Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth

Sally Hepworth is a writer who lives in Melbourne, Australia. The Family Next Door (St. Martins Press, 2018) is a domestic thriller, her fourth novel and her first book set in Melbourne. Unlike most of the books I read that are set in Australia, this one could actually have taken place in almost any Westernized country.

Pleasant Court is a cul-de-sac of red brick houses in a highly desirable neighborhood near the beach, where children play safely in the street while their mothers visit. When Isabelle moved in, the neighbors thought it was odd that a single woman would want to live in such a family-oriented area. No one new had moved in since Essie’s mother had bought a house there to be closer to Essie and her family. Essie had a bad bout of post-natal depression after her first child and spent some time in hospital to recover. Her mother and her husband are always watching her for fear of another breakdown. Fortunately Essie and her husband Ben don’t mind having her mother around; she fits easily into their family and she is a doting grandmother.

Isabelle tells Essie that she works for a nonprofit that looks for missing children and supports their families during the search. Essie is intrigued by Isabelle and increasingly spends time with her to the point that her family notices. Her mother especially does not like this new friendship.

It’s hard to say much more without giving away plot points, although I can say this is one of the least violent books I have read in months. No murders, although I kept waiting for at least one. Crimes are definitely committed, just not the ones I usually read about. Almost exactly halfway through, a major reveal turned the story on its end and from there it’s one surprise after another. A leisurely, almost meandering, build-up to the plot twist and then a tsunami of action. 

This book was not at all what I expected. Fascinating and highly credible. Recommended for crime fiction readers who need a break from bloodletting and for fans of domestic thrillers.

Starred review from Library Journal.

 

·         ASIN: ‎ B074ZNVPWH

·         Publisher: ‎ St. Martin's Press; Reissue edition (March 6, 2018)

·         Publication date: ‎ March 6, 2018

·         Language: ‎ English

·         File size: ‎ 4366 KB 

 

Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2022

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.