Would it have been possible to insert one character who wasn’t depraved and despicable? Apparently that was too much of an ask. Horrible people inhabit the pages of this book, even the ones that are portrayed as almost likable. A young couple one of whom is multiracial (and you are never to forget this) chooses to be so house poor that is laughable. This is so beyond keeping up with anybody. They all live in McMansions, they are perverts, social and sexual deviants, adulterers, nasty, sarcastic, and evil decked out in designer clothes, fancy jewelry and expensive cars. Why would anyone care about any of them? OK throw in a murder and maybe it gets more interesting and maybe not because we know one of them did it.

The story is narrated by Alexis and Blair, who were equally annoying. Their thoughts and discussions are repetitive and the fact that one is always holding something back from the other does not evoke the cat and mouse drama which might have added interest. There are a few twists but once again not very compelling as these characters are beyond rehabilitation.

Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley For a copy.

What the Neighbor Saw, by Melissa Adelman, is a domestic thriller/mystery set in an affluent DC neighborhood. Perversely, I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of huge homes, although I wish they brought more joy to their owners. The pace and plotting worked for me, and I was completely taken in by the final twist. Unfortunately, not one of these neighbors were likable. I'm a bit tired of novels filled with characters that are absent any virtue, morals, or ethics. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

This story drew me in right from the first page! I truly was enthralled with all the goings-on in this Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous kind of neighborhood.

It seems like it’s going to be a typical murder mystery, because it starts pretty early on with high profile murder, but most of the book really isn’t about that at all. It’s about the things that happen in and around the neighborhood where all these people reside.

It didn’t seem like something that would be so thrilling, and yet the rumors, the inside scoops, the budding friendships, the domestic situations, and the scandalous nature of all the relationships in the neighborhood was what kept me going.

Truly, this book is highly entertaining, especially if you like gossip and drama, if nothing else. Recommend!!

What the Neighbor Saw
By: Melissa Adleman

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alexis and Sam cannot believe their luck when they find a house in Cape Code that is a fixer upper and the price is right. Alexis is about to have her second child and Sam is about to make partner. Life is good!

The neighbors seem welcoming, until one of the neighbors is found dead on the Potomac River. A father of three and everyone cannot believe this is happening. Alexis is very close to his wife Blair.

An investigation leads to secrets and the division of neighbors. I enjoyed this novel and will look for more of her work.
❓Have you ever move into a home and had a neighbor you avoided at all costs!

#minotaur, whattheneighborssaw, #melissaadelan, #netgalley, #bookreview, #bookstagram, #booksconnectus, stamperlady50

This book had everything in it spence love story and relationship problems. It starts out like a normal story, but then it has so many twists and turns. Alex and her husband sam, decided to buy this old house outside of washington d c. Things start to go really bad real fast. She had two children, but she really did not fit in with this inclave because she had spanish blood. Sam became more distant because he wanted to become partner in a law form. Alex was on maternity leave and she reminiscence about her days when she could go and do things. The neighbors are really nice when they moved in. But she realized they had their own agendas as well.. Blair's husband Teddy was murdered. Things got real interesting in this neighborhood. Alex became friends with blair and they started to talk about things and. They had another neighbor who used to spy on them with drones. And jennifer was kinda off too. They had the That couple who were very, very rich. Mary strange because her husband used to sleep around with the woman in the neighborhood. It's like a triangle in this book. Everybody's involved somehow, and it all comes out in the end. Because it all fits in in the end. And you can see how things get crazy in these neighborhoods.. Alex was the only same one in this neighborhood, and she kind of got short changed at the end.

Sometimes the perfect house, the perfect neighborhood, come with not so perfect neighbors. Great domestic thriller, unpredictable twist, interesting storyline and characters. Definitely recommend this one!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC in return for my review!

I wanted to like this more than I did, unfortunately, but that doesn't mean it isn't without its merits! I just found the twists/story beats to read very predictably, and this is coming from someone who does enjoy Thrillers, but isn't necessarily an avid reader of them. And the reason why that's important is because if I'm** saying something's predictable, it may read that way even stronger for those who love the genre. Overall not bad but nothing amazing either.

What The Neighbors Saw is a psychological thriller about a pregnant woman who recently moved to a high end suburb with her husband and her toddler, only to have a neighbor murdered and scary things start happening around them. This was a quick read where the secrets that were revealed got more and more bonkers. As the layers were peeled away, the dual narrators both became totally unreliable and things just got messy. I may have said “what?!!” a few times as things unfolded but I kept turning the pages as fast as I could because I was so invested.

Nice and suspenseful, but it was also predictable in many ways I needed more from it in terms of it being a thriller/suspense. It was not bad by any means, but I think if you read a lot of thrillers it might be a bit lackluster.

A slow burn domestic thriller that reminds us that even the people living in the most beautiful, high society neighborhoods are hiding secrets they will do anything to keep.

Alexis and Sam move into on of the most sought after neighborhoods in the D.C. area only to find out that the neighbors are not as picture perfect as they thought they would be when they bought their house. Each neighbor seems to be hiding secrets that Alexis discovers while up in the middle of the night feeding her newborn watching out her windows.

The pace of this book seems to be fast at first but slows down after the murder of one of their neighbors. But that is when all the neighborhood drama picks up and we finally meet all the characters that make up this unsettling place to live. If I was Alexis, no matter how much I had envisioned for this new house, I would be packing it up and moving away as fast as I could. But Alexis was a complicated character with a past that is slowly revealed as we read through the book. Sam, on the other hand, was not my favorite from the beginning. He seemed very disconnected from his family's situation and I didn't get the feeling he was a very loving husband to Alexis. The other characters had so many secrets to hid it was a bit hard to keep them all straight.

Overall, I enjoy the potential of the book but felt it was lacking in the flow and execution of the thriller part of the story. But it was still an entertaining book, it read like a reality show or classic night time soap opera. It's definitely worth the time to read it just don't expect too much of the suspenseful premise.

I am very grateful to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a digital copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Suburban dramas are my catnip thrillers, so of course everything about the premise of this one was right up my alley. Give me dark, twisty, Desperate Housewives vibes and I am here for it!

When young parents, Alexis her husband Sam, buy a run down mansion in a nice neighborhood, they thing they’ve lucked out in finding this house. It doesn’t take long, though, before they realize the house might not be all they expected it to be, and when a dead body shows up near their new home, they realize their neighborhood might not be all it’s cracked up to be either. As Alexis becomes friend’s with the dead man’s widow, Blair, secrets unfurl and Alexis begins to wonder whom she can trust.

This book was tense, psychological and well-written. The plot was moving and even though I didn’t like many of the characters, I felt like I understood them. This was an absolutely entertaining read and I’d definitely recommend it if you enjoy a good juicy thriller!

Alexis and Sam, better off than either set of their parents, jump at the chance to purchase a fixer-upper in an exclusive DC suburb. They are elated to meet their new well-off neighbors and settle in.

But Alexis is expecting their second child. And the house needs so much more time, repairs, and money than they expected. Tempers grow short between them and when a neighbor is murdered, Alexis especially begins to question their choices. When news of the murder spreads and the police investigation begins, relationships among the seemingly model neighbors splinter and disputes arise. Alexis has befriended Blair, widow of the murder victim. As they grow closer and the truth about the murder is finally revealed, the two women are forced to redefine their lives, their choices, and their relationship.

This debut novel will be enjoyed by mystery fans, fans of women's fiction, and those who enjoy an ending with a twist.

I listened to an audio ARC of this book. Narrators are veteran Hillary Huber and actress Sarah Hollis, who do justice to the main characters.

This debut had a very interesting premise but I’m not sure it was executed as well as it could have been. The premise of how well do you really know your neighbors and a more modest couple moving into a rich neighborhood to look at how the other half is living up close was good. But I struggled with seeing Alexis and Sam as modestly wealthy since they have a live in nanny, buy an expensive house and do lots of renovations, buy a brand new BMW. The story moved a bit slowly and while I understand and can appreciate a slow burn this one fizzled at the end for me. I think part of what was slow and struggled to grab my attention is that I didn’t like any of the characters very much. Shortly after Sam and Alexis move in to their new work in progress home their neighbor Blair’s husband is murdered in the woods nearby on a trail. As the police struggle to find any clues all of the dark secrets of the neighborhood start to show and seem extra sinister.

My first read from this Author and won't be my last a definite fast paced page turner of a psychological thriller. The plot thickens right from the start in this seemingly nice upper class neighborhood. and the ending left me saying wow!.
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins press and the Author Melissa Adelman for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this was definitely a strong debut! I really enjoyed this one. I was engaged in the story until the end.

The story follows Alexis, who is a business consultant married to an attorney, Sam. They have a young child and Alexis is pregnant with their second. They have found a house that they like, but it needs a lot of work. The neighborhood is the most desirable part though and they could not resist it. The neighborhood is so welcoming too, and Alexis finally feels like she can leave the 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.

I liked that this one was binge-able and interesting. Despite it being a suspense/slow burn, I really enjoyed it.

One thing I really didn't like was some of the comments made by the characters about one of the characters with an eating disorder. It often felt like there was a body shaming element which didn't sit right with me.

Overall, this one was great!

WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW
Melissa Adelman


When I finished the book, I hated every character and felt lucky to have the neighbors I have. That is worth the price of this book alone.

WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW is a recently released neighborhood thriller by Melissa Adelman. Its stars Alexis and her husband Sam. After scraping together all the funds they could, they were able to purchase their dream home. A Cape Cod fixer-upper in an affluent suburb of DC.

All is not as it seems and shortly after moving in, their next-door neighbor Teddy is found dead. Putting an end to the dream of safety and security within the neighborhood. We follow along as Alexis tries to fit into their new neighborhood which includes, not surprisingly making friends with Teddy’s widow, Blair, and trying to solve the mystery surrounding Teddy’s death.

To make the neighborhood safer, of course!

WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW is basic with only the negative things to set it apart from the others. Months from now I likely won’t remember the specifics of the story, but I will remember that Alexis pissed me off.

As a reader, I feel that when you introduce a main character that is problematic you must correct that problematic behavior within the text. It’s not enough that I as the reader understand that the behavior is problematic, I need to know that the author understands that that character’s behavior is problematic as well. Otherwise, I’m left thinking this behavior is acceptable.

Unfortunately, with Alexis, she had a lot of thoughts about race and heritage and wealth and class, and none of those comments, interior or otherwise, were corrected. I understand it’s supposed to be part of the fun that these characters are so bad. It felt a lot more like unchecked racism than any fun I’ve had lately.

I might be the only reviewer that feels this way. For me, WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW is average and skippable, problematic, and forgettable.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies!

WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW…⭐️⭐️

2.5 Stars
No likable characters and the story drags after the first quarter.

Alexis and her husband Sam just moved into an exclusive neighborhood. What was supposed to be a new and exciting start quickly turned into a nightmare. The new renovations cost more than expected, Alexis and Sam are constantly arguing, and not to mention one of their neighbors was found near the river. Who and why would anybody want to kill their neighbor?

The beginning and setup were interesting. Unfortunately, after the first quarter, the storyline started to drag. Nothing happens until the very end. But by then I didn't care anymore. All the characters were unlikable and one-dimensional.

Overall, not for me.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa Adelman, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for graciously sending me the ARC to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

I had many issues with the story throughout and the ending sealed it for me.

I found it hard to believe that the woman in the story was with her husband. He was demeaning and mean.

There were mentions of eating disorders such as only eating one meal a day or just a cup of ice that might be triggering for some.

There were insensitive racial comments that were unnecessary to move the story along. They could have been left out and the story would have been intact. If they were being used to throw a reader off the trail of the murder then I dislike it even more.

Finally, the ending was just a no. I can't say a lot without spoiling it but just no.

I found the writing style to be engaging so I might read something else by this author but the plot of What the Neighbors Saw was not for me.

As a realtor, the first part of the book really drew me in. After that, I enjoyed the intrigue of the goings on in an affluent neighborhood. I guess we just really don't know what goes on behind closed door and I keep wondering what my neighbors see. Ha ha!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
🏡 dual POV
🏡 neighbourhood drama

This is one of those mysteries where a new family moves into a seemingly perfect neighbourhood, and then they very quickly discover that this “perfect” neighbourhood is definitely not what it seems. Shortly after moving in, husband turns up murdered! Who could have done this?? What are the neighbour’s hiding??
The premise of this one sounded really good and since I had heard so much talk about this one, I was very excited to start reading! Unfortunately for me though the story fell kind of flat 😕 A man is murdered right at the beginning so I was expecting some suspense and thrill, but the story was a little boring to be honest. Not much happened throughout the book and I really had to force myself to power through it.
I did not much care for any of the characters (and there were a LOT of them). I actually found myself trying to figure out who was who way too often and it kind of ruined the story for me.
The ending did pick the story up a little bit, but this was just not the book for me unfortunately.