Desperate Housewives meets The Couple Next Door in a chilling story of murder and intrigue set in a well-to-do DC suburb.
Sometimes the darkest acts occur in the most beautiful houses… When Alexis and her husband Sam buy a neglected Cape Cod house in an exclusive DC suburb, they are ecstatic. Sam is on the cusp of making partner at his law firm, Alexis is pregnant with their second child, and their glamorous neighbors welcome the couple with open arms. Things are looking up, and Alexis believes she can finally leave her troubled past behind. But the neighborhood’s picture-perfect image is shattered when their neighbor Teddy – a handsome, successful father of three – is found dead on the steep banks of the Potomac River. The community is shaken, and as the police struggle to identify and apprehend the killer, tension in the neighborhood mounts and long-buried secrets start to emerge. In the midst of the turmoil, Alexis takes comfort in her budding friendship with Teddy’s beautiful and charismatic widow, Blair. But as the women grow closer, the neighborhood only becomes more divided. And when the unthinkable truth behind Teddy’s murder is finally uncovered, both Blair and Alexis must reexamine their friendship and decide how far they are willing to go to preserve the lives they have so carefully constructed.
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this review copy!
WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW is a domestic suspense novel that explores the complex relationships and secrets that exist within a seemingly idyllic suburban community. The book is set in a well-to-do DC suburb and tells the story of Alexis Crawford, a young woman who moves into the neighborhood with her husband Sam and their young son. Alexis is immediately drawn to her glamorous neighbor Blair, who seems to have it all. But when Teddy, Blair’s husband, is found dead, Alexis begins to suspect that there is more to Blair than meets the eye.
The novel is told from the alternating points of view of two women: Alexis, the new neighbor, and Blair, the widow of the victim. The other residents of the neighborhood are also interesting characters. There is the nosy neighbor who always seems to know everyone’s business, the couple who is always fighting, and the young family who is trying to make it in the suburbs.
The author does a decent job of creating a sense of unease and suspicion in the reader. The characters are complex and believable, and the plot is full of twists and turns.
One of the things I enjoyed most about WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW was the way Adelman explored the theme of secrets. Everyone in the neighborhood seems to be hiding something, and as the novel progresses, the secrets start to come out. This creates a sense of tension and suspense that keeps the reader hooked until the very end. Unfortunately, I felt the ending was a bit too predictable.
I also appreciated the way Adelman developed the characters, albeit in a stereotypical manner. Alexis is a sympathetic character, and I found myself rooting for her even when she made mistakes. Blair is a more enigmatic character, but Adelman does a good job of slowly peeling back the layers and revealing her true nature.
Overall, I thought this book was a fairly good read.
Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.
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