such a gripping read! The suspense and tension build up perfectly, with twists and secrets that totally caught me off guard. The characters are well-developed and feel real, especially with their flaws and messy lives, which makes the drama all the more addictive. I loved how the author kept me guessing about who to trust right up until the end. If you enjoy thrillers with complex characters and unpredictable plotlines, this one’s definitely worth picking up!

This was an interesting read. We meet Jen who moves into a new neighborhood all with the intention of finding the culprit of a past crime. The gradual introduction of characters through multiple POV's kept the story engaging.

As readers we are able to connect the dots pretty early but the POV of each character keeps you hooked. None of them are particularly likeable but it's their unlikeability that draws you in. A lot of other storylines are introduced which is primarily done to give you insight into the character rather than solve a problem.

Jen and Jocelyn are great protagonist/antagonist. I did feel that the story dragged on a bit much and that there would be more justice for the victim. But since that doesn't hold true in real life at all, this book is spot on.

I give this book 4 stars for the intriguing plot interwoven with a good old romance.

I thank NetGalley and Joffe books for the E-Arc and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Release: April 2, 2025
-Kate Braithewaite
Publisher: Joffe books

Rating: 3.75★ 

In this gripping psychological thriller, Jen Silver relocates with her partner, Dan, and her daughter to an upscale neighborhood in suburban Pennsylvania. On the surface, it’s an idyllic community where neighbors gather for casual get-togethers, but Jen harbors a hidden agenda. Driven by the unresolved disappearance of her sister two decades earlier, Jen has chosen this neighborhood deliberately, suspecting that the truth she’s been seeking might be concealed among her new neighbors. As she delves deeper into the community’s secrets, Jen discovers that some residents are determined to keep the past buried, leading to a suspenseful narrative that keeps readers guessing until the shocking final twist.
Braithwaite masterfully crafts a tense atmosphere, intertwining Jen’s personal quest with the seemingly tranquil suburban setting. The characters are well-developed, each with their own complexities and hidden motives, adding depth to the story. The pacing is steady, gradually building suspense as Jen uncovers layers of deception. While some plot points may feel familiar to avid thriller readers, the execution and unexpected revelations make this novel a compelling read. Fans of domestic thrillers and stories about long-buried secrets resurfacing will find The People Next Door both engaging and satisfying.

Favorite Quote:
"my own thoughts became kind of a poison. I didn't deserve happiness when all day every day I pretend to be someone I wasn't. I felt unworthy."

This book is fantastic! I was gripped from the beginning and the twists and turns kept me really engrossed. If thoroughly recommend!

All I can say is WOW - a MUST READ!!!

Kate Braithwaite crafts a gripping narrative that explores the dark undercurrents of suburban life and the haunting nature of long-buried secrets.

The story centers on Jen Silver, who has recently moved to an affluent suburban Pennsylvania neighborhood with her partner, Dan, and her daughter. What should be a fresh start in a picture-perfect setting becomes something far more complex as Jen grapples with a twenty-year-old mystery: the disappearance of her sister. As she searches for answers in her new community, the line between past and present begins to blur, testing relationships and revealing that the facade of suburban perfection often masks the darkest of secrets.

I would say this book is incredibly captivating and fast-paced, it grips readers from the very beginning. The novel's strength lies in its psychological complexity and the author's skill in crafting morally ambiguous characters who, while not always likeable, remain utterly compelling. What sets "The People Next Door" apart is its layered exploration of family dynamics, the weight of the past, and the sometimes-devastating consequences of seeking truth at any cost. Braithwaite masterfully builds tension while examining how well we truly know our neighbors - or ourselves. The narrative is particularly effective in its portrayal of suburban life, where perfect lawns and friendly smiles often mask deeper, darker realities.

This was a fast paced thriller told from different perspectives. The book started off slowly but I eventually go into it because of the mystery.

Ok this one was a wild ride. I had no idea what was going to happen next. Honestly a little surprised with the ending. I was expecting a different type of ending but it was honestly a great ending. I feel awful for everything Jen had to go through and deal with. I am happy with how the ending of the book turned out for her. Dan deserved so much worse than what he gets, I was hoping for a different ending for him after everything was revealed. I enjoyed this mystery thriller a ton and loved the way the book was written.

I hadn’t read anything by Kate Braithwaite before, but I was drawn to The People Next Door because of its title and cover. The story pulled me in right away. Early on, it’s revealed that the main character, Jen, isn’t who she claims to be, making her an intriguing, somewhat unreliable narrator. While I found the twist about Jen’s real identity predictable (which I assumed it was meant to be), that actually heightened my anticipation for the other twists. The alternating timelines and viewpoints kept me hooked

This book is told from several different view points, which I love. It helps unravel a story going back decades. Jen wants to know the truth about what happened to her sister, Lynette and her boyfriend is unaware he is part of this plan. This “plan” though is all created by the aunt Jocelyn. Honestly, I really hate Jocelyn. She could have literally ruined Jen’s life trying to figure out this mystery of her other niece. She manipulates her and uses her to try to figure out how Lynette died. Jen has already been through the death of her sister AND finding her mother when she committed suicide. But ok, let’s continue to uphaul her life to try to figure stuff out. Yes, Jen could have said no, but imagine being raised this way- how hard it would be to escape the manipulation. I am really happy that Jen and her little girl had a good ending even though manipulating Jocelyn gave 0 cares about the two of them and was only concerned about this other niece.
I did like this read though. It was easy and fast paced.

I had high hopes for The People Next Door, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite deliver for me. The pacing was too slow, making it difficult to stay engaged, and I found myself waiting for something truly gripping to happen.

Additionally, I struggled to connect with the characters. They felt unrelatable and unlikable, which made it hard to invest in their stories. Without a strong connection to the characters or a compelling sense of urgency in the plot, the book lacked the tension and excitement I was hoping for.

While some readers may appreciate the slow-burn style, it wasn’t for me. I wanted more intrigue and depth to keep me turning the pages, but instead, I found myself losing interest.

3.5 stars, rounded up. This book was fast-paced and twisty, so I read it in one sitting. But it wasn’t super memorable, and I’m afraid this may end up in my pile of “quick thrillers that I forget within a week.”

The premise is interesting - the main character, Jen, moves into a suburban neighborhood with her boyfriend, Dan, and daughter. But little does Dan know that this move was intentional, part of a plot to discover what happened to Jen’s sister decades ago.

Jen’s relative, Jocelyn, plays a big role in this book, and I could NOT stand her. A lot of the plot, especially involving Jocelyn, just felt too unrealistic. Near the end, additional storylines were added that just felt distracting.

All in all, if you’re looking for a twisty domestic thriller that you can read quickly, this may be for you.

This book is written in a similar fashion as many other psychological thrillers, from several different points of view, and it alternates between "then" (past) and "now" (present).

Something tragic happened to Jen's sister, Lynette, when they were in high school. Jen and her Aunt Jocelyn hatch a plan to try and figure out what really happened to Lynette. Their plan involves being dishonest and deceitful to many people, including Jen's boyfriend. BUT, they aren't the only ones lying...

If you're looking for a quick, easy read, then this book is it. I do have to say that the ending was slightly annoying...

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review

Huge thank you to NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review! This book releases on April 2, 2025.

The People Next Door's pacing builds steadily, with unpredictable yet satisfying twists. The well-developed characters, each with hidden motives, add intrigue as secrets unravel. It's a great slow paced psychological thriller.

As a thriller fan, this was my first book by this author, and I loved it! I'm highly critical of books and it takes a lot to give a book a 4/5 star review, so this is a solid 3 pushing on a 4. Highly recommend!

I love this genre, Family secrets, suspects of murder and loads of drama.

I loved how the story unfolded and it was a well told tale. Jen was a great character and I loved reading about her seeming perfect life.

This is a book that takes you out of your life for a while and lets you look into someones elses, Its a perfect holiday read and I loved it

This pleasantly surprised me! ,and another new author for me i kept picking it back up i couldnt stip reading it. I was on tenterhooks.. A street full of lies and deceipt, will the truth come out in the end? But what is the truth?
Dan,jen and daughter nina move to a priviledged community, wgere everyone knows everyone elses business. Jen has a secret and she will protect her daughter at all costs. Is there a reason they moved ? I didnt expect the ending, i highly recommend

I dont do well with Slow paced psychological thrillers. I was hoping for more, but I felt the story dragged on too long with not much going on with the main plot. There was just too much going on. There are plenty of background characters, but no character development. Storylines were introduced but there was no development or solutions.

Looking for a good mystery? Check out this book "The People Next Door" by Kate Braithwaite. It's one of those books that keeps you guessing . In some ways it felt like I was consuming a delicious meal that I didn't want to finish. I actually did take a lot longer to complete this book than I usually do since I was cherishing each chapter.

I have to admit when I first started reading this book I did not know what to expect. This was a new author for me.

Although she had written many books previously most were historical novels. This book was different for her and on reading the description it definately sounded like something I would enjoy.

It was touted to be a psychological thriller so I was sure that I would not be disappointed and I wasn't at all.

The story revolved around a missing person the older sister of the protagonist and the mystery of what had happened to her 20 years in the past .

In a way it was detective story without any real detectives. This young woman and her aunt were their own sleuths and the way they went about it was so creative and fascinating there were days I had trouble taking breaks in the reading when I had to .

The Author did a great job of bringing all the characters and scenery to life and in exploring their lives as well as connecting them all together.

I thank Netgalley and the publisher Joffe Books for letting me be an ARC reader for this book. I have really enjoyed it and highly recommend it to others looking for a good psychological thriller or mystery book.

I give it 4 stars

I loved the twist! I spent only a few days to finish this book. I highly recommend people to read this book!

This one started off strong for me and I was really interested in it. Somewhere along the way though, it got sloppy and I lost interest. I didn't love the characters, but that's not always a bad thing, sometimes it's good not to love the main character. I just felt the story fell a bit flat and the ending was to be expected. I thought their was a lot of potential with the neighbours storylines but I felt a lot of things that were introduced early on, never got closure. For me there were a lot of questions left unanswered

Three and a half stars rounded up. I picked Kate Braithwaite’s “The People Next Door” because I like domestic thrillers and this one sounded interesting. Jen Silver’s older sister, Lynette, disappeared years ago and was later found dead. Jen’s aunt, Jocelyn, has been convinced Lynette’s high school friends know more about what happened than they’ve said.

When the book begins, Jen has just moved into an affluent neighborhood with her fiancé and her daughter. Her fiancé, Dan, isn’t aware the move was part of a larger plan concocted years ago. As Jen, Dan, and Jen’s daughter, Nina, are welcomed into the neighborhood, Jen and Jocelyn begin gathering more information about what happened to Lynette.

The plot got a little messy for me towards the end. The ending itself was satisfactory, but some of the events that happened before then were a bit too convenient in my opinion.

Overall, I recommend this book. It was a quick read and the pace was good. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.