Very mixed feelings is my reaction to this book. The description sounded good, but it felt like a glorified soap opera for most of it. Yes, some serious issues were addressed in the course of the story, but overall, it felt dirty to me. The out of control drinking by not one, but at least 3 of the characters was not something I could relate to or condone. The me too issues never felt like they were satisfactorily addressed. The rights of the rich over those with less money was almost like a "boys will be boys" kind of thing as it was assumed it was ok.

Did I like any of the characters? Hmm.. that would be a stretch to say I liked any, but maybe Eden was the least non-likeable character, maybe only because we knew the least about her.

The parents doing all they can to protect their children was admirable, but I didn't approve of their methods. The friendships were twisted and self centered. Overall, I did not like the book, but that doesn't mean the writing was bad, but rather the whole thing felt like a sordid mess. I was glad to finish it so I didn't have to pick it up again.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Unfortunately this was just not the book for me. The writing was fine except for the overuse of similies. I think there were too many characters and none of them had enough depth. It was slow and took too long to grab my attention.

Book Title: Locust Lane
Author: Stephen Amidon
Publisher: Celadon Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: January 17, 2023
My Rating: 3.4 stars

This is my first novel by author, Stephen Amidon] I was drawn to this when the blurb stated for fans of Celeste Ng’s “Little Fires Everywhere”.

Eden Perry is a twenty year-old dog walker who is taking care of an elderly couple as she moved out and away from her mother Danielle after a situation at home.

Now she is found dead.
Police are investigating the three teenagers who were partying with her earlier that night.
Hannah- a sweet girl with an unstable history.
Jack the popular kid with a mean streak.
Christopher an outsider desperate to fit in.

Story is told from the POV of their Parents
Hannah’s father Geoff who is a scientist mostly spending his time in his study and her stepmother Alice who is secretly in affair with charming Parisian restaurant chef Michel.

Jack is the youngest son in the Parrish family ~ His father Oliver who is quiet fixer and his mother Celia who has been known to go to extremes in protecting their children.

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

So whodunit?

Want to thank NetGalley and Celadon Books for this early e-Galley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 17, 2023

I absolutely love thrillers set in affluent neighborhoods. There's just something about the way that the characters' seemingly perfect lives unravel that completely draws me in! Plus this cover couldn't be more perfect for this time of year.

In Locust Lane, I really liked how I had no idea which characters to trust. There are a lot of characters and relationships, so it took me a few chapters (and writing it down) to get them all straight. I liked that the reader isn't sure who they should be rooting for, because even the sympathetic characters were realistically flawed. I did find it strange, though, how passive Danielle was about her daughter's death. I never really felt her grief.

I found it interesting that we never heard directly from any of the characters that were involved in the case. This had its pros and cons, but ultimately I would have liked a chapter or two from each of the teens.

I would consider Locust Lane more of a neighborhood drama with some mystery and a death, not a true thriller. I wasn't spooked, and it was a slow burn where the reader already knew who died and is working backward to figure out what really happened. The ending is satisfying but not tied up in a perfect, unbelievable bow, and I enjoyed how the story was wrapped up.

This is the first book I've read by this author, but I certainly am interested in reading more by him in the future.

My least favorite part: I will always read the name Geoff as "gay-off". If you don't want me to call the character Gay-off, spell Jeff correctly!

I truly enjoyed this book. It was a little harder to follow because it had so many POV's, however, the story, characters and plot were very intriguing and kept me reading. A murder in a small town and some of the most well known kids in town may or may not have been there when it happened? A family willing to put anything and everything on the line to ensure their son was not suspect? This story had several plot-twists I did not see coming and the author kept the energy going to the very end. If you like Mystery/Suspense, this story is a great choice.

Absolutely TENSE slow burn. It wasn’t too out there which I feel like a lot of thriller books tend to be. It felt like it could actually happen. The twists were very convincing. I actually didn’t guess anything correctly, which I love.

Highly recommend!

Loved this incredible mystery! A 20 year old girl, Eden, is dead, and there are two prime suspects - both teen boy "friends" - both of whom were with her the night she died. A drunk driver hits a dog in front of a mansion, and gets out to help the animal when he sees someone in the bushes. Parents of the teens try their best to make sense of what has happened as the police arrest one of the teen boys. An illicit affair is happening in the background all the while. This story has everything it takes to make a compelling read!

This book is written in the popular format with each character having a chapter presenting their experience and point of view. There are quite a few characters, and their relationships were a little confusing, initially. The story progresses at a nice pace, and there's really never a dull moment. I'm still a little unsure how to interpret the last page - I suppose the author wants us to draw our own conclusions.

Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review Locust Lane.

I don't generally like books with multiple viewpoints, but this author pulled it off seamlessly. Each time the viewpoint changed, you knew about it. You knew who was chasing the action. There were very little gaps in time between the changes.
This is a murder mystery, set in a town of wealthy, powerful people. A girl from the more modestly moneyed side of town had been murdered. She had been partying with three other schoolmates, so the suspect pool was small. The police focused on one student quickly. They had to; the other two teens were from very prominent, wealthy, powerful, connected families. Funny how that works. If you're that rich, then someone else must be guilty.
As to the points of view: there are lots of them. There are the three surviving teens, three fathers, three mothers, one stepmother, and a witness who tells a story that contradicts the official one. He's a drunk who's drinking has gotten worse since his own daughter died of a drug overdose years before this murder. Because of his drinking, his witness is disregarded. That doesn't shut him up. He tries to get a confession from the person he thought he saw that night. That effort doesn't end well.
Will justice prevail or will money allow the guilty party avoid punishment? The book is an easy read. It moves fast. The action takes about a week. I enjoyed it. I think you will to.
I received the copy of this book I read for this review from the publisher on NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this, it managed to pull me in and keep me guessing while still being very plausible. I enjoyed the atmosphere and characters quite a bit and definitely want to read more from Amidon.

After a young woman is murdered in her home, residents of Emerson, Massachusetts try to piece together how it happened and lines are drawn, friendships are tested and families work to protect their loved ones. Told from multiple pov's, the details of the night unfold but only until the end do we get the entire picture. Locust Lane was much more than just a murder mystery though. Mixed in we have a domestic drama, families pitted against each other, past secrets revealed and commentary on grief, loss and how far one will go to protect their own. A slow burn but a rewarding story. Characters are authentic and flawed. I struggled with not liking a couple of the characters but I believe that was intent of the story, so well done. Some twists at the end didn't leave me with the ending I wanted but I appreciate the way the author finished his book. I highly recommend.

Fans of Little Fires Everywhere and Big Little Lies will sure be delighted by Locust Lane.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy in trade for the opportunity to read and review honestly.

First and foremost, thank you NetGalley, Celadon Books and Stephen Amidon for the opportunity to read and review this book before it becomes available.

I’m not a huge mystery, thriller reader…but this psychological thriller drew me in with the synopsis! I enjoyed following the “leads” of this crime to try and figure, “whodunnit”. Honestly, I couldn’t and didn’t figure it out. I must be off my game, because that is the exact reason I don’t usually read these books too often. They are usually pretty point blank; obvious.

Emerson, Massachusetts, in an affluent suburb, Eden Perry is murdered. What happened leading up to her death? That is the million dollar question….and it points to three teenagers, who were partying with her that fateful night. Someone knows something. Maybe even the guy who was out driving drunk in the middle of the night and hit a dog in front of the house where Eden was killed. Did he see something? Would anyone believe him?

Hannah, a sweet girl with a history of self destructive behavior. Jack, a papular kid with violent sexual tastes and a mean personality. Christopher, a quiet outsider just trying to fit in. All were with Eden that night….so, why does it seem they aren’t being honest? Then there are the parents of these three with secrets of their own, that round out this complicated mystery. What will parents do to protect their own children?

I was truly invested in these characters to the point that I very much disliked a couple of them. I felt defeated by the one who the police were blaming. And then I was totally frustrated when another was too insecure to speak the truth. Or, are things not as they seem?

This story was intense! Like I said, I could not figure it out! It had me furiously turning the pages!



This book comes out January 17th, 2023…and I encourage you to put this one on your TBR! There is a lot to unpack here, so it might just be the winter escape you need without leaving the house!

Locust Lane tells the story of four teens whose party doesn't end well. When one winds up dead, the fingers start pointing. The way this book is written by day and weaving through multiple characters is very well done. I feel like i got to know the ensemble. Not everyone has a squeaky clean record. So the question becomes, who actually did it? The ending fell a little flat for me, justice didn't feel served and there were some loose ends. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This was told in such a melancholic way reminding me of Mystic River, just that feeling of sadness that comes over you while reading it. It worked with this story though, don't get me wrong. Told from several different POV's, it was a little difficult for me to keep track of everyone in the beginning but once I did, it was easy sailing and I actually liked each perspective in its own way. This wasn't just about the mystery of the murder of a young woman, but the lives of everyone that it affects and the aftermath of such a horrid crime. I definitely recommend this one for mystery lovers such as myself that love a well told story, that knows a good story doesn't always need all those twists and turns to be good. Four Stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for this ARC.

This is the sorry of a young woman, Eden, who is killed and the aftermath that takes over an affluent community. I couldn’t put this down!

Book Review

Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon
Pub date: January 17, 2023

After teenage Eden Perry is found dead, the last known people to be with her are three other teens. Jack, Jack’s girlfriend, Hannah, and their friend Christopher. What happened that night that led to Hannah’s death?

The parents of the three teens are the primary narrators; Jack’s mom, Celia and Hannah’s step-mother, Alice along with Christophers widowed father, Michel but we hear from Danielle, Eden’s mother as well as a few others and at first, keeping them all straight was a bit difficult but after a few chapters they all fell into place.

I would’ve loved to have had this story told from the POV of the teens, including Eden, with the minor role played by the parents and while this was an enjoyable slow burn thriller, I think if it had been told from their perspectives, it would have been a 5-star read for me.

With that being said, this is a tangled web of a story with a host of lies and deceit but at its core, it is a story of love and what some are willing to do to protect those they love even if they’re not worthy of that protection.

An enjoyable read!

Thank you @CeladonBooks for this #gifted copy!

I love a good whodunnit mystery so this one definitely checked all my boxes! Twisty and turny and I never guessed the ending! Overall a very good mystery!

Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon books for the opportunity to read this one early in exchange for an honest review!


3/5 stars from me, Bookish Bree

Set in a rich suburb of Boston, Locust Lane is a taut thriller, a who-done-it mystery about the murder of a young woman. Told from multiple points of view, the nature of the murder is under wraps and the identity of the killer is questioned with every turn of the page.

Is it the golden boy...the whole who actually isn't so golden? The one who had previous committed some heinous acts against another young woman and who his parents paid off?

Or was it the French/Lebanese boy who had a crush on the young woman? He's newish in town and wanted a girlfriend really bad.

Or maybe it was the mysterious figure in the dark.....

Regardless, this book reminded me of Mystic River - it's dark, there are several storylines, all connecting in one way or another and all leading to the explosive end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for a good read. Locust Lane takes place in a small, affluent town and begins when a young lady is found murdered. The three teenagers who were with her fall under a cloud of suspicion. That’s when everything kicks in. The benefits of privilege, prejudice, and questions of trust all contribute to a well-paced narrative. Add to that an unreliable eyewitness whose observations are not taken seriously and shaky family relationships and the ingredients combine for a twisty, satisfying story.

This one started off on a “meh” note for me from the very first paragraph and didn’t really let up. I was looking forward to a thriller and the synopsis made it seem like there was going to be a lot of excitement, but it just fell flat for me. The pacing was really slow and I didn’t get that “gasp” moment I was looking for. The premise was good and I enjoyed where the book was going. I just wanted more from it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Celadon Books, and Stephen Amidon for this e-arc.

3 ⭐️

Jack and Hannah, Christopher and Eden; one dead, one arrested, two lying. Add to this deceitful parents and the plot becomes more entangled. Each character has secrets; each blames the other. It becomes a “he said, she said, they said” type of plot. Stephen Amidon’s characters manipulate the truth; their selfish motives dictate behavior. The novel’s tone is one of regret and melancholy which tends to slow the pace of the storyline, frustrating the quest to discover the truth.