What the Neighbors Saw is a domestic suspense that kept me guessing. Infidelity, racial tensions, murder, abusive spouses, bored housewives, and new motherhood - this book had quite a bit going on.

There were multiple narrators which helped the plot move along and kept me engaged. I found Alexa to be a frustrating character. She was a bit of a doormat letting her husband treat her like crap and take advantage of her. I didn't like how she hardly seemed to react to Sam's cruelties and put up with racism and disdain from her neighbors. Blair was an interesting character that held a lot of mystery for me. She seemed to truly love her husband but also wasn't really the grieving widow I would have expected her to be. Her friendship with Alexa felt genuine but I wasn't entirely sure how the other women in the neighborhood fit in the picture or why if they disliked each other so much, they kept spending time together.

There were points when I felt like the murder wasn't really a focal point of the story. So much more was going on and so many characters were involved that occasionally I felt a little swept up in the drama. It was easy to get stuck on a side plot and feel like I was missing something.

All in all this was entertaining but not one that will likely stick with me. I listened to this book on audio and thought the narrators were good.

Thank you to Minotaur for the copy.

What the Neighbors Saw was a lovely read about how a picture perfect neighborhood can have many dark secrets and how people are committed to preserving their lifestyles.

The cover, title, and premise pulled me in for this one but unfortunately it lost all it's luster while reading. I wish I could say I loved it but unfortunately it didn't fit the bill for what I thought it would be. Most of it read like a soap opera drama trying to give suspense that never really met the standard of suspense. I liked the dual POV's, the setting in a well to do bougie neighborhood with secrets of the rich, yes there is a murder, and of course there are lies to be uncovered and truths to come to light so those were some good aspects. The last 20 minutes of the book were probably the best. My dislikes which this to me even sounded crazy because I like details to set the scene, but I felt like the scene setting became the focus over the whole storyline and stole the show until the last 20 minutes when it balanced out. The reveal of who was behind the murder was revealed passively to me and I didn't feel much suspense to it.
I didn't mind Alexis's character and she did develop from her younger self into the present time with being a mother, independent, and how some things were just kept at face value to let those secrets stay buried. Sam was annoying, a tool, and literally I hated him as a character he was the typical wanna be. I wasn't really impressed with Blair either being a typical rich snob and just very surface level. I did like the twist of the plot with Teddy and Blair but it wasn't really developed enough to make it wow you in my opinion. Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the gifted copy to review with my own opinions.

While I did find this story entertaining, I'm afraid it won't be a stand out for me and probably won't be super memorable.

It was more of a slow burn, but it did read fast, I think, due to the shorter chapters which I liked. There was enough action going on to keep my interest, but there weren't any super shocking twists. I love a good domestic thriller/neighbourhood drama and this one had all the makings to be really great. The premise was really intriguing, but I think it just fell a bit flat for me. I needed more. More of what, I'm not sure, but I was expecting more drama, and it was mildly predictable.

Most of the characters were also pretty unlikeable and not in the good way. I love to hate a character! But these ones were more on the annoying side, unfortunately.

I think a lot of people will definitely like this one! I think this is a case of me being someone who reads a lot of thrillers, and I've gotten a bit more picky with them. But like I said at the beginning, I did find this entertaining.

When Alexis and Sam purchased their new house, to raise their young family, little did they know they were moving to a neighbourhood where abuse, adultery, and murder ran rampant.

Blair and Teddy seem to be the perfect couple - her being from an upstanding family and him being on the city council. Their three children were also on an upward trajectory in life until a tragedy befell them all.

This “Desperate Housewives”-esque neighbourhood was teeming with characters who were unlikeable (even though they appeared to have some good qualities), and the dual POV between Alexis and Blair made the dissimilarities between everyone all the more discernible. Dirty secrets prevailed and, when the truths came out, the twists in this story revealed themselves one after the other. This was an entertaining mystery/thriller until the final page, complete with no repercussions for anyone.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

When Alexis and Sam buy the worst house in the best of a rich neighborhood to raise their two kids, they were not prepared for what was to come when they moved in.
After a murder shortly after moving in, Alexis becomes friends with the widow and finds that all of the couples have more to hide than any of them are letting on. As things get worse and Alexis becomes suspicious of everyone and everything around her, the true killer comes to light and I was not prepared for this ending.
I would recommend this read if anyone’s looking for a domestic thriller.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What the Neighbors Saw by Melissa Adelman. Pub Date: June 20, 2023. Rating: 2 stars. When neighborhood drama meets Desperate Housewives and produces a storyline, this is that book. I would not categorize this novel as a triller, but more of a domestic suspense type of novel. Set in an affluent suburb of Washington DC, this story produces a murder that shakes up the community. The main character couple of Alexis and Sam are left wondering if their new neighborhood will ever be safe. Honestly, I found the twists predictable and was not very shocked by much in this novel. It was too much of a slow burn to me and I felt it could have benefitted from some more editing. Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to like this but I just didn’t. I’m not really sure how to rate it because I only read the first 35% and last 15%. The middle was just dragging and nothing was happening.

But I was curious enough about the twist and reveal to read the end. And that wasn’t super great either. Interesting idea but it was not the one for me.

The main character, I forgot her name, was annoying. The husband was terrible. The neighbors were awful. Just not for me.

What do you think the neighbors saw? Oh you thought I was going to tell you, NOPE! You will have to read this great book for yourself to get the answers! Thanks for writing such a great book!

A good domestic thriller is always perfect for a weekend read and Melissa Adelman brought her A-game. A high-end, wealthy neighborhood full of entitled people and murder? Sign me up for all the drama!

The story follows Alexis and Sam as they move into this slightly ritzy neighborhood into a fixer-upper and try and fit in when shortly after one of their neighbors is murdered. This reminded me very much of the show Desperate Housewives! I knew the level of drama was going to be high! Adelman did a great job of keeping me guessing. I suspected almost everyone at one point or another and was flipping pages waiting for the next clue or the big reveal.

We really got to know Alexis and Sam, and I must say, Adelman drew some very strong feelings out of me about these people. I really hated Sam and I found Alexis to be a little annoying, but also rightfully so at times towards her husband. He's the worst! Sorry for the spoiler. His whole attitude was bad the entire book and I was curious why they were even married. I wish the book had gone into the other characters a little more so we got to know them more, but that may have been on purpose due to not wanting to give too much away.

Other than that minor detail, I really enjoyed this story. Adelman wrote a book with lots of suspense, plenty of twists and events to keep you guessing, and a shocking ending. I would definitely read another book by her and recommend it to all suspense lovers. You won't be disappointed.

I really hoped I would enjoy this more than I did. The twists were pretty good, but I did not like any of the characters and that made it hard to enjoy the story.

This is the first novel I've read by Melissa Adelman and her strong character development and intriguing premise made this an engaging read. I will certainly be seeking more books of hers to read! What the Neighbors Saw is a thought-provoking story about hidden lives and how far someone will go to prevent their secret from coming out. Perfect for those who enjoy psychological and domestic thrillers.

This was a DNF for me. I tried to get into it, but found it to be a slow start. When it comes to thrillers, I definitely look for something that captures my attention really quickly.

Alexis and her husband buy a house in a fancy DC suburb. Life seems good. Until their neighbor Teddy is found dead. Alexis becomes friends with his widow Blair. But there seems to be more going on than meets the eye. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

3.5 stars, rounded up

An engrossing thriller that pulled me in from the first page. It was fun and twisty. With that said though, I somewhat expected parts of the big twist early on, I just wasn't sure how it was going to come about. How it was revealed and the details around it definitely caught me off guard. There were a number of smaller twists that definitely surprised me leading up to the big one which I enjoyed.

I recommend this quick, twisty thriller and I would love to read more by the author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book was just not for me. Too predictable, and full of unlikeable characters, and a flat plot. I would only recommend this book to readers who are new to the thriller world. Now, i did love the pace, and one character, other than that, just was not the one for me.

Alexis and Sam purchase a fixer-upper in an exclusive neighborhood and their life changes dramatically. The financial pressure and the added responsibility of the renovations, coupled with the birth of their second child, weigh heavily on their marriage. One of the neighbors, Teddy, is murdered on a trail, shortly after Alexis and Sam move to the neighborhood. As more oddities happen, Alexis questions whether the move was a good thing.
Quick read, but some of the plot twists were hard to believe.

This was one of those "can't stop reading" novels that I had to read all through the night. It was suspenseful and kept me guessing right up to the end. I love a good mystery that is full of tension and with characters that we can't decide if we trust them or not!
Thank you for my review copy!

Unfortunately, I was unable to read this in a timely manner as I wasn’t getting books to my kindle. I didn’t realize my kindle email address changed and I wasn’t receiving books. I’m so sorry!
I did end up purchasing the book and I’m so glad I did. I couldn’t put it down. I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to review earlier.

Alexis and Sam seem like a perfect couple. Sam is working on making partner at his law firm, Alexis is pregnant with their second child, and they just bought a house in an affluent suburb in DC. Sam is ecstatic to be part of the social circle he's been working towards and Alexis is happy to be in a beautiful house in a safe area. But as Alexis starts to notice disturbing things, she wonders if they may have made a mistake in trying to live among the elite.

The book starts off quickly with a death in the neighborhood. Teddy is well-liked and respected in the neighborhood and his death comes as a shock to all. Almost immediately, Alexis makes friends with the grieving widow, Blair. Alexis has often felt like an outsider being of mixed race and living amongst primarily caucasian populations. Although the neighborhood has been welcoming enough, she still feels judgment from them. But her friendship with Blair seems genuine and has put her more at ease. As Alexis and Blair become closer, Alexis' relationship with Sam starts to crumble - between the cost of all the work that needs to be done on the house and money problems despite Sam wanting them to live above their means, Alexis' isolation and loneliness, and the strange and disturbing instances that are going on in the neighborhood.

I liked the dual narration between Alexis and Blair. It was interesting to see the difference perspectives. The character development was decent and the story felt interesting enough to keep me reading. The pacing was a bit slow and it took a while to move the plot along. Neighborhood dramas are always a bit hit and miss for me. Some really suck me in, while others are too drama-y. This one was maybe just too drama-y for me and not thriller-y enough.

Rating: 2.5