Title: What the Neighbors Saw
Author: Melissa Adelman
Publication: June 20, 2023
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Thrillers
Pages: 304
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SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)
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.
REVIEW:
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
A good domestic thriller is always perfect for a weekend read and Melissa Adelman brought her A-game. A high-end, wealthy neighborhood full of entitled people and murder? Sign me up for all the drama!
The story follows Alexis and Sam as they move into this slightly ritzy neighborhood into a fixer-upper and try and fit in when shortly after one of their neighbors is murdered. This reminded me very much of the show Desperate Housewives! I knew the level of drama was going to be high! Adelman did a great job of keeping me guessing. I suspected almost everyone at one point or another and was flipping pages waiting for the next clue or the big reveal.
We really got to know Alexis and Sam, and I must say, Adelman drew some very strong feelings out of me about these people. I really hated Sam and I found Alexis to be a little annoying, but also rightfully so at times towards her husband. He’s the worst! Sorry for the spoiler. His whole attitude was bad the entire book and I was curious why they were even married. I wish the book had gone into the other characters a little more so we got to know them more, but that may have been on purpose due to not wanting to give too much away.
Other than that minor detail, I really enjoyed this story. Adelman wrote a book with lots of suspense, plenty of twists and events to keep you guessing, and a shocking ending. I would definitely read another book by her and recommend it to all suspense lovers. You won’t be disappointed.
