I wouldn’t really call this a “chilling read” or a thriller. Yes, a murder occurred, but it happened without detail and then the rest of the book was built around it. It was a bit obvious where the story was going, but the ending was a bit interesting.

The one thing that I don’t understand is why the author made the female character so weak and really annoying with her feelings about being “fat” after having a baby. It was just constant throughout the book and quite annoying when every other character described her as thin. It felt like such an unnecessary point to keep repeatedly making.

This review was also posted on Goodreads.

What the Neighbor Saw is about a young successful couple who decide to purchase a fixer upper in an exclusive neighborhood. Alexis is pregnant with their second child and Sam is hoping to to make partner in his law firm. Sam and Alexis just know that this is their perfect forever home regardless of the issues with the house and the financial burden on them. All is going great UNTIL their next door neighbor is found murdered on the neighborhood trail. Is there neighborhood really safe? Do they really know their neighbors? Who killed Teddy and why? Who can you truly trust?
This was the perfect neighborhood thriller with lots of suspense and twists that you don't see coming. I really loved how each character was fleshed out by the author and it was up to the reader to like them or hate them. Sometimes it was hard to decide. I'd highly recommend this domestic thriller to readers who love that neighborhood drama element.

I didn't really enjoy this one but I did finish it. I didn't find any of the characters likeable at all so it was a bit hard to care what happened to any of them. Sam and Alexis argue so much and he was really hateful to her and it was hard to read. The story was a bit of a slow burn. I would give the author another chance - this one just didn't grab me. Thank you for the advanced copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't enjoy this book at all unfortunately. There was so much added unnecessary detail. I really should have dnf it.

Thank you netgalley for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Alexis and Sam move into an upscale neighborhood in D.C.. They can't really afford it, but they hope it will help their marriage and be a great place to raise their growing family. When their neighbor Teddy is found dead on the trail behind their homes, Alexis starts to wonder if this neighborhood is actually safe at all.

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

And those are the types of characters you'll find in What the Neighbors Saw. Not even one likable character.

Blair, whose husband died, is entirely awful, at one point making a comment along the lines of: "Jennifer's makeup is a bit overdone for this community. I'll have to discuss this with her later." Who the eff put her in charge?

Alexis has a pronounced eating disorder, only eating one meal per day and feeling horribly guilty about it, while everyone on the block talks about how ghastly thin she is.

Sam is just cruel, playing to his wife's insecurities. I actually cringed anytime he spoke to Alexis.

And I didn't even care who killed Teddy.

That being said, I'm always here for neighborhood drama, and some scenes were worth the read. I thought the ending was a bit ridiculous - Alexis was able to figure something out that seemed so glaringly obvious that no one else on the block who've lived there for years could figure out? Okay.

All of this being said, I liked the way this story unfolded, and I'll definitely read this author's sophomore novel. Hopefully there'll be at least one redeemable character! 😂

Read if you like:
- high drama in a neighborhood setting
- slow burn
- truly awful people being exactly who they are

This was a decent ride of a book. I enjoyed the two character POVs and trying to unravel the different mysteries. However, the ending seemed a bit far fetched and wrapped up too quickly for my liking.

4.5 stars

This book had me hooked from the get-go, and as much as I disliked the neighbors, I couldn’t help but get sucked in by the drama they all created.

A suspicious death, a stalker, and long-buried secrets…this is just the tip of the iceberg in What the Neighbors Saw! When Alexis and Sam moved into an exclusive DC suburb, things appeared to be looking up for the young couple. But the picture perfect image of the neighborhood is blurred by the suspicious death of Teddy. The police are unable to identify the killer and the neighbors become more divided by the uncertainty of it all.

When the truth behind Teddy’s murder was revealed, I wasn’t entirely surprised by who was responsible, but I was surprised by how easily they got away with it. It really makes you question how well you know your friends and neighbors, and whether or not you would keep their secret.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing a copy of this book to review.*

Diving into the world of tantalizing neighborhood tales, this book eventually caught my attention, even though it took its time to rev up. In the grand scheme, I did end up enjoying it. Filled with a cast of unreliable characters harboring secrets, it weaves a web of intrigue.

Alexis, a business consultant, and her lawyer husband, Sam, find themselves drawn to an old but charming house in an upscale DC suburb. Amidst the allure of the serene neighborhood and its well-to-do inhabitants, they move in, only to be met with a murder – their neighbor Teddy is found dead. Alexis befriends Teddy's widow, Blair, opening doors to their neighbors' lives as the investigation unfolds.

While the story gripped me, I struggled to understand Alexis' attraction to Sam. His demeanor and lack of support for her grated on me, leaving me yearning to shake some sense into her.

The ultimate lesson Alexis learns is that the glossy façade of the wealthy neighborhood doesn't guarantee happiness. Behind the veneer of a "perfect life," the same troubles brew, echoing those of the wider world.

Despite a somewhat sluggish setup, the story maintains a brisk pace. The reveal of Teddy's killer adds a juicy layer, though it doesn't exactly stun. While I took pleasure in this debut novel, I'm eager for more from this author. I opted for a mix of audiobook and reading, and the dual narrators, even though not entirely essential, added to my connection with Alexis and Blair.

What the Neighbors Saw was a great domestic thriller - the description comparing it to "Desperate Housewives" and "The Couple Next Door" is so accurate! Filled with neighborhood drama and murder, the twist surprised me with this one. I didn't particularly love any of the characters, but they came together to create a good and suspenseful story.

Issues arise in a DC neighborhood where a couple buys a house and then the neighbor husband is found floating in the Potomac.

I don't care what the Neighbors Saw or heard! This book was very boring which sucks because it was really Desperate Housewives but with more murder but also very boring. The main characters Alexis and Blair, the pov switches between them, are so boring and one note. They added nothing to the plot and the twist is just another average mystery twist, nothing shocking or outrageous... I have picked up and put down this book a couple of times over the past 5 months as I couldn't get past the first chapter, which was actually good. The book fell off for me around page 30. I only read this book because I needed to complete the reading rainbow challenge in my (Always Fully Booked Reading Planner).

I recommend this book for people who loved watching Desperate Housewives and love domestic thrillers.

What the Neighbors Saw
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Melissa Adelman

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: 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.

My Thoughts: This is classified as mystery/thriller, but I think it would be better served as neighborhood/family drama suspense. Alexis and Sam have one child with another on the way and want to live in a good neighborhood to raise their children, although a fixer upper, the price was right. When their next door neighbor is found murdered in the trail, they are questioning their decision, and who they can trust. Alexis was written with a food disorder, although no one blantantly says this, but it is very obvious and really irrelevant to the overall plot. The first half is really slow burn but the second half intensified a bit and went by fast.

The story is narrated by Alexis and Blair, in their perspectives. The neighborhood is full of secrets, lies, and betrayal. Alexis is a new mother, very curious, and wants to feel a part of. Alexis’s husband, Sam, is a prick, he belittles her constantly, sometimes is plain mean, and there is no solid connection between the two of them. Blair is independent, secretive, and knows all of the neighborhood’s secrets. The characters were well developed, mysterious, secretive, and creatively designed. The author’s writing style was complex, suspenseful, and twisty. The plot was delivered in subplots and twisty layers, with an unexpected, but good ending.

If you liked the Couple Next Door, you will love this novel. For a debut novel, it was good and I enjoyed reading it. While some of the plot was predictable, there was a twist or two that I did not expect. Since I am behind on reviewing, I did listen to the audiobook and the narrators were great and really gave life to the characters. I would recommend picking up this novel. Excited to see what else Adelman comes up with in the future.

Alexis and Sam can’t believe their luck when they find a fixer upper in the posh part of town. Purchasing the house, and all of its baggage, is a tad erratic, but Alexis can’t help but to fall in love with the home’s potential.

But quickly after they move in, tragedy strikes the community- killing one of their own. Everyone always thinks these don’t happen in their neighborhood, but what if it hasn’t been your neighborhood that long? Suddenly everyone is a suspect and nothing is what it seems, making it harder to know what is really going on behind anyone’s closed doors.

What the Neighbors Saw had an interesting, albeit cliched premise. However, I for one could read about naughty neighbors til the cows come home, so I’d sign up for this type of neighborhood watch tens times over. But for all the juiciness this story could have had, I found myself disappointed, mainly because none of the characters were three dimensional, or particularly likable. So when the drawn out truth is finally revealed, not only did I find myself not buying what was being sold, I also wasn’t invested in the outcome.

Some neighborhood drama leaves you wanting to know more. Unfortunately this neighborhood just made me want to pack it in.

I'm a fan of juicy neighborhood stories, and while this one took a bit of time to get going, there are many unreliable characters and they all have secrets. The set up took a while to get going, but overall it was a pretty faced paced book. While I liked it, there were many missed opportunities to insert more twists and the overall book felt like it could you use editing but I look forward to more from this author.

I always remind myself that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. And just because something looks big and beautiful doesn't mean that it's better. I think Alexis discovers this when she moves into an exclusive DC suburb with manicured lawns and all that jazz.

I enjoyed the friendship that Alexis cultivated with Blair, being there for her in her time of need. I think the pregnancy hormones really encourage a woman to become a caretaker and more sympathetic to someone in need of being cared for. However, in the end, Alexis saw the true colors of the whole neighborhood - and just as I suspected, the grass wasn't any greener in this exclusive neighborhood.

Perfect for someone looking for a quick and easy read.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

The book was and engaging and easy read. The characters were likable and the story kept me guessing with every page turn. An excellent beach read.

Such an amazing thriller this book was a page turner. I was in love with the plot twist. I will for sure be looking forward to reading more by Melissa Adelman.

This was a great thriller that had me hooked from the beginning. An interesting cast of characters and setting and enough plot twists to keep me interested. A perfect light summer read, highly recommend,

Thank you so much @Minotaur_Books for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 20 June 2023)

SYNOPSIS | Alexis & Sam have just moved into an exclusive neighborhood & whilst there home is a bit of a fixer-upper, they believe this is the start of the next chapter of their life. The renovations end up costing far more than anticipated, their relationship is riddled with arguments & rocky at best and one of their neighbors turns up dead by the river trail.

WHAT I LIKED:
- I can never resist a "rich people behaving badly" story

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- extremely slow pacing (doesn't really get going until 85%)
- another story chock full of unlikeable characters
- a surprising amount of body shaming
- Sam came across as a condescending a-hole & I disliked every chapter where he spoke directly to Alexis

Couple buy a house in an affluent DC suburb where everyone is not as they would seem. It's definitely a neighborhood you wouldn't want to live in. A strong protagonist saves the story and keeps it interesting.