Thank you Berkley Books, #partner, for the finished copy of City Under One Roof in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Berkley Books
Pub date: January 10, 2023
Summary:
A stranded detective tries to solve a murder in a tiny Alaskan town where everyone lives in a single high-rise building, in this gripping debut by an Academy Award–nominated screenwriter.
When a local teenager discovers a severed hand and foot washed up on the shore of the small town of Point Mettier, Alaska, Cara Kennedy is on the case. A detective from Anchorage, she has her own motives for investigating the possible murder in this isolated place, which can be accessed only by a tunnel.
After a blizzard causes the tunnel to close indefinitely, Cara is stuck among the odd and suspicious residents of the town—all 205 of whom live in the same high-rise building and are as icy as the weather. Cara teams up with Point Mettier police officer Joe Barkowski, but before long the investigation is upended by fearsome gang members from a nearby native village.
Haunted by her past, Cara soon discovers that everyone in this town has something to hide. Will she be able to unravel their secrets before she unravels?”
My thoughts:
As soon as I was pitched this one, I knew I had to read it. A crime fiction thriller set in a tiny Alaska town – yes, please! And to know that this is just the beginning of a new series, I knew I had to check it out and I’m so happy to say that it totally exceeded my expectations!
I love a good locked-room mystery and this one is that and so much more! Talk about atmospheric, claustrophobic and just the right amount of creepiness to make this thriller the perfect winter read! The author certainly knows how to use the elements of nature to her advantage. In some ways, this book reminded me a little of the NordicNoir I love in that I could feel the desolation and chilliness that this small town had, especially once that tunnel is shut down due to a blizzard and everyone in Point Mettier is basically isolated until the weather clears and the tunnel can be opened up again.
The story is told from three different perspectives, and I love that each one is so different from the others. It really gives a balanced feel to the overall story and keeps things quite interesting. Cara is there to investigate the remains that turned up but now that she is stranded there until the storm subsides, she finds out that the residents of Point Mettier all have their secrets, herself included. I loved finding out what drove all these residents to this small town and learning how they live year-round in this isolated area. Such a fascinating way of life! And I loved learning that this fictional town of Point Mettier is based on the real Alaskan town of Whittier…now I want to go visit this town!
This is a fast-moving book and I found I had a hard time putting it down. I loved all the characters we met in this first book – such a unique, quirky bunch of people that have each other’s backs. I had my theories as to what was going on, but of course, I never quite got there. And I love that there we are left with a few threads that aren’t quite tied up…leaving us quite eager for that next book!
