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    The Good Neighbor
    The Good Neighbor
    The Good Neighbor
    Audiobook5 hours

    The Good Neighbor

    Written by A.J. Banner

    Narrated by Rebecca Roberts

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Named by Harper’s Bazaar as a book that could be the next Gone Girl.

    From a phenomenal new voice in suspense fiction comes a book that will forever change the way you look at the people closest to you…

    Shadow Cove, Washington, is the kind of town everyone dreams about—quaint streets, lush forests, good neighbors. That’s what Sarah thinks as she settles into life with her new husband, Dr. Johnny McDonald. But all too soon she discovers an undercurrent of deception. And one October evening when Johnny is away, sudden tragedy destroys Sarah’s happiness.

    Dazed and stricken with grief, she and Johnny begin to rebuild their shattered lives. As she picks up the pieces of her broken home, Sarah discovers a shocking secret that forces her to doubt everything she thought was true—about her neighbors, her friends, and even her marriage. With each stunning revelation, Sarah must ask herself, Can we ever really know the ones we love?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateSep 1, 2015
    ISBN9781491598917
    The Good Neighbor
    Author

    A.J. Banner

    Born in India and raised in North America, A. J. Banner received degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. Her first novel of psychological suspense, The Good Neighbor, was named by Harper’s Bazaar as a book that could be the next Gone Girl. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and five rescued cats.

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    Reviews for The Good Neighbor

    3.5/5

    181 ratings12 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 1/5
      Probably the most annoying narrator voice I have ever heard. She sounds so weak and the FMC is so dumb the ending is SO WEIRD. Not worth the time.
    • 4/5
      The end. I am glad the child will get good parents. Hopefully.
    • 4/5
      Kept me guessing until the end. Some of the characters were kind of annoying. The child and the narrated “voice” of the child was especially annoying but came in small doses so it was tolerable. I would consider a book from this author again.
    • 3/5
      The Good Neighbor by A J Banner held me in suspense as Sarah tries to sort her feelings for her husband, an orphaned four-year-old, a feisty eighteen-year-old, and the burning of two houses. Sarah writes children’s books and her husband is a prominent dermatologist. One night, the house next door catches fire and Sarah saves the four-year-old Mia. In the meantime, Sarah’s own house catches fight. Sarah encounters a cheating husband and many roadblocks to her ideal life. Who is the arsonist? And what women has Doctor McDonald, Sarah’s husband, secretly met? The novel shows that not everyone fits the outward appearance that is shown in public. The style reminds me a little of Mary Higgins Clarke in later years when her writing had lost some of the edge.
    • 4/5
      When I first found The Good Neighbor by A.J. Banner, I was excited to read it because I have really been into psychological thrillers like Gone Girl and The Girl On The Train, just to name a few. I started the book and was pretty much hooked after the first couple of chapters.
      The author had me pitted against the wrong character from the very beginning and I totally disliked this person by the middle of the book, only to find out that I was completely wrong. The twist at the end took me by surprise as I never would've suspected this person at all.
      The suspense in the story was beyond fantastic and the build-up to the conclusion was superb as well. Ms. Banner definitely knows how to keep you guessing. The author is a skilled writer who knows how to keep the reader invested in the story. I love it when I find out that everything I thought I had figured out is wrong. That's what makes a good thriller. The only thing that would've changed my rating from "really liked" to "loved" would have been to extend the part leading up to the ending just a little more. I would've loved to follow along in a more drawn-out version as Sarah picked up tiny pieces of the puzzle and put it all together leading to the same unexpected conclusion. But, that being said, I would still highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good suspenseful read and I will definitely be watching for more from this author as well.
    • 5/5
      Captivating and emotional

      This story held on to so many characters that you were always guessing the next move. Written beautifully and captivating to the last page. I fell in love with the main characters realistic traits and flaws. By the end, I wanted to hug her myself.
    • 2/5
      A so so kind of book with a predictable plot, an irritating heroine and a very hurried ending. There were no stand out characters to help things along - no one was really evil or scary. It was meant to be a suspense story but sadly there really wasn't very much and no surprises. A light, easy read which won't take too long to get through, so would be a good book to take on a journey or sit with on the beach. I would read another book by this author.
    • 3/5
      This was a good book. It wasn't as suspenseful as I had hoped, though.
    • 4/5
      A decent (and short -- 196 pages) psychological thriller about a woman who loses her house -- and almost her life -- when a neighboring house catches fire and the fire spreads to her house. Lots of questions of relationships and marriages and hidden motives. Liked its concise nature, and enjoyed it set in my home state of Washington, but a bit far-fetched, overwrought at times.
    • 5/5
      Isn't it nice to live in a quiet neighborhood where you feel safe? The neighbors are friendly and look out for each other. Sarah and Johnny seem to be content in their quaint neighborhood. Sarah is a children's author and Johnny is a dermatologist . One evening as Johnny is away at a conference, something wakes her from a sound sleep. She glances at the clock which she noticed was1:17 am. Sarah begins to smell smoke and starts running to find where it is coming from. As terror engulfs her, she realizes that her neighbors house next door is on fire. These are her friends and she suddenly hears a small cry of help coming from the second floor . Sarah is now surrounded by others neighbors and screams to get her a ladder. She has already called 911, but she can't wait any longer. Will Sarah be able to rescue Mia, the little girl in the house? What about her parents? Why are they not responding to their names? The story starts off with an intense trauma but does slow down a bit as the author begins to bring different characters into the forefront. The book had many layers and showed several couples who were having marital problems. Sarah starts to suspect her husband is having an affair and begins to follow him. It seems that Johnny has quite a few admirers. Is he cheating on Sarah? The investigation into the fire leads to more unanswered questions as they discover it was done by an arsonist . The story has many suspects and as you follow the trails the author does a great job of giving readers doubt as to the innocence of several people. I thought I had figured out the arsonist, but the author brilliantly throws in a twist and it is like a cat and mouse game to the end. The true identity of the person responsible will definitely surprise readers. This is a true psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes. In the midst of the storyline about the devastating fire, we have Johnny trying to declare his innocence to his wife about his being unfaithful . This was well written as I felt like I was reading a scene from ""Fatal Attraction." The author overall wrote a very intense well thought out story within a story. Who is the woman that is obsessed with Johnny? Will Sarah fight for him or give up and leave him? If you are looking for intrigue , deceit and an ending you won't see coming, this book is for you.I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
    • 2/5
      The description for this book sounded really appealing, but as suspense fiction or a psychological thriller it sadly disappointed.It failed to evoke any emotions whatsoever. I didn't care for any of the shallow characters, and the psychological suspense I was expecting was sadly missing.The revelation of the antagonist came out of nowhere and was a REALLY???? That's it?- moment. The ending was so predictable, it was laughable.On the positive side, it was fast paced and a very short book.Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
    • 3/5
      How well do you know your neighbors, or even your friends and family? After reading this book, you might look at them all a little differently. You might wonder about their secrets.This book was marketed as a psychological thriller. To me, it felt more like a mix of psychological and romantic suspense. The pace is steady, but not that edge-of-your-seat kind of thing you expect with a thriller. This wasn't a big disappointment for me; just something worth noting.I enjoyed the writer's style and the story concept. The mystery surrounding the fire is well done. Several twists along the way kept me guessing until the end.But I had some problems that kept me from loving this one.The characters felt kind of shallow and predictable. I think that the author's desire to surround them in mystique kept us at too much of a distance.Still, I was right there with the author, until...The end really killed this one for me. Actually, it's more of a non-ending. The major plot is tied up, the crime solved. But there are two major threads left dangling. Consequently, I felt like I was left dangling as well. Then there is the revelation at the end, that comes with solving the crime. This person suddenly unravels in the strangest way. I realize there are crazy people in the world who appear to hold it together in public, but I wanted more of an explanation. I wanted to understand the fixation. It felt too staged, which in part reflects back to the lack of character development. And then, just like that, the book ends. I was left wondering why, and what next?If you don't mind being left with unanswered questions, then this book is certainly worth reading. If loose threads drive you nuts (like they do me), then you might want to wait to see if there is a sequel.