Customer Reviews

The Girl Next Door: A Novel

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have read all of Patricia MacDonald's book, but this was the best. I read it in two days. You have to really admire Nina for having so much faith in her Dad with all the evidence against him. Especially since it is her Mom that he is convicted of killing. And, it had a touch of romance without all the sexual dancing that so many books have. I am not a prude, I just rather have a good book with a good story and this one delivered just that.

Rather than review this particular book in depth, (I will leave that to the other reviewers), I would like to make a suggestion: Discover Patricia MacDonald! A previous reviewer stated that she had written three previous novels - actually, she has written quite a few more that. She is a very gifted writer of suspense fiction and should be giving Mary Higgins Clark a run for her money, but not enough people have discovered her yet.
After you finish this novel, you will be hooked. Run to your local bookstore and pick up the paperback issues of her previous novels and then hit the library or used book stores for the older stuff. Everything she writes is marvelous.
I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 because although this book is a real nail-biter, some of her others are even better! Look for "Suspicious Origin", "Not Guilty" and "Stranger in the House". Then go back even further for "Mother's Day", "Secret Admirer", "Lost Innocents" and "The Unforgiven" The list goes on... I am sure you will add her to list of favorite authors, as I have.

Fifteen years ago Nina Avery returned home from her first date to find her mother dead and her father trying to shield her from the carnage. After an investigation Nina's father Douglas, a well respected doctor, is charged with the crime and found guilty of second degree murder. Her brother Jimmy, an alcoholic and drug addict, was placed in the care of neighbors where he straightened his life out, her older brother Patrick went on to college and married and had two children. Nina stood by her father while trying to find acting jobs in New York City.

At a parole hearing Jimmy fails to show up, Patrick speaks out against him and Nina does all in her power to get the board to let her father go free. Parole is granted and Douglas who swears he is innocent returns to the scene of the crime to find evidence that would exonerate him. Before he can find out anything he is murdered but someone made it look like suicide. With the help of the prison doctor, Nina takes up where her father left off and finds herself in danger from a killer she has known for almost two decades.

Fans of Marry Higgins Clark will want to read THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, the quintessential psychological suspense tale. The Avery clan is a dysfunctional but likeable family who pull readers into their angst laden drama and end up hoping they will recover from the traumas they have endured. Patricia Macdonald is a brilliant writer known for her works of intrigue; her latest novel is definitely her best but this reviewer will probably say that about her next novel too.

Harriet Klausner

I thought this book was great. It just keeps you going. And the ending is something you would never expect. Very hard to put it down.

which is a good thing in my opinion. The mystery is well plotted and the characters are likeable. However, the pace could have been better. I find the beginning to be a bit slow, and there are not much happening for the first half of the book, except introducing the characters, which makes is less suspenseful.

Risking reproach from English majors everywhere, sometimes a cliché is all that will work. Just as you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find the prince, a reviewer has to slog through a lot of average reads to find a keeper. THE GIRL NEXT DOOR is that pleasant surprise we all hope to find when reading a new author. Although she has written three previous novels, Patricia MacDonald is not yet well known but is sure to achieve that status if she continues to write like this.

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR is anything but what the title may imply. It is a deftly written thriller that will keep you reading well past your bedtime, as you try to unravel the carefully crafted clues that pepper the pages. In addition to the intricate plot, MacDonald has created characters who elicit empathy; you care about what happens to them. For me, this is rare in books that are not part of a series in which I have already grown fond of the players.

Nina Avery is a budding actress, working in commercials and off-Broadway theaters. She is affable, people like her and try to help her succeed. She is also the daughter of Duncan Avery, a convicted murderer, who is up for parole after spending 15 years in prison for the murder of his wife, Nina's mother Marsha. Nina never believed that her father was guilty and was as fiercely defensive of him as her brothers, Jimmy and Patrick, were condemning toward him.

Once Duncan wins his parole, MacDonald begins her exploration into the pathology of a dysfunctional family, and that's where the suspense begins. Her keen observations of the many facets of obsession are thorough without being tedious. The ending will surprise some, but others will see it coming about halfway through the book. She provides foreshadowing but neatly holds enough back to keep you guessing. Though the themes are often heavy, the tale never bogs down and there is even a bit of a love story included for us romantics. I am definitely looking forward to reading Patricia MacDonald's other books, STRANGER IN THE HOUSE, SUSPICIOUS ORIGIN and NOT GUILTY.

--- Reviewed by Maggie Harding, a substance abuse counselor in Phoenix, AZ who wanted to be Brenda Starr before life intervened. She also reviews for www.womenonwriting.com. To contact Maggie, e-mail Magster2@cox.net.

I have been a mystery/thriller junkie for some time now, really soaking up and enjoying the work of John Sanford, Mary Higgins Clark and others. I just "stumbled" upon the author's book, "The Girl Next door" one night while exiting a local bookstore, and I shamefully admit I have never read this author's work before, even though I may have given it a cursory glance. Given the fact that I enjoyed this book immensely, I have a lot of catching up to do in regards to reading her past novels.

I took a chance and bought the book, and it's definitley a page turner and one that is hard to put down. As mentioned, the story revolves around Nina Avery, a strong willed and somewhat independent aspiring New York actress who seeks justice for her father, Duncan Avery , who was wrongfully accused and imprisoned for the horrific murder of his wife. Nina must unravel a web of deceit, lies and brutality that will eventually lead her to the truth.

While I hated for the book to come to an end, the author skillfully gets to the point and keeps the reader interested throughout the entire book. I also like the fact that the book was not cluttered with filler and useless dialouge, but maintains a steady course to the final chapter and stunning conclusion.

I will definitely seek out the rest of Ms. Mac Donald's work and look forward to future novels by her. A must have in the collection of anyone who enjoys the mystery genre.

I really liked this book. It had quite a few twists and turns and was very well-written. The characters were well developed and I would definitely recommend this book.

Ok, I am a total bookworm, but I am also a book snob. I am a very picky reader. My husband gave me this book for Christmas and when I read the inside cover I wasn't sure that I wanted to read it but I didn't want to hurt his feelings so I started reading. That was 36 hours ago! This book was awesome! The only reason that I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I enjoy Carlene Thompson and Harlan Coben books just as much if not more- but this book is so worth your time. I also recommend The Woods by Harlan Coben and Last Seen Alive by Carlene Thompson. Those books are 5's!

Nina Avery, fourteen years old, lived in a dysfunctional home. There is wonder that she could turn out so normal with little love between her parents and two older brothers with problems of their own. So when her father is accused of murdering her mother, she goes to live with an aunt.

Fast forward to fifteen years later: she was the one who never believed her dad could have committed murder. Her father finally is paroled and comes to live with her but they encounter the realistic problems that prisoners make when joining society again. I don't want to give away much more; you need to read the book. Yes, there are some 'bumps'; things that I thought of or would have done differently but I'm not Nina.

If you are looking for a quick mystery to read, this is for you. I polished it off in less than two days. This is the first time I've read something from this author and it felt like a young adult book- no steamy sex. It was like reading an older version of a Nancy Drew book if that helps. There is a touch of romance but the book is devoted to telling a story and solving the mystery. I can honestly say I didn't know who did it until the end. That was nice because I can usually figure out the murderer is long before the end. When I want something to challenge me I'll look for another book by Patricia MacDonald.