| Title | : | The Neighbor (Detective D.D. Warren, #3) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0553807234 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780553807233 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 373 |
| Publication | : | First published June 4, 2009 |
| Awards | : | ITW Thriller Award Best Hard Cover Novel (2010) |
This is what happened...
It was a case guaranteed to spark a media feeding frenzy—a young mother, blond and pretty, disappears without a trace from her South Boston home, leaving behind her four-year-old daughter as the only witness and her handsome, secretive husband as the prime suspect.
In the last six hours...
But from the moment Detective Sergeant D. D. Warren arrives at the Joneses’ snug little bungalow, she senses something off about the picture of wholesome normality the couple worked so hard to create. On the surface, Jason and Sandra Jones are like any other hardworking young couple raising a four-year-old child. But it is just under the surface that things grew murky.
Of the world as I knew it...
With the clock ticking on the life of a missing woman and the media firestorm building, Jason Jones seems more intent on destroying evidence and isolating his daughter than on searching for his “beloved” wife. Is the perfect husband trying to hide his guilt—or just trying to hide? And will the only witness to the crime be the killer’s next victim?
The Neighbor (Detective D.D. Warren, #3) Reviews
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The Neighbor (Detective D.D. Warren #3) by Lisa Gardner (Goodreads Author), Emily Janice Card (Narrator), Kirsten Potter (Narrator), Kirby Heyborne (Narrator)
DeAnn and I are having a blast buddy reading the D.D. Warren books and we have just finished #3. Bobby Dodge, who we saw a lot of in the first two books, made some grumpy cameo appearances from his bed when D.D. called him and woke him up to brainstorm about her latest case. As with the first two books, we spend more time with suspects and victims than with the detectives and I think this is a very interesting way to present the stories.
This latest story was so intriguing. A young mother disappears and her husband doesn't attempt to help find her. He's mostly a cold faced, blank wall although it's obvious that he's a very loving and attentive father to their four year old daughter. There are a handful of suspects, besides the father, including a young sex offender, the neighbor. This young man presents a very sad part of the book, as we get to hear his life story, a heartbreaking life story. We also get to hear from the housewife, Sandy, as we make our way through the story and the search for Sandy. I figured out a lot of things but felt like there were so many choices of suspects and no one is without some fault in the events that happen, that I really couldn't be sure if my guesses were correct, until the very end.
The narrators for this book were very good! I can't wait to read the next book in this series and I'm so glad that DeAnn suggested we buddy read these books together. I'm also thankful to my libraries because they allow me to check out digital and audio books from the comfort and safety of my home.
Published June 16, 2009 -
Writing: 5/5 | Plot: 3.5/5 | Ending: OTT/5
SYNOPSIS
Jason Jones' wife is missing, making him suspect #1... along with the convicted and registered sex offender just down the street. Where did Sandra go, and who is to blame? And what's up with this neighbourhood?
MY OPINION
WOAH NELLYYYYY that was a wild ass ride. Is this rating generous based on that OTT final act? PEUT ETRE (MAYBE). BUT the writing was so strong, so on point, so suspenseful, I couldn't give it anything less than a four.
This is an old Gardner, we're talking 2009 when Facebook was in its infancy and I wore 3/4 black leggings under my jean skirts #SWAG. But it aged well-ish. I mean a 30 yr old shacking up with a pregnant teen is always questionable, but in this case the motive is clear... and less icky.
Here we have the traditional domestic thriller trope with a handful of twisty twists. You kinda know wassup with Jason... but it keeps you guessing. The plot was thicc af. I loved Sandra's POV. TBH the pedo's POV was gratuitous and unnecessary, but I'm a sicko so yes, I wanted to know how his mind ticked. I could've done without the "both sides of the fences" perspective of sex offenders. I really just don't care how hard a pedophile's life is. I'm too busy thinking about how mentally, physically, and emotionally scarred for life their victim(s) are.
OK let me get my ass back on track instead of giving a Ted Talk. Although this is a police procedural, we spend a considerable amount of time with the suspects and victim, which I loved. This was a great character study and my heart goes out to Jason. YES it is moi, showing sympathy and empathy toward a MAN. Your eyes have not betrayed you.
This book was good. Period. It was entertaining, it made me want to pick up another Gardner expeditiously. Trigger warnings: all of them.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: FANTASTIC writing, great pace, well-written characters, entertainment value through the roof
Cons: tryna make me feel bad for pedos, keep that lmao. ending was outrageously OTT -
4.5/5
This was a good and enjoyable read. It kept me turning page after page to see how things would play out. As a reader, I love the unexpected plot twists that hit me like a train. And this book didn't disappoint. The twist ending I didn't see coming in this one was totally mind-blowing. It was clever!
Recommended for all mystery/thriller fans. -
Seriously, this book averages almost 4 stars? Maybe folks just haven't read as many really good mysteries as I have or else I really missed something in this book.
First, okay I get it...the young blonde wife is beautiful. How many times did the author have to bang that over my head? Lest we brunettes forget--yes, yes, the blonde woman is beautiful. Okay I get it. But GMAFB re: her being lonely. Girl made her bed--married rich and he's gone a lot. Suck it up, buttercup. Also, I am a teacher and I found the involvement with the 8th grade boy uncomfortable. I realize she wasn't hitting on him or trying to sleep with him, but it showed poor judgment. I also thought she should have been older than 23...I mean seriously? All this shit happened to her and she's only 23??
Next, the Jason character was beyond annoying. Now I did read a spoiler that says he was a character in an earlier book and maybe I would have liked him more if I had read that book first. I will go back and read it and reevaluate our man J.
Normally, I love female law enforcement officers but DD didn't do it for me. I have issues with writers who have their characters pig out and have huge appetites but then make them have bodies that don't reflect this (see: Gilmore Girls, The Closer et al). One day I'm going to write a book about a chick detective who likes to eat and has a body more like me (size 10/12). And having her call her now married lover was just pitiful.
The only character I really felt sorry for was the convicted sex offender. I feel icky writing that sentence but his character really got me thinking. Okay, he raped his stepsister and that is not right. But it sounds like he had a pretty shitty life, living with a stepfather who was an asshole. Then he ends up in jail where he is raped at least once. Then he's stuck, living in a crappy apartment with no friends, totally broke and with no real future. As the PO says, there's the guy who rapes multiple little girls in the park and then the 19 year old who has sex with the 14 year old. Again, please understand that in no way am I defending this guy, but the character has really stuck with me...what a shitty, miserable existence. How many guys are there out there, living like this? (But I know, he shouldn't have had sex with a 14 year old)
The mystery itself was okay I guess. I really didn't care enough about Sandra to really care if she was alive or not. To be honest, I was more worried about the cat. -
4.5 Stars
It's been several years since I read this book and didn't remember all the details, but the story was sooo good! Jason Jones comes home to find his twenty-three year-old wife missing, while their four year old daughter is tucked away in bed, sleeping. As the search begins we discover that Jason and Sandra aren't the picture perfect couple/family that they appear to be, but the secrets aren't as straightforward as you'd think. As the hours tick by and the suspect list grows, with Jason's name at the very top, we're flashed back to the past and given glimpses into their marriage that slowly reveal the truth of what happened.
One thing for sure, the first time I read this, I hoped for a happy ending even knowing stats show the worst is usually what happens in the case of a missing wife. This time I knew generally what happened, but I couldn't remember a lot of the particulars or even the culprit. I didn't want to put the book down, eager to find out how it all unfolded, even as a re-read!
A main character is someone from another Lisa Gardner novel. I won't give away the identity or details, but I remember being shocked when I found out.
I listened to the audio version for my re-read, and loved it. Kirsten Potter is one of my favorite narrators. Emily Janice Card and Kirby Heyborne were wonderful, too, as Sandra and Aiden. -
4.5 (Probably would’ve been a solid 5 if they gave me just a little more Bobby Dodge!💖💖🤣) Im really enjoying this series! This was the 3rd & so far each has been a great book in its own right.. It’s really up there for me.. Standing tall with Karin Slaughters Grant County series- which says a lot coming from me (she’s 1 of my all time faves!)
& I’ve been listening to the audiobooks so I can absolutely recommend them if that’s the way you’d prefer to read them!😊 -
A husband arrives home late one night to discover that his wife is missing and their four-year-old daughter tucked safely in her bed. He doesn’t call the police for several hours, a failing which immediately raises red flags for Sergeant D.D. Warren. As Warren and Detective Brian Miller go through the house, D.D. feels that something is off. Something is too perfect. In Lisa Gardner’s third book of her D.D. Warren series,
The Neighbor, Gardner takes us through a scenario that definitely is not Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, however. American readers will know what I mean – there are are not many warm fuzzies to be felt in this book.
Jason Jones’s wife Sandy is missing, possibly dead. Has she been abducted? Wandered off? Run off with another man? Killed? If it is the latter, who killed her? Jason is the primary person of interest, of course. But there are others. Jones doesn’t do much to help his case, other than to argue that he loves his wife and his daughter and would never do anything to hurt Clarissa (“Ree”) by taking her mother from her. In fact, he gets downright uncooperative, which makes D.D. all that much more suspicious of him.
The characters in this novel are not lovable, except perhaps for the cat, Mr. Smith, but they are not entirely unlikable either. Well, wait a minute. I take that back; Sandy’s estranged father is wholly detestable. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook version narrated by Emily Janice Card, Kirby Heyborne, and Kirsten Potter, who brought each of the characters to life. They did a wonderful job with the Georgia accents of Sandy and her father, the Boston accents of Aiden and the cops, plus the precocious voice of little Ree, which added immensely to my enjoyment of the story.
In alternating chapters, we hear about Jason and Ree as they try to cope with the disappearance of Sandy and are deluged with demands from the police, the media, and Sandy’s father. Then we hear Sandy’s version of events leading up to her disappearance. Finally, we also hear from a neighbor, who has his own cross to bear and who becomes another person of interest to the police.
What it boils down to is not so much how much do Jason and Sandy love each other, but how much do they trust one another? Each has secrets. Each has a past that has not been fully shared with the other. Aiden Brewster, the young adult who lives down the street, has a shady history as well. For good measure, Gardner throws in a student and his uncle Wayne. This makes things interesting and more complex, but do any of these guys have anything to do with Sandy’s disappearance?
I thought Ms. Gardner did an excellent job creating characters who have guilty secrets, and I kept wondering what they were hiding, especially Jason. I didn’t have it all figured out by the end, but she didn’t manage to have me completely fooled either. The conclusion seemed to wrap up a bit too quickly, and the final solution was a bit of a letdown in that it left some questions unanswered. After all was said and done, did Sgt. Warren and her team have much satisfaction either?
4 stars
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The third book in the Detective D.D. Warren series and the first where D.D. comes out from Bobby Dodge's shadow and plays a prominent role in the series that bears her name. Finally!
D.D. receives a call from Detective Brian Miller on a crime that is sure to become a media frenzy. Jason Jones comes home from work to find that his wife, Sandra, is missing leaving behind their 4 year old daughter, Clarissa ("Ree"). Sandra is young, blonde, and beautiful. Jason is compared to "McDreamy" from "Grey's Anatomy". Ree is a precocious 4 year old. Yep ... the media is going to have a field day with this one.
As soon as D.D. arrives at the Jones home she senses something is off. Their house has steel doors and rods in the windows. Are the Jones trying to keep something out? Or something in? Jason Jones's behavior is off. He is uncooperative. The couple has millions in investments. At first Jason appears to be a prime candidate in his wife's disappearance. Was Sandra having an affair and did Jason find out about it? Did he kill her for the money? One thing seems certain and that is he is hiding something. Is it guilt? Or is there something else he is hiding from.
Nothing is simple in a
Lisa Gardner story though. Aiden Brewster is a registered sex offender who lives on the same street. Did he approach Ree and did Sandra catch him? Did he kill Sandra rather than face going back to prison?
The Jones's are not an average family. Both Jason and Sandra had troubled childhoods and they apparently have their secrets. Sandra started to wonder what her husband was doing on the family computer for hours at a time in the middle of the night. She asked Ethan Hastings, a student and computer whiz at the school where she taught, for help on learning about the internet for a computer project. It doesn't take Ethan long to figure out Sandra suspects her husband of something (child pornography?) and asks his Uncle Wayne, a computer forensics investigator with the state police, to lend his expertise. Both Ethan and Wayne develop feelings for Sandra that go beyond assisting her with learning about the internet.
There is no shortage of suspects and you are left guessing what happened and who did it. To add to the confusion Sandra's estranged father, Maxwell, suddenly shows up. Sandra has not had any contact with her father since she and Jason fled Georgia for Boston when they got married. Now suddenly Max makes an appearance and is trying to get custody of Ree and claiming he knows the truth about Jason.
This was definitely an exciting read. It is one of those books that kept me up and reading one more chapter because I can't stop here. I need to know what happens next. What happened to Sandra? What is Jason hiding? What did Ree see and hear the night her mother vanished? Is she in danger? The ending was exciting and unexpected. Sometimes it is not all that simple and things don't wrap up with a bow. Looking forward to reading
Live To Tell next! -
Sandra Jones, a married middle school teacher and mother of a four-year old daughter, disappears in the middle of the night while her husband, Jason, is working on an assignment. He’s a reporter and returns home to find his wife missing and his sleeping daughter alone. Sergeant D. D. Warren is asked to help with the case and quickly determines that something is “off” with this family. Meanwhile, one of the neighbors has critical information but is reluctant to come forward because of his own personal history.
This is the first story in the series where Sergeant Warren (she’s quick to correct if you refer to her as Detective) is featured as a main character. Her instincts about the Joneses being something other than they appeared are dead on but she’s dead wrong about the “what.” She quickly sets Jason in her sights, believing he is responsible for Sandra’s disappearance. We’re treated to multiple points of view, which made this a much more interesting story. The main narratives were from Sandra, Jason, D. D. and the neighbor. Aside from D. D., none of the others could be considered reliable. Untangling what happened that night while unraveling Sandra and Jason’s histories was an intriguing challenge and I was hooked into figuring it out.
I listened to this story and loved that multiple performers were used, especially since the story presented multiple points of view. All three delivered strong performances, representing their characters very well and with distinction. This was a gnarly mystery because so many of the principals were hiding explosive secrets. I was a little disappointed in the ending because it seemed to come together too quickly, leaving too many unanswered questions. But, it was revealing and it had a big, unexpected twist. However, I remain unimpressed with D. D. Warren’s investigative skills as she amasses all the right information but assembles them so badly and rushes to judgment. I’m enjoying the series, just not her as the main focus...yet.
Posted on
Blue Mood Café -
#3 in this series may just be my favorite so far. Sergeant D.D. Warren (she does NOT like being called Detective even though that is the name of the series) finally becomes a major character, and quite a character she is.
Although I figured out at least two of the mysteries on my own, there were plenty others to resolve and surprise me. Some I felt uncomfortable with. The neighbor being one of them, and Sandra's story the other.
On to #4. -
This strange, awkward little mystery starts off well enough. It's a compelling puzzle, and for a long portion I'm completely invested in finding out what's going to happen and am intrigued by the unusual behavior of several of the characters. But it goes on too long without any answers and after a while I'm wondering if the writer has dug herself too big of a hole that she's not going to be able to get out of elegantly.
Sure enough, when the the question we've been waiting to have answered is finally answered, it's not just a letdown, it's a betrayal that undermines just about everything that has gone before. That's asinine, right?
And the "hero", D.D. Warren, well, let's just say she's no Sherlock Holmes or Mike and Lenny. She's good at being a bitch to all the usual suspects but she's lousy at finding out if there's even been a crime committed. Silliness. By the end of the book, when I realized the only characters I liked were the four year old and the child molester, I knew there was a problem. Two stars, because in spite of myself, I was caught up for the first half of the book and did want to find out what happened. -
I am enjoying this mystery series from Lisa Gardner. At times the scenarios are unbelievable but her writing style flows very nicely and keeps you interested.
This is the third book of the DD Warren series and finally she is featured more predominantly.
I'm rating it a 4 1/2 -
My first
Lisa Gardner novel, which I was excited to read due to hearing good things from friends. Whilst I enjoyed this one, I wasn't bowled over. This author seems very on top of her research, which was evident in her detail of the horrible world of childhood sexual abuse, I left the story feeling like I knew a lot about the murky area of rehabilitation and parole, and how these offenders are expected to enter programs, and the vigourous expectations of the attendees. This was interesting reading, in fact so was the psychology of these warped individuals.
Detective D.D. Warren seemed like a lady with a bit of spunk, but I really did feel like I came away from this book knowing very little of her. Further development of her character would have been great.
The mystery of this story seemed quite easy to solve, at least I thought it should have been for D.D. I thought she should have been a bit more switched on.
I am still keen to read more of this author's work, and will keep my eyes open on my rounds of second hand book shops. -
The best state where any crime is solved is the one I went to school, Boston, Massachusetts.
Sgt. D.D. Warren, a Massachusetts police detective, returns to Boston’s “colorful history”. It’s new expensive condos for high income yuppies.... seeing the “bright blue Atlantic ocean” on the North side of Boston.
D.D. mission starts in run down, South Boston, the rows of overcrowded triple decker apartments, poorer section, lots of people, jams in your windows for protection.
D.D. assigned to find a young, beautiful “missing” pregnant wife, Sandy Jones (Sandra), a teacher. Needs to help Jason Jones (husband - South Boston reporter) & Ree (4-year old daughter).
D.D. finds discrepancies.
1. Jason Jones. Believes she was not cheating? Neighbors say that they just saw her walking away from their house?
2. Aidan Brewster. Immoral auto mechanic, neighbor, state registered sex offender?
3. Ethan Hastings. Her 8th grade student, her PC genius student & loving her?
4. Wayne Reynolds. Ethan’s uncle, State Police Computer Forensics Examiner, loving others?
5. Maxwell Black. Sandy’s (Sandra) father trying to find reasons for her missing too?
The ending is great - Who is responsible for the missing Sandy (Sandra)?
Lisa Gardner’s a.k.a. Sandy’s sex “language” in the book is not “insulting or revealing”....
(YouTube) Many may not agree, but this plot reminds me of Gone Girl (trailer) -
4 solid missing person stars
I am just loving this D.D. Warren series with Marilyn! This one is #3 and pretty dark and suspenseful. Exploring the world of sex offenders, abuse, murder, and cybercrime.
Kicking off with a missing woman, this one was quite the page-turner! Sandy is a young, beautiful, middle school teacher who disappears one night from her house. She has a precocious four-year-old daughter and would not have abandoned her willingly. Sandy’s husband Jason is one cool customer, and the police can’t figure out why he’s not falling apart. Of course, he’s suspect #1 and not acting like a grieving husband.
D.D. is racing all around Boston on this one trying to figure out where Sandy was taken. As the days go by, things seem rather bleak that she’s still alive. This one shares quite a bit about the life of someone who is on the sex offenders list. Aiden lives just a few houses away from Sandy and Jason so he’s a suspect too. The author managed to explain it so well – therapy, parole officer, limited employment opportunities, financial burdens -- and I developed sympathy for the character in the book.
There was a power-packed conclusion to this one! While I figured out a few things, there were definitely still some surprises in store. Can’t wait to read the next one soon! I missed Bobby Dodge in this one, he just had a minimal role. -
Wow! Detective DD Warren has her hands full with this one! Sandra, her cute little 4 yo daughter Ree and husband Jason, live a seemingly perfect life together in a cosy little bungalow. Jason is a reporter for the local paper, while Sandra is a school teacher. Between them they look after Ree, with no other family around at all.
Then Sandra vanishes without trace, while Jason is at work one night, and the only person in the house when he arrives home from work at 2am, is little Ree, sound asleep in her bed. Even Mr. Smith, their cat, is missing! And so their life starts to unravel, very quickly! Jason is #1 suspect, but then a child sex offender is located, living just 5 doors down from the Jones' residence.
The media is in a frenzy, the clock is ticking on finding Sandra dead or alive, Jason is trying to keep life normal for Ree, and the twists and turns just keep happening in this heartstopping, spellbinding thriller! I had trouble putting this book down, and then..... the twist at the end blew me away........ -
While the suspense and drama of this book were riveting, I thought the explanations offered in the end were far-fetched (bordering on the ridiculous). I also felt you had to have read her preceeding novel to fully understand Jason's character.
Spoiler alert here** Did anyone else find the reason behind Sandra's disappearance to be unbelievably far-fetched? I mean, I just didn't buy that this woman would leave her daughter ALONE in the house in order to stage her own disappearance? If she was such a doting mother, wouldn't she want to avoid putting her husband and child through hell? What teacher, wife and mother would think disappearing would solve the problem of an ex-lover/stalker? Ridiculous! I was hoping someone else would point out this flaw in an otherwise exciting read. I felt cheated by the ending because it was just too hard to swallow. -
Ok, so I didn't write a review right away. And still wondering if I could do this story justice!
Once again, Lisa will grab you by your lapels, collar -or not, right from the start! No kidding! Right?!
Story centers around Sandy, a pretty blond with issues! Past, present, and future..there didn't seem to be an end in sight. And where does that leave hubby? Or little one Ree.?
There's trust issues, there's abuse-both physical as well as sexual- it was not "in depth" (and I didn't feel any triggers), there's even a predatory underlying story. And good old Daddy..a judge who is as crooked as the day is long! And the biggest b#@&+$d of the story! You won't like him for sure.
As soon as you start in, you'll find yourself sucked into the pages! You'll find it hard to put the bookmark in, shut the book and turn off the light! There's twists,turns that won't let you go...but you know you gotta, specially when you look over at the clock! And your eyes drift close only to snap open when the book smacks ya in the nose!! Yep, this is a gotcha! I can't say it you will like it, but I sure did!! Lisa did it again!
So, go ahead! Grab a sandwich,some chips and a tall cold one and open the book...you won't be disappointed!--P/ -
3.5 stars
Book number three in the Detective D.D. Warren series. Good plot, interesting mystery. Easy to read. More of Warren in this book, but less of Bobby Dodge, the side kick - sadly he barely made an appearance. Many twists and turns, some mysteries easy to solve, others a bit more concealed.
On to book #4
Live to Tell. -
I really enjoyed this third book in the Detective DD Warren series. In this story, a housewife from a troubled childhood disappears during the night. The police suspect her husband, but there are other people around that could have done it. Great storytelling and character development.
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It was exciting for me to see a character from the Quincy & Rainie books appear in the DD Warren series. I love that!
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Beautiful school teacher Sandra Jones makes supper for her four-year-old daughter, gives her a bath, puts her to bed, and then disappears. Her husband comes home from work to find Sandra gone. Jason claims his wife would never leave their daughter unprotected in the house alone. Jason is not cooperating with the police. He will not let them see the family computer. He will not let them question his daughter. Sgt. D.D. Warren believes Jason killed his wife, but he isn't their only suspect. The neighbor down the street is a convicted sexual predator with no alibi. Sandy's estranged father shows up in Boston claiming he should have custody of his grandchild. And a 13-year-old computer genius may hold the key to the whole mystery.
This book grabbed my attention from the first sentence. I spent my time reading the book and wondering what exactly happened to Sandy Jones. There are a number of suspects, but I felt like each of them were being railroaded to look guilty. There are also a ton of secrets between Jason and his wife. What exactly happened in the past? Why are all the doors and windows kept locked? What does Jason look at on his computer at night? Where did their money come from? I did figure out Jason's secret, but I couldn't even imagine what happened to Sandy. When it finally became clear what was going on (in the last 25 pages), it felt like a hurried conclusion that wasn't thought out too well. I'm still left asking questions about one character in the book. So, I deleted a star from what could have been a 5 star book. My rating: 4 Stars. -
First read: August 2010
Re-read: January 2018
Rating: 5/5 stars, best of 2018
The plot: an attractive young mother vanishes from her home one night while her husband is at work, leaving her young daughter tucked up in bed and no signs of foul play aside from a smashed bedroom lamp. Sergeant DD Warren is called in to investigate and discovers there is something sinister going on in this outwardly perfect little family.
The Neighbour was my first introduction to this series almost eight years ago when I read it as a stand-alone crime fiction novel. On the re-read, having now read the two previous novels in the series I can appreciate the little nods to the previous novels that Gardner includes, such as Warren's phone calls to Bobby Dodge which catches the reader up on his life. However this novel can definitely still be read as a stand alone and in my opinion is the best book of the series so far.
Gardner has created some very complex characters in the form of Sandra and Jason Jones, and also in Adrian Brewster who is an immediate suspect in Sandra's disappearance. The writing was really good and I was gripped by this story from start to finish. I am looking forward to continuing with this series - next up is Live to Tell. -
A clever and extremely entertaining read! This one slapped me across the face a few times with all of the crazy twists. This series is just fantastic!
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I picked up Neighbor by Lisa Gardner on the recommendation of bas bleu. We often enjoy the same books and have had lively conversations about some over the years. I love that we can talk about books and respect each other's opinions.
Neighbor grabbed me from the get go with it's thought provoking first sentence.
"Ive always wondered what people felt in the final hours of their lives".
Neighbor is a psychological thriller with lots of great characters with brains to pick and analyze. Tension builds as we read about the last moments of Sandra Jones who sets the scene with these words
"In the last moments of the world as I know it, I wish I could tell you I heard an owl hoot out in the darkness. Or saw a black cat leap over the fence. Or felt the hairs tingle on the nape of my neck.
I wish I could tell you I saw the danger, that I put up one helluva fight. After all, I , of all people, should understand just how easily love can turn to hate, desire to obsession. I, of all people should have seen it coming.
But I didn't. I honestly didn't."
It only gets better from here. Sandy disappears and the search to find her begins. Has she run away? Did someone, known or unknown, kidnap her?, kill her? Is she still alive? Lots of suspects including the husband and the neighbor, a young sex offender lurking nearby. We hear the story from many points of view and have to decide who is a reliable narrator.
Aidan Brewster, the sex offender, is easy to hate and an easy target as a person of interest, not only to the hard working Sergeant Warren, but also to the reader. Gardner really gets in Brewster's head as he tells his tale. Gardner consulted Carolyn Lucet, a licensed independent clinical social worker who specializes in treatment of sex offenders to write Brewster's character.. Well worth the effort and brings new perspective to my feelings about this group that garners strong prejudices from the public.
Add in Sandy's precocious four year old daughter Ree, who may have seen something the night her mother disappeared and you've got a gripping, keep you up reading, ride. I have to say I couldn't wrap all into a neat package until the end and appreciate Gardner's skill in keeping me guessing.
I agree with bas bleu. Neighbor is a keeper! -
3.5 Stars*
The story begins with: 'I’ve always wondered what people felt in the final few hours of their lives. Did they know something terrible was about to occur? Sense imminent tragedy, hold their loved ones close? Or is it something that just happens?'
Lisa had my attention, and the further I read into the book I found it hard to put down. Both the husband Jason, and the missing wife Sandy had secrets, subtle hints were revealed as to what they might be, which kept me turning the pages, as I had so many questions I wanted answered. I won't reveal these questions, as they might contain spoilers.
The reason I only gave the book 3.5stars, I found as the book was winding up for the finale, it was as if everything was going in 'fast mode', and took me a few moments to realise, it had ended, and one of my questions, something that had been mentioned numerous times throughout the book, it had not been answered, so the ending left me feeling a little flat. -
This is my third Lisa Gardner book in a row. And it is also the third straight book that includes plenty of suspense mixed with many unlikely events that strain credibility. I have been captivated evidently by this series that undoubtedly began its life in startling covers on grocery store book racks. This book is part of the Detective D. D. Warren Series, a series notable for the fact that Detective Warren plays almost no role in the first two books and has a relatively minor role in this third book.
The main characters in this book are the twenty-three year old male sex offender, the twenty-something missing wife and the thirty-something husband. The four year old daughter is also important and the police interactions with the child were fascinating to me. I am impressed with the amount of information about people and events and procedures that the author weaves into the story. One the other hand, if you are not fond of delving deeply into the world of computers, there may be more computer technology than you want. There is interesting first person narrative that comes directly from the suspect sex offender and the wife/mother. I found the life of the sex offender presented in an enlightening and sympathetic way.
I think that reading several Gardner books in succession has worn me out. Watching a string of tense, action movies with mayhem and car chases could, I think, have the same impact. I need to take a deep breath and come back to the real world outside the theater.
But I have a point to make, an experience to complete. I have one more book left from this series and I want to experience the OD. Then I will have it out of my system for a while and I will be able to get back into my pattern of more cerebral reading where the emotional content is not manipulative.
One common point with all three books is the inclusion of registered sex offenders or pedophiles. This has been a surprise to me. But not as much of a surprise as the fact that one of the classifications selected by some GR members for The Neighbor is “romantic suspense.” Oh, my!
I did feel there was more informational content in The Neighbors that had, for me, the impact of lessening the drama. For me, in a good book the drama comes from the reality of the content; Lisa Gardner does not write that kind of a good book. Her drama comes from the action and emotions much more than the ideas. Is that what a character driven book is? I like books that are driven by ideas.
I gave the first book in the series Alone four stars, the second book Hide five stars and am bumping back down on my emotional roller coaster to four stars for The Neighbors. -
A married couple hiding things, even from each other. A missing woman. A man who has done terrible things. And a four year old girl missing her mother. Who is responsible for it all?
When a woman disappears in the middle of the night leaving her four year old daughter home alone and her keys, phone and car all still at the house, the police rush to the scene. The husband’s frigid reaction to the situation firmly cements him the main suspect in her assumed death. But if she is dead, where is her body? What was his motive?
This book bothered me. While I love a good thriller/police procedural, the subject matter around which this story revolves was tough to stomach: rape, child sex crimes, and parental abuse. On top of that, the book dragged quite a bit until the last 100 pages or so. Additionally, there was a lot of superfluous computer/internet jargon and information which was not needed to further the plot. It also took quite awhile to get to know the main characters, although you never really get to know Detective D.D. Warren which is odd considering she’s a continuing character from previous novels (it was the first of this series I’ve read). There’s a lot I could say about Gardener’s characterization, but with it would come spoilers which I like to avoid in my reviews.
Ultimately, I probably won’t read more of this series which is unfortunate as I loved Gardener’s Frankie Elkin books (Before She Disappeared and One Step Too Far). But I would definitely recommend to anyone who doesn’t mind the more hardcore subject matter discussed in this novel. It just wasn’t for me. Rating of 2.5-3 stars (mainly because of the underlying subject matter). -
Another great book by Lisa Gardner.
