Member Reviews

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the ALC and ThrillerBookLovers The Pulse, Severn House, #partner, for an advanced e- copy of The House on Cold Creek Lane in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I’ve read by Liz Alterman but it certainly will not be my last. Right from the start, I was pulled into the story and loved how there was an undercurrent of suspense woven through. We learn rather quickly that something ominous has happened but we don’t yet have all the details…and I was desperate to get them! ⁣

The characters in this book were all so richly created, whether they were likeable or not…and quite a few walked a thin line between the two. It was very easy to question their motives throughout. ⁣

This character-driven thriller will keep you completely engaged and guessing as to what is coming next…I know I was! And I loved that I didn’t guess many of the twists!!! ⁣


Audio thoughts: This was quite the addicting book to listen to and one I ended up listening to in one go! I was so caught up on what was happening, I didn’t want to put it down! There were 2 narrators, Emily Ellet and Gail Shalan, and both did a fantastic job bringing this story to life.

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I really enjoyed the writing with multiple POVs and the narrator did an excellent job expressing them.

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I enjoyed this one - it was definitely a popcorn thriller that felt like a lifetime movie. I flew through the audio and enjoyed the narration.

This is a domestic suspense with plenty of neighborhood drama. I couldn’t trust any of these characters and had to see how the story unfolded.

While the biggest plot twist was obvious to me, it was still written in an interesting way! And there were other smaller twists sprinkled in.

Overall, a fun and enjoyable thriller!

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Laurel and Rob West find the perfect house for the perfect price for their growing family. After living in an apartment the size of a shoebox for the past few years, this house is a dream come true. Until Laurel can't shake the feeling that her neighbors aren't who they say they are. And then there is the secret that the house holds. What exactly happened there?
Corey Sutton, a recently divorced woman who moved back in with her mother, is struggling with her past. Bad decisions and overwhelming grief follow her. Set on revenge, she does whatever she can to get back at whoever it was that hurt her.

Thank you to Liz Alterman and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions here are completely mine.

I 100% enjoyed this audiobook! I binged the whole thing in two sittings. The intrigue and angst of the story kept me engaged and I was highly satisfied with the ending. Although the plot did not end up being very complicated, in this case, that made the story stronger, with the ending tying everything up in a neat little bow.

Because I listened to the audiobook version of this book, I think that it enhanced my enjoyment of the story. The narrator was excellent, changing tone for each character. I definitely recommend the audiobook version of this book and have already recommended it to a friend. I am excited for its publication day!

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I liked this one! It's a slow building plot that kept me mostly engaged throughout.

A story about motherhood, grief and loss with some suspense and mystery. It's told in the alternating voices of Laurel and Corey. Both women are struggling. Laurel has moved into a new home on Cold Creek Lane with her husband and two very young children. She is trying to fit into the neighbourhood. Corey is living with her Mother at a Retirement Facility. She is not happy with her life.

I enjoyed the writing and the story. I listened to this one and both narrators were very good. Towards the end this one was more of a 3.5 stars. I liked the ending! It was an entertaining story and I'd gladly read another one from this author.

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"People don't believe women, and that made us doubt ourselves. I wouldn't make that same mistake."

This book was catchy from the beginning. I love domestic thrillers, especially ones with nosey neighbors and suburban housewives. This is my second book by Liz Alterman and I'm quickly becoming a huge fan.

This book is told from the POV of Laurel- a mom of two, who just moved to a new neighborhood, at the insistence of her husband rob. She experienced something horrible when she was younger, and now carries around this feeling of distrust and every precaution (as she should). We also get the POV of Corey- she also experienced something very traumatic as a mother and is living back with her mom, at the age of 36, trying to figure out how to get through each day.

I loved reading each of the mom's POV's and how similar they were, but also extremely different. The characters in this book (with the exception of a couple) were just horrible humans- the neighbors were all horrible in their own way, Rob (the husband) was the worst, and it just seemed like neither one of them could catch a break. I was literally mad for Laurel and Corey the whole book. As a mom, some of the things that happened in this book made my skin crawl...I couldn't imagine going through what either one of them went through.

While I did have my suspicions about the main twist early on, I was still surprised by the ending. I also had the chance to listen to the audiobook of this and it was amazing. She even did a great job with the male and child voices. Great job!! If you love domestic thrillers about motherhood and nosey neighbors, pick this one up!!

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Generally, I really enjoyed this book. Each of the two main character's stories is interesting on its own, and I really liked the way it came together in the end. As many others have said, the identity of the villain was not at all a surprise to me, but the way it all unfolded was very well done. The ending, while quite disturbing, is strangely satisfying. I listened to the audiobook and had very different reactions to the two narrators. The one who did the narration for Corey was fantastic, portraying both Corey and the other characters with varied and realistic voices. However, I was not at all a fan of the narrator who portrayed Laurel. Although she generally did a good job with the voices of other adult characters, I found her narration too whispery and hysterical in parts, with her voice often flirting with vocal fry. Listening to the book at 1.25x speed helped somewhat, but what I really couldn't stand (at any speed) was the voice she used for Jasper, the young child. I have two children and I'm a children's librarian; I love children and am around them all day long. I have never encountered such a relentlessly screechy, irritating voice as that of young Jasper, and it sounded like a bad imitation of what the narrator thinks a child sounds like. Truly horrendous--had me almost wishing he would be kidnapped so that I wouldn't have to rush to turn down the volume whenever his voice came on. I must give some blame to the author for this also; a lot of Jasper's behavior was quite bratty and may have made the narrator think he needed a highly annoying voice to go with that. It is actually a testament to how much I otherwise liked the book that I continued listening; I was often tempted stop so I wouldn't have to hear Jasper's voice again. Anyway, other than that, I thought the book was very good, and I thank NetGalley and DreamScape Media for the audio e-ARC.

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Fantastic suburban thriller! This one hooked me from the beginning and the plot unfolded so perfectly and shockingly!! The ending had me absolutely gasping.

Highly highly recommend! Audiobook narrators were great as well, did a great job with the voices.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own

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This book was exactly what I needed in this moment. After coming off of a run of several “ok” books, I was thrilled to have one that I absolutely loved and devoured! Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced copy of this fantastic audiobook! The narrators were phenomenal! I felt like I was right there with them the entire time! Adding both of them to my list of favorites and looking forward to many more from them!

This multiple POV book tells the story of Laurel, mom of two young children and wife to Rob and Corey, a grieving mother who lost her daughter and is trying to navigate her new life full of heartache and pain.

Rob purchases a new family home, while Laurel is in the throes of having a baby and caring for a toddler. Laurel is a bit hesitant being as she’s moving into this home, site unseen and knowing nothing about it. Their purchase of the home seems to be too good to be true. Which is possibly why Laurel seems a bit apprehensive to settle in comfortably.
With a nosy neighbor giving her unsolicited advice and stepping in to help with the children, even though it’s unwanted and her husband critiquing her every move with her toddler and new born, Laurel tries her best to be a great mother despite the scrutiny. Thankfully, she’s made a great friend in Nina, a new neighbor who just seems to get everything that Laurel is going through.

Corey, a grieving mother who is now living unwanted in her mother’s retirement community, appears to have lost her mind as she’s nosing around the neighborhood that she promised she wouldn’t return to. Stealing items that remind her of her little girl who was lost in a tragic accident. With the sympathy of people who understand grief, she is encouraged to join a support group, recover and figure out her new life. She meets someone and seems to build a connection. Can she turn her life around and start again? Or has the loss of her daughter too big for her to recover from?

While Laurel and Corey are complete strangers, they have a tie that binds them. And if they aren’t careful, it may affect everyone they both come into contact with. Watch out, you never know who you can trust on Cold Creek Lane.

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This is my first time reading one of Liz Alterman's books, and she's convinced me to try another! If you haven't read her work, "The House on Cold Creek Lane" is a great place to start.

It's packed with clever twists and compelling characters that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The dual narration by Laurel and Corey, two individuals linked by a strange coincidence, adds intense edginess. Laurel is desperately trying to protect her family from an unseen danger, while Corey is seeking justice for a horrid event that authorities dismissed as an accident.

If you love a good thriller, it's a must-read. It's the kind of novel that makes you question everyone around you... and maybe you should!

Thanks to Severn House/Dreamscape Media for the advanced reading copies provided by Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

#TheHouseOnColdCreekLane #LizAlterman #NetGalley #SevernHouse #DreamscapeMedia #AudiobookReview

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This book is told from two perspectives and alternates back and forth between them. I got the ARC of the audiobook and the narrator did a great job distinguishing between the characters and keeping me interested.

Laurel West and her family purchase their dream home in New Jersey, she thinks it is all just too good to be true. She has two children and a husband, who is an ass in my opinion. I was constantly rooting for Laurel to stand up to him. She befriends the neighbor, but is worried that the others are out to sabotage her.

Corey, on the other hand, has recently lost her child and is now living in her mother in her retirement community in Florida. Corey used to live in the house that Laurel and her family just bought. She is not very good at processing her grief.

I could not put this book down. I had my suspicions of who not to trust in the beginning, but it ended up being far more than I could have imagined. I was cursing and anxious throughout a majority of this book. It was well worth the read. It was a new author for me which I cannot wait to read more of.

Thank you NetGalley, Liz Alterman, and Dreamscape Media for the ARC!

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Thank you to Liz Alteman, Savern House and Netgalley for the ARC!

When Laurel and Rob West find their home at a great price, it seems to good to be true. Nestled on Cold Creek Lane, Laurel tries to adjust to the new house and neighborhood. With a new baby and an active toddler, things are stressful enough but now add on Laurel’s elderly neighbor who pays WAY too much attention to her kids, plus her husband’s micromanaging ways and Laurel is at the edge of her rope. When she meets Addie, she is happy for a friend. Meanwhile, Corey is struggling on the other side of town for all that she has lost. These women don’t know each other but they have something in common…

I was thrilled to hear this book being chatted about with my friends at The Pulse - I have loved Liz Alterman’s previous books and couldn't wait to get into this one too! The pacing of this story was perfect and I finished reading it in a day while on vacation - I found myself grabbing my kindle every spare minute to read and see what was going on with these people! I can relate a lot to Laurel, and remember those feelings of “new” motherhood to your second child quite well. Your emotions are all over the place and you’re trying to hang onto some semblance of yourself while balancing two little people that very much need you. Poor Laurel had zero support system - with her nagging husband, passive aggressive mother-in-law and now Marion, the neighbor who just wont stop butting into her life, it’s no wonder she was so tired.

Then there’s Corey, another woman, in a totally different place in her life. My heart broke for her; I can’t imagine myself in her place, but without giving any spoilers, I felt like her emotional state was just written SO well. This was one of those stories where I truly had NO idea how the two storylines were going to come together, how these women’s lives would intersect, but when they did, all the pieces clicked into place. And the shocking way in which this story ended absolutely blew me away!

With a suspense that never let up, well-developed characters (some likeable, some unlikeable) and a clever plot, “The House on Cold Creek Lane” is one of my favorite reads this year!!

This story releases August 6, 2024 and this review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

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The House on Cold Creek Lane by Liz Alterman - This book was your typical thriller. Decent plot, likeable and easy to hate characters and a few twists and turns. The ending was a bit predictable, at least part of it. I enjoyed the book but did not think it was anything mind blowing.

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I LOVED this book! I am reading two others and I finished this one in 2 days while those other two I lay aside. Once I started this, I couldn’t stop. Laurel was down-to-earth, making it so easy to empathize with her. She discussed the difficulties of motherhood with a gritty honesty and I found myself nodding in agreement. Her husband was so awful. I felt myself cheering her on as she dealt with his constant blaming and gaslighting. Every character in this story was so well done and as the reader I felt like I knew them all. The twist was awesome because it was unexpected and because of really getting to know the characters, it was more difficult to see who was the “bad guy,” because when you feel you really know and understand characters you become attached to them and have compassion for their misdeeds. I will be following this writers’ work going forward! Note: I didn’t give away or discuss the plot because it’s better to go in blind !

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Laurel and her family move into a new home on Cold Creek Lane, but little does she know, this house has a past that nobody is willing to tell her about. To top it off, the neighbors insert themselves into her life right away. One neighbor Laurel befriends right away and another seems to critique everything Laurel does. Laurel finds herself questioning if this move was the right decision.
Meanwhile, Corey is trying to recover from a devastating loss. In order to do so, she moves in with her mother while she searches for answers.
These two women are connected and the question is how…
I loved reading this story with alternating points of view. I found myself trying to guess how Laurel and Corey’s stories were connected. The audio narration was great. It was easy to distinguish between characters since there were separate narrators for Laurel and Corey’s characters. I felt like I was really listening to the characters’ thoughts and hearing their conversations. The author did a great job building suspense and throwing in some twists I didn’t see coming. I was very engaged while listening to this story.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook!!

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This is a dark and twisty tale of motherhood and domesticity set in a suburban backdrop. Laurel and Corey, two women with troubled pasts, are connected in ways they don't yet understand. As they navigate their new homes and relationships, they must confront their own demons before it's too late.

Wow, what a thrilling ride! Although it was a bit lengthy, it was absolutely worth it. I was able to piece together the plot, but I was left wondering about the how and why. As the story unfolded, my questions were answered, and the tension escalated with the mounting body count. With multiple timelines and a diverse cast of characters, I found myself eagerly anticipating what would happen next.

The outcome took me by surprise, particularly with the inclusion of a few unnecessary tragedies that added to the book's eerie atmosphere. The narrator of the audiobook truly brought the characters to life, infusing her voice with dread or excitement that enhanced the storytelling. Her seamless delivery helped the lengthy book flow effortlessly.

This book offers a fast-paced look at the complexities of motherhood and the hidden truths of suburban life. It portrays the idea that things may not always be as they seem, and people are not always who they appear to be. Overall, it is a captivating and engaging read that is highly recommended for those seeking a quick, gripping story.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for audiobook ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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This domestic suspense book was precision. It is told in two women’s point of view: the current (Laurel) and the past (Corey) residents of the house on Cold Creek Lane.

There is a nice use of foreshadowing in Laurel’s story. Corey’s story gives a glimpse at the blow back of tragedy. In my opinion, both women have really annoying husbands which added a nice bridge between women.

I loved the ending.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
What a phenomenal book! I loved the narration and the writing. The multiple points of view were confusing sometimes but merged together perfectly by the end. Some predictable moments but also plenty of surprises too. Right up to the ending. The ending was perfect!

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The audiobook did a spectacular job bringing these characters to life. The cringe was real, people!
My emotions were plucked and pulled – Corey’s loss and refusal to recover; Laurel struggling with an infant, toddler, new home, lack of support and community. Don’t even get me started on the men in Laurel’s life – useless all around. A judgmental elderly woman neighbor who cannot say one good thing to Laurel. The single, childless woman neighbor who offers alcohol and a listening ear.
Unreliable, skewed and what is going on plot.
This book is a slow build, character building thriller. Alterman does NOT disappoint.

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The House on Cold Creek Lane by Liz Alterman and narrated by Emily Ellet; Gail Shalan is a stunner of a psycholgical thriller that had me guessing throughout.

The narrators both did an incredible job, creating characters that were equally relatable and haunting (and in the case of little Jasper, oh my crikey, toddler to a t!)

Following the birth of their second child, Poppy, Laurel and Rob West move to COld Creek Lane with their toddler Jasper. Laurel suffered the loss of her mother at a young age, she was shot at her job in the bank. Laurel has never quite been able to see the positive side of life since, something that her "Every day is sunshine" husband berates her for. As a quick note, Rob and his family really irked me, especially his sister, but I digress. Laurel is suspicious of how they could have got the house so cheap, but as ever, Rob is elusive on the facts, she worries too much he says focus on this or that. By eckers he grated me the wrong way and that shows just how good the writing is!

The beauty of this audiobook is that it is dual pov, the second character being Corey West, the previous inhaitant of the house, the mother whose daughter drowned in the creek at the bottom of her garden, an accident which she is convinced was no accident

The characters each play a definitive role that builds an intricate framework of deception and lies. Who can Laurel trust around her family?

Absolutely 100% recommend this audiobook

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, the author Liz Alterman and narrators for this awesome ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

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