The Good Neighbour by Beth Miller

The Good Neighbour

By Beth Miller

Published by Ebury Press (10 September 2015)

ISBN: 978-0091956332

Publisher's description

Everyone has secrets. How far will you go to protect yours?

After living next to the neighbours from hell, Minette is overjoyed when Cath and her two children move in next door. Cath soon becomes her confidante, a kindred spirit, even her daughter’s babysitter.

But Cath keeps herself unusually guarded and is reluctant to speak of her past. And when Minette witnesses something unspeakable, she begins to question whether she really knows her new friend at all…

My verdict

I enjoyed The Good Neighbour from start to finish and read most of it in one sitting. It's easy to read and I was totally enthralled by the plot. 

Minette is delighted when single mum Cath and her two children move in next door, as her previous neighbours were a nightmare. Cath's son Davey has muscular dystrophy and Minette offers to help her raise funds for charity by taking part in a local triathlon. Meanwhile, Cath is only too happy to help Minette with childcare while Minette's husband Abe is at work. But although Minette tells Cath some of her deepest secrets, Cath says very little about her own past. As time progresses, Minette realises that something isn't quite right.

I can't give anything away in my review, but there were some aspects of the plot that probably wouldn't have happened in the real world. Even so, this is definitely a thought-provoking read. There are plenty of the twists and turns (some of which I did guess) and the writing flows beautifully. I liked some of the characters at the beginning but then hated them by the end as their roles changed. I thought they were well-developed and brought the plot to life. The narrative switches between different characters. 

This is one of those books that leaves you hanging slightly, but the ending certainly didn't disappoint me and leaves the reader to think about they happens next.

This is my second Beth Miller book. I enjoyed her first book (When We Were Sisters), but think The Good Neighbour is even better. I hope the author has another book on the way.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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