By: Melissa Adelman
Narrator: Hillary Huber, Sarah Hollis
Macmillan Audio
ISBN: 978-1250876560
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: 06/20/2023
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
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.
My Review
Melissa Adelman's highly entertaining debut, WHAT NEIGHBORS SAW, is a fresh new domestic suspense cat-and-mouse thriller that uncovers a shocking twisty secret in an affluent, upscale neighborhood where appearances are essential and dirty secrets are to be kept behind closed doors.
Set in an affluent DC suburb neighborhood, River Forest, we meet Alexis and Sam, and baby Caleb who are buying a 1927 Cape Cod Revival house that needs a lot of repairs; however, they are delighted to get into this sought-after neighborhood.
It has room for a pool and an excellent walking trail. Alexis is excited about meeting the neighbors, even though they do not have the money for designer clothes, cars, and renovations like their neighbors. They have a Honda and a live-in nanny that will be living in the basement.
Alexis is pregnant, a consultant, and is on maternity leave. Sam is an attorney. (I disliked Sam). Later she gives birth to a baby girl, Carter.
Blair and Teddy are neighbors with a beautiful home with three children. Alexis wants to get beyond her past and is excited when glamorous Blair befriends her.
But the neighborhood's picture-perfect image is shattered when their neighbor Teddy – is found dead on the trail behind Alexis/Sam's house.
The neighborhood is stricken and shocked, and an investigation is underway. Tensions are high among the residents, and long-buried secrets are slowly unraveled.
Told from alternating POVs of Blair and Alexis, we learn the dark secrets behind closed doors. Alexis is more competent than others, give her credit as she begins sleuthing to learn more about Blair and Teddy. How far will they go to protect their secrets?
The ongoing mystery—who murdered Teddy and what motive? Inside or outside the neighborhood?
I LOVED the audiobook narrated by (favorites) Hillary Huber (Blair) and Sarah Hollis (Alexis) for a hilariously wickedly evil performance with a Desperate Housewives vibe blended with dark humor for a superb listening experience.
A chilling tale of deception, DNA, dark family secrets, duplicity, and unfaithfulness that will keep you reading/listening into the wee hours of the morning until the final shocking twist.
For fans of Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door, Nora Murphy's The Favor, Lisa Unger's Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six, Sally Hepwoth's The Family Next Door, and BA Paris, The Therapist.
In WHAT NEIGHBORS SAW, the characters are mostly misbehaving, manipulative, and selfish with a lot of backstabbing and jealousy; however, the TWIST is unexpected and jaw-dropping and overall an entertaining popcorn thriller!
I can't wait to see what's coming next from this talented new author. Highly recommend the audiobook!
Thanks to #MacmillanAudio for a gifted ALC and #MinotaurBooks for an ARC via #NetGalley for review purposes. #MinotaurInfluencers
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 20, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars
Praise
"Shocking." —Kirkus Reviews
“In the armful of suburban domestic thrillers publishing this summer, this debut―with its wild, super-spin of a plot, in which everything is turned upside down―is one not to miss.”
―Brian Kenney, First Clue
"A fresh new voice!"
—Shari Lapena, bestselling author of The Couple Next Door
"Riveting debut... Adelman marries rich and layered characters with page-turning tension."
—Mary Dixie Carter, author of The Photographer
“Remarkably suspenseful and nearly impossible not to read in one sitting, WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW is a thrilling debut from an author I will be eagerly following.”
—Nora Murphy, author of The Favor
About the Author
MELISSA ADELMAN was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, a first-generation American with parents from Haiti and Chile. When she is not traveling the world for her job as an international development economist, her favorite place to be is at home, an old house full of surprises just outside D.C. Melissa lives with her husband, two energetic little boys, and a long-suffering shih tzu. She holds a Ph.D. and B.A. in economics from Harvard University. What the Neighbors Saw is her debut novel.
