An Unputdownable Gripping Psychological Thriller With A Breathtaking Twist

Writing this review has been a challenge, because Scandal Next Door is a book that left me with far more frustration than intrigue. Marketed as an “unputdownable, gripping psychological thriller with a breathtaking twist,” the book unfortunately failed to deliver on almost every one of these promises.

Let’s start with the basics: the writing. Grammar issues are one thing, but the sheer number of misplaced commas, awkward sentence structures, and overuse of exclamation points (and then all CAPS when multiple exclamation points were apparently not enough) made the text nearly unreadable at times. I found myself rereading passages just to make sense of them, which dragged what should have been a quick read into a painfully slow one. The dialogue and narration felt disjointed, often pulling me out of the story rather than immersing me in it.

Callie, our protagonist, was equally challenging to connect with. She’s written as a bundle of contradictions: simultaneously longing for her youth yet still living a seemingly youthful life, frustrated with her loveless engagement yet clinging to it, disliking her job while professing her enjoyment of it. These inconsistencies made her motivations hard to follow and left me questioning her reliability as a narrator. Instead of feeling layered or complex, she came across as self-righteous, insecure, and unfortunately “pick me” in tone. It’s difficult to root for someone who doesn’t seem to know who she is or what she wants.

The book’s pacing and structure were equally problematic. Countless times, either at a new chapter or right in the middle of one, the tone shifted so dramatically it felt like I was reading a completely different book. The plot itself (which should be the backbone of any psychological thriller) was riddled with unbelievable scenarios and clichés. The “breathtaking twist” touted in the subtitle was predictable and lacked any real impact, leaving me more annoyed than surprised.

I’ll give credit where it’s due: the premise had potential. The idea of a psychological thriller set in the hustle of the New York City publishing scene could have been gripping, but the execution fell flat. Instead of adding depth, the repeated focus on superficial observations and monotonous routine of her day-to-day felt more like filler than meaningful commentary.

Ultimately, “Scandal Next Door” was neither gripping nor unputdownable. It reads more like a disjointed romance novel with psychological elements shoehorned in. If the author had focused more on tightening the plot, creating believable characters, and addressing the grammar issues, this could have been a far stronger story. For me, it’s a miss.