REVIEW: What the Neighbors Saw by Melissa Adelman

"She's getting away with something pretty awful, and I'm happy for her."

Melissa Adelman's What the Neighbors Saw is an easy thriller, if a bit generic.

Alexis and her husband are ready for an upgrade. When they see a fixer-upper house in an affluent community, they jump at the chance to buy the home. Pregnant and overwhelmed, Alexis tries to befriend her neighbors, each more snooty than the next. When a murder takes place, she becomes determined to figure out what happened and what's really happening between her neighbors.

Even as I write this brief synopsis, it feels formulaic and predictable which is how I felt when reading this. Overall, this one was a bit of a miss for me personally. I really start to disconnect from books when the dialogue or prose makes me eye roll, and I hate to admit that happened pretty early in this book. None of the characters are likable, and attempts to humanize the two narrators fall a bit flat given their behavior towards others. In different hands, maybe these unlikable characters would've worked but they read as two dimensional so I was never fully invested.  

Based on the premise, I was expecting a few more shocks and surprises but I hate to say I saw most of them coming (only one threw me). Maybe I'm a thriller snob at this point. 🤷🏻‍♂️😬

That being said, it's not a complete loss. Adelman really sets the stage and tension for the events with her detailed descriptions. If you're looking for a safe thriller with some entertaining moments, What the Neighbors Saw is worth a try. While it doesn't really offer anything new to the thriller genre, it's easy to digest and might keep you guessing.