3.5 stars!

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?"

The story begins in a cul-de-sac of five homes, where a gunshot goes off late one night. The book backtracks to 2 months earlier, introducing the reader to the 5 families who live on the street. Each family has its own set of problems, and potential reasons to be the location of the shooting just two months later.

There is a war vet and his new wife with his busy body mother in one home, a rich surgeon and his dentist wife hiding a nasty secret in another. A newly single mother and her two kids live in the third house, and in the fourth is an elderly lady who lives with her troubled young adult grandson. Finally, an alcoholic husband recently laid off from his job who is hiding a secret of his own, and his wife and kids live in the 5th house.

The novel unfolds family secrets in each home, and as the neighbors come together and get more intertwined, even more secrets unfold.

In my opinion, this book would be more considered a domestic drama/mystery rather than a thriller. It wasn't much of a page turner, more of a slow burn. It is definitely a character-driven storyline. Don't expect your pulse to race, but if you prefer well detailed characters and a slow burn leading into an ending crescendo, then this book is for you.

I did enjoy this book, although I have to say I prefer a little more "thrill" in books like this. That said, I was curious enough to finish the book, as I wanted to know who was behind the shooting and who got shot. There was enough intrigue and reasons that any one of the houses could be the subject of the shooting, and so the end really was exciting in that respect.

This book would be great for fans of Little Fires Everywhere.

Special thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

You know how you read a book and can see it made into a movie or series? That's how I felt reading this book. I was hooked and couldn't stop reading. I really like everything Ms. Fielding writes.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity read and review this book.

An Interesting book as I was reading it, but fairly forgettable. I wouldn’t call this a thriller, it read more like suspense or domestic fiction, heavy on the psychological. Fielding did a great job developing her characters, all of whom had series issues (but hey, that’s life isn’t it?). After reading Cul-de-sac, I sure am glad I don’t live in a neighborhood… too much drama. 3.5 stars rounded

This is a great Domestic thriller perfect for fans of Shari Lapena!
I’m not going to lie, when I first started reading this I thought I might have to skim it as I’ve been done dirty by some neighborhood thrillers before. There are 5 houses in the Culdesac on Carlisle Terrance, and every single one of them holds a secret. The story starts with one of the neighbors getting shot in July and then backtracking to May for the lead up.
There are multiple POV’s from everyone who lives in the culdesac and there isn’t any rhythm to it, so you do need to pay attention to which character’s perspective it is. I the chapters are so short that I found it easy to keep track of since you never got lost in one persons story.
At first I thought this was going to be one where I didn’t like any of the characters. However, they all really grew on me, especially the strong women and the children. It’s true what they say about never knowing your neighbors or everything that goes on inside their house.
I had who got shot and the ending narrowed down to a couple possibilities, and one of them was right! If a thriller could get a happy ending, I felt like this one did. It left me satisfied with how everything played out!

Joy Fielding, the bestselling author of STILL LIFE, SEE JANE RUN and other acclaimed novels, returns with CUL-DE-SAC, the story of a neighborhood beset by secrets, dramas and a quietly unfolding act of violence that will change its residents’ lives forever.

The term “cul-de-sac” is the literal translation of “bottom of a sack” in French, derived from the Latin culus, meaning “bottom.” In Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, however, it means a short, dead-end street in the shape of a circle set in a sleepy, solidly middle-class suburb. Five houses surround the cul-de-sac, each with a different family, each with their own secrets, desires and betrayals.

At the heart of the circle is Maggie McKay, a newly separated woman who lives with her teenage daughter and young son. Directly next door are Dani Wilson and her celebrated oncologist husband, Nick, along with their two sons. Then we have the Grants, Sean and Olivia, who are just settling into life following the births of their twins and third child. On the other side live Julia Fisher, an 84-year-old widow, and her up-to-no-good grandson; and the Youngs --- beautiful, swoony Heidi and her veteran husband, Aiden, who suffers from PTSD. But each of the five households counts at least one gun among them, and as many of us have learned over the last few years, where there are guns --- let alone five or more --- there is bound to be a shooting sooner or later.

Alternating among each of the five households, Fielding paints a portrait of a neighborhood rife with good stories. Maggie McKay lives, breathes and practically marries her fear following an altercation with a biker gang. With her husband unable to live with the stress anymore and her children looking to her for answers about their father’s return, Maggie has turned to a gun for comfort. But a loaded weapon is a poor match for her paranoia and confusion, and even she is starting to wonder if a gun can keep her --- and her family --- safe if she does not start to work on her fear.

Nick Wilson is a revered oncologist, known for his passion for his patients and his ability to weigh difficult decisions. But although his wife, Dani, is also a doctor (a dentist), Nick finds her stupid, lazy and judgmental...and he has no problem airing these frustrations with his fists. Like many women trapped in violent marriages, Dani feels certain that the “real” Nick is not the one who hurts her, but rather the one who greets patients with clear facts and warm hugs. However, even she cannot ignore his cabinet of guns and the effect that his anger and eagerness for violence is having on their young sons.

Sean Grant, too, is keeping a secret: he has been laid off for over a year, and he is having no luck finding work. With the Grant family’s credit card debt running up and Sean growing tired of being a “house husband,” he turns to alcohol and, you guessed it, the surety of a gun in his hands --- the one thing that might be able to change the tides for his family. When Sean pretends to have been hired at an elite up-and-coming firm, his need for secrecy grows until even his neighbors start to wonder what is going on in the Grant household.

Across the cul-de-sac, Julia Fisher is getting on in years, but she is desperate to maintain her independence and the home she shared with her husband. Her son, now on his fourth bimbo wife and driving a ridiculous car, has turned into a man she no longer recognizes. But her grandson, devious and feckless as he is, offers her a reprieve. In exchange for her help battling his father, he will live with her, cook for her and make sure that she can maintain her home as long as possible. But her grandson is no angel either: he’s racked up quite a debt with his dealer, and he’ll need to dip into Julia’s wallet, jewelry case and medicine cabinet to avoid dangerous repercussions.

And then there are the Youngs, perhaps the most heartbreaking story of the cul-de-sac. Aiden served in Afghanistan, and like many soldiers, he came back with a horrifying case of PTSD. But that’s not all. He also returned straight into his mother’s firm grasp, and under her control he questions everything, including his love for his beautiful young wife, Heidi. Unable to take a stand for Heidi or himself, and tormented by vicious dreams, Aiden slowly starts to unravel as his neighborhood folds under its secrets.

CUL-DE-SAC kicks off with a gunshot and a murder. While each home is positively vibrating with the potential for violence, Fielding does a tremendous job dishing out details, distracting her readers with red herrings and exposing the inner lives of her tormented characters. On the surface, each household and its family are average, boring even, but in Fielding’s hands, the unknown breaks free in shocking, explosive ways. The “quiet neighborhood gone wrong” is not an unusual premise, but she really plays with the limits of the trope here, examining all the ways that a huge secret, like domestic abuse, can bump heads with a smaller one, like a domineering mother. As she demonstrates, the shadows --- even in the brightest streets of the brightest neighborhoods --- provide excellent places for secrets to hide, fester and flourish, and when a secret stays quiet for too long, it is bound to explode.

Perfect for readers of Megan Miranda's SUCH A QUIET PLACE and Sarah Langan's GOOD NEIGHBORS, CUL-DE-SAC is a satisfying mystery with plenty of domestic drama and well-rounded characters to keep you guessing, engaged and wary of your own neighbors.

Cul-de-sac tells the story of 5 neighbors and the drama that happens one summer. You know someone will be shot and killed. The trick is finding out who dies and who did it! It took a little bit to get all of the characters straight in my head. Once I did, this story flew by. I really enjoyed the story and trying to figure it out. Fans of domestic dramas will love this one. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

So often, books written with unlikable characters that make stupid decisions, can be so frustrating and ruin a read for me. Somehow, Joy Fielding has a gift to make these same characters enhance the enjoyment of a book. Very quick read.

This was....a lot. There were five families in focus, and none of them were very likable. They were all highly dysfunctional, but felt very realistic because of this. All in all this was a solid thriller in a year full of excellent thrillers.



I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

**3.5 Stars...Thank You Netgalley for a chance to review**
Looking for a compelling home drama with a strong element of psychological suspense? Look no further. Character-driven drama with secrets and deceit, the drama is set in the present day. Despite its gorgeous setting, this area is everything from tranquil and serene. Appearances may be misleading, and mistrust can be found everywhere and everywhere. There are numerous points of view throughout the novel, secrets begin to amass, and dishonesty takes control.

I’m a sucker for domestic suspense stories that take place in a small neighborhood. Seriously. A sucker.

Dear publishers, you keep releasing them, and I’ll keep throwing my money at you! You know, teamwork and all that jazz!! High five!

This one is set in a cul-de-sac, and wow, the five houses are inhabited by some messed-up families. We’re told in the first few pages that someone is shot and killed. We just have to read to find out the details. Who is the shooter? Who is the deceased? Can you guess? I bet you can’t.

Follow me for a tour of the cul-de-sac. Let’s peek into some windows, shall we?

House 1. Maggie: She once witnessed a violent crime and now sees human monsters around every corner. Will her paranoia alienate her from everyone she loves?

House 2. Nick and Dani: Two successful doctors. One explosive temper.

House 3. Julia: Her grandson and his bad habits bring danger knocking at her door.

House 4. Sean: Since he lost his job, he’s drinking too much, starting to resent his wife, and having shocking fantasies about…(information redacted; read and find out).

House 5. Aiden: Suffers from PTSD and has an insufferable mother. Like, eek, she’s awful.

There you have it: the setting, the plot, and the cast of characters. The only thing left to mention is the pacing, which is pitch perfect. It’s a satisfying blend of slow burn and lightning fast.

Grab the book and spy on these families as the tension builds until we reach critical levels of uh oh, immediately followed by a kaboom! These pages practically turn themselves. Try to look away. I dare you.

I really enjoy neighborhood stories and this one didn’t disappoint. A street full of neighbors with secrets. Which one will break? Full of suspense and mystery. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This book was awesome. I really enjoyed the short chapters and the layout of the book. I enjoyed the storylines of all the families. At first it was a little hard to keep track but then the author did a really good job of reminding you of each family story. I’ve read so many books by Joy Fielding and this one definitely did not disappoint.

This is my first Joy Fielding book and I loved it! I will definitely be following her work! I don't always like multiple POVs in a book, boy did this one have many, but Joy nailed it in Cul-de-sac. She found a way to get them all in line in a way that you didn't get confused. This was a very great book! I couldn't stand to put it down in between reading sessions.

Cul-de-sac is a slow burn of a book that ends with a major explosion. The neighborhood setting almost seems like its own character. None of the characters are terribly likable, but you understand their motivations. Content warning for major domestic abuse.

I think I expected more from Joy Fielding. I kept waiting for something to happen and it really didn't. Even the end was a bit of a let down. I kept getting confused with the people who lived on the cul-de-sac because I don't feel like there wasn't enough focus on someone to actually feel a connection.

This is the first time I've read a Joy Fielding novel. The book is a tantalizingly slow burn of a suburban drama that tackles many relevant social issues. It's told through multiple POVs. Looking forward to more of Joy's work.

Loved it. found the twists and turns engaging and enthralling. Love her books and can't wait for the next!

Lots of secrets and lies make up the neighborhood situated on this cul de sac. Someone gets shot - but who and by whom and why?

If you’re looking for domestic drama full of psychological suspense, look no more. Cul-de sac by Joy Fielding is a character driven story saturated with secrets, lies and a sense of foreboding. This idyllic neighborhood is definitely not peaceful and serene. Appearances are deceiving and suspicion is everywhere. Told by multiple POVs, secrets begin to accumulate and deception takes over. This book made me laugh, cry and had me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed every moment including the satisfying conclusion. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my copy.

WOWOWOWW. This book is so intense! I thought it is really well done and a hidden Bookstagram gem! A true diamond in the ruff!