Thanks to netgalley for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

First of all I was disappointed, this is not s gripping thriller, is a drama. There's no plot twist, just something you can imagine by reading it. Iris and Laura were sometimes unbearable but Steve and Ivo wer flat.

I like it as a drama book, but please isn't a thriller.

The Family at Number 23 revolves around Iris, a woman who will do anything to make sure her son gets the life he deserves, and her friend Laura, who seemingly has everything that Iris covets.

The premise of this novel is fascinating, and the book itself is well-written, successfully immersing me in the world and dynamic of Iris and Laura. However, I felt that once I had been drawn in by the central mystery, the plot itself didn't develop as much as I would have liked. I feel like the central mystery was forced into the background whilst the domestic drama between Laura and Iris took up the majority of the book. I felt like this book didn't really have the tension or urgency of a psychological thriller and whilst there were plenty of twists, they were predictable.

That being said, I felt that the characters were well developed, and there were some stunning descriptions.

Firstly thank you to Netgalley and @HodderBooks and @HodderPublicity for this digital advanced copy. This centres around the POV of two friends Iris and Laura after Iris unexpectedly moves into number 23. This is a unique storyline that I have not read before. This was gripping and humorous at the same time. It was a quick easy read with a satisfying ending. Highly recommend!

THE FAMILY AT NO 23 BY KATHRYN SHARMON.
Release date set for the 28th of August 2025.
From around the 25% mark I was so hooked and flew through this book.
Great character development. Gripping storyline.
Very easy fast read for me.

I enjoyed this psychological thriller.

Some thing(s) I liked:
✅The setting. It wasn't clear if it was London, but it felt like it, so I enjoyed that.
✅Well written
✅Twisty
✅Hating on the baddies
✅Quite a unique premise

Some thing(s), not so much:
⭕Yucky, disgusting, horrible men (and boys) doing yucky horrible disgusting things and pretty much getting away with them
⭕But also, entitled, charmed Bs who also seem to get away with everything because they have money and are attractive
⭕Would have loved even more of Rosemary and June's backstory

I really enjoyed this book as it was easy to read. I loved the two different families perspectives of life, and found it fascinating to read Iris' perspective of her struggles and how she envies the lifestyles of those around her. Will keep an eye out to see if there are any more books by this author in the future!

Thank you Net Galley for proving me with an ARC of The Family at No 23. I devoured this book… amazing! So many twists, I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend, I will be reading more by the author.

Wow. Talk about one heck of a ride! These characters were so brilliantly twisted in their own right that I couldn’t even begin to guess what would happen next.
I haven’t seen a story like this since Alfred Hitcock’s Rope.
I was on the edge of my seat tearing through these pages. The suspense was amazing. I can’t wait to read more from Kathryn Sharman.

Exciting, gripping, fast paced opening and a good little twist at the end. This book was an easy short read, I'd class it as a psychological thriller but it was tamer than most in this genre. There seemed to be a lot of disconnect between the different character plots amd I did feel there was a lot of repetition describing the main characters emotions or thinking over the main plot points which were sometimes hindering the flow of the story and made me lose interest at times. I would've liked to see more darkness in the story to enhance the plot and bring out the characters more. Particularly Steve. It was a bit predictable at times and also unrealistic in how characters would act in these situations. I just wanted a bit more from this book on the whole. Still, I enjoyed the read.

I wanted to love this book but unfortunately, I only ended up liking it. I felt the ending was rushed and unrealistic. I struggled to connect to the characters and that is important for me.

We all want the most beautiful home, right? And we’d all go to any lengths to get it…wouldn’t we? Well, Iris would! We’re taken on a ride with Iris who wants nothing more than the perfect home in the perfect school zone. I’m sure absolutely nothing will foil her plans.

Thank you to Kathryn Sherman, NetGalley, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of Iris, a wife and mother wholly devoted to her husband and teenage son. Her protectiveness toward her son stems from his severe allergies, which she has feared since his birth could have dangerous consequences. For fifteen years, she has made it her mission to shield him from harm. Now that he’s older, Iris finds herself wondering why he has grown distant.

With her husband frequently away for work, Iris has time to pursue a career or social life—but she doesn’t. Instead, she focuses obsessively on her son and the state of her home. She avoids meeting new people, dreads unexpected visitors, and finds socialising more of a nuisance than a pleasure.

Although Iris is not the most likeable character, she has one close friend, Laura. Laura and her husband enjoy comfortable lives: good jobs, wealth, a wonderful son, and a beautiful home. Their boys are good friends too. Things shift when Laura’s family moves to a better neighbourhood so her son can attend an excellent school—a dream Iris shares. Soon, Iris and her family also move, but not everything turns out as she imagined.

From the moment they settle into No. 23, Iris’s life begins to unravel. Her home is often in disarray, her son struggles at his new school, and her husband’s temper worsens. Meanwhile, her friendship with Laura begins to fray. Iris harbours a secret about how she could suddenly afford the move, terrified it will be exposed, while Laura turns out to be less of a true friend and more of a braggart.

The story offers tension, drama, and a few unexpected twists. While it’s a quick and engaging read, it does feel a little lacking in depth and character development.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the alternating narratives and separate storylines, and how it all came together in the end. It really makes you question what you would do in a similar situation - then leaves you with an unexpected revelation!

ha, does she think no one might notice or miss the woman that used to live in the house she now suddenly is doing so in? how would this play out? who would get away with what? who found out and will they expose the truth? this book had me guessing and i loved trying to do so. of course Kathryn did a wonderful job of taking me only where she wanted me to but with a story like this i was more than happy to be led any merry dance she wanted me too.
such a brilliant unique plot.
so you have a jealousy between friends(they aren't friends if this is the case just saying).
one has a perfect like(they never do just saying)
one has a son she will do anything to protect and who suffers with allergies so she is definitely a tiger mum
one day on a perfect street where perfection breeds this one mum sees a woman struggling. oooooh of course she will help her. and so she does. and so she is making this frail woman a drink. this woman tells her there is no one to help her(wink wink side eye)
this helper brings in the drinks. uh oh the frail lady is dead.
so what does she do? what you say? you think there is of course only one option of what one would do!? call for help duh....orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr move in tell no one and get everything you every dreamed of?????/ ahaha and what a tale we weave when we led to deceive...
brilliant. read this book. from the plot alone you will be hooked and Kathryn writes it to the paced,tension, unease that we love. but also with the heartfuk moment and somehow some nice depth to it.

This is the story of Iris, a wife and mother who is completely devoted to her husband and teenage son. She’s especially devoted to her son because he suffers from allergies, which can have serious consequences. Since he was born, she made it her goal to protect him from everything that could harm him. Now he’s fifteen years old, and she wonders why he is not so close with her anymore. Her husband is often away for work, and so Iris has time on her hands to work and socialise. Except that’s not what she does. All she does is worry about her son and the state of her home. She doesn't like to meet new people; having someone over unexpectedly is absolute horror, and going out with friends is too much of a nuisance.
You get it. Iris is not a very likeable character. Still, she has one good friend by the name of Laura. Laura and her husband have good jobs, lots of money, a wonderful son, and a beautiful home. Luckily the boys are good friends too, but this is all about to change when Laura and her husband buy a home in a much better neighbourhood so their son can attend a very good school. Iris wants that too. And she gets what she wants in this story, although not everything is as she hoped it would be.
From the moment Iris and her family move into the house on No. 23, we can see things spiralling out of control. Iris is a mess most of the time; her son doesn’t do so well at his new school, and her husband is always angry. Even the friendship between Iris and Laura is deteriorating because Iris is terribly afraid her secret as to why she suddenly can afford the house will be discovered, and Laura is in fact not such a good friend after all but uses Iris mainly to brag about her own good luck.
There is tension, drama, and some unexpected twists. It was a quick read, but it lacked a bit of depth and characterisation.
Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this review copy.

“Today a new family has moved into number twenty-three. A family who shouldn’t be there.

But someone knows Iris’ secret and what she did to get her dream home… Would she kill to keep it?”

This was alright! It had a very original concept and a strong start which I really liked, I just wish it leaned more into that part of the story. I enjoyed reading what happened in both Iris and Laura's lives in the middle part, but I felt like it missed having that mounting pressure and tension that a thriller would have. I think it would have been better to get inside Iris' head and really feel her paranoia - or have more external pressures mounting on her than there was in the book, to drive the story forwards. I did quite like the end twist and it wasn't bad overall, so it gets 3.5 stars from me.

This was very disappointing.

The plot points were obvious and there was no true character development, which I could look over for the sake of the drama if either the writing, the stakes, or the twists had been particularly great. Bearing in mind my knowledge is limited to the first page of google results in a different country, the potential consequences for what the main character has done are...minimal. Even dismissing that as potentially faulty research, none of the actions of these characters make sense: the entire relationship between the two FMC is estranged and all we see of it is how jealously obsessed they are with one another until it gets to a point they're so fixated on themselves they seem to forget the other exists. The alternating POV allows for reprieve from one by immersing in the other until she also becomes unbearable. These characters are wholly reactive, making decisions before having any information and then responding in ways that prove their guilt. There are ultimately no consequences for any of their actions, and ultimately there was no development--the story could have ended the sentence after it began

Iris and Laura might be friends, but their lives couldn’t be more different. Iris is stuck in the wrong postcode, struggling to make ends meet and constantly feeling like she’s getting everything wrong—especially when it comes to her son’s future. Laura, on the other hand, seems to have it all: the right house, the right school, and a life Iris quietly envies.

When Iris crosses paths with elderly Rosemary after a fall, she's struck by the beauty—and emptiness—of Rosemary’s home. It’s everything Iris dreams of. So when Rosemary suddenly passes away, Iris is faced with a huge decision: seize an opportunity to finally live the life she’s always wanted… or walk away. But secrets have a way of catching up, and soon Iris finds herself entangled in consequences she never saw coming.

This book had me hooked with its intriguing premise and moral dilemmas. It’s a thought-provoking look at envy, friendship, and the lengths some will go to for a better life. That said, it does require a bit of suspended disbelief. Some plot points, like the lack of questions around Rosemary’s disappearance and the ease of Iris taking over her home, stretch credibility.

I also found Iris a challenging character to connect with—her behaviour toward others can be cold and erratic, particularly when defending her son. Her friendship with Laura felt a little unlikely at times, though Laura's support toward the end offered a nice touch of warmth. There's also a subplot involving Iris’ son that hints at something more dramatic but ultimately resolves in a surprisingly simple way, leaving it feeling slightly under-developed.

The ending ties things up, but perhaps a bit too neatly. It’s not the most realistic conclusion, but if you're willing to go along for the ride, it’s an engaging story.

I did enjoy this book and found at parts I couldn't put it down. The storyline had potential but the ending was unbelievable and ruined the book for me. Not one of the authors best books.
The characters were a bit of a marmite effect of love or hate. Alot of unanswered questions at the end, maybe a follow on in the future?

I had mixed thoughts on the storyline but sadly it was very slow in places and failed to deliver and at times I felt bored. I am sorry to say that I could not engage with the characters. I know others thought it was a fantastic wow debut so maybe I missed something or they had more time to engage with it. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this.