Name: Katherine K's review of The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth
Item: The Family Next Door
Rating: 4
Author: Katherine K

Sally Hepworth

FROM THE NUMBER 1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE MOTHER-IN-LAW 'Fiction at its finest' - Liane Moriarty, Number One New York Times bestselling author 'Perfect for fans of BIG LITTLE LIES' - Library Journal **PREORDER THE GOOD SISTER NOW** How much do we really know our neighbours? The small suburb of Pleasant Court lives up to its name. It's the kind of place where everyone knows their neighbours, and children play in the street. Isabelle Heatherington doesn't fit into this picture of family paradise. Husbandless and childless, she soon captures the attention of three Pleasant Court mothers. But Ange, Fran and Essie have their own secrets to hide. Like the reason behind Ange's compulsion to control every aspect of her life. Or why Fran won't let her sweet, gentle husband near her new baby. Or why, three years ago, Essie took her daughter to the park and returned home without her. As their obsession with their new neighbour grows, the secrets of these three women begin to spread - and they're about to find out that when you look at something too closely, you'll see things you never wanted to see. A gripping domestic page-turner full of shocking reveals, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty (TRULY MADLY GUILTY, THE HUSBAND'S SECRET), Amanda Prowse (THE ART OF HIDING, THE IDEA OF YOU) and Kerry Fisher (AFTER THE LIE, THE SECRET CHILD). **PREORDER THE GOOD SISTER NOW** What the readers are saying 'It's a MUST read. Gone Girl & Big Little Lies all in one...but better!!!' 'It could be written about people I know, and people I've lived next to. And initially that's where my head space was while I was reading it. But then it veered off a little into something a tad larger...and that was okay, because at it's center was still that core nugget of wonder and knowledge that you just don't ever really know what's going on behind closed doors. It would make a great book club selection also, as the discussion fodder is endless. Secrets, betrayal, infidelity, motherhood, postpartum depression, mental health issues, sexuality, trust, friendship. . .' 'The Family Next Door is almost a one seating read as once in Pleasant Street, the reader will not want to leave' 'Part domestic drama, part almost-thriller. Never a dull moment!'

A gripping read that is 'part family drama, part suburban thriller'

The Family Next Door

Tegan Wylde

America's next favorite Australian author... "With jaw-dropping discoveries and realistic consequences, this novel is not to be missed. Perfect for lovers of Big Little Lies." —Library Journal, starred review Small, perfect towns often hold the deepest secrets. From the outside, Essie’s life looks idyllic: a loving husband, a beautiful house in a good neighborhood, and a nearby mother who dotes on her grandchildren. But few of Essie’s friends know her secret shame: that in a moment of maternal despair, she once walked away from her newborn, asleep in her carriage in a park. Disaster was avoided and Essie got better, but she still fears what lurks inside her, even as her daughter gets older and she has a second baby. When a new woman named Isabelle moves in next door to Essie, she is an immediate object of curiosity in the neighborhood. Why single, when everyone else is married with children? Why renting, when everyone else owns? What mysterious job does she have? And why is she so fascinated with Essie? As the two women grow closer and Essie’s friends voice their disapproval, it starts to become clear that Isabelle’s choice of neighborhood was no accident. And that her presence threatens to bring shocking secrets to light. The Family Next Door is Sally Hepworth at her very best: at once a deeply moving portrait of family drama and a compelling suburban mystery that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

A Novel

Katherine K

Kristin Boren

I can't imagine this was the intention but this book really supported my choice to never have children.

America's next favorite Australian author! "With jaw-dropping discoveries and realistic consequences, this novel is not to be missed. Perfect for lovers of Big Little Lies." —Library Journal, starred review Small, perfect towns often hold the deepest secrets. From the outside, Essie’s life looks idyllic: a loving husband, a beautiful house in a good neighborhood, and a nearby mother who dotes on her grandchildren. But few of Essie’s friends know her secret shame: that in a moment of maternal despair, she once walked away from her newborn, asleep in her carriage in a park. Disaster was avoided and Essie got better, but she still fears what lurks inside her, even as her daughter gets older and she has a second baby. When a new woman named Isabelle moves in next door to Essie, she is an immediate object of curiosity in the neighborhood. Why single, when everyone else is married with children? Why renting, when everyone else owns? What mysterious job does she have? And why is she so fascinated with Essie? As the two women grow closer and Essie’s friends voice their disapproval, it starts to become clear that Isabelle’s choice of neighborhood was no accident. And that her presence threatens to bring shocking secrets to light. The Family Next Door is Sally Hepworth at her very best: at once a deeply moving portrait of family drama and a compelling suburban mystery that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

Lauren Attaway

I think in the last few months I have realized how much I’ve been sleeping on Sally Hepworth’s books. This is the third book of hers I have read, and I keep finding myself pulled into these stories where I know there are going to be twists and turns and I am still so surprised by the results. Her books are a human/funny/clever with just a bit of suspense. They would make perfect movies to watch on my iPhone when I’m travelling and/or ignoring others.

Caitlin Snyder

Moon of Pages

Ruth Parker 

The question of how well you really know your neighbours or your own family is at the forefront of Sally Hepworth’s fantastic novel. 

Centred around three main women, all hiding secrets from their street, we are introduced to Isabelle, a stranger who has just moved to the area. Everyone is surprised at this woman who had no family and has decided to move to a very family orientated area. What is she doing here? Her appearance will affect them all in different ways...

This book was really interesting and exciting. I found myself suspecting characters of certain things and being shocked at the reveals. It focuses on some very interesting sad and moving elements and I felt like Sally Hepworth had really fine her research about the topic. 

A really great book for fans of Liane Moriarty and stories like Big Little Lies. Loved it!

Jessica De Hoyos

Love family and neighbor drama....just wish there was a little more....needed a few more twists IMO; a murder wouldn't hurt either, but that's just me 🤣🤣

Jan Talkington

A glimpse into a neighborhood of dysfunctional people - what other kind is there really? It was a nice escape and the mystery part kept me guessing though not on the edge of my seat. A few plot twists that I found to be stretches but overall an enjoyable book.

Jolie

When I read the synopsis for The Family Next Door, I thought that this would be a quick read. Something that would be a light read. Yeah right. This book is anything but light.

The Family Next Door has two major storylines and four sub-storylines. One of the major storylines was the mystery lady who is telling her daughter how thankful she was to have her. The other major storyline was about Isabelle and the reasons she moved to Pleasant Court.

The sub-storylines center around Ange, Fran, and Essie. Each has a secret that no one knows about. Ange needs to control every aspect of her life. Fran will not let her husband come near their newborn daughter. Essie’s storyline is a bit more complex. It focuses on her leaving her then-newborn daughter to a park and leaving her.

I loved how the author took each woman’s story and interwove it with Isabelle’s storyline. Each woman added depth to Isabelle’s storyline and they all interconnected. The mystery woman adds a bit of mystery that makes you want to know more about her and her situation.

I am not going to get into each woman here. But I will say that I did enjoy each woman’s story. I also felt bad for each woman portrayed. Each woman had issues to overcome and each did it in their own way.

I did predict what happened towards the end of the book. But I was not ready for the lengths that the person would go through. I actually felt bad for her. The trauma she endured was crippling. Doesn’t excuse what she did but still.

The Family Next Door is a gripping drama that breaks your heart. The characters are fleshed out. The plot is great. This was a book that made me think at the end of it.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, language, and mild violence

I would like to thank Sally Hepworth, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing to read and review The Family Next Door.

All opinions stated in this review of The Family Next Door are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Sara wilke

Somya Verma

Payten Bovat

Bella Brain

Skye Lynn Boughton

WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRUTH, YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT... From the outside, Essie’s life looks idyllic: a loving husband, a beautiful house, and a nearby mother who dotes on her granddaughter. But few of Essie’s friends know her secret shame: that in a moment of maternal despair, she once walked away from her newborn, who was asleep in her stroller in a park. Disaster was avoided and Essie got better. But she still is anxious about what could have happened, even as her daughter gets older and she has a second baby. When a woman named Isabelle moves in next door to Essie, she is an immediate object of curiosity in the neighborhood. Why single, when everyone else is married with children? Why renting, when everyone else owns? What mysterious job does she have? And why is she so fascinated with Essie? As the two women grow closer and Essie’s friends voice their disapproval, it starts to become clear that Isabelle’s choice of address was no accident—and that her presence threatens to bring shocking secrets to light. “Sally Hepworth writes compelling, compassionate novels with characters you come to know and love.”—Liane Moriarty

Tegan Wylde &
The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth

Reviews

Join the club

Tegan Wylde &The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth

Reviews

Join the club

Tegan Wylde &
The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth