9.66k reviews for:

The Couple Next Door

Shari Lapena

3.55 AVERAGE

tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The writing style is not my cup of tea felt very telling not showing. I wanted to see how it ended but was disappointed.
Additionally it had yet another damaging portrayal of a disassociate disorder

This book was amazing! Gripping and intriguing, many plot twists, but without it feeling false.
Except. That last scene. Low key ruined it for me. It just wasn’t necessary. And such an unsatisfactory ending. AH!

Other than that though, I really enjoyed it. I’d still recommend it to everyone!

Great thriller about a couple who’s babysitter cancels and they decide to go to dinner at their neighbors house and check on her every half hour. Then she disappears. So many twists, turns, deceptions, lying, betrayal.
adventurous emotional tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

3.8 ⭐️

I had a lot of fun reading this book (knocked it out in about a day). The story keeps you engaged and the twists and turns are entertaining but it seemed a bit easy to gauge on what was going to happen next.

Anne and Marco both had me frustrated the whole time. Lapena gives them some good depth as characters but that depth must’ve been substituted entirely with intelligence/common sense.

I would definitely recommend this as a book club read since I think everyone can take different things away from it. Fun read overall!
mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Imagine, if you will, reading a mystery/suspense novel and going along with the story. There you are enjoying the story of how these suburbian parents had their baby kidnapped in the middle of the night only to figure out the whole damn story on your own. Then, you continue on with the story anyway because...book club, and you really want to hope maybe you are wrong and there will be a different spin.

Read more here
dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
challenging dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced