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Neighborhood Watch
🎧Run Time = 11 hours and 44 minutes
Narrated by a full cast!
The neighborhood of Oleander Court is the picture of suburban bliss. The residents compare lawns beautified by hired help. They monitor home values. They toss perfect furniture because they wanted tapioca, not beige.
But when a string of murders rips through the neighborhood, suspicions abound as new secrets come to light. And as more and more bodies are taken away, it becomes clear that the killer is strategically selecting each and every victim, picking off the shallowest, most wasteful of the lot in spectacular fashion and leaving everyone in the neighborhood to wonder Who’s next?
While most of their neighbors scatter like well-dressed cockroaches, a small group of the neighborhood ladies team up to solve their local mystery and restore their once-peaceful lives. But is this ragtag collection of amateur sleuths truly a united front? With reputations, freedom, and personal sanity on the line, the ladies must unmask the killer...even if the killer is among them.
Narrated by a full cast!
“Immersive and compelling” (Kirkus Reviews starred review): Like in any sleepy suburban community, the residents of Oleander Court have their fair share of secrets — but when a pair of murders at a neighborhood party sets off a chain of deaths, local tensions skyrocket. Even these comfortable suburbanites must admit that something sinister is at play…
The neighborhood of Oleander Court is the picture of suburban bliss. The residents compare lawns beautified by hired help. They monitor home values. They toss perfect furniture because they wanted tapioca, not beige.
But when a string of murders rips through the neighborhood, suspicions abound as new secrets come to light. And as more and more bodies are taken away, it becomes clear that the killer is strategically selecting each and every victim, picking off the shallowest, most wasteful of the lot in spectacular fashion and leaving everyone in the neighborhood to wonder Who’s next?
While most of their neighbors scatter like well-dressed cockroaches, a small group of the neighborhood ladies team up to solve their local mystery and restore their once-peaceful lives. But is this ragtag collection of amateur sleuths truly a united front? With reputations, freedom, and personal sanity on the line, the ladies must unmask the killer...even if the killer is among them.
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2024
36 people are currently reading
13055 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Reida
1 book93 followersSarah is an attorney who helps veterans working with the federal government. When she isn't being extremely serious and professional in this context, she is gleefully murdering terrible people via dark comedy thrillers (Neighborhood Watch out in April 2024, another soon to follow). She and her husband live in the Atlanta area with their beautiful little monsters and (too) many rescue cats. Follow her on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/sarahreidaw....
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
September 12, 2024
Amazon Editors’ pick for Best Mysteries, Thrillers, and Suspense Books of 2024 So Far!
Wowzers! If I hadn’t already been told that Neighborhood Watch was Sarah Reida’s debut novel, I wouldn’t have believed it. Filled with believable (albeit shady) characters and a deliciously satirical plot, this dynamite whodunnit won me over hook, line, and sinker. But it was the drama that got me the most. You could almost sense the gossip spreading like wildfire amongst the posh streets of Oleander Court as the residents feared for their lives.
The characters were easily the special sauce to this mystery novel. From the controlling HOA president to her equally detestable wife beating neighbor, there were plenty of characters you’ll absolutely love to hate—and others you’ll just plain love no ifs, ands, or buts. No matter what, however, you’ll get sucked in by them all and their round-robin narrations. Especially when bodies start dropping in the most delightfully twisted manner one after the other.
The plot itself was utterly seductive. Fast-paced and filled with black humor, the rich people behaving badly premise was a pure *chef’s kiss* move to this mystery lover. And while there were without a doubt quite a few characters, the storyline unfolded naturally in a fun and easy way. Perfect as a palate cleanser between some of my harder hitting thrillers, there was no end to the snarky banter and lighthearted feel. All told, it was one rollicking good time.
That’s not to say that this book was only surface deep. Oh no. There was much to be read between the deftly written lines. From the thought-provoking character arcs to the more serious, underlying topics, I believe this book would make a brilliant book club pick all things considered. After all, it was not only fun, but would prompt some excellent conversations.
All said and done, I’m not surprised in the least that my friends and colleagues at Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse have been raving about this one. From property line skirmishes to hilarious sidewalk b**** slapping scenes, there was no end to the drama on Oleander Court. Nor was it missing some head-snapping twists. So please ignore the somewhat meh cover and grab this book ASAP. Just don’t forget to prepare yourself for one addictive, unputdownable novel. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
The neighborhood of Oleander Court is the poster child for suburban bliss. The residents compare lawns beautified by hired help. They monitor home values. They toss perfect furniture because they wanted tapioca, not beige.
But when a string of murders rips through the neighborhood, suspicions abound as new secrets come to light. And as more and more bodies are taken away, it becomes clear that the killer is strategically selecting each and every victim, picking off the shallowest, most wasteful of the lot in spectacular fashion and leaving everyone in the neighborhood to wonder: Who’s next?
While most of their neighbors scatter like well-dressed cockroaches, a small group of the neighborhood ladies team up to solve their local mystery and restore their once-peaceful lives. But is this ragtag collection of amateur sleuths truly a united front? With reputations, freedom, and personal sanity on the line, the ladies must unmask the killer…even if the killer is among them.
Thank you to Sarah Reida and Keylight Books for my complimentary copy. So opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: Out now!
Trigger warning: homophobia/transphobia, racism
Wowzers! If I hadn’t already been told that Neighborhood Watch was Sarah Reida’s debut novel, I wouldn’t have believed it. Filled with believable (albeit shady) characters and a deliciously satirical plot, this dynamite whodunnit won me over hook, line, and sinker. But it was the drama that got me the most. You could almost sense the gossip spreading like wildfire amongst the posh streets of Oleander Court as the residents feared for their lives.
The characters were easily the special sauce to this mystery novel. From the controlling HOA president to her equally detestable wife beating neighbor, there were plenty of characters you’ll absolutely love to hate—and others you’ll just plain love no ifs, ands, or buts. No matter what, however, you’ll get sucked in by them all and their round-robin narrations. Especially when bodies start dropping in the most delightfully twisted manner one after the other.
The plot itself was utterly seductive. Fast-paced and filled with black humor, the rich people behaving badly premise was a pure *chef’s kiss* move to this mystery lover. And while there were without a doubt quite a few characters, the storyline unfolded naturally in a fun and easy way. Perfect as a palate cleanser between some of my harder hitting thrillers, there was no end to the snarky banter and lighthearted feel. All told, it was one rollicking good time.
That’s not to say that this book was only surface deep. Oh no. There was much to be read between the deftly written lines. From the thought-provoking character arcs to the more serious, underlying topics, I believe this book would make a brilliant book club pick all things considered. After all, it was not only fun, but would prompt some excellent conversations.
All said and done, I’m not surprised in the least that my friends and colleagues at Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse have been raving about this one. From property line skirmishes to hilarious sidewalk b**** slapping scenes, there was no end to the drama on Oleander Court. Nor was it missing some head-snapping twists. So please ignore the somewhat meh cover and grab this book ASAP. Just don’t forget to prepare yourself for one addictive, unputdownable novel. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
The neighborhood of Oleander Court is the poster child for suburban bliss. The residents compare lawns beautified by hired help. They monitor home values. They toss perfect furniture because they wanted tapioca, not beige.
But when a string of murders rips through the neighborhood, suspicions abound as new secrets come to light. And as more and more bodies are taken away, it becomes clear that the killer is strategically selecting each and every victim, picking off the shallowest, most wasteful of the lot in spectacular fashion and leaving everyone in the neighborhood to wonder: Who’s next?
While most of their neighbors scatter like well-dressed cockroaches, a small group of the neighborhood ladies team up to solve their local mystery and restore their once-peaceful lives. But is this ragtag collection of amateur sleuths truly a united front? With reputations, freedom, and personal sanity on the line, the ladies must unmask the killer…even if the killer is among them.
Thank you to Sarah Reida and Keylight Books for my complimentary copy. So opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: Out now!
Trigger warning: homophobia/transphobia, racism
January 18, 2024
This is the second book I've read recently about rich people behaving badly, and I think I've found me a new favorite genre! (Can “rich people behaving badly” really be considered a genre? Probably not, but whatever.) This book is so much fun! I mean, sure, people are getting murdered left and right so you'd think that would be the very opposite of fun, but they're really, really awful people soooo …
But, yeah. Neighborhood Watch is a murder mystery and also a look into the lives of the rich and (mostly) morally bankrupt. From overzealous HOA presidents to wife-abusing Nazis, this book has a full cast of questionable characters. There are a few decent individuals in Oleander Court, but even they have their secrets (Soon-Li's is the best and actually made me LOL). Mix all of these unique personalities together and you end up with a whole lot of drama, everything from bitch-slaps on the sidewalk to accusations of infidelity to spiteful Halloween decorations.
The mystery itself is pretty simple – someone is killing off the neighborhood's worst residents one by one. Who could the culprit be? And who will be their next victim? Honestly, I guessed the killer super early on, but it in no way took away from my enjoyment of the story. Getting to the big reveal is just so entertaining!
There are some serious and thoughtful bits to this book, too, though. It addresses transphobia and racism and domestic abuse and classism. Characters are struggling with their marriages and careers and growing older and fitting in with their neighbors. For the most part these topics aren't addressed super deeply, but they're also not just simply glossed over.
My one minor complaint about this book is that I felt the ending was a little weak. There really didn't seem to be much of a justifiable reason for why the killer did what they did, and the residents' reactions to the unmasking of the murderer was rather implausible. But I suppose that with a little suspension of disbelief, it's a perfectly decent ending and doesn't detract too much from the delightfulness of the rest of the novel.
My overall rating: 4.55 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy entertaining murder mysteries with a plethora of unusual characters and a boatload of drama, you'll probably want to give this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Keylight Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
But, yeah. Neighborhood Watch is a murder mystery and also a look into the lives of the rich and (mostly) morally bankrupt. From overzealous HOA presidents to wife-abusing Nazis, this book has a full cast of questionable characters. There are a few decent individuals in Oleander Court, but even they have their secrets (Soon-Li's is the best and actually made me LOL). Mix all of these unique personalities together and you end up with a whole lot of drama, everything from bitch-slaps on the sidewalk to accusations of infidelity to spiteful Halloween decorations.
The mystery itself is pretty simple – someone is killing off the neighborhood's worst residents one by one. Who could the culprit be? And who will be their next victim? Honestly, I guessed the killer super early on, but it in no way took away from my enjoyment of the story. Getting to the big reveal is just so entertaining!
There are some serious and thoughtful bits to this book, too, though. It addresses transphobia and racism and domestic abuse and classism. Characters are struggling with their marriages and careers and growing older and fitting in with their neighbors. For the most part these topics aren't addressed super deeply, but they're also not just simply glossed over.
My one minor complaint about this book is that I felt the ending was a little weak. There really didn't seem to be much of a justifiable reason for why the killer did what they did, and the residents' reactions to the unmasking of the murderer was rather implausible. But I suppose that with a little suspension of disbelief, it's a perfectly decent ending and doesn't detract too much from the delightfulness of the rest of the novel.
My overall rating: 4.55 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy entertaining murder mysteries with a plethora of unusual characters and a boatload of drama, you'll probably want to give this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Keylight Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
April 16, 2024
This selection is another example of why everyone should have a ride-or-die, NetGalley addicted book bestie like Shelby in their life. Neighborhood Watch was her most recent recommendation to me. She said to ignore the ugly cover and go request a copy pronto before reader copies got pulled from NG and since I am her minion I did exactly what she asked of me. And I do agree the cover is fug, but put “neighborhood” in a title and Imma be down to clown.
The story here is about . . . .
This puppy was soooooooooooooooooooooooooo Desperate Housewives - fully of rich beetches in their McMansiony hood. Everyone is up in each other’s bidness courtesy of the local “book club” – and then the body count starts rising. Good news is . . . .
Talk about a chef’s kiss of poolside perfection. Add this to your summertime stabby TBR for sure!
All the Stars.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
The story here is about . . . .
This puppy was soooooooooooooooooooooooooo Desperate Housewives - fully of rich beetches in their McMansiony hood. Everyone is up in each other’s bidness courtesy of the local “book club” – and then the body count starts rising. Good news is . . . .
Talk about a chef’s kiss of poolside perfection. Add this to your summertime stabby TBR for sure!
All the Stars.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
April 1, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and Turner publishing company for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
Neighborhood watch is about a place of rich and affluent people living in a likewise society named oleander court.
This started out great. I was quite invested in the story but in about after 70 % book started dragging. I was able to figure out the killer from the very start but then the explanation given for how killer killed all the people in oleander court is funny and unreal.
We are talking about smart and rich people, even though some might be dumb, no one is dumb enough to die like the way they died. And even after 2 murders, when 3 more murders happened that made it even more unreal because everyone was spooked.
Also there are no clues at all. Given who the killer is, he/she leaving no clue makes her a planned murderer which he/she wasn't really.
Murderer was killing on impulse rather and without any clues felt too far fetched to be true. There's really only one clue towards the end which makes it clear who the killer is exactly. Also killer's reasons to kill felt petty and poor attempts to sound reasonable. From that one can say that killer was not of sane mind but given the tone of the book, the killings has been justified which makes it totally wrong.
There are too many characters to remember. I was so confused at many times when new character came up and I just couldn't figure out who was who. And Soon Li felt like a main character, I don't know why her story ended in such a way when author made us all invest in her life as well.
In my personal opinion, some backstory is important in mystery thriller novels but in neighborhood watch I felt that too much time was spent on it for many characters which make it slow and boring especially when you are experiencing a thrill of having read another murder which really slows down the narrative. I skimmed lot many pages because I wanted to know who the killer is. Where the clues are to find the killer. I was totally disappointed there.
Overall an okay read.
Neighborhood watch is about a place of rich and affluent people living in a likewise society named oleander court.
This started out great. I was quite invested in the story but in about after 70 % book started dragging. I was able to figure out the killer from the very start but then the explanation given for how killer killed all the people in oleander court is funny and unreal.
We are talking about smart and rich people, even though some might be dumb, no one is dumb enough to die like the way they died. And even after 2 murders, when 3 more murders happened that made it even more unreal because everyone was spooked.
Also there are no clues at all. Given who the killer is, he/she leaving no clue makes her a planned murderer which he/she wasn't really.
Murderer was killing on impulse rather and without any clues felt too far fetched to be true. There's really only one clue towards the end which makes it clear who the killer is exactly. Also killer's reasons to kill felt petty and poor attempts to sound reasonable. From that one can say that killer was not of sane mind but given the tone of the book, the killings has been justified which makes it totally wrong.
There are too many characters to remember. I was so confused at many times when new character came up and I just couldn't figure out who was who. And Soon Li felt like a main character, I don't know why her story ended in such a way when author made us all invest in her life as well.
In my personal opinion, some backstory is important in mystery thriller novels but in neighborhood watch I felt that too much time was spent on it for many characters which make it slow and boring especially when you are experiencing a thrill of having read another murder which really slows down the narrative. I skimmed lot many pages because I wanted to know who the killer is. Where the clues are to find the killer. I was totally disappointed there.
Overall an okay read.
April 2, 2024
Oleander Court in Alpharetta, Georgia is a sought-after and exclusive neighborhood outside of Atlanta. The people who live there are all very wealthy, though very diverse. This is your typical story about a neighborhood dealing with a killer, but kicked up a notch with amazing characters and wry humor.
The chapters are written from different neighbors’ perspectives, people like:
-Adelaide, a struggling actress, and her surgeon husband William
-Laura and Pete, parents of two and the newest to the neighborhood
-Faith, the neighborhood babysitter/housekeeper/organizer
-Jade, a health food influencer
-Helen Beecham, a famous artist who is now a widow
-Pam, the HOA president
-Ray and Juliet, wives who are both lawyers
-Soon-Li and Tran, quiet Vietnamese parents
-Beverly, the requisite racist older lady
-Tracey, a harried housewife, and Connor, her philandering husband
-Bambi and Marv, a trophy wife and coffee tycoon, and
-Tripp, an attorney, and his abused wife Sandy
When I say these people are characters, I mean CHARACTERS! Some you’ll love, some you’ll hate, but I promise you’ll be invested in all of them. They really took this book to another level. Then we get to the murders…one by one, residents are being killed. Jasmine Avenue is now being called “Murder Avenue”, and the neighbors are all looking at each other with fresh eyes. Who among them is a killer?
I did figure out who the killer was, but if I had been wrong, it wouldn’t have surprised me - there were so many ways the story could have gone! The writing was great, with a touch of black humor that gave this a different tone than regular old neighborhood thrillers. Many of the people in Oleander Court were both funny and endearing, and the rest were awful humans whose deaths you will enjoy. 4.5 stars, rounded up for being the author’s adult mystery debut!
(Thank you to Keylight Books, Sarah Reida and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
The chapters are written from different neighbors’ perspectives, people like:
-Adelaide, a struggling actress, and her surgeon husband William
-Laura and Pete, parents of two and the newest to the neighborhood
-Faith, the neighborhood babysitter/housekeeper/organizer
-Jade, a health food influencer
-Helen Beecham, a famous artist who is now a widow
-Pam, the HOA president
-Ray and Juliet, wives who are both lawyers
-Soon-Li and Tran, quiet Vietnamese parents
-Beverly, the requisite racist older lady
-Tracey, a harried housewife, and Connor, her philandering husband
-Bambi and Marv, a trophy wife and coffee tycoon, and
-Tripp, an attorney, and his abused wife Sandy
When I say these people are characters, I mean CHARACTERS! Some you’ll love, some you’ll hate, but I promise you’ll be invested in all of them. They really took this book to another level. Then we get to the murders…one by one, residents are being killed. Jasmine Avenue is now being called “Murder Avenue”, and the neighbors are all looking at each other with fresh eyes. Who among them is a killer?
I did figure out who the killer was, but if I had been wrong, it wouldn’t have surprised me - there were so many ways the story could have gone! The writing was great, with a touch of black humor that gave this a different tone than regular old neighborhood thrillers. Many of the people in Oleander Court were both funny and endearing, and the rest were awful humans whose deaths you will enjoy. 4.5 stars, rounded up for being the author’s adult mystery debut!
(Thank you to Keylight Books, Sarah Reida and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
February 29, 2024
Neighborhood Watch is a funny satire murder mystery thriller set in an upscale neighbourhood for the rich and sometimes famous.
Firstly I love how each chapter alternates between different POV for each neighbour on the street, and we get a little bit of their background, personality, who their enemies are and potential grievances and motives for murder.
This is somewhat a “whodunnit” style as one after the other, neighbour after neighbour mysteriously perishes in untimely and seemingly odd deaths.
It is safe to say the neighbourhood is divided between somewhat nice and normal residents contrasted by the vapid elitist mean girl types.
The meaner the resident the sooner they die and it is unclear who is the cause of all of these deaths.
I very much enjoyed my reading experience, I was rooting for my favourite characters to avoid meeting their maker and intrigued to see who was the murderer.
Publish date: April 2nd
Thank you to Sarah Reida, Turner publishing company and NetGalley for the ARC.
Firstly I love how each chapter alternates between different POV for each neighbour on the street, and we get a little bit of their background, personality, who their enemies are and potential grievances and motives for murder.
This is somewhat a “whodunnit” style as one after the other, neighbour after neighbour mysteriously perishes in untimely and seemingly odd deaths.
It is safe to say the neighbourhood is divided between somewhat nice and normal residents contrasted by the vapid elitist mean girl types.
The meaner the resident the sooner they die and it is unclear who is the cause of all of these deaths.
I very much enjoyed my reading experience, I was rooting for my favourite characters to avoid meeting their maker and intrigued to see who was the murderer.
Publish date: April 2nd
Thank you to Sarah Reida, Turner publishing company and NetGalley for the ARC.
February 13, 2024
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Neighborhood Watch is a story about a group of rich people who live in a picture-perfect neighborhood and who start getting killed one by one. The characters in this book are supposed to be horrible and disgusting people. However, they felt too cartoonish and exaggeratedly evil. This made it hard for me to hate them, which is what you're supposed to do as the reader (or as any normal human being, because these characters are objectively bad people). Instead, I just found them really funny and entertaining and I honestly felt really bad when they got murdered.
The murders in this book are really creative and even poetic, in a way. I liked the murder weapons that were used for each victim and how they were used. Each murder was extremely ironic, considering what the victims were thinking about or doing right before they were murdered. I really liked this aspect of the book. The author did a great job with that.
I suspected a certain character was the murderer about halfway in, but I wasn't so sure. When said character was reveled as the murderer, I wasn't surprised. I had some other suspects, but this one made the most sense. I liked the reveal and everything that happened after.
The most important part about this book is that it's so much fun to read. I couldn't put it down. Neighborhood Watch is extremely easy to read and you will finish it in a sitting, enjoying every single second of it. It's such an entertaining book. And very creepy, too. I got so nervous every time one of the characters heard weird noises inside their house.
Speaking of houses, WHY THE HELL DID THEY STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE A KILLER WAS ON THE LOOSE?
Anyways, I really loved this book because, as I said, it's so entertaining. The ending is very satisfying and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I'm so glad I read this book.
Neighborhood Watch is a story about a group of rich people who live in a picture-perfect neighborhood and who start getting killed one by one. The characters in this book are supposed to be horrible and disgusting people. However, they felt too cartoonish and exaggeratedly evil. This made it hard for me to hate them, which is what you're supposed to do as the reader (or as any normal human being, because these characters are objectively bad people). Instead, I just found them really funny and entertaining and I honestly felt really bad when they got murdered.
The murders in this book are really creative and even poetic, in a way. I liked the murder weapons that were used for each victim and how they were used. Each murder was extremely ironic, considering what the victims were thinking about or doing right before they were murdered. I really liked this aspect of the book. The author did a great job with that.
I suspected a certain character was the murderer about halfway in, but I wasn't so sure. When said character was reveled as the murderer, I wasn't surprised. I had some other suspects, but this one made the most sense. I liked the reveal and everything that happened after.
The most important part about this book is that it's so much fun to read. I couldn't put it down. Neighborhood Watch is extremely easy to read and you will finish it in a sitting, enjoying every single second of it. It's such an entertaining book. And very creepy, too. I got so nervous every time one of the characters heard weird noises inside their house.
Speaking of houses, WHY THE HELL DID THEY STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE A KILLER WAS ON THE LOOSE?
Anyways, I really loved this book because, as I said, it's so entertaining. The ending is very satisfying and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I'm so glad I read this book.
April 3, 2024
This book is so much fun! A murder mystery with more than a bit of snark, some social issues deftly woven in, and characters you love to hate (with a few good apples you love to love).
Oleander Court is an enclave for the rich and (mostly) obnoxious. A residential area harboring the self-involved or worse (often much worse). Someone begins killing off residents in this "perfect," generally placid neighborhood, one at a time. Why? Is there a pattern? Who will be next, and how will the deed be done? Is it only the obnoxious ones getting picked off? Who can possibly be the murderer?
Reida does a couple of quite wonderful things to introduce us to everyone. There are quite a few "key" characters, so how will we keep them all straight? She employs two inventive devices. She begins the novel with a party of many of the neighbors, where each is described and acting out their personalities, plus backhanded gossip about some. So we get a great introduction to characters. After that, the next part is a veteran of this neighborhood taking a new resident on a walk, talking about each of the residents as they pass each character's house. A splendid and easy "shoehorning in" to this tale. She also will continue the book by having each character introduced in bold as their parts of the story (what they are doing, thinking) come up. So although multiple POVs, it works seamlessly. I wonder if her background as a children's author helped her to think of all of this. Works for me! I utterly loved how easy it was to devour this book.
There's nothing subtle about the characters; they are painted with broad strokes (the incredibly annoying HOA president, the "Did you know they're lesbians?!" gal, the blonde bimbo starving herself, etcetera). However these exaggerated stereotypical caricature-like figures work very well here, and are quite amusingly drawn. FYI, there are no blacks in this mainly white place, but there is Latino, Asian-American, LGBTQ+ representation, and an elder. Rieda does a fantastic job of weaving commentary into the story about the issues these folks are grappling with, with no heavy-handed political correctness.
I saw in reviews that many figured out the killer sooner or later (but all said they enjoyed the story in spite of that). I myself am not at all good at this sort of thing, and had NO clue!
So to sum up: Reida keeps a great balance between tension and humor, addresses transphobia, classism, racism, domestic abuse, & ageism with no heaviness, and skewers the rich while keeping one well entertained. I enjoyed the ending (set up for the next in a series? I agree with several other reviewers that this could make a great TV series too). It's a fine adult genre debut for the author.
My thanks and appreciation go to Key Light Books, Turner Publishing, Sarah Reida, and Net Galley for allowing me to read and objectively review this advanced reader copy.
Oleander Court is an enclave for the rich and (mostly) obnoxious. A residential area harboring the self-involved or worse (often much worse). Someone begins killing off residents in this "perfect," generally placid neighborhood, one at a time. Why? Is there a pattern? Who will be next, and how will the deed be done? Is it only the obnoxious ones getting picked off? Who can possibly be the murderer?
Reida does a couple of quite wonderful things to introduce us to everyone. There are quite a few "key" characters, so how will we keep them all straight? She employs two inventive devices. She begins the novel with a party of many of the neighbors, where each is described and acting out their personalities, plus backhanded gossip about some. So we get a great introduction to characters. After that, the next part is a veteran of this neighborhood taking a new resident on a walk, talking about each of the residents as they pass each character's house. A splendid and easy "shoehorning in" to this tale. She also will continue the book by having each character introduced in bold as their parts of the story (what they are doing, thinking) come up. So although multiple POVs, it works seamlessly. I wonder if her background as a children's author helped her to think of all of this. Works for me! I utterly loved how easy it was to devour this book.
There's nothing subtle about the characters; they are painted with broad strokes (the incredibly annoying HOA president, the "Did you know they're lesbians?!" gal, the blonde bimbo starving herself, etcetera). However these exaggerated stereotypical caricature-like figures work very well here, and are quite amusingly drawn. FYI, there are no blacks in this mainly white place, but there is Latino, Asian-American, LGBTQ+ representation, and an elder. Rieda does a fantastic job of weaving commentary into the story about the issues these folks are grappling with, with no heavy-handed political correctness.
I saw in reviews that many figured out the killer sooner or later (but all said they enjoyed the story in spite of that). I myself am not at all good at this sort of thing, and had NO clue!
So to sum up: Reida keeps a great balance between tension and humor, addresses transphobia, classism, racism, domestic abuse, & ageism with no heaviness, and skewers the rich while keeping one well entertained. I enjoyed the ending (set up for the next in a series? I agree with several other reviewers that this could make a great TV series too). It's a fine adult genre debut for the author.
My thanks and appreciation go to Key Light Books, Turner Publishing, Sarah Reida, and Net Galley for allowing me to read and objectively review this advanced reader copy.
May 17, 2024
This humor/satire filled murder mystery was absolutely entertaining to me.
Have we all not wondered about our neighbors , end up having presumptive notions about others by the way they look, make judgments sometimes by just getting a glimpse into another person's behavior or an incident /their past if we are aware.... The author has brought life to such day to day observation in a community to life in the story.
From Quirky to relatable you have all various personalities living in the same neighborhood. As bodies start dropping , us readers get to know more about the deceased, the remaining people and their lives or rather what's going on behind closed doors. The author also skillfully managed to insert current social issues into the storytelling , which was good to reflect upon.
While one can easily place the motive and murderer half way through the book, it was nevertheless interesting to see all the characters catch up to the truths and for me to see how it all plays out till the end.
If this becomes a TV series, it has all the elements to make it watchable.
The only downside would be that there were several characters and names in the story and it took me some time to catch up on who's who. But then again it's supposed to be a suburban neighborhood, the several characters make sense .
Definitely recommend reading this if you like the gossipy satirical drama with a whodunnit factor .
It's a 4/5 🌟 read for me.
Thank you Netgalley, author Sarah Reida and Turner Publishing Company for the ARC in exchange for honest review.
Have we all not wondered about our neighbors , end up having presumptive notions about others by the way they look, make judgments sometimes by just getting a glimpse into another person's behavior or an incident /their past if we are aware.... The author has brought life to such day to day observation in a community to life in the story.
From Quirky to relatable you have all various personalities living in the same neighborhood. As bodies start dropping , us readers get to know more about the deceased, the remaining people and their lives or rather what's going on behind closed doors. The author also skillfully managed to insert current social issues into the storytelling , which was good to reflect upon.
While one can easily place the motive and murderer half way through the book, it was nevertheless interesting to see all the characters catch up to the truths and for me to see how it all plays out till the end.
If this becomes a TV series, it has all the elements to make it watchable.
The only downside would be that there were several characters and names in the story and it took me some time to catch up on who's who. But then again it's supposed to be a suburban neighborhood, the several characters make sense .
Definitely recommend reading this if you like the gossipy satirical drama with a whodunnit factor .
It's a 4/5 🌟 read for me.
Thank you Netgalley, author Sarah Reida and Turner Publishing Company for the ARC in exchange for honest review.
July 4, 2024
This neighborhood sure feels like Desperate Housewives, and I'm here for it.
It's the classic tale of rich people behaving badly, but someone is knocking them off one at a time. All their transgressions are leading to the ultimate punishment: DEATH!
This is a well paced unputdownable popcorn thriller full of despicable characters. There are a few great people in the book, the nice guys, the ones you are cheering for and hoping they aren't the murderer.
There are quite a few characters in this one, and I definitely recommend taking notes.
It's the classic tale of rich people behaving badly, but someone is knocking them off one at a time. All their transgressions are leading to the ultimate punishment: DEATH!
This is a well paced unputdownable popcorn thriller full of despicable characters. There are a few great people in the book, the nice guys, the ones you are cheering for and hoping they aren't the murderer.
There are quite a few characters in this one, and I definitely recommend taking notes.
May 26, 2024
OK, this should take off just any moment!
I so enjoyed this book! It was so much fun, so twisted, and just so smart! Sort of an Agatha Christie kind of thing with a sprinkle of mean housewives and cheating husbands.... along with a very moral serial killer.
I thought I knew who it was and in the end, I was RIGHT!!!! But I had to doubt my conclusion several times. I hope Ms Reida's next book is as great! I also hope she has a better cover...
5 stars
I so enjoyed this book! It was so much fun, so twisted, and just so smart! Sort of an Agatha Christie kind of thing with a sprinkle of mean housewives and cheating husbands.... along with a very moral serial killer.
I thought I knew who it was and in the end, I was RIGHT!!!! But I had to doubt my conclusion several times. I hope Ms Reida's next book is as great! I also hope she has a better cover...
5 stars
April 10, 2024
First, I CALLED IT. I knew who the killer was, even with the MINUSCULE amount of hints we got. I was rather frustrated with the lack of hints and clues that led to the killer. But overall it wasn’t bad. I had a good time reading this book and it went quickly.
The story itself was really good and I like the classic whodunit plot. But I think the writing and consistency could have used some work. There were many moments that didn’t flow well. Also I thought some facts needed better explanation. For example, if someone calls someone on a police station landline, the person picking up shouldn’t know who is calling. But here, the person picked up knowing exactly who was calling. I’m being nit picky but it’s gaps like this that jolted me out of the story.
The characters were all pretty well fleshed out, but I adored Adelaide the most. She was an absolute angel, a southern saint, if you will. I loved the chapters from her perspective the most and the epilogue made me hope that even better things in her future.
The story itself was really good and I like the classic whodunit plot. But I think the writing and consistency could have used some work. There were many moments that didn’t flow well. Also I thought some facts needed better explanation. For example, if someone calls someone on a police station landline, the person picking up shouldn’t know who is calling. But here, the person picked up knowing exactly who was calling. I’m being nit picky but it’s gaps like this that jolted me out of the story.
The characters were all pretty well fleshed out, but I adored Adelaide the most. She was an absolute angel, a southern saint, if you will. I loved the chapters from her perspective the most and the epilogue made me hope that even better things in her future.
May 4, 2025
Good for her!
July 24, 2024
On the surface, Oleander Court is a perfect, affluent suburban neighborhood, but (of course) everyone is hiding secrets. After several of the tetchiest and most blatantly unpleasant neighbors are murdered in various dramatic fashions, the survivors (understandably) freak out and don't know who to trust... or who might be next.
I tend to struggle with stories about undeniably awful rich people behaving badly (I'm in the like 4% of people who don't watch any of the Housewives shows, and I wasn't a fan of The Block Party and One of Us Is Dead to name a few), so I have to admit that I was a little nervous going into this one. HOWEVER, Reida did a fantastic job balancing the nearly caricatured nastiness of the worst people by including a few characters to root for (while still maybe thinking they are guilty the whole time) and kept me engaged until the end -- I did have a strong suspicion about the identity of the killer fairly early on, but that didn't really diminish my enjoyment of watching everyone else sort it out.
To sum up:
- Could some of the characters have been a bit more nuanced/less surface-level awful? Sure
- Was this mis-blurbed as being about a ragtag band of sleuths coming together? Yes - some of the ladies seemed to form genuine friendships and hung out sometimes, but it's not like they had an actual murder-solving club -- which is absolutely fine, but not what I was expecting.
- Was this bingeable and a perfect beach/pool/vacation book? YES!
I think this was a fantastic debut and would be perfect for fans of Such a Lovely Family and anyone who likes multiple POVs from people behaving badly.
* thanks to the Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse crew for telling me about this one and for hosting a buddy read! Also thanks to the author and Keylight Books for the review copy!
I tend to struggle with stories about undeniably awful rich people behaving badly (I'm in the like 4% of people who don't watch any of the Housewives shows, and I wasn't a fan of The Block Party and One of Us Is Dead to name a few), so I have to admit that I was a little nervous going into this one. HOWEVER, Reida did a fantastic job balancing the nearly caricatured nastiness of the worst people by including a few characters to root for (while still maybe thinking they are guilty the whole time) and kept me engaged until the end -- I did have a strong suspicion about the identity of the killer fairly early on, but that didn't really diminish my enjoyment of watching everyone else sort it out.
To sum up:
- Could some of the characters have been a bit more nuanced/less surface-level awful? Sure
- Was this mis-blurbed as being about a ragtag band of sleuths coming together? Yes - some of the ladies seemed to form genuine friendships and hung out sometimes, but it's not like they had an actual murder-solving club -- which is absolutely fine, but not what I was expecting.
- Was this bingeable and a perfect beach/pool/vacation book? YES!
I think this was a fantastic debut and would be perfect for fans of Such a Lovely Family and anyone who likes multiple POVs from people behaving badly.
* thanks to the Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse crew for telling me about this one and for hosting a buddy read! Also thanks to the author and Keylight Books for the review copy!
July 17, 2024
Oleander Court is the ‘go to’ neighborhood for the rich. We all know what comes with money more often than naught - greed, lies, secrets and always wanting to be better than others. Each house in this neighborhood has a story and secrets. A famous artist, an abusive spouse, drug addicts and alcoholics, affairs, power and control hungry individuals and maybe even a Nazi. What you see is NOT what you get!
One by one people are being murdered on Oleander Court and no one knows why and no one picks up the connection, but is very methodical and well planned This is supposed to be a protected neighborhood right ? Fast paced. Short chapters. Multiple POVs Perfectly placed twists and red herrings - this is a perfectly perfect bingeable read.
My favorite part of this book is that each household has an individual personality. Sarah Reida was able to set and keep the characters connected but differentiate them when the doors closed. Everything from
their attitude to their conversations made them relatable, likable and sometimes despicable.
One by one people are being murdered on Oleander Court and no one knows why and no one picks up the connection, but is very methodical and well planned This is supposed to be a protected neighborhood right ? Fast paced. Short chapters. Multiple POVs Perfectly placed twists and red herrings - this is a perfectly perfect bingeable read.
My favorite part of this book is that each household has an individual personality. Sarah Reida was able to set and keep the characters connected but differentiate them when the doors closed. Everything from
their attitude to their conversations made them relatable, likable and sometimes despicable.
April 13, 2024
This was an enjoyable story about rich people behaving badly and the consequences some of them must face. I found the multiple perspectives confusing at times since there were so many of them and I figured out the killer fairly early, still the book kept my attention.
May 27, 2024
A story about terrible, wealthy people getting their just desserts is just soooo delicious. I know, lame pun, but I could not resist using it in the context of this fun mystery about a wealthy neighbourhood, Oleander Court, and the murders of its self-centred, bigoted, duplicitous and inconsiderate people by someone that they know.
In the bad category, we have
-an Homeowners' Association president who misuses her power
-a bigot waging a war on her happily married neighbours
-a politician with skeletons in his basement who also harms his wife
-a vengeful woman in love with plastic self-improvement, and
-a self-centred and neglectful husband.
In the decent or good category we have
-the happily married women who live next door to a virulent bigot
-an elderly artist who watches the antics of her neighbours from her porch
-a brilliant Asian American woman, and her family, who is constantly talked down to by the bigots around her
-an actor, and
-a family new to the neighbourhood.
Everyone has secrets, and as these are discovered, the bad people start dying. With each new murder, the people get increasingly scared, with some choosing to move, while a few stay in place, scared. Existing tensions and pressures are exacerbated, with already struggling marriages suffering.
The police focus on one person to the exclusion of everyone else, and while it's obvious this person had legitimate reasons to want the death of one of her neighbours, the real murderer goes unremarked by everyone, save one.
While it was not that hard to figure out who the murderer was, I still greatly enjoyed this book. The author gives us wish fulfilment in the form of bad people getting bumped off, but also deals with a number of heavy things, such as domestic abuse, transphobia, and racism. Though the author does not belabour the point that bigotry and abuse are terrible, she does show the harm they cause the people who are subject to these in this upscale neighbourhood.
I was a little puzzled as to what specifically was the impetus for the killer to begin their killing spree, as it was no secret who the horrible people were. I liked the somewhat implausible ending, and its open-endedness, but this is a quibble. As I said, I found this book's dramatic characters highly entertaining, and look forward to more by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Turner Publishing Company for this ARC in exchange for my review.
In the bad category, we have
-an Homeowners' Association president who misuses her power
-a bigot waging a war on her happily married neighbours
-a politician with skeletons in his basement who also harms his wife
-a vengeful woman in love with plastic self-improvement, and
-a self-centred and neglectful husband.
In the decent or good category we have
-the happily married women who live next door to a virulent bigot
-an elderly artist who watches the antics of her neighbours from her porch
-a brilliant Asian American woman, and her family, who is constantly talked down to by the bigots around her
-an actor, and
-a family new to the neighbourhood.
Everyone has secrets, and as these are discovered, the bad people start dying. With each new murder, the people get increasingly scared, with some choosing to move, while a few stay in place, scared. Existing tensions and pressures are exacerbated, with already struggling marriages suffering.
The police focus on one person to the exclusion of everyone else, and while it's obvious this person had legitimate reasons to want the death of one of her neighbours, the real murderer goes unremarked by everyone, save one.
While it was not that hard to figure out who the murderer was, I still greatly enjoyed this book. The author gives us wish fulfilment in the form of bad people getting bumped off, but also deals with a number of heavy things, such as domestic abuse, transphobia, and racism. Though the author does not belabour the point that bigotry and abuse are terrible, she does show the harm they cause the people who are subject to these in this upscale neighbourhood.
I was a little puzzled as to what specifically was the impetus for the killer to begin their killing spree, as it was no secret who the horrible people were. I liked the somewhat implausible ending, and its open-endedness, but this is a quibble. As I said, I found this book's dramatic characters highly entertaining, and look forward to more by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Turner Publishing Company for this ARC in exchange for my review.
February 1, 2024
3.25 🤝 Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy!
Oooooooo I love to hate bad people, and this book was full of them. Genuinely wanted to open hand slap half of the residents of Oleander Court, yet I couldn’t read about them fast enough.
The best parts of this were watching the neighbors clash with one another; the overlapping dynamics were well done and I never had trouble keeping up with who’s who. I do wish the book had more of these interactions, as I felt a majority of the story was about explaining every resident’s life story. Considering there were X neighbors murdered, I expected more suspense and action-packed chapters and less backstory.
But! All that to say I truly did enjoy this book and thought the killer reveal was fabulous. One of those mysteries that feels so obvious at the end when looking back, but was fun and addictive to figure out along the way. I cannot wait to read more Sarah Reida books in the future!
Oooooooo I love to hate bad people, and this book was full of them. Genuinely wanted to open hand slap half of the residents of Oleander Court, yet I couldn’t read about them fast enough.
The best parts of this were watching the neighbors clash with one another; the overlapping dynamics were well done and I never had trouble keeping up with who’s who. I do wish the book had more of these interactions, as I felt a majority of the story was about explaining every resident’s life story. Considering there were X neighbors murdered, I expected more suspense and action-packed chapters and less backstory.
But! All that to say I truly did enjoy this book and thought the killer reveal was fabulous. One of those mysteries that feels so obvious at the end when looking back, but was fun and addictive to figure out along the way. I cannot wait to read more Sarah Reida books in the future!
June 15, 2024
I tend to be wary of mainstream mystery/thrillers that don’t come from one of the big five publishers. If they were good or close to good, wouldn’t one of them acquire? Plus, I’ve been burned so many times in the past. However, tons of my Goodreads friends were recommending this one, so I gave it a shot.
At first glance I wasn’t connecting and almost stopped, but once the killings start and the characters get a bit more fleshed out Neighborhood Watch was a lot of fun. A bit like a better Desperate Housewives season turned up to 100. I knew who our killer was fairly early on, but it didn’t matter as it was enjoyable waiting to see who was next on the hit list and if any of the amateur sleuths would figure it out.
My only minor bugaboo, there are two well-educated, politically savvy LGBT characters who shop at Hobby Lobby?!?! Not a chance and a bit of a gut punch to LGBT readers. HL is one of the biggest anti-LGBT companies in the world. Do better young editors (and writers).
At first glance I wasn’t connecting and almost stopped, but once the killings start and the characters get a bit more fleshed out Neighborhood Watch was a lot of fun. A bit like a better Desperate Housewives season turned up to 100. I knew who our killer was fairly early on, but it didn’t matter as it was enjoyable waiting to see who was next on the hit list and if any of the amateur sleuths would figure it out.
My only minor bugaboo, there are two well-educated, politically savvy LGBT characters who shop at Hobby Lobby?!?! Not a chance and a bit of a gut punch to LGBT readers. HL is one of the biggest anti-LGBT companies in the world. Do better young editors (and writers).
March 22, 2024
I am so glad I received this book as an ARC! This is the epitome of a suburban drama with a murder mystery added in!
I loved the fun characters in this neighborhood! I thought the gossip and salacious stories about the neighbors were so entertaining and hilarious. I even enjoyed reading about the AWFUL characters, mostly because I wanted to see what would happen to them.
The murderer in this small affluent neighborhood punishes people according to how they live - and although it probably shouldn’t be, it was satisfying. 🤭
I truly enjoyed this book all the way throughout, and even though I had already figure out who it was very early on, there were times I doubted myself! And although I’m not typically a fan of the “confession” ending, it really didn’t bother me.
This is a fun, quick read!
I loved the fun characters in this neighborhood! I thought the gossip and salacious stories about the neighbors were so entertaining and hilarious. I even enjoyed reading about the AWFUL characters, mostly because I wanted to see what would happen to them.
The murderer in this small affluent neighborhood punishes people according to how they live - and although it probably shouldn’t be, it was satisfying. 🤭
I truly enjoyed this book all the way throughout, and even though I had already figure out who it was very early on, there were times I doubted myself! And although I’m not typically a fan of the “confession” ending, it really didn’t bother me.
This is a fun, quick read!
February 8, 2024
A murder mystery on a quaint street. The rich residents are being murdered one by one. Whodunit? I had guessed the culprit pretty early on but that in no way detracted from my enjoyment of this story. It was so fun to read. Each death personal down to the weapon used. The absurdity of the cast and the circumstances they find themselves in is utterly entertaining. Snarky, sarcastic, ironic. And yet, it still managed to edge into creepy, scary.
June 7, 2024
Yea, no.
July 8, 2024
Happy that Thriller Book Lover The Pulse was able to get this gifted eARC.
Neighborhood Watch
By Sarah Reida
Pub Date: April 2, 2034
Publisher: Keylight Books
When I read this author is an attorney who helps Veterans, I knew I wanted to read her novel.
This debut novel gives me Desperate Housewives vibes. Oleander Court is full of an eclectic cast of characters with parties, manicured lawns, gossip, affairs, wealth and more. When murders start happening, a group of ladies wants to solve the murders so they can get back to “their lives”. The neighbors are all very different and everyone is a suspect.
The cast of characters:
Adelaide a struggling actress and her husband William who Is a surgeon, and wanting to fit in.
Faith who is many things to the people of Oleander Court. Sometimes babysitter, organizer and people pleaser.
Jade a health food influencer.
Laura and Pete who have children and are new to the neighborhood. They organize a Book club Party.
Helen a famous artist/painter who is one of the older ones.
Connor and Tracy who have 3 kids, and both are hiding something from their partners.
Ray and Juliet who are lawyers and part of the LGBT community.
Soon- Li and Tran who are Vietnamese parents
Bambi and Marv. Bambi is the ultimate trophy life and is causing problems for William and Adelaide.
Sandy the abused wife of Tripp, who is also an attorney
Beverly who is very judgmental and Pam who is the HOE president are the first to have been murdered. Who’s next?
We at @thrillerbookloversthepulse did a buddy read and it is a blast and still ongoing.
Today was my day to post so I finished early.
Thank you @sarahreida and @thrillerbookloversthepulse for the gifted ecopy. I also bought the book.🖤
#sarahreida, #thrillerlover, #thrillerbookloversthepulse, #bookreview, #buddyread, #stamperlady50, #keighlightbooks
Neighborhood Watch
By Sarah Reida
Pub Date: April 2, 2034
Publisher: Keylight Books
When I read this author is an attorney who helps Veterans, I knew I wanted to read her novel.
This debut novel gives me Desperate Housewives vibes. Oleander Court is full of an eclectic cast of characters with parties, manicured lawns, gossip, affairs, wealth and more. When murders start happening, a group of ladies wants to solve the murders so they can get back to “their lives”. The neighbors are all very different and everyone is a suspect.
The cast of characters:
Adelaide a struggling actress and her husband William who Is a surgeon, and wanting to fit in.
Faith who is many things to the people of Oleander Court. Sometimes babysitter, organizer and people pleaser.
Jade a health food influencer.
Laura and Pete who have children and are new to the neighborhood. They organize a Book club Party.
Helen a famous artist/painter who is one of the older ones.
Connor and Tracy who have 3 kids, and both are hiding something from their partners.
Ray and Juliet who are lawyers and part of the LGBT community.
Soon- Li and Tran who are Vietnamese parents
Bambi and Marv. Bambi is the ultimate trophy life and is causing problems for William and Adelaide.
Sandy the abused wife of Tripp, who is also an attorney
Beverly who is very judgmental and Pam who is the HOE president are the first to have been murdered. Who’s next?
We at @thrillerbookloversthepulse did a buddy read and it is a blast and still ongoing.
Today was my day to post so I finished early.
Thank you @sarahreida and @thrillerbookloversthepulse for the gifted ecopy. I also bought the book.🖤
#sarahreida, #thrillerlover, #thrillerbookloversthepulse, #bookreview, #buddyread, #stamperlady50, #keighlightbooks
June 25, 2024
I always love a juicy neighborhood drama and this had elements of contemporary fiction and thrillers that always hit the mark for me. I loved the multiple narrators, endless drama, and interesting deaths of some pretty terrible people.
The characters in this book were great. If you love to hate people in novels, this is definitely the book for you. Reida cast some truly horrendous people and it was fun not only seeing what she came up with next, but how she got rid of them too!
The killer felt pretty obvious to me from the jump but that didn't detract from the enjoyment of the story at all. I appreciated the red herrings and also questioning myself.
The use of multiple narrators makes this a quick read I didn't want to put down. It was wildly entertaining, well written, and paced perfectly. Really, it would translate so well to a mini series!
The Pulse has been chatting about this one for a few weeks now and the hype is definitely real! I joined a buddy read and read ahead almost immediately because I just had to ensure my suspicions were correct! Make sure you grab a copy today!
The characters in this book were great. If you love to hate people in novels, this is definitely the book for you. Reida cast some truly horrendous people and it was fun not only seeing what she came up with next, but how she got rid of them too!
The killer felt pretty obvious to me from the jump but that didn't detract from the enjoyment of the story at all. I appreciated the red herrings and also questioning myself.
The use of multiple narrators makes this a quick read I didn't want to put down. It was wildly entertaining, well written, and paced perfectly. Really, it would translate so well to a mini series!
The Pulse has been chatting about this one for a few weeks now and the hype is definitely real! I joined a buddy read and read ahead almost immediately because I just had to ensure my suspicions were correct! Make sure you grab a copy today!
July 15, 2024
Neighborhood Watch is a clever satirical murder mystery thriller set in an upscale neighbourhood where people aren't always what they seem but sometimes, they are worse.
This is a multiple point-of-view tale narrated by different members of the neighbourhood, each filling in a bit more of the story and giving us a bit more background every time. It's very cleverly done, even if I did guess the killer early on - it became more of a when and whydunit rather than a whodunit for me at that point, but still fun.
Everyone on Oleander Court has a bit of good and bad in them. Those with more bad than good start getting murdered and nobody knows who's exacting justice. Soon everyone is a suspect and wondering - is anyone safe?
Thank you to Sarah Reida, Turner publishing company and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a multiple point-of-view tale narrated by different members of the neighbourhood, each filling in a bit more of the story and giving us a bit more background every time. It's very cleverly done, even if I did guess the killer early on - it became more of a when and whydunit rather than a whodunit for me at that point, but still fun.
Everyone on Oleander Court has a bit of good and bad in them. Those with more bad than good start getting murdered and nobody knows who's exacting justice. Soon everyone is a suspect and wondering - is anyone safe?
Thank you to Sarah Reida, Turner publishing company and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
April 21, 2024This was a tough read for me, only because I'm tired of reading about rich people behaving badly. Just not the target reader for this one, it seems.
December 20, 2023
Lucky for me, I am good friends with the inspiration for one of the characters (I’ll let you guess who) and so I received an ARC of this book for my honest review and honestly, it killed, pun totally intended.
I am not typically a murder-mystery type of girl when it comes to fiction, but this book was easy and fun to read. It took me ONE day to devour this book (albeit from about 11am-1am, with sufficient coffee breaks) and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Sometimes, life needs a little murder (for legal reasons, that is a joke.)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 thank you Sarah and unnamed source ;)
I am not typically a murder-mystery type of girl when it comes to fiction, but this book was easy and fun to read. It took me ONE day to devour this book (albeit from about 11am-1am, with sufficient coffee breaks) and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Sometimes, life needs a little murder (for legal reasons, that is a joke.)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 thank you Sarah and unnamed source ;)
Read
March 29, 2024Title: Neighborhood Watch by Sarah Reida
Publication Date- 04/02/24
Publisher- Turner Publishing Company
Overall Rating- 3 out of 5 stars
Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately this one started out strong for me but around the 40 percent mark I lost interest. Let’s talk about the strengths first. Neighborhood Watch is a hilarious commentary on wealth and privilege, pointing out the ludacris things people complain about and use their money for. Honestly, that aspect was a 5 star for me. There were times where I was literally laughing out loud. Now, shortly after the spark of that wore off, I didn’t enjoy the mystery element as much. For some reason there was no pull for me to pick this back up and after almost two weeks of forcing myself to read it I decided I would DNF. I do think there are people who will enjoy both the mystery and the satire. I would say go into this knowing it’s a slow burn and a character study. Do not go in expecting a thriller. This book as a lot to offer, I hope you give it a chance.
Publication Date- 04/02/24
Publisher- Turner Publishing Company
Overall Rating- 3 out of 5 stars
Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately this one started out strong for me but around the 40 percent mark I lost interest. Let’s talk about the strengths first. Neighborhood Watch is a hilarious commentary on wealth and privilege, pointing out the ludacris things people complain about and use their money for. Honestly, that aspect was a 5 star for me. There were times where I was literally laughing out loud. Now, shortly after the spark of that wore off, I didn’t enjoy the mystery element as much. For some reason there was no pull for me to pick this back up and after almost two weeks of forcing myself to read it I decided I would DNF. I do think there are people who will enjoy both the mystery and the satire. I would say go into this knowing it’s a slow burn and a character study. Do not go in expecting a thriller. This book as a lot to offer, I hope you give it a chance.
April 17, 2024
This was a really fun whodunnit! I picked this book because the description said “for fans of Desperate Housewives”, which is one of my favorite shows, and I was not disappointed! I’m always down for juicy drama!
There are A LOT of characters in this book, which provides an array of personalities, but I had a bit of a hard time keeping them all straight. Trying to remember who is married to whom, which couples have kids, etc was a little difficult for me!
I am not typically great at predicting the bad guy in these types of mysteries, but I had it figured out right away. I really liked the story but I was a little bummed that the “villain” was so obvious for me!
Overall, this was a really entertaining, fast paced mystery and I thought it was fun.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Turner Publishing for the gifted copy!
There are A LOT of characters in this book, which provides an array of personalities, but I had a bit of a hard time keeping them all straight. Trying to remember who is married to whom, which couples have kids, etc was a little difficult for me!
I am not typically great at predicting the bad guy in these types of mysteries, but I had it figured out right away. I really liked the story but I was a little bummed that the “villain” was so obvious for me!
Overall, this was a really entertaining, fast paced mystery and I thought it was fun.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Turner Publishing for the gifted copy!
June 3, 2024
The neighborhood of Oleander Court is the poster child for suburban bliss. The residents have the best of the best, help for everything, designer clothing, beautiful homes. When a string of murders rip through the neighborhood, secrets begin to unravel and suspicions rise. It’s clear that the killer is being strategic in their choice of victims. Who can be trusted and who will be next?
I had so much fun with this book. This made the perfect beach read for me. It was so bingeable. I’d sum this up as a neighborhood drama/murder mystery with humor sprinkled in. The story unfolds through multiple POVs of a cast of very unreliable, unlikable characters. These people were hilarious and I loled at a few points. There were a lot of characters but I had no problems keeping track of who was who. If you love a murder mystery and rich people behaving badly, add this one to your TBR!
I had so much fun with this book. This made the perfect beach read for me. It was so bingeable. I’d sum this up as a neighborhood drama/murder mystery with humor sprinkled in. The story unfolds through multiple POVs of a cast of very unreliable, unlikable characters. These people were hilarious and I loled at a few points. There were a lot of characters but I had no problems keeping track of who was who. If you love a murder mystery and rich people behaving badly, add this one to your TBR!
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