Beth is a CIA agent and for the last seventeen years or so, she has been on the case of The Neighbor, an Iranian intelligence terrorist. Beth has been working tirelessly to figure out who The Neighbor is. and she finally feels like she is getting close to figuring it out. And then, suddenly, she is removed from the case with no explanation as to why. Seventeen years of hard work, and now all of her clearances are removed.

But that doesn't stop Beth. She comes up with creative ways to figure out how to get the information she needs to keep tracking The Neighbor. Her life is falling apart anyway; she is an empty nester who is also facing divorce and moving from the home she has raised her three children in. What does she have left to lose, aside from her career?

This is the second book I've read from this author. I found this book was a slow burn and a little confusing. I did enjoy the idea behind the story and following Beth in her attempt to figure out who The Neighbor was, but I thought the parts where the CIA lingo and descriptions were dense to be confusing and at times over my head. I do appreciate that the author is a former CIA analyst, so I have no doubt that a lot of the protocols in this story are fairly true to real CIA protocols. Personally, I had no idea what some of it meant, and I'm not sure if it's just me, or if any civilian who is not familiar with CIA terms would be confused and lost. That is my biggest issue with this story.

I also felt that the reveal of The Neighbor was kind of.... impossible, yet predictable. I'm pretty sure every character in the book was a culprit at one point, and it kind of made the story drag on and after about the fourth person being ruled out, I figured out that everyone would be ruled out until the very end. That kind of ruined, though a harsh term, the ending for me because it wasn't as shocking knowing that I would finally find out who The Neighbor was.

Overall, this book held my attention and I did want to find out who the culprit was. I think there should have been fewer suspects to make it a bit more shocking at the end. There were times the story felt repetitive and slow, but it also had me drawn in enough that I wanted to keep reading to find out the resolve. 3 stars, thought more realistically 3.5. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes CIA type thrillers.

My Thoughts


Talk about some major plot twists, I was sucked in immediately.

Beth Bradford’s character captured my interest from start to finish with her situation, her particular theories and most of all with the fact her job allows her access to certain secrets us normal folks can’t hope to get the truth of.

Living with the same people for as many years as Beth and her family do in their particular neighborhood cut-de-sac it would be easy to assume they all knew everything about each other, not the case as it turns out over the course of this story.

As promised there are many secrets, even lies uncovered, there is an element of mystery and over all it is a quick easy read from start to finish.

The many twists and turns this story takes manage to finally come together when The Neighbor is revealed but until then they can be somewhat frustrating at times to follow but necessary as well.

I enjoyed the character, both main and secondary, the buildup and final execution when all comes together at books end.

In fact loved this story!

[EArc from Netgalley]
On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

Karen Cleveland wrote one of my favorite thrillers, so I was excited to get my hands on her latest book! Super fast read and I didn’t guess the twist at the end. Need to Know is still my favorite, but this was fun.

This was a lot more technical than I expected. I didn't realize the author is former CIA in real life and writes about the CIA often. I don't find Feds particularly interesting. I was just there for the drama and it felt like Desperate Housewives meets CIA. It just didn't work for me. Lots of characters with complicated jobs and lots of technicalities and lingo that I don't know. It was well-written if you're into that kind of thing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

I didn't plan on reading this book in one sitting, but I just couldn't put it down! This is a little tricky for me to rate because I think people who are very interested in how government agencies work (e.g. CIA, FBI, NSA) will really enjoy this book, but others who aren't as interested might feel slowed down by the substantial technicalities of these characters' jobs. The story largely takes place in a cul-de-sac neighborhood, which adds to a very atmospheric and almost claustrophobic buildup to the climax. In the first few pages, I thought to myself, "wouldn't it be so funny if ___ was the main plot twist lol" and then IT CAME TRUE – which usually annoys me whenever that happens, but nonetheless I enjoyed the journey it took there. Our main character becomes so paranoid that it had me second-guessing the motives of every single character, including herself, which kept me on my toes the whole way through. I was a tad unsatisfied with the ending and thought there were a couple significant holes, but overall, this was a very fun read.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I really enjoyed this thriller. Some thrillers that take place in neighborhoods can be too much. This kept me guessing til the end and would highly recommend this book or author.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of The New Neighbor. Working as an analyst for the CIA, Beth’s focus for years has been to identify the person recruiting agents for the Iranian government. When she is unceremoniously removed from her division and moved to a lesser assignment with all access to her previous mission denied, she becomes obsessed with finishing the job. Living in the perfect neighborhood with her perfect family and seemingly perfect neighbors, Beth suddenly finds herself on the outside of everything. Her total focus becomes completing her operation as she becomes suspicious of everyone, including her closest friends, and sets out to prove herself right. How far are people willing to go to protect their families? How far are family members willing to go to maintain the pretense of perfection? The book has its good moments but, for a CIA agent, Beth seems amateurish so her actions lack authenticity.

This page was a page turner, I didn’t want to put it down. It kept you guessing who “the neighbor” was.

Idyllic neighborhood, perfect family, meaningful career. CIA analyst Beth Bradford has it all—

Until she doesn’t.

Now, facing an empty nest and a broken marriage, Beth is moving from the cul-de-sac she’s long called home, and the CIA is removing her from the case that’s long been hers: tracking an elusive Iranian intelligence agent known as The Neighbor.

Madeline Sterling moves into Beth’s old house. She has what Beth once had: an adoring husband, three beautiful young children, and the close-knit group of neighbors on the block. Now she has it all. And Beth—who can’t stop watching the woman stepping in to her old life—thinks the new neighbor has something else too: ties to Iranian intelligence.

Is Beth just jealous? Paranoid? Or is something more at play?

After all, most of the families on the cul-de-sac have some tie to the CIA. They’re all keeping secrets. And they all know more about their neighbors than they should. It would be the perfect place to insert a spy—unless one was there all along.

Wow, this is how it is done. First you drive them crazy and have them doubt herself, husband leaves! then the agency doubts you! Your done! Help the children?

Beth has lived in a beautiful home on a quiet cul-de-sac near Langley, VA, for years, as she worked at the CIA trying to track down an Iranian Intelligence Agent known as 'The Neighbor'. When her son heads off to college, her husband decides it's time to go their separate ways, and Beth finds herself sidelined at work.

Suddenly she's living alone, away from her friends, shut out of the investigation she has been a part of for many years. She sees Madeline Sterling move into her old home, with her husband and young children, seemingly taking Beth's place in the lives of her friends and her role in the cul-de-sac.

Beth starts to suspect that something isn't right in the old cul-de-sac. Who is Madeline? Is she connected to the investigation that Beth is no longer involved in? Beth starts digging on her own, still determine to discover the identity of 'The Neighbor'.

This was a slow burn in the first half of the book, before taking off in many directions for the second half. It had so many twists and turns. I was a little disappointed in Beth's behavior and many wild theories, as it just didn't seem to fit a seasoned counter terrorist investigator. The ending was stunning, and while totally unrealistic, I did find it a unique way to finish the book.

This was a quick and enjoyable read. It could have been stronger if Beth's character was a little more realistic, but a good book nonetheless.

Summer beach read alert!! Quick-paced, small chapters novel with twists and turns to keep your head spinning just enough….love when the setting in a novel in like another character and this book’s setting is just that. Read in two sittings propelled to see how it resolved. Suspend belief and know that it’s like a made for TV movie that is entertaining yet silly and unbelievable. Thanks to Ballantine for the copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book. Cleveland puts a new twist, Iranian Intelligence, on an old jealous of a former life, book plot. Lots of secrets and neighbors to keep track of, but a good story.

Slow to really get started and not quite as illusive or action packed as previous works by Cleveland. Would recommend “Need to Know” and “You Can Run”! (Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!)

Having trouble figuring out how I feel about this one to be completely honest. The premise of the woman not being believed because too much is going wrong in her life at the moment and becoming obsessive felt over played and I found myself becoming agitated with the main character and some of her traits. Couldn’t stand Mike and really didn’t like how things ended with his character. The ending was good! It was easy to figure out as she had 3 kids and the book really only gave us insight into 1 of them once everything started happening. I read this in a day though so that has to say something about it’s ability to hold my attention. I’d say give it a try if you’re on the fence!

I had high hopes for this novel by Karen Cleveland but it fell a little short for me. I think it was a good mystery, but a little lacking in the addictive nature that her other novels have been for me. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

📚Book 24 of 2022: The New Neighbor by Karen Cleveland

💬Reader’s digest version: Beth Bradford has it all..or so she thinks..perfect family..an exciting job in the CIA and a beautiful home in a cul-de-sac surrounded by neighbors who are more like family. But dark secrets loom beneath the surface..and the world as Beth knows it is about to come crashing down.

🏃🏻‍♀️My Take: I liked the spy thriller aspect of this book. There were tons of twists and turns..I never knew who I could trust which added another layer of intrigue. Aside from that, I would say this was an “ok” beach read. The ending was fairly predictable..and the main character was a little bland. Overall, didn’t hate it..didn’t love it but it was a quick, fun read.

🙏🏻Big thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the arc! You can check out The New Neighbor when it hits shelves on July 26th!

If I could have read The New Neighbor in one sitting I would have. Beth is a CIA agent who has been tracking an Iranian spy network for much of her career. Just as she is convinced that she has solved the case, she is taken off the case and moved to another division. But she cannot just stop after all the work she has put in. The book is very suspenseful and I was compelled to find out who the new neighbor was. The ending was a shock! It just goes to show that you never really know about the people around you, so be cautious!

This is one of the better thrillers that I have read lately. This is my first book by this author, but I will look for her again. I had such sympathy for the protagonist, Beth Bradford, a CIA analyst, dealing with so many difficulties at once, that most would be destroyed. Her husband ends their marriage, they sell the house she has lived in and raised her kids in, her youngest child goes off to college, and she is demoted at her job with the CIA. It is hard to say much about what happens next, but this book is a page turner. I really liked Beth and spent most of the book hoping she would be vindicated and not turn out to be having a breakdown. Those who love a good thriller will enjoy this one! I have already recommended it to several readers.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Beth is a CIA analyst working for the Iranian Counter-terrorism division. She lives on a cull-de-sack in Langley with others that work for our country. Beth has been working on one particular case for years, without any real breaks in the case, but she knows that is going to change soon. Life is about to change for Beth. After she and her husband take their youngest to college, they decide it is time to sell their home. Unbeknown to Beth, her husband has bought another home for himself and announces that he is ready for a divorce. The only thing she has left in her life is her work. She goes back earlier than expected and finds she has been taken off of the Iranian case and sent elsewhere to teach.

Beth just can’t let her case go. She knows she is close to finding out who “The Neighbor” is. She starts doing reconnaissance of her own, drinking more than usual and as more information comes available, she starts believing the person she has been looking for just bought her house!

Twist and turns that I didn’t see coming kept this book in my hands until I was finished. I loved the story and could easily see a sequel if the writer wanted.