The Family Next Door

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel is often compared to the work of authors like Liane Moriarty and Lisa Jewell. How does The Family Next Door fit within the domestic thriller genre alongside a book like Moriarty’s Big Little Lies or Jewell’s The Family Upstairs? Did its exploration of secrets in a seemingly perfect suburb meet your expectations for the genre?

2. What was your initial theory about Isabelle Heatherington? Were you surprised by the revelation that she was Essie’s sister, or did you suspect another motive for her intense interest in the Walker family?

3. Did the ending, with the women forming a new, supportive friendship, feel like a satisfying resolution to you? Why or why not?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Essie struggles with the immense pressure to be a “perfect mother,” feeling isolated by the cheerful facades of others. How do you see the themes of idealized versus authentic motherhood play out in your own culture?

2. Ange uses social media to project an image of domestic bliss, even as her marriage is falling apart. In your experience, what types of situations create this pressure to present an idealized image of yourself to others? How does your response to this pressure compare to Ange’s? 

3. Discuss Nigel’s decision to accept Ava as his daughter without a paternity test, saying the shared blood type was “good enough” for him. Does his choice reflect your own family values?

4. The community of Pleasant Court is built on appearances, but it’s also the place where these women ultimately find a real support system. In your own experience, do close-knit neighborhoods tend to foster more judgment or more genuine connections?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How effectively does the novel portray the complexities of postpartum mental illness through both Essie’s depression and Barbara’s psychosis? Does the story contribute to a greater understanding of the stigma and challenges surrounding maternal mental health?

2. The neighborhood watch becomes a symbol of the community’s misplaced fears. In what ways does the story critique the tendency to focus on external threats while ignoring the problems that exist within homes and communities?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The story shifts perspectives among the five central women. How does this narrative choice create dramatic irony and build suspense, especially since you, the reader, often know more than any single character?

2. What is the significance of the name “Pleasant Court” and the cul-de-sac setting? How does the physical layout of the neighborhood reinforce the themes of surveillance and concealed turmoil?

3. Fran’s compulsive running is a motif throughout the novel. How does her relationship with exercise reveal her psychological state, especially when contrasted with Ben’s more straightforward view of physical fitness?

4. In what ways do Fran and Ange function as foils for one another? How do their different approaches to marriage, motherhood, and secrets highlight the novel’s central themes?

5. Is Barbara best understood as a villain, a victim, or something more complex? How does the author use the concept of repressed memory to shape her character and challenge a simple moral judgment?

6. If you’ve read other books by Sally Hepworth, like The Mother-in-Law or The Good Sister, how do the themes and character dynamics in The Family Next Door compare? Do you see a common thread in her exploration of family secrets?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. You’re tasked with designing a community event for Pleasant Court to foster genuine connection instead of reinforcing facades. What would this event be, and what challenges might you face in getting characters like Ange or the pre-confession Fran to participate authentically?

2. What might we learn if a chapter were told from the perspective of Ben, Nigel, or Lucas? How would seeing a key event, like a major argument or confession, through their eyes change your understanding of the women’s actions and motivations?

3. Design a piece of art or a symbolic object that represents one of the central secrets in the book, like Fran’s infidelity or Barbara’s past. What would it look like, and what materials would you use to capture the secret’s corrosive nature and emotional weight?