The action is set in the fictional town of Aylesford, located in New York State’s Hudson Valley. It is a picturesque and haunting part of the Empire State, nestled within the Catskill Mountains a little more than an hour outside of NYC. Jumping ahead to present day, a man named Robert Pierce is phoning the police because his wife, Amanda, has not returned from a weekend away with one of her girlfriends. The problem is that the girlfriend, Caroline Lu, said she never went anywhere with Amanda and knew nothing about her weekend getaway. THERE ARE TOO MANY LIES, SECRETS, CHEATERS ON THIS BOOK! NOBODY IS INNOCENT: Every character lies on this book. Every character has big secrets. Every one of them has different agenda. I was about to blurt out laughing because at some parts the book turned into mysterious tele-novelas, most soap-y operas, you know that ones, the man who sleeps with his own maid, daughter in law at the same time, when his wife’s having a relationship with gardener and her trainer 

Olivia is worried about having written the anonymous letters, but she doesn't fess up. The letters - and Raleigh's crimes - prey on Olivia's mind, however, and she confides in her best friend Glenda. Glenda has problems also, since her teenage son drinks. The women share many cups of coffee and glasses of wine as they commiserate with one another. No-one does suburban paranoia like Shari Lapena —this slowly unfurling nightmare will have you biting your nails until the end.” And Richard Pierce worries about what the intruder might have seen in his house....like the burner phone he hid.

The setting is mainly confined to one street in a small suburb in upstate New York, a place the reader would never want to live. How will the woman react when they discover that their husbands are suspected by the police of having affairs with the murdered woman and of killing her? Soon another woman is found dead, strangled in her home. Although her last book was an "Agatha Christie" style mystery, this one is more like her first two books, returning to a neighborhood FULL of secrets. The police don't concern themselves too much at first, thinking Amanda probably ran off with another man. Then Amanda's car is found sunk in a nearby lake, with her bludgeoned body in the trunk, and the murder investigation begins. This is what Olivia Sharpe thinks. Her husband and son, and family lawyer are of a completely different opinion. The anonymous letters she has secretly sent her neighbours have enormous repurcussions on the life of everybody in this close-knit suburban neighbourhood, because everybody here has their own secrets. I've been banging through police procedurals lately and neglecting my physical books (as per usual), so I decided to "challenge" myself to attempt to read five popcorn thrillers before 2022 comes to an end. The five books:

Someone We Know is a tour de force of thriller writing. Shari Lapena proves yet again that she is the mistress of the pacy plot, cliff edge tension and menacing suburban claustrophobia. Gilly Macmillan, author of THE NANNY AS USUAL TOO MANY UNLIKABLE CHARACTERS: Of course I’m not quiet fan of cheaters, liars, fake friends, noisy neighbors who were watching (mostly stalking) the other houses’ inhabitants. Don’t forget Carmine Torres who threatens everyone just show them how smart and good detective she is. And when a missing local woman is found murdered, the tension reaches breaking point. Who killed her? Who knows more than they're telling? And how far will all these very nice people go to protect their secrets? No-one does suburban paranoia like Shari Lapena—this slowly unfurling nightmare will have you biting your nails until the end.” —Ruth Ware Your plots have many twists. How do you come up with these plot turns? Do you plan everything out beforehand or do you see where the story takes you?

Customer reviews

Everyone who knew Amanda is interviewed, and the cops suspect one person after another of being her killer. Someone We Know is a tour de force of thriller writing. Shari Lapena proves yet again that she is the mistress of the pacy plot, cliff edge tension and menacing suburban claustrophobia. Fans will be delighted and if you haven’t read her books yet, then why on earth not?” One neighbourhood, four couples, an amateur burglar and one dead body – this is a masterful whodunnit, perfectly paced and expertly plotted, that had me guessing all the way through. Like Desperate Housewives with bite. I loved it and couldn't put it down. C. L. Taylor A flirtatious, unfaithful wife is brutally murdered in the first chapter. Suspicion immediately falls on the men in her life, especially those suspected of having extramarital relations with her or her jealous husband. Meanwhile, two mothers are worried about their teenage sons. One boy has been sneaking into neighbourhood homes and reading the content of their computers. What secrets may he have learned and how will his snooping connect with the plot? Another boy is a drunk. Their two mothers are best friends and support each other in their concerns.