A Stranger in the House: From the author of THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR

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Of course, there was someone with something to hide. And something left to do. The road from Harrisburg was pointing east. So many miles to go, so many other people to meet. Diane Barry: She was like, "I'm tired. I don't feel like going out tonight. I do not feel into it." This New Jersey state police detective was among the first to arrive at Monica's home that Monday in July. He said it didn't appear as though the house had been broken into. In fact, it seemed nothing much had happened there- until he walked into the bedroom and saw the body of Monica Massaro. not sure it was suppose to be funny or not - but I loved that a book did that to me ....pure fun entertainment—- This was a good read overall. I wouldn't say I was the biggest fan of the writing style because I felt that it could be choppy at times but I still enjoyed it enough to race through this book in a day. It's hard to really describe the mystery of the story because I think some aspects of the story can be predictable. But at the same time, even if you may be able to predict something, there is no real immediate confirmation (I'm being vague due to avoiding spoilers). I actually liked the way that was done because even when I was thinking of my own suspects, I still had a level of uncertainty that had me keep reading in anticipation.

The mere concept of waking up in a hospital with no memory of how you got there is enough to scare a person witless. Add in the police telling you that you were driving like a maniac --- something you would never do --- and ran your car into a pole. Well, regaining your memory would seem like the most important thing right about then. Or would it? Maybe you don’t want to know after all. The police suspect you were up to no good. But your husband refuses to believe it. Your best friend isn't so sure. And even you don't know what to believe . . . I haven't read Shari Lapena's previous novel, the hugely successful "The Couple Next Door", so I was looking forward to reading a book by a new author to me and a one that comes highly recommended within my online book circles. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review. This all leads to lots of suspense, intrigue and lots of twists and turns. A thoroughly entertaining read.This will be my last PT for a while. I do enjoy this sub-genre, but the originality is beginning to fade, and the plots are starting to all run together. Time to shuffle around the TBR a little, I think.

Another thrilling domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door and Not a Happy Family I read this novel at one sitting, absolutely riveted by the story line. The suspense was beautifully rendered and unrelenting!” Shari Lapena does a good job creating unlikable characters here. While some seemed not worth liking we were oddly invested in them and changing our minds on how we felt about them throughout the story. Even though none were worth rooting for either, we found ourselves rooting for each at different times. The story is told through the perspective of our three main characters and we enjoyed each one and really felt like we got to know them well. How do you repay a couple like that for all their kindness, for the coaching, the babysitting? The answer came to Patty and Chet one summer night. They were planning a family cruise to the Caribbean when their now teenage boys got into trouble – and were punished. Still* flat as a pancake..., and the train never came. It’s a closed train station. It’s never coming.

The many never-saw-them-coming twists and questionable characters . . . will keep you on the edge of your seat. First-time novelist Lapena’s writing is spare and tense, and it makes The Couple Next Door a compulsive read. The last line is absolutely a killer.” Karen finds support from her best friend and neighbor, who keeps a very close eye on Tom and Karen…. Karen may have survived the accident but it gave her a concussion which resulted in temporary amnesia. She could not remember the events that happened prior to and during the car accident. The police detectives handling the case were dubious thinking how convenient it was for Karen to feign amnesia so she could avoid being questioned. Shari expertly traps you, confounds you and leaves you gasping at the end. More, please...' FIONA BARTON It was July 11, 2007. The Gerharts and the Ewalts were out for dinner when Chet popped the question: Would Darlene and Todd like to join them on a Caribbean cruise? The fun would set sail in October, the busiest time of year for Todd, the dedicated football coach. Darlene didn't care.

He looks at her, concerned. “How do you feel? ” She wants to say, Terrified . Instead, she says, with a faint smile, “ Glad to be home . ”Lapena applies a shifting viewpoints style of narration to her second novel. As a result, we learn from the main couple, as well as neighbour Brigid (Karen’s best friend and Tom’s former lover). This helps cover all bases in terms of what might have happened the night of the crash. We are not entirely sure who to believe through Lapena’s set up. With a number of players involved in the investigation, the mystery element of the book is drawn out nicely. Despite the fact that a few reviewers before me have remarked that this was predictable, I enjoyed the journey I was taken on with Lapena and her characters of A Stranger in the House. I admit that I went into “A Stranger in the House” with a few expectations. I’ve read a few books by Shari Lapena by now and I’ve really liked them (I think I have one left to read (The Couple Next Door)) so I had EXPECTATIONS - which as we all know is a mistake. Wah wah. In the end, I enjoyed this novel but it didn’t quite blow me away. Such is life. Karen and Tom have been married for a few years and by all appearances seem to have a quite nice and comfortable life together. But the you know what hits the fan when Karen gets into a serious car accident and doesn't recall much of anything that happened that night. The police don't understand why she was found in a part of town that she normally would steer clear from and begin questioning those close to Karen as they search for answers. Hmm... looks like some people have a secret or two.

Lapena keeps the well-developed twists churning, with each a surprise notch in this ever-evolving plot, and she continues this skillful storytelling until the stunning twist at the end. . . memorable.” –Associated Press Around the same time Karen wakes up in a hospital after being involved in a car accident that has left her partially amnesiac, what's worse is that she can't remember what happened immediately before the accident.You’re gut wrenched like you’ve been betrayed. You view the police as the enemy going after a poor woman that has suffered a traumatic accident and now has no memory. You feel bad and you want to defend her. The best friend, Brigid across the street is nosy, annoying and intrusive. She has no life so watches Karen and Tom’s life play out from across the street. Makes you wonder if that’s all she does. And the good husband, supportive, caring and loving; standing by his wife through it all. Until you ask yourself about some of the questionable decisions he has made in the past and even now, leaves you to think, is he as really great as you thought he was. a first-class thriller with perfect pacing.... Not much is as it appears here, which is just the way lovers of suspense want it." What truly sets "A Stranger in the House" apart is its richly developed characters. Karen's journey from confusion and vulnerability to empowerment and determination is portrayed with exceptional depth and nuance. Her struggles are palpable, and I found myself empathizing with her every step of the way. Tom's complexity adds an extra layer of intrigue, as his motivations and actions are shrouded in uncertainty, adding to the book's enigmatic atmosphere. Some critics felt that, although the casting of Chaplin and Darin was meant to appeal to younger audiences, both were too old for their characters. Others thought that the title Cop-Out might have worked better (especially with audiences of the 1960s) without its trendy camera work and wearisome generation-gap propaganda. [3] Box office [ edit ] You wake up in hospital, with no idea how you got there. They tell you that you were in an accident; you lost control of your car whilst driving in a dangerous part of town.