Good Neighbors

A sinkhole opens in the ground of a Long Island suburb, disrupting the lives of its residents and exposing hidden tensions between neighbors. The Wilde and Maple families find themselves at the center of escalating conflicts as their peaceful community transforms into a battleground of accusations and paranoia. The story follows Rhea Schroeder, a former teacher with social influence in the neighborhood, and Gertie Wilde, a former beauty queen trying to fit into the community. Their initial friendship dissolves into animosity as a series of events pushes the neighborhood toward chaos and violence. The narrative explores themes of class warfare, mob mentality, and the fragile nature of suburban civility. Through multiple perspectives and timelines, the book examines how quickly social bonds can deteriorate when fear and suspicion take root in a community.

Readers describe this as a dark, unsettling suburban drama that examines class tensions and mob mentality. Many found the multiple viewpoints and non-linear timeline effective in building tension, with the supernatural/horror elements serving as metaphors for social decay. Readers appreciated: - The realistic portrayal of toxic neighborly relationships - Strong character development, especially of the children - The blend of literary fiction with horror elements Common criticisms: - Confusing timeline jumps - Too many perspective shifts - Ending felt rushed or unclear - Some found it too bleak Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (12,000+ ratings) Amazon: 3.8/5 (2,300+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (400+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "Like Shirley Jackson meets Big Little Lies" - Goodreads reviewer "The timeline shifts made it hard to follow" - Amazon reviewer "Brutal but honest look at suburban life" - LibraryThing reviewer

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🌳 Author Sarah Langan holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Columbia University and a Master's degree in environmental toxicology from NYU. 🏘️ The sinkhole featured in "Good Neighbors" was inspired by the real-life 2013 Florida sinkhole that swallowed a man while he slept in his bedroom. 📚 The book explores themes of social contagion, similar to real-world cases like the Salem witch trials and modern viral social media phenomena. 🏆 Sarah Langan is a three-time Bram Stoker Award winner for her previous horror novels, bringing her expertise in psychological suspense to this suburban thriller. 🎬 The film rights to "Good Neighbors" were acquired by Sidney Kimmel Entertainment before the book was even published, with plans to adapt it for the screen.