I had a love/hate reading relationship with this book! I didn’t like the premise, or the characters for that matter, but I couldn’t put it down! Unique, unsettling and subversive. I appreciate the author’s writing and creativity and it deserves every star given. I just didn’t feel comfortable with the subject matter of open marriage/infidelity but no spoilers! 🤐

It was a page turner from start to finish!

Full review - Instagram @on_a_sandbar

The House on Cold Creek Lane was the perfect spooky season read about a house that seems to be destined for tragedy.

When Laurel and Rob move out of the city and into the suburbs, Laurel is a little more than hesitant. While they’ve always talked about this life, Laurel can’t shake the feeling that something bad will happen. Aren’t the neighbors a little too nosy? A little too friendly? And little too eager to insert themselves into Laurel and Rob’s life and interact with their children? Or is she just projecting her own childhood tragedy on her current life? Meanwhile, Corey is trying to outrun her past after experiencing a major tragedy in her own life. Will she find the closure she’s been looking for? And what will happen when Laurel and Corey’s lives collide.

All in all, I really enjoyed this read. I like the dual POVs (Laurel and Corey), although it took me a longer than it should have to figure out how their stories were going to connect. Of their two stories, I liked Corey’s a little more. Both women had some serious lapses in judgement, but Corey’s motivations and actions made more sense and were more justified, where it seems like Laurel acted more out of paranoia.

I also want to mention that Rob was one of the least likable characters I’ve ever read. He continually gaslit Laurel and refused to validate any of her concerns or feelings, so it’s no surprise that she ended up turning to a dark place. I’m honestly shocked their marriage was still holding on.

Overall, this was a solid spooky season read and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

This thriller really caught my attention from the very beginning. The characters were very intriguing and I just had a feeling I couldn't trust all of them after the events of the past at this house. I thought this was pretty fast-paced and never had a dull moment. The suspense really built up till the ending but I did think the ending was a little too convenient and wrapped up too perfectly. I would have liked a little bit more suspense and action at the end. Otherwise though I thought this was really entertaining. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Severn House for an advance copy of The House on Cold Creek Lane! We had a lot of fun talking about this one at The Pulse, it would make for a great book club read/discussion.

Rob and his very pregnant wife, Laurel, just bought a house in New Jersey. The neighborhood is great and Rob got the house for an amazing price. It’s almost as though it’s too good to be true. The neighbors are attentive and Laurel is able to find some new friends, and enemies as she acclimates to a new house and a new life as a mother.

Corey used to live in that house and keeps close tabs on the comings and goings of the neighborhood even though she now resides in Florida. Corey has unfinished business.

This was a wild ride. If you’re a parent, it may be difficult at times so proceed with caution. I know that I personally have no triggers but the most difficult things for me to read often involve kids in the plot of thrillers.

Laurel and Corey are our two POVs and both are flawed in different ways, but both have some very unlikable traits as well. They’re not the only unlikable characters as almost everyone has something about them that just nags at you, even if you can’t quite place it.

The plot is slow burn and Liz does a great job at increasing a reader’s curiosity until we reach the climax, which was honestly unthinkably insane!

If you love a good domestic / neighborhood thriller, I definitely recommend checking this one out. It was my first book by Liz but not my last for sure.

Welcome to Cold Creek Lane...

Rob and Laurel feel like it's too good to be true, but it's real that their offer to that house is accepted. Their family with two children moved to Cold Creek Lane and tried to fit in living in suburbia.

Laurel has her childhood trauma when her mother was murdered and she knows that the murderer, Lyle, is now a free man. Her paranoia is hitting back, especially after she received a note "I lost my family. Now yours is in danger. " Her struggle with two young children, her paranoia, and  the addition of the creepy neighbour paying way too close attention to her kids, 

The story is told by dual POV, Corey, and Laurel. Corey is a character who lives with her mother in a retirement living village, and she also has her past trauma. You'll keep wondering about the connection between the two women.

It's a page-turner book with an interesting plot revealing of who the real villain in the story

The neighborhood was one that I like reading about in domestic thrillers. All the neighbors seem friendly and even close until a new family shows up and the skeletons are slowly revealed. The reader knows something tragic happened but not what or how. It was hard for me to tell which neighbors could be trusted because of their actions. I found the neighbor creepy just like Laurel did, but her husband also rubbed me the wrong way. It took me a little longer to get into Corey’s pov but she really made me question some things that were happening in Laurels pov and I loved how it all came together. It was well written with steady pacing and an ending that was plausible and explained nicely.

Thank you @lizalterman @suzyapprovedbooktours for the #gifted copy.

Two women who both have experienced tragic losses and who have both lived in the same house and who have the same enemy.
Laurel and her family have just moved into their dream home on Cold Creek Lane, but their happiness is short lived. Laurel who has two young children is living the day to day life of a struggling stay at home mom. Laurel is trying her best to be the good mother that she always wanted. After her mother’s death Laurel has struggled with confidence which is strained when they move to their new home.
Corey is now living back with her mother and in a dead end job. She has lost everything: her home, her husband and her child. On top of everything nobody even believes Corey that someone else was involved in her daughter’s death, but she knows who is responsible she just needs to prove it. And now the same events are happening to the new owner of Corey’s house, Laurel. Who is responsible and will the tragic events of the past happen again?
Overall rating 4/5
I love how Alterman shins a light on how hard parenthood is and the constant demand that society puts on women to be the perfect mother. The struggles and anxiety that Laurel exhibited was so evident and relatable. The slow buildup of how Corey and Laurel seemed to both be going crazy by the events afflicted by one person made me invested to find out the ending. I appreciated how Alterman touched on the topics of addiction and grief.

*Thank you to Liz Alterman, Severn House and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Liz Alterman delivers another powerful domestic suspense with tension and characters that keep readers wanting to know more. From the early pages, she paints the picture of Laurel's life and growing isolation while inviting readers to experience Corey's unsettled and unmoored existence. The development of Laurel and Corey over the course of the novel is organic and increasingly unsettling. This is the kind of novel that proves readers should trust Alterman's instincts at every turn. Her ability to weave character with plot is on full display. Simply put: Read this book!

This was a great domestic family thriller. Many family secrets throughout the story, especially when you think you are living in the "perfect neighborhood". This was a duo POV between Laurel and Corey. They have alternating stories which intersect and connect in an outstanding ending.
I would highly recommend this thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for this ARC.

This was an engaging read. We have two leading characters but with one connection, a house. We hear from the current mother living in the house and the mother who lived in it previously. Although there were several twists and turns, I did find the main part of the story predictable and as such I wasn't eager to finish. As such, I felt it took me quite a while to get to the end. Overall it was a good read, but nothing to really go crazy about.

The House on Cold Creek Lane written by Liz Alterman was published on August 6th 2024. When Laurel and Rob West move into their new home in New Jersey, it seems too good to be true. But Laurel can't shake off her old feelings of anxiety. The neighbor who pays far too much attention to the Wests' two young children...Rob watching her every misstep...and there's something people aren't telling her about this house...
I promised myself I wouldn't go to that neighborhood again.
Not that street. Not so soon. But I couldn't help it. They made it too easy.
Corey Sutton is trying to outrun her past. Recently divorced and reeling from a devastating loss, she moves into her widowed mother's retirement condo in Florida. Everyone says she just needs some time to recover and rebuild... but is Corey beyond saving? She wants answers. And there's very little she won't do to get them.
Though Laurel and Corey have never met, the women have something in common, and if they're not careful, it may just destroy them both...

This story had me on my toes the whole time and the twists and the character development was absolutely amazing!
Thank you Netgalley, Liz Alterman and Severn House.

Set in New Jersey suburbia, what seems to be a tale of domesticity and motherhood, becomes the thing of nightmares.

This is one of those stories where you don’t know who to trust; most of the characters are somewhat unreliable. There are two main female protagonists: Laurel and Corey. At first, they don’t seem connected, but it soon becomes very evident it has something to do with the house - but how and why, and... who?

This reminded me of a Hitchcock film, where there is gaslighting, deception, and an overall sense of unease. You’ll be questioning everyone’s motives and opportunities. I’ll be honest, I didn’t like several of the characters, especially Laurel’s husband; he was so unsupportive and never believed Laurel when strange things started happening. But all this added to the eerie atmosphere.

Even though the shocking conclusion may have been set up a little too well, it was still incredibly exciting and creepy to read. It was a great ending to this chilling domestic thriller.


Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @lizalterman
for a spot on tour and a gifted book.

Thank you @severnhouseimprint for the gifted ebook via NetGalley.

This was a domestic thriller that because the characters annoyed me so much failed to thrill. The plot had some reasonable twists and turns I guess and the flow of the book made for a quick easy read.

This was a great book. It kept me engaged the entire time. I was so invested in the FMC’s story. I just wanted to shake her husband and tell him to open his eyes to the obvious. I’ll definitely be recommending this one.

The House on Cold Creek Lane is a domestic thriller, that will pull you in and you will lose all track of time. This book is duel point of view and I really enjoyed both characters. If you need a quick thriller this is a great book.

2.5 stars.

One of those thrillers that you read but are not invested in.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

It should come as no surprise that Liz Alterman has another winner with THE HOUSE ON COLD CREEK LANE. I’m amazed at how her devious mind works. (I’m just glad I don’t have to live with her. Just imagine. Yikes!)

In New Jersey, Laurel West is on bed rest during a difficult second pregnancy when husband, Rob calls to tell her that the house on Cold Creek Lane is their’s. After surviving a troubling childhood, when her mother was murdered, Laurel years to give son, Jasper and soon-to be Poppy a ‘normal’ childhood. But now, it seems the killer is being released from prison. and Laurel is on high alert wondering if he’s going to come after her and the children. She went through some difficult times after Jasper’s birth which means Rob is on high alert regarding her parenting skills. Strange and dangerous things begin happening around the home. To top it off, she has an intrusive mother-in-law who, thankfully, is now completely wrapped up in preparations for Rob’s sister’s wedding, keeping her out of Laurel’s way.

Laurel meets many new neighbours but is especially grateful for Addie, who offers a glass of wine and a commiserate ear regarding next door neighbour, Marian, who is an intrusive, nosey neighbour who acts, let’s just say, ‘entitled’ when it comes to Jasper.

Meanwhile, in Florida, Corey Sutton is staying with her mother in a retirement community after a tragedy and divorce. Working in a garden center she befriends teenaged co-worker, Desiree, who looks up to her like a big sister, but is fired for stealing. Desiree is about the only friend she has and they maintain their friendship. But Corey has a secret. She is basically stalking a little girl she caught sight of during one of her daily runs. She has even gone so far as to lift things that the little girl leaves behind. When she is caught in a compromising position, she also befriends the officer who responded to a 911 call. Then she begins attending a grief group and wonders if she could be falling for another group member.

Things come to an explosive conclusion when these two lives intersect. I wasn’t sure if I should be cheering or appalled.

I completely enjoyed this one. Liz Alterman writes psychological thrillers with such precision and is at the top of her game with this one. I love the way her descriptions put you right in the middle of the story. I can’t wait to see where her diabolical mind goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House Publishing for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Love a domestic thriller! The House on Cold Creek Lane by Liz Alterman was super twisty. I found many of the characters so dislikeable that I was hoping they would become victims at one point or another - I am not sure if that was supposed to be the case. That being said I liked the twists in this book. I found it pretty long and there were moments when I just wanted to get to more juicy parts of the book. I did enjoy the ending though! Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for this eARC.

Huge thank you to @lizalterman @severnhouseimprint @berittalksbooks for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
.
There is just something I love about a soapy neighborhood story in the summer. It always hits for me and this was a straight up wild ride. Laurel and Rob move into what promises to be their dream home but did they find their dream neighbors ? This book is full of unlikeable characters which totally works for the story.
.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This was a decent thriller that had many twists and turns. I was fortunate enough to get approved for both an ebook and audiobook galley of this book. The author of The Perfect Neighbors returns with another juicy and addictive thriller. This was a very fun and fast-paced thriller and I didn't think it was predictable, which is good!
On the audiobook side, I thought that the narrators Gail Shalan and Emily Ellet did a great job telling this story and bringing the characters to life.

Overall this was a really good thriller and I can see why Liz. Alterman is so popular!

—


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

********


If you are interested in seeing more of my reviews and other content feel free to connect with me here <3:

https://linktr.ee/bookreviewsbyjules (links to my Instagram, Goodreads, TikTok, Storygraph, My blog and Substack newsletter, etc)

If you are a publisher or author who has questions about my reviews (as well as questions about my stats, reach or engagement), please free to email me. I am also open to requests for book reviews from authors or publishers. Thank you again for taking time to read my review, and I hope you have a wonderful day!