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The Family Next Door  By  cover art

The Family Next Door

By: Sally Hepworth
Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik
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Publisher's summary

"Perfect for lovers of Desperate Housewives and Big Little Lies, with a dash of Single White Female, this novel will stick with readers for a long time." (Library Journal)

The Family Next Door is an audiobook about desperate mothers, secrets among neighbors, and things women keep hidden in a suburban drama from the author of The Mother's Promise.

Small, perfect towns often hold the deepest secrets.

From the outside, Essie’s life looks idyllic: a loving husband, a beautiful house in a good neighborhood, and a nearby mother who dotes on her grandchildren. But few of Essie’s friends know her secret shame: that in a moment of maternal despair, she once walked away from her newborn, asleep in her carriage in a park. Disaster was avoided and Essie got better, but she still fears what lurks inside her, even as her daughter gets older and she has a second baby.

When a new woman named Isabelle moves in next door to Essie, she is an immediate object of curiosity in the neighborhood. Why single, when everyone else is married with children? Why renting, when everyone else owns? What mysterious job does she have? And why is she so fascinated with Essie? As the two women grow closer and Essie’s friends voice their disapproval, it starts to become clear that Isabelle’s choice of neighborhood was no accident. And that her presence threatens to bring shocking secrets to light.

The Family Next Door is Sally Hepworth at her very best: at once a deeply moving portrait of family drama and a compelling suburban mystery that will keep listeners hooked until the very last word.

©2018 Sally Hepworth (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

What listeners say about The Family Next Door

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  • Overall
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good story but....

There were so many people to keep track of that I actually went back to the start near the middle of the book to figure out who was who.

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25 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Neighborhood drama

This reminded me of a Liane Moriarty novel, although without her subtle humor. The story centers on a suburban Melbourne neighborhood, where everyone seems to know each other superficially. Over the course of the book secrets and dysfunctions are revealed. It was actually quite entertaining. The narration was excellent.

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23 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of my favorite audible books

The narrator was amazing. The book did not turn out the way I suspected. It's a great book. Better than any I've "read" in over a year. Get it!

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13 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Another great one!

I love all of Sally Hepworth’s books. This one was especially good. I was pleased that the narrator was Australian. Loved it!

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12 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • MK
  • 02-11-21

An Easy Read

Good if you are looking for an easy read- sort of like 'Desperate Housewives'. not hard to follow but entertaining. a story of four women and their families with a little mystery and drama thrown in. good women's fiction literature and I love the Australian accents! (audible should have a separate category for books with non-american accents - I would shop there first!)

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8 people found this helpful

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It’s refreshing to have surprises & twists you never considered!

The story was perfectly told by Barrie Kreinik- a voice you want to listen to. The story did not go in the way I thought it would, and that delighted me all the more.
This is the second work by Sally Hepworth and I thoroughly enjoyed it! She has an interesting way of developing the story and sharing that development amongst the characters.
I recommend this audiobook wholeheartedly!

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6 people found this helpful

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great!

we just bought a vacation house and listened to this book driving and also working on the new place. my husband was so into it that I could not listen to it during the work week while he was not gone. narrator was OK,not annoying. I enjoyed the difference in each character. very easy to listen to and follow.

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5 people found this helpful

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Highly recommend!

I was drawn into this story from the start, and what a nice refreshing change that is. I felt it was similar to Big Little Lies which I enjoyed. I didn't want the story to end, but it's ending was a natural closing to a good story. Thank you to both the author and the wonderful narrator.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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I laughed, cried and loved it!

Really enjoyed this book. The narrator made each character vivid in my mind and I found myself cheering them on. As I started to make sense of what was happening to each person I cried, smiled and was angry. Emotional trauma really effects the mind and it is heartbreaking. Loved the ending. Don't want to give anything away so I will just say it's worth the money or credit. 😀😀😀

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Challenging to follow

I loved this book. The story and the narrator were fabulous. One thing that may have been easier if I was reading rather than listening.... The characters are incredibly hard to follow. This book is written from the points of view of so many characters, at times, I had no idea who was who and who was married to who...

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4 people found this helpful