4 High School Students
9 Adults
1 Unsolved Murder

LOCUST LANE by Stephen Amidon is a slow-burn whodunit domestic mystery family drama of parents, their teens, and the deadly toxic secrets they hide.

A young woman is dead in Emerson, MA, an affluent New England Boston suburb. A brutal crime shakes the entire neighborhood to the core.

Told from multiple parent POVs:
~ Patrick—an alcoholic father grieving the loss of his daughter due to a drug overdose and who might have seen the killer while driving on Locust Lane
~ Danielle (Eden's mother), the girl who was murdered
~Alice (Hannah's stepmother)
~Michel (Christopher's father)
~Celia (Jack's mother)

Teen friends:
~Eden Perry (found murdered)
The last ones to see her alive and suspects:
~Hannah
~Jack
~Christopner

Hannah's father, Geoff, a scientist spending his time in his study; her stepmother Alice is secretly in an affair with charming Parisian restaurant chef Michel.

Jack is the youngest son in the Parrish family. His father, Oliver is a fixer and his mother, Celia, goes to extremes to protect her children.

Christopher's father is Michel, and they have recently moved to the US. Christopher had a crush on Eden but was too shy to act on it.

An investigation gets underway, with the story alternating between the various key characters. The parents turn against one another and an unreliable witness who might have seen the killer.

Who killed Eden, and what was the motive? How far will the parents go to protect their children?

Thought-provoking, gripping, and intense. From murder, lies, deceit, indiscretions, and cover-ups. There is a lot of family drama here, which often overshadows the mystery and suspense of the novel.

The author slowly lt exposes the dark side of the perfectly privileged families, with complex human characters thrust into suspenseful, page-turning situations.

LOCUST LANE has an eclectic vibe, crossing between— Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies (family drama), Dani Shapiro's Signal Fires (psychological literary fiction), and Celeste Ng's Little Fires Everywhere (psychological mystery)— versus a riveting suspense thriller.

While it would have been nice to hear more from the teens and backstories versus the parent's drama, diving deep into their psyche, ultimately, it was the parent's perspective. The novel wasn't focused only on the murder but on the lives of everyone it affected and the aftermath.

The ending was thought-provoking and fitting; however, it left me wanting a little more, and I found myself rewinding it a few times.

AUDIOBOOK: I listened to the audiobook, and as always, I adore Cassandra Campbell, one of my favorite narrators. Her voice is so soothing; I could listen to her all day. Her narration made the book and gave an engaging performance for all the characters. 5 Stars

However, keeping up with all the characters via audio was challenging, and I recommend the accompanying e-book.

My first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more. Locust Lane would make an ideal book club pick for further discussions.

Thank you to #MacmillanAudio and #NetGalley for an e-ALC to read, review, and enjoy.

Blog Review posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Jan 17, 2023
Jan 2023 Must-Read Books

"Locust Lane" is so brilliantly written in a way that perfectly captures white privilege and the privilege having wealth buys you. On the surface, this book is about a murder in a well to do neighborhood where bad things never happen. But beneath the cover, as the "investigation" unfolds and parents become involved and privilege rears it's fortunate head, this story takes on a new purpose and exposes readers to the true nature of the justice system.

With suble and not so subtle contexts and circumstances "Locust Lane" is an eye-opening read. Forcing us to check ourselves and our privileges. Author Stephen Amidon does a great job capturing tough topics.

When Eden Perry is found murdered in an affluent area of Emerson, Massachusetts, the three teens that were partying with her the night before are soon seen as suspects. Told in multiple POV’s, this slow burn of a thriller takes us on a journey into the lives of five completely different families, covering addiction, privilege, domestic abuse and bullying. When one of the three teens is arrested for the crime, fingers are pointed in other directions and families are willing to tear friends lives apart to protect their own. Amidon keeps us turning pages as we get closer and closer to the truth and with an ending I both hated and loved in equal parts, this book left me pondering even days later. Cassandra Campbell does a good job on the audio version although there are a lot of characters to voice. It might have been a bit better to have other voices join her, but still enjoyable. Thank you to Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.

This story centers around a murder but it isn't really about the murder or who did it. It's about how people interact with each other, what happens when accusations start being thrown against their children, and how a town comes to terms with what happened. It's also very much about privilege and how it impacts justice.

Overall, this story had a lot of potential. It skipped around from viewpoint to viewpoint a lot, which resulted in more superficial character development than I would have preferred. I also would have loved to know more about the victim because she was lost in all the drama. I think that was rather the point of the story, but it also made it harder to feel invested in the subplot of who actually was guilty of the murder.

If you're very into family and town dynamics, you may enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to review this book ahead of publication. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this mystery by Stephen Amidon and wonderfully narrated by Cassandra Campbell - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Eden is found dead in a wealthy neighborhood where that kind of thing never happens. The three teenagers that were the last to see her are all questioned for her murder, and their parents quickly close ranks. We also hear from Patrick, an alcoholic struggling since his own daughter's death, and Danielle, Eden's mother.

This was a fabulous mystery - the author was skillful in setting up an atmosphere of wealth and privilege where opinions are more important than facts, and parents will do anything to protect their children. But besides the murder mystery, I loved that we got to delve into the background of the characters, including the parents, to learn more about why they behaved the way they did. Everyone is keeping secrets that they are desperate to keep hidden. I also liked that the ending was somewhat left open, leaving you lots to think about. Cassandra Campbell did a great job at voicing all these different characters and I found myself listening to the audiobook more than reading the digital copy. Highly recommended!

The slow burn mystery and building high tension pick your interest, hooking you up the audio was absolutely fantastic the narrator kept me engaged and was excellent at delivering the story. the Tending was unconventional, thought provoking and also heart wrenching! It was the most realistic and honest wrapping up I could ever imagine.

A big thanks to Celadon Books for my gifted ARC and to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC!

This is the perfect domestic suspense book if you’re a fan of plots that involve the entire community. The mystery of who killed the victim was twisty and surprising. I liked the way the author showed that kids are capable of doing things we’d never imagine under peer pressure. I especially liked Hannah’s stepmother because she was just so fun to hate! This one is definitely a slow burn, but I enjoyed it overall.

This was a great mystery read. It gave me Cruel Intentions vibes with the rich children hiding behind their parents and money. The plot arch was well though out and kept you guess at every turn. The characters were full of life and very believable.

I devoured this book in two days. The main characters are well-developed and there is just the right amount of foreshadowing. The plot is driven by the well-articulated relationships between the characters rather than the action. I didn't see the end coming, but it all made sense. And because the author didn't over-explain things with cheap dialogue, it was a satisfying conclusion.

I enjoyed this one, but felt like there was just too much at times. There are a lot of characters to keep track of (the kids who were with the girl that was murdered, along with each of their parents and a few extras) and then the story switches from the POV of Alice, Celia, Michel, Patrick, and Danielle. The "chapters" for each person seemed kind of long and it was easy to miss when it switched to a new one on audio, leading me to have to repeat sections or switch to the ebook.

Overall the plot was good and the mystery kept me intrigued. I wouldn't necessarily classify it as a thriller, more of a domestic suspense maybe? I'd still be interested in other work from this author!

Read if you like:
- multiple POV
- affluent suburb drama
- Little Fires Everywhere

Eden is found murdered in a home in the upper class, idyllic suburb of Emerson. Three teenagers come under scrutiny who are all from a variety of backgrounds. Their parents want to protect their own kids, regardless of their previous relationships amongst each other and their child’s involvement.

Amidon definitely weaved a tangled web of characters for the reader to untangle! The kids and the adults all have multiple connections with each other, and I loved figuring out who was connected to who. The setting of the rich town really added to the author’s ability to explore bias that exists in the justice system. The ending threw in one last bit of action that made my four star rating solid!

LOCUST LANE revolves around the murder of a young woman and the three teenagers who had been partying with her that night. Told through the multiple points of views, secrets start to be revealed and we discover how far everyone will go to uncover, or hide, the truth.
I thought the story telling was well done and engaging from start to finish. I didn’t find the ending to be a surprise, but the journey was interesting and I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing style was easy to follow and I appreciated that it didn’t feel over the top, and all plot points served a purpose. It was complicated and there were layers, but it didn’t feel unnecessarily messy as some of these types of books can be.
The narration by Cassandra Campbell was excellent and very easy to listen to. She did a great job!
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the audiobook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about a lot of broken people with histories of turmoil and heartbreak. Amidon goes deep and airs out all the dirty secrets to create complex believable characters, rooted in trauma and driven by the ghosts of their past.
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Told in alternating perspectives, these parents have all been through the wringer in one way or another, and survived. But now that a young woman has been killed in their affluent neighborhood during a night of partying, what will they sacrifice in order to protect their children? How far will some go to try to expose the truth? And who will make it out alive?
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Described as Mystic River meets Little Fires Everywhere, this book is dark, twisty, and addicting. I couldn’t stop reading and listening. Thank you to @celadonbooks @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for these ARCs in exchange for an honest review.
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Locust Lane - Stephen Amidon
4/5⭐️
Pub Date: 1/17/2023
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TWs: addiction, assault, drug overdose, cancer, death, grief, racism, cheating, alcoholism, sexual assault

I loves that this book keeps you guessing! I definitely didn't see the twist coming, and although it doesn't end as you think it will, it's still an ending I could come to terms with!

Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon is an intriguing murder mystery that you need to keep your eye on in the new year. Here’s my mini synopsis: A young woman is found dead in a New England suburb. Now, the three teenagers who were the last to (supposedly) see her alive are all suspects. As the investigation is underway, the parents of said teenagers are stressing, scrambling, and pulling out all the stops to protect their children. This novel was everything I needed, and then some. It checked SO many of my boxes. You all know how much I love a gritty, slow-burning neighborhood drama with small town vibes, right? Well, this one really impressed me. I especially enjoyed the insight on parenting high school students as it tackled a plethora of subjects like: social media, alcohol, drugs, sexual consent, peer pressure, and toxic relationships. I thought it was extremely well done, and I can’t wait to read more from Amidon. 4/5 stars for Locust Lane! Grab a copy on release day - January 17th!

If you loved Little Fires everywhere this book is for you. A tangled, twisted murder mystery in a high class neighborhood.

Thanks for the listen NetGalley.

4/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan audio for the advanced listening copy!

Eden Perry's murder is rocking the sleepy, affluent town of Emerson and three partying teenagers are the suspects. We have Hannah, and her history of instability, Jack, backed by his wealthy parents and with a history of bad behavior, and Christopher, an outsider desperate to fit in. Through the eyes of their parents, we're taken through the tumultuous case of Eden's last hours, and the convoluted power dynamics of this small town.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! There were a number of narrators to the audiobook and a tonnn of characters, which was really confusing at first. Once I got that figured out, I was hooked by this slow-burn thriller! Every single character was unlikeable in their own ways, and I really wasn't sure who I was rooting for the entire time, despite there being great character development throughout. I was unsatisfied with the ending on the whole, but I enjoyed the journey there.

*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-book and audiobook*

This is a slow-burning thriller that races to devastating conclusions. When a fourth youngster is killed, three teenagers are present. all disturbed adolescents. Their parents are acquainted and involved in a number of relationships. The mother of the deceased girl and the witness, who is battling alcoholism and his own grief, are also included in this narrative. Will justice be served, or will the most defenseless suffer punishment? Moving, disturbing, and painful.

Excellent narration. Great pacing throughout. The narrator really added dimension and atmosphere to the story as well as a deeply humanizing tone.

In the exclusive community of Emerson, MA, there's been a murder on Locust Lane. The victim is an outsider, a beautiful young woman not from the community whose ties to it are very loose. In a relatively short period, police find their suspect who—to the mother of the dead girl, and an Emerson local who has reason to be skeptical—seems way too convenient to be the culprit. Adding to their skepticism is the fact that the best witnesses against the suspect are from two very solid Emerson families, the kinds of people who are almost automatically given the benefit of every doubt and who may themselves have quite a bit to hide.

The character development in this book was exceptional, the pace flawless and the underlying plot very tightly woven. It was also a really great exploration of class, race and privilege without overt preachiness. The author left a lot of room for moral ambiguity-no one was fully demonized, nor were there any angels, which made it difficult to wish for a specific outcome, or even to know which outcome to wish for. This is the highest order of domestic suspense, with beautiful, simple (but not simplistic) clear-as-a-bell writing. I listened to this one rather than read it (thanks, NetGalley!) and the narrator was EXCEPTIONAL. Voicing male and female characters, her delivery of the prose as well as dialogue was perfection. With books as good as this one, I generally get impatient for my next opportunity to listen to the audiobook and want to read the rest in bed or something, but in this instance, I genuinely looked forward to the narration so didn't make the choice to read any of it.

Highly recommended, for those who like their domestic suspense closer to the literary side, and who enjoy solid narration.

Every character is not who they seem in this story, and boy is it a wild ride. From the first to the last sentence in this book, you'll be compelled to keep reading. A fun thriller you can't put down!