Oh boy this is a tough one to review.

On the one hand, I read this in one sitting - literally, did not get up until I finished. It was riveting and kept me interested.

On the other hand, it was A Lot and did The Most and not in necessarily in a good way- my brain hurts a little and I did not vibe with the ending.

Will I recommend it for people who enjoy thrillers? Absolutely. It was fun and enjoyable.

Was this the thriller to end all thrillers? No. It was perfectly nice for an afternoon but I will not be talking about this in 5 years.

Solid 3 stars- enjoyable, fun, just fine. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I received an ARC of this book. This is an intricate story of neighbors, most of whom work for government agencies. Everyone has secrets and suspicions about their seemingly idyllic neighborhood. I really enjoyed the suspense!

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House - Ballantine, and Karen Cleveland for an ARC of this book!**

cul-de-sac (noun):a route or course leading nowhere

Karen Cleveland's latest CIA-laced thriller will take you on SEVERAL courses with suspects aplenty...but can YOU figure out which ones ACTUALLY lead nowhere?

Beth Bradford has built a quiet and simple life...well, as quiet and simple a life as one can build while working for the CIA. She lives in a cul-de-sac amidst many neighbors who are your typical suburban fare: families with kids, albeit ALSO with ties to a certain government agency or two. They've spent many a night hanging out in the street watching their children whiz by on their scooters and bikes as they all chattered away and sipped out of Solo cups filled with wine.

All this is about to change for Beth: her eldest child (son Tyler) is now off to college...and her husband is leaving her. Forced out of their shared home, Beth reluctantly accepts the fact that she is going to be moving and the house and all the memories it held will be out of her life. To make matters worse, she's spent much of her career tracking an Iranian intelligence agent, The Neighbor, but she is abruptly removed from the case.

Feeling adrift, Beth latches on to the couple who move into her old home, spying on Madeline and her husband through the cameras still set up...and finds herself questioning WHY this house? This is a neighborhood simply bursting with operatives...is it just a coincidence that the couple has chosen HER house? And why did she overhear Madeline speak Farsi? Could this New Neighbor and THE Neighbor have some sort of connection? Or were the answers she was looking for under Beth's nose all along?

I haven't picked up a Karen Cleveland book in quite a while, but this one was certainly reminiscent of the last one I read: a spy-tinged thriller. Not my favorite sub-genre of thriller, but I remembered enjoying the other read, so I figured I'd give this one a shot. On the plus side? Short chapters, CIA talk but not TOO much, quick pacing, and some heartbreaking parts in the beginning especially for Beth, as she mourned the life she once had and the family feel that has now slipped through her fingers.

As far as the down side? Well, for someone who supposedly works in the CIA, Beth isn't the sharpest tack. She puts herself in some pretty ridiculous and OBVIOUSLY dumb situations and then acts surprised every time she gets caught. ("I'm printing something classified that I shouldn't be printing on the printer at work. I sure hope nobody comes in before this printer is done printing!" *cue 10 minute long printing session*) However, she knows how to buy and go through burner phones like nobody's business...so I'm not really sure how to reconcile the two.

Cleveland also introduces the (somewhat tired) trope of Female Protagonist Who Can't Be Trusted Because She Loves Wine, so fair warning. For a while during this book I honestly thought my rating was going to plummet because Beth's constant jumps from "well it could be THIS person...no wait, maybe it's THAT person" was starting to be a bit much for me. Maybe I just haven't read this type of paranoid and unreliable narrator in a while so it didn't bother me much, but once some ACTUAL reveals happened, Beth became more tolerable again.

This book is exactly the sort of popcorn, action film-esque summer spy thriller I didn't know I needed for a bit of mindless fun and will hopefully be the same for you...If you don't take it too seriously and have the aforementioned popcorn on hand (or at the least your Solo cup of wine!) I also would like to add one last proverb that might have been a nice intro to this tale:

"Ask about your neighbors...THEN buy the house."

4 stars

Beth Bradford is about to lose it all. Her youngest child is headed to college, her husband is leaving her, and she’s just been demoted at her job. Not to mention that they have just sold their home, the home that her children grew up in. The home located on an idyllic cul-de-sac and filled with precious memories. Beth works for the CIA and has been working on a case for the past 15 years. When that case is taken away from her, she’s not about to let it go. She knows she’s close to finding “The Neighbor”. Is she really, or has she lost it like everyone thinks? Stalking the new owners of her house, she’s sure it’s one of them. Digging in where she shouldn’t be she starts to put the pieces together and everyone on her old street is now suspect. With everyone being a suspect, this book got pretty convoluted pretty quickly and the ending was predictable. While an OK read, it looks like Cleveland might be planning on making this into a series. If so, it’s one that I will be passing on in the future.

In The New Neighbor, CIA analyst Beth is having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. She and her husband, Mike, are officially empty nesters once they drop their youngest child off at college. Their beautiful house has sold and they’re downsizing to a much smaller rental house tomorrow. Then, Mike tells Beth he is leaving her.

But at least she still has her engaging job, right? However, Beth discovers that her boss has pulled her off her long-standing case and reassigned her to a teaching assignment that is anything but a promotion. Beth has had enough and decides to search for her elusive target, a hacker trying to break into a government database using a sleeper agent, on her own. Could the sleeper be the very woman who bought her house?

If you like your thrillers realistic with relatable characters, this book is not for you. All the characters here are one-note cardboard cutouts recycled from a cancelled cable channel spy show. The plot is over-the-top unbelievable. Plus, the conclusion was a letdown. The New Neighbor is a disappointment throughout and so is not recommended. 2 stars.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

It’s been a minute since I read a spy thriller and this was fun. I enjoyed how it was a mixture of a domestic thriller as well as I love a neighborhood drama. The first half is much slower than the second, but when it picks it, it *picks* up. You can see Cleveland’s CIA background in her writing. If you’re looking for a blend of thriller genres & tropes than this one is for you!

Alice is reeling from all the major changes in her life, dropping her last child off at college, selling her house where she’s lived for over fifteen years, and her husband leaving, when she is transferred to another position within the CIA. Alice begs not to be taken off her target, The Neighbor, who she’s been tracking for fifteen years and instead sent to teach new analysts, but her wish is not granted. She learns accidentally that there has been movement on her old case and proceeds to continue her own off books investigation. Alice starts to believe that her target may be much closer to home than she first realized.

The New Neighbor is a slow build domestic thriller, in which everyone is guilty until proven innocent. Alice is definitely persistent and stubborn, refusing to give up what she’s worked on most of her life until she solves the case. Full of lies, twists and surprises, I was absorbed into the life of the cul de sac and could not put it down!

Beth Bradford is a CIA analyst who has been searching for an elusive Iranian operative known as the Neighbor. She has identified the Iranian who is running an operation intent on infiltrating the systems of the CIA and NSA as Reza Karimi, but he is extremely careful to keep himself out of the reach of the American intelligence services. She sees a message that there is a new Neighbor, but at the same time, her life is being turned upside down - empty nester time as the child is off to college, the sale of their home where they have been for twenty some years, and her husband tells her he is leaving her. Returning to work after time off for the move, she is also told that she is off the case. But she refuses to accept her transfer, continuing her almost fanatical search but without all of the resources previously at her command. Thus begins nonstop twists and turns as she tries to convince her former bosses that she is so close. As one after another potential “neighbor” is identified, she presses on - is there one or are there many operatives. There are few, if any, likable characters in this story, and our heroine (if you can call her that) jumps all over the place along the way. The writing, which obviously kept me reading, is choppy at best - I just wanted to find out who the Neighbor was. And the ending was unexpected if not far-fetched. Not my favorite book, but I think many will find it a good read.

Happy pub day to The New Neighbor!!

Unfortunately this just wasn’t it for me. There was a ton of CIA and intelligence lingo that was hard to follow but I found myself skimming some parts because I was bored.

I did not connect with the main character in the least and found her annoying. She is going through big life changes such as being demoted from her case at the CIA, her youngest kid goes off to college, and her husband leaves her. But I get sick of the “this woman must be crazy and out of her mind” narrative if she’s lonely and likes to enjoy a glass of wine.

Also, the main character (the high ranking CIA agent for the last however many decades) chose to do sketch thing after sketch thing that I was supposed to believe.

If this “review” seems all over the place, it is LOL - bc this is exactly how the book was - when you finally get to the end and find out who “The Neighbor” is, (after several wrong accusations by Beth), you literally roll your eyes and wonder why you just wasted all your time.

⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review will be posted on July 26, 2022 to: https://instagram.com/amandas.bookshelf

This was so so great! I couldn't put it down. The plot hit all the right notes: crafty espionage thriller, untrustworthy characters, secrets running rampant, and so many twists and turns. It was such a wild ride and I enjoyed it immensely! I'll definitely be recommending this one (and checking out the author's backlist)! #TheNewNeighbor Rating: 😊 / really liked it
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This book is scheduled for publication on July 26, 2022. Thank you Ballantine Books and @randomhouse for providing me this digital ARC via @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read all the books in the series and enjoyed each one thoroughly. This latest Beth Bradford book required that I pay close attention to all of the details or I would get lost in them. There are a lot of characters and a lot of spy action constantly happening, with unexpected plot twists, some of them not believable but there nonetheless. In this story, Beth has lost all that is important to her…her marriage is on the rocks, her youngest son has left for college and her beloved family home has been sold. All she has to cling to is her job as a CIA analyst and her quest to find an Iranian intelligence operative known as “the Neighbor.” However, even her job is jerked out from under her as she is sent to a new place and a new assignment, with all of her hard work about the Neighbor being given to others or shredded as useless. Determined to find out who the Neighbor is and without the sanction of the CIA, Beth investigates on her own and thinks she has found this super-spy, living in her old house. This is where the plot divulged from possibly reality and I was not sure if Beth was totally sane or not. She pursues the case against Madeline, the new resident, relentlessly and unashamedly insists that her former bosses listen to her case against Madeline. The book is intriguing all the way to the end, but I could not buy into the conclusion. It was not at all what I expected and it was also a bit of a letdown after all of the fast-paced page turning that I did to get there. Beth, the main character, was completely well-developed and likable, although not totally relatable since I don’t really know any CIA agents (at least, not that I know of). The secondary characters were less developed, like well-kept secrets and kind of shady. I decided that was a purposeful act of the author since in doing so, it was hard to guess who the spy actually was. So, good characterization there! I found the book enjoyable and riveting entertainment but not my favorite in the series. I still give it a five-star rating because it kept me glued to the pages to find out what was going to happen to Beth and if she was losing her skill as an analyst just as her boss seemed to think. Fans of domestic suspense, spy thrillers and mystery will enjoy this book and look forward to more from this author who entertains and makes you question the roles of those around you.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Beth’s life is turned upside down. Her last child goes to college, her husband wants a divorce out of the blue, and they have sold their house where they raised their children. On top of all this, Beth goes into work at the CIA and finds she is moved to a new assignment, one that takes her away from a target she’s been tracking for 15 years.

That is the start of Karen Cleveland’s new book and I loved every page. I discovered Karen a few books ago and love her writing style. Her characters work for government agencies and find themselves in trouble from the very first page. I love watching them uncover secrets and fight for what is right. This book will keep you hooked and you won’t want to put it down!

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC! Happy pub day tomorrow! This was a clever domestic suspense thriller. Beth is a CIA analyst whose spent 15 years searching for an Iranian spy know as the neighbor. As Beth’s life begins to fall apart she is removed from the case. Unable to give up, she pursue the case on her own. What she finds will shock you.

I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed the authors previous books. For some reason, this one seemed to drag on and I had a hard time connecting to the main character, Beth. It took me a long time to finish this and I’m finding that political/government mysteries, for the most part, just aren’t for me.

Thank you to Random House for this gifted copy.

The New Neighbor is a delightful novel that draws you in and makes you care about the heroine, Beth Bradford. Beth has enjoyed her life in her "perfect neighborhood". This is where she raised her children, made lifelong friends and worked in her CIA job. Most the people on the street work for the CIA too in one capacity or another. Suddenly, everything falls apart. Her husbands leaves her, they move, the kids are grown and have moved on, and she is demoted in her job because she hasn't found "THE NEIGHBOR". Madeline, the perfect woman moves in and clues start unfolding that make it seem like she is the neighbor. Madeline makes it her goal to bring her down. Is Madeline truly the neighbor? Is there someone else the Beth is close to who knows the truth? Will The Neighbor ever be uncovered? The characters in this novel are well developed and varied. Beth's character is flawed but you can't help but to root for her. I received an early copy of this novel. All thoughts are completely my own. I really enjoyed this novel.

I found this latest book by Karen Cleveland to be a disappointment. I had a hard time talking myself into finishing it. By the time I did finish, well the ending was for me, " A what the heck" moment, and not in a good way.

Our protagonist, Beth Bradford, works for the CIA as an analyst. She and her family lived in a cul de sac close to Langley. At one time Beth had it all a job, husband, family, nice house. Her marriage ends, her child moves out, the family house is sold and Beth is demoted. Beth has spent alot of time attempting to learn the identity of an elusive Iranian intelligence agent who is coded as "The Neighbor".

Iranian Reza Karimi, a Quds Force commander, has been trying to infiltrate U.S. Security through one of his operatives called "The Neighbor". Beth believes the woman who bought her house is "The Neighbor." She begins to watch the house.

There are some twists in the plot, but overall I found myself not really invested.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC. The review is my own.

I could not connect with this book or bring myself to care. Beth was really hard to take as the driving character and the unreliable narrator/untrusted woman is overdone recently in books so it is a victim of that as well.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

OMG! This book was literally the wildest I have read so far, we meet Beth a CIA agent, she’s also the main character, she appears all over the place and obsessed with the things going on in town. The country is in danger, this is crazy, and am I the only one who couldn’t put this book down, because as untrustworthy as all of these characters were I am still baffled. This author did her thing, this book was most def different for me. Thanks Netgalley the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

What the holy heck was this book?! As I stare at my phone, my eyes stinging having stayed up till almost 4AM the night before leaving on vacation just because I could not bring myself to leave this book.. I am still befuddled by the ending! Like what even?! I’m usually super anxious the night before a trip but with my thinking that either the main character or I was crazy, I didn’t have time to be anxious!

This book was the holy grail of misleading/untrustworthy characters with the main character taking the lead. From the moment we met Beth, we for sure get crazy vibes from her whether it’s intentional or not.. I mean, she for sure put me off house hunting for the near future.

It’s normal to feel some sort of way when leaving a place that’s been your constant for decades, a place where you raised your children, where you and your husband grew old together.. but when all the kids are gone, your marriage is over & you have to leave that home? Well. It’s understandable to be a bit off but when you start spying on the family who bought this house because you still have access to cameras & because you think the woman is untrustworthy? Welllll… you’re leaning on creepy crazy territory. This book has SO many twists and turns that’ll leave you gaping more and more as you work your way through this book & trust me when I say, you do not want to miss out! Especially with that ending 😬

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

How well do you know your neighbors?

Every aspect of Beth Bradford's life is changing. Beth and her husband are sending their third child off to college and just sold their family home in Langley Oaks. They're about to be empty nesters when her husband tells her he wants to separate. Beth decides to do what she does best -- focus on her big case, The Neighbor. Beth has always been devoted to her work at the CIA for the Counterintelligence Center in a division dedicated to Iranian intelligence services. She's been trying to crack her case for the past 15 years, and she decides she's finally going to find out who "The Neighbor" really is. When she returns to work after dropping her son off at college, she finds out there has been a break in her case, but is devastated to learn that she's been reassigned to another department, the Kent School, teaching analytics.

Beth starts to become obsessed with Madeline Sterling, the woman and her family who bought her old house in Langley Oaks. Her gut tells her something isn't right. Beth is motivated to solve this case and bring down "The Neighbor." What Beth doesn't factor in is that all of her friends and neighbors she's known for the past 17 years are all hiding secrets from her and each other. Has she been close to "The Neighbor" all this time and didn't know it?

I LOVED this book! Karen Cleveland kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Beth's character was so well-developed and relatable. Karen Cleveland's writing was excellent and enjoyed the CIA/FBI theme.
I also enjoyed learning that Cleveland is former CIA. I'm adding her other books to my TBR!

I highly recommend this fast-paced, page-turning thriller!