I try to avoid reading too many reviews for books I plan to read but this one kept popping up with such different feelings that I had to dive in. I enjoyed the audiobook— the narrator was excellent.

I really loved the premise of this one: A dead teen girl, 3 teenage friends to question, and a handful of parents telling lies. 🫢

I didn’t particularly love the opening scene for this one… but it definitely caught my attention, which is always a pro for a mystery! Throughout this puzzling tale, there were a lot of characters to follow. Luckily the author did a great job of keeping all of their personalities so different that I was able to keep their stories straight. If you like MPOV, this book is for you lol. The pacing was definitely on the slower side but the overall plot did keep me intrigued! The ending was a little bit of a letdown. I didn’t guess it but I guess you could say I wasn’t shocked by any means. I did think how awesome this novel would present as a TV show because the drama/mysteriousness could be built up even more IMO. I’d be down to watch that! 🤓

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the copy of this audiobook.

I love suburban thrillers and was intrigued by the blurb likening this to Little Fires Everywhere. However, I just really struggle with slow burn thriller/mystery books in general - they just seem to drag for me. This was a unique storyline and I always appreciate an ambiguous ending in this genre. Locust Lane is wonderfully narrated by Cassandra Campbell.

3 kids arrive home the night a teenager in their town was murdered and all point they finger at each other. With chapters alternating between parents, step parents, and the children themselves, we begin to understand each of their connection to the victim and who had motive to kill her.

This story is COMPLEX. The actual crime itself I guessed super early and was correct but I could not follow who was related to who and whose child belonged to who and would highly recommend doing physical over audio on this one.

I would say overall this one maintained my interest and had a solid execution. Nothing wow’ed or disappointed me and I enjoyed reading it!

Emerson is a nice suburb in Massachusetts. It’s always very peaceful, until one day a young woman is found dead. Three teenagers were with her that night, but they all claim that she was alive when they left.

The story is told from the point of view of their parents and other adults. They’re trying to figure out what happened that night in order to protect their families. The problem is that they all have interests and secrets of their own.

The story hooked me from the first chapter. I enjoyed the different perspectives and backstories, they provide a deeper look into their lives and are useful for understanding their goals and motivations.

Everything that happened the night of the murder and the days that followed felt very realistic. I can understand that some people might not like the ending, but I think it’s true to life consistent with the rest of the story.

The audiobook is narrated by Cassandra Campbell who did an amazing job with all of the characters. Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Celadon Books for the review copy of Locust Lane.

Wow! This book was a wild ride! And I was here for it. It was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more. The twists and turns in this book were awesome and I loved it! I am definitely recommending this book to my friends!

#NetGalley

LOCUST LANE review

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🍁I am obsessssssed with this book cover. The fall vibes are everything. 🤩 I went into this one expecting a thriller but it was more of a mystery vibe (not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I expected).

🍁Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
The story starts with a young girl named Eden found dead. No one knows who is responsible for her death. Police question the other 3 teenagers who were with Eden the night she died. All 3 have their motives, but who is actually guilty?

🍁I did appreciate the unique way this story was told. The story alternates POVs between the parents of the 3 suspected teens (instead of having POVs of the actual suspects). I was pretty confused at the beginning of this one. There were soooooo many different characters to keep track of and I felt lost more than a handful of times trying to keep them all straight. I did enjoy the twist ending and definitely didn’t see it coming. Overall, if you go in expecting a mystery and can keep track of the different characters I think this is a book most would enjoy!

How far would you go to protect your child?

I couldn't put down 'Locust Lane', and not just because I was trying to figure out who the killer was. And not because I was listening to an audiobook, so there was nothing to put down. The real mystery in this book concerns the suburban social commentary and the exploration of parent-child bonds - which shuffle through various tensions, all loose, willfully blind, and ravaged by loss.
✨️✨️✨️✨️
A young woman found dead - that is the clue on the puzzle box-to be assembled by the reader. Unfolding through multiple points of view, the plot meditates on the motivations and perspectives of different characters, a slow burn of intrigue and suspense.
✨️✨️✨️✨️
An advantage of this device is that it when we'll executed, as it is masterfully in Locust Lane, it highlights the subjectivity of human perception, the relativity of truth, the complexity of human emotions, and despite the diversity of perspective, the universality of it all.
✨️✨️✨️✨️
It is initially a bit confusing to keep up with the characters and the slightly off kilter timeline, but all is forgiven as this composition is a permutation fugue that will linger in the air, long after the last spoken (or read) word.

✨️✨️✨️✨️
And there is the most unexpectedly hilarious book quote of the year: "Born fully formed in the anus of capitalism."

5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

#readersofinstagram #readerforlife #bookstagrammer #momswhoread #bookishlife #bookrecommendations #booklover #booklove #bookshelf #bookreview #bookaddict #booknerd #locustlane

Locust Lane and all its neighborhood characters had me engaged from the beginning. The character development was great and I really felt like I knew everyone on the block. The story was riveting and sad at times. I felt like I could relate to a few of the characters. The narration was great, I knew which characters were speaking just by the voice. The ending wasn't what I had hoped for, but overall it was a great book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Stephen Amidon, and McMillian Audio for the advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this mystery/thriller especially since we get so many points of view from unreliable narrators. I thought I knew where the story was heading, however, I was wrong and while the ending may not work for some I thought it fit the story. I listened to the audiobook and Cassandra Campbell did a great job bringing the story to life. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

This one is for you if you love domestic dramas! Think Little Fires Everywhere, Mad Honey, Ask Again Yes.
My thoughts:
There’s something so juicy about wealthy families trying to keep their secrets hidden and this book is full of that. But as much as I loved the drama, I also felt like this book highlighted some heavy but important topics: class division, mental health, addiction, assault. Even though there is a murder, I wouldn’t classify this as a thriller or mystery even. It’s definitely domestic drama, because the surrounding characters have so much depth. It’s a slow burn, but the kind that I loveeee. So if you’re a fan of any of the books mentioned above, I think you’ll love this one too!

This book is definitely a slow burn. The comparisons to Celete Ng's Little Fires Everywhere is a great one, because like Little Fires Everywhere, there are several layers of story playing out in front of your eyes.

There are the race and ethnic issues that are brought up front and center of this book, as one of the boys "accused" is of Middle Eastern descent, and clearly the "choice" of the police and public as the one that potentially committed the crime. It also juxtaposes the wealthy, and what they can do with their money to cover up or get out of crimes, whereas the average person (not even poor-- just average) has to rely on their own wits and sense to deal with issues that the rich just throw money at.

It also was a homage to denial, as one of the character's mothers is truly in a state of denial about their character and their actions, to the point that she is party to a coverup, even though she has constant questions about his behavior.

All in all, a great read, that I would recommend to those who like drama with a twist of mystery.

Locust Lane had its ups and downs for me. It started out strong and had me guessing, but the middle of the book seemed to drag a bit for me. I found myself getting confused about some of the characters and their connections to the plot. However, the ending redeemed itself. It wasn’t the best thriller I’ve ever read, but I enjoyed it overall.

Emerson seems like any other suburb in Massachusetts, but when the body of a young woman is found the peace and tranquility of this idyllic town is shattered. Four people were hanging out that night, leaving three suspects in the detective’s sights. There is Jack, the popular boy with a bit of a history; Christopher, the son of an immigrant on the bottom of the social ladder; and Hannah, a sweet girl with a history of her own. Each has their own motivations to keep suspicion off them, motivations driven by their parents…parents that have a lot to lose as well.

I found Locust Lane to be really good, right up until the very end, which I found to be incredibly disappointing. The characters were realistic; they had real flaws and problems with real reactions and motivations, and they were well developed. I especially liked Patrick. I felt he was a tragic individual with a giant heart. All of the characters have a voice as well, each sharing in the narration of the events surrounding Eden’s death. Unfortunately I found the murderer to be a little bit of a cliche, making it too obvious of a choice. Without spoilers, I found other aspects of the ending unsatisfying. 

I did not finish the audiobook, making it about a third of the way. The narration was so slow and monotone; the narrator did not create any suspense or anticipation. I also found the voice of Gates annoying and condescending, which made me not like her character simply because of her voice. I do not recommend the audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book!

I was really excited to read/listen this. The narrator did an excellent job and she was a pleasure to have in my ears for hours on end! That said, I wish I loved this book more than I did.

A death of a teen (Eden) sends the residents of Locust Lane into a frenzy. The high school is shut down and speculations commence. As police investigations ensue, it was found out that 3 prominent family's teens were with Eden the night she died. One in particular, is the main suspect.

What I loved. The idea of this story. I love a good whodunit and really hoped that it would have lived up to the hype.

What I didn't love. A lot more. First, why were the parents and their twisted issues the main POV's instead of the events surrounding the night of the murder...or from their actual children who were there? The multiple characters was a bit confusing to sort out at first. I found that the parents in general were also all not really devastated over her death. Especially her mom, Danielle. Yes, she wanted to find out what happened and had an ally to help her...but I felt as though the concern over finding out what happened to Eden was the equivalent of finding out who stole a random scarf. Interested, but not emotional. The only real emotion I got out of the book was from the dad of the child who was convicted of the murder. He might have been my fav character.

Then it ended and I was confused. I'm glad we were told what happened, but was so disappointed with how it played out. Definitely left me wanting more.

Overall, I give this a 2.5/5 stars.

After reading the synopsis, I really wanted to like this book, but it far from expectations. I struggled to finish it. Many aspects seemed unreasonable. Twitter and the internet are through around all the time. It's like they only exist in the small town of Emerson, not the world. This novel does bring light to how social media can be easily used to destroy a person, whether the comments are true or not. The characters are superficial at best, with little development. There is not happy ending, no package with a cute little bow. This was a nice change to what is the current trend in the mystery/thriller genre.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Cassandra Campbell, too. Cassandra's narration was great, even though the novel fell short. I would read and recommend Cassandra as a narrator.

I want to thank Netgalley and Celadon Books for an ARC, and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audiobook.

On the surface, Emerson, Massachusetts, is just like any other affluent New England suburb. But when a young woman is found dead in the nicest part of town, the powerful neighbors close ranks to keep their families safe. In this searing novel, Eden Perry’s death kicks off an investigation into the three teenagers who were partying with her that night, each a suspect. Hannah, a sweet girl with an unstable history. Jack, the popular kid with a mean streak. Christopher, an outsider desperate to fit in. Their parents, each with motivations of their own, only complicate the picture: they will do anything to protect their children, even at the others’ expense.

Locust Lane is filled with secrets and a heck of a lot of drama. There are several POV as the story is told from the parent’s perspective. Parents who are trying to protect their children, or their own secrets? I found almost all of the characters to be unlikeable. After finishing the story, I wonder if that was done on purpose?

I think this one would have benefited from multiple narrators. With only one I had some trouble keeping up with who was currently speaking.

I liked how everything wrapped up. The ending could be taken different ways. I’m still debating on it, and I think would be an interesting book club discussion!

A teenage girl, Eden Perry is found murdered in the small peaceful suburb of Emerson, Massachesettes. It is discovered that Eden and 3 other teenagers had been partying at the house the night before and now It seems that 1 of them is responsible for her death. Throughout we got to know the 4 different families of each child And it seems like no one is telling the truth. This was definitely a slow burn and entirely way too long. It had exceptional character development although I didn't really connect with any of characters.. The twist ending was pretty decent but I got bored way too many times with all the repetitiveness. This would have been a lot better if it wasn't so long
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Stephen Amidon for allowing me to listen to an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This domestic thriller is told from multiple points of view. When a twenty something dog walker is found dead, the residents of a well-to-do Massachusetts community close ranks and are less than helpful with the investigation. There are three main suspects, those who were the last to have seen her alive and their parents all want to protect them.

How far would you go to protect your own?....

The story of Locust Lane takes place in Emerson, a New England suburb in Massachusetts. that is home to a wealthy community of residents, as well as blue collar working class.

It's a small town murder mystery where murders like this just don't occur! The story begins by introducing you to an array of characters and residents of Emerson, as well as the detectives. (**NOTE: Due to the number of characters, it is wise to take notes until you are familiar with who everyone is. This helped me tremendously and was offered as a starting suggestion by another ARC reader friend of mine, and I'm so glad I did before I dug in.)

Teenager, Eden Perry, is tragically found murdered in a friend of the family's mansion, and this leads to a homicide investigation where the prime suspects are three other teenagers that partied with her on the evening of her death.. Christopher - an out of place boy who has a crush on Eden, Jack - a popular teen amongst his school, but has a dark side and is in need of anger management, and Hannah - Jack's girlfriend who seems a little unstable, pretty yet flawed.

This story gives you backfill on the lives of all 4 of these teens' parents. It draws you in to their own personal lives and families, and begs the question, "How Far Would You Go To Protect Your Own?"

I found this book very enjoyable and a great suspenseful murder mystery! This was my first book to read by Stephen Amidon, and it won't be the last. I didn't find it too dark which I enjoyed based on the fact that I wasn't up for a truly dark story. I look forward to the next novel by Stephen and hope to review more for him!

This book was a fabulous contemporary thriller with all the necessary twists and red herrings to make for a compelling read. At the same time the book
tackles a lot of heavier issues, including grief related to child loss, sexual abuse, “affluenza” and class issues - and the big question of how far are we willing to go to protect our kids and their chances. I loved how this story moved in little increments giving me different viewpoints and describing the same situation from multiple viewpoints which made peeling back the layers to this mystery so much more unsettling - and as opposed to so many murder mysteries the victim was actually grieved for and the grieving mother’s viewpoint was present.
The plot, writing style and character development - everything was right on point. I had access to the audio and the narration added to the atmosphere for this book !