By Samantha Harford

The Couple Next Door (2017) – Shari Lapena

What would you do if your babysitter cancelled last minute?

Well, Anne and her husband, decide to leave their six month old baby asleep in her crib whilst they dine with their next door neighbours. With half-hourly check-ups and a baby monitor switched on nearby, what could possibly go wrong? ItÔÇÖs only for a few hours, after all. However, when they return home, Anne and MarcoÔÇÖs lives are shattered as every parentÔÇÖs worst nightmare becomes a reality. Cora is missing.

Readers will find themselves turning page after page as the suspense and emotion build in this novel. Where is Cora? ItÔÇÖs left up to the main Detective to piece together the events of the evening and soon inconsistencies and secrets are brought to the surface. And, of course, the suspicion is immediately focused on the parents.

If you love crime thrillers, and want something that will keep your mind far away from the bustle of everyday life, LapenaÔÇÖs novel is the perfect choice. Her language is steeped in suspense and she draws on the fears within every parents mind in a way that makes you feel like youÔÇÖre living her story.

A novel filled with shadowed doubts, readers will tear through these pages to keep up with the relentless second-guessing and suspicions around the culprit. Yet, the real question on every readers mind is, what happened to Cora?

The Couple Next Door is guaranteed to completely suspend your reality and leave you questioning how well you know your neighbours.