invited to a neighborhood party and Nikki couldn't be more excited to become friends with these women. Then something goes wrong and life in the suburbs doesn't seem quite as nice as it did. Are the neighbors really as nice as they seem and who can Nikki really trust with her thoughts?

I loved this book and it definitely gave some Stepford wives vibes, but with a whole neighborhood! I was invested in the characters and was shocked by the ending! This book in now available and should be purchased by anyone who enjoys suspenseful books.

Thank you NetGally and Back Alley Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Jack Dane’s Such Lovely Neighbors is a chilling and fast-paced domestic thriller that cleverly plays on the unsettling idea that danger might be living right next door. With a steady undercurrent of paranoia and suspense, this novel will have readers questioning the safety of even the quietest neighborhoods.

The story unfolds with mounting tension as seemingly ordinary neighbors begin to reveal cracks in their carefully curated façades. Dane keeps readers on edge, expertly planting seeds of doubt and suspense that lead to a genuinely unexpected twist—one that is both satisfying and refreshingly unpredictable. It’s a twist that redefines everything that came before it, pulling the narrative together with force.

While the ending delivers a strong punch, a few key moments—particularly in the final act—could have benefited from more detail and expansion to fully heighten the emotional payoff. Even so, the sharp writing and compelling pace make for an engaging read from start to finish.

Such Lovely Neighbors is a smart and sinister story that blends neighborhood drama with psychological thrills. Jack Dane proves he knows how to keep readers guessing—and uneasy—until the very last page.

I really enjoyed this very fast paced suspense novel.
This book had me hooked from the start and I could not put it down. The story is suspenseful and twisty from the beginning to the end.

Such Lovely Neighbors is a fast-paced, twisty psychological thriller that had me turning pages at warp speed. As someone currently living in the suburbs and preparing for a move to New York, I really appreciated the setting….it felt familiar and easy to picture.

Jack Dane’s writing is straightforward and digestible, which made it easy to fly through the book. Don’t let the simplicity fool you, Such Lovely Neighbors delivers some wild twists that caught me off guard. The pacing never lets up, and just when you think you’ve figured things out, Dane throws another curveball.

This was my first book by Dane, and it definitely won’t be my last!!

Big thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the ARC!

That was an awesome thrillers, I was hooked from the start. Love Jack Dane works and the twists of his books are incredible! Can’t wait for the sixth novel!

SUCH LOVELY NEIGHBOURS BY JACK DANE.
HAPPY RELEASE DAY.
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
This is my 4th book by Jack now and he truly knows how you keep you engrossed and addicted to the story throughout.
Twist after twist.
Jack has now become a auto read author for me now.
Just brilliant.
Looking forward to the next one ☺

This book hooked me from the very beginning. It opens with Nikki and Noah leaving NYC to move to the suburbs. Everything about the house and neighborhood seem perfect - maybe a bit too perfect. Nikki soon finds herself in a nightmare. The story has several twists right up to the end. It could easily be read in one sitting and is a great summer read.