A review by anna_mayes
Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“To avoid loneliness, we become a single, unthinking mass.”

Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan is about what happens when a suburban neighborhood experiences a tragedy and goes searching for answers. During a 4th of July barbecue, Sterling Park is taken over by a sinkhole. A few days later when some of the local children are playing on the board covering the hole, Shelly Schroeder falls in. Shortly after, the neighbors start to turn on the Wilde family, believing that they are the cause of Shelly’s fall and disappearance.

This book was HEAVY. It was dark, very emotional, and had me crying at some moments. Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan had me hooked from the beginning. It has a slow-medium pace, but with short chapters and suspense, I was completely glued to the pages. The twist at the end was unexpected and my jaw was on the floor. Honestly, Sarah Langan did a great job of addressing how rumors and gossip can spiral out of control in suburban culture.

I recommend this for anyone who loves unreliable narrators and mysteries. I also would recommend this to someone who likes books that have a grey conclusion.

Content Warnings: Sexual Assault, Murder, Suicide, and Drug Abuse
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