This books is for all the fans (myself included) of the trope of perfect neighbourhoods hiding imperfections and perfect secrets. Told from the perspective of multiple characters, it is an enjoyable domestic suspense thriller that will get your fingers turn the pages fast.

When actress and model, Allison Langley leaves her rockstar husband. It’s all the Oak Hill neighbours talk about. But when five-year-old Billy goes missing on his walk home from kindergarten, the gossip switches to the disappearance of Billy. Who could have taken Billy? Now another child goes missing. The town gets put under a microscope while the police try to solve the disappearances.

I love the whole ‘neighbourhood scandal’ stories, so I was really excited to have my request approved for this!

This book is told in 5 different POVs. But the way it was written in longer chapters, it’s not confusing at all. I was hooked from the beginning. I wanted to know what happened to Billy! I was on the edge of my seat, there was so much happening with all the characters that I couldn’t read the book fast enough.

i’ve seen a new trend that’s been happening for a wee while now: books about the perfect neighborhood, the perfect family, the not so perfect family, etc. i’m in no way using that to judge this book, seeing as it’s what drew me into it in the first place. i’m loving seeing these well to do towns have a crisis. it reaffirms that despicable acts can happen even in the nicest of areas.

the perfect neighborhood includes famous actors, washed up musicians, and well of families. everything i could’ve ask for and more.

very few of the characters in this book were likeable. everyone has something to hide. and i can’t complain, because i love reading about rich people.

while i didn’t connect with the characters, i loved the writing style. everything flowed nicely and swiftly. i started this book and found i couldn’t put it down. the author definitely has a talent – this won’t be the last of her books that i read.

that aside, the plot was rather lacking. it was like reading gossip girl, where you get immersed in pointless gossip and forget that there should be a plot. the perfect neighborhood is easily a character driven book, as most of the plot twists and reveals happened in the last 10%. there was little build up, or clues as to what was going to unfold.

so yes, 90% of this book was relatively boring. kids disappear, but there’s no clues to lead you anywhere. but the writing really carried this book. i read it in one sitting – and couldn’t put it down. (i should clarify, that by “boring”, i mean uneventful).

all in all, this book managed to keep my interests where many others seem to fail. props to liz alterman for keeping me hooked while nothing happened! i wish more books were written like this.

I couldn't put down this excellent thriller! Oak Hill may seem perfect on the surface but appearances can be deceiving. I really liked that this novel focused not only on women living in Oak Hill but also on a former resident.The twist at the end of the book is one that the reader will not see coming!

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!