The Secret Next Door

By: Rebecca Taylor

Narrated by: Libby McKnight

Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

It's the perfect neighborhood, filled with not-so-perfect people.

Alyson Tinsdale is giving her son the childhood she never had: a stable family, loving home, and a great school in a safe neighborhood. When they move into the home of her dreams in one of Denver's most sought-after developments, Alyson works hard to fit in and impress the other mothers.

Bonnie Sloan is the neighborhood matriarch. With her oldest son headed to Yale, and her youngest starting kindergarten, Bonnie is now pursuing her own long-held political aspirations. But it's her middle child, Elijah, and their private family struggles, that cast a shadow over her plans.

When the open space behind some of the most expensive homes gets slated for development into an amusement facility, the neighborhood becomes deeply divided. The personal pressures and community conflicts ratchet with every passing day, but it's when a 13-year-old is found dead beside the neighborhood lake that simmering tensions boil over into panic.

Gossip flows, lies are exposed, and accusations are made as cracks run through the community's once solid foundations. The neighborhood's faith in exterior appearances is eclipsed by the secrets every house keeps.

Rebecca Taylor, author of Her Perfect Life, returns with this fast-paced, engrossing novel that reminds us that nothing is ever as perfect as it seems.

©2021 Rebecca Taylor (P)2021 Recorded Books, Inc.

Like a Good Neighborhood? Look again!

There is so much going on in this story. Traumatic childhoods, child-abuse, murder, profanity, hidden dreams, mother-in-law conflicts, flirtatious neighbors, alcoholism, politics, social media issues, bullies, etc. Almost every societal event or issue is included in this story. While the main plot offers good reading, there are multiple problems and side stories that also require listener's attention. NONE of the characters are likeable. The adults are dishonest ignorant deployable individuals raising bratty, outspoken children. There seemed to be some incomplete character development or missing information about characters. Some readers/listeners express the use of the profanity as a dislike.

Surprisingly, I liked the story because it was fast-paced and the narrator was excellent! The story provides some insights into the real lives of people who live at a higher financial level than I. It reveals that their lives are not fairy-tale perfect and that they have concerns, needs, and problems like everyone else.

Looking for more from this narrator and author.

good listen

The story was good but the author put a lot of swearing in this story. It detracts a bit.

Narrator or mispronounced many words

Either the author doesn’t know past tenses, or it was something added by the narrator. Good story; not much of a mystery.

loved!

A great story about suburban motherhood and always more than you have. Loved all the characters, very easy to follow and always knew who was talking!

It was an easy listen-

I thought the narrator was excellent. But I thought Andrew was the biggest brat I have ever read about. And Allison was the biggest punk parent in the history of parenting. I wish just once she would discipline with her son for his obvious disrespect. And don't even get me started on how she was as a wife. I wish I thought to tolerate such behavior in my home. I'm not saying to abuse your child at all. Discipline starts early, and this kid has none. Her son learns his behavior from his father.

Progression was key!

The progression of this story was amazing. I enjoyed every moment. It was very true to life. I could see this happening. Looking for more from this author.

Deplorable Characters

Allison is an insecure, pushover, obnoxiously naive mother, unable to properly parent or discipline an incredibly hyper, selfish, bratty and possibly mentally ill child. I dunno; the story lacked important details (Elijah’s obvious mental illness and manner of death were never properly developed or disclosed, respectively) and depth. None of the characters were particularly likable, which is fine, but the whole story just fell short on every level.

Exhausting

Most of the story a bunch of repeats, complaining instead of facing the problems head on and using wine to solve her problems. Yeah she has anxiety how many times do we have to know that and it’s not anxiety it’s cowardice.
It took so long to get to the heart of the story just empty gossips
And what so hard telling the mother in law a piece of her mind. The mother-in-law is right she needs a spine.

Good story

The narrator was great. I truly enjoyed the suspense, the snobs and all the secrets they held

Slow narrative but overall good story

Had to listen to this at 1.5X speed to make it more tolerable. The narration is good but slow. Overall, the story was a good one. Not particularly suspenseful or deep, but still a good listen. Could have done without the excursion in-depth details regarding coffee consumption…..It sounded like an ad.