The Mother Next Door: A Novel by Tara Laskowski

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

For fans of Lisa Jewell, Aimee Molloy, and Joshilyn Jackson, an upmarket suspense novel from a multi-award-winning author about a tightknit group of suburban mothers who invite a new neighborhood mom into their fold, and the fallout the night of the annual block party, when secrets from the past come back to haunt them…

The annual block party is the pinnacle of the year on idyllic suburban cul de sac Ivy Woods Drive. An influential group of neighborhood moms—known as the Ivy Five—plan the event for months.

Except the Ivy Five have been four for a long time.

When a new mother moves to town, eager to fit in, the moms see it as an opportunity to make the group whole again. This year’s block party should be the best yet... until the women start receiving anonymous messages threatening to expose the quiet neighborhood’s dark past—and the lengths they’ve gone to hide it.

As secrets seep out and the threats intensify, the Ivy Five must sort the loyal from the disloyal, the good from the bad. They'll do anything to protect their families. But when a twisted plot is revealed, with dangerous consequences, their steady foundation begins to crumble, leaving only one certainty: after this year’s block party, Ivy Woods Drive will never be the same.

From award-winning author Tara Laskowski, The Mother Next Door is an atmospheric novel of domestic suspense in which the strive for perfection ends in murder…

my thoughts:

Just in time for Halloween, The Mother Next Door, delivers a group of 'mean girls' moms called the Ivy Five, several threatening messages, plenty of twists and turns, plus the annual Halloween block party - what more could I want? Tara Laskowski's latest book is the perfect treat!

Theresa and her family have just moved to Ivy Woods, a small, idyllic town that appears postcard perfect. She desperately wants to fit in and knows that joining the Ivy Five is the right way to go. Who are the Ivy Five? A group of five moms who live in Ivy Woods (the cul-de-sac that everyone wants to live on) and pretty much run the neighborhood - their annual Halloween party is epic and considered THE event of the year. Except, there are only four moms, since one of them moved away.  Theres is vying to occupy the fifth spot and soon she is enmeshed in the group's dark secrets and party planning ways. Talk about a wicked group.

The Mother Next Door is a fun and entertaining read that will pull you in right from the start. It's chock full of twists and turns, and is such a great book to get hooked on during this spook-tacular month. Definitely check it out! You won't be able to help but enjoy all the suspense, thrills, and mysteries as you laugh out loud at these 'mean girls' moms ruling their neighborhood. What a great story!

I'd happily recommend The Mother Next Door to fans of Laskowski and to anyone looking for their next great read! 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!