I was lucky to receive an advance copy of Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This was an interesting read and at times I thought I might not finish it as it was a bit slow for me. However, I'm so glad I didn't give up. I absolutely loved how it ended and can't wait to read more by this author.

I enjoyed Locust Lane. My one criticism was that it felt just a bit drawn out. I know the ending probably bothers a lot of people but I liked it. I enjoyed the fact that the characters stayed with me because I so badly want to know what happens next. I did guess the “mystery” but that does not take away the enjoyment of the book and a part of me feels like it was on purpose. I recommend this book and thanks you Netgalley for the oooo to read it.

Really enjoyed this novel. Story was very interesting and engaging. Looking forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommend!

The premise of this book sounded so promising, but ultimately, it wasn’t for me. I liked the writing well enough — Amidon is certainly a skilled story teller — but I lacked any sort of feelings at all about the characters or the story. I don’t always need likable characters, but they should at least be interesting. The characters in this novel were unlikable and boring. I just didn’t care at all. The murder was lackluster as well. This whole book left me with a big old feeling of “meh.”

It was fine, nothing great. I didn't connect with any of the characters and i didn't find the mystery to be that surprising. It did have a few good moments, though. Definately more mystery than thriller.

Amidon’s latest suburban thriller explores the nature of class privilege and equal justice under the law.

The tranquility of the wealthy Boston suburb of Emerson is shattered when the body of Eden Perry is found in a home on tony Locust Lane, where the 20-year-old had been staying as a caretaker and dog walker. Police tell her estranged mother, Danielle, they believe she was murdered. The teenagers partying with Eden on the night of her death—golden-boy-with-a-dark-streak Jack Parrish, his sweet but troubled girlfriend, Hannah Holt, and shy outsider Christopher Mahoun, who had a crush on Eden—lie to their parents and the police about where they were that evening. But when scratches are found on Christopher’s neck, he becomes the prime suspect. As a grieving but tough Danielle seeks answers, the other parents take steps to protect their children, even if it comes at the expense of others. The shifting points of view alternate among Celia Parrish, who ignores troubling aspects of her son’s personality while relying on her husband to fix the problems Jack causes; successful restaurateur Michel Mahoun, whose ethnicity (Lebanese Maronite Catholic) marks him as a foreigner in the WASPy community; unhappily married Alice Holt, who is convinced her lover Michel’s son is innocent and who plies Hannah, her stepdaughter, with wine to get at the truth; local man Patrick Noone, on a downward spiral from his daughter Gabi’s fatal overdose, who may have seen the killer on Locust Lane during a late-night drive; and Danielle. Amidon writes smoothly but relies on clichés for his observations on class differences. With her dyed black hair and tattoos, Danielle is a working-class representative, while the socially prominent Parrishes are stereotypes of class entitlement. It’s easy to identify the villains early on. The flipping among perspectives slows the narrative and makes it difficult at times to keep track of the mostly unlikable characters in this plodding thriller.

The ambiguous ending may frustrate some readers who like their thrillers neatly wrapped up.

What a wild ride, I am dizzy! This book was full of all the musts in a Thriller, fast, pace, surprises and insanity! I loved this one so much!

A young woman named Eden is found murdered in an affluent suburb of Boston. Jack, Hannah, and Christopher were the last ones to see her alive, so naturally they become suspects. While these three are suspects, I thought it was clever that the story is actually told from the POV of their parents along with an unreliable grieving father who may or may not have seen the killer.

I was easily drawn into this story that asks the question, how far would you go to protect your child. The story was plausible which is always a bonus for me and had great characterization. The complex relationships between family and friends as well as the topic of privilege are well-written.

Overall, I really enjoyed <b>Locust Lane</b>. Minor critique, considering the slow build up to the conclusion, the ending felt rushed and although it was quite realistic, it left me a little dissatisfied. Overall, 4 stars.

"Locust Lane" is riveting. It offers a poignant portrayal of family dynamics and how communities respond to tragedy. The characters are well developed and occasionally shocking. Amidon's writing is usually evocative; he captures the idyllic Boston suburbs. Overall, "Locust Lane" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction that explores complex relationships and the human experience.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was a very tense engaging psychological thriller with multiple POVs. I enjoyed it. Thank you Celadon Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy!

A powerful and poignant novel that explores the complexities of family relationships, community expectations, and the true meaning of forgiveness.
Many thanks to Celadon and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The minute I read the synopsis to Locust Lane I needed
this book. I feel like it's been awhile since I read a really
good thriller. And this one was a really good thriller.
I read it in maybe 2 days and couldn't put it down. There
was a lot of drama and crazy that happened, which may
have been over the top, but it's exactly what I needed
in my life. I had just read Verity before and was not a
fan. I felt like Stephen did what CoHo wanted to do.

The kind of book you can’t put down. It is so well written, and the mystery and twists and turns had me intrigued and glued to the pages from start to finish. This is an addictive thriller with an ending that you will not see coming.

This book was fast paced and had your attention from the beginning! I loved how the story was told from the adult characters points of view and had me guessing between all of them what was actually going on. If you like a good thriller and a classic who dun it I recommend you read this one. Definitely a great read.

A great whodunnit. Three friends, Jack, Hannah, and Christopher, each come home upset and later a girl is found dead. Doesn’t take too long to figure out that they were with her the night she died. Emerson is an affluent community. Jacks family is on the top of society’s pyramid. Hannah is Jack’s girlfriend. Christopher is the son of an immigrant, albeit the owner of a successful restaurant, but an immigrant nonetheless. Christopher is arrested for the murder. What follows details the intricacies of a small community and highlights wealth and privilege of the small few.

SPOILER ALERT
I’m talking about the ending.

You’ve been warned.


It just…stopped. It didn’t feel like an ending at all. I have questions!! The ONLY reason it’s not getting 5 stars!

Fans of crime fiction will enjoy the small town murder mystery within this gripping read. I loved the multiple POV which added to the suspense of the overall mystery. A excellent written story the really hooked me from the beginning and held my interest the whole way through. I am looking forward to reading more from Stephen Amidon.

this one didn’t click with me as much as i hoped based on the premise - a lot more of a slow burn than i expected. I did really like Amidon’s writing, so i will keep an eye on future releases from him. The story definitely had some good reveals and moments, but i needed a bit more drama to keep me engaged.

The cover and title of this book immediately drew me in, but it was the evocative writing and story that kept me reading. This is an excellent book for fans of domestic thrillers that are page turners but also written with a keen eye for humanity and what makes people tick. The characters here aren’t flat, they’re rich and textured, and that’s what makes it so engrossing

I was a bit disappointed by this book! It had all the makings for a great domestic thriller — secrets, multiple POVs, deep webs of lies. The writing fell flat for me, which was in part due to so many characters. If a few had been written out, there would’ve been much more room in the story to flesh out details and not get bogged down by keeping track of all the names. The book was fast paced and I read it very quickly, but I wish there’d been a bit more depth with the characters as there was a lot of potential.

Thanks to Netgalley and Celadon Books for an advanced copy of this book.

This was in the blurb about Locust Lane: For fans of Mystic River by Dennis Lehane and Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng , Stephen Amidon’s Locust Lane is a taut and utterly propulsive story about the search for justice and the fault lines of power and influence in a seemingly idyllic town. Can anyone be trusted?

That immediately attracted me as I loved Mystic River and Little Fires Everywhere, House of Sand and Fog...none are "happy stories with happy endings" . While described by some as a whodunit I found it to be more about family drama. There are numerous POV's and complex characters, which kept my interest going. I found it to be quite thought provoking and left me thinking about it days after I finished reading it.