Tara Laskowski Knihy

"The annual Halloween block party is the pinnacle of the year on idyllic suburban cul-de-sac Ivy Woods Drive. An influential group of neighborhood moms--known as the Ivy Five--plans the event for months. Except the Ivy Five has been four for a long time. When a new mother moves to town, eager to fit in, the moms see it as an opportunity to make the group whole again. This year's block party should be the best yet ... until the women start receiving anonymous messages threatening to expose the quiet neighborhood's dark past--and the lengths they've gone to hide it. As secrets seep out and the threats intensify, the Ivy Five must sort the loyal from the disloyal, the good from the bad. They'll do anything to protect their families. But when a twisted plot is revealed, with dangerous consequences, their steady foundation begins to crumble, leaving only one certainty: after this year's block party, Ivy Woods Drive will never be the same"-- Provided by publisher

Renowned for its gripping narrative, this award-winning novel has captured the attention of readers and critics alike, earning the Agatha, Macavity, and Anthony Awards. It intricately weaves together suspense and mystery, featuring compelling characters and a plot that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story explores themes of justice, morality, and the complexities of human relationships, making it a standout in the genre.

GOOD MOTHERS... Never show their feelings. Never spill their secrets. Never admit to murder. The annual Halloween block party is the pinnacle of the year on idyllic suburban cul-de-sac Ivy Woods Drive. An influential group of neighborhood moms--known as the Ivy Five--plans the event for months. Except the Ivy Five has been four for a long time. When a new mother moves to town, eager to fit in, the moms see it as an opportunity to make the group whole again. This year's block party should be the best yet... until the women start receiving anonymous messages threatening to expose the quiet neighborhood's dark past--and the lengths they've gone to hide it. As secrets seep out and the threats intensify, the Ivy Five must sort the loyal from the disloyal, the good from the bad. They'll do anything to protect their families. But when a twisted plot is revealed, with dangerous consequences, their steady foundation begins to crumble, leaving only one certainty: after this year's block party, Ivy Woods Drive will never be the same. From award-winning author Tara Laskowski, The Mother Next Door is an atmospheric novel of suspense in which the strive for perfection ends in murder...

Legacies of violence and tragedy haunt these thirteen stunning stories from Tara Laskowski, author of Modern Manners for Your Inner Demons. A woman becomes obsessed with her co-worker's murderer; an investigative reporter with a nose for scandal finds his own life suddenly unraveling; eerie sights in a video baby monitor haunt a new mother. When the unexpected happens, these bystanders--who are not always innocent--come face to face with their own choices and fates. Bound together by danger, fear, paranoia, and the bumps we all hear in the night, these potent stories illuminate the darker side of the human condition. From a vicious newspaper strike that rocks a small Pennsylvania community to an unpredictable road trip in the vast desert of the American West, Bystanders explores the ways in which terror and uncertainty both consume and invigorate us--and yet reveal our strengths, hopes, and passions. Selected as the Grand Prize Winner for the SFWP Literary Awards Program, 2010, by Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Olen Butler.