Curiosity and mischief can sometimes get the better of us. This is something Corey Halpern, a permanent resident of the Hamptons ,learns as he develops as pastime for breaking into rich people’s homes. The Sheffield’s home is one of the homes that is very familiar to him, his mother has worked for the family for many years. Corey harbors some resentment for this family for how the Sheffield’s reacted to his mother dropping an expensive vase.

With careful and meticulous planning, Corey orchestrates his break in. But this planning soon crumbles beneath his feet and what happens next is a fast-paced plot of death, forbidden acts and consequences. Jason Allen’s debut shows that he is a masterful storyteller with lyrical prose and a plot development that makes you think.

Atmospheric, messy & scandalous!

THE EAST END by JASON ALLEN is a disturbing, wicked, suspenseful, evocative and entertaining novel that was filled with quite the unusual and interesting characters. This was definitely a rapid-paced read for me but there was something about it that didn’t always sit all that well with me. I was loving it one moment and then the next not so much.

JASON ALLEN delivers quite the atmospheric, gripping, compelling and well-written read here that was extremely vividly descriptive. I’m not normally a visual reader but this one definitely gave me a lot of visual scenes throughout that I could easily see playing out in my mind.

There is lots going on here and plenty of themes to ponder. I’m not sure if there was a little too many for me or if certain themes affected me in an unfavourable way. I’m thinking it was the latter.

This was an entertaining, wild and frantic read from start to finish!

I’m extremely honoured to be a part of the blog tour for THE EAST END. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Park Row / Harlequin and Jason Allen for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

The East End by Jason Allen

Brief Summary: Breaking into homes in the Hamptons for the thrill of it, Corey breaks into the home of his employer to see someone die and someone else try to cover the death…..but he isn’t the only one there that night. What follows is a tale of the have versus the have nots, the secrets, resentment, and desperation that stem from those living in the Hamptons.

Highlights: The premise of this novel set up the perfect storm for suspense but the pacing varied. While it held my interest, it definitely didn’t suck me in or clear my schedule. By far my favorite part was Gloria’s strive and struggle for recovery. Allen really nailed the nuance of addiction; even down to the alcohol induced insomnia. She is the perfect picture of a struggling alcoholic and captured my empathy. I’m glad he had her seeking help in her ambivalence. I also enjoyed Leo’s exploration of his relationship with his mysterious guest and wish this would have been explored further.

Explanation of Rating: 3/5 This book really doesn’t stand out in anyway for me. However, it is an interesting read that held my interest with an ending that resolves all loose ends.

Psychology Factors: Several mental health issues are woven into the story. The significant distress of the mysterious guest, Gloria’s addiction, Leo’s grief and identity issues were all very realistic and well done.

This is a great mindless beach read. I do think Jason Allen has good potential as a writer even though his debut didn’t overly impress me.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

It's the kind of caper where the main character has it all figured out. Nothing can go wrong with his plan- so of course, everything goes wrong with his plan. LOL. Corey lives in the Hamptons year-round like he's a townie, not someone who owns one of those huge houses there. But, he does house-sit in them. The plot in this book stands out for me in that it is such a good example of class assumptions in this country. Being rich does not mean everything is great or that you've got your act together. Being not so rich doesn't mean the opposite. The entire story takes just three days and you'll want to read it that fast as well.

I read this on a plane from DFW to NYC and could not put it down. This was definitely a binge read and in a very good way. We start with Corey Halpern, a permanent resident of the Hampton’s, and is really not looking forward to the rich crowd that is about to descend upon the locals in the next weeks or so. How does he deal with it? By breaking into their homes and pranking them, obvi. It’s ‘harmless’, if you will, to him, until he decides one night to break into the Sheffield’s home. He knows this home all to well, as his mother has worked here for many years for the owners, Leo and Sheila Sheffield. Leo is a good man, Sheila? Not so much. In fact, the reason Corey wants to hit this home is because Sheila berated his mom Gina in front of several guests for dropping an expensive crystal statue.

Corey has timed this perfectly, knowing there will not be anyone home for a couple more days, he has left a window open so he doesn’t have to disable the alarm, nothing could go wrong. See where I’m going with this? EVERYTHING goes wrong and it is such a fast ride. People show up, people die. Corey sees things he shouldn’t. Corey does things he shouldn’t.

But even bigger than all of this, Jason Allen is able to tell a story about class and the divide between the haves and have-nots. He brilliantly shows what can happen when we are forced to be someone we are not, and what can happen when greed gets the best of us. This story is also a good reminder that everyone is fighting some kind of battle, and that we should not judge what we think we see.

This came out on May 7th, and I highly recommend it. TW for drug use, domestic abuse, suicide topics.

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row Books for the advanced copy to review. All opinions above are my own.

My Rating: 4.5

Life in the Hamptons for two very different families unravels faster than a spool of yarn when an accidental death appears to be murder.

Corey Halpern, recently a high school graduate, with college on the horizon, has a habit of breaking into homes. As Corey lives in the affluent community, one would think his motive would be robbery. Why not take incredible valuables from the homes? Instead, Corey just wants to cause havoc. An example is to pour salt into a gallon of milk, simply to imagine the response of the people using it the following day. However, Corey gets far more than he bargained for when he witnesses a accident by the pool. The man that died was apparently the lover of the homeowner, Leo Sheffield. Leo is actually the boss of Corey and his mother, Gina.

When this happens, Corey realizes that he is not the only witness. Due to some rather odd conniving, a plan is hatched, and this sets the pattern for events that no one will be able to turn back from.

This exciting debut story is delivered in rapid succession from several points of view. What is explored is how something as tragic as an untimely death pushed people to behave in an abominable manner. However, the story is much more than that. It becomes a powerful reminder that we live in a society that is bent by many unpleasant things. Not the least in this situation are, to mention a few, class differences, secrecy, obsession and desperation.

This stunning and rather shocking read was difficult to put down. It was compelling, leaving me desperate to see how everything would develop and what possible resolution could be experienced. The fact that everything happened in just a two-day span was incredible. Jason Allen is most certainly talented and I am glad to have been afforded the opportunity to read this book. I most certainly am eager to read his next one.

Many thanks to Park Row Books, Harper Collins and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

It's Memorial Day weekend in the Hamptons and as usual the Sheffield family is opening their summer home for their family and a slew of guests over the weekend. When the patriarch of the family, Leo Sheffield, decides to arrive at the house a day earlier with a friend, he isn't expecting the night to turn out the way it does. His friend ends up dead and their are witnesses and pictures of what happened. But if the truth is revealed it could ruin him and his family forever. Corey is a townie and the son of Gina who has worked for the Sheffield's for the past 12 years. He is one of the witnesses to what happened at the Sheffield house. Will he be able to keep the secret?

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. So much happens in one small place over one weekend. Death, parties, hospital visits, gunshots, drugs, drinking. It's amazing.

Corey has recently graduated from high school. The past couple of summers he's helped his mom at the Sheffield's for a little extra cash. The first chance he gets, he is out of the Hamptons. He's been accepted to school upstate, but not sure if that is the path he is going to take. Sneaking around the houses of the wealthy has become a new hobby for Corey. He doesn't take anything, just does it for the thrill of not getting caught. But he's not expecting anyone at the Sheffield's and especially is not expecting to see the events unfold this night before Memorial Day weekend.

What I really liked about this book was that I didn't know which direction this story was going to go in. I didn't know if witnesses were going to turn up dead, as is so often the case when rich people are trying to get away with crimes, or if they were going to get caught this time. I guess you'll have to read it to find out.

Set in the Hamptons, The East End explores the clash of the wealthy and working classes that keep the area running. Corey Halpern and his mother Gina work on the Sheffield estate, but that hasn't stopped Gina from becoming something of a confidante to her boss, Leo, and Corey from befriending Leo's daughter's best friend. During Memorial Day weekend, though, their relationships will change and be tested. Seeking thrills by breaking into the mansions, Corey unwittingly witnesses an accident that reveals shocking information about Leo, who will do anything in his power to keep it from coming to light.

Reading this book was an interesting experience. Whenever I put it down, it was easy to not feel compelled to pick it up again or try to sneak in reading time while my kids played. But, whenever I was reading, I didn't want to put it down; I was so drawn into the narrative the characters were weaving and kept wondering where it was all headed.

It was hard to tell if the characters were based on stereotypes as it went along with what limited information I have on the area, but the author is from the working class side of the Hamptons, so it must be that the stereotypes are indeed true. Or perhaps Allen crafted such a wide ocean between the two classes to really hammer in the differences and make the clash between the two worlds that much more intriguing.

But what I really loved was how Allen presented all the information we needed, but the characters didn't have the full story. As the reader, we knew what was really going on, but it played out differently on the pages. While it can be easy to slip and add in some detail a character isn't supposed to know, I can't think of a single case of that happening in this book. I loved getting multiple perspectives of the same scene, each providing more information to paint a full picture. I especially liked that, instead of making me yell at the characters because they didn't know something, it made me hold my breath as I waited to find out if they would find out or how their ignorance would impact what they said and did. I really enjoyed just reading as it all played out.

What I didn't love, but can grudgingly admire, is all the cursing. I don't usually enjoy books that are heavy on cursing. Every character seemed to drop them like they were any other word. At first, I was annoyed because both the wealthy and working class characters were using the same language. Though now I wonder if that was done to highlight how alike they might actually be despite the vast difference in wealth. Indeed, I love that Leo never lorded his high status and wealth over Corey. Despite being wealthy and prone to making mistakes, he was actually a fairly decent guy.

Another thing I didn't really enjoy was that a lot was introduced, but never fully realized. Gina's estranged husband, Ray, is rarely seen and rarely talked about, but plays a key role at the end. Gina and Corey are mother and son, but Corey doesn't seem to have much love for his mother. That parent-child relationship is hardly explored and it feels more like employer-employee. Corey mentions being concerned about his mother, but that doesn't impact the way he treats her. Gina attends an AA meeting, but it seemed to have little effect on her despite the fact that she sometimes contacted her sponsor and thought about her.

However, I recognize that this book takes place over a single weekend. Even though some scenes overlap so we get multiple perspectives of the same event, it still has a very linear flow. That means sometimes we don't see some characters for several chapters, but, in the end, it makes sense even though, as a reader, I would have liked seeing them more often or seeing the characters do something that would draw in the lesser used characters. But, time is limited.

Overall, this was an interesting book. There was a lot going on and a great deal of tension between the two classes to keep things moving. I loved how the characters stayed true to who they were and behaved accordingly. Even though there might have been some minor points that didn't feel as authentic, I'm happy to say much of their behavior made complete sense and I couldn't help but wait with bated breath to see how it would all play out at the end. There were so many ways I could think of it ending with, and I think it was, ultimately, the perfect ending. I felt completely satisfied and wouldn't wish for it to happen any other way. I might have liked to see it end differently, but it all just made so much sense.


Thank you so much to the publisher, Park Row Books, for an eARC. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The East End by Jason Allen is a great debut of suspense, family drama, culture clashes and power shifts!

I read this book right after I finished ‘Appearances’ by Sondra Helene and the contrasting events were super pronounced/similar to me-if that makes any sense.

Every single character is hiding huge lies and as the book goes on there is a lot of deception, redemption and clarity.

This book moved fast! Like everything takes place in 72 hours.

In the author’s bio you learn that he grew up in the Hamptons and worked for the rich. I can see how his memories and thoughts drove him to write this novel.

TEE deals with a lot of moral questions and is a great glimpse of the differences between people who just visit The Hamptons, throw swanky parties and are considered wealthy and elite and those who live there year round and are thought of ‘blue collar’.

I was invited to participate in the Blog Tour for this book. This is my very first blog tour and I am excited that the book was great and deserves the raves I’m sure it is going to receive. Here are my pros and cons:

Pros

- This story takes place over a couple of days. It almost feels like you are reading and experiencing it real-time. I liked the fast, tense pacing.
- This story will grab your attention from the very beginning. I read this super-fast because I didn’t want to put it down. Start this book when you have at least 4 hours to spend on it – you won’t want to stop reading until you are done!
- As the author bio below states, the author worked in a variety of blue-collar jobs for wealthy home owners in the Hamptons. This firsthand knowledge definitely comes through in the story and makes it not only believable, but relatable.
- The plot was convincing and realistic and the characters felt genuine… even the unlikeable characters! Some might find the characters stereotypical, but I am guessing that the author's life and experiences are coming through in this story, thus presumably making the characters pretty darn realistic from his perspective.
- The story was presented in multiple points of view so you could understand each character’s situation as certain things happened throughout the book. The main plot is actually fairly simple, but the overall presentation of the story is intricately crafted and well written.
- As I was reading this book, the Walter Scott quote “O, what tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive” kept coming to mind. It is amazing what people do out of fear, desperation and/or greed.
- I thought the author explored the wealth disparity between the estate owners and the local residents with a gentle hand. While the frustration of seeing some people have everything while others struggle with nothing definitely came through loud and clear in the story, the author also showed that not all things are necessarily as we assume. While money may provide luxuries and make the day to day frustrations of life easier or even non-existent, it doesn’t guarantee one will have a fulfilling and happy life.

Cons

- I thought the writing was superb with one small personal nitpick. Occasionally the writing tended to lean just a little bit toward being too descriptive and padded in my opinion. Perhaps the author’s past experience with poetry affected this? He is definitely a talented writer... but I recall one instance when the author was describing the time that stood out to me in particular and unfortunately I didn't note the exact quote. I'm making this up as an example, but it was like describing the time as "just before 9 with the minute hand half way between the 6 and the 12" instead of just saying it was eight forty-five. Even though certain descriptions stood out to me as a tad excessive, in reality there weren’t that many instances of it in the book, and they were only momentary distractions.
- The multiple point of view format, while interesting as I stated in Pro #5 above, did result in a bit of repetitiveness.

Summary
I am super impressed that this is a debut novel by the author. I haven’t read any of his previous poetry collections, but I am admittedly interested now and I anxiously await his future novels.

I predict this book will do very well… as a matter of fact, I can easily see this developed into a movie at some point. You should definitely read this book if you are a fan of intricate thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley and Park Row Books for a free electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite Quotes:

Time passed as Leo sat cockeyed on one of the lounge chairs beside the pool with an elbow on one knee and the bag of ice pressed to the back of his head, staring at the water, his vision like that of an old television set with poor reception, blurring between two channels.

They stared at each other, locked in that tension like animals at a watering hole— one predator, one prey, but who could say which was which now?

The water kept on running, the pills still cradled in her palm. This loneliness, she thought, should be classified as a disease.

The thing about regrets, Corey— it’s much better to regret something you have done than something you haven’t done.


My Review:

I am in need of a spa day after reading this brilliantly crafted suspense/thriller. It was masterfully written, taut with tension, devilishly paced, and cast with an intriguing set of deeply flawed and fractured characters who were reaching a peak period of crisis or transition, and I couldn’t help but root for them. Each riveting storyline was thrumming with stress and the disses – dismay, despair, discontent, and distress. This tale had a bit of everything; abuse of all types from people to substances, a gamut of personality disorders and vices, blackmail, adultery, bribery, rich vs. poor, and a closeted gay who had more than that one skeleton in his closet.

The writing was simply stellar. Mr. Allen’s writing style was lushly descriptive with evocative and emotive word choices that conjured keen visuals and kept me on edge. I was chewing my lower lip and feeling rather conflicted as while I wanted to savor every well-chosen word, I also felt as if I couldn’t read fast enough as I sensed the build-up to a shattering crescendo. I am doubly impressed since noticing this was his first novel. I hope the cunning Mr. Allen isn’t easily frightened as he now has a rather rabid fangirl…

The East End is told from various character points of view over a span of a few days. It is about a young man, Corey, who breaks into a mansion in the Hamptons and is witness to something terrible that he wishes he hadn’t seen… and let me tell you, the story grabs you from the word GO! The perspective of each character was so well done. I so enjoyed following this scandalous and thrilling story from start to finish. Jason Allen did an incredible job of creating some very dysfunctional yet believable and relatable characters. He has a very detailed way of writing that made his book come to life, and he makes you “feel” what the characters are doing. If you’re like me, you will find yourself engrossed and cringing as you are witness to the events as they unfold! The East End moves very quickly, and I found myself captivated until the very end (which, by the way, was very well done too).

Corey is a recent high school graduate who lives in an area that is soon to be filled with the wealthy for the summer, The Hamptons. Corey’s mom, Gina, works for one of these families, the Sheffield’s. The night before the Sheffield’s are to come out for the summer he decides to break into their summer home. While he’s in the house more people start showing up who aren’t supposed to be there. This causes a wild turn of events that you don’t see coming. During the rest of the weekend, Corey has to deal with what he saw the night before.

This book had me interested from the beginning. It didn’t take long to get into the plot of the story. I wasn’t sure which way it would end up. Each chapter switched point of view which added an important dimension to the story. Overall, great book. I would recommend.

Thank you very much St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for a copy of The East End by Jason Allen for honest review.
A fast paced fiction novel set in the Hamptons that uses three perspectives to show the disparity inherent between the people who live there and those that have weekend homes there. The difference between the people who clean and care for the houses and visitors and the people who own the houses for parties and weekends in the summer is obvious.
I mostly read thrillers so I found the drama in the book to be a little slower than my preference but I think this would be fast moving for those who like fiction. Bridging these two genres with some interesting characters, I think this plot was well done.

5 Reasons to Read The East End

1. The entire, 350+ page book takes place in “real time”. What I mean by that is the whole book spans a 72 hour period; so when a mysterious death happens, the reader witnesses exactly what takes place before, during, and after the discovery of the body.

2. There’s a lot of deception and redemption. Almost every character in this book as a lie to tell, and another to hide. As a holiday party at an affluent home in the Hamptons ensues, we uncover secrets about the housekeeper, her son, the owner of the home and his wife, and their daughter. All of these secrets lead to the most intricate deception and redemption tale the Hamptons have ever seen.

3. Dark. When I say, “dark”, I literally mean dark- half of the book takes place in the middle of the night. It is also a thematic dark with the shades of lies, deceit and death pulled down low.

4. The story explores themes of “forbidden love”. From the gay adulterer father to two teens from opposite ends of the socioeconomic scale to a mother trying to escape an abusive husband, this story weaves an intricate tale of how love doesn’t always involve a fairy tale ending.

5. I’m still thinking about the ending. I can’t decide if I loved or hated it. Or maybe that’s the beauty and intention of the book- it leaves the reader thinking about it for days afterwards.

Set in the Hamptons, this mystery focuses on attempts to hide a death in a mansion. But, it also highlights the vast disparity between the ultra-rich and the employees who "serve" them, a single mother's struggle with addiction and abuse, a closet homosexual's struggle with identity, and the angst of teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. This sounds like the makings of a good novel, but I found it somewhat tedious to read, perhaps because of the attempt to include too much at one time. I also found the ending somewhat anti-climatic and difficult to believe.

This was a wonderful debut novel! I loved how it explored the dynamics of blue collar working for the rich. The power struggle between the two once the blue collar workers had a little bit of leverage was so interesting. The entire story spanned only over Memorial Day weekend which really increased the tension and suspense. ⁣

scandalous. Compulsive. Chaotic.

Jason Allen has written an addictive, frantic, fast-paced thriller that will completely suck you in. This book takes you to the Hamptons and shows you the dark side. The book is completely disturbing, highly absorbing, and left me feeling a bit dirty. All the characters in this book are pretty much a HOT mess! It was one of those books that completely consumed me, then when I was done I started thinking, what the **** did I just read? Screwed up people, doing messed up things, and it was oh SO entertaining!

This book really highlighted the Socio economic disparities in the Hamptons between full-time residence and vacationers. The story was told from multiple perspectives and I found this extremely impactful. Cory is a full-time resident who gets his kicks from breaking into the big fancy mansions. Not to steal things, just to mess with the occupants, and for a bit of an escape. Gina his mother works as a housekeeper. She is a recovering alcoholic on the verge of falling off the wagon. Leo is a owner of one of the ritzy mansions a billionaire CEO. He arrives in the Hamptons with his elicit male lover. After a night of drugs and drinking a terrible accident occurs. BUT Leo is not the only witness, Cory had been carrying on his late night activity and saw everything happen, along with Leo’s daughters BFF. What transpires is disturbing, diabolical, and extremely absorbing. This was not the book I was expecting when I pick this up, but I have to admit I enjoyed every single page! 7/10

🎧🎧🎧 I was fortunate enough to have an audio copy of this to review and can I just say BRAVO Angelo DI Loreto! He really added so much to the story. His voice has a bit of an ominous quality to it that just really emphasized the disturbing nature of this book. He is really one of those narrators I could listen to all day!

*** thank you so much to Park Row and Harper audio for my copy of this book ***

There was just something about the blurb of The East End that caught my attention right away, and it turns out my instincts were right about this story. What an intriguing and thought provoking read! It really shows that the author grew up in the Hamptons, as the descriptions of the area feel realistic and really transport you to the setting. The contrast of the working-class inhabitants of the Hamptons and the rich estate owners vacationing only for the season is fascinating.  The fact that they are only temporarily there, but not only have such a huge impact on life in town but also treat the locals in a certain way definitely leaves a lot to think about. Corey is a fascinating character, and I'm guessing here that part of his experiences and thoughts are inspired by the author himself back when he worked for wealthy estate owners himself when he was younger. Knowing this adds a whole different level to The East End and makes you wonder if little details were based on true events or if everything is indeed fiction. The fact remains that you will find a lot of flawed characters, secrets and lies in this mostly character-driven story. With a rich and elaborate prose, the author describes both setting and characters with a flourish and those characters without doubt provide for a lot of drama and suspense. I can't say they were exactly likeable, but their flawed personalities were well developed and felt real. Trigger warnings are in place for abuse, addiction and alcoholism as well as violence and suicide... Oh yes, The East End has a lot of heavy topics for you in store. The main focus is on what happens that night in the mansion and the aftermath for the different characters though. The suspense and family drama is sprinkled with a little hint of romance, but this story mostly about secrets that might be revealed, a dead body on the property and an eternal struggle to find a way out. Fans of more character-driven suspenseful stories will have a great time with The East End.

I started to write that this is a book that you either hate or love but as I settled on three stars, that might sound a bit strange.

Technically this book is really good. It's well-written and has an interesting plot but - I really couldn't get into it because I hated those characters. Most of them, no matter how sophisticated or how common, rich or poor (talk about equality, right?), seemed to spend their days in a haze of pills and booze and booze and pills and... I couldn't like them. They were not likable, they were intense but despite their obvious problems, their drama - I felt sorry for them but I didn't feel with them. I was upset about the way they handled (or rather didn't handle) their life and I simply didn't like them. Not all of them but most.

And, well, family secrets and scandal indeed, there are so many of them and regrets, oh, so many regrets... I mean, life is not a fairy tale, is not, has never been and will never be but this? What I hated was that most of it seemed to be self-made, wrong decisions, wrong partners, wrong expectations but also a lot of it once again fueled by drugs and alcohol.

Apart from the fact that I didn't like the characters, I also had a problem with the multitude of views, as it distracted me when I tried to find out whose it was right now and made me concentrate more on that than on the story itself.
A story of a long and intense couple of days that leave people dead, families destroyed and, well, there may some good come of it as well. Perhaps.