Tuesday, May 3, 2016

The Couple Next Door

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena.  320 pages.  On sale 8/23/16 (on order for the library)   I read an e-galley of this book, courtesy of Edelweiss.

Anne and Marco seem like a happy couple (maybe), who are having dinner with a nice pair of neighbors (who actually may not be that nice), while their baby sleeps in their house a few doors down.  But, even though the baby is alone, Anne and Marco are checking on her every half hour (or are they?).  So when they stumble home at 1:00 in the morning to find the baby missing, who is to blame?   

And that is really what drives this story.  Each time you think you may know who took the baby and why, there’s another twist.   Reading this book and trying to figure out the culprit reminded me of pulling invasive vines in my garden; each time I unravel a strand, I discover another one going in a different direction.  And then, when I’m finished, I’m triumphantly holding a nasty ball of sticky mess.   This story is a lot like that, where you can’t trust what the characters are telling you.  Anne is sure she didn’t harm her baby, but then doubts herself (nothing like drinking alcohol while being on anti-depressants).   Marco denies involvement, but there’s more to him than meets the eye.   Anne’s parents seem like they’re being helpful, but her dad’s definitely got an agenda. 


The fast pace, combined with a plethora of unreliable narrators, makes for a very enjoyable read.  

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