A not-to-be-missed novel of suspense about the secrets hidden in a young couple’s new neighborhood.

Kat and Doug felt like Aurora Village was the perfect community. Minutes from the city, affluent without pretension, low crime with a friendly vibe—it’s everything Kat never had, and that she’s determined to provide for her infant daughter. Snagging a nice bungalow in this exclusive enclave was worth all the sacrifice. But everything changes overnight when Kat finds a scrawled note outside their front door.

That wasn’t very neighborly of you.

As increasingly sinister and frighteningly personal notes arrive, each one stabs deeper into the heart of Kat’s insecurities, paranoia, and most troubling, her past. When the neighbors who seemed so perfect reveal their open secret, the menace moves beyond mean notes. Someone’s raising the stakes.

As suspicious as she is of every smiling face and as terrified as she’s become of being found out, Kat is still unprepared for the sharp turn that lies just ahead of her on Bayberry Lane.

Amazon 

For starters, I was not thrilled with the first half. Here is why:

Kat – don’t call her Katrina- and Doug go overboard buying a house in a “great” family friendly neighborhood. The start reminded me of our newest obsession, NextDoor. So I sorta got pulled in. The the BIG Welcome … so overboard. I want to know where people have a huge block party to welcome people. All Kat did was attempt to be anyone else. She faked everything solely intent on pleasing others, trying to be like the others, gauging who was friend and who was BFF material. Just that part of the character was too over the top for me.

The past was introduced and it was a curve-ball. I felt for Kat and that is why I stuck with it. When I got to the halfway mark, I almost gave up.

The other characters got real. There was another plot twist. Kat is “threatened” by notes that I wanted more threatening. Really scare the shit out of her!  I think if they were a little harsh I would have gotten over the feeling of just a “watcher” and got into the scary stalker. Sometimes that is key to the “thriller” aspect.

I wont give away the plots, but the last half of the book surely makes it worthwhile. It was a Kindle First about 3-4 months ago and I think for a first, it was good

Ellie Monago is the pen name of an acclaimed novelist and practicing therapist. She’s also a wife and mother, and when you add it all up, she doesn’t wind up with much time for hobbies. But she’s an avid tennis fan, a passionate reader of both fiction and nonfiction—especially memoir (nothing’s as juicy as the truth!)—and she relishes a good craft cocktail.