Katie Sise delivers a gripping, character-driven thriller in You Must Be New Here, a novel that masterfully blends suburban suspense with the complexities of female friendship.

Sloane Thompson has built a seemingly stable life in Sycamore Glen, but after a decade in the community, she still feels like an outsider—until Harper Wilson moves in next door. Charismatic and uninhibited, Harper quickly draws Sloane into an intoxicating friendship that offers the closeness she’s been missing. But when Daisy’s trusted babysitter, Margaret, vanishes without a trace, the neighborhood’s idyllic facade starts to crumble, revealing secrets that some would do anything to keep buried.

Sise excels at crafting tension, both in the mystery of Margaret’s disappearance and in the shifting dynamics between Sloane, Harper, and those around them. The novel keeps the reader on edge, expertly layering suspicion and psychological unease as the truth unravels. Sloane is a compelling protagonist—flawed yet relatable—and her journey from loneliness to entanglement in something far darker is both gripping and deeply immersive.

With sharp twists, well-drawn characters, and an ending that lands perfectly, You Must Be New Here is an engrossing read that lingers long after the final page.