The Canadian author Shari Lapena has been writing for some time now, having brought out a number of thrillers under her name. With a clear gift for suspense and being able to keep her readers on the edges of their seats, she’s been able to craft her own unique niche within the industry. Understanding her genre and her audience, she is one of the most prolific authors working within her particular field to this day. This is what Olivia Sharpe thinks. Her husband and son, and family lawyer are of a completely different opinion. The anonymous letters she has secretly sent her neighbours have enormous repurcussions on the life of everybody in this close-knit suburban neighbourhood, because everybody here has their own secrets.

Someone We Know by Shari Lapena | Waterstones

This is a very difficult letter to write. I hope you will not hate us too much. . . My son broke into your home recently while you were out.”

Find a Book

A masterful whodunnit, perfectly paced and expertly plotted, that had me guessing all the way through' C L Taylor I'm a huge fan of this author. Recommend to those who enjoy a twisty who-dunnit, and a clever plot with plenty of suspense and neighborly (or not) suspects. The police don't concern themselves too much at first, thinking Amanda probably ran off with another man. Then Amanda's car is found sunk in a nearby lake, with her bludgeoned body in the trunk, and the murder investigation begins. We know from the very beginning of the book that a horrendous murder has taken place. We know the murder weapon used and the fact that the murderer was male. We also learn the identity of the victim: Amanda Pierce is reported missing by her husband Robert. The murderer is someone who lives in one of these houses. It is in all likelihood someone we know... But to discover who it was and why, we'll have to doubt every single person, no matter how nice and friendly they appear to be. Lapena has become known as the mistress of suspense, and her latest offering is as exciting as ever.”

Someone We Know Reader’s Guide - Penguin Random House Someone We Know Reader’s Guide - Penguin Random House

Released on the 15th of August in 2017, this title was published through the ‘Doubleday Canada’ publishing label. Setting up her fourth title it works as a suspense filled thriller that aims to keep the readers on the edges of their seats. Much like her previous title, ‘The Couple Next Door’, which was also a thriller, this seeks to create a compelling narrative that engages and hooks its audience. Following on from this with another two stand-alone novels, she carried on in much the same vein as before. Writing ‘Happiness Economics’ in 2011 followed by ‘The Couple Next Door’ in 2016, she would feature many similar themes as to what came before. Featuring characters that were well drawn in realistic settings, she managed to gain a sense of realism in her prose unlike any other. Throughout the book, there were several big reveals centering around people's involvement with Amanda and Richard Pierce. It made me wonder how many of those things would have happened if Amanda and Richard had moved to a different neighborhood. In other words, would the cheater / cheaters eventually have cheated on their spouse if the Pierces had not moved into the neighborhood. Did they always have it within them or was that behavior brought out due to circumstances. Deep thoughts... With a lot more to come yet, she continues to write to this very day, as an author and as a spokesperson for her craft. Knowing and understanding her format, she has grown to become a confident and articulate writer in charge of her writing and her work. This looks set to continue on into the foreseeable future, as her audience grows day-by-day, with more and more discovering her work, something which will continue for many years to come.Neighbourhood gossip and hidden secrets makes this an addictively gripping and thrilling story that was impossible to put down.

I honestly did not get the ending of this — Someone We I honestly did not get the ending of this — Someone We

In this neighborhood, it’s not just the husbands and wives who play games. Here, everyone in the family has something to hide . . .

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Releasing her first book in 2007 Shari Lapena made her début onto the literary scene with her novel ‘Things Go Flying’. It was a stand-alone title with shades of David Sedaris and Douglas Copeland in it, as it brought their wit and warmth to the forefront of the narrative. With a creative approach to the genre, it manages to take a flight of fantasy that was equally grounded in its sense of character and personality. Do you think the relationship between Olivia and Glenda is one of true friendship or something more layered? Can you be a true friend to someone who is hiding a big secret? The mystery itself plays out like a whodunit, with plenty of suspects among a small pool of characters, and red herrings galore. Each character has secrets they want to keep hidden, and as those are revealed one by one, the twists and turns make for a truly entertaining read.