The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena Format: Paperback
Published by Doubleday Canada on August 23rd 2016
Pages: 308
Goodreads
An instant New York Times and Globe and Mail bestseller. Look out for Shari Lapena's next thriller, A Stranger in the House, coming August 2017.
"Meticulously crafted and razor-sharp. The Couple Next Door lingers long after you turn the final page." --Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fool Me Once
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. . . .
How well do you know the couple next door? Or your husband? Or even--yourself? 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, duplicityand unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the final shocking twist.
The Couple Next Door is a debut novel by a Canadian author. This was one book I was super excited to pick up and read and I have to say it did not disappoint.
This was a super quick read for me and one that I enjoyed reading. I had a hard time putting the book down. It felt like I was riding a roller coaster. Just when you think you have one thing figured out something comes up to cause you to rethink it and I was like this the whole way through the book. One minute I was like I got this and then the next I am like okay maybe not. Those are my favorite kind of books to read. Expect the unexpected.
Anne and Marco are brand new parents, who live next door to neighbors/friends Cynthia and Graham. Cynthia invites the couple over for a dinner party. When their babysitter bails at the last minute they decide to go anyways with the strict rules of having the baby monitor on them at all times and doing check ups every 30 minutes and I had really strong feelings about this and I feel babies or young child should never be left alone for any amount of time without an adult in the house. So much can happen in a blink of a eye and this is exactly what happens.
Anne and Marco’s sweet baby girl, Cora goes missing after the last check in Marco did. They come home to find the front door open and Cora gone. My heart broke for Anne and Marco because who wants this to happen but at the same time I wanted to punch them both because they were the ones who caused all this to happen. Who leaves a 6 month old baby alone in a empty house with only a baby monitor on? Plus they were drinking so anything could have happened when they weren’t paying attention.
The whole time as I was reading this I kept looking for clues as to what happened and who did this? Could it have been Anne? She was a little drunk and we all know that our reflexes are common sense aren’t there? Was it Marco? As the book progresses we do get insight as to what really happened and by who.
As the story plays out you are reminded about how well do you know your neighbors, your spouse, or even yourself? So much goes on behind close doors that no one really knows about.
If your looking for your next psychological thriller then I highly recommend this one. It will not disappoint.