A slow burn mystery which hooked me in and made me suspect everyone!

Hollow's Edge is an idyllic, peaceful, safe neighbourhood. Or is it?! A double murder. A conviction. A release.
Now Ruby, the convicted neighbour is back, her conviction overturned. It's made Harper Nash wonder, what really happened that night? Is anyone who they appear to be? It's 'such a quiet place,' but can you trust anyone?!

I loved the setting for Such a Quiet Place! I could really visualise the small, gossipy town of Hollow's Edge; lovely houses by a lake, surrounded by forest, a beautiful place filled with toxic characters who have endless secrets and lies! The neighbours, who were once close, were filled with unease, anxiety and fear. They no longer trusted each other, they were suspicious of one and other, there was so much tension between them under the surface.

Megan Miranda really got to the heart of what happens when a group of people develop a herd mentality, where finger pointing and witch hunts start. The neighbours here only cared about self preservation, doing anything to protect themselves.

Although quite slow, particularly in the middle part, where it did become a little repetitive, there were some great twists in the last 25%! It became quite creepy and I had no idea whodunnit! The ending was also quite satisfying for me.

The miscommunication between the neighbours did drive me a little crazy, but I felt it was quite clever because it definitely happens in real life when people only communicate by text/social media. I particularly liked the local online community page!

However, it doesn't get top marks from me because I didn't like ANY of the characters! There were some real shady ones, and some felt a bit two dimensional. I wanted to get to know some of the other people on the street better, see their background, thoughts and feelings.

But I zipped through this book, and it took my mind off current issues, and kept me company when I was awake at 5am!

Such a Quiet Place is an enthralling and unsettlingly atmospheric domestic suspense novel about a neighbourhood in which friendliness and tight bonds curdle into disturbing chaos and a climate of intense suspicion between residents of a close-knit community. 25-year-old Ruby Fletcher had lived in the town of Hollow's Edge most of her life before she was convicted of the double murder of her neighbours Brandon and Fiona Truett fourteen months ago. She was convicted, sentenced to 20 years in prison and incarcerated for just over a year on the basis of evidence contained in security camera footage, rampant speculation and testimony from those who liked her and those who did not, including her roommate Harper Nash. When her conviction is overturned on a technicality she returns to the tight-knit lakeside town believing Harper will welcome her back to her old abode with open arms, but that is not exactly the case. In the upper-middle-class neighbourhood, Ruby had lived on the crescent-shaped street of 10 homes situated right next door to each other. They share amenities like the communal pool and have a neighbourhood watch group that doubles as a gossip factory.

It is alleged that Ruby broke into the Truett’s home one evening, started the car up in the garage and opened the door leading into the house to ensure the couple would be suffocated due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Ruby tells Harper that someone’s going to pay for what happened to her and proclaims, as she has from the start, her innocence. Harper allows Ruby to move back in and pretty soon she’s asking herself the question: if Ruby is indeed innocent, then who committed this heinous crime? This is a compulsive, scintillating and original thriller with a beautifully woven plot and a neighbourhood where everybody knows everybody else’s business. It reads like a contemporary version of Agatha Christie’s golden age mysteries and is based in a stunning picture postcard setting surrounded by dense woodland and a stone’s throw from the shimmering lake. It's a disquieting, sinister novel with a series of twists and turns and a steadily increasing paranoia between the residents. Taking place over 11 days, it's a riveting read with a large pool of plausible suspects and a tension that is ratcheted up until the nail-biting climax. Highly recommended.

Harper Nash is shocked when her former roommate, Ruby Fletcher returns to Hollow's Edge. Ruby had been jailed for the murder of neighbours, Brandon & Fiona Truett, but her case had been reviewed & Ruby was freed by mistrial. No-one in the community wants Ruby back, & it seems that everyone is hiding their own secrets about what happened that night. When Harper receives anonymous threatening notes, she realises that someone doesn't want the shocking truth to be revealed.

Megan Miranda books are always a must-read for me so I was really looking forward to this one. It's very much a slow-burner, taking its time to build up a picture of the community where Harper lives. Every one of them has their own reasons for being unhappy Ruby is back, especially Ruby's ex, Mac, whom Harper has been seeing in Ruby's absence. Once the story got going it gathered pace & I had to read the last third of the book in one go. The ending wasn't quite as thrilling as I had hoped, but it was still a great read.

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Atlantic Books/Corvus, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Such a Quiet Place was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021 after I read and loved All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda last year. Unfortunately, this one fell short of my high expectations. It’s not fair to compare the two titles with each other considering how vastly different they are but I will say that this book will appeal more to readers who DISLIKED the somewhat confusing narrative structure in All the Missing Girls. Such a Quiet Place is a lot easier to follow. It has a first-person singular narrative that follows one straight timeline. There’s no frills or clutter – just an easy-to-follow story.

The mystery itself was thoughtfully and carefully constructed. I really liked that it runs with the chaos of fear and a mob mentality within a close-knit community, creating monsters out of ordinary people and everyday situations. I found myself being suspicious of absolutely every single character including the main character and narrator, Harper. It felt like we were given so little of her back story or personality except in relation to other people that I started to question whether or not she was a reliable narrator. And despite my best attempts at armchair sleuthing, I failed to solve one of the two mysteries. (The other was fairly easy to figure out with the on-page clues.)

That said, I did struggle with the pacing and think that’s where my disappointment came in. The first half was extremely slow going. It focuses a lot on Harper not knowing what’s going on and doubting/being suspicious of everyone and everything. And that’s perfectly fine except nothing of note really happens until the halfway mark which is when the pace and tension picks up a bit. It was compelling enough for me to read because I’m one of those people who needs answers but I’m not sure I would have continued reading if I didn’t already know that I enjoyed the author’s work.

Overall, this is a mystery that I think fans of domestic suspense will enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley / Atlantic Books for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I didn’t like this book whatsoever. All of the neighbours were quite dull and boring and you couldn’t keep them apart. Also the two main characters were frustrating and irritating in their behaviours. This was absolutely not a thriller, no tension, no pace. I had high hopes with this one, but was let down. I hope that I will like her next book more.

This was a great read! It was full of intrigue and mystery. I like Megan Miranda books, the way she can draw you in and keep you guessing and this one didn’t disappoint! The plot was was well though through and kept my interest throughout. I liked the premise of the perfect, safe neighbourhood which turns out to not be as safe as they thought. Highly recommend!

Having loved the author's previous book #TheGirlFromWidowHills I was excited to read this. This one however was more of a nice, slow-burn mystery than a unique, psychological thriller. But again it was one of those stories where anyone could’ve been the murderer and I truly suspected pretty much every neighbour at one point or another. Once again I also loved Megan Miranda's effortless writing style and was totally invested in the community she created right from the off and the cute map illustrating who lived where and the layout of the neighbourhood. I totally wanted to live there with its idyllic lakeside location and communal swimming pool, BBQs and parties. I liked the irony of the original 'who-dunnit' but was disappointed and a bit confused by the overall ending which felt like a bit of a non-ending. I definitely would have liked to understand some of the characters more and the whys behind a few of their behaviours and actions.

‘ Tate Cora: I’m watching out my window. It’s her. It’s definitely her.
Charlotte Brock: DELETE THIS NOW.’
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This is my first ever Megan Miranda, I have a few of her books on my TBR and never got round to them, and now I’m kicking myself as this was absolutely BRILLIANT! Giving me all the Wisteria Lane vibes, all I can say is when can I move to Hollow’s Edge!?
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Hollow’s Edge used to be a quiet, private and idyllic neighbourhood. But then came the murder of Brandon and Fiona Truett. A year and a half later, Hollow’s Edge is simmering. The residents are trapped and suffocated by their trial testimonies that implicated one of their own. Ruby Fletcher. And now, Ruby’s back.
With her conviction overturned, Ruby waltzes right back to Hollow’s Edge, and into the home she once shared with Harper Nash. But what possible good could come of Ruby returning to the scene of the crime? And how can Harper possibly turn her away, when she knows Ruby has nowhere to go?
Within days, suspicion spreads like a virus across Hollow’s Edge. It’s increasingly clear that not everyone told the truth about the night of the Truetts’ murders. And when Harper begins receiving threatening notes, she realizes she has to uncover the truth before someone else becomes the killer’s next victim.
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This was just such a huge yes for me all round, I loved the slow build of the beginning where we slowly got to grips with the characters, the houses, the layout of the town and the secrets that may be lingering underneath, all setting up beautifully for the faster paced second half of the book. It felt like it could be a season of Desperate Housewives, and for me, that is always a big tick in my book! A brilliant read, and definitely an author who’s back catalogue I shall now be delving into!
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Thank you to Netgalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC!

My first Megan Miranda read, and I really do like her style of writing and the plot of this thriller drew me in immediately!

A close knit small community Hollows Edge were rocked by the murder of Brandon and Fiona Truett. This neighbourhood is a place we would all want to live from the lovely riverside location to the tight-knit residents. But is all that glitters really gold? Ruby Fletcher was convicted for their murders but fourteen months later is out of prison, her conviction was overturned due to a technicality. She arrives back to the house she shared with her roommate Harper as if nothing had happened and she had never been gone or convicted for murder for that matter. Harper does not want her there but is too weak to ask her to leave. Ruby claims she is innocent, she wants revenge – does she know who the real perpetrator is? Is the real killer one of the residents of Hollows Edge?

Thank you to NetGalley, Atlantic Books and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A 3.5 star from me. If you are looking for a read by the pool thriller that gives off a slightly darker Desperate Housewives vibe then this is for you. It was very reminiscent of the tv show; where your neighbours know you better than you might even know yourself and maybe a little too well. This book captured what it’s like to live in a close knit community so effectively that it made me feel like I was right there in the thick of it all. I really gelled with Megan Miranda’s writing style in here, the flow of the book was consistent and the plot was evenly paced throughout until the last 10% or so.

Where this book fell flat for me was the plot twist. It had so much potential and yet at the final hurdle it fell short. I really wasn’t a fan of it, although I can see why it was introduced and the merits of it. I felt like there was a lot of promise and build up throughout the course of the story only to fizzle out slightly in the end. Megan Miranda is a solid thriller writer who’s work I would read again, even if this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I loved the contrast between the cosy, suburban "nothing can go wrong" setting and whodunnit murder mystery that takes over the quiet town. The characters were a particular highlight for me, especially Ruby. The bitterness and revenge that personalises her character were enthralling, especially when around 2/3 of the way through the book the characters were all thrown together and the reader got to observe them all first-hand. Although it was a bit slow near the beginning, I found Such a Quiet Place very readable and easy to get lost in and a good example of some of the more popular tropes of its genre.

I really enjoy Megan Miranda's mysteries. They're very well thought out and cleverly done.
The writing is suspenseful and the story keeps you guessing the whole way through!

I loved this book!!!
I high recommended this read.
That's a amazing thriller.
Thanks netgalley!!!!

I read Megan Miranda’s ‘The Last House Guest’ last year and I thoroughly enjoyed it so when I saw that she was releasing a new thriller, ‘Such A Quiet Place’ this year, it went straight onto my reading list!

Set in the fictional Virginian suburb of Hollow’s Edge, ‘Such A Quiet Place’ is the perfect stand-alone thriller read for the summer. Brandon and Fiona Truett are found dead in their home. The quiet neighbourhood is in absolute shock that such a terrible thing has happened in their little community. Fourteen months later, Ruby Fletcher, the woman accused of their murder, is freed from prison and her conviction overturned. Ruby returns to the sleepy suburb of Hollow’s Edge much to the astonishment of her neighbours and housemate Harper. Why has she come back and what does she want?

Miranda has perfectly captured the mentality of small neighbourhoods/communities in this book. She sets up a claustrophobic feeling in this book that mirrors the way in which the neighbours live in fear in the aftermath of a terrible crime. The herd mentality reigns supreme in Hollow’s Edge, with the group banding together to ostracise Ruby and also her housemate Harper for allowing her to stay with her again. It is clear from the group that they are terrified of their secrets coming to light and that their neighbours will find out that life isn’t perfect for them. Ruby is the perfect target for their hate as she never fit in there, and even though she is no longer in prison, the residents will do anything they can to get rid of her.

‘Such A Quiet Place’ is a gripping psychological thriller which held my attention throughout. I love how Megan has brought Hollow’s Edge to life. The various characters that we encounter are so convincing, that I felt that we can all identify with the personalities that are present in the story. It’s a fascinating exploration of how a group can form a united opinion and mindset and attempt to evict the individuals who don’t fit into the picture-perfect setting that they have created for themselves. The interactions amongst the characters and the various threads that tie them all together were fascinating to read and draws you further into the story. Megan’s exploration of what people will do to save their little piece of idealised life, and ultimately, save their own skins, was a really interesting element throughout the book.

‘Such A Quiet Place’ is a fast-paced thriller, leaving the reader fully invested and immersed within the story, attempting to found out the truth alongside Harper who is determined to figure out who the real perpetrator is.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Atlantic Books for an advance copy of Such a Quiet Place, a stand-alone thriller set in the fictional Virginian suburb of Hollow’s Edge.

Fourteen months ago Ruby Fletcher was convicted of the murder of her neighbours Brandon and Fiona Truett. Now her conviction has been overturned and she has surprised the community of Hollow’s Edge by returning to stay with her former roommate, the equally surprised Harper Nash. Always the disrupter, Ruby’s return forces Harper to realise that there are secrets and a lack of honesty in her small community.

I thoroughly enjoyed Such a Quiet Place and couldn’t tear myself away from it, reading it in one sitting. The novel is narrated entirely from Harper’s point of view and it’s compelling.

She’s not the strongest character and tends to go along with the latest thing she has been told, rather than analysing it for bias or deception. This is at the heart of the novel - the interpretation of events and the quicksands of what she is being told. The novel swirls with uncertainty, obfuscation and what’s not being said. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife. There is also the pack mentality of the residents turning on Ruby, the young woman who doesn’t conform to the “standards” of the neighbourhood, which, quite frankly, sounds like a nightmare with a neighbourhood watch out patrolling, an online community notice board (for home owners only) and video cameras in most houses. It does add to the atmosphere.

Harper has a strong voice, nevertheless, as she mulls over the events of that night and what is happening now. There is misdirection at every turn and yet she grows more clear headed and analytical as the novel progresses. I thought the ending was clever, although maybe not as unexpected as I expected.

Such a Quiet Place is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Welcome to Hollow's Edge - a picture-perfect neighbourhood where everyone has each other's backs. At least, that's how it used to be, until the night Brandon and Fiona Truett were found dead...

Two years ago, branded a grifter, thief and sociopath by her friends and neighbours, Ruby Fletcher was convicted of murdering the Truetts. Now, freed by mistrial, Ruby has returned to Hollow's Edge. But why would she come back? No one wants her there, least of all her old housemate, Harper Nash.

As Ruby's return sends shockwaves through the community, terrified residents turn on each other, and it soon becomes clear that not everyone was honest about the night the Truetts died. When Harper begins to receive threatening, anonymous notes, she realizes she has to uncover the truth before someone else gets hurt... Someone like her.

'Such a Quiet Place' is a really great read. I found Miranda's description of Hollow's Edge and its surroundings very vivid, reminiscent of Stepford or Wisteria Lane. Although the idea of the perfect neighbourhood hiding some dark secrets may not be new but Megan Miranda has certainly found a new spin to put on it. The way the story - told from Harper's point of view - is interspersed with copies of the private neighbourhood message board is a really cool technique to show readers other viewpoints.

The characters felt utterly believable and I really enjoyed trying to guess whether Ruby really was to blame for the Truetts deaths or if someone else was at fault.

On the face of it, 'Such a Quiet Place' works well as a thriller but it's also, on a deeper level, a study into human nature and how people cope in adverse situations and what they're willing to do to keep their secrets safe.

4-5 stars

It’s Saturday 29th June and a Hollows Edge Community Page message reads ‘She’s back’. To whom are they referring. It’s Ruby Fletcher, convicted of the murders of Brandon and Fiona Truett, sentenced to twenty years but serving fourteen months having been released on technicalities and she’s on a mission, determined that someone will pay. Harper Nash narrates the story, Ruby used to rent a room from her.

This is a really good slow burner mystery as you try to figure out whodunnit. Is Ruby a murderer or a bare faced liar? She’s certainly a powerful personality, you could accuse her of being manipulative and she takes great pleasure in needling the surface perfect small tight knit community. Harper seems to bend with the wind and Ruby easily gets exactly what she wants. The characterisation is really good and you can visualise them as they scuttle around, each trying to keep their persona intact when actually underneath it’s a bubbling cauldron of secrecy and lies. The premise is so good - how well do we actually know people beyond what they choose to reveal? What’s especially unsettling here is the toxic mob mentality of self and neighbourhood preservation. I really like the way the plot builds and builds, layer upon layer as we see there’s tension and fear, there are threats but not necessarily overt ones and a growing aura of paranoia. There are some good twists and at times it’s quite creepy and chilling. There are intriguing shifts in the balance of power throughout which ultimately leads to it all spinning out of control. The ending is really good and extremely tense.

Overall, this is a well written and enjoyable slow burner mystery that keeps you hooked as you try to figure the puzzle out.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Atlantic Books, Corvus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Megan Miranda for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Well this book is a thrilling ride with brilliant descriptive characters. Harper and Ruby were roommates at Harper's house until the couple next door are found, in what is seen as a murder. Ruby is subsequently arrested and found guilty off their murder. Ruby does have her verdict overturned and she is free. She goes back to Harper's house and Harper appears to not have the guts to tell her to leave.

There are lots of descriptive characters in the narrative and I warmed to Harper alot. Such a Quiet Place is full of thrilling twists and turns and worth a read. I felt that it did take me a while to get into the novel and work out all the characters, as for me there were quite a few, but nonetheless a good read which will keep you guessing and coming back for more.

This is an average read. The characters are well written though and the plot is quite interesting. Unfortunately I feel that I have read a few books which are quite similar and this doesn’t offer me anything unique.

Another great novel from Megan Miranda, skillfully covering a suspenseful domestic/mystery thriller. A real page turner until the very end to discover the truth.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.