Thursday 28 December 2017

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

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.


“...nobody makes that much money without taking advantage of somebody. It's much easier to make money if you don't care who you hurt. If you have scruples, it's much harder to get rich.” 

This was one of the books that I listened to on Audible, and I think that I'm leaning towards listening to more books than I used to. Seriously, if you haven't tried audiobooks yet, I highly recommend them, especially for books that you probably wouldn't read normally.

So anyway.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I couldn't believe it, actually. I mean, I know that this was deemed a mystery and a thriller, but I don't know if I was expecting to actually like it! I think the main reason why I really couldn't stop listening to it was because I wanted to find out whether the baby would survive by the end of the book. That was the main endgame for me: does Cora survive? Was she killed? Will she be reunited with her family? Who cares about the rest of these people! I just want to know what happens to the only innocent party in this entire book.

To be honest, I did not like any of the characters in the book. That fact alone made it interesting that I even still wanted to listen to it and actually finish it. Especially since this isn't the type of book I would normally choose to digest. (Thank my amazing Buddy Reads partner for this accomplishment.)

I had so many thoughts while reading this book, mostly revolving around the expression of "WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!" There were so many little tidbits that the author added throughout the book that didn't seem to make sense at first until it made more sense at the end. Oh and the ending?! That last chapter was something I was not expecting, and yet I was so happy when it happened. If you have read that last part and you know what I'm talking about, I swear I'm not a bad person. That's all I have to say about that!

I highly recommend this book, if you're into those crime procedurals where you just want to know who the bad guy is, or you want to find out what happens to the victim. It's exciting like that. I'm not sure if you'll like any of the characters, but if you do, good on you. Just know that nobody in this book - except for the baby - is entirely innocent. Everyone has secrets, and they all somehow tie into one another by the time this book is done.

Rated: 4/5 

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