Review by Booklist Review
Appearances can be deceiving! In Adelman's domestic suspense debut, Alexis and Sam are ready to move their growing family into the house of their dreams. When a fixer-upper in an exclusive Washington, DC, neighborhood comes on the market, they jump at the opportunity to own a house that will finally elevate them to an elite social status. However, their neighbors are not as perfect as they seem. Behind closed doors, everyone is hiding secrets. When a neighbor is found dead, Alexis is determined to uncover the murderer. She befriends the neighbor's widow, Blair, and together they alternate narrating a story of secrets, lies, and deception. In this slow-burn thriller, Adelman explores themes of racism, infidelity, and abuse. When the truth is revealed, Alexis and Blair will be forced to make a difficult choice that will determine their future. It ends with a killer twist that will surely get readers talking! This book will likely appeal to those who enjoy domestic suspense novels such as those by Megan Miranda, Chandler Baker, and Sally Hepworth.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
DEBUT Adelman's debut, told in alternating chapters, is a psychological tale of two women with vastly different backgrounds. Young marrieds Alexis and Sam purchase a "fixer-upper" in a highly coveted neighborhood. Their joy quickly turns to recriminations and petty bickering when they realize they've taken on a herculean task. Sam is frequently away, leaving Alexis alone with their nanny and young son. Alexis also feels her "otherness" as the child of a single mother and the only Black person in the community. When their neighbor Teddy is found dead on a nearby jogging path, Alexis reaches out to Blair, his widow. The police declare Teddy's death a homicide, which deepens Alexis's friendship with Blair and heightens her marital discord. Alexis is drawn to solving the crime, and her inquiries will lead her to deeply buried secrets. While Adelman teases out secrets and past indiscretions in both women's lives, there are few real surprises, and the big reveal at the end falls flat. The majority of the characters lack nuance, which is a shame, because Alexis's background could have been examined to a much higher degree. VERDICT This title will still find favor with dedicated domestic suspense fans but is an optional purchase for most libraries.--Amy Nolan
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A shocking death rocks an upscale neighborhood and makes it harder for the residents to conceal dangers that lurk beneath the surface. When Alexis Crawford and her attorney husband, Sam, decide to buy a fixer-upper for their growing family, they follow the adage of looking for the worst house in the best neighborhood. And River Forest is about the best neighborhood they can afford: It's D.C.--adjacent, it's certainly safe, and it has a run-down yet gorgeous Cape Cod Revival that's just come on the market and is the sort of place that realtors might call gracious. Alexis and Sam don't often act impulsively, but soon they find themselves moving in and trying to get to know their new neighbors. Immediately, Alexis feels out of place, not only as a Black woman in a largely White neighborhood, but also as someone from a different class background. Though she tries to talk with Sam, he's too busy working to make partner to notice how isolated she's becoming. The tragic death of neighbor Teddy Bard gives Alexis a chance to connect to his widow, Blair, and the story continues in alternating chapters from the two women's first-person points of view, with varying degrees of reliability. After the police determine that Teddy's death was a murder, Alexis starts to wonder if this is a sign of more simmering tensions in what was supposed to be her safe haven. Sam's ongoing distance and Blair's friendship make Alexis wonder how much she really knows herself as well. May have fans of "all's well that ends well" rooting for an imperfectly fitting ending. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
