The Family Across The Street is a mother's nightmare. When shots ring out on Hogarth Street, Gladys, a nosy neighbour warns everyone to stay away, because "he has a gun". The story then goes back seven hours to take us through the day that Kathleen and her children are terrorized inside their home. When, Logan, a deliver driver tries to deliver a parcel that requires a signature, the homeowner tells him she can't open the door and that she hopes he understands, he gets a strange feeling that something is wrong. You see, Logan was raised in an abusive home and spent some time in prison, so he has learned to read people. Before he can do anything about it, he gets a phone call that his sister has been beaten and is in intensive care in Melbourne. Not knowing if he wants to get involved in this strangers life, he continues his deliveries while trying to find out more about his sister's condition. What is happening inside that house? Who beat his sister and will she survive?

I have to say that I read this book in one sitting. I did stop for dinner, but that was about it. The story is told from several points of view, so it was interesting to see what each character was thinking. The switches in POVs and short chapters make this a quick and engaging read, and I wanted to hear from each of the characters. The person with the gun was never identified until the end of the book, but I was pretty sure I knew who it was. Each character is well developed and I was heartsick for Katherine and her children. I can't imagine the terror those five year old twins felt during this ordeal. Logan and Gladys struggled with how involved they should get and I was able to empathize with them. Worrying about being a busybody, or putting yourself in a difficult decision because of your past are problems that caused some inaction. This was a taut, tension filled story that had me on the edge of my seat. I knew there would be a huge twist at the end, but it still took me by surprise, and tied up all the loose ends. This was a heartbreaking story that shows how upbringing can destroy a person, yet there is always hope to rise above it and become a better person.

The Family Across the Street is a captivating story that demanded my attention from the first page.

Picture this…it’s scorching outside, and the house across the street is eerily quiet. All blinds are drawn and there hasn’t been any movement all morning long. Knowing there are twin five-year-olds, there should be some sort of commotion, or at least the presence of them going to school, right? But there’s not. Being a good neighbor, you decide to knock on the door. The lady of the house opens the peephole, says it’s not a good time, and immediately shuts the peephole. With this scenario, what would you do? Would you call the police? Would you mind your own business? Or, would you even dare to try and enter the house on your own?

It’s gives you something to think about, doesn’t it? This is the premise of the book and I asked myself those same questions. What would I do? I honestly do not know.

This book is full of suspense. It is told from different point of views which adds just the right amount of depth. I thought I had the story all figured out, but the the conclusion was shocking. Wow!

This is an incredible, fast-paced page-turner that will keep you wondering ‘what would I have done?’ until the very end.

Nicole Trope's latest, The Family Across the Street is a gripping domestic drama set on a scorching summer's day in Sydney, Australia.
The story opens with new mother Margo soothing her baby son Joseph, who's uncomfortable in the heat. She's about to change him when she hears a loud crack outside in the street. Going to investigate, Margo encounters Gladys, the septuagenarian who lives across the road - known as the neighbourhood busybody - who frantically warns her to return inside immediately, as shots have been fired. She's stunned to realise that the disturbance seems centred around the well-kept home of Katherine West, her husband John and their five-year-old twins, George and Sophie.
From this point, the narrative reverts to six hours earlier, and unfolds from four alternate perspectives. Logan, a parcel delivery driver, is hoping to get through his deliveries early, before the worst of the forecast scorching heat settles over Sydney. He has a package to deliver, one that will need to be signed for. When he knocks on the door, the addressee - a Mrs. Katherine West - eventually answers from inside, but refuses to open the door to him, asking him to "please understand". He leaves, but spends the rest of the morning preoccupied by a feeling that something is wrong.
Meanwhile, the Wests' neighbour, Gladys, is tied to her house for the day, caring for her husband, Lou, who suffers from Parkinson's disease. She's a little nosy, but yearns for the close community connections that existed for previous generations. She notices that the West family's curtains remain uncharacteristically drawn and that Katherine hasn't emerged to walk the children to school as usual. Concerned that the family may be unwell, she knocks on the front door a couple of times during the morning, only to be told by Katherine through the closed door that it's "not a good time". When she spots a makeshift sign in one of the upstairs windows, reading "Halp Us" in childish handwriting, she's galvanised into action.
Our remaining two perspectives are from within the West home - those of Katherine herself and her increasingly agitated armed captor.
All four of the intertwined storylines comprise compelling character studies, as each narrator relates their past formative experiences and present challenges. Nicole Trope skilfully uses the alternate perspectives and a little clever misdirection in leading the reader towards the dramatic conclusion. The Family Across the Street addresses a variety of contemporary themes, including the way relationships - particularly marriages - evolve and power balances shift over time and the importance of neighbourhood and community bonds. She also depicts parent-child relationships from the perspectives of both children and adults, depicting both deeply caring and selfless love and terrible abuse and neglect, probing the long-term impacts of both on the developing self. Characters who suffer debilitating internalised pain make choices when faced with current stressors, some paths leading to redemption, others to the prospect of annihilation.
I note that the title has been changed shortly prior to the publication date, from Home Sweet Home to The Family Across the Street. I can't say I find the new title particularly compelling, although I'm sure the publisher has their reasons for the change and there does seem to be a current trend towards these rather bland descriptive titles. Personally, I felt that Home Sweet Home carried an intriguing irony and better encapsulated the ensemble nature of the cast of characters.
This was a thought-provoking and stimulating read, which I finished in a couple of sittings. I'd recommend it to readers who enjoy nuanced domestic dramas, although there are potential triggers associated with domestic abuse, violence to children and child neglect.
My thanks to the author, Nicole Trope, publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

This was so good! Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.

The intensity was off the charts. I loved Gladys and Logan the most. Their chapters were the most interesting. I ‘knew’ what was going on in Katherine’s house…but the suspense came from wondering who was going to stop it.

I think the “who” of it all was well done. It was clear the man from the two incidents was the same person, but just WHO was he? It never felt right that it would be John…but I never guessed Katherine was old enough to have an adult son.

Really engrossing, it kept me glued to my Kindle until the very last page.

This psychological thriller, told from multiple points of view will keep you guessing. What is going on with the family across the street? Why is the lady of the house acting so strangely when a delivery man tries to deliver a package? Is the next door neighbour just being super nosy or is something really going on? Spoiler - yes, something is most definitely going on!

This book would appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty, with the casual writing and character driven story. An enjoyable read.

This book was so captivating and I could not figure out the twist at the end prior to reading it. This made it so much more enjoyable. Loved the writing style and book overall

The Family Across the Street by Nicole Trope is a tense, nail-biting thriller that kept me reaching to read every spare moment. Hogarth St. is a beautiful place to live, but the neighbors do stay behind closed doors, and do we ever really know what goes on behind closed doors?

Gunshots pierce the quiet off Hogarth Street one sunny, summer afternoon. The story then backtracks to the beginning of the day to see how we get to this point. The story is told from multiple points of view, which can sometimes be annoying, but because the chapters are short, punchy, and keep the action moving forward, I enjoyed this use of MOV in the story.

What I liked most about this story, aside from the plot which kept me on the edge of my seat, was that everyone gets some sort of redemption. The story cautions us not to judge people by their exteriors. Is the old lady in the neighborhood just a busy body, or is she actually looking out for her neighbors with true care and concern. Is Logan, the delivery driver who is covered in tattoos and has spent time in jail, bad news like he appears, or is there more to him? Is John, the quiet hard working father across the street really a monster behind the calm exterior? These questions made the story even more compelling and readable.

Obviously when there is a thriller and bad things are happening there is going to be a bad guy or gal. But often riders fall into the trap of making everyone extremely unlikeable. I enjoyed reading a story where I had characters to root for! Well done, and I'll be looking for more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, Author Nicole Trope, and Bookoutre for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

The book starts at the end of the day, where we witness something going wrong.
Then, and all along the book, we go back to the start of the day and live it through several characters' eyes.

The twist at the end, I never saw coming. I had to re-read some scenes to understand how I've been misled, and it was really clever.

It was a good book and the outcome was fast paced and really interesting.
So glad I picked it up !

The book starts out with a bang...literally. Neighbors hear gunshots coming from the house across the street. A husband and wife and their twin children live there. The neighborhood busybody notices the children did not walk past on their way to school. A delivery driver feels something is off when the wife refuses to open the door for a package.
If you think you know how this story is going to unfold, You Don't!!
I love a surprise!
Not my first book by Nicole Trope and it will not be my last.

Thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for the advance copy.

If you want a book to be completely and utterly engrossed in this is it. It sucked me in with it’s prologue of neighbours hearing gunshots and then the characters and plot captivated me to the bitter end.

The intensity of the heatwave is nothing compared to the boiling rage that is being unleashed by a monster inside the West’s house. As a hostage situation develops on Hogarth Street, you will see it from multiple viewpoints. From Gladys the busybody neighbour who cares for her husband Lou, Logan the delivery driver with a chequered past, Kathryn inside the house with her five year old twins and from the monster himself brandishing the gun.

When something feels off do you trust your gut and get involved or do you fear you’re overstepping? For Gladys and Logan these are questions they are asking themselves. As a reader you will ask yourself what would I do?

This book blew me away, it is fraught with tension and my nerves were a jangling mess. Covering just seven hours and highlighting how appearances can be deceptive and how we judge people. 6ft 4 tattooed ex con with a conviction for violence against a woman or neighbourly accountant. Who would you trust?

It uses a highly effective sub plot to really drum home how your upbringing can in turn affect your life but it’s a circle that can be broken.

In my opinion this domestic thriller is faultless in its execution. Strangely though it wasn’t the hostages I was rooting for, but trust me when you read it you will know exactly who I was behind.

This novel is shocking, heartbreaking, gripping, full of psychological depth, characters that seem to live with all their flaws, their personality, their love and their hate, people that could live on our street.
Is a mother's love enough to save their children? When is it right to interfere and what about letting others live their lives? How do we judge others? What do we really know about others?

The story is excellently crafted and believable and leaves room for some unexpected twists.

I had so much fun reading Nicole Trope’s new psychological thriller! I literally could not put this book down and finished it in one sitting because it kept me wanting more! I always appreciate a thriller that successfully pulls off multiple POVs and Nicole Trope did a fantastic job. I loved the “mystery” point of view and the flashbacks between chapters. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys multiple POV thrillers with that affluent suburb vibe.

Fantastic domestic thriller with all the twists and turns and one you won't see coming! Raced through this in one day as I simply could not put it down!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Krikey what a book! More than a few times I was gobsmacked by the twists and turns in this book. And did not see that ending coming at all. Beautifully written and executed. My first Nicole Trope book but definitely not my last!
I highly recommend this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

“SOMETIMES THE NICEST HOUSES BELONGING TO PEOPLE WITH THE WIDEST SMILES CONCEAL THE WORST HORRORS”

Terrifying, Nail biting, and Fast-paced, this story opens when THREE gunshots are heard from the home of John and Katherine West, where they live with their 5 year old twins, George and Sophie-a family of FOUR.

Has someone broken into the home? Or could this be another inexplainable murder-suicide?!
This story FELT authentic from the first sentences and could have been ripped from the headlines.

After the opening chapter, the story will rewind 8 hours, and be told from four EQUALLY compelling POV’s .

Two are from outside the home, where we hear from their concerned next door neighbor Gladys, and a courier named Logan who sensed that something was not right, when he attempted to deliver a package that had to be signed for. Both grapple with deciding if they should intervene. There is a fine line between what is considered to be “too interfering” and what is considered as being “too disinterested” when it comes to neighbors or strangers.

A NEWS BREAK will flash across the television screens about a twenty five year old woman who was attacked in Melbourne two days prior, now in a Coma, and neighbors will admit to hearing arguing, but doing nothing about it.

This will prompt both Gladys and Logan to take additional action.

And, from inside the home, we are told what is actually going on from Katherine, and the “monster” with the gun.
You will get “inside the head” of the person holding the gun..what makes a person feel that they have now reached the point where there is no way back from what they have started?

And, what gives others the courage to face these demons and fight like hell to survive?

All of the characters were well developed, and fleshed out with their own personal stories, giving you additional insight into the choices that they will make.

This was one of my favorite domestic thrillers this year-so GRIPPING and UNPUTDOWNABLE that I read it in a day!! And, you don’t have to wait long to grab your copy-it publishes tomorrow! August 6, 2021.

The author has a new fan, and I cannot to read some of her earlier titles that I have somehow missed!

Thank You to the wonderful Bookouture for providing a gifted copy through NetGalley! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

This book starts with the sound of gunshots, from where or why we are to find out throughout the course of the book. And just that enigmatic starting of the book had me hooked to it from page one. In fact it was so intriguing, I finished it in 24 hrs!

The family across the street is a book about second chances in life, something not everybody gets. It also shines light upon how the early years of a child and their upbringing makes a huge impact on their lives.

The book talks about bottled up rage and childhood trauma. Two characters with similiar bad upbringing, one decides to let go and the other doesn't. The story also shows how people get manipulated easily, especially if the person who manipulates you is a person you completely trust, a truth that later becomes a hard pill to swallow.

About the characters.
•Patrick is a person who wanted a way to let go of the rage inside him, but he was unsuccessful. He didn't deal with his issues which eventually made him lose his bearings.
• Logan is an example of how the world easily judges a person by their appearance and past, especially if they have a criminal record. These characters show that negligent/authoritative parents, for whom nothing you do is ever good, can be something extremely difficult to cope with, which is a bitter truth.
• All the characters are written well, these two being my favourites. Katherine is strong, Gladys is sweet, Debbie is understanding, Paul is kind and Maddy learns from her mistakes.

Overall I absolutely devoured this book and I really hope it gets the attention it deserves. A great ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 star read for me!

The Family Across the Street by Nicole Trope is a fantastic thriller. In a beautiful neighborhood lie many families - many that seem perfect. Katherine and Josh are just that couple with 5-year old twins. Behind closed doors there are twisted family issues that nobody can imagine are happening. This psychological thriller was filled with many twists and kept me on the edge of my seat.

OMG! This sums this book up completely.
I’ve never read anything by Nicole before but I will definitely be recommending her from now on. The Family Across the Street is a book that will stay with me for a long time.
The story is set in Australia and tells the story of Katherine and her family set in one very hot day. It is full of twists that I couldn’t put it down from the very first page. The ending will surprise you beyond belief!
I will definitely be looking for more books by Nicole Trope, what an Author.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this fantastic book.
Five stars doesn’t seem enough.

In this shocking story of a family held in acute fear by a gun - by someone that should love them, Katherine and her five-year-old twins Sophie and George are beyond terrified. How does love turn into hate? Will the three of them survive?

Meanwhile, a delivery man named Logan knows something is not right. However, he is an ex-con covered with violent tattoos and resists the urge to push for what he knows he should do because he is in fear of how he will be looked upon. Then there is the Gladys, who is pretty much the neighborhood watch. She notices everything going on in her neighborhood, even though she is fairly well overwhelmed caring for her invalid husband Lou. She just knows something is wrong, but she is pretty certain the police won't take her seriously. She is desperate to do something, but what can she do? All the while, Katherine and her children are terrified. The man holding the gun is literally a hair trigger away from bringing absolute devastation.

What a riveting book from the estimible Nicole Trope! To say this book is a page turner is the least that I can say. On the one hand we wonder what Logan and Gladys could possibly do. More imporantly, we are left to worry about the safety of the family. Meanwhile, Logan has his own drama concerning his partner Debbie and also his sister Maddie. His story is heartbreaking and flows quite well within the pages of this domestic thriller. There are some shocking, heartbreaking and terrifying moments. Fear and bravery are at war in this amazing story. The ending was completely unexpected. Kudos to Nicole Trope. I have only read a few of her books but as soon as reasonably possible I plan on devouring her backlist.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This was a very tense, claustrophobic, domestic drama. I was never sure how it was going to end except that not everyone would live happily ever after. Apart from some whiny, self serving background from the villain of the story it was mostly told in the present tense, from various third person POVs. Most of the action takes place on one fateful day.

Logan is a delivery driver. He is also an ex convict so has to be very careful around the police. He also struggled to find a job until his wife (Debbie) talked her brother (Mack) into giving him the courier job although Mack still doesn’t trust him fully. His first stop is in a well off area to deliver a computer but the parcel needs to be signed for and the recipient, Katherine West, won’t open the door. She says she can’t open the door. Logan knows he should drop the parcel at the post office for the recipient to collect but he senses something is off about the whole exchange.

Also sensing some offness is Gladys, an elderly woman who lives, with her husband Lou, next door to Katherine. She hasn’t seen the children go to school and the blinds are still all down. She goes next door to see if everything is all right. She has no better luck than Logan. They both return at various stages during the day but the door remains very resolutely shut. Meanwhile Logan is getting ready to dash to Melbourne (from Sydney) where his sister Maddy is in hospital after being brutally bashed, presumably by her boyfriend Patrick. But first he reluctantly reports his concerns to the local police station. On seeing his record he is not taken seriously by the desk officer.

But still, he is drawn back to the West household where he finally meets Gladys outside as concerned as he is. On hearing a scream, he dashes to the back of the house to possibly render assistance. At this point you realise the story is not as simple as it, at first, appeared. The tension inside the house is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Emotions are running high and you wonder if anybody will walk away from this unscathed.

It ended up being very sad. Again a child has been ruined by the actions of one or both parents. It is all too common in real life and I guess this is an all too plausible outcome. The indecision by the concerned Logan and Gladys are very well portrayed. How do you balance neighbourly concern with potentially overstepping? When do you call the police? How do ensure children don’t fall through the cracks to end up repeating the mistakes of their parents? When faced with an impossible situation could you be as brave as Katherine? As a mother myself, I would like to think - yes. But you never know until you are tested.

This was a disturbing, very realistic story. I’ve seen this sort of thing play out in our newspapers and on our television screens time and time again. We should be able to do better! Thanks for the much appreciated ARC from Netgalley and Bookouture which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.