I couldn’t get into this book. I really enjoyed The Last House Guest so I was expecting some of that same writing magic. Unfortunately, I just didn’t connect to it and found myself uninterested.

This novel is set in a small, close knit community on a lake where, several years before, one couple in the neighborhood was found dead in their home. Ruby, the roommate of main character Harper, was found guilty of the murder and sent to prison. And yes, while that is a lot, that’s just the backstory of the book! When the book starts, Ruby has just been released from prison on appeal, and Harper finds her back at their house. Of course, the neighbors all start freaking out, and Harper tries to figure out why Ruby came back, whether she was really guilty, and if not, who was and what might happen next. It is definitely an interesting premise, but the execution was just not quite all there for me. I don’t mind a slow burn, but the pace was just a little off, the characters not quite fully fleshed out, and the conclusion not entirely satisfying.

I have loved all four of Megan Miranda’s previous thrillers (haven’t read her YA books yet), and she is usually one of the first authors I recommend when people ask for thriller recommendations. Indeed, this book doesn’t come out until July 13, but I couldn’t wait to read my advanced copy of it. So I’m sorry to say that this one was just okay for me. Nonetheless, I’m sure I’ll continue to read whatever she publishes in the future.

A story about how we create the enemies we need. I understand what the author was trying to do with this, but the clichéd writing lessened the impact.

A couple is found dead in a quiet neighborhood where everyone knows everyone, and one of them is found guilty. But months later, her trial is annulled exactly because of how said neighbors intervened in the investigations to condemn her and she's back to the same house. The one she shares with Harper, our main character. But why is she there? Does she want revenge? Against whom?

Such a Quiet Place demonstrates beyond doubt how far Megan Miranda's writing has come, throwing mystery over mystery. It's a quick read and it sure isn't a new proposal: neighbors who become suspects, complicating even more an investigation because you don't know who's just meddling and who's covering their traces. Though not a novelty, it was gripping and had a nice amount of plot twists.

We do have a lot of characters, but I never felt lost over who was who. The main character is a little strange, too naive at times, too quick to judge at others, though that was also so she could be among the suspects, I believe. Were she too straightforward, half of my doubts wouldn't even exist. On the plus side, despite not loving Harper and wanting to slap her at a point or two, I didn't hate her.

There isn't a lot of boom in the book though. Notwithstanding the many plot twists, they not always gave way to good reveals, and when they were good, they weren't fantastic. I liked the writing, I liked the pacing, I liked the story, but there wasn't that big thing that'll assure this story is memorable. I do recommend it is a great choice for your summer read, I've been talking about it already to my friends who enjoy thrillers, but I don't see it becoming anyone's favorite book ever. Still, it's one of the best reads this summer, so go ahead.

The unwelcome return of recently released Ruby Fletcher, imprisoned for murdering two neighbors, has everyone on edge in the sleepy community of Hollow’s Edge. Is Ruby back to settle a score with those who testified against her? A compulsive and suspenseful mystery with much to ponder as the flawed and memorable characters of Hollow’s Edge are exposed, causing me to continually question culpability. An engrossing whodunnit!

I enjoyed this book more in the first half. It was definitely interesting and twisty enough to easily finish. Just didn't have the wow factor at the end for me.

I love Megan Miranda's books, and every year she is one of the authors whose books I request in ARC form so I can read it early. I'm never disappointed. Miranda tells stories of intrigue and suspense in an approachable and fast-paced way, and her setting is always one of the most interesting parts of the story. That's especially true for Such a Quiet Place, where an idyllic town is rocked by a murder and is struggling to find its footing when the apparent murderer moves back into town. The characters are interesting, though not the most complex Miranda has ever written, but the setting is really what sells this one for me. I enjoyed it thoroughly and will recommend it to all mystery/thriller lovers - and I'll eagerly await Miranda's next novel.

DNF at 34%. After having read several Megan Miranda book's I was excited for her latest release. Unfortunately this one just did not draw me in. I would put it down and then not really want to pick it back up again. You're not rooting for any of the characters and the mystery wasn't enough to keep me going.

Such a Quiet Place drops you in a sleep, college town during the summer, set around a beautiful lake in a neighborhood where everyone knows everyone's business. You meet Harper, the main character, who may or may not be roommates with a murderer. That alleged murderer is Ruby, a young woman, who is accused of killing a married couple who lived next door.

If you liked Megan's other books, it's worth a shot on this one but if you're looking for something to grab your attention right away might be a good one to skip.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest reivew.

I’m a huge Megan Miranda fan. I always enjoy her books, and Such a Quiet Place was no exception. I flew through it in a single lazy Saturday, and couldn’t put it down! The pace was perfect, the characters were interesting if unlikeable, and the mystery drew me in right away.

I’ve read a few books lately that, similar to this one, take place in these small close-knit neighborhoods where everyone knows everything about each other. This setting works really well for me. It’s semi-closed door, so you know the culprit is someone in the neighborhood, but with so many secrets you can’t tell who is hiding something related to the storyline.

Ruby’s character was especially interesting to me. Why would she act so strangely if she had nothing to hide? Poor Harper was such a pushover, letting Ruby traipse back in and steamroll her life and then taking the blame for it with the neighbors. I really wanted her to stand up for herself with Ruby!

I will say that some suspension of belief is required to fully enjoy the ending. The extent of certain miscommunications is a little unbelievable--although some people just really love a scapegoat! There were some plot holes that made it hard for me to accept the ending, although it’s possible these will be resolved before the finished copy is published.

I love neighborhood drama between frenemies and I love thrillers, so Such A Quiet Place was the perfect combination of the two.

3.5 rounded up This had a bit of a slow start for me but the second half picked up quite a bit and kept me going. I didn't particular love any of the characters but still found them interesting. A good look at such a perfect neighborhood is not so perfect and what we see and perceive is not often reality.

A Quiet Place was a slow burn in the beginning of the story. It took me a little bit to get invested into the story but then half way through it finally picked up and became anxiety inducing and I couldn’t put it down. ⁣
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This is a story about a quiet neighborhood filled with community until the neighborhood is rocked to the core and a couple next door is found dead. Ruby a friend of Harper’s living with Harper is convicted and goes to jail for 14 months, only to return after eventually being found not guilty, and the neighborhood loses their mind that she’s back.⁣
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Who can you trust? Each household has secrets, some worse than others. What really happened to the Truetts? ⁣
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Thank you @simonbooks for an ARC for my honest review. #aquietplace #bookstagram #books #netgalley #suspense

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve read a couple books by Megan Miranda and have always enjoyed them, so I had pretty high hopes for this one. She didn’t disappoint. Interesting story that kept twisting and turning. I thought I had it figured out and then I was confronted with another twist. Good stuff. A quick read. A cast of characters you liked but also plenty you couldn’t stand.

I’d definitely recommend this to others.

Annoying neighbors can just suck the joy right out of your day; always giving you dirty looks, calling the cops when the music is too loud, making "anonymous" complaints about the excessive amount of wine bottles clinking around in your recycling bin... Ugh! Sometimes it can really drive a person to the brink.

In Hollow's Edge, the neighbors that no one really liked were murdered last year. The cozy little enclave by the lake was rocked when young Ruby Fletcher, one of their own, was convicted of the terrible crime. The neighborhood is still trying to pick up the pieces, when shockingly, Ruby's conviction is overturned and she is released. After fourteen long months in prison, Ruby has decided to come back to Hollow's Edge, back to the house she shared with Harper Nash. Ruby's return starts to fray the seams of the already strained neighborhood. Tensions are high, secrets are being clutched tight, and Harper doesn't know if the object of her terror is sleeping just down the hall. One thing's for sure, the festivities this Fourth of July are bound to be explosive!

Megan Miranda has another hit on her hands with Such a Quiet Place. The suspense building is excellent, and the tension is palpable. I empathized with Harper in wanting to fit in, to belong, and that feeling of being cut to the quick when she was excluded. The fact that Harper didn't know who she could trust made every page feel like dire straits, and each reveal was perfect. The ending was maybe a little rushed after drawing out the tension so expertly, but I was mostly pleased as punch with reading this book. Go find yourself a quiet space and pick up Such a Quiet Place.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the chance to review this advance copy.

4.5 This book started slow for me and it took me longer to get into it than usual with her books. There were lots of truths about human nature and the power of groups and the desire to point fingers to not look at ourselves or have others look at her. There was a reminder of the Salem witch trials for me. I would have liked to have had a chapter or two to have Ruby's perspective as she was the most interesting one there.

Another solid thriller entry into the genre from Megan Miranda. This one kept me guessing around every turn and definitely had me spooked when walking through my own little neighborhood's forested area in the dark on the way home from the metro one night.. As usual, Megan offers a classic thriller storyline that really offers a commentary on something that lies beneath- in this case, an otherwise picturesque neighborhood in a small college town. I love the way Megan widens the lens on her story as she goes alone, feeding you more and more information, so just when you thought you had it all figured out, the story completely changes. A solid thriller for any thriller lover and fan!

3.5 rounded up

I was a bit wary of Such a Quiet Place since I wasn't as impressed with The Girl from Widow Hills as I'd been with Miranda's other books. It turned out pretty good though! I’m always up for a trapped room mystery, and this was an interesting one set on a small street of six or seven houses.

Everyone in Hollow's Edge is surprised when Ruby returns after a conviction for murdering her neighbors is overturned. Her motives for coming back to the murder scene are unclear, but what IS clear is that she's got a vendetta. The residents are suspicious, especially Ruby's former roommate Harper, who just can't throw her out when she has nowhere else to go. Harper is fearful of what new spark Ruby might set off.

As Harper tries to keep track of Ruby's movements leading up to the big July 4th party, she begins to uncover her neighbors' secrets, lies, and hidden agendas that originally put Ruby in jail. She realizes no one really talks to each other "face to face". Harper starts receiving threatening messages and feels like someone is watching, making her wonder whether there another killer on the street. The July 4th party results in an explosion of drama and tragedy, setting Harper off on a mission to discover the truth about that fateful night 14 mos ago and the mysterious notes.

There was quite a bit of repetition (about how Harper was feeling or what Ruby had done previously or pregnant Tate and her high ponytail) but overall I liked the story. The MANY red herrings left about make it a fun ride. Living on a small street myself, I liked the storyline about all the neighbors not being as they seem from the curb. I feel like Miranda began to redeem herself with me on this one. Looking forward to her next!

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster to preview. Publish Date: July 13, 2021.

I love Megan Miranda’s books! I love her writing style and the insidious nature of her stories. And Such A Quiet Place was just that - insidious and creepy and fully imbued with Megan’s trademark suspenseful atmosphere.

Hollow’s Edge is a community where the neighbors all look out for each other. They have a community message board, frequently gather together at the pool and most work together at the nearby University but along with this closeness comes a certain comfort that they know the people they’re entrusting to watch their homes when they’re gone or to walk their dogs – giving a house key to a neighbor entails a large amount of trust, did someone abuse this trust and commit murder?

When Harpers neighbors die, her roommate, Ruby is convicted of their murders but then released just over a year later. She returns to Harper’s house as if nothing happened and her behavior is strange at best. The neighborhood is nervous and on edge, some dramatically fearing for their lives but Harper isn’t convinced Ruby is guilty, despite her strange behavior.

There is a slow unfolding of events both past and present, all told from Harper’s POV and although the beginning was a bit slow, it set up the fast-paced last half of the book and built up the characters personalities beautifully. Well-plotted with some surprising twists, I thoroughly enjoyed this story that really shows that there is always more to the story than what meets the eye!

I received a DRC from Simon & Schuster for review! Thank you so much!

I devoured this book in one weekend! In a little over 24 hours I finished this book, and that never happens.

I picked this up to see if I could squeeze in before my buddy read started on Monday. (A group of IG friends are all reading THE MAIDENS together!)
I was pleasantly surprised by the pace and tone of this story despite hearing some ok reviews from fellow bookstagrammers.
What I liked about this story is that this thriller centers around a woman who is NOT insane. I really am over the extreme unreliable narrator due to having mental issues or is just plain crazy. The heroine of SUCH A QUIET PLACE is Harper, and while she is a bit of a doormat she isn't totally misinterpreting the plot events.

As a result the pace of the story isn't that fast or that windy. I found it fascinating because it forces a group of neighbors to look at themselves and determine who murdered a couple next door.
What was so neat about this story is that there was no murderer. Instead of fulfilling the justice system and providing all the necessary evidence, the neighbors cherry pick what they want to reveal to the police. As a result of their secret keeping, an innocent young woman was sent to jail for the crime and eventually poisoned out of fear. The story isn't so much about a murder and seeing who did it, but rather an unexpected social commentary on our obsession with true crime. To the point where we would rather believe a neighbor is a murderer than seeing a tragic accident for what it is.
I was fascinated by this story and found the change of direction quite refreshing. I highly recommend!

I finally finished this book in a weekend. I surprisingly appreciated the message of this story. One to discuss for sure!

This was an interesting take on guilt and how people perceive it. It’s a fictional story that poses as a commentary on how we fixate on one thing and our obsession grows to be our “truth.”

Harper’s neighborhood is quiet and friendly, but it is not without its flaws - as seen in the murder of her very own next door neighbors and the conviction of her roommate for the crime.

The first half of the book is really just trying to feel out the whole situation, seeing it from Harper’s POV when her roommate’s conviction is overturned and she back to live with Harper, and in the neighborhood who sees nothing but her guilt.

I appreciated the symbolism and the real problems this story focused on. I thought it was fresh, and it’s perspective is one that isn’t talked about enough.

I loved that most characters were dreadful and that the setting was idyllic. It really pushed the envelope to show that what we perceive is not our reality.