Thanks to Putnam for the eARC.
I know with an Abdullah book I am going to get a solid plot, lots of drama, and some courtroom action - and this did not disappoint. I liked how this book started small and grew until the breaking point of the story. It was easy to get caught up in this drama because the characters had such depth. The story was propulsive, engaging, and shocking. I recommend going into her books without much knowledge and just let the story take you where she's leading you.

Unfortunately, I'm bailing just before the halfway mark. It all just became too much, with one thing after another going wrong for them. The police were absolutely no help, which made matters worse. I understand that's indicative of the real world, but I read to escape.

This didn't feel like a thriller, it felt like a "how many bad things can we pile on a family in a book." I have read other works by this author that I loved, so my dislike is solely due to my personal preferences and how much I can tolerate in a book.

Salma Khatun and her family have just moved to a new neighborhood hoping to make a new start. She feels that this new house is just the place. However, soon after they move in Salma notices her white neighbor removing a Black Lives Matter banner from their yard. As Bangladeshi, the Khatun’s are not a stranger to racism, but they didn’t expect it in their new neighborhood. After she moves the banner inside to a window, she thinks things are done but is surprised the next morning when her window is painted. As racial tension sgrow, how far will Tom go before someone gets hurt?

Ah this book was great! For the first half of the book things were a little slow as the story was building, but then it took off. I absolutely loved how racism was addressed. Racism was looked at through several different points of view and they were all fascinating and so realistic and really makes you think. I did think that some things were dramatized, but not so much so that they didn’t work. The twists in this one did occur late in the game. While I had guessed one of them, there was no way I guessed them all. I heard this one was a legal thriller, and I was excited for that, but this didn’t really become apparent until the last half or so of the book.

I listened to this one on audio. The narrator did a great job of building anticipation and pulling me in. I felt that the narrator also did a great job with building suspense.

This was my first book by this author, but it will not be my last. I enjoyed her writing style and felt it worked amazingly on audio.

Thank you to @PRHAudio for my audio copy, and Penguin Group Putnam and Netgalley for my e-arc copy so I could switch back and forth between formats.

Additional links will be added once posted.

Kia Abdullah is back with another thought-provoking read.

Shorty synopsis: A Bangladeshi family moves to a predominately white neighborhood looking for a fresh start. However, tension starts to escalate when their neighbor is the opposite of welcoming.

Thoughts: While this is not my favorite book by the author thus far (please read Next of Kin and Take it Back), this one examines racism from multiple different angles and makes you feel and think. The courtroom trial, while less of a prominent piece than her other books, was so well-done and kept me invested in finding out how the mystery would unfold. Knowing Kia always has some big twist, this one delivered!

Read if you like:
-Legal thrillers
-Slow burn reads
-Morally gray characters
-UK setting

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have really come to love Kia Abdullah for her excellent courtroom dramas, however, this one fell short for me. The story of Salma's family vs Tom's family grew tired and trite. But it was the unfortunate use of animal torture/cruelty that drew the line for me. I really wish that authors would not resort to using this trope as many people do not appreciate it. However, Abdullah is an excellent writer and I will look forward to her future works.

Perfectly Nice Neighbors by Kia Abdullah
Publisher Penguin Group Putnam
Release Date September 12, 2023

This is not just any book, it is a book written about the racial tensions and how some people handle the backlash from such tragedies.

A Bangladeshi family is living in a neighborhood that has high crime including drugs and violence that their son Zain was exposed to daily. He was suspended from school for his behavior ask so the family decides to move to a predominantly white neighborhood. Billal and Salma Khatun lost their restaurant after covid and decided that her teaching salary would have to work in order to get them from the area they lived in. Once the family moved they were invited to a neighborhood barbecue where it seemed that most of the neighbors accepted them. There were a couple that made some remarks that caught the Khatun’s off guard some but not to the point that they wanted to put much thought into it. One day Zain puts a banner that says Black Lives Matter on their lawn and the neighbor, Tom decided that he was going to throw a rock at it to know it down. Salma decided not to say anything and placed the banner in their window it would still be seen but no one would be able to damage it there. The next morning, the window was painted over so that the banner was no longer seen. There were more targeted issues such as keyed cars, squatters sent, and terrible things sprayed on their house. At this point it is time to face the neighbors and try to understand why someone would do what they did, Tom is in advertising and has done well for his family. His wife Willa is a stay at home wife/mother and their son Jaime is partially deaf and he and Zain have become great friends. The cops are called and a court case ensues. The challenge at this point is that the teenagers get along wonderfully and they do not see color, yet the parents not only place their home and finances in jeopardy, now Tom is facing jail time. Is it worth it? Could getting to know someone by just talking to them be better than judging them based on race or racial inequalities? If you read on in this book you will find out what happened and hopefully see that their is bad in every color and their is good in EVERYONE!

Abdullah writes a very poignant and captivating story that shows us what can be and what will be by our actions. I have a BIG problem with the thin blue line. That should be NO WHERE near our American flag. My grandmother was a Cherokee Indian and she used to tell me she was more racist of her race than anything else. My grandfather was a member of the KKK. I did not understand what all of that meant until I became older and wiser. That does not represent me. I try very hard to seek the good in everyone….. it’s there, you just may need to search harder.

5 stars and I know that you will see that this will be a catalyst for a great debate.

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

Synopsis: In typical Kia Abdullah fashion, Perfectly Nice Neighbors examines race, prejudice, and inherent biases. Bilal and Salma Khatoun, a Bangladeshi family, seek a fresh start and move to a mostly white neighborhood in the suburb of Blenheim. Soon after their move, Salma notices her white neighbor, Tom, removing the Khatoun's Black Lives Matter banner from their lawn. Rather than directly confronting Tom, Salma decides to relocate the banner to inside a front window, where it can be on display without risk of being tampered with. The next morning, said window is covered in paint. Battle lines are drawn and tensions quickly rise between these two families. How far will these two families go?

Thoughts: Kia Abdullah has quickly become one of my favorite authors, so her fall release was a highly anticipated read for me. Her slow burn style of writing is incredible; however, this one's plot didn't draw me in as much as her previous works. While I still applaud her efforts in confronting important societal and racial issues in her books, I had hoped for a bit more punch and whiplash. I also struggled to totally buy into some of the reveals toward the end, which is a first for me when reading her work. Still, I stand by my statements that I would read her grocery list, and I look forward to what comes next.

4 stars-Bangladeshi Bilal and Salma move into an upscale neighborhood with their young adult son. Tom, their new neighbor removes their Black Lives Matter flag by hitting it with a baseball. They put it into their window and he paints over the window. Small grievances turn into bigger ones with the addition of social media, eventually turning very bad. Kia Abdullah has written a compelling story that could be ripped from the headlines. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.

This was a great book, one that I truly couldn’t put down. The subject matter is important and very timely. I appreciated how the author didn’t excuse the characters’ feelings and actions, but did make it possible to understand where they came from. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this opportunity to read this ARC of Perfectly Nice Neighbors. Good commentary on society today and how differences can cause people to make assumptions without really getting to know people for who they are. Salma and Tom were neighbors from different backgrounds. Both of their actions impacted their families and their future. Truthfully none of the characters were that likable. It was a decent read so I would recommend but not as good as I had hoped.

A couple years ago, there was a horror series on Amazon Prime called “Them”. It was fantastic, but only around for one season. I kept thinking of that show while reading this book. The show was about a black family moving into a white neighborhood. Everyone SEEMED welcoming at first, then the tiny jabs started. Micro-aggressions turned into horrific racism, and things got pretty weird.

This book is about a Bangladeshi family that moved into a predominantly white neighborhood. Bilal and Salma Khatun were living in a rough neighborhood with their teenage son, Zain, and they wanted to get him away from the drugs and violence. Zain had been suspended from school, Bil’s restaurant closed due to Covid, but they made the decision to move to a nicer neighborhood despite Salma’s small teaching salary.

As soon as they move in, they are invited to a neighborhood barbecue. Everyone seems nice, but the Khatuns felt an underlying tension. There were a few awkward conversations, a few questionable comments, and they left just hoping that they made a good impression. Shortly after the party, while still arranging their new home, they put up a banner In support of Black Lives Matter. Someone threw a rock at it and it ended up on the ground. Well, not just someone - their new next-door neighbor.

Tom, Willa and their teenage son, Jamie, live next door. Tom is a success in advertising, Willa is a stunning blonde, and their partially-deaf son is making an app for the hearing impaired. Jamie and Zain become instant friends, but their parents are another story. The banner being taken down was just the beginning of a long nightmare between the two families. By the end, there is a court case and one of these family members is facing prison time. How does it get to that point? You’ll just have to read it and see, and read it you must!

This book’s main topic is obviously racism, but it’s looked at from a few angles. I’m speaking in broad terms as a blonde, white woman, but we all know people who are a bit (or a lot) racist. In their minds, they really don’t think they are. We all know people who tell off-color (pun not intended) jokes - not always with bad intentions, but jokes they may not tell around people of color. We know that racism goes all ways - all different ethnicities contain people who hate others for their skin color.

What I was reminded of while reading this book is that victims aren’t necessarily pure people. You can be the victim of hate crimes, but also have hate in your heart that you may not even see. This book also talks a lot about bullying, and we know that bullies aren’t always evil to the core. Most are bullies because they were bullied first. If we can break that cycle, it won’t solve everything, but it’s a good start.

This is a page-turning thriller, with a lot of thoughtful dialogue that might sadden most readers - but maybe we need it. There was a part where Salma saw a police officer with a cross tattoo, and it made her trust him less. The sad thing is, the American flag has done the same to me. If I see it outside of a house or on a car, I admit that I judge as well…I assume the people are racist, especially if they are younger. This book may make you think a lot, and that’s one of the reasons I loved it.

“The crime and the hate are separate”. That’s something that was said in the book’s trial, and it’s an interesting concept. Hate is an uneducated but usually involuntary thing; turning that hate into violence is something completely different. This book was not only suspenseful and thrilling, but thoughtful and beautifully written. I can’t give it anything less than five stars, and I hope it’s used to continue a dialogue that society still can’t comprehend.

(Thank you to Random House - Putnam, Kia Abdullah and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released in North America on September 12, 2023.)

AHHHH! I am so thankful to Kia Abdullah, Putnam Books, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for granting me advanced audiobook and digital access to this twisty, suburban gem before it's projected to publish on September 12, 2023. There are twists and there are turns, and there are some neighbors that are seriously in need of therapy in this back-and-forth thriller.

Salma Khatun and her family are new to the neighborhood and have issues with their neighbors. First, the dispute is over parking (so petty). Still, Salma and her husband experience racially-backed attacks from their neighbor Tom Hutton as he trashes their Black Lives Matter banner, even going so far as to deface their window and shout insensitive slurs. After a video of their confrontation gets posted to Twitter, Tom loses his job and begins to spiral.

All the while, both families' sons remain friends and business partners amidst their battles. More aggressive things begin to impact the Khatun family, including keyed cars, intrusive squatters, their stolen family dog, and their son in a coma after a second-story plummet. They can't seem to catch a break and are seeking legal action and could you guess who they are pressing charges against? You guessed it... Their neighbors.

This is fiction, but I am SURE there are instances of crappy neighbors like this in real life, and with every chapter, I was convinced my jaw couldn't drop any lower, but I assumed incorrectly.

This book had a little bit of everything. From neighbor/familial disputes to racism, murder and betrayal, this book will keep you turning the page. The only real critique I have is that the ending felt too rushed. It felt like a lot of things crammed into a short amount of pages while somehow also leaving questions in the air.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This was not badly written but I feel it shouldn’t have been advertised as a thriller or suspense. This is more about racism and trying to fit in in your own new neighborhood.
Not what I was expecting or what was advertised but as I said, it was well written.

The Khatun family moves to Bleinheim in search of a better neighborhood for their teenage son, Zain. When Salma observes her neighbor, Tom, removing an anti-racist banner placed outside by Zain, she places it in her window. The next morning, the window has been painted over. From there, the tensions between neighbors escalates with dangerous, life-altering implications.

This is a well written exploration of prejudice, intolerance, the dangers of social media, the need for revenge. There are so many themes relevant for our times.

Composed of three parts, I found the first part to be very unsettling due to the oft time crazed behaviors of the adults. I enjoyed Part 2 the most and I think that Part 3 will be a catalyst for much contemplation among readers of this book. I think this would be a good choice for a book club and quite revealing in the discussions that would ensue.

Pub date: 9/12/23
Genre: domestic suspense/courtroom drama
Quick summary: Salma and her family move to Blenheim for a fresh start, but their new neighbor Tom is the exact opposite of welcoming...and things escalate quickly.

Kia Abdullah writes excellent thrillers with elements of social commentary; this one deals with racial/ethnic tension and microaggressions. I was glued to the page as Tom caused chaos and Salma and her family dished right back in an effort to protect themselves. The scary thing is that it felt like something very similar could happen in real life in many neighborhoods. The tension ratcheted up so high, and I knew that something terrible was about to happen. The aftermath played out in the courtroom with plenty of drama.

You may read most of the book and think that you know how it will play out - well, let me tell you you would be wrong! There were so many twists leading up to the devastating final reveal, and I did not see them coming. 4+ stars.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book on NetGalley because I received an email advertising it as a suspenseful thrill! I did not find this suspenseful or thrilling. The book was pretty well written, but I would not have requested it if it had been advertised correctly. The Khatun family has just moved into a nice neighborhood in Blenheim. They thought this would give their son the opportunity to grow up in a nice neighborhood and they could all get the fresh start they needed. But the neighborhood is not how it seems. Placing a BLM banner on their property makes their white neighbor retaliate against them. Things just continue to go downhill from there. Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the ARC of Perfectly Nice Neighbors by Kia Abdullah. So they are definitely not perfectly nice neighbors! I went into this book anticipating a thriller, and what I got was so much more. This is not your garden variety whodunnit. What happens when you move your family to the “nice” neighborhood of Blenheim with the hope of a better life, and you’re greeted with micro-aggressions, blatant racism, and arbitrary rules? What is your breaking point? The actions of each character (both main and supporting) begs the question, if you knew the outcome, would it change your actions and/or reactions? How hard does the lesson have to be to change a person and their beliefs? I also appreciated the choices the author made with the ending. There’s so much I want to say, but I don’t want to spoil it! Perfectly Nice Neighbors comes out September 12. This is my introduction to the author and I’m excited to check out more of her books.

I really enjoyed this thriller! The plot was interesting and engaging. I couldn't wait what happened next. I liked that the author touched on social justice issues. A great thriller overall.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author Kia Abdullah.

This is a very good book and well written however the ending was a miss for me. I court part of the book was a page turner and at times I found myself so angry with the characters in the book. I will read more by this author in the future.