Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

The residents of Raven Lane are entitled, wealthy, and terrible people. Our main character Esme included, though she did surprise me in the end. This was my first book by Amber Cowie, it was meh. Not terrible but not great, it passed some time and I finally got it off my NetGalley backlog.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc I received in exchange for my honest review.**

If ever there was a book that proves why you tell people to tell the truth, this is it.
Secrets & Lies are insidious and destroy people’s lives. Even the smallest of things can destroy not just you, but those around you,and who knows how long the ripple effect will go on for.
The characters in this book are well thought out, Even if you find it difficult to relate to some/all of them, it has that touch of realism that will keep the whole thing grounded and relatable. On the whole, it was a good, intense read and I’d recommend this to everyone.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my arc.
All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

A good suspense novel is hard to write believably but Ms. Cowie knows her stuff. From the very first page you'll suspect Esme and Benedict's relationship isn't what it seems and that it is more than likely they have some major issues.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this early! Unfortunately, the writing style was great, but the book was too much like others I've read in this genre before. That made it very dull and predictable. I would give it a go if you're new to this genre.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was an enjoyable book.

I absolutely loved this book! I found it hard to put down. I highly recommend reading it! You won’t be disappointed.

Meh. I liked it, but it was so much like a lot of the other books in this genre that I could guess everything that was going to happen the whole time. I like the authors writing style, but the story itself was just okay.

Raven lane is a little community of close knit eccentric people living in suburbia and something goes wrong. Just like the premise of many thrillers. To be honest I have read this one before but let my review get very far away from me so I wanted to reread it again to make sure I can review it properly for you all.

My rating for this book stayed the same at 4 stars which I’m really happy about. Throughout this story we meet many diverse characters, we have characters of many nationalities which I really liked to see in a thriller as this can be rare. We also meet a prominent side character who is in a gay relationship.

One element of this story that I forgot about was the book within a book. The prominent side character that I mentioned above is an author and we come across pieces of his writing throughout the story which gives the story a darker tone and reminds the reader that humans can be monsters.

The main character, Esme was a very interesting one to follow because she has many secrets that get hinted at for a lot of the story which kept me intrigued throughout to find out what happened to her in the past and what is actually happening now in the present timeline.

If you’re looking for a very thrilling thriller this one is not for you. This is more of a character study of what can happen to people when tragedy strikes.

I really enjoyed this story and completely forgot a lot of what this story was about and had a great time rereading it!

DNF at 25%. Thank you to Lake Union and Netgalley for the advance reading copy. I was intrigued by the premise of this book but unfortunately it’s feeling like many other stories I’ve already read. If you are new to the genre and haven’t watched shows like Desperate Housewives you may find it more surprising but this one isn’t for me.

RAVEN LANE is another excellent thought-provoking domestic suspense installment with superb storytelling by talented author Amber Cowie. 💕 She wowed me and readers worldwide with her knock-out thriller debut, RAPID FALLS, and she is BACK!

Sexy, provocative, edgy, and scandalous!

Meet the suburban neighbors of Raven Lane, a cul-de-sac with five detached homes arranged in a U shape, tucked into an area just two blocks away from one of the busiest commercial areas.

Set in the Pacific Northwest, an exclusive neighborhood. Little traffic. safe neighborhood? The residents of Raven Lane are drawn into a web of secrets, lies, betrayal, scandal, and tragedy.

What happens behind closed doors?


I adored the diverse neighborhood and characters; especially, the lyrical prose from Author, Torn Grace. From a former model, a chef, an author, a real estate agent, a former movie star, an artist, plus more.

"The Truth Can Bring Out the Worst in the Best of Friends."

Atmospheric and twisty. If you are a fan of Robin Harding's THE SWAP, BIG LITTLE LIES, and the TV series, THE AFFAIR, (one of my favorites), would never miss an episode— you will find a lot to like here. 🎬

The purpose of referencing the hit TV series in comparison to Raven Lane—I think there are some parallels and especially if you are a fan of the show, this current Season 5 which is moody, dangerous, sexier, and edgier than previous seasons. In the aftermath of horrific events, characters try to come to terms with the consequences of their choices, similar to the characters in RAVEN LANE.

Some people have darkness and monsters within them. Often they fool others and sometimes they deceive themselves. As always, I adore Amber's writing and her diverse and dynamic characters.

An ideal choice for book clubs and future discussions. 📚 An excellent Reader Group Guide is included.

Highly Recommend! Head over to my blog and check out my INTERVIEW with Amber's debut, RAPID FALLS, and LOSS LAKE

A special thank you to Lake Union (print) and NetGalley (digital) for an advanced reading copy.

#JDCMustReadBooks

This book gripped me at the start, but I quickly lost interest. I love stories that center around neighborhood and friend secrets, but it just got boring after awhile. There were so many characters and it was hard to connect with any of them. The ending felt really disjointed and didn't really make sense with the rest of the book. It felt like the author needed to end it and ran out of ideas.

This book was just an okay read. Although there were a few twists in it the story overall was quite predictable and did not keep me interested.

I am in charge of the senior library and work with a group of Reading Ambassadors from 16-18 to ensure that our boarding school library is modernised and meets the need of both our senior students and staff. It has been great to have the chance to talk about these books with our seniors and discuss what they want and need on their shelves. I was drawn to his book because I thought it would be something different from the usual school library fare and draw the students in with a tempting storyline and lots to discuss.
This book was a really enjoyable read with strong characters and a real sense of time and place. I enjoyed the ways that it maintained a cracking pace that kept me turning its pages and ensured that I had much to discuss with them after finishing. It was not only a lively and enjoyable novel but had lots of contemporary themes for our book group to pick up and spend hours discussing too.
I think it's important to choose books that interest as well as challenge our students and I can see this book being very popular with students and staff alike; this will be an excellent purchase as it has everything that we look for in a great read - a tempting premise, fantastic characters and a plot that keeps you gripped until you close its final page.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I cannot believe I missed giving feedback for this book before this! I wish Netgalley had a way to alert me if the book is about to be released and I haven't reviewed it. This book has such a great premise! All of these neighbors know each other and hang out! But do they actually know each other??? The book started out great, but then I started to lose interest, but I'm not sure why. I liked the cooking descriptions and the writing itself is great, but I'm not sure I connected with any of the characters.

Wow! This book is full of twists and turns, deceit and truths, love and hate and murder! This is my first book by this author and it was okay but there is so much to remember with who did what with whom and why that you get so tangled up you don't know if you're up or down. I'm sure there are others out there that will love it. Enjoy! 📚

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It is so interesting to see how thin people's connections to each other are when something terrible happens. Cowie constructs a web that you can't quite figure out and I loved every page of it.

A good domestic drama/thriller that's full of secrets and suspense. I'm not sure I'd want to live on Raven Lane, with so much of this going on! I found it a bit slow at times but it held my interest despite this. I'll look out for more from the author in the future.

Amber Cowie’s Raven Lane is a suspenseful domestic drama with a splash of neighborhood noir that kept me glued to the book until the very last page. A story about the secrets that we try to hide, but that always eventually come to light. Dark, character-driven, and addictive!

There were so many juicy and salacious secrets that came out in this story! Amber Cowie really delivered a suspenseful book filled with dark pasts and hidden truths. I would call this more of a character-study than an outright psychological thriller, though there are certainly some twists. Primarily, though, this is a story fueled by the character development more than the action. And I loved it!

Raven Lane is fascinating. A close-knit cul-de-sac who is heavily involved in the status of those who can move in. Former model Benedict and his wife who owns a highly regarded restaurant are instantly accepted into Raven Lane. But when Benedict hits novelist Torn Grace with his car, things begin to unravel. And it isn’t long before secrets start to come out, tearing apart the people in this tiny cul-de-sac.

I don’t want to spill much about the secrets, that is the best part of reading this book! I will say this—I definitely wouldn’t want to live in this cul-de-sac. These people have a lot of baggage and are a bit too involved with one another! But I certainly enjoyed grabbing my popcorn and learning all of the juicy, sordid details of this group who are quite frankly closer than neighbors should be!

A fantastic domestic drama that has made me a fan of Amber Cowie!

Thank you to Lake Union for my copy. Opinions are my own.