I loved the fact that this book was set around Halloween and that these are adult women who can't seem to act like adults even though they all have children! There is a neighborhood tradition to hold a block party and each year it seems to get a little wilder and more outrageous. Theresa and husband (Adam--the new principal) are the newest members of (dare I call it a coven)? Well, yes I will! All of the mothers are anxious to put on the best party ever and outdo the past; but what we learn early on is there are secrets lurking behind the activities of each year; and if you're wise, you may want to make other plans--but hey, how many characters are really wise in a novel like this? So enjoy the costumes, the elaborate food prep, but be careful what you wish for in a novel of secrets and lies from the past...it's chilling and dark...so maybe save your reading for the daytime!

The Ivy Five is a group of neighborhood women who throw a huge Halloween bash every year. It is the block party to end all block parties. But this year is a bit different. These women start to receive threatening messages. Their secrets are about to be revealed. Will they survive what others do not know?!

I have never been a huge fan of novels about friends. I don’t know why…just not my thing. However, this novel may have changed all that! Talk about twisted and full of secrets. I thought I had it figured out…then it twisted again. Now, it does have quite a few characters. But the author did a great job with their individuality. This helped me to keep up with who is who and who did what!

The intensity just keeps building the more you read. Not only that…the questions just keep mounting. I swear…everyone has a secret they are hiding!

Need a good, twisted novel about friends…this is it! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

The Review

This was a chilling and adrenaline-fueled thriller that will give readers whiplash with the twists and turns that the narrative takes them on. The atmosphere and tone really do a great job of highlighting the contrast between the picturesque suburban dream the Ivy Five portrayed to the public and the hellish nightmare their secrets and lies have created in the background of the community. The author perfectly captures the privilege that wealth and status buy people who have done terrible things in this life, and captured the societal emotions that have taken hold in recent years at the injustice of such secretive actions.

Yet it was the narrative and character growth that really stole the show here. The razor-sharp wit of the moms, especially Kendra, as they move people around like pawns in a game of their own making is highlighted perfectly in Theresa's chapters especially, as the protagonist shows the struggles to adapt and make herself belong in this group, as mistakes of her own past begin to haunt her as well. The weight of those secrets and lies highlights the elevated anger and fear that builds up with keeping such a secret for so long, and the author’s use of this to add tension into the narrative was a stroke of genius.

The Verdict

Pretty Little Liars meets Revenge with a Halloween twist, author Tara Laskowski’s “The Mother Next Door” is the perfect suburban thriller this fall. The memorable characterization of the “perfect” suburban dream team and the haunting emotions that build as the secrets begin to pile up on one another more and more make this a truly memorable read.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

I really enjoyed Tara Laskowski’s debut novel, One Night Gone, so I was excited to see she had another book coming out…and that it was set around Halloween. And I’m so happy to say it is another winner.

This book totally grabbed me from the start and is once again another atmospheric, suspenseful read. This author really knows how to keep you on your toes wondering just what is going on. I loved that there is this sense that not all is as it seems with this group of women and that there are definitely secrets that are just begging to be revealed.

I definitely got some Desperate Housewives vibes from this one, but on a much darker level and I loved it as that was one of my favorite shows. There is this sense that these characters, the Ivy Five, are not quite as reliable as you want to believe and of course that just hooks you further as you try to figure out what happened in the past and what might happen on Halloween night.

This book is perfectly paced. The two timelines really keep you on edge and you slowly start to see how everything is connected. The added mystery of the threatening notes just sparked my interest even further as I tried to work out who was sending them, to no avail. And then there is the Ghost Girl urban legend…that really just added to the overall creepiness of the book, but I loved how it all tied together in the end.

If you are looking for a thrilling, entertaining read for this spooky season, look no further. This book has a little bit of everything and it really kept me engaged and guessing the entire time. I definitely recommend this one.

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
This book sounded so intriguing. Thanks to @harpercollins and @netgalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication.

💜 What I liked:
The story is told from the POV of newcomer Theresa, and a long-time Ivy Woods dweller Kendall. There is a third POV which is a secret until almost the end. The twists in this book are interesting, and there are plenty of places to look for clues.

😱 What I didn’t like:
While there were some pretty nice twists, there were also some issues I had with the timeline. They reference things in the past I had a hard time lining up. The story itself, while compelling, could have been a little more deep into the lives of these women. However, this is the perfect Halloween read with plenty of spooks!


🚦 My face at the end: 😳

💭 3 Reasons to Read:
1. Spooky parties
2. Lots of secrets
3. Ghost Girl



🕧 Mini-Summary:
Theresa moves to a brand new neighborhood to start a whole new life with her family. But the women in her new neighborhood are being stalked and haunted.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

This book is a drama/mystery not a thriller. That is not a bad thing but still...

This book kept me turning the pages to find out who did what and why. Told from three POVS, Theresa, Kendra and you don't find out who the third really is until near the end. This is about five women, Theresa, Kendra, Bettina, Pia and Alice. They are called the Ivy Five. They all live on a cul-de-sac. Seem very close. They are planning a Halloween party. Done each year but this year it is going to be the biggest and best. Until they start getting messages from someone. They have a huge secret and someone knows what it is. Someone is threatening to expose them.

Theresa is the newest to the neighborhood. Her husband is the new principal at the high school. She has a huge secret that she is terrified of anyone finding out. What will she do to keep her secret. This book is about the drama these five women bring out. The secrets they have kept all these years. Well four of them anyway. Theresa does not know what happened. She didn't live there back then. Could it be the former home owner. The woman who lived in Theresa's home before her?

While I didn't in anyway like any of these characters I did like the book. Though it is filled with a lot of drama and secrets it's still good. It held my interest. I wanted to know what they were hiding. Who was sending messages. Who was telling the story from the Halloween party. What happened all those years ago. All of my questions were answered. I found out everything I wanted to know and a bit more. This book did not keep me on the edge or make my heart race. It did keep me guessing though. I wanted to know what happened and why.

Well written. The descriptions make you feel like you are there. From the backyard, on the road or down at the lake. Through the forest feeling as though someone is watching you. It's a good story. The reason I took a star away is I had no feelings reading this one. No tears, edge of the seat. No heart racing. No laughter. Just reading until I found out why the thing that happened, happened. But I still liked the book. Don't get me wrong it is still a good one to read.

Thank you #NetGalley, #TaraLaskowski, #Harlequin/Gradenhouse for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

4/5 stars and I do recommend it.

The Mother Next Door
by Tara Laskowski
Pub Date: October 12, 2021
Graydon House

GOOD MOTHERS…
Never show their feelings.
Never spill their secrets.
Never admit to murder.

Thanks to Graydon House and NetGalley for the ARC. This one is being tagged a "thriller" but it fell a bit short for me. This one fell more into the drama category with a bit of suspense. The story is told by changing the point of view between the main characters which are in a timeline leading up to the Halloween party and also with passages between their point of view of Halloween.
I enjoyed reading this book, but it will not be one I recommend.
3 stars

These women are too old to be acting like this.

It's Desperate Housewives meets Mean Girls.

Ugh - who cares.

3.75 stars / This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com today.


Theresa has dreamed about living in Ivy Woods for as long as she can remember. When she was in college nearby, she visited the neighborhood when going to her professor’s house. So when the opportunity to actually live in Ivy Woods happens, she goes to extremes to make sure it happens.

Kendra is the Queen Bee of Ivy Woods, but more specifically the Ivy Five, a group of moms. Kendra has always made sure that her surroundings and image are more than perfect. Perfect is the not the goal, it is the requirement in Kendra’s world.

After the big move to Ivy Woods, Theresa views the Ivy Five together. She secretly watches them and knows that being a part of this clique is necessary. She wants to be the new number five in the Ivy Five.

While planning the annual Halloween bash, members of the Five start receiving strange messages, pictures and other reminders of the past. A past that the four remaining have tried very hard to bury. But how does Theresa fit in with this past? What is the secret that she’s been keeping?

I truly enjoyed this read. The writing was good, the story as well. I did solve part of the mystery very early on, hence the less than stellar star rating. But it’s a super fun story of women and to what lengths they will go to achieve their desires.

The Ivy Five is a group of mothers living in an idyllic neighborhood, mothers who will go to any lengths to be revered by everyone. Their lives seem are perfect or is it all a façade? Why is there only four members when there should be five? What happened to that fifth member years ago? When a new couple moves into the neighborhood, lies are uncovered, secrets are unburied, and these perfect mothers may turn out to be so not so perfect after all.

This novel by Tara Laskowski is definitely a page turner. The book reminded me of the tv show Desperate Housewives where all is not as it seems. I liked that the story was told from different perspectives and that the secrets were uncovered slowly throughout the novel. I liked the authors writing style and thought the book was well written with a great mix of characters and personalities. It was also fun to read as Halloween is soon approaching, and that was the main event in the book. A fresh take on the usual holiday’s authors write about. Thank you so much to the author Tara Lskowski, Harlequin Publishing and NetGally for an advanced readers copy that I voluntarily read and reviewed.

This book was really enjoyable. I appreciate when an author throws in a major twist, but I also like when little twists are dropped here and there, like breadcrumbs. If you aren’t paying attention, you risk missing them. The characters were well developed and frankly, unlikeable, which usually turns me off, but given the spooky suspense setting (five times fast!), I didn’t mind it. I was hoping for their demise because they seemed like a despicable bunch, playing off the innocent victim card, when they were anything, but. The one thing that I did have a minor issue with was the topic of adoption. Being a child of adoption, I didn’t enjoy the way that the matter was handled. It could’ve been the personality of the character involved, and her dismissive way of approaching the topic, but I felt like it was played out insensitively and slightly glossed over. Other than that, a really fun, quick read to add to your growing #tbrpile.

3.5 STARS - Welcome to Ivy Woods Drive, where the secrets, lies and maternal one-upping are matched only by its beautiful mansions, epic Halloween block parties and requirement to fit the status quo.

This October-themed read has a strong Desperate Housewives meets Big Little Lies feel as the Ivy Five, a powerful clique of privileged suburban moms, show their competitive, deceptive and malevolent sides in this domestic thriller that was a touch more domestic drama than thriller.

The author takes her time to acclimate her readers to the close-knit suburban location and the relationships between the characters which made some earlier sections a bit of a slow go. There are a lot of characters to keep track of with some, even among the Ivy Five, not well fleshed out and feeling more like background characters. But as the story progresses in both in the present and past, we get different POVs, witness the threats and secrets accumulate and the story picks up its pace for a satisfying twist.

While not quite as chilling and a little heavier on the suburban drama than I had expected, the story and impending reveals kept my attention and I enjoyed this read. This is a good pick for fans of Big Little Lies who want to get into the Halloween spirit.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Harlequin - Graydon House for my advanced copy provided in exchange for my honest review.

The Mother Next Door by Tara Laskowski is a drama-style thriller. Some of the residents of an appealing suburban cul-de-sac, Ivy Woods Drive, outside of Washington DC, are planning a Halloween bash. Theresa and Adam Wallace have just moved there and Theresa wants to fit in with the other mums. Four of the mums are in a group that call themselves the Ivy Five and they welcome Theresa into their inner circle hoping to make it complete after losing their former fifth member.

Told from alternating points of view this was a gripping and enthralling tale. Jammed with hidden agendas, juicy secrets, and witticisms this was, without doubt, a book I'm pleased I picked up. None of the characters was particularly ingratiating, but I fully expected that going in, though they were excellently drawn. It owns some unguessable twists and possesses a chilling, creepy atmosphere and I know I will be looking out for this talented author in the months to come.

A special thank you to Graydon House and the author for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request, received via NetGalley. This review is my unbiased opinion.

You know when you read a book and think you know the "who" and then spend the rest of the book hoping to be surprised but then aren't? That is what happened to me. Not sure what made me figure it out. Honestly, I can't recall a give away, but I knew and then being right stole some of the joy away. It was still a good story and I liked reading it, but I missed out on that last little kick. Additionally, some of the character development felt contrived in order to fit the plot and red herrings. But, this is a good add to your list of domestic neighborhood thrillers to read. Halloween might be the perfect time to read it!

This wasn’t bad but honestly it’s not something that will stick with me, it felt like so many other thrillers. Some moms. A neighborhood. A murder. Secrets uncovered.
The Mother Next Door is told in a non linear timeline, which was a good choice for this book and it kept me interested in the story.
It was a quick read, but I don’t feel like anything was resolved in the end, and I’m not sure if I like it or not. It was a choice for sure.
If you love thrillers you’ll like this one. It’s perfect for October because it centers around a Halloween party.

All in all, this was not a love for me, but it’s not a bad book. I think I’ve read too much in the thriller genre lately so I’m a little jaded.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Graydon House/Harlequin for gifting me a digital ARC of the sophomore thriller by Tara Laskowski - 4 creepy stars!

The perfect cul-de-sac with a group of perfect mothers. They even have a name for themselves - the Ivy Five. Except now there are only four. Until a new mom moves in that really wants to be part of the group. But as the group gets ready to throw the town’s famous Halloween party, they start receiving messages from someone threatening to expose their secret - something they’ve been hiding for a long time.

This was a perfect book to read as we get close to Halloween. The smells, colors, nip in the air combined with all the creepy decorations add to the mystery of this book. We know from the beginning that someone got hurt years ago and that there are lots of secrets being held and threatened. An anonymous narrator in between chapters leaves you guessing until all the secrets are exposed at the end!

Over the last decade or so, Halloween has become a holiday to rival Christmas. Tara Laskowski uses an elaborate neighborhood Halloween celebration as the centerpiece of her twisty novel The Mother Next Door.

When Theresa's husband Adam gets a great job as the new principal of a well-respected suburban high school, she does her best to fit in with the moms in Ivy Woods, her new neighborhood and the best cul-de-sac in town. Kendra is the Queen Bee of what is known as the "Ivy Five", and Theresa's new neighbor.

Kendra rules over all the other moms, and when she takes Theresa under her wing, the other Ivy Five (Alice, Bettina and divorced mom Pia) somewhat reluctantly follow along. But where is the fifth mom of the Ivy Five?

That is a question that Theresa wants an answer to, but information is not ready forthcoming from the other moms. They make snide comments about the missing mom, about her looks, her artistic talent, and the reason she left town.

As the Ivy Five plan their Halloween Spectacular, in which the entire town comes to Ivy Woods to participate, Theresa joins in and is pulled in further into the Five's orbit. She and her high school freshman daughter Lily go all out decorating their yard as a graveyard.

Theresa is not fond of Lily's new friend Ellen, who seems obsessed with a local legend of a young woman who jumped off a bridge to her death years ago on Halloween.

There are secrets abound, including a big one that Theresa is hiding from her husband, and when it appears that someone is stalking the Ivy Five on Facebook and then in person, it looks like things may come to a head at this year's Halloween Spectacular.

The Mother Next Door is the kind of book you stay up late to finish (I was up way past my bedtime reading this one). Laskowski invests you in her characters, and her propulsive story, when you can finally let out the breath you have been holding as you find out exactly what is going on here. It's a terrific Halloween read, and fans of Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies will enjoy.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on Tara Laskowski's tour.

The Mother Next Door is the perfect read to get you into the fall and Halloween spirit. I actually started reading it in the summertime and then put it down until the fall, which I’m glad I did. I loved reading it with the spookiness of Halloween approaching.

I was really looking forward to the gossip and secrets of the Ivy Five mothers. Why do they go all out for Halloween? Why is there now only four of them? Does the newcomer stand a chance?

Sadly I was disappointed. Maybe it’s because I read too many suburban mysteries, but I was hoping for more of a connection with the moms and feel apart of their group. I didn’t get a sense that the group were really friends, so it was surprising that they would keep each other’s secrets. Also I would of liked more of the others views, not just Queen Bee Kendra and newcomer Theresa.

3 calculators out of a potential 5. Would still recommend because of the creepy Halloween atmosphere and the ending did really surprise me.

Thank you to Netgallery and HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Mother Next Door

Author: Tara Laskowski

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: Halloween reads, mystery, thriller, suspense

Publication Date: October 12, 2021

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Recommended Age: 18+ (revenge, slight violence and gore, language, romance, sexual content, death)

Explanation of CWs: Revenge is a major plot point. There is slight violence, gore, and language. There is an adultery scene and sexual references are made.

Publisher: Graydon House

Pages: 352

Synopsis: GOOD MOTHERS…
Never show their feelings.
Never spill their secrets.
Never admit to murder.

The annual Halloween block party is the pinnacle of the year on idyllic suburban cul-de-sac Ivy Woods Drive. An influential group of neighborhood moms—known as the Ivy Five—plans the event for months.

Except the Ivy Five has been four for a long time.

When a new mother moves to town, eager to fit in, the moms see it as an opportunity to make the group whole again. This year’s block party should be the best yet... until the women start receiving anonymous messages threatening to expose the quiet neighborhood’s dark past—and the lengths they’ve gone to hide it.

As secrets seep out and the threats intensify, the Ivy Five must sort the loyal from the disloyal, the good from the bad. They’ll do anything to protect their families. But when a twisted plot is revealed, with dangerous consequences, their steady foundation begins to crumble, leaving only one certainty: after this year’s block party, Ivy Woods Drive will never be the same.

Review: For the most part this was a good book. The book gave me Stepford Wives vibes mixed with Mean Girls. The book did well building the suspense and the character development was well done as well. I also liked the writing and I thought it was well done.

However, I did think that the pacing was a bit slow and there was some events that I didn’t think were possible within the realm of reality we were given. I also thought the world building wasn’t as well done as it could have been. I also saw some of the ending coming from the mid-point of the book.

Verdict: It was ok!

The Mother Next Door is a book of secrets, lies, betrayal and a Halloween party to end all parties.

Glad I was not invited.

Four of the Mum's in Ivy Woods are missing a fifth member and they are about to open their doors to the newcomer Theresa.

They sound like a great group of Mum's who have the community and their children's well being at the center of best intentions.

Everything is not what it seems.

I didn't know who to trust , who had the bigger secret and who to have faith in.

Changed my mind several times.

The ending was perfect.

The Mother Next Door is the perfect Halloween read and can be enjoyed anytime as the pages fly by.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishers (U.S. & Canada) Graydon House for a thrilling atmospheric read.