Last year I read Someone We Know when it first came out and today it’s out in paperback! So to celebrate, I am re-sharing my review today!
If you love suspense and thriller novels, Lapena is a great choice. I have only read a couple of her books but I have enjoyed each of them. I am looking forward to her upcoming novels as well!
Be sure to pop pick up a copy of the paperback release today and see what I thought of this book when I originally read it! It held my interest and kept me guessing for sure!
Re-Share Review
Shari Lapena has a big big big fan base and she has written a number of best sellers. Prior to this book, I had only read one of her books and thought it was pretty good.
I was totally open to reading more and when this one came up for review I was excited to check it out and see how her writing held up for me a second time around.
One of the things that caught my eye about this one was the neighborhood gossip mill aspect. Neighborhood was strongly featured in the summary and I was eager to see how that played out in the story. Often so much is focused on the inner working of a home when it comes to domestic thrillers, without much emphasis being placed on the neighborhood so I was exceptionally curious about this one.
Summary
Maybe you don’t know your neighbors as well as you thought you did . . .
“This is a very difficult letter to write. I hope you will not hate us too much. . . My son broke into your home recently while you were out.”
In a quiet, leafy suburb in upstate New York, a teenager has been sneaking into houses–and into the owners’ computers as well–learning their secrets, and maybe sharing some of them, too.
Who is he, and what might he have uncovered? After two anonymous letters are received, whispers start to circulate, and suspicion mounts. And when a woman down the street is found murdered, the tension reaches the breaking point. Who killed her? Who knows more than they’re telling? And how far will all these very nice people go to protect their own secrets?
In this neighborhood, it’s not just the husbands and wives who play games. Here, everyone in the family has something to hide . . .
You never really know what people are capable of. (summary from Goodreads)
Review
This book totally had me wondering about my neighbors! I live in an upper middle class neighborhood on a cul de sac but I barely know my neighbors as they are all older and most don’t have kids. After reading this book I found myself questioning what happens behind closed doors. I am a stay at home mom with WAY too much imagination and by the time I was done with this book I was sure the man across the street holds his wife captive in the basement because we never see her!
When I am questioning my own neighborhood, that to me is the tell tale sign of a well written and interesting story. Clearly I was thinking about my neighbors long after this book was over and of course during!
I loved how gossip and secrets played such a huge roll in this one. There were a lot of red herrings and some of the characters had things to hide which made me as a reader uneasy and I thought it made the story suspenseful and quick.
The only thing that was a little off putting for me was the amount of characters and how they were connected. There is certainly a lot going on in this book and you need to be on your toes in order to keep up, but I wouldn’t say that it’s too overwhelming—I just felt that I had to think a little more and to keep track of who was who. This wasn’t a book that I could read and zone out to–I had to pay attention.
If you are into suspense/thrillers then this is an author you absolutely want on your radar! Lapena is a great writer and I can totally see why she has such a following. Her books (the two I have read so far) are well constructed with interesting plots and twists that keep readers guessing and flying through the pages! Don’t miss this latest book!
The Lit Bitch 