Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon #bookreview

Thank you Celadon Books, #partner, for the advanced copy of Locust Lane in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Celadon Books

Published: January 17, 2023

Summary:

For fans of Mystic River by Dennis Lehane and Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, Stephen Amidon’s Locust Lane is a taut and utterly propulsive story about the search for justice and the fault lines of power and influence in a seemingly idyllic town. Can anyone be trusted?

On the surface, Emerson, Massachusetts, is just like any other affluent New England suburb. But when a young woman is found dead in the nicest part of town, the powerful neighbors close ranks to keep their families safe. In this searing novel, Eden Perry’s death kicks off an investigation into the three teenagers who were partying with her that night, each a suspect. Hannah, a sweet girl with an unstable history. Jack, the popular kid with a mean streak. Christopher, an outsider desperate to fit in. Their parents, each with motivations of their own, only complicate the picture: they will do anything to protect their children, even at the others’ expense.

With a brilliantly woven, intricately crafted plot that gathers momentum on every page, this is superb storytelling told in terse prose—a dynamic read that is both intensely gripping and deeply affecting.

My thoughts:

This is the first book I’ve read by Stephen Amidon and I really liked it. While I haven’t read Mystic River, I will say that the comp to Little Fires Everywhere is pretty accurate – this is definitely a slow-burning domestic thriller that is a compulsive, compelling read.

While I loved the mystery of this story – a shocking murder in a wealthy suburban neighborhood – I also loved how richly developed the characters were. The story is told from multiple perspectives and each character is more complex than the next. They are all morally gray, which makes you wonder just who you can trust. Everyone has secrets that no one wants revealed.

This is such a thought-provoking read. It takes a look at how far you would go to protect your family. The twists and turns the book takes kept me guessing as to where it was ultimately heading. Once I started reading this, I was all in. Even when I had to put it down, I was thinking about the book – that’s the hold it had over me. And I loved that it doesn’t take the easy road. This is a very intense, layered, well crafted story. The issues of wealthy families, class issues and addiction were beautifully woven into the story to make it even more binge-worthy. It really would make for a great bookclub read as there is so much to unpack here.

I definitely recommend picking this one up when it comes out in January!