05 Aug Book Review: The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth

Sally Hepworth is known for domestic dramas that peel back the layers of family life—think The Things We Keep and The Mother-in-Law. In The Family Next Door she shifts her lens to suburban secrets and the hidden fractures that lie beneath perfect lawns and polite smiles. It’s a propulsive page-turner, combining subtle suspense with deeply relatable characters.

What’s it about?

The story unfolds in a leafy suburban neighbourhood where everyone believes they’ve got it all figured out. At the heart are two adjacent families: the Carlisles and the Hawkins.

Meet the Carlisles:
Grace Carlisle is a dedicated nurse, striving to balance shift work with raising her anxious teenager, Mia. Her husband Ian works long hours as a school counsellor, and their marriage has grown comfortable—but predictable. Grace suspects Mia is struggling with something more serious than teenage moodiness, but communication feels choked beneath the weight of everyday routines.

Next door with the Hawkins:
Mel and David Hawkins are the picture of suburban success. Mel is a well-connected real estate agent, and David is her solid, dependable husband. They have a toddler son, Ollie, and seem to live the dream. But the façade cracks during a heated backyard party, when a momentary lapse in judgement gives way to a terrible accident—something no one expected.

That accident kicks everything into gear. Grace is the only one who witnesses it, and instead of stepping forward, she panics. The ripple effects are immediate. Grace’s guilt gnaws at her. The Hawkins family drifts into silence, hiding their pain behind polite waves and family dinners. Meanwhile, Mia grows distant. Ian senses something has shifted, but can’t name what it is.

As the narrative alternates between Grace and Mel, their worlds begin to unravel. Grace spirals into sleepless nights, trying to decide what to say, what to confess, and what to protect. Her careful balance teeters. Mel grapples with the unspoken loss, the muted grief, the questions no one is allowed to ask. And David becomes the keeper of the secret, caught between his wife’s anger and his own heartbreak.

Over the next few weeks, decisions are made. Grace’s half-truths invite suspicion. Mel’s grief finds unexpected outlets. And Mia, pushed to the margins, starts acting out in ways that force the adults to pay attention. The pressure builds, tension taut as a wire. Grace must choose: come clean and risk everyone’s stability, or hold on to her silence and risk losing everything she values most.

In the final stretch, the families collide in a raw, emotional crescendo. Confrontations follow confessions. Innocence is shattered. Forgiveness is tested. And at the centre is the question: what happens when the family next door isn’t who you thought they were—and how do you pick up the pieces?

What This Chick Thinks

A Domestic Thriller That Feels Real

Hepworth’s strength is her ability to build tension gradually, through quiet moments, subtle reactions, and shifting glances. This isn’t about murder or dramatic crimes—it’s about how one split-second choice fractures everyday life. And trust me, it hurts.

Complex Women at the Core

Grace isn’t perfect—and that’s refreshing. She’s tired, overworked, afraid she’s missing the clues with Mia. Her internal monologue rings true. Mel, meanwhile, is grieving so privately she bursts under her own restraint. Their voices play off each other in a way that feels authentic—and achingly human.

Family Chaos, Not Clichés

Teenage rebellion, marriage cracks, postpartum sorrow—it’s all here. Yet Hepworth avoids easy drama. Instead, she explores how silence and denial warp relationships. The messy reality felt more accurate than any tidy resolution I’ve read lately.

Pacing That Keeps You Turning Pages

Once the accident happens, chapters fly by with a sense of inevitability. You’ll keep reading to see which loose thread snaps first—but also because you want Grace (and Mel) to find some clarity… and closure.

Minor Quibble: Predictability in Places

A few beats—like the final twist or someone calling out what needs calling out—feel slightly telegraphed. But the emotional resonance is strong enough that I didn’t mind much.

Final Thoughts

The Family Next Door nails what Hepworth does best: setting off emotional landmines in everyday life. It’s not a thriller for adrenaline junkies, but for anyone who’s ever wondered how a single secret could change the dynamics of a whole block. If you want domestic suspense that feels like your neighbour might be holding more than just a lawnmower behind closed doors, this one will grip you.

Rating: 8.5/10

Try it if you like:

• The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena – A suburban secret spirals into a nightmare.
• The Dinner Party by Joshua Ferris – Friends gather, emotions simmer, truth surfaces in small confessions.
• Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – Community bonds unravel spectacularly as hidden lives come to light.