Thank you, NetGalley, for this advanced reader copy of Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon. I really enjoyed this book. It was a slow burn, but in the best way. It was intense, engaging and I’ll definitely read any book that is based anywhere near Boston Massachusetts.

A great seasonal read. This one really gives me Dennis LeHane vibes and I would love to have sunk into this in the fall. I also didn't mind that the ending didn't wrap up as tidily as some other books. Great writing and though I know some readers didn't enjoy the style I didn't mind it.

Eden Perry was a bit of an outsider in the affluent town of Perry, Massachusetts. The new girl in town, Eden was known for being an intriguing party girl, who was always down for a good time. When Eden ends up murdered its quickly realized she was with 3 local kids. Hannah the quiet sweet loner, who has struggled with popularity until she started dating Jack. Jack a rich kid from town who has storied rumors about his past behavior with girls, is a bit of a menace. Hannah’s boyfriend and Christophers best friend Jack is not someone who really understands friendships. Christopher is an immigrant son of the local towns popular restaurant owner and chef. Christopher is quiet and just wants to fit in, sometimes to a fault. Christopher is in love with Eden and technically the last person to see her alive. Hanging out with Jack has its problems and it seems everyone who is around him ends up in trouble. The police try to figure out which one harmed Eden as the three were the the last to see her alive. As the parents try to protect their kids secrets about the adults come out and the truth will eventually lead to a shocking discovery.
***ON SALE NOW!!!


Thank you Celadon and NetGalley for this ARC

Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon

My rating:
2/5
⭐️⭐️

A young woman is found dead in the affluent neighborhood on Locust Lane. 3 others were with her the night she was killed, but no one will tell the story of what happened that night.

Ugh. You know when you just don’t click with a book but you’re committed to reading it anyway? Yeah. That was this book. I tried so hard to like it but there was simply too much going on for me to follow the story. There was so much unnecessary backstory for a lot of the characters that I did not feel like supported the storyline. I wanted to have this story told by the teenagers perspectives versus the adults.

I really did not enjoy this one. I try so hard to give a positive review but sadly this was just very dry, made me uncomfortable and did not flow very easily.

I will say I did not guess what happened in the end of the story, so it was nice to be surprised. I just thought this book was overtaken with unlikeable characters who took away from the overall plot. Also, the epilogue was so confusing I don’t even understand why it was included.

Intriguing story that keeps you hooked with the twist and turns, and just when you thought you had it figured out, you didn't!

Thank you @celadonbooks and @netgalley for my digital copy. My thoughts are my own.

Patrick hits a dog, checks on it, and seeing it can limp away, decides it can make it back to his owner, so Patrick decides to move on. But as he is watching the dog, he sees a man in the trees watching him.

The next day Patrick learns that four teens, Christopher, Jack, Hannah, and Eden had been partying in the house and one of them had been murdered. Had Patrick seen the murderer?

The murder occurred in an exclusive neighborhood and the powerful parents have secrets and their own reasons for not divulging all the facts as they cast the shadow of suspicion on one of the teens who is not from a wealthy family. Can justice be found for Eden, the young victim?

This one caught my attention with the first chapter. However, the characters were not very likable and I felt the middle dragged on a bit. I did want to know what really happened so I pushed through to the end. The conclusion was strong; however, the story was actually just depressing.

𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝑰𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆:
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Multiple POV
🔥 Slow Burns
💰Rich People Problems
📏 Looooong Chapters

𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
This book is a slower burn, but around the halfway point things begin to pick up in speed and get more interesting. It was enough to keep me reading. I also felt like the chapters were just sooooo long (which I don’t really like, especially not in a thriller). It’s probably silly…but it makes me feel like my reading is dragging…something satisfying in getting into the next chapter.

The overall premise caught my attention. A young girl is found murdered in a wealthy neighborhood, evidence is gathered, unreliable teenagers are involved, an arrest is made. The author attempted to tackle a lot all in one book - addiction, power and privilege, race - while also trying to create characters with depth. He succeeded in someways, but in others it felt a little lackluster. I think he tried to attack too much all at once which left things feeling a little flat.

I can honestly say that I didn’t see the major twist coming! In hindsight in did make sense and put a nice little bow on most things. That being said I really was disappointed in the overall ending. We get clarity on “who” but yet the story ends feeling very unresolved.

This is the first novel I’ve read by this author, I’d be open to reading other novels in the future.


Post to come on Instagram

I loved Locust Lane. I am a fan of character driven stories and found this one very enjoyable. I found myself flying through this one and loved it from beginning to end. Highly recommend adding to your TBR.

I thought this one started and ended pretty strong, but the rest of it failed to hold my attention. I didn't really connect with any of the characters and found all of their dialogue to be somewhat monotonous.

I did think that the plot was interesting and the novel was well written. It just wasn't for me, unfortunately.

Thank you, @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the gifted e-arc and physical copy of this book!

2.5 stars rounded

Locust Lane gave me all the great fall thriller vibes. I love a book that keeps me guessing from start to finish. Eden is dead and the three teens partying with her earlier that night are suspects.
I’m not giving anything away here. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters which made me suspect everyone. The pacing in this domestic suspense is tense and it’s well plotted, and I thorough enjoyed it.

This book started off great, but ultimately fell flat for me. There were a lot of characters, each with a backstory and it all felt like a distraction from the main story we were there to figure out. I loved the concept, but by the end I had a hard time caring about the outcome.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc I received in exchange for my honest review.

This book started out good, I was intrigued and wanted to know more. But then it turned into a slog fest. I got to 20% and was so bored. We never really learned much about the victim, the story is all about the rich privileged people in this stuck up town. There are sooo many characters and povs it’s very hard keeping all the highly unlikable characters straight. The poor white trash murder victim and her Mom as well as the immigrant chef and his son are of course treated horribly while the rich white people escape all blame, kind of like real life. The murderer gets away and lives their life getting whatever they want, also a lot like real life. Overall just was not a fan. I don’t see any need to read any other books by this author.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This was an interesting read and at times I thought I might not finish it as it was a bit slow for me. However, I'm so glad I didn't give up. I absolutely loved how it ended and can't wait to read more by this author.

I enjoyed Locust Lane. My one criticism was that it felt just a bit drawn out. I know the ending probably bothers a lot of people but I liked it. I enjoyed the fact that the characters stayed with me because I so badly want to know what happens next. I did guess the “mystery” but that does not take away the enjoyment of the book and a part of me feels like it was on purpose. I recommend this book and thanks you Netgalley for the oooo to read it.

Really enjoyed this novel. Story was very interesting and engaging. Looking forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommend!

The premise of this book sounded so promising, but ultimately, it wasn’t for me. I liked the writing well enough — Amidon is certainly a skilled story teller — but I lacked any sort of feelings at all about the characters or the story. I don’t always need likable characters, but they should at least be interesting. The characters in this novel were unlikable and boring. I just didn’t care at all. The murder was lackluster as well. This whole book left me with a big old feeling of “meh.”

It was fine, nothing great. I didn't connect with any of the characters and i didn't find the mystery to be that surprising. It did have a few good moments, though. Definately more mystery than thriller.

Amidon’s latest suburban thriller explores the nature of class privilege and equal justice under the law.

The tranquility of the wealthy Boston suburb of Emerson is shattered when the body of Eden Perry is found in a home on tony Locust Lane, where the 20-year-old had been staying as a caretaker and dog walker. Police tell her estranged mother, Danielle, they believe she was murdered. The teenagers partying with Eden on the night of her death—golden-boy-with-a-dark-streak Jack Parrish, his sweet but troubled girlfriend, Hannah Holt, and shy outsider Christopher Mahoun, who had a crush on Eden—lie to their parents and the police about where they were that evening. But when scratches are found on Christopher’s neck, he becomes the prime suspect. As a grieving but tough Danielle seeks answers, the other parents take steps to protect their children, even if it comes at the expense of others. The shifting points of view alternate among Celia Parrish, who ignores troubling aspects of her son’s personality while relying on her husband to fix the problems Jack causes; successful restaurateur Michel Mahoun, whose ethnicity (Lebanese Maronite Catholic) marks him as a foreigner in the WASPy community; unhappily married Alice Holt, who is convinced her lover Michel’s son is innocent and who plies Hannah, her stepdaughter, with wine to get at the truth; local man Patrick Noone, on a downward spiral from his daughter Gabi’s fatal overdose, who may have seen the killer on Locust Lane during a late-night drive; and Danielle. Amidon writes smoothly but relies on clichés for his observations on class differences. With her dyed black hair and tattoos, Danielle is a working-class representative, while the socially prominent Parrishes are stereotypes of class entitlement. It’s easy to identify the villains early on. The flipping among perspectives slows the narrative and makes it difficult at times to keep track of the mostly unlikable characters in this plodding thriller.

The ambiguous ending may frustrate some readers who like their thrillers neatly wrapped up.

What a wild ride, I am dizzy! This book was full of all the musts in a Thriller, fast, pace, surprises and insanity! I loved this one so much!

A young woman named Eden is found murdered in an affluent suburb of Boston. Jack, Hannah, and Christopher were the last ones to see her alive, so naturally they become suspects. While these three are suspects, I thought it was clever that the story is actually told from the POV of their parents along with an unreliable grieving father who may or may not have seen the killer.

I was easily drawn into this story that asks the question, how far would you go to protect your child. The story was plausible which is always a bonus for me and had great characterization. The complex relationships between family and friends as well as the topic of privilege are well-written.

Overall, I really enjoyed <b>Locust Lane</b>. Minor critique, considering the slow build up to the conclusion, the ending felt rushed and although it was quite realistic, it left me a little dissatisfied. Overall, 4 stars.