Rating: 3.5 / 5
I had seen THE SECRET NEXT DOOR by Rebecca Taylor, but didn’t know a lot about it prior to receiving it in an Unplugged Book Box, but it sounded like it would suit my thriller-ish mood well when I picked it up.
THE SECRET NEXT DOOR is set in an upper end neighborhood, a place with beautiful homes, good schools, and everything you’d want in a community. Alyson is thrilled to move her family in. Sure, she’s had to convince her husband to stretch their budget to afford the location, but she’s sure it is exactly what they need to provide a good home for their son. Now she just needs to find a way to fit in with the rest of the women of the neighborhood.
Bonnie is a long term resident of the neighborhood and she seems to have it all. When Alyson complains about her son’s driving, it starts things off on a not so great note and Alyson’s attempt to make herself a part of the community is on shaky ground. When a teenaged boy is found dead by the lake, things are suddenly less than ideal and secrets begin to come out.
I enjoyed this book and it definitely hit the drama and thriller notes that I was looking for. I struggled with both Bonnie and Alyson at times with the decisions they were making, but there were always back stories that each woman didn’t know about the other to uncover that explained some of the tension. There are marriages at risk and suspicious behavior, not to mention the mystery of how the teenager wound up dead.
I was hooked by the drama to keep reading and surprised at the big reveal at the end which I appreciated as well! If you enjoy a good neighborhood drama plot, this is one to check out.
DG Reads 