You Must Be New Here: A Novel

A friendship is put to the test when a young woman disappears from a quiet community in a dark and twisty novel of suspense by the bestselling author of Open House and The Vacation Rental.

Sloane Thompson has a daughter named Daisy, attends school activities with other parents, and even has an amicable relationship with her ex-husband. But after ten years in bucolic Sycamore Glen, Sloane has yet to find someone to call a true friend. Until Harper and Ben Wilson move in next door.

Harper is open, charismatic, and restless. She and Sloane quickly become confidantes and fall into a deep and intoxicating friendship. Then one afternoon, Daisy's dependable babysitter, Margaret, fails to show. When texts from Margaret's mother and boyfriend go unanswered, the inexplicable disappearance becomes a cause for alarm.

As anxious hours turn into days, suspicion grows. And tension tightens. As if something is about to snap. When it does, long-held secrets are revealed, and not everyone in Sycamore Glen is who they seem to be.

BUY THE BOOK

Published Jul 8, 2025

315 pages

Average rating: 5

2 RATINGS

|

Community Reviews

@sweettea_and_a_book
Jul 04, 2025
4/10 stars
Well this was a sneaky little domestic mystery/suspense. Multiple povs of shady characters in a community, dirty secrets and a murder. Kinda like a book version of desperate housewives. It was good, interesting and quick - which I appreciated most of all! Once I finished the story, I realize that a big part of this story plot is becoming more common these days because I recently read a similar storyline a few weeks ago. The narration was really good and kept me engaged in the story!
thelexilusk
Mar 07, 2025
6/10 stars
thank you net galley, little a publishing and katie sise for this arc. this was my first experience with Katie Sise’s writing, i’m feeling a bit indifferent about it. i wouldn't say i was wowed, but i also wasn’t completely turned off. it left me in a sort of apathetic state. if you decide to dive in, i’d strongly recommend checking out the content warnings first—there are a few sub-plots that could be quite heavy for some readers. as for the pacing, it felt a bit sluggish for a while; the twists and turns only start to emerge around the 40% mark. with so many characters to keep track of, i found it challenging to stay engaged. the plot, while undeniably familiar, revolves around the classic trope of a young woman going missing, and the suspicion immediately falls on someone's husband. i had already guessed the culprit long before reaching the book's conclusion. there were a few unexpected twists that caught me off guard and added a bit of excitement, but they didn’t quite elevate the overall story. on a brighter note, i did appreciate the multiple points of view throughout the narrative. however, i found myself wishing for a deeper dive into the perspectives of the male characters. they were present in nearly every chapter, yet their voices felt underexplored. a richer exploration from their side could have added an intriguing layer to the story! overall, it was an interesting read, but not one that left a lasting impression on me.

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.