Absolutely loved The Doorman. I've read all of Chris Pavone's books and this may be my favorite. I've enjoyed the locations, but most of all I enjoyed a book that takes place in my own neighborhood. Great characters and the usual twists and turns that make a Chris Pavone so worth reading.

The Doorman was very different from Pavone’s other novels. Although a good read, it lacked the twists and turns of his other books

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book.

Chicky Diaz stands on his little patch of the earth, the clean quiet sidewalk in front of the Bohemia Apartments, thinking: there sure are a lot of great places to kill someone in this city.

He’s everyone’s favorite doorman at the Bohemia, New York City’s world-famous home of celebrities, financiers, and the cultural elite.

In the penthouse, Emily Longworth seems to lead a perfect life: perfect kids, perfect homes, perfect outfits, perfect profile of museum boards and charity work. And while Emily’s husband is perfectly wealthy, she has quietly loathed Whit since well before the recent revelations that he’s a profiteer. But their marriage came with an iron-clad prenup, and Emily can’t bring herself to leave. Yet.

In apartment 2A, there’s nothing perfect about Julian Sonnenberg’s morning.. He’s already struggling with the mundane indignities of turning fifty, and now his doctor says he needs heart surgery, immediately. Things are falling apart, and awfully fast.

Down in the staff room, where the Bohemia’s working-class staff are all Black and Latino, word is spreading that the NYPD has killed an unarmed Black man and that the streets are filling with protestors. Upstairs, the residents panic about safety; downstairs, the guys are worried about survival—and justice. As Chicky dons his epauletted suit for tonight’s shift, he tucks a pistol into his waistband for the first time ever.

Someone, tonight, is going to die.

The Doorman, as The Bonfire of the Vanities did before it, presents a city poised to boil over. In what is far and away his best and most ambitious book yet, Chris Pavone has delivered a piercing portrait of the way we live now that is also a finely-honed thriller of tock-clicking suspense. The Doorman is a book about class and privilege, about race and racism, principles and sacrifice, love and loyalty. And murder.

I found that this book didn't keep my attention. I've read the author's previous book and really enjoyed it. This book, not so much. Concentrated too much on politics for my liking.

2.5 out of 5 ⭐️

What a truly wonderful novel this is!

I've read several of Pavone's earlier novels, some of which I liked and some of which I didn't, but THE DOORMAN functions on an entirely different level from anything he has published before. This is a classic, old-fashioned, epic novel of the very highest caliber. This is Pulitzer Prize material, not just another readable piece of pulp fiction you grab to pass the time.

The comparison to BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES is obvious, but just because it's obvious doesn't make it any less accurate. This is indeed a BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES for 2025, with all the slightly painful, discomforting commentary that description implies.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of The Doorman by Chris Pavone in exchanged for my review.

After reading Two Nights in Lisbon I was looking forward to reading more from Chris Pavone. Unfortunately, this book is an DNF for me.
I got about a third of the way through and lost all interest. The book is bogged down by politics, class, and race. The central plot takes a back seat to the authors commentary on the politics of modern day America. This may interest some but it is not what I expected and not something I want to spend my free time reading.

I agree with the hype around The Doorman which claims Chris Pavone’s thriller is less about crime and more about classism, privilege and racism. But Pavone manages to expertly bring the crime into the story as the reader watches in suspense as the tension rises page after page.
The Doorman is such a smart novel. New York City is about to boil over with rage at the killing of yet another unarmed black citizen. The scene for most the book – a luxury apartment building filled with very rich residents and not-rich staff, with an honorable doorman named, Chicky. On one fateful night, Chicky brings a gun to his duties because of his own problems, and that gun will make all the difference to everyone in the building that night.
Pavone’s characters are defined and drawn-out page after page, while the reader prepares for what is to come. Though not sure of how the character intrigue, adultery and love will play out, the reader is given a hint of what is to come even while learning to care for these characters. New York, as the setting, shows us that the way we live now only has one resolution. Murder.
I loved this insightful novel, and I thought that Pavone could not out do his wonderful first novel, The Expats, one of my most favorite mysteries of all time. (The Expats won the Edgar Award and the Anthony Award in 2013 for Best first Novel). But Pavone grew up in New York City and lives there now so The Doorman shines with realism and current cultural understanding. And also, it is a damn good mystery.
My rating: 5 of 5

This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. The Doorman will be published on May 20, 2025.

The Doorman is one fine novel. i could barely put it down. Chris Pavone has created an exciting cast of characters to go with many plots. The main one is about the wealthiest couple in the Bohemia, a luxury residence akin to the Dakota. With wealth, desire and corruption, what could go wrong? Best to read it for your self to find out.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I have had a bit of a hit or miss experience with the author. This one is definitely more of the former than the latter.

Good read overall with a decent storyline and character development.

Wow!!! What a fabulous, intense book! I have been a fan of Pavone's previous books, and I was delighted to get the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Doorman. The intensity of this book was unexpected. His other books are great, fun thrillers, but this one combines suspense (and a little humor) with a critical look at contemporary life and all the big issues of our society: the haves and have-nots, racism, the MAGA movement, social correctness, and much, much more. I think this powerful book will become a classic and make Chris Pavone a name to remember. As others have mentioned, this book reminds me of an updated version of Bonfire of the Vanities, but from both the ultra-wealthy and working-class points of view. By the time I reached the second half of the book, I had to drop everything else and blast through the rest of it. This may be my favorite book of the year. I think this thought-provoking book would be an excellent choice for book discussions groups, and I highly recommend it.

Immediately going to read all of Pavone's other titles. I was fascinated with his writing style and captivated by his characters. The story was interesting and mysterious. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I’ve read this author’s other works and found them enjoyable. I was expecting another good mystery from the author. That is not what I found. It was a narrative without the mystery or suspense that I was expecting. However, rating it based on the storyline and writing style, I give it a five star.

I enjoyed this huge, multilayered portrait of New York's citizens. Pavone is excellent at creating an atmosphere that matches his diverse characters. From Chicky, the doorman, to Emily, the beautiful, wealthy resident of the massive apartment at the top, each character plays a role in this twisty novel.

Telling too much of the plot would create spoilers. I highly recommend this thriller, which has everything to make a film or dramatic mini-series. Don't miss this one when it comes out. In the meantime, try Pavone's The Expats and The Paris Diversion.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book, which will be published on May 20, 2025.

So many stories have been written about New York City that one would think nothing new could/should be done. Then along come an excellent writer who give us a new perspective, intriguing us to so many unique and interesting characters as well as their stories.

Chicky Diaz is the doorman. He knows the residents of the exclusive New York Bohemia apartments, Whit and Emily Longworth, Julian and Jen Sonnenberg, Mrs. Frumm and more. He knows their children, their crowded schedules, their visitors, their drivers and their secrets. And now, after two racially based shootings, he will protect their safety. On one dangerous night, protests of Whit Longworth’s company meet protestors of police violence and both are attacked by a pro-right group hoping to restore order in their own way. Both the Bohemia and its residents are threatened, secrets are revealed and Chicky tries to save their lives as well as his own.

The Doorman is a modern day Bonfire of the Vanities and not much has changed since Tom Wolfe skewered New York society forty years ago. Racial tensions simmer close to the surface, the one percenters are isolated from the real New York, crime is rampant and ethnicities rule the working class. Chicky, Olek, Julian, Ellington, Emily and Whit are vivid characters and the plot blends their stories into the larger rhythm of the city. The Doorman reflects life in New York and its complicated politics. Chris Pavone describes a political divide loosely based on wealth and race which may be offensive to some readers. I hope not because The Doorman is a compelling read. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Chris Pavone for this ARC.

This is a very interesting and timely novel about the Uber-wealthy and those who serve them. In the gilded tower of an exclusive NYC building we meet the inhabitants at 2 very different apartments, Julian and Emily. Beneath them, is Chicky the doorman, struggling in every area of his life. As the city boils after the murder of a black man by police, the novel brings all the players together during a night of extreme and intense violence.

I am a huge Pavone fan and as a dweller in the neighborhood (not a fancy building) I was totally drawn into the book. Pavone is a wonderful writer and he manages to capture the mood of a city, exploding with hatred. Sadly, at a most appropriate moment. I felt like I knew the characters, from the doorman to the super; from the nanny to the tycoon.

I definitely recommend this book. In fact, if you aren’t familiar with Pavone, it’s a great time to read some of his earlier books. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review one of my favorite authors.

This author has written a few fabulous books that I loved. They were of the woman spy genre and I was hoping this book would be similar. The book centers around Chickie, a doorman who has lots of recent tragedy, is in debt up to his eyeballs and begins to make some poor choices. Things are not going well for him. Chickie's problems are put forth in the book little by little. Too slow, actually in that I got bored with the story. His chapters are interspersed with chapters about the various apartment owners. People with problems, some despicable human beings--believable people, if not likeable. This book was longer than it needed to be. I believe that part of this was that the author was on the bandwagon about race, police, white privilege. I would have skipped this book if I would have realized the agenda. The author needs to realize that they are either preaching to the choir or trying to change opinions of long ingrained racism. This book won't cause people to change the way they think. Personally, I just want to read a good book that will allow me to ignore life's BS for awhile. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary ARC. This review is my own opinion.
3 stars

The Doorman by Chris Pavone is a retelling of Upstairs Downstairs against the backdrop of racial unrest in the city. This book has also been compared to a modern Bonfires of the Vanities. The Bohemia is a dignified anachronistic apartment dwelling in a classy neighborhood of NYC. It here that the lives of the wealthy and the servitude collide.

The main characters center around Chicky Diaz, the doorman, who along with the other mostly Latino crew, open doors, carry packages and clean the sidewalk of the tenant’s dogs residue. Of course he has his own problems and life that is so separated from the resident’s that it’s moot to even compare.

Upstairs the story concentrates on mostly two apartments. That of Emily Longworth who leads the seemingly perfect life with two children and a “perfect” husband. She keeps herself busy with the children’s lives and her charity work. But it seems the more she learns about Whit Longworth, the more despicable he becomes until even the hundreds of thousands of dollars he makes in a day don’t make up for his reprehensible behavior.

Another resident is Julian Sonnenberg has recently learned of a troubling health problem. He currently also buried in financial problems resulting in changes in the political climate and the fine art business.

In the city there’s a riot brewing as a result of the police killing of an unarmed black man.

In the basement the Ukrainian super and the black and Hispanic working crew are preparing for a dangerous night ahead. Chicky is packing heat for the first time.

Author Chris Pavone has crafted a tale that juxtaposes privilege, racism, social justice, and murder.

pavone never fails to provide a “can’t put it down” read. Chicky the doorman at a posh New York City residence is caught up in the drama of its extremely wealthy residents. Athe story is athe compelling part. AThe ending, unforeseen but satisfying. Really good read.

This book was way more than I expected. As a fan of Chris Pavone, I expected a good story with the twists and turns and to be honest, I kind of predicted the finale. What I didnt expect was the colorful descriptions and charactrers , all the references of our current cultural environment, wokeness, condemnation and quite frankly, brilliance in what has become the sad backdrop of what this country has chosen for their "democracy". It was so ocurrant that there were terms that I needed to google , as a very aware New Yorker, living in the precise neighborhood the book is set in, some of the quite frankly, disgusting references. At times shockingly on target and frightening with some happy endings.

Wow, I've read everyone of Chris Pavone's books and in this case, he more than outdid himself. Wow, the story itself, sort of predictable but the cultural and political background was perfectly cast given the election we just had. You wonder if people like this really exist and if this type of lifestyle is that extreme but wow wow wow... It was great and this most definitely will rise to the top of everyones list.