Member Reviews
This is a spoiler-free review.
There's enough mystery and questions as the book opens to hold readers attention with Greenwich Park. It wasn't as suspenseful or thriller-esc as I thought it would be. And the ending kinda leaves readers standing on a damp beach, on a midsummer day. 🤷🏾♀️ I would've liked it better if Helen's character got more out of it in the end, even if she was pregnant the entire book; other people were in more control of her life and the things happening around her than she was.
I absolutely love a good domestic thriller, of which this was not. Now hear me out: I don't love having to take 900 turns and TRY to understand what's happening. But I also don't want to know it was Colonel Mustard with the knife in the kitchen on page 2 either. Unfortunately this one was so so predictable it just wasn't fun. Also. Helen, the MC, was just insufferable. All in all a good middle of the road thriller, but nothing to write home about.
🌟🌟🌟/5
I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Katherine Faulkner.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback. I read a physical final copy of this book.
This was one of the first books I read this year. I finished it in just a few hours. It was one of those books that you could put down and come back to and jump right back in. There are just a few POVs, so it's not entirely too much to keep up with. For the most part, the book is told within one timeline, with maybe a few flashback chapters and two part letters that begin and end the story.
"Greenwich Park" is essentially about two sets of friends and some siblings & friend group orbiters who have spent the majority of their youth and 20s/30s adulthood together. There is something secret that is a dark undercurrent in their relationship.
The main character, Helen, is attending a baby group ahead of the impending birth of her child. She meets a weird and pushy girl, Rachel, who basically starts showing up everywhere Helen is. You get that sense of trouble from her because the author deftly weaves in hints, as well as references and parallels to other characters' timelines.
The book does grapple with some unsavory content, which is a spoiler, but I will give the hint to say it involves actions without consent.
Overall, I think the book could have been about 100 pages shorter and it would've packed the same punch. However, it was a decent read to entertain for a few hours and trying to figure out the twist and what the intention was of some of the characters. It wasn't what I expected, up until about 75% in and it was starting to become clear.
A wild, propulsive story where everyone has secrets to keep, and you are guessing until the end what really happened. Will be recommending to others.
This was a good domestic thriller. I definitely did not have it all figured out until the end. I loved that it kept you on your toes and you could feel the anxiety in the characters. I had no idea who to root for or who to dislike.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy of Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner for me to preview.
I really enjoyed Greenwich Park. The author's writing style was really enjoyable. I will say that the beginning was a little slow, once the plot picked up I was hooked. The plot was good--I thought I could tell where it was going, and was pleasantly surprised by a few aspects. I LOVED the very end. I would definitely read more by this author!
This book was definitely an interesting read. It was more of a slow burn which I don’t love; it took a while to get to the actual mystery part. The characters were fine, but it just went to slowly for me to love it.
I knew two things right off the bat with this one. The first being that I was not going to love Helen, the main character. The second being this appears to be a very obvious and predictable read. Both were true. There were moments of enjoying the story, but it just wasn't for me.
This book was okay, but definitely not strong enough that it would stand out as a recommendation for a student. It was fine, but there are just so many modern writers doing things that are so much fresher.
I forgot to check if this was a debut author, but if so, I'm honestly shocked. While it reminded me at some point at Girl on the Train (but pregnant!), it still managed to stand out on its own. Several times, I would have promised my left pinky thinking I knew EXACTLY where this book was going, what was going on, etc.... and guess what? Once again, I stand corrected. I really enjoy books that throw me for a loop. I cannot wait to read future books by this author.
Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner
Release Date January 25, 2022
I am not going to write too much about this because after reading I found that I was not as pleased with the writing as I had hoped I would. Beautiful cover and the blurb is what really drew me in…….it just did not keep my attention the whole way through. I had to skim pages BUT… the ending was perfect. It the whole book had the intense effect the ending did….I believe this would have been perfect.
So 3 stars here.
slow mystery!! had to read bc i love the UK/London Entertaining, but the novel in general very forgettable.
the twist at the end kind of saves it
WHAT AN ENDING. This book had me guessing canceling that guess, finding a new theory and then immediately dismissing that one. Well written and a greatly woven story. This was a fantastic read and kept me interested, excited and up at night.
This was so interesting, it has kept my guessing and thinking the entire time. I did have a bit of a hard time keeping the characters straight for a bit, but overall I really enjoyed it.
Twisting and turning, this is a strange story. There are some favorable reviews but I just didn’t find it memorable.
Told by three POVs and different times, it can be confusing if you’re not paying really close attention.
Give it a chance because you may like it.
I read a lot of thrillers and mysteries, and I’m particularly fond of domestic suspense: Liane Moriarty, Shari Lapena, Aimee Molloy. I love a good Peyton Place-type neighborhood hiding a multitude of secrets, and Katherine Faulkner’s Greenwich Park is an instant too-perfect classic.
At Helen’s childbirth class, neither her husband, brother nor pregnant sister-in-law shows up, but Rachel does. Rachel is a free spirit (we know this because she sneaks wine into the class), and since she is partnerless, she and Helen pair up. The two become unlikely fast friends, but when Rachel disappears, the secrets really start bubbling up and everyone becomes a suspect.
Faulkner writes a speedy plot, with satisfying twists and reveals. I saw a couple of the twists coming but didn’t get the final villain, which is always satisfying. The characters may not have been the most memorable, but I will definitely look for more Katherine Faulkner and I’m curious to know if she will embrace a more domestic or a more suspenseful path.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There are three points of view throughout the novel which provides an interesting perspective on the twists, secrets, and lies within the story. Helen is attending prenatal classes solo and meets a new overly friendly woman named Rachel. Rachel reminds me of the toxic friend who is constantly stepping on your boundaries. She's loud, she behaves inappropriately, and she needs more help than what is reasonable.
This is a twisty tale that is easy to follow and enjoy, I would describe this as a light read that is not for everyone.
I feel like a broken record saying this on here so frequently, but I find myself very picky with thrillers lately. I think I read so many of them that I burned myself out on them, so I try to choose ones with interesting or unique concepts -- and this certainly delivered. It's rare that I find myself unsure where a thriller is going to take me, but there was quite a bit of this story I didn't see coming.
I did actually really enjoy this book. I thought it was interesting, and had enough twists and turns to keep you sucked in to the story.