The Woman Next Door

A Psychological Thriller With a Stunning Twist

By: Sue Watson

Narrated by: Katie Villa

Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

I suppose everyone has their reasons for living here. Who knows what lies behind the pretty curtains and the well-groomed lawns of Mulberry Avenue?

Lucy has a kind and adoring husband, a job she loves as a teacher, and a house on Mulberry Avenue with floaty curtains and the softest bed linen. After her troubled childhood, she knows life will never be perfect, but it’s pretty close.

She’s also got Amber, right next door. They never run out of things to talk about. Even if Amber’s life - with her high-profile job and handsome, wealthy boyfriend - is more glamorous than Lucy’s, they share a down-to-earth sense of humor.

But then Amber starts to hint that her life isn’t all it seems, and when she comes to Lucy, terrified, saying that she’s getting threatening messages, Lucy promises to protect her.

The closer Lucy gets to anyone, the harder it’ll be to keep her past to herself. But Amber doesn’t have anyone else, and Lucy welcomes her into her home.

Lucy knows all too well that people aren’t always what they seem. Sometimes they have secrets. And they’d do anything to keep them. Yet when Amber settles in a little too quickly, Lucy’s still sure: she can trust her friend...can’t she?

Gripping and pause-resisting, All Her Secrets tells a story about the dark side of friendship and has a final twist that will shock every listener. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Friend Request, and Clare Mackintosh.

Reviewers love Sue Watson:

"Tense, atmospheric psychological thriller with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. Impeccably written and a big fat 5***** from me. Awesome!" (Number one best-selling author Angela Marsons)

"Gripping tension that builds and builds... I kept thinking I knew where she was going only to be knocked sideways... An absolute page turner of a read that sent my heart racing. Bravo to the new queen of psychological thrillers." (By the Letter Book Reviews, 5 stars)

"Most definitely a book that captures your imagination... A book that I literally did not put down." (Best Crime Books and More, 5 stars)
 

©2019 Sue Watson (P)2019 Bookouture

Not my type of book

The catty and petty woman drama really was not my favorite. The ‘twist’ was rather predictable, and if you don’t predict it, it won’t surprise you. I am sure this will suit someone, not for me though. Narrator was good though!

stick with it

I feel like this story could have easily been told in half the time. The writing was good, characters believable. Just seems to drag in alot of places, the end is the best part of the book.

VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!!

Omg this story dragged on and on and on. It was so slow that I fast forward through so many chapters. There was so much repeated and it was annoying. I had the story figured out halfway through the book and the narration was a little irksome. I wouldn't recommend this book to a friend. I listen to about 15 books a month, in my car, while I clean, do work, etc and this one took so much to keep me listening to it. I wanted to quit so many times. Waste of a credit!!!

Save a credit

Maybe I listen to too many psychological thrillers, but I had this book figured out within the first 30 minutes but kept listening, waiting for a surprising twist, which never came.

You can skip about half of it

You can safety fast forward through at least half of the book. It is slow and drawn-out. I found myself spacing out through most of it before I decided to just sip to the end. I would not use a credit or spend money on this.

Great story!

A surprise ending! I had no idea! Well done! Characters are all very well fleshed out and drew me in immediately.

Meh

The story goes along, plot is very predictable so the title of it being a “psychological thriller” is laughable. The book leads up to a major event and it just skips past all details and is really vague, it was anti climactic to say the least.

Hardly a 'Twist,' but Valiant Effort

I recently read 'Our Little Lies' by Sue Watson and when I was done, I decided to search for another title by the same author. Her books from the past looked fairly 'chic-lit,' but I found 'The Woman Next Door' and I was intrigued.

The story is fairly simple. A barren woman and her husband take in their neighbour who's being stalked by an unknown predator. The neighbour is sort of a low-key celebrity, having done some acting as well as working as a 'weather girl' on local TV. The actress starts to get all too comfortable at her friend's home. Then, things start to unravel.

The story was very predictable and sort of disjointed, told by both the viewpoint of the good neighbour and the freeloader. However, it's obvious that Watson is breaking her usual mold in this book and coming in to her own as a suspenseful author. The much improved 'Our Little Lies' makes me look forward to whatever is to come from her.

Fairly enjoyable. 3 stars overall

-Wendi

Predictable and annoying

The characters are overdone and unrealistic. Listening to them be such idiots and terrible people was hard.

STUPID STORY LINE

A total waste of time but the performance was so good it lulled me on

Stalker

This book is excellent. Couldn't stop listening to it. Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing with a surprise at the end. Thoroughly enjoyed all the way through

Well Written Though Proposterous Domestic Drama

Kitchen sink dramas are not really my choice of genre - but I thought I would give this one a go as it got such good reviews and promised a "Psychological Thriller with a Stunning Twist".
I think it was very well written and read and in fairness nothing gritty, gory or terribly upsetting - however as the story developed it became more and more preposterous and the characters behaviour increasingly unbelievable - all in a frankly dull and domestic way rather than an exciting thrilling way. All the characters seemed to had terrible childhoods/mothers and even the glamourous tv presenter had a dreary existence and an even less exciting social life than mine.
The whole thing could have been used in one of the storylines in a Soap - though it was well plotted and written, it was just too implausible with sad, lack lustre, damaged characters living mundane lives on an estate that the whole thing was just a bit too drab for my tastes as I like a bit of glamour and escapism in my thrillers and am not into Soaps … but if you were, perhaps you might really love this book.

Not very gripping

A plot one guessed hours ago and endless chapters on baking cakes. Do not spend your time on this book. I listened to it at 1.5 speed and still it was slow

Kept me listening!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, some of it predictable, but must admit kept me guessing and it took me by surprise in the last few chapters when I thought I knew what would happen.

great story, real twist in the tale

brilliant narrator, definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes psychological thrillers, like the ending

Fantastic

Best book ive read for long time. Usually guess the ending but this was brilliant.

Brilliant!

I could not stop reading this book. The twists and turns were keeping me hooked and I just had to know what happened next. The twist(s) at the end had my emotions on edge and the final one left me speechless. A great story!

Kept me thinking about it even when I wasn’t listening to it . A real twist in the tale I didn’t see coming.

This book kept my mind ticking long after I listened to it, I couldn’t wait to find out more. I didn’t see the twist in the tale in the end.

Excellent

Superbly written and narrated. Totally gripping, couldn't stop listening. Was almost at the end before I realize who did it.

Loved it

Great book from a good author read by an amazingly charming narrator with a lovely twist in the tale.