The Good Neighbor
The Good Neighbor
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015
Book Brief
Beta204
Novel • Fiction
•
Mystery & Crime Fiction•
Modern Classic FictionShadow Cove, Washington, USA, in October.
2015
Lake Union Publishing
Paperback • 2015
Adult
16+ years
Super Short Summary
Children’s-book author Sarah Phoenix seems blessed with an idyllic life in coastal Washington, where she shares a beautiful home with her physician husband, Johnny. But while Johnny is away, a devastating fire breaks out next door. Sarah rushes into danger to rescue four-year-old Mia, and the tragedy leaves her own home destroyed. As Sarah and Johnny rebuild, suspicion begins clouding their marriage.
Suspenseful
Unnerving
Mysterious
Dark
Exciting
Reviews & Readership
96,218 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Reviewers split sharply on Banner’s suspense. Admirers praise a sustained atmosphere of foreboding, unexpected answers, a sympathetic central character, nonstereotypical supporting players, and evocative Pacific Northwest descriptions. Another review calls it fast, easy, and thoroughly enjoyable, while conceding that it is slightly predictable. Harsher assessments find the mystery neither intense nor deep, and criticize a lack of suspense, too many characters, a shallow plot, and insufficient development of the protagonist. The result appears best suited to readers seeking a quick domestic thriller rather than a demanding one.
Who Should Read The Good Neighbor?
This is a strong pick for readers seeking a suspenseful, fast-moving page-turner centered on secrets, deception, and betrayal. It should especially appeal to fans of domestic thrillers and romantic suspense, as well as anyone who likes stories in which apparently idyllic relationships become clouded by suspicion. Its quick, accessible style may also suit readers looking for an easy read they can finish in a sitting or two, rather than a long or densely written thriller.
96,218 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Sarah’s husband of three years, a dermatologist whose conference trip leaves Sarah home alone on the night of the fire.
Chad and Monique’s four-year-old daughter and Sarah’s young neighbor, whom Sarah attempts to rescue when the neighboring house catches fire.
A real-estate agent who handles a house on Sarah’s block, owns the cottage Sarah and Johnny later rent, and welcomes them nearby.
Sarah’s next-door neighbor, a French immigrant married to Chad and the mother of four-year-old Mia; her home catches fire.
Monique’s American husband, Mia’s father, and Sarah’s next-door neighbor; his family’s house is the site of the opening fire.
The Ramirezes’ seventeen-year-old daughter and one of Sarah and Johnny’s neighbors on Sitka Lane, living near the couple’s original home.
The fire marshal who investigates the destruction of Sarah’s and her neighbors’ homes after the opening blaze.
204
Novel • Fiction
•
Mystery & Crime Fiction•
Modern Classic FictionShadow Cove, Washington, USA, in October.
2015
Lake Union Publishing
Paperback • 2015
Adult
16+ years
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