**My review is not here to dissuade you from reading. I’m just here to share my own, personal thoughts!**

With that said…
I expected a thriller, but this was more of a mystery/domestic drama. That would’ve been fine because I looove a good mystery, but I felt like it was more a statement piece on the wealthy, race, and parenting. Which again, would have been fine but I feel like I’ve honestly just read this type of story a bunch. :/

It did keep me turning the pages, but it was definitely a slow burn. I was hoping for a huge twist at the end, but it was actually left completely open and unresolved. There were soo many different characters and povs that I often kept mixing up the characters in my head.

The only reason I gave this 3 ⭐️ instead of 2 is because while I didn’t really enjoy it, it still made me think and feel something. 🤷‍♀️

𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
- 𝚍𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚖𝚊
- 𝚖𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚒𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚟
- 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚗 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢
- 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐
- 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚜: 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚑𝚢/𝚙𝚘𝚘𝚛, 𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚖𝚘𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚗 𝚙𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐

All of the stars for Locust Lane.

I had been reluctant to check this one out due to some mixed reviews, but I was convinced to listen with @marensreads and am so glad I did. This story has a LOT of characters-- I would recommend take notes or going slow in the beginning because it is helpful to understand who is who. That said, all of these characters are shady and mysterious. The whole time I listened, I keep saying "I just need to know what happens!" It is definitely a slow burn suspense, but it absolutely pays off. This is easily a top suspense read, and the way Amidon writes these characters is nothing short of perfection.

Read if you like
-Small town mystery
-Shady characters
-Slow burn suspense
-Mystic River
-Little Fires Everywhere
-Euphoria

This slow burn domestic thriller was a compelling, heartbreaking, infuriating read. Told from multiple POVs (I really had to utilize note-taking to keep everything straight), this reminded me so much of Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere and even a dash of Euphoria where both the kids and their parents have secrets. Overall, an intriguing, authentic storyline that focused on themes of grief, power and class, and social injustice, among others.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies!

Read or listen if you like:
-slow burn thrillers
-rich versus working class narrative
-secrets
-multiple POV
- who did it mystery

This one felt like a murder mystery mixed with the classist and wealth divides much like Little Fires Everywhere. This one truly would be a great thriller for fans of the book/limited series as it touches on many of the same principals and thoughts of the protection of family and wealth and racism that is experienced in America, especially when someone of a darker skin tone is pegged against a white individual when looking at who might have committed a crime… does your mind jump to the poor immigrant or the affluent white child with privilege and money on their side.

This book unravels slowly but in a very purposeful way that made the ending all that much more powerful. If you are looking for more than a thriller while still getting a who dunnit I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to the publisher for my ARC copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!

LOVED!!!! This book had me turning pages so quickly!! I was hooked from the start. This novel is moving, thought-provoking, intense, and heartbreaking. I can't wait to read more by this author.

We all know the suburbs are safe, right? Of course. Safer, cleaner, nicer in every way than the city. Well, maybe not. In the author’s own words, “In the suburbs, it was more of a crime undertow than a crime wave. This lawlessness tended to happen behind the locked doors of split-level homes." His amazing novel Locust Lane drives that point home without any doubt. Gripping doesn’t even begin to cover it. It becomes clear from the very first page that the seemingly idyllic town of Emerson is divided into haves and have-nots, powerful and weak, accepted and outcast, and those somewhere in-between who are allowed to remain members of the Very Important People group as long as they don’t mess up. For the truly powerful core, messing up doesn’t matter. They’re in, and they will never be out. And the so-called safety of the suburbs doesn’t necessarily apply to all.

Three teenagers are partying with a fourth. The three reside on varying rungs of the accepted ladder but the fourth is just fun to party with. So when she ends up dead it’s more a problem to be dealt with rather than the tragedy it would be if someone who truly matter was killed.

Is the investigation a search for justice? Not really. Emerson doesn’t appear to be corrupt, but there are biases and influences and although each of the three teenagers is questioned and considered a suspect at some point, conclusions have already been drawn. You know that instead of a search for justice what is really happening is a miscarriage of justice, but you can’t quite figure out who is to blame, who is letting it happen, who may be making it happen, and you start to become very pessimistic about a happy ending.

Emerson’s power population is made up of an interesting set of characters. It seems everyone has a past they don’t want exposed, or issues or problems or who knows what. Most of them are not very pleasant and they are quick to turn on each other. It’s commonly believed that parents will do anything to protect their children. Sounds right, sounds admirable, who wouldn’t, but what these parents are capable of will make your skin crawl.

Locust Lane is compulsively compelling and suspenseful. Your suspicions bounce around with each twist and clue. Some of the suspects seem tailor-made for this horrible crime but just when you are ready to declare you know who did it, somebody else makes a move or another fact is revealed. You keep wondering who to root for, who to feel sorry for – or maybe just who to dislike the least. The ending is stunning. It seems there is no limit to what people will do to protect themselves, their loved ones, their standing, no matter the cost to others. And just one look at the headlines for politicians, the rich, the famous will leave you no doubt about the answer to the question, “Could this really happen?”

Thanks to Celadon Books for allowing me to be a Celadon Reader and providing me with yet another fantastic book. I received an advance copy of Locust Lane and am voluntarily leaving this review; all opinions are my own. I highly recommend this thrilling book – it will keep you thinking, thinking, thinking and surprise you more than once.

I thought this was an exceptionally good read! Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon is a murder mystery that takes place in a very affluent town. Some of the teenage kids get together at a mansion while the owners are away and trouble persues. Someone gets killed, someone gets blamed, but is that really who committed the crime? I thought I had this all figured out until the twist at the very end and was I ever surprised! But now looking back, I really shouldn’t have been because the author actually spells it out for you earlier on in the book. This is a story that shows how the rich kids get treated better than others and how things tend to get covered up just to protect them. Some of the characters were just plain despicable but Alice and Patrick were both phenomenal. This was a great read, one I enjoyed very much and would highly recommend. I’d like to thank Celadon Books for sending me the widget and NetGalley for the arc to read and review. I’m giving this a much deserved 5 star rating and I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This story held my attention and had me captivated right from the first page! The characters were all very well developed and it seemed most everyone was a bit of an unreliable narrator. It took me a little bit to keep all the main characters straight, as it switches frequently, but once everyone in the neighborhood is established it got easier. I really enjoyed the plot of trying to solve a young girls murder with the main suspects being high school kids in the neighborhood. There were so many twists I didn’t see coming and I would definitely recommend to anyone who’s into psychological thrillers and mysteries!

Thank you Celadon for the advanced copy of this book!

In a story that will have you questioning everything and everyone, it takes place in the idyllic town of Emerson, where a jolting murder has taken place. As more details of the events surrounding the incident arise, a group of parents learn their teenagers are somehow involved with the death of the out of town young woman. Wanting to know the answers, they slowly start to unravel the mystery and discover more truths coming to light than intended.

Full of secrets, mystery, surprises and suspense, I was gripped from the start of this book. The different point of views of the parents is beautifully woven together as the momentum of events plays out on the pages. This is a perfect book to snuggle up with as you try to figure out right along with the characters of what happened. If you want a gripping book to read, check this one out!

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for allowing me to read this advance copy. I did not really enjoy this book as I found the book a bit too slow and it did not have very many exciting or enjoyable things thrown in to make the book worth pushing through. I did not like how the parent perspective was used in the book as it was not really about them. I do not want to rate it low as it was not a horrible story but it was not in the pacing that I would really enjoy.

Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon is an atmospheric, tense, gripping, slow-burn, character driven mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. A huge thank you to Celadon Books, the author and Net Galley for the advanced digital copy.

Seemingly, Emerson, Massachusetts is just like any other affluent suburb, in New England. Picture perfect on the surface, but there are secrets that are kept hidden. So when a young woman, Eden Perry is found dead in the better part of town the high-powered, influential neighbors tighten the ranks to keep their own families safe. When the investigation starts looking at those who were there partying with the victim that night, three teenagers become suspects. However, the parents have their own motivations that complicate matters, but they will do anything to protect their children. Is there anyone that can actually be trusted?

With a brilliantly contrived, propulsive and highly effectual plot that builds up the suspense with each turn of the page. Locust Lane is just outstanding storytelling. An unputdownable book that kept me guessing the entire time I was reading it!

Welcome to Locust Lane, located in an affluent suburb of Boston that experiences maybe four homicides every decade. Meet Eden, a teen taking a break from her mother and assisting an elderly family on the block and seeming to get her life back on track. When she’s found dead, rocking the community to its core, three suspects immediately present themself as the last to see her alive. Jake, the all star popular guy with a mean streak, Hannah, Jake’s girlfriend and a bit of an unstable history and Christopher, the transfer student just trying to fit in; all with different motives and all not where their parents believed.

I really enjoyed this because I live for a good mystery but I wouldn’t describe this as gripping or intense which, is why I can’t give a full five stars. I also really enjoyed the story told from the perspective of the parents and watching it unfold from their eyes. It’s like a slow burn puzzle that definitely kept me guessing until the end. Don’t expect this ending to be wrapped up in a tight bow either, you’ll get all your answers but not everyone lives happily ever after.

Locust Lane is a slow-burn domestic suspense that focuses on a murder which shakes a wealthy suburban town to its core, revealing the hidden and dark secrets that lie just beneath the surface. When a twenty-year-old girl from out of town is murdered in the idyllic town of Emerson and 3 high schoolers are implicated in the tragedy, no one is innocent. Told through the perspective of the parents and adults involved, the reader is immersed in the whispers, doubts, and questions that each parent faces as they grapple with the events of that night and seek the truth about their child’s involvement. Rumors and messy manipulations begin, pitting neighbor against neighbor and friend against friend, as the adults seek to handle the situation. It’s a dark commentary on hidden deep-rooted biases, the power of wealth, and the fact that nothing that seems perfect ever really is.

This was an intriguing read. There are many characters to keep track of throughout the book, each with hidden secrets, pasts, and motivations that are woven into the overall storyline. At first, the number of characters in the book felt a bit overwhelming, but I was able to follow along as the narrative continued. The story is only told through the eyes of the adults, and the reader learns the true events of that night through the adult perspective, which is an interesting concept. But personally, it left me feeling detached from the overall emotion of the story, and disconnected from any of the main characters. With that being said, this book is realistic in its portrayal of privilege and division. There are no real happy endings here. I think those who enjoy watching White Lotus would appreciate this book.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to Celadon Books and Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

CW/TW: injury of an animal, bullying, sexual assault, drug addiction, alcoholism, death of a child, racism

If I could hand you this book and say “read this, just trust me”, I’d leave it at that. It would be the best way, honestly, to approach this story. Try to stay spoiler free, if possible! Given that, my review may seem a bit vague…that’s very intentional here.
Locust Lane is an atmospheric suspense that draws you in, it can feel character driven and propulsive at the same time. Set in the affluent suburbs of a New England town it’s a story of the haves and have nots, of the complex relationships between young adults and their parents. It’s a story of loss, grief, and despair. Who gets the benefit of the doubt, whose story is believed. A young girl is murdered. As the details slowly emerge of who was with her, parents are divided, united in unexpected ways, who do you trust. The threads of this story are woven so well, I was invested, guessing, trying to make connections, but somehow always one step behind. I loved the pacing, the layers of connection between characters, how their choices were explored - the light and dark.
I recommend for lovers of suspense fiction, those that enjoyed Little Fires Everywhere. I think this would make a fantastic Bookclub pick as there’s a lot to discuss here.
Thank you to Celadon Books, Stephen Amidon, and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

This book was so interesting to me. It was a slow burn, mystery with rich people problems. I had moments where I couldn’t decide if I was loving the book or just wanting to know who the killer was as I flew through it. I did enjoy the fact that the POV was from the teenagers parents. If you are looking for a book with a happy/tied up ending, this book is not that. This one left me with “that’s it?” This books really touches on wealth, power and race.
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TW: on animal injury - the dog is fine, but still was a little alarming.

Locust Lane is a domestic suspense novel that takes place after a 20-year old woman has been murdered in an affluent suburban Massachusetts town outside of Boston. It follows the perspective of adults related to the case in the quest to determine what has happened and who is at fault for her death. Three high school seniors have an idea of what happened, but aren't being completely truthful. Their parents aren't always honest and have their own motivations. The story is well-crafted and kept me riveted. I didn't really connect with the characters, but felt very invested in what would happen. The author well illustrates how wealth, class, and education intersect with justice. I listened to the audiobook, which is well-narrated by Cassandra Campbell.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing this ebook/audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Not so much the twisty suspenseful whodunit, but more a domestic thriller, character and society study focused on how relationships and loyalties fall apart and come together after the murder of a teenager in a well to do suburb. This was solidly emphasized as the point of views provided in the book were all adults, mostly parents of the kids involved in the murder. The kids didn't get a voice. Instead, the adults directed everything. This approach was on purpose. Most of the characters were all kind of "no" for me; horrible people, doing horrible things, and treating each other horribly. The kids, while not completely innocent, were stuck in the middle of a mess their parents kept manipulating. Even the ending reflected the horribleness of people. Can I use that word anymore? This was a horribly good read despite my revulsion of the horrible people and their horrible actions.

“Locust Lane” was an engrossing, contemporary murder mystery. With echoes of the family dynamics of “13 Reasons Why“, this modern thriller gave an observant and fascinating portrayal of the suburban American family dynamic. It expounds on the measures parents will go to in the protection of their children, and of their own reputations. It portrays teenagers trying to cope with social pressures and the all-consuming, and often tragic effect of social media in their lives.

Written with understanding and eloquence, this novel turned out to be quite the page turner. Penned with an authentic voice that did not sugar-coat any of the modern day realities.

Several themes were touched upon in ‘Locust Lane‘. Parental grief, the iron-grip of alcoholism, social inequities, racial prejudice, the partisan views of public opinion, misogyny, adultery, and disloyalty.

There were a lot of characters, but each was wrought in such a way that left no room for confusion. Various points of view were voiced. Plot twists near the end of this slow burning neighborhood crime thriller led up to an ambiguous ending – leaving it up to the reader’s interpretation. Not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’, but it worked here in my opinion.

4.5 stars rounded up

Locust Lane was quite underwhelming for me. My first big issue is that it is written from the parents’ perspectives, yet the story mainly revolved around their children. I’m sure if this story was told from Christopher, Jack, and Hannah’s perspectives, I would have at least given it another star (maybe).

The plot was so slow, which was weird to me because Eden’s death occurred in the first couple pages. I thought for sure it would be at the very least medium paced. Slow paced books can be good, if the plot is at least interesting. Parents that meddle in teenage drama isn’t interesting to me.

The ending was “meh”. The case was solved, but nothing was done about it. I would have loved to have seen some justice taken place. It screamed “white privilege”. Don’t pick this one up if you prefer happy/resolved endings.

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for allowing me access to this book, in exchange for my honest review.

A very intriguing and slow burn thriller that will suck you in. The writing atmospheric and melancholy and the dysfunctional characters feel real. My book club found a lot to discuss about Locust Lane, and it's not a story I'll soon forget. I'll definitely read whatever Amidon writes next!

Thanks to Celadon and NetGalley for the copy to review.