Four girls, all born over six months in 1987, growing up on the same street. As close as sisters. They’re still as close as adults, in 2022. Chantelle a stay at home mum, Mel a paralegal, Jess a housewife and Erin a bookshop owner. But life isn’t quite as perfect as it seems.

I really thought this book was going to be a thriller, it ended up being quite soap-y with a bit of a twist at the end. I found the pacing at times dragged, and I muddled the four women up constantly. It was an okay read, it doesn’t make me want to read more from the author.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a review through Net Galley.

4 babies, all born within 6 months of each other grow up to be best friends. But at this point in their lives, things aren’t going so well.

The book was super easy to read and I devoured the chapters. I would not call it a psychological thriller and I did guess a few twists before they were revealed, but I didn’t gasp in shock!

If you want a ‘warm’ thriller/who done it, this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Girls Next Door centers around 4 girls born months apart on the same street. Growing up more as sisters than friends, the plot showcases the unbreakable bond they share especially during troubling times in each of their lives.

I have to say I was highly disappointed with this one. This is most certainly not a thriller and left me wanting a whole lot more. It was incredibly slow and the same few plot points were replayed over and over again until a very small "twist' at the end... and I mean the last few pages. The meat of the book was very boring and the parts that I believe were supposed to be the thrilling aspect left more to be desired.

Four women born on the same street within six months, they grow up to be best friends all their lives. Thirty years later they still have an unbreakable friendship more like sisters. Jess was raised by her grandparents after her mum walked out and left her as a baby, Chantelle who discovers her husband is having an affair then he has a tragic accident when on his bike, Erin who runs a bookshop and is looking to expand it and Melissa who quits her job to start new.
First Chantelles husband is found dead, Jess also has a loss in her life followed by a murder. Are they linked is someone trying to protect the girls or are they all accidents?
A brilliant well written book with very loveable characters and the story of lifelong friendship.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Girls Next Door by Anita Waller is an addictive, good, and entertaining domestic thriller! In some way, it was like a dark version of "Sex and the City" just without dating obsession.

I loved the characters! All of them! 4 main ladies had strong personalities despite of life choices!
The friendship and support were incredible! And of course, drama elements, and past secrets tuned into the twists make this book beautiful! The last twists left me with an open mouth!

This book is about care, support, and trust! I was worried that it would be hard to follow who is who but it was easy as they all were so different!

Jess, Erin, Melissa, and Chantelle are best friends! They all are born in space of 6 months on the same street so they grow up as best friends/sisters. Now as adults, they are facing different challenges in life until one day people just start to die! One by one!

I know it will probably never happen but I would LOVE to have the next book to know how all of them moving forward!

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this copy! I highly recommend this book to anyone who values real friendship and care!

Wow! What can I say about this book in one word! Tremendous!!! Although I would recommend all books from this author, this book was definitely on another level! I can not recommend this book enough to anyone that enjoys a psychological thriller!

Anita Waller books always manage to keep me hooked and guessing throughout, it had me asking myself who I should trust.

I wouldn’t classify this book as a thriller. It’s more of a woman’s drama story line.
4 women who were all born in a small town all within months of each other who grow up to have an unbreakable relationship. It takes you thru each woman’s journey in their life. Regardless of what they are going thru they are there always for their friend. It tugs at heart strings and get you involved in each of their stories and struggles.
But don’t expect a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you’re more into a woman’s drama then you will enjoy this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to get an advance copy for my honest review

I really enjoyed this the story just flowed throughout and I could not wait to find out how it was going to end. I loved the writing style and the different perspectives it kept the story flowing nicely. I will definitely be recommending this as I loved it. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.

A nice thriller, i recommended it. This was my first read by this author. Netgalley has introduced me to a lot of new authors I never heard of prior. Quite a few twist in this one. The plot is a good one!

Loved this book!
These girls, who are lifelong friends, have bolstered each other through life's trials and tribulations.

They suffer a number of losses, and their bond just gets closer.

The book is not a thriller as such, but it is a page turner. It is an easy read, and while there are deaths, there is no gore.

The characters are very real. They have their flaws and love each other despite those flaws.

Would definitely recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

I picked this up as it was listed as a mystery/thriller. I was highly disappointed. This is a story about four girls born months apart, who grew up together and remained like sister as adults. The story revolves around the drama of their everyday lives, along with marriage, kids, work, and death. It took almost the entire book to get to a suspenseful scene, that would help label this book as a mystery. From there it moved quickly, though, there wasn’t much left to read. While I enjoyed how in depth the author wrote about each character, the overall story didn’t hold my interest, and it wasn’t the mystery/thriller/suspense it was categorized as.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Girls Next Door is billed as a mystery & thriller but I would say it shines as women’s fiction focused on family drama and ties. Erin, Melissa, Jess, and Chantelle grew up as sisters, not in blood, but in closeness and their experiences supporting one another. While they go through life’s highs and lows together they need to band together especially when Chantelle’s husband passes (starting the mystery and thriller element). This book really focuses on each friend and their relationships, and with that it is heartfelt and sings true. I almost think the mystery element was unnecessary in doing that. A character driven book, I thought this was well crafted and appealing. I enjoyed the twists but ultimately I will remove some stars for not fulfilling the thriller description I expected.

Anita Waller whatever the topic of her books always manages to make them so easy to read. One is immediately wrapped up in the story and empathising with her 3D characters. In The Girls Next Door the main characters are four young women born very close together on the same street at the same time. They stay close all their lives and become like sisters to one another. They never fail to be there for each other when their individual worlds begin to fall apart. Although this is a murder/mystery which is Anita Waller's usual genre, the murders don't overwhelm the story. The relationships between the girls takes priority. A thoroughly enjoyable read as always. A pleasure to recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own

this is my first read from this author and while i was invested into getting to know the characters, i wish it had more thriller to it because it focused more on the bonds etc. wasn’t my fav but didn’t hate it.

I liked the idea of this story. Sadly, I really struggled to get into it. For a “thriller” it did not move fast enough. There was too much detail and character development. I lost interest in all the characters.

The Girls Next Door unfolds the relationship of four women, born within a six months' time span on the same street. Their lives are woven together throughout childhood, and they remain close as adults. When one of the girl's husband dies, the others rally around to provide support and to look for answers, as it is likely that he was having an affair.

I read about a fourth of this book, but I didn't find it engaging, and I couldn't connect with the main characters. It left me not caring who did what to whom, or why. Employing the motto, "So many books, so little time," I chose not to labor through to the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This was such a great heartfelt story of four girls: Chantelle, Mel, Jess, and Erin. The four of them have been best friends but act more like sisters since they were born. They have been there for one another to celebrate the wins and to comfort during the hardships. I absolutely loved the bond these four women had throughout the book. I wasn't really sure this was a thriller until about 57% through when there was an actual murder. The majority of the book is giving the reader insight into each girls lives and what they are currently facing. I felt at times there was too much fluff that took away from the actual story, however; I can see why some of these parts were left in to give you more of an idea of each girl. In my honest opinion, this was more of a heartfelt story of the bond these women share rather than a thriller. I think this story would have been more up my alley if it focused more on the thriller part of the story. This is not to say I did not enjoy it as it was a very cute story. Plus, in every good thriller fashion there was a slight twist in the end. Thank you to NetGalley for introducing me to this author and reading something outside of what I consider my typical thriller.

"The Girls Next Door" by Anita Waller seems to promise a riveting exploration of friendship, secrets, and the darker side of suburbia. The premise, centered around the lifelong bond between four women born on the same street, sets the stage for an engaging narrative.

It cleverly weaves together the lives of Jess, Erin, Melissa, and Chantelle, highlighting the depth of their friendship and the support they provide each other through life's trials. The fact that one of the characters shares my name, "Chantelle", adds a personal touch that may resonate strongly with me. I love it.

As the plot unfolds with Chantelle's shocking discovery of her husband's affair and subsequent death, the tension escalates, drawing readers into a web of intrigue and suspicion. Waller appears adept at crafting suspenseful twists and turns, keeping readers guessing about the true nature of events on Larkspur Close.

The themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the fragility of trust seem to be central to the narrative, offering readers a thought-provoking exploration of human relationships and the secrets that can tear them apart.

Overall, "The Girls Next Door" is a compelling read that combines elements of mystery, drama, and psychological insight. Fans of character-driven stories with a hint of suspense are likely to find this novel thoroughly engaging.