Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to an ARC recording of Locust Lane.

I wanted to read this book because a review said for fans of Dennis Lehane. This book is not Dennis Lehane nor is it the quality of his writing. In my disappointment, I went into Netgalley to read reviews and I'm glad I did. I changed my expectations and ended up enjoying the story. It was a very slow start picking up speed about a third of the way in. There are multiple narrators so the reader never knows if she is reading the truth or a perspective. A number of the characters are very unlikeable. Nothing wrong with unlikeable characters but they should at least be interesting.

After the prologue, the story starts with the discovery of a dead teenager. It seemed that she had been partying with three other friends, all wealthier than her, all of whom become suspects in her murder. This wealthy town has reputations to guard so the parents rally around their own, willing to do whatever it takes to keep their child in the clear.
Characters aside, the story addresses some very interesting issues. Bullying and fear; alcoholism; and class among other things. The ending is very interesting. No clean, tidy, red bow that wraps everything up.

My first book by this author and I can literally see it being played out as a movie - it would be so good!!

A typical story of class, status, and the advantages that money brings along with it. A poor girl dies in a wealthy suburban neighborhood-obviously we can’t blame the rich kids! I really enjoyed this story and it was great on audio. I was guessing until very close to the end. It was probably the realistic ending, but man did it make me sad. It would definitely make for a great discussion at a book club!

I’m not exactly sure what I wanted out of this one, but I wasn’t totally hooked…

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this ARC. I enjoyed the narrator of this book, but with the different POVs of so many characters it did make the story hard to follow. I felt like the twist was out of left field as well.

This was my first read by this author.

That was surprisingly great!

The ending was 👌 but I suspect a lot of people may find it irksome.

Recommend if you like neighborhood domestic dramas and characters with messy lives and threads connecting them.

There are four narrators and several characters, so I’m you might want to make a “family tree” while reading.

The “explanation” or “reason why” was a little hum drum but the rest of the story was fascinating;

One complaint I have is the author tries to pin this down in the Boston area, but I never got the sense I was THERE and it started to feel like he was just “name dropping” places. Superb narrator!

The author does a good job of building backstory for the main characters and making the story about them and who they are as people. Overall it’s more of a story about a group of flawed people than an “investigation” but the “what happened to Eden?” Moves the plot forward.

Okay first and foremost, I’m obsessed with the cover of this book… it’s beautiful, even though I’m not sure it has literally anything to do with this book since the only driving scene occurs in the dead middle of the night and I don’t get the vibe from it that this is a mystery book. But it’s beautiful and intriguing nonetheless. The title of this book could have been more creative… but it makes sense. I feel it on a deeper level as if to say - welcome to Locust Lane in wealthy Emerson, Massachusetts where murderers lurk and lies are plentiful. It could have an eerie feel to it.

This book started sorta really slow and very confusing due to it being told from many multiple viewpoints, five to be exact, without giving separate distinct chapters each time it shifts back and forth between them. It was a little difficult to follow on audio for a while but I was buddy reading this one with a few other bookstagram friends, so I pushed on through some initial confusion and boredom. I really felt like I needed a flowchart for all of the characters, that’s how confused I was.

However, it did start to get more interesting and more coherent around 20-25% and eventually by the middle I was able to keep track of who was who, what all of their relationships were, and what was really going on in the story and I got into it. Couldn’t have done it without the audio version! I thought the narrator was fantastic, especially for being responsible for more than five voices of both genders, including two individuals with French accents.

The plot is actually very unique. It is a teenage murder mystery told through the eyes of the parents only - the mom of the victim, the father of the suspect, the stepmother and mother of two potential witnesses, and another random town drunk who was grieving from his own daughter’s unrelated death. They all weave together a suspenseful story of affluent suburbia full of lies and coverups where some people are trying to get away with murder. Overall, it was a fine read once you got beyond the confusing tangle of characters. Definitely more of a slow burn mystery than a thriller or domestic suspense like I was expecting based on the description. I thought the ending was pretty abrupt and slightly unsatisfying. I wasn’t a big fan of the epilogue.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and Stephen for an advance reader’s and listener’s copy of this title in exchange for an honest review!

I found this mystery almost completely unsatisfying. There were few, if any, surprises, and there are no characters who are significantly good and moral—I had no desire to root for anyone.

The story is told primarily from the point of view of the parents, either individually or in conversation with each other, though there was some important dialogue between the parents and their progeny. The parent group includes the parents of the three teens who were partying with the victim, as well as the victim's mom and a man introduced at the opening who becomes involved in several ways (I'm being vague in order to avoid spoilers).

A distinct us-versus-them situation quickly develops between the wealthy kids (suspects Jack and Hannah, who are dating) and their parents and the less- or non-affluent kids (victim Eden and suspect Christopher) and their parents. That is, the wealthy families use their wealth and power to manipulate and influence the investigation, with the police force and community seemingly eager to oblige. [There is one exception to this that I'll leave you to discover on your own.]

We are subjected to exhaustive (and exhausting) backstories about each of the parents, including an especially baffling backstory about Jack's mom, Celia, tacked on near the end that seemed marginal and misplaced. I thought this concentration on the parents was unnecessary padding. I guess I should be thankful that it didn't become a much longer book. My interest level was being sorely tested as it was.

Content warnings include a graphic description of serious harm done to a dog, murder, bullying, serial sexual assault, self-harm, infidelity, child abuse, drug abuse, and alcohol abuse.

2.5⭐

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. Publication is expected January 17.

Locust Lane is a twisty and affecting story that takes place in an upscale neighborhood of Emerson. After the tragic murder of Eden Perry, a troubled young woman staying with family in the neighborhood, many of the residents secrets start to be revealed. The police thing they know who committed the murder but in a place with as many secrets as Emerson they can’t be certain. I listened to this book and enjoyed the narration by Cassandra Campbell. The pace was a little slower than I usually like and I might have struggled with it if I read the physical book. I enjoyed the authors writing style, it was captivating and the characters emotions felt raw and real. This book reminded me of Little Fires Everywhere. Emerson is very similar to the neighborhood in that book and it highlights many of the same inequalities in society. My reaction to the outcome for some of the characters ranged from heartbreak to outrage and disgust.

Initially I really enjoyed this book. I liked the mystery of it and all the unlikeable/damaged characters. I also love a good domestic thriller and this was shaping up to be a good one. The problem for me is it went round and round with the same conversations and issues. There was so much repetition and I do not think this book needed to be as long as it was. I also think there were entirely too many characters which initially were difficult to differentiate and keep track of. This book hooked me from the beginning and the ending was shocking and very interesting. The narrator did a great job voicing all of the different characters (and there were a lot).

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook.

I really enjoyed this thriller! It was a whodunit mystery and I was engaged through the whole book. There were many characters and points of view which I liked. However there were a couple points where the point of view showed scene A from one character and then moved on to other scenes and days. Then later a different character would relive their experience from scene A even though days had passed between those stories. It was a bit jumbled to jump around in time like that.

I also hated the ending! I felt like there was no resolution which really angered me considering there was a murder case involved. I don't want to spoil anything though. I really enjoyed the book while reading up until the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to read and review!

𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭!

I love the kind of story that keeps you guessing until the very end. Tense, full of secrets, drama and fast paced, an engaging story from start to finish. This is my first book from this author and it won’t be my last.

Thank you Celadon Books Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

𝗟𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗲 by Stephen Amidon releases January 17, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

This book kept me guessing. I thought it was well thought out and just shows you that you don't know what happens behind closed doors. The wealthy have their deep dark secrets. I am from Massachusetts so I liked the local references. The only suggestion I would make with the audio book, is for there to be more of definitive break between chapters.

Thank you Celadon Books & Netgalley for an ALC of Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon!

What’s it about?
A 20 year old woman is found dead in a New England suburb, causing the neighbors to close ranks and keep their families safe - From danger, and from each other. The death kicks off an investigation of a teenage party that resulted in the death. There are three suspects, and each of them have parents with their own motivations to complicate the mystery.

The pacing for me was fast at times and then would slow down. I was so excited to get to the ending and felt like it ended rather abruptly given how much build-up there was. That being said, I’m a huge fan of small-town, suburban murders, and this one was twisty enough to keep me invested until the very end. I love how this is a truly thought-provoking read - Not your typical popcorn thriller. This one tackles topics like privilege, race, class, sexual assault, grief and addiction. The ending made me mad but that may be the author's point. You'll have to read it to see!

The narration was great for this book and really kept me invested. I binged this audiobook in 2 days!

In a wealthy Boston suburb, a young woman is murdered, and when it becomes clear that three teenagers were the last to see her, their influential parents start to close ranks and point fingers. This one is more domestic mystery than thriller; I recommend if you enjoy books that focus on interpersonal relationships and examination of class. I liked it but wanted a little more suspense.

Locust Lane is a story of murder in a small upscale town and the lengths families will go to to protect their own. When a young girl is murdered, the police think they have their guy, each family goes to great lengths to protect their children. This is a slow story from the beginning and is more of a fictional drama than a thriller. There’s no real twists and turns and it does drag at times. I really enjoyed the narration. However, the characters were all hate to hate for me and I struggled to really get into the story. The storyline was long and the ended was expected for me. However if you like a good family drama then this may be for you.

I enjoyed the Locust Lane audiobook. It's the story of solving a murder when a privileged teen is involved. Although I may have figured out how it would it mostly play out, I enjoyed the story to get there.
I recommend this for readers of crime fiction and family drama combined.

2.5 stars, decent story but very slow burn and melancholy feel.

This book starts with a startling incident. Patrick is intoxicated and driving one night when he hits a dog (dog is fine). He sees a man standing in the shadows, but ends up leaving. In the morning, it is discovered that 20-year-old Eden is dead, later determined to be murder.

Three young adults are found to have been present: Hannah, her boyfriend Jack, and their friend Christopher. The novel is told from the perspectives of many of their parents. Secrets are kept, brought to light, lies are told, and all through the lens of privilege and power.

There are some fascinating themes throughout, with privilege, power, race, and addiction as backdrops to the incidents that occur. However, I just didn't feel like the multiple perspectives gave any one of them the justice they deserved. Some characters are much more fully fleshed out than others, and this provides an uneven feel to the narrative.

The book is also very repetitive. Same conversations held over and over by various characters as one, then the other finds out about something. The teenagers all keep secrets until part of it is revealed, then they all add that small bit to their stories and so on. I didn't completely have buy in for the conclusion of the book either. There's a bunch left up to the reader's imagination, which works in a way because we do know who did it, but not who will ultimately be held responsible. It's just overall so very sad. No one gets a satisfying ending, much less a happy one.

I listened to much of this as an audiobook before switching to print, and while Cassandra Campbell does a good job, this is an audiobook that really cries out for a full cast narration. With both male and female points of view, there should have been at least two narrators to distinguish them.

This book has really resonated with many people, so be sure to read some positive reviews for this book as well. It would make an excellent book club choice because there's much here to promote discussion.

This was a book I listened to in one day. The dysfunctional characters kept me entertained and listening but the payoff in the end just fell a little flat for me personally, but I have edited my review from 3.5 stars to 4 after marinating in the book a bit.

I appreciated the societal issues highlighted in the book. Who do we look to when we place blame, who do we avoid looking too closely at, what are the factors that put someone in one camp or the other. How far will parents go to get the truth, how far will they go to hide the truth? Where do friendship loyalties lie and what do we do to protect each other?

The characters are complex and each of their POVs contributes to the story.

Thank you to Celadon Books for the ARC and Macmillan audio for the ALC of this book. I did primarily listen to this one and enjoyed the narration by Cassandra Campbell.

This was a debut that definitely makes me want to watch for future books by Stephen Amidon.

Reads more like domestic suspense. A lot of characters, adults and teens but somehow you find something to relate to with each of them. I feel like I needed more information from the ending. I listened to the audio but feel like it would e better translated on paper bc of SO many POV

Eden Perry is dead. Eden had been kind of a drifter, but one night she and three others, Hannah, Jack, and Christopher were together. Hannah, is a nice girl, but there have been issues in her past, Jack was the popular one, but he could be nasty and mean, and finally Christopher, a young man who is trying to fit into the world of Emerson, Massachusetts, a wealthy affluent town that boasted as being the best place to live and raise a family.

Two of the families were quite well off, while Christopher and his family were from the other side of town.

The families all strive to protect their children and go to pretty far ends to see that it happens not caring if one of them gets thrown under the bus as long as their child is squeaky clean.

As adults often do, the parents have issues and each one is devious and desirous of protecting their child. Makes one wonder how far you, as a parent would go to protect your child.

This was an interesting story that was easy to listen to as we wander through the deceptions, and lies, innuendoes, etc. that wove their way through the story.

Thank you to Stephen Amidon, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for sending me this story narrated by Cassandra Campbell due out January 17, 2023.

In the fictional Boston suburb of Emerson, a young woman is killed in the house where she’s staying with family friends. The suspect: the teenaged son of a successful Emerson restaurateur, an immigrant from Lebanon.

But did Christopher really kill Eden Perry? There were two other teens present that night, too: Jack, the old-money son of a lawyer, and Hannah, Jack’s go-along girlfriend.

As their parents and the police buzz around, with plenty of suburban interpersonal drama, the story darkens, and heads somewhere you probably won’t see coming. The ending isn’t tidy. But then again, neither is life, even in upper-crust suburbs.

Campbell, one of the best audiobook narrators, scores again with carefully conceived voices — male and female, old and young — that let you know immediately who’s talking.