Beth and her husband had a picture perfect life. They lived on a cul-de-sac with great neighbors, and they had beautiful children who played with others on the cul-de-sac. Then the last child goes to college, and they are empty nesters. Then her husband decides to leave her, and they sell their home. If that isn't enough, Beth, who works for the CIA is demoted.

All of a sudden Beth, has lost her marriage, her kids, her home and her job. She becomes obsessed with the woman who replaced her. The woman who now lives in her home, has the handsome husband and little kids. Who has the life Beth once lived. She becomes convinced that her "replacement" is actually linked to Iranian intelligence. She makes a good case for it. Is this true, or is she just jealous?

I wont tell you where the book goes from there, because I dont want to spoil, and it gets pretty crazy. I really enjoyed all of the twists and turns. I liked wondering if there was a big conspiracy or if she was just crazy.

The one thing I didn't like is the tone. This had the potential to be dark and scary. Instead it kind of read like a "Hallmark movie". It didn't have that intensity to make it a really great book.

However, I really enjoyed this book and want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC - which did not impact my review.

OKAY LOVED THIS BOOK!!! This is really only the second mystery/thriller I’ve read and it so did not disappoint!

This book kept me on my toes the whole time. There were many times I thought I had figured out what was going to happen and I was always wrong because something else would happen and change the plot again. I loved the main character Beth. Everyone made Beth out to be crazy, but she kept true to herself and always stood up for what she believed.

One of the hidden messages to me throughout the book is that nothing is as perfect as it seems. Even the people we thought we trusted the most can be someone we don’t even know.

Highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a good mystery/thriller. This book will be published July 26, 2022!

A taut counter-terrorism suspense thriller that has you trying to turn the pages faster than you can absorb the story. When Beth Bradford is demoted from her CIA Analyst position to that of a trainer of new CIA recruits, not only is she incensed, but determined to continue her investigation into who the “new neighbor” is in her old neighborhood. I couldn’t read this book fast enough to reach the incredible ending! I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own. #TheNewNeighbor #NetGalley

When I first chose this book to read, I wasn't quite sure if I would like it or not. I thought it would involve more military references.which it did not. Instead it is more intelligence agencies - spies!!! This book really surprised me with it's clever twists and turns. I was intrigued throughout the entire book and was even more caught off guard with the ending.
The author, Karen Clevelend, definitely did a great job with the characters and the plot was not dull. A few times I felt the story took some pretty far-fetched turns, however, it is not real, so fair enough. Or, could it be? In this day and age, who really knows what modern cloak and dagger looks like?
This book should appeal to most adult readers who enjoy a good thriller.
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book as I thoroughly enjoyed it.

THE NEW NEIGHBOR by Karen Cleveland

Life in a safe, peaceful, neighborly cul-de-sac could actually be dangerously balanced on a slippery slope. How well do we know those around us? This twisty thriller, with its serious dangers, spies, sabotage and subterfuge, had me reading intensely, concerned for the very nice families on a quiet street. It still has me thinking about the twists and betrayals even after finishing it. Are we safe? Could we ever be completely sure?
A terrible aspect of these conflicts is the ongoing mistrust of one another, with suspicions crippling future operations and relationships. We’d do anything to protect those we love, wouldn’t we? . . . but what if those efforts endanger even more people?
Life was simpler in the Dick and Jane readers* . . . or was it? Idyllic appearances can be deceiving.
*(In my thoughts because I just reread THE BLUEST EYE).
*Use the children . . .

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the ARC kindle book the following is my review and opinion. Karen Cleveland is a new author to me. I am a fan of thrillers and this book delivers. In fact, there are so many twists and turns that I feel as though I have just gotten off a thrill ride at an amusement park.
Beth Bradford and her lawyer husband Mike have raised their two daughters and son in a home they loved in the outskirts of Langley, Virginia on a "cul-de-sac" (oh, you will read that word a lot). The story starts out with Beth and Mile taking their youngest off to college. They have sold the home because it is too big for just the two of them. And so the adventure started and the lies began to be exposed. What for years looked like the perfect place to live, with the perfect families as neighbors, slowly the truth is revealed. Fasten your seatbelts you are in for a real thrill ride.
I am not a fan of the ending of this book. I do see how Karen Cleveland has left the end open for a series though.

Wow! 4.5 Stars! This book was an absolute page-turner! I hadn’t read any Karen Cleveland books before this one, and now I’m a fan! I can’t wait to search out her other work!

Beth is on a downward spiral. Her family is growing up and moving on, her marriage is crumbling, she is selling their family home, and she’s been taken off her assignment that she has been working on for the majority of her CIA career. She has made no progress lately on finding “The Neighbor”, a person infiltrating U.S. intelligence agencies through recruiting agents through blackmail.

When a family moves into the home she just sold, Beth is convinced something is off with the wife- could the new neighbor be “The Neighbor”?

I loved following Beth through her memories of growing up in the neighborhood, uncovering her neighbors’ secrets, and piecing together the puzzle of “The Neighbor.” This story will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Thanks to Karen Cleveland, I now question everything I know – or don’t know – about my own neighbors.

Ms. Cleveland does an excellent job of painting an Anytown, USA suburban setting with one caveat, a large majority of the neighborhood residents work for the CIA or FBI. The community cul-de-sac setting of children playing in the streets while the parents sip wine from their folding chairs will ring nostalgic for many readers reminding them of days gone by, and a simpler time for all. But of course, things are not as they seem and secrets between neighbors, friends, new acquaintances, and colleagues lurk beneath the surface.

Just when you think you know where the plot of The New Neighbor is heading, the author will spin you in the other direction like a Tilt-O-Whirl at a carnival. What I loved about this book is the added intrigue of a community full of neighbors who are bound by their employers not to divulge personal information.

I was immediately drawn to the author’s style of writing which flowed easily between chapters and moved the story along at a great pace. What I should have guessed, is what was shared in the “About the Author” section in that Karen is a former CIA counterterrorism analyst which lends itself beautifully in the character development and inner workings of agency.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed The New Neighbor and will gladly recommend this title to my network. I will also happily seek out Karen’s other books which look equally exciting.

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC of #TheNewNeighbor by Karen Cleveland!

If you want an edge of your seat thriller that never lets up, I HIGHLY recommend this book!

Beth is a CIA Intelligence Analyst who just sent her last kid off to college, is selling her house on the cul-de-sac she absolutely loves and is in the midst of it all is suffering from a broken marriage. She's not in a great place and turns to a special case that she has been working on for years to help alleviate everything else going on in her life. One small problem is that she just can't help but to keep tabs on the new owners of her old house which leads her down a path of paranoia. And when I mean paranoia, I mean PARANOIA! So much so I was just as paranoid. The author did a great job of portraying all of the above.

Reading books that involve government agencies and possible espionage is not really my forte so pardon the rest of this review if it's not technical enough......The case aforementioned involves an Iranian "bad guy" who has enlisted the help of "The Neighbor" with the goal of trying to access a special database that will give them access to everything! Everything just doesn't sound good when it comes to government classified info IMO. Why I typically do not like this type of book is, I get lost in the CIA (or any department of that nature) lingo and lose interest, however what this author was great at is she only gave you "need to know" info, as in you got the info you needed to know to move forward with the plot without the reader getting lost in the weeds.

This book just did not let up....we follow Beth as she is determined to find "The Neighbor" at any cost and boy she just kept at it. I was nibbling my nails down to the point I have none left.

Once my nails grow back I'll certainly try another book from this author

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

lately there has been an influx of the neighbors and their secrets type book. forget those ones and pick up Karen Cleveland's novel The New Neighbor. I kept thinking that i knew the twist, and then kept thinking it , revising and reassessing...and still didn't catch it at the end!

Beth is a counterintelligence analyst at the CIA, specifically in Iranian intelligence. Her area of focus is working to disrupt Iranian attempts to gain information and access to JWICS, the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communication System, the Defense Dept.'s secure intranet system. For years she has been trying to figure out the identity of "The Neighbor" , an Iranian access agent whose task is to recruit CIA insiders, via blackmail or other enticements, to reveal sensitive information. The Agency also wants to identify who has been recruited or compromised and what secrets they may have sold. To say she is obsessed with finding out who "The Neighbor" is would be an understatement.

Beth and her family live in an idyllic neighborhood, on a cul-de-sac about 10 minutes from Langley. In pretty much all of their neighbors households either the husband or wife, or both, work for the CIA. They all seem to be the same age, with multiple children also about the same age and have forged deep friendships over the years while sitting in lawn chairs sipping wine while watching their children play in the cul-de-sac.

As the book begins, Beth's youngest child is off to college, the family has sold their house and they are embarking on a new phase in their lives. Suddenly she is transferred to a position teaching new agents and can no longer work on her lifelong obsession. But she does pry one clue from a colleague - The Neighbor is moving to a new cul-de-sac... Aha, perhaps one of the couple who just bought her house is The Neighbor!

And off she goes, snooping around, following the new neighbor, violating protocol and then subsequently suspecting that everyone in her neighborhood is either The Neighbor or has ties to him.

This book is a fast read and often gripping, but after awhile I found it too unrealistic, even though the author is a former counterterrorism analyst. Doesn't the CIA repeatedly vet their employees - not just initially, but on some regular basis? Especially those with top secret clearance? How do all these neighbors juggle their high powered classified jobs while raising several children and spending a great amount of time just hanging out together and drinking copious amounts of wine? Is it realistic that they all know what each other does for the CIA?

Too many suspects for me but is engaging and in a genre that I love. Thank you Random House, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

CIA analyst Beth Bradford and her lawyer husband, Mike, have just delivered their youngest child, son Tyler, to college. With all three children out of the house . . . one who’s married and a teacher, one working as a travel reporter in London, one ensconced in the dorm at the University of Virginia . . . Beth knows that things will change. She and Mike are selling the house where the children grew up and leaving the cul-de-sac where most of their neighbors also worked for the CIA; they’ll rent a townhouse for a bit as they look for a smaller home.

But things change much more than Beth had anticipated. She learns of her selection for a new position; now she will teach new analysts instead of continuing her work on the case involving Reza Karimi and The Neighbor. Reassigned from counterintelligence focused on Iranian intelligence services to the Kent School.

As Beth struggles to accept this, Mike announces he’s leaving; he’s signed a lease for an apartment. He won’t go to the townhouse with her; they won’t look for a new home together. There is no more together.

Madeline and Josh Sterling, the buyers of the Bradford house, will be moving into the cul-de-sac. Beth finds it impossible to stop watching the family; she has a feeling that something is not right with Madeline.

There’s no denying that Beth is angry with the senior management for sidelining her from the investigation, but her incessant skulking around the old neighborhood, investigating on her own, is drawing unwanted attention. And there isn’t any proof that Madeline is anything other than a happy wife and stay-at-home mother.

Is there?

=========

Told from Beth’s point of view, the story alternates between her present and the past, providing the backstory for her life in the cul-de-sac. With a frantic pace, the chilling tale keeps readers involved, although Beth’s obsessive behavior is a bit over the top.

However, a gripping plot that takes unexpected twists and a stubborn central character combine to create a suspenseful tale that suggests a bit of paranoia. Several of the characters, although well-developed, are unlikeable. Several of the decisions Beth makes in pursuit of information are cringe-worthy; despite her flaunting of the rules [and her incessant wine-drinking], the tension continually builds, and the underlying suspense keeps the pages turning.

Readers may find, at times, that it is difficult to suspend disbelief; often the story teeters on the edge of incredulity. But the question of trust, and who deserves to receive it will resonate with the reader. Overall, the evolving narrative offers readers unexpected surprises that keep up the intrigue until the unexpected [and disappointing] denouement that may just leave the door open for a sequel.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley
#TheNewNeighbor #NetGalley

Wow!
This is a book about a neighborhood. It is also a book about spies. Could a foreign operative infiltrate a neighbor and get information from the residents? Could this really happen?
The book is about a CIA employee looking for a spy called the Neighbor. Is it possible that the person is in their neighbor hood where everyone is friends. The book will keep you constantly guessing and when it ends you will still be thinking about what you might have missed. It is an exciting read and I would recommend it.

Thank you to #netgalley, @KarenCleveland and @BallantineBooks for a copy of this book.

Karen Cleveland has done it again.

This novel was a fast paced, I read it in two days. I had to put it down a few times and couldn't wait to pick it back up. I like how it jumped back and forth between the past and the present. It would make a great tv show or mini-series.

I loved the twist at the end. I did not see that one coming.

How well do we think we really know somebody? This would include our own family and our neighbors. The story hits on all fronts. We have secrecy, indiscretion, dishonesty and nostalgia. I would classify this book more of a family drama/fiction rather than a thriller. There were no anxious moments for me.
I have never read anything written by Karen Cleveland before so I was a little unsure as to whether I would enjoy this novel. I was wrong! I really liked her writing style and the story kept me guessing. There were a few little twists and turns and the characters were interesting. I was relieved she didn't delve into the CIA and espionage too deeply, because too many details can be boring and hard to understand in my opinion. I read these types of novels for entertainment and I don't want to have to think too hard. I will be checking out Karen Cleveland's other writings as well.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

UNBELIEVABLE! Devoured this book in one setting. Great for fans of "Homeland" starring Claire Danes.

Cleveland's background as a CIA counterterrorism analyst definitely paid off in this story. I truly could not stay ahead of her in this book. Each time I was led to believe I had figured it out, Cleveland spun the plot into an entirely other direction. I loved how her writing style almost came from the mind of a terrorist, always "one step ahead" of the reader. Could not believe the final twist in the last pages of the book! I thoroughly enjoyed this ride & would love to see a sequel centered on the new neighbor!

I dont read many "spy thrillers" because sometimes the jargon/storyline can go over my head or be hard to keep up with. I did not feel that way with this one.

Beth is a CIA analyst pulled from a case she's been working on and feels close to solving. Beths suspicions soon turn to the wife of the family who just moved in next door. Despite being off the case Beth doesnt stand down and uses her own resources to get the job done.

This read like a movie and I truly could not put it down. Will be on the lookout for more by this author

4/5

Wow! Amazing read! I received an ARC version of the book but the opinion is mine and mine alone, not influenced by that fact at all. Who is “the neighbor”? That is the main question and even after finishing the book, and the seeming disclosure of who it is, I’m still not really sure who it is. Really good read, would definitely recommend this book!

Pub date: 7/26/22
Genre: thriller
In one sentence: CIA agent Beth has spent her life tracking a foreign intelligence agent named "The Neighbor", and she may be closer than ever.

This book is a hybrid spy/domestic thriller, and I enjoyed seeing these two genres come together. Although there's not the jetsetting travel you'd expect in a spy thriller, The neighbor plot was still compelling to me, and I read it in two sittings.

Beth is dealing with both personal and professional problems, and Cleveland paces the reveals well with a few good twists. New cul-de-sac resident Madeline has a few secrets of her own as well. Cleveland is known for the "last page twist", and this book does not disappoint in that regard.

I think thriller lovers will enjoy this one. While you wait for pub day, I recommend checking out Need To Know, my favorite book by Cleveland.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was not what I expected. It involves a CIA agent who has worked on a case for a long time and believes that she is close to breaking it. Then she is transferred. She continues her work and interviews a myriad of suspects.