This book was domestic suspense more than thriller. Alexis and her husband Simonbmove into a new, wealthy neighborhood and think they have arrived. Be careful what you wish for!
This book had plenty of suspense and sneaky characters. I couldn't figure out which way this story was going to go. Honestly, I don't think I liked any of the characters. Alexis was too whiny, Simon was a jerk, and Blair seemed like she couldn't be trusted. I didn't expect the story to end the way it did, but I did like it. Thus was a quick read sure to keep you entertained. 3.5 stars

When books get published, I have noticed that they are often compared to one or more shows, films, or other books. One book that I read and reviewed previously claimed to be a inspired by the films Knives Out and Clue---which are both phenomenal, by the way. Sometimes these comparisons are way off the mark but as someone who is easily influenced when it comes to reading habits, I must admit that these comparisons will usually always get my attention. When I saw that the book I am reviewing today was compared to Desperate Housewives---I was eager to jump in.

What the Neighbors Saw is a thriller and is the debut novel of author, Melissa Adelman. It was released on June 20th of this year.
If you would like to purchase What the Neighbors Saw you can find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. You can follow the author, Melissa Adelman, on Goodreads!

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and the author for sending me an advanced audiobook copy of this book. As always, all views expressed throughout this review are my own.

Sometimes the darkest acts occur in the most beautiful houses…
When Alexis and her husband Sam buy a neglected Cape Cod house in an exclusive DC suburb, they are ecstatic. Sam is on the cusp of making partner at his law firm, Alexis is pregnant with their second child, and their glamorous neighbors welcome the couple with open arms. Things are looking up, and Alexis believes she can finally leave her troubled past behind.
But the neighborhood’s picture-perfect image is shattered when their neighbor Teddy – a handsome, successful father of three – is found dead on the steep banks of the Potomac River. The community is shaken, and as the police struggle to identify and apprehend the killer, tension in the neighborhood mounts and long-buried secrets start to emerge.
In the midst of the turmoil, Alexis takes comfort in her budding friendship with Teddy’s beautiful and charismatic widow, Blair. But as the women grow closer, the neighborhood only becomes more divided. And when the unthinkable truth behind Teddy’s murder is finally uncovered, both Blair and Alexis must reexamine their friendship and decide how far they are willing to go to preserve the lives they have so carefully constructed.

I gave this book 3.75 stars on Goodreads. I think the few twists in this book were enough to keep me interested. Beware, though, this is a slow burn! If you are looking for a super fast-paced read, this isn't it. It wasn't off-putting-ly slow, though. I really think this was just marketed as a thriller when in reality, I found it to be more of a contemporary fiction with suspenseful elements--not really a thriller.

I love the D.C. setting and still enjoyed it here but I kept thinking of another book I read and reviewed last year, The New Neighbor by Karen Cleveland because it had a similar setting. Not the same premise, both books separate themselves there but I unfortunately think that The New Neighbor was stronger overall than this book was. If you have read this/like this premise, I would suggest that you give both of these books a read and compare them yourself! I do think that it is important to mention that this is a debut novel----still, I think this author has serious potential and am excited to watch her progression with future works.

I have seen a lot of people complain about unlikable characters but I didn't mind it. Flawed characters are my jam---I think they are WAY more realisitic. Everyone is allowed to have their preferences but this is a thriller that has been compared to a show (Desperate Housewives) in which all of the main characters are flawed and somewhat unlikeable.

Overall, this was a solid debut! I would recommend this book to readers 17/18+. There is some adult dialogue, themes, and scenarios featured throughout this book--reader's discretion is always advised! Because this book was so promising, I will absolutely be checking out Melissa's next works. If you love domestic suspense or D.C. settings, I think you will enjoy this read!

This story was reminiscent of the Desperate Housewives television series. A beautiful, but pricey neighborhood that has a lot of drama going on behind the scenes.

When Alexis and Sam move to the neighborhood into a home that needs some updating, they quickly learn that they may have overextended themselves. With a toddler and a newborn in the family, Alexis is short on sleep and trying to lose weight. Sam is critical and stressed out by his job.

Both feel overwhelmed by the work to be done on the home. It doesn’t help matters when a neighbor is found murdered in the nearby river. Sam encourages Alexis to visit Blair, the new widow, to offer condolences. They immediately connect and begin a friendship, even though Alexis sometimes feels uncomfortable around Blair.

This is a slow-burn novel and at times I wondered when the story would pick up. At the very end of the novel, all the questions are answered and the drama reaches its peak. I did like the ending, even though I disliked many of the characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer my honest review.

A slow paced domestic thriller. I was engaged from page one.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ok now see I am a huge fan of juicy neighborhood secrets and drama. This wasn't full of all the tea like I was hoping. It was verrrrrrry slow burn. Nothing happens until the latter half of the book and it's not all that shocking especially if you pick up on the clues that were introduced earlier in the story.
I did however like the writing style of the author so I'll be on the lookout for future books by them!
Thank you for the advanced copy 🙏🏼

In this domestic thriller, Alexis and Sam have finally made it by moving into a posh neighborhood. But there are many secrets in this close community that seem to surface right after the murder of one of the neighbors on the local trail. Lots of drama and cattiness, Alexis is just caught up in the gossip, trying to figure everyone out, and be accepted. She thinks that Sam is on her side, but the stress of the new house which is a money pit, his job, new parenthood, and the neighborhood are taking their toll. Throughout the story, it seems to drone on. There really are no likable characters, too many quirks although perhaps that's meant to be. Who knows what goes on behind those gilded doors? But I found myself just wanting to find who killed Teddy, and yet when I did was surprised at the reactions of Alexis, Sam, and Blair (Teddy's wife). I did like the twist at the end because I knew there just had to be more. But, sad to say, it did not keep me on the edge of my seat like a well-written psychological thriller should. Pretty ho-hum. I give it a 3/5.
Many thanks to #netgalley #stmartinspress #whattheneighborssaw #melissaadelman for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book has a great premise, but I ended up bored throughout. I found the characters to be extremely unlikeable, the twists too unrealistic, and the story overall less than compelling. There was so much filler with things like brand names that didn't actually matter and some of the plot points were left dangling. This was sadly not a memorable read for me.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

For a debut, this book was okay. It's well written But I couldn't stand after awhile the repetitiveness of all the beautiful homes and the mean, nasty comments between.this couple.

Then.there was a murder and it was put on.the back.burner to all the dysfunctional to the people living in the neighborhood.

2 stars but author has potential.

This was 3.5 stars for me. I enjoyed the story but there were parts that I found a little slow. I started to have my suspicions about who actually committed the murder. So when that was all revealed I wasn't feeling too shocked. But what was shocking was the reveal about one of the couples, who had a connection no one would have guessed.

Alexis and Sam have recently purchased a neglected Cape Cod house in an exclusive D.C. suburb. Sam is close to making partner at his law firm, Alexis is expecting their second child and their new neighbors seem to welcome them with open arms. Things are looking up for the young family.

But the neighborhood's peace is shattered when their neighbor Teddy is found dead on the banks of the Potomac River. The community is shaken and the police are struggling to find the killer. Tension is mounting and neighborhood secrets are starting to emerge.

In the midst of all this, Alexis strikes a friendship with the recently widowed Blair. As they grow closer the neighborhood becomes more divided. When the truth behind Teddy's murder is revealed, both women will need to re-examine their friendship and decide how far they will go to preserve the lives they've constructed.

Thank you so much to the author, St. Martin's Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC to review.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

A neighborhood drama with a dead guy, alternating POV, sounds like my cup of tea, right?

Nope.

I was intrigued by the synopsis and the first couple of chapters, but I quickly got tired of the unlikable characters, the nasty comments from Sam to Alexis, and the weirdness about the whole neighborhood. Maybe that was the point? I don't know, but it just wasn't for me.

I will say this was well written, and I would consider reading the next book from this author, as this was her debut. I think she definitely has potential, but sadly, this book wasn't my favorite.

2.5 rounded up

"She's getting away with something pretty awful, and I'm happy for her."

Melissa Adelman's What the Neighbors Saw is an easy thriller, if a bit generic.

Alexis and her husband are ready for an upgrade. When they see a fixer-upper house in an affluent community, they jump at the chance to buy the home. Pregnant and overwhelmed, Alexis tries to befriend her neighbors, each more snooty than the next. When a murder takes place, she becomes determined to figure out what happened and what's really happening between her neighbors.

Even as I write this brief synopsis, it feels formulaic and predictable which is how I felt when reading this. Overall, this one was a miss for me. I really start to disconnect from books when the dialogue or prose makes me eye roll, and I hate to admit that happened pretty early in this book. None of the characters are likable, and attempts to humanize the two narrators fall a bit flat given their behavior towards others. In different hands, maybe these unlikable characters would've worked but they read as two dimensional so I was never fully invested.  

Based on the premise, I was expecting a few more shocks and surprises but I hate to say I saw most of them coming (a few threw me). Maybe I'm a thriller snob at this point. 🤷🏻‍♂️

That being said, it's not a complete loss. Adelman really sets the stage and tension for the events with her detailed descriptions. If you're looking for a reliable thriller with some entertaining moments, What the Neighbors Saw is worth a try. While it doesn't really offer anything new to the thriller genre, it's easy to digest and might keep you guessing.

Sam and Alexis have found their dream home on an elite cul-de-sac in the DC area. With Alexis on maternity leave after giving birth to their second child, things are a little tight and the repairs on their fixer upper are adding up. Sam is rarely home as he hopes to make partner soon at his law office and even with a nanny, Alexis is worn out. There are a lot of skeletons in the closet in this neighborhood and when one of the neighbors is murdered, they start to come out for all to see. With a cast of unlikable characters and a story that puts the murder on the back burner while focusing on the neighborhood drama instead, this book was a disappointment in the end. Thank you to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I tried but I could not finish this one. It was so annoying constantly hearing about the main character basically infatuated with all the huge houses in her neighborhood. Her and her husband bought this million dollar home figuring the neighbors would be the best. When Alexis goes to a neighbor's house, she is so concerned about how expensive everything in the house could be.

What the Neighbors Saw is a book filled with detestable characters doing detestable things. Even the MC — despite coming from an impoverished background and being misjudged just because of the color of her skin — was awful.

Reading the thoughts of wealthy women — because yes, if you can pay $1.6 million for your rundown home, you ARE wealthy, no matter how much you worry about money — was mostly pretty gross. Their pettiness, how judgmental they were about the most innocuous things, etc. Honestly, their thoughts and actions were much grosser than the first big reveal.

Despite all this, the book was quite readable. I’m pretty sure I hate-read it some of the time. The final big reveal fell flat for me, though, because of the way it was discovered.

3.5⭐
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Publication date ~ June 20, 2023
Page Count ~ 291
Audio length ~ 8 hours 41 minutes
Narrators ~ Hillary Huber, Sarah Hollis
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ debut novel, dated chapters, murder, secrets, infidelity

Alexis & Sam buy a million dollar fixer up cuz they wanna feel fancy shmancy in this prestigious neighborhood. Blair & Teddy live across the street. When Teddy turns up dead Alexis reaches out to Blair and they form a friendship.

None of the characters were particularly likable. Sam was not a prize husband by any means. And Alexis putting up with him made me not feel any sympathy for her.

Overall, it was a decent~ish, slow moving debut. I gotta say I didn't see the twist coming, so that's always exciting, but I was not a fan and I don't think many would be.

I was fortunate enough to have a kindle and an audio copy. Both were perfectly acceptable.
Narration notes ~ Hillary is a well seasoned narrator and did a lovely job. I'm not sure if I've listened to Sarah before, but I thought she did a fine job too.

While I didn’t like the main character, I really liked the book. I sympathized for Alexis in certain aspects, she’s struggling with her weight, seems to have anxiety, her husband is a selfish jerk, but she’s also super rude to her live in Nanny all the time and it really made me mad.

Alexis and Sam are well off financially, but living beyond their means. They recently purchased a mansion in an exclusive neighborhood in need of repair, but the price of the home itself is the very top of their budget making their finances and their relationship tight. Her husband Sam is becoming more and more non-existent trying to make partner at his law firm. Alexis is so lonely that she finds herself striking a friendship with her neighbor, Blair, whose husband was recently murdered in their quiet, affluent DC neighborhood. Alexis is trying to narrow down the neighbors and figure out who killed Teddy, but they all seem to have skeletons in their closet that she finds herself in the middle of. While I had an idea of who did it, the end twists were big. Thanks to Minotaur Books for my ARC. What the Neighbors Saw is available now.

Just because you are affluent doesn’t mesn that you are crime free. The secrets behind rich are as deadly! Alexis and her husband have an opportunity to live in an exclusive neighborhood. The house has been severely neglected and has more repairs than the agent revealed. Alexis has just given birth to her second child. They have a nanny since they are both power workers. But the second birth has Alexis wanting more time at home. Sam is becoming busier at work since the move, leaving Alexis to worry about how they can afford repairs. Meeting the neighbors has given Alexis a friend, something that she is usually only friendly with. When her friend’s husband Teddy is found murdered, Alexis starts uncovering all the dirty laundry of her neighbors.

Unfortunately, this was another ARC thriller that didn't hit the mark for me. Its slow pace and dual POV from two unlikeable characters made it sluggish to get through.

Alexis and Sam, a pregnant couple and parents of a toddler, buy the worst house on the block in an upscale Northern VA neighborhood, with their neighbors being prominent politicians and businessmen. Shortly after moving in, golden boy state legislator Teddy Bard is found dead after falling off a cliff on the neighborhood trail run, leaving behind his wife Blair and three teenage children. Blair adopts Alexis as a new friend in the aftermath of his death, and helps her navigate the new neighbors, who are slightly suspicious of her truly belonging in the neighborhood, though they would never go as far to say it out loud. The POV alternates between the two women, as Alexis struggles with her money pit household and postpartum body, dealing with Sam's resentment at her maternity leave, and Blair as she schemes up ways to continue to befriend Alexis, for reasons unknown. After multiple times visiting Blair's stately home and admiring photos of her golden family, Alexis starts piecing together the puzzle and realizes that her family may not have been as perfect as it seemed. With a cast of equally horrifying neighbors, it was hard to garner any sympathy for this pack of liars, cheaters, creeps, and murderers. A somewhat satisfying ending wasn't enough to redeem this one, but the last 10% or so did pick up from the majority of the book.

I really didn't like the direction this book took. And it really took too long to get there. I thought it was impractical and a bit cheesy and there was no one you could root for. They're all awful people. The MC left her baby and toddler alone several times (or it was just overlooked by the author and editor so either way, not good), the relationships were all surface-level and it was all very unrealistic.

Little secrets unraveling everywhere along the safety of the cozy neighborhood. I loved tbt layers of secrets and the fact that there were so many people to suspect. As the story develops, the reader discovers more and more likely murderers but who did it? I didn’t guess this one- so that’s always a plus when I’m caught off guard!
Skilled writing, layered characters and a plot that twists and winds its way toward a finale that blew me away! I really loved this book!