Title: Good Neighbours
Author: Sarah Langan
Publisher: Titan Books
synopsis:
Welcome to Maple Street, a picture-perfect slice of suburban Long Island, its residents bound by their children, their work, and their illusion of safety in a rapidly changing world.
But when the Wilde family moves in, they trigger their neighbours’ worst fears. Arlo and Gertie and their weird kids don’t fit with the ways Maple Street sees itself.
As tensions mount, a sinkhole opens in a nearby park, and neighbourhood Queen Bee Rhea’s daughter Shelly falls inside. The search for Shelly brings a shocking accusation against the Wildes. Suddenly, it is one mom’s word against the others in a court of public opinion that can end only in blood.
my review:
Good Neighbours is an atmospheric, gripping tale of neighbourly strife that turns far more ominous… Prepare to become very acquainted with that sinking feeling when you know something awful is right around the corner!
This novel combines the seemingly ordinary day to day lives of various families living on suburban Maple Street with drama, tension and betrayal. There are misunderstandings, deadly assumptions and a lot of superficial judgements which ultimately leads to dire consequences. It takes a little while to get into – I found the beginning perhaps a little slow – but once I did I was completely gripped! The characters are convincing and feel well-rounded, and I liked that no one in this story is perfect or completely likeable – almost everyone has their faults, and they felt all the more real for it.
The plot is additionally scary because it all feels very normal in some ways. You can imagine this happening on your street (though you’d hope it wouldn’t), with hysteria taking over and becoming unstoppable. It’s dark and shocking in places and I would really recommend it!
rating: 4/5
Many thanks to Titan Books, who provided a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
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