Book Review: The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner
Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,
The art of writing often times has an author revisiting his or her favorite characters. In Lisa Gardner's case she has written so many wonderful characters, that when she returns to a previous book to add to a latest story, the results can be quite amazing.
The Neighbor is published by Bantam Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. It is the third novel in the Detective Warren series, and serves as an indirect sequel to Say Goodbye. In it we are introduced to Jason and Sandra Jones, and their adorable little girl, Ree. Sandra is a school teacher and Jason is a reporter for the Boston Daily newspaper. They have split parenting to a "night and day" routine with Sandra as night parent and Jason as day parent. It is a well-worked formula that keep Ree happy in her four year old mind. But the happiness is short-lived when an unidentified intruder attacks and abducts Sandra during one Wednesday night.
For Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren this case stinks from the very day she takes it on, with her personal life fueling her mood. Her former lover, Detective Bobby Dodge, is happily married and expecting a child. And D.D. is sexually frustrated and wants a decent trip to the buffet. Look out for those who manage to get in her way! But the craziest part of this case is Sandra's husband. He is quiet, cold, and has a set of eyes as black as midnight. He is able to turn his emotions off at will, which makes him prime suspect in D.D.'s eyes.
As the case progresses we are introduced to Aidan Brewster, a convicted sex offender. He has done his time in jail, has a clean record presently, and a steady job at an auto repair shop. But Aidan is also not stupid. He knows the cops will be at his door soon enough when they uncover his record. But Aidan saw something the Wednesday Sandra disappeared, and that information may prove to be useful to the police, but dangerous to Aidan.
The Neighbor was a thrilling narrative that had me guessing throughout the novel's pages. I loved the interesting characters that Gardner presented to the reader. And as someone who was introduced to Detective Warren when she was married and a mother, this book gave me insight as to just how much D.D. has changed over the years. This level of character development made me appreciate Lisa Gardner's writing even more. The over-all mystery of Sandra's disappearance, and the slowly revealed connection to Say Goodbye made the Neighbor a novel that had me stealing moments to get more reading in.
I read the Neighbor in part with the narration of actors, Emily Janice Card (Sandra Jones), Kirby Hayborne (Aidan Brewster), and Kirsten Potter (Detective Warren and Jason Jones). Their voices became the representations of the characters so well, that when the story shifted I knew exactly who was speaking. Accents, inflections, and each character's own sense of urgency were presented flawlessly. This was an amazing trio that gave this book added depth.
The Neighbor was a four out of five stars read. The unexpected connection to Say Goodbye, the twisting mystery, and a cranky D.D. Warren made for a fun and thrilling novel. Once again I have read a Lisa Gardner book that I highly recommend. But reading Say Goodbye is also recommended to get the full scope of the Neighbor's connection.
Have fun reading this week, and let me know in the comments what books you are reading. I always love hearing my reader's recommendations.
The art of writing often times has an author revisiting his or her favorite characters. In Lisa Gardner's case she has written so many wonderful characters, that when she returns to a previous book to add to a latest story, the results can be quite amazing.
The Neighbor is published by Bantam Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. It is the third novel in the Detective Warren series, and serves as an indirect sequel to Say Goodbye. In it we are introduced to Jason and Sandra Jones, and their adorable little girl, Ree. Sandra is a school teacher and Jason is a reporter for the Boston Daily newspaper. They have split parenting to a "night and day" routine with Sandra as night parent and Jason as day parent. It is a well-worked formula that keep Ree happy in her four year old mind. But the happiness is short-lived when an unidentified intruder attacks and abducts Sandra during one Wednesday night.
For Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren this case stinks from the very day she takes it on, with her personal life fueling her mood. Her former lover, Detective Bobby Dodge, is happily married and expecting a child. And D.D. is sexually frustrated and wants a decent trip to the buffet. Look out for those who manage to get in her way! But the craziest part of this case is Sandra's husband. He is quiet, cold, and has a set of eyes as black as midnight. He is able to turn his emotions off at will, which makes him prime suspect in D.D.'s eyes.
As the case progresses we are introduced to Aidan Brewster, a convicted sex offender. He has done his time in jail, has a clean record presently, and a steady job at an auto repair shop. But Aidan is also not stupid. He knows the cops will be at his door soon enough when they uncover his record. But Aidan saw something the Wednesday Sandra disappeared, and that information may prove to be useful to the police, but dangerous to Aidan.
The Neighbor was a thrilling narrative that had me guessing throughout the novel's pages. I loved the interesting characters that Gardner presented to the reader. And as someone who was introduced to Detective Warren when she was married and a mother, this book gave me insight as to just how much D.D. has changed over the years. This level of character development made me appreciate Lisa Gardner's writing even more. The over-all mystery of Sandra's disappearance, and the slowly revealed connection to Say Goodbye made the Neighbor a novel that had me stealing moments to get more reading in.
I read the Neighbor in part with the narration of actors, Emily Janice Card (Sandra Jones), Kirby Hayborne (Aidan Brewster), and Kirsten Potter (Detective Warren and Jason Jones). Their voices became the representations of the characters so well, that when the story shifted I knew exactly who was speaking. Accents, inflections, and each character's own sense of urgency were presented flawlessly. This was an amazing trio that gave this book added depth.
The Neighbor was a four out of five stars read. The unexpected connection to Say Goodbye, the twisting mystery, and a cranky D.D. Warren made for a fun and thrilling novel. Once again I have read a Lisa Gardner book that I highly recommend. But reading Say Goodbye is also recommended to get the full scope of the Neighbor's connection.
Have fun reading this week, and let me know in the comments what books you are reading. I always love hearing my reader's recommendations.
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