I was looking forward to reading a thriller/mystery. This book couldn't really be described as this. The book seemed to drag on but the ending was great. I didn't really have that feeling of I cant wait to see what happens next.

So intense. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this was a very unique read. The story starts with the accidental murder of a neighbour, and then what unfolds is an intricate back story that was full of emotion. Each character was so surprising and multilayered. I particularly enjoyed Esme's story. She's been on a very interesting journey. I wish the timeline was dealt with in a more straightforward manner, but I guess that was part of the charm. I am definitely going to be on the lookout for more of the author's work.

I love the whole domestic and suburban thriller drama idea. It’s totally my cup of tea. But I’m not sure what I feel about this one. The plot just didn’t do much for me. I found the first few chapters difficult to get through and keep my attention. Once I got through those it got much better, and to be honest the ending was pretty great. The journey to get to that ending was too slow moving though.

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

It took me a few chapters to really get into this book, but when I did, I was all in. The book is dark, and really well written. I found none of the characters particularly likeable but that's just the kind of book this is. If you like dark and twisted this book is an excellent choice.

Thank you to Netgalley, publisher, and author for an advance copy of this book.

I’m not totally sure how I feel. I wanted to love it. I’m really into the whole suburbia drama trope, but this story didn’t do much for me. It felt slow moving and not much happened until the end. I did enjoy the twist, it was obvious but somehow I missed it completely which is a sign of good writing.

I enjoyed Amber Cowie’s writing style and would be interested in reading more from her.

This is a pretty good thriller. I think with some work (and mostly formatting) this could be a heck of a lot better than just pretty good. What do I mean my formatting changes? Well I didn't like that there was no paragraph break between the book-within-a-book and the book-book, a paragraph break, an inset, and maybe some italics (or a font change) would help a lot here. Same deal with flashbacks, these need to be broken up with at the very least a paragraph break if not a section break.

Esmé is an ok character, I really really disliked her husband Benedict though. My copy included a book club guide with questions and one of them was along the lines of 'what are the benefits for Esmé gains from staying with Benedict?' And I, having just finished the book couldn't tell you, other than another body in the house, I don't think he did much for anyone other than himself... But maybe we aren't maybe to dislike him so vehemently?

The book-within-a-book was weird... like Lovecraft and Cthulhu-inspired weird. We are told at the end of the passages, that are never more than a page and a half long, that Esmé had been engrossed for long periods reading the book, if the passages are supposed to be engrossing and time consuming to get through I would expect that they would be longer than what they were presented as being. Honestly this literary device needed to be fleshed out a bit, maybe more length would have given us a break in the main narrative... I don't know, usually I like this device, just didn't get the feeling that it worked here.

The resolution will probably surprise you. Read the last couple chapters carefully or you will miss elements of it. Also if things wrapping up in a few pages bugs you like it bugs me, you've been warned.

The pacing of this book was so slow, as though the author needed you to see every detail as it passed, and tell every backstory imaginable. Could have been good, but when you open with an emergency, I just want to know what happened. It felt like the characters were named after sitcom characters, but maybe that's just me.

Esme and Benedict Werner live in this friendly and fancy neighborhood where all the neighbors are carefully picked by the state realtor who also lives there.
One day, when Benedict leaves to get to the store for more wine, he runs over one of their lovely neighbors, who is a famous author.
As things unravel, it all becomes much more than just an accident.
The book rhythm is good and there are hooks to hold the reader, as we want to know what happens next, but for me, especially what happened in the past.
This is not exactly a mystery/thriller. It is much more about secrets, personal and family secrets, and human feelings.
There is also a book within the book. Sometimes Esme is reading parts of the deceased author's book. This is an interesting tool in a narrative, but there were moments when I wish I was reading this other book.
The negative point in this book for me was the mix of drugs, sex abuse, adultery, couples swap, a clearly assumed gay man in a solid relationship having an affair with the woman next door. This recipe of suburbia meets vida loca was a bit unbelievable for me.
Still, I have to say that the writing is good. Maybe the author could have put each of these items into different books. It would be more believable and less distracting.
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.

Raven Lane by Amber Cowie could have been a great book but just missed the mark somehow. Not really a mystery, this story truly revolves around Esme, looking back at her life. An accident, infidelity, drug use and more were all treated rather nonchalantly. Can not recommend this book. Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy.

Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgally for review purposes.

I was pretty excited for this one initially. The plot seemed intriguing and the cover was rocking so I figured it'd be a win, but I'm sad to say it just didn't work for me.

In the beginning it wasn't too bad but it did take me a while to pay attention. I just couldn't focus on it which isn't a good sign I guess. Then a lot started happening but it was too much. It felt like a soap opera and kind of gimmicky. Somehow despite all the weird drama it was still slow for me? It felt like it was dragging while at the same time they were throwing one wacky plot after another at you. Also couldn't get into the characters 🤷 but the writing style definitely wasn't bad by any means, I think it just kind of somehow got off the rails.

At last a story that had me as riveted as Apple Tree Yard! On the surface a tragic accident , but as the evidence unfolds could this be a miscarriage of justice? The lives of the residents on Raven Lane came under the spotlight and not all was as it seemed. I got mmself in knots trying to work out how this was going to be resolved and, well, I never figured that! Excellent, revealing and shocking .

I've seen a lot of people describe Raven Lane as a mystery/thriller, but I'd describe it more as a drama (read: very dramatic) with threads of mystery and thriller. There are a few mysterious subplots and a lot of plot twists woven into a character study of an entire neighborhood, which takes off right away when a Raven Lane resident is killed.

To be completely honest, I didn't think I'd like this book, but it ended up capturing and holding my interest until the well-executed ending, which made for an overall enjoyable experience. The pacing was strong, and the narrative was absurd and disturbing, which I think worked well. I can honestly say there were quite a few plot twists I didn't see coming.

Character-wise, however, the book was full of tropes. Since having a career in "the arts" is a prerequisite to living on Raven Lane, its residents include the posh French artist; the sexy, womanizer model; and a few broody, struggling writers. And Esme, our protagonist, a former movie star whose past seems to serve no purpose other than to paint a tragic (and predictable) backstory. I would have liked to have seen more character development and a larger focus on their troubles and vices in a book that's so character- and relationship-focused. It was hard to get a sense of anyone's motives until they were explicitly stated.

Overall, Raven Lane was a book with a strong plot stifled by its flat characters. However, it held my attention, surprised me, and was an overall fun read.

(Trigger warnings for rape & drug abuse.)

All is not what it seems in Raven Lane. Set in a highly desirable neighbourhood, Esme is the main character and when her husband knocks over and kills one of their neighbours, it leads us into the relationships within the Lane. Amber Cowie weaves the lives of the residents through the novel and we discover that what appears to be an idyllic lifestyle on the surface holds many secrets below. I enjoyed Raven Lane and following the lives of all the characters who are fully rounded and believable. The use of flashbacks works well and gives us a more in-depth insight into the events that led up to the conclusion. I would certainly read another novel by this author.

This goes to show the lies and secrets that can destroy lives. The storyline was great and the characters even better!
Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Another wonderful book from a great author. There is enough in this book to really make the reader think, wonder, and suspect with no real answers. Raven Lane is the name of the street where a close group of residents live. They meet frequently to socialize. They seem to enjoy each others company and sharing their lives. However,there is unspoken feelings of jealousy, bitterness, competition and suspicion.
They come to learn that there is a fine line between intimacy and intrusion.
A terrible tragedy on the street leads to varying opinions. Was this an accident? Was it a deliberate act? If so, Why? As the case moves forward more extenuating circumstances arise.
It becomes quite clear that Raven Lane has many more problems to deal with.
One thing you can be sure of: Raven Lane will never be the same.
Excellent book!

Raven Lane was a trip! I went through a whole myriad of emotions while reading this book. I started off curious about the comings and goings of the fancy folk who live in the perfect little cul-de-sac called Raven Lane. It seems it's a lovely little suburbia where everyone knows everyone else's business and there's always a party to be had---basically my hell.
Right off the bat, things seem a bit off with Esme and her husband Benedict and then almost immediately into the book he accidentally hits a neighbor with his car and everything gets twisty. Surprise! Suburbia isn't perfect!

It took me almost a full month to read Raven Lane because I didn't care about any of the characters; they are all awful people (with maybe the exception being Esme's daughter Zoe, but we didn't get to know her) who do nasty things for no real reason other than to feel stuff. I feel like you're supposed to like Esme and feel bad for her as more of her background is revealed, but I just found myself annoyed with her.

Occasionally parts of the book cutaway to a book within the book written by one of the characters. These parts were confusing at best and maybe it's just my ARC, but it was hard to determine when they were starting and ending. They had a Lovecraftian type of vibe going on and I wanted more of them and less of annoying Esme.

However, my main problem with Raven Lane was the bad taste it left in my mouth after reading about Esme (a straight white woman) being seduced by Torn (a younger, gay guy). We, the reader are supposed to believe that Torn was such a fan of Esme's one movie role that he suddenly is a bisexual who finds her irresistible and wants to bang her. *eyeroll* Like, okay maaayyybeeee, but it seemed really weird and dishonest to the LGBTQ community. Oh and they have such good sex together that was cringy as fuck to read about.

I don't really know what this book brings that is worth reading about. I would read more by this author to give her a second chance, but what i really want is a full-length book of The Call.

Esme and Benedict live in a darling little cul-de-sac with their neighbors who are also “the chosen ones”. Everything appears to be idyllic at first, but upon further inspection, there is a lot more going on with Esme, Benedict, and the neighbors. A tragedy occurs involving Benedict and another neighbor, and suddenly, people are taking sides. This is a compelling read that brings to light the fact that we do not really know as much about our neighbors, our family, ourselves, as we think. We know the side that they choose to present. This is definitely a must read. Thank you to Amber, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Raven Lane by Amber Cowie is a thriller novel with an average storyline. The suspenseful ending is a bit unorthodox, but it isn't enough to revive the stereotypical plot involving rich people with their drugs, and love triangles, and whatever follows.

Across the length of the book, I encountered two grave mistakes. Firstly, in one of the scenes, a character picks up her phone to do something, but ends up putting back her laptop when distracted with something else. Unless this was magical realism or some sort of fantasy that I failed to grasp, the phone should have remained as such. Secondly, and more importantly, the author seems to have messed up with one of the chief character's name. Head chef Anthony is introduced with a family name Cole, but he becomes a King as soon you turn a few pages. A huge oversight on part of the author and the beta-readers!

Who is to say there aren't more such mistakes? I'd highly recommend a few more sessions of proofreads before the text is sent for publishing.

What I really liked in this book is the prose within the prose. During the course of the story, the chief character (I am deliberately not calling her the protagonist, or the antagonist, if you know what I mean! And that is all you're going to get from my review as far as spoilers are concerned!) reads a bestselling fantasy novel penned by one of her neighbors. The author has done a good job to relate it to the main storyline.

Thanks to the author and the publisher for the ARC.

Verdict: Read it for its ending.

This book is going to be a best-seller, without a doubt - the kind you see loudly and proudly promoted in all major bookstores. I loved it. I even miss the characters! They were all profoundly flawed, unique, and above all: interesting. The pace of this novel was excellent too; it kept me at the edge of my seat during the two days it took me to finish it. I particularly enjoyed Esme (such an intriguing character!) and the way in which the author described Esme’s passion for food, her dishes, and cooking. It was done with care and reminded me of one of my favorite novels: The Debt to Pleasure. Very different, of course, but equally well crafted when it came to the way in which food was described and flavours were incorporated into the narrative of the story itself. I would for sure recommend this and thank the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this advance copy.

Sorry to say, this was not my cup of tea. With little to no backstory, the action begins, leaving at least this bookseller confused and not really caring about any of the characters. About halfway through, it picked up, but never quite redeemed the poor beginning. Will i order it in? Yes, I can think of a number of customer who would like this, and I'll look to book 2 hoping for more!