Great story that takes you on a ride. The ending is extremely well thought out and will surprise you. A few slower parts in some chapters but the move along fairly quickly.

This is a strange story and it’s refreshing. It reminds you that not everything is how it looks on the surface.

Is the Perfect neighborhood really perfect or is it just good at hiding its secrets?

These people all have secrets and they don’t want them coming to light, but who took the children? Where did the actress go? There are so many questions raised while reading but they get answered. It’s definitely a must read.

4.5 ⭐️

“GOSSIP IS LIKE OXYGEN-IT’S EVERYWHERE, SUSTAINING US”

So, how could it not become breaking news that worked its way into every morning conversation when the beautiful model and actress, Allison Langley, left her rock star husband, Christopher in the middle of the night?!

It was certainly more interesting to speculate about why she snuck out at 4 AM with no suitcase than it was to discuss the Peterson’s new shed or who might get a Labradoodle next.

That is until, 5 year old, Billy Barnes goes missing on his walk home from kindergarten.

Billy’s mom, Rachel feels guilty for letting him walk home alone at that age, and for taking his phone away from him that morning, when he was using it to play a game during breakfast.

Cassidy, his teenaged babysitter, blames herself for running late on the day he disappeared. Maybe if she had been on time, it wouldn’t have happened.

But, is the neighborhood as perfect as it seems? Nobody had any idea how unhappy Allison was behind her convincing smile. What other secrets lie behind closed doors?

Perhaps, Rachel and Cassidy aren’t at blame?

The story unfolds primarily from the perspectives of Allison, Rachel and Cassidy, with an occasional chapter from the other Moms, all who shed light on the possible suspects, and secrets.,

Bombshells are revealed through conversations and will have you changing your mind about who may be responsible for what happened and why.

The women seem like people you could meet and the story like one you could read about in the headlines tomorrow.

I gravitate toward the NEIGHBORHOOD stories that fall into the category of domestic suspense, and if you do as well, this is DEFINITELY one worth adding to your TBR list!

Liz Alterman has published a Memoir, and a YA thriller prior to this book, but I hope she will stay in this lane, as I am definitely intrigued to read what she pens next?

Find out what happened to Billy on July 12, 2022

Thank You to Crooked Lane Books for the gifted ARC. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

Actress and model Allison Langley and her former rock star husband Christopher seem to have the ideal life living in suburban Oak Hill. Allison leaves in the middle of the night, Christopher has no idea where she’s gone and the whole neighborhood is talking about why would she desert her handsome husband?

Rachel Barnes is a real estate agent and her husband Ted thinks it’s perfectly safe for their five year old son Billy to walk to and from kindergarten. When Billy’s baby sister Cassidy McLean calls Rachel telling her Billy hasn’t arrived home and she's frantic.

Billy has disappeared, Detective Dubin and Officer Kinsley are in charge of the case. The two women start blaming themselves, Rachel for not listening to her mother’s instinct and Cassidy for being late arriving at the Barnes house. Rachel can’t eat or sleep, she thinks constantly about who could have taken Billy, she regrets not being friendlier to the group of kindergarten mum's with children the same age, and her husband Ted is extremely distant and no support.

When a little girl goes missing three weeks later, the whole town is in a panic and the pressure is on the police to find the children. Every possible lead is followed, could it be a disgruntled Au pair or her nasty boyfriend, the new neighborhood pool cleaner, an unhappy half-brother, the crossing lady, a troubled army veteran and possibly even one of the fathers?

I received a copy of The Perfect Neighborhood by Liz Alterman from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. It’s a light thriller/mystery that looks closely at the picture perfect neighborhood, relationships, friendships, personal tragedies, the secrets people are keeping, and their attitudes towards each other, you never know what goes on behind closed doors, it kept me guessing until the end and five stars from me.

This psychological thriller started out with a bang but started getting bogged down as it went on. The ending was very predictable.

I received an eARC of The Perfect Neighborhood by Liz Alterman from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
5 stars! This brilliantly crafted domestic thriller was fantastic! The suburbs aren't always what they seem. Highly recommend!

This was so good and then it wasn't. It grabbed me and then my interest waned; ok writing but abit wordy for a thriller.

This was a pretty fast-paced domestic thriller set in a rich suburb of New Jersey. There is tons of drama and the neighbors can't stop gossiping. Of course people cheat, lie, and steal. Children go missing and it turns the neighborhood upside down. I would recommend this to anyone new to thrillers who like fast-paced novels, but it honestly felt like every other domestic thriller I've ever read.

I love reading domestic crime and mystery stories. The perfect neighborhood was a great combination. Great characters, great twists and turns, kept me on the edge of my seat. Thank you for my advance copy

there are a lot of things this book does well, and a few it doesn’t, but it was a great suspenseful read and i always appreciate a story that can pull off multiple perspectives well. i think i’m general i just hate an epilogue because they feel so unnecessary trying to wrap everything up in a neat little bow, especially with the characters talking to you directly about it it just feels a too on the nose, i wish it was only allison’s chapter at the end but again it was still a fun read

I have to say while this novel did suck me in from the beginning & there were a few good shockers but unfortunately that's where it ends for the good things for me sadly. I saw a lot of what was coming early on and guessed 1/3 of the way through the who and why. Sadly
Allison, actress & model ups and leaves her husband, Chris, one night. It becomes the highlight of gossip in the Oak Hill community for a few months, until something more sinister happens. One afternoon, five year old Billy is on his way home from school, but disappears before he ever makes it to the door. Cassidy, the babysitter was a few minutes late to meet Billy and immediately becomes the target of looks and gossip. His mother, Rachel is absolutely beside herself with worry and regret. As the police continue to search, there's no leads or trace of Billy. Could Rachel have enemies? Could it be someone close to home? But soon, another child goes amiss and the clock is ticking down. Just how safe and secure is the tight knit suburb where secrets boil under the surface.
I will say the writing was very good & I did enjoy the premise she was trying to write. But the execution was lacking & fell short and needed more suspense and curveballs sadly.

Thank you to NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books for this DARC.
Release Date: July 12, 2022

I give this 2 / 5 Bouquets! 💐

I did enjoy the fact that this takes place in New Jersey (Hello, home state!). A quiet town is shaken when one of their own children goes missing.

The book bounces between multiple perspectives, uncovering their secrets and their growing concern over the missing child, and while the town is already reeling from the disappearance - another child goes missing. Super quick, engrossing read. The ending will leave you rattled at how easily this sort of thing can happen if one person isn't paying close enough attention.

📌 Pub Date: July 12, 2022

I was given an ARC of this story to read; but thoughts and opinions are all my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the chance to read this book!

The start of the story was very interesting however halfway through I realized what the hook was and actually got a little bored with the story as it took too long for the truth to come out.,

We really never know what goes on in a marriage, and even the seemingly most idyllic ones have secrets that are hidden away from friends and family, and indeed the world at large.

When Chris and Allison move to to the 'perfect neighborhood' they are seen as the actress and musician with the enviable marriage. But no one knows the struggles they have had with fertility. Or that Allison is so unhappy she ups and leaves.

The disappearance of 5 year old Billy throws this town into an uproar. How could such a thing happen? Are they not as safe as they pretend to be? Told from several points of view, the story is cleverly woven together to reveal all of the back stories, casting suspicion on just about everyone.

A well written domestic thriller that every pubic library should own.

In THE PERFECT NEIGHBORHOOD by Liz Alterman Allison and Chris seem to live a charmed life. The former child actress and her retired rock star husband live in a lavish home in an upscale neighborhood where successful people raise beautiful children. Then a child goes missing. Who is responsible for the shocking crime that sends this idyllic town reeling? Thrilling and tragic, this novel is a five star, edge of your seat read.

Great fast read that taps into mysteries relations and assumptions in a small so called perfect neighborhood..I enjoyed the writing style and strong character development
Solid read and grateful for the Arc!

TW: 18-adult relationship, missing child, mention of drugs.

This is perfect for those who enjoy books like Little Fires Everywhere, and if you enjoy a mystery book with neighborhood gossip.

The ending of the first chapter got me hooked to the story and was intrigued to see what will happen.

Oak Hills is supposed to be a safe neighborhood, the perfect neighborhood. The neighborhood’s latest gossip was rounding on Alison Langley - the famous actress - sudden leaving in the middle of the night. However, that all changes when six year-old Billy goes missing after his walk from kindergarten. Some blamed the parents for leaving a child to walk alone unsupervised. And some blamed his babysitter - Cassidy - who was late to arrive to his house.

The writing was really good and kept me wanting to read more. It was fast paced and easy to read.

I’m not sure how I feel about multiple points of view, there was five points of view, even though it was nice to see from different perspectives some felt slightly unnecessary.

Each character had its own distinguish voice, they were all far from perfect which was interesting to read.

I definitely was creeped out by the 18 years old - married man relationship, felt really uncomfortable reading personally so look out for that.

Other than that I really enjoyed this book!

<b>4 Stars</b>

This book jumped out at me because it has houses on the front: and, due to a certain friend’s obsession with books that have houses on the front…I now find myself always noticing books with houses on the cover.

So there’s that.

Then I read the blurb and saw that this was about neighborhood/domestic drama, and I was…SOLD. Because I am apparently all about catty neighbors all up in other people’s business. It’s like honey and I am Pooh.

And the honey here was delicious, folks. Neighbor gossip, backbiting, constant hypocrisy, Revolutionary Road-esque judgement, kid’s club mama drama? Check, check, check, check, cheeeeeeck.

Insert the lazy popcorn eating gif I am too lazy to actually insert right here.

And then children go missing too?

It’s was like a warm reader hug and I devoured it on one day. A great way to pass a Sunday afternoon.

Gossip. It often creates problems. Add it to a small suburban town and things can get bad. Oak Hill is a picture perfect town. Then a boy goes missing and things spiral downward. I could not put this book down! Great beach read! Summer is coming.

“The Perfect Neighbourhood” is a twisty thriller about “the dark side of suburbia and the secrets of close knit communities”. I absolutely love thrillers which take place in neighbourhood communities and all the gossiping and back stabbing that takes place. And Oak Hill is no different. Between broken marriages and missing children, there is plenty to fuel the gossip amongst the neighbours. This made it interesting and I felt compelled to keep turning the page to get to the next chapter. Whilst it was quite formulaic in places (how many books feature a babysitter/nanny/maid/home help/best friend/crazy mother-in-law who’s hell bent on revenge or destruction of some sort), the book did keep my interest and was an engaging and quick read. I’d highly recommend this to all fans of thrillers. After all, who doesn’t love a psycho?

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.