Nina Avery's faith has never waivered.  Despite her difficult past, she has managed to create a good life for herself.  She's an aspiring actress with good friends and hopes for a great future.  All of this is something of a small miracle since Nina's father, Duncan Avery, was convicted of murdering her mother, Marsha.  And, it was a fourteen-year-old Nina who came home to find her blood-spattered father kneeling over her mother's body.  Despite Duncan's conviction and the evidence of her own eyes, Nina has never believed that her father is a murderer.

After fifteen years, Duncan Avery is released from prison and into the waiting arms of his daughter.  But, not everyone is so willing to forgive and forget.  Nina's older brothers, Patrick and Jimmy, are openly hostile and unsure whether their father is innocent or not.  And, when Duncan decides to move back to his hometown, he finds that many of the local townsfolk are still holding a grudge--or worse.  Despite Nina's attempts to smooth over the emotional rifts between her father and brothers, and her father and the town, tensions run high.  When Duncan Avery is found murdered, suspects abound.  And, now Nina is left to decipher who killed her father--and her mother.

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR is a psychological thriller of exceptional quality.  The emotions are raw and compelling.  The writing is tense and action-packed.  And, the characters are brilliantly-drawn.  Patricia MacDonald does a wonderful job portraying the Avery family's emotional crises.  She very deftly draws the reader into Nina Avery's world, and sways you gently to NIna's point-of-view.

The ending, while not a complete surprise, is satisfying and well foreshadowed.  For those readers with a romantic bent, there's even a bit of romance for you.  THE GIRL NEXT DOOR is an all-around great thriller.  Fans of Patricia MacDonald's previous novels certainly won't be disappointed.  And, new readers are in for a real treat.  If you're looking for a walk on the dark side, give THE GIRL NEXT DOOR a try!  You won't be disappointed.