Review: The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

Title:The Couple Next Door

Author:Shari Lapena

Published:August 2016, Pamela Dorman Books

Format:ARC E-copy, 320 pages

Source:Netalley

It all started at a dinner party. . .

A
domestic suspense debut about a young couple and their apparently
friendly neighbors—a twisty, rollercoaster ride of lies, betrayal, and
the secrets between husbands and wives. . .

Anne and Marco Conti
seem to have it all—a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their
beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next
door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on
the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.

Inside
the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened
unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding
something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping
secrets, secrets they’ve kept for years.

What follows is the
nerve-racking unraveling of a family—a chilling tale of deception,
duplicity, and unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the
final shocking twist.

My thoughts: As you know, I have fallen down the rabbit hole when it comes to psychological thrillers – I just can not get enough of them, especially when they keep getting better and better…how can you go wrong? Each time I pick a new one up, I think, ok…how is this author going to surprise me…how is this author going to set themselves apart from the pack and I find that I am yet again surprised and astounded at their creativity and ingenuity. This one…this is good – clever, twisted and a quick read to boot!

I loved that this book is just filled with secrets – secrets that just keep coming out as the story is revealed. It clearly shows just how little you really know, or in this case, don’t know, those in your life. And this story is so tightly plotted that each time I thought I had it figured out, I was thrown for a complete loop when another secret was revealed…it was like being thrown back and forth in a game of catch – that’s how fast things are happening. 

And the characters…boy oh boy! I certainly didn’t love them, but I did need to know what was going on with them. It’s almost like a car accident – you don’t want to look but you can’t help looking out of morbid curiosity. That’s kind of how I felt about some of these characters. I’m not sure I really felt any real connection with any of them, but I desperately needed to know what happened to that baby and why.

I flew through this book – right from the beginning it hooked me and I had a hard time putting it down until I finished it. It’s twisted and intense, getting under your skin. I look forward to seeing what comes next from this author!