Katie Reus is known for mixing danger with plenty of heat, but this time, she’s leaving the romance in the background and letting murder take center stage.

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💜 The Premise

Fans of Katie Reus will enjoy her first thriller, Neighbor Liar Killer. The book follows Sloan Gala, a private investigator undercover as a airplane pilot as she investigates her sister’s murder parallel from Detective Hector Garcia. The investigation takes center stage as the story works through its suspects, secrets, and different perspectives.

I went into this book already familiar with Katie Reus’s romantic suspense novels, so I was curious to see what she would do with a thriller. While there are still hints of some of the elements I associate with her other books, Neighbor Liar Killer definitely feels like a departure from her usual work.

This appears to be the first book in a new series by Katie Reus (A Sloan Gala Thriller) and I can’t wait to see what further installments look like.

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💥 The Dynamic

There is a subtle undercurrent of romance between the detective and the private investigator as they work together, but the romance stays firmly in the background. This is definitely a thriller first.

That’s particularly worth noting for existing Katie Reus readers. Her romantic suspense books typically give you plenty of suspense along with a healthy dose of romance and sexy times. That isn’t what you’re getting here.

I’d give Neighbor Liar Killer 🌶️ 1 out of 5 chili peppers. There’s a hint of romantic chemistry, but there isn’t really a sexy vibe to the book. The developing relationship complements the investigation rather than competing with it for the spotlight.

One element that didn’t work quite as well for me was the POV switching. I don’t have a problem with multiple POVs, but there were times when the book switched into another character’s perspective without labeling the POV or immediately making it obvious whose perspective I was reading. Occasionally, I had to read for a little while before realizing we’d switched characters. I would have preferred either POV headings or clearer transitions between perspectives.

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✨ Final Thoughts

Overall, I enjoyed Neighbor Liar Killer. It was interesting to see Katie Reus step away from the romantic suspense I’m accustomed to reading from her and lean more fully into the thriller and mystery elements. The mystery kept me guessing and I didn’t figure out the killer until they were revealed on the page.

I particularly liked the author’s note at the end of the book, where Reus thanks readers for joining her for her first thriller, but also reassuring her readers that she is not abandoning the romantic suspense books we all love to read. I thought that was a nice touch, especially because I had already noticed that difference while reading.

The sometimes-confusing POV transitions and a few other elements kept this from being a five-star read for me, but I still enjoyed the story and thought it was a strong first venture into the thriller genre.

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🔥 Rating & Spice Level

🌶️ Spice Level: 🌶️

⭐️ Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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📚 Where to Read

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