How well do you really know your neighbors? With its sprawling yards and excellent schools, Cottonwood Estates is the perfect place to raise children. The Cottonwood Book Club serves as the subdivision's eyes and ears, meeting once a month. When late-night acts of vandalism target the women of the book club in increasingly violent and personal ways, they will be forced to decide how far to go to keep their secrets. At least they all agree on what's most important: protecting their children at any cost—even if it means someone has to die.
Heller excels at the complex characterization required to engage readers, resulting in a book that’s truly impossible to put down. The myriad anxieties her characters feel—fear for their children, their reputation, their community—are entirely relatable. A sense of dread and foreboding permeates the narrative ... With such a wonderful buildup and a truly surprising finish, The Neighbor’s Secret is a delight to read.
Entertaining ... Readers will relate to these appealing women, who toss off one-liners even as they wrestle with such issues as teen substance abuse, bullying, and workaholic spouses. This is perfect for Liane Moriarty fans—as well as potential book club catnip.
Much of the book is overly familiar. The characters are hard to differentiate at first, and it's hard to care about them. The plot twists often seem arbitrary, if not unbelievable ... The big reveals at the end may leave readers a bit puzzled ... Not as entertaining or absorbing as it means to be.
