Not even remotely my cup of tea, but it was basically ok, other than I hated all the characters and not much interested in the general plot. Which means, I suppose, that it was decently well-written and didn't come across as a derivative piece of tripe. While I gave it 4*, it should probably be a bit less, say 4*-.

Anyway, we have Alexis and Sam Crawford who are trying to make it in the Washington, D.C. area. They buy a fixer-upper house in a fancy area, for a mere million or so dollars. The neighbors across the street, Blair and Teddy Bard, seem to be the perfect couple, well turned out and with several perfect children. But, shortly after making the acquaintance of the Bards, Teddy is found murdered on the jogging trail along the river. The only nearby access point to the trail is at the end of the street on which everyone lives. So, was it one of the neighbors who killed Teddy?

Alexis and Blair strike up a friendship and spend a lot of time talking over various issues. It seems that some of the other neighbors in the enclave are a bit strange. There might be some other dangerous incidents going on in the neighborhood, people lurking around in the dark, and so forth.

The book switches back and forth between the viewpoints of Alexis and Blair, which I found to be an interesting construction. The book was reasonably well written and engaging. My only problem with the book is that I didn't find a single character in it who was appealing in general. Virtually everyone was an a-hole of one kind or another.

#WhatTheNeighborsSaw #NetGalley
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This was a solid thriller with an unexpected ending that I didn't see coming. ( )

What the Neighbors Saw takes place in a neighborhood that may remind you of Desperate Housewives or Real Housewives of Anywhere. Alexis and Sam are ambitious with competitive careers. Sam is close to making partner and putting in impossible hours at a pretigious law firm. Alexis works for a smaller boutique firm as a consultant and is pregnant with their second child. They know where they live will influence decisions like making partner and buy a house just enough beyond their means to cause strife and tension as it turns out to have more urgent repair problems than expected.

They are both drawn to their neighbors down the street, Blair and Teddy. Teddy is a state legislator. Blair is an interior decorator with impeccable taste, not just in decor. They seem the perfect couple.

But then Teddy is murdered. The police do not identify any clear suspect. Of course, the neighbors are all both intrigued and frightened trying to think who it could be. Could it be their gardener, the nanny, could it be one of them. Alexis has a few encounters that make her suspicious and definitely show a scandalous side of the neighborhood.

What the Neighbors Saw is a fast read, a two-bite morsel. That’s a good thing because the characters are not that appealing. Blair is judgmental and hard-edged, a bit condescending and a lot snob, though she covers it well. Alexis is insecure about her Latina heritage and her lack of a father. She always puts her self down which gets annoying. We go back and forth between Blair and Alexis’s point-of-view and neither of them are particularly appealing people to spend time with.

However, I appreciate the mystery and its unexpected resolution. It’s unusual and I don’t mind how it all pans out. I can understand how Blair and Alexis got to where they are and would not be surprised if this is not the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

I received an e-galley of What the Neighbors Saw from the publisher through NetGalley.

What the Neighbors Saw at St. Martins Press | Macmillan
Melissa Adelman is on Instagram

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2023/10/05/what-the-neighbors-saw-by... ( )

The two characters telling this story are both engaging right from the start! YES, I wondered IF I should have seen the ending coming but no....I really did miss the final results....with an "s." The writing is impressive, especilly from a first time author! She provides so much detail that you can see you in mind just what is happening, almost minute by minute. Sort of sad to see how much drinking is part of the story as well as how much help Alexis has....but it's just not enough. It's a quick read because you are reading the turning pages quickly to see WHAT will happen NEXT!

I did finally read some of the earlier reviews and I must admist....this IS quite a collection of characters who are truly...awful...in that neighborhood!!! ( )

One infant and another on the way, her husband Sam expected to make partner at his law firm and a new home in an affluent DC suburb – everything seems to be going well for Alexis and her family. The house is a fixer-upper and will need quite a bit of work but Alexis is up for the challenge though money might be a bit tight with her on maternity leave from her Consultant job, Alexis is hopeful that this move will usher in a new beginning for her and her family.

Alexis eventually moves into her new home with her husband, two children and live-in nanny and slowly gets to know her new neighbors, the first of whom is Blair who has lived in the neighborhood for over fifteen years. Tragedy rocks the community when Blair’s husband Teddy is found dead at the bottom of a trail near their home on the banks of the Potomac and all evidence points to the fact that it was indeed murder. An investigation ensues and Alexis befriends Blair, them spending a lot of time in each other’s company. As the narrative progresses, Alexis begins to notice strange occurrences in the neighborhood, and if the rumors and gossip making rounds has even an ounce of truth to them, her neighbors have a lot going on under the veneer of the perfect image they strive to maintain. Could any of them be responsible for Teddy’s murder? Is the neighborhood really as safe as it looks to be? Can Alexis trust her neighbors?

"Every house has skeletons in the coat closet. Maybe in every closet. In this neighborhood that’s for sure.”

I struggled with What the Neighbors Saw by Melissa Adelman. The story is presented through a dual narrative in alternating chapters. Initially, I was intrigued by the mysterious death of and was looking forward to an intricately plotted domestic suspense thriller but what followed was a long-drawn description of the lives of the affluent, their lies and secrets, bad marriages and infidelities, pettiness and more of the same with the mystery and the investigation taking a backseat. The plot progression was slow, tedious and repetitive. The characters were mostly unlikable, but that did make the story somewhat interesting. Only in the final 20% of the novel was my interest resurrected. I didn’t see the end coming which is always a good thing. Overall, while the premise of the novel held promise, I was a tad disappointed with its execution. Overall, too much drama and too little intrigue!

I paired my reading with the audio narration by Hillary Huber and Sarah Hollis both of whom did a wonderful job of voicing the characters and making the story come to life. The audio certainly helped me get through this novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Book and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and ALC of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. ( )