Cander cleverly combines sharply observed satire, a keen sense of place, and a feminist sensibility. Fans of Liane Moriarty will eat this up.” —Publishers Weekly
“A suspenseful tale of relationships, loneliness and what goes on behind closed doors.” —People
“A dynamic and insightful storyteller, Cander imbues her work with such poignant character detail, as a reader, I felt I’d all but moved into Martha’s neighborhood. As a documented lover of tales of complicated relationships between women, I must say that A Gracious Neighbor is among the best.” —Chandler Baker, New York Times bestselling author of The Husbands
“I couldn’t stop turning these witty, suspenseful pages. What new lengths would the endearing and exasperating Martha go to in her pursuit of friendship? This is a sparkling and deeply satisfying novel.” —Margot Livesey, author of The Boy in the Field
“Fast paced and affecting from start to finish, A Gracious Neighbor offers keen insight into modern-day loneliness and takes a good, hard look at what often lurks behind picturesque houses and perfectly manicured lawns. Chris Cander’s skill and empathy make this one of those rare novels that feels like a character study but reads like a thriller.” —Matthew Norman, author of Last Couple Standing and All Together Now
“Even upscale Houston neighborhoods, filled with families, can hold secrets and dangers. And even those lucky enough to live in them can feel like outsiders in their own lives. Cander navigates the complexities of female friendship and the power of an extended hand with deep insight and empathy. I was completely riveted!” —Stacey Swann, author of Olympus, Texas
“Moving seamlessly between a thriller, a comedy, and a study of the everyday, A Gracious Neighbor conjures the universal. Love, jealousy, social anxiety, and our endless foibles are displayed with warmth and hilarity. Cander’s characters come to life and leave us turning the next page. This isn’t simply a Houston novel but a novel about the collective ‘us.’” —Mark Haber, author of Deathbed Conversions and Reinhardt’s Garden
“Anyone who wishes they could choose their neighbors will relate to this simmering suburban drama. Chris Cander pits the power of compassion against the pressures of uniformity in this hugely entertaining drama. Cander explores the high cost of privacy, the insecurity behind our efforts to maintain appearances, and the risks we take to find out what’s really going on behind closed doors.” —Christina Clancy, author of Shoulder Season
06/13/2022
The witty, suspenseful latest by Cander (The Weight of a Piano) reimagines a short story by Susan Gaspell into an account of class, gender roles, and domestic violence. Martha Hale, frumpy and nearly friendless, has had trouble keeping up with her athleisure-clad neighbors in Houston’s West University Place neighborhood since moving there 14 years earlier with her sweet but hapless husband. So she’s thrilled when her former high school classmate, the elegant and charming Minnie, moves in next door with her hunky plastic surgeon husband, John. As Martha tries to build a friendship with Minnie, she ignores signs that all is not right in Minnie and John’s marriage. After some of the gossipy school moms suggest that the couple moved to Houston because of a sex tape scandal involving John, Minnie, with more Nancy Drew fervor than common sense, stages a home invasion in hopes of finding and destroying the tape, and soon finds herself in more danger than she could have anticipated. Cander cleverly combines sharply observed satire, a keen sense of place, and a feminist sensibility. Fans of Liane Moriarty will eat this up. (July)
06/10/2024
In Cander's (The Weight of a Piano) reworking of Susan Glaspell's short story "A Jury of Her Peers," Martha Hale's life takes an unexpected turn when wealthy, fashionable, and glamorous Minnie Foster Wright moves in next door. Martha becomes obsessed with her new neighbor's life. Told largely in the first person and eloquently narrated by Karissa Vacker, mercurial Martha comes across as a busybody when she is not wallowing in self-pity at not having the finer things in life, devious as she manipulates her husband into buying a house in the wealthiest part of town, and judgmental when she finds the photos she gifted Minnie torn up and tossed in the trash. Vacker's nuanced voicings give depth to Martha's memories of her mother's Texas twang when sharing life axioms, Minnie's cheerful pride when discussing her pet bird, John Wright's self-importance when he shows his true colors in private, her husband's shock when he discovers the dead body, and Martha's disgust whenever she hears others gossip about Minnie. VERDICT Loneliness, assumptions, and social aspirations drive Martha to make shocking choices in this riveting tale, set in an affluent Houston suburb. A perfect next-listen for fans of Liane Moriarty and Lauren Weisberger.—Stephanie Bange
