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nsa101's review
3.0
I honestly had to sit with this book for a minute to collect my thoughts.
The story revolves around the murder of Eden, a teenaged girl, whose body was found the morning after her death in her home in an affluent area. Three families are now reeling as their children were the last to see her alive and they all clearly know more than they are willing to say. As the police start circling, secrets are revealed and the lives of these teens will never be the same.
This slow burn, character driven novel about the lengths people will go to support and protect the ones they love. Told from multiple POV's, Amidon uses the parent's and a few connected towns people to tell the story. Since the story centered around the teens, I think it would have added more to the story to get their point of view as we didn't really get to understand them or their motivations.
I struggled with the slow pace in the first half of the book. As we moved along though I became invested and wanted to know how this story would end.
While I think that it is beautifully written, I struggled with the slow pace in the first half of the book. As we moved along though I became invested and wanted to know how this story would end.
There are a lot of characters and storylines to keep track of and at times it is hard to know who or what was of importance.
This one is more domestic mystery than thriller. I recommend if you enjoy books that focus on relationships and examination of class. I liked it but wanted more suspense around solving the murder.
The story revolves around the murder of Eden, a teenaged girl, whose body was found the morning after her death in her home in an affluent area. Three families are now reeling as their children were the last to see her alive and they all clearly know more than they are willing to say. As the police start circling, secrets are revealed and the lives of these teens will never be the same.
This slow burn, character driven novel about the lengths people will go to support and protect the ones they love. Told from multiple POV's, Amidon uses the parent's and a few connected towns people to tell the story. Since the story centered around the teens, I think it would have added more to the story to get their point of view as we didn't really get to understand them or their motivations.
I struggled with the slow pace in the first half of the book. As we moved along though I became invested and wanted to know how this story would end.
While I think that it is beautifully written, I struggled with the slow pace in the first half of the book. As we moved along though I became invested and wanted to know how this story would end.
There are a lot of characters and storylines to keep track of and at times it is hard to know who or what was of importance.
This one is more domestic mystery than thriller. I recommend if you enjoy books that focus on relationships and examination of class. I liked it but wanted more suspense around solving the murder.
luckycharmedlovesbooks's review
3.0
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I was super into the synopsis and thought the book started well, but it just was not for me. I thought all of the drama and intrigue surrounding the “who-dunnit” was a little too detailed and a little too much. I would say this is more domestic drama than edge of my seat thriller, though I can see why other readers loved it so much.
Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
juliemsimons's review
3.0
I liked the layering of the storyline & well-developed characters. Though not exactly memorable, it was a nicely textured plot & appreciated the authors writing style.
danapr's review
5.0
When a young woman is found murdered in an affluent neighborhood, her three teenaged friends become suspects, quickly narrowed down to one boy. As the police gather evidence, the complicated lives of the parents come to light. The adults base their opinions on their own childhood experiences, their relationships with each other and their status in the community. The mystery becomes a twisted tale involving abuse, race and mistakes, both past and present.
I found this book to be very engaging and enjoyed it very much. The characters, both teenagers and adults are well developed and I enjoyed all the POVs and side stories that defined who they were. The relationships were certainly complicated but made the story interesting. Like some other reviewers, I found the ending frustrating but I appreciate the technique that the author used to let readers reach their own conclusions.
Thanks to BookishFirst and Celadon Books for the Advanced Reader Copy.
I found this book to be very engaging and enjoyed it very much. The characters, both teenagers and adults are well developed and I enjoyed all the POVs and side stories that defined who they were. The relationships were certainly complicated but made the story interesting. Like some other reviewers, I found the ending frustrating but I appreciate the technique that the author used to let readers reach their own conclusions.
Thanks to BookishFirst and Celadon Books for the Advanced Reader Copy.
favouritepages's review
4.0
It is very difficult to review this book without giving away some spoilers. You really need to go into it with no notions so you can really feel it's intensity and experience the twists.
The first third of the book was a lot of character development. But, by the time I got past the start of the book, it just took off, and I could barely put it down. But also, I needed to put it down and step away at times. It was so intense.
This book was well written. After the first bit, it moved along at a fast pace. Locust Lane was more a mystery than a thriller. A mystery that explores the social ills of our society and the lengths people will go to protect themselves and their families and how wealth and power influence the search for true justice.
This book was definitely a wild ride. Just when I thought I knew the direction things were going in, there was a twist. The end didn't leave me satisfied, but I need everything wrapped up nicely. That is just me. There were a few things thrown in, which led me to hope for a follow-up book though.
Highly recommended for fans of a good mystery, with lots of twists, who can handle a lot of intensity.
The first third of the book was a lot of character development. But, by the time I got past the start of the book, it just took off, and I could barely put it down. But also, I needed to put it down and step away at times. It was so intense.
This book was well written. After the first bit, it moved along at a fast pace. Locust Lane was more a mystery than a thriller. A mystery that explores the social ills of our society and the lengths people will go to protect themselves and their families and how wealth and power influence the search for true justice.
This book was definitely a wild ride. Just when I thought I knew the direction things were going in, there was a twist. The end didn't leave me satisfied, but I need everything wrapped up nicely. That is just me. There were a few things thrown in, which led me to hope for a follow-up book though.
Highly recommended for fans of a good mystery, with lots of twists, who can handle a lot of intensity.
life_full_ofbooks's review
3.0
This isn’t a book I’d ordinarily pick up but for some reason it tickled my fancy when I saw it on NetGalley 10 months ago. I finally got around to reading it and while the twisty thriller part was great, that was the only thing that was good about it.
In Emerson, an affluent Massachusetts town, a girl named Eden (from the other side of the tracks) is found dead in a house. The police investigate and find that 3 Emerson teens were the last people with her. No one truly knows what happened to Eden, and while the police are confident they arrested the right teen, a couple of adults decide to prove them wrong.
I have so many issues with this book, but I want to first point out that as as a mystery/thriller goes, it’s very good. It kept me guessing and I was invested in the story.
I realize this is not a legal fiction like Defending Jacob or Mad Honey, but the bits with the defense attorney drove me crazy. I’m not sure how much research Mr. Amidon put into the writing of this novel, but he clearly never spoke with any defense attorneys (or any attorneys for that matter).
Also, I was turned off by the writing style. Short sentences, sentence fragments, and hard to read dialogue can make or break a book, and unfortunately, it broke it for me. I would have given this 4 stars had the writing been a bit better. I was actually quite surprised to learn that this isn’t the first book Mr. Amidon has written because I honestly believed it was. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advanced copy of this. It hit the shelves way back in January.
In Emerson, an affluent Massachusetts town, a girl named Eden (from the other side of the tracks) is found dead in a house. The police investigate and find that 3 Emerson teens were the last people with her. No one truly knows what happened to Eden, and while the police are confident they arrested the right teen, a couple of adults decide to prove them wrong.
I have so many issues with this book, but I want to first point out that as as a mystery/thriller goes, it’s very good. It kept me guessing and I was invested in the story.
I realize this is not a legal fiction like Defending Jacob or Mad Honey, but the bits with the defense attorney drove me crazy. I’m not sure how much research Mr. Amidon put into the writing of this novel, but he clearly never spoke with any defense attorneys (or any attorneys for that matter).
Also, I was turned off by the writing style. Short sentences, sentence fragments, and hard to read dialogue can make or break a book, and unfortunately, it broke it for me. I would have given this 4 stars had the writing been a bit better. I was actually quite surprised to learn that this isn’t the first book Mr. Amidon has written because I honestly believed it was. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advanced copy of this. It hit the shelves way back in January.
cyireadbooks's review
4.0
A young girl, Eden Perry, is found dead in the posh neighborhood of Emerson Heights. Cause of death: Blunt force trauma to the head. From available evidence, she was murdered. The suspects are three teenagers — Jack Parrish, Hannah Holt, and Christopher Mahoun.
It didn’t seem possible that any of the suspected teenagers could commit such a horrendous crime, but someone did. And being in a wealthy neighborhood, each of them had everything to lose.
Locust Lane is a suspenseful whodunnit mystery that unfolds through multiple points of view. There are quite a number of characters, but the core group consists of the parents of the teens involved in the murder investigation.
Because of the posh locale where the murder took place, I got the sense that money and power played a pivotal role in how the investigation was conducted and how the authorities might have been unduly influenced.
There are a number of plot twists, but I still managed to determine who the murderer was. Not surprising as that person had the most to lose. Too bad that there wasn’t any real closure in the story as justice wasn’t served, and the rich literally got away with murder.
Locust Lane would have garnered five stars had it not been for the unfufilling finale. Four stars.
I received a digital ARC from Celedon Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
It didn’t seem possible that any of the suspected teenagers could commit such a horrendous crime, but someone did. And being in a wealthy neighborhood, each of them had everything to lose.
Locust Lane is a suspenseful whodunnit mystery that unfolds through multiple points of view. There are quite a number of characters, but the core group consists of the parents of the teens involved in the murder investigation.
Because of the posh locale where the murder took place, I got the sense that money and power played a pivotal role in how the investigation was conducted and how the authorities might have been unduly influenced.
There are a number of plot twists, but I still managed to determine who the murderer was. Not surprising as that person had the most to lose. Too bad that there wasn’t any real closure in the story as justice wasn’t served, and the rich literally got away with murder.
Locust Lane would have garnered five stars had it not been for the unfufilling finale. Four stars.
I received a digital ARC from Celedon Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
bookapotamus's review
4.0
Are you good at keeping secrets?
"All teenagers have secrets. Some secrets are bigger than others."
Locust Lane pulls you in from the very first page and doesn’t let go until the very last. I had no idea what direction it was going in or who to trust - and a surprise twist at the end threw all my suspicions off.
When a young woman is found dead in an affluent town, we cycle through the thoughts, the lies, and the mystery of what happened through several characters - each a parent. Each with something to hide. Someone to protect. Was it the good kid - son of an immigrant; the rich kid - a child of affluence and privilege; or the girlfriend - emotional and sheltered.
The story felt so very authentic and real as you wade through everyone’s thoughts and fears, and was so full of subtle tension that it was easy to be pulled in all the emotional directions as everything unfolded in the most unexpected of ways.
"All teenagers have secrets. Some secrets are bigger than others."
Locust Lane pulls you in from the very first page and doesn’t let go until the very last. I had no idea what direction it was going in or who to trust - and a surprise twist at the end threw all my suspicions off.
When a young woman is found dead in an affluent town, we cycle through the thoughts, the lies, and the mystery of what happened through several characters - each a parent. Each with something to hide. Someone to protect. Was it the good kid - son of an immigrant; the rich kid - a child of affluence and privilege; or the girlfriend - emotional and sheltered.
The story felt so very authentic and real as you wade through everyone’s thoughts and fears, and was so full of subtle tension that it was easy to be pulled in all the emotional directions as everything unfolded in the most unexpected of ways.
tyler_boll's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25