The Doorman was a book about privileged white people who lived in an exclusive building overlooking Central Park in NYC. The pace throughout most of the book was slow, as the author built each unit owner's background, lifestyle, and MAGA beliefs into each character. The Doorman, Chicky, was a lonely, hardworking Hispanic man who was grieving the death of his wife, and the huge debt that her death left him.. For me, he was the only likable character in the book. The author contrasted the lifestyle of the wealthy with the poor working class people who worked for them, and brought into play multiple racial stereotypes, and wealth disparity, along with issues with LGBTQ, bigotry, gun control, drugs, antisemitism which I think was supposed to be satire, but seemed to be covering all the bases for discrimination,
Chicky, of course was a main character, and two unit owners were also primary characters - Julian - a man with personal and professional crises, and Emily- a woman in an unhappy marriage.
However, the last 25% of the book brought out the author's skills in developing a tense situation and analyzing it through each character's involvement, actions and reactions. I was expecting more action in the heart of the book like there was in Two Nights in Lisbon, so I was disappointed in this one.
I received an ARC of The Doorman from NetGalley and the publisher and am leaving my opinions voluntarily.

The Doorman by Chris Pavone is a mystery-thriller, that quite honestly, wasn’t that mysterious or thrilling. Set in modern day New York City, The Doorman is supposed to be a take on class, privilege, and race issues.

The novel follows several main characters, one of which is Chicky Diaz, the doorman. Unfortunately, the novel takes a very long route to get to the murder/mystery. At 25%, I was ready to call this one DNF. However, I decided to stick with it until the end of Part One (there’s five parts + the prologue). At that point, it got very slightly interesting, so I decided to keep going. In the end, I sort of regret that decision.

If you love the HBO show The White Lotus, you might enjoy The Doorman more than I did. It’s really more about the characters (all flawed, none really that I connected with), and while it touches on class, privilege, and race, from my perspective it didn’t say anything new or interesting.

⭐️⭐️ (2 out of 5)

Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an advance copy in exchange for sharing my opinions. All opinions in this review are my own.

In The Doorman by Chris Pavone, a gripping urban thriller unfolds over a single, tension-filled day in New York City, where Chicky Diaz, a dedicated doorman at the elite Bohemia Apartments, navigates a world of privilege, secrets, and impending violence. Pavone masterfully weaves a narrative that blends sharp social commentary on class, race, and inequality with a slow-burn mystery that erupts into a pulse-pounding climax. While the novel’s deep dive into societal issues can occasionally overshadow the plot, Pavone’s vivid character studies—particularly of Chicky, the stoic ex-Marine, and residents like the trapped Emily Longworth—bring humanity and depth to the story. I enjoyed this story as well as some of Chris' other works. I am looking forward to what Chris writes next!

“The guys with the most stunning Amazonian wives were almost always roly-poly trolls, triple chins and bovine jowls, pear-shaped and ham-assed, and male-pattern bald.”

“He voted for Obama, twice. But then he told a dirty joke at work, got called out by a young woman of color, canceled, bought out of his partnership, career over, and suddenly he was watching Fox News day and night.”

Set in a ritzy apartment building on Central Park West (modeled after The Dakota), there are 3 principal characters of this book: Chicky, the longest-tenured doorman, who has money troubles, Emily, who lives in the penthouse with her extremely wealthy and also extremely obnoxious husband and Julian, an art gallerist who lives in 2A.

This book is a combination of social commentary, current politics, the class divide, racial conflict and domestic drama. It reminded me a little of “The Bonfire of the Vanities”. The story grew on me as the book progressed. The last quarter of the book really ramped up the tension among the characters and also the city as a whole. The author captured NYC very well, although the situation at the end of the book seemed excessive even for New York. But who knows - maybe it happens all the time and the news just isn’t telling us about it. (Seems unlikely, since “if it bleeds, it leads”).

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Chris Pavone's latest novel, "The Doorman," is a gripping and provocative look at one fateful day at the Bohemia, an exclusive apartment building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, as seen through the lives of three people: Chicky Diaz, its longtime and well-loved doorman, Julian Sonnenberg, art dealer and the president of the Bohemia's co-op board; and Emily Longworth, the unhappy wife of the building's wealthiest resident. Pavone ratchets up the tension in the prologue, entitled "Tonight," which ends on a cliffhanging note of suspense that menaces the otherwise quotidian events relayed in the "This Morning" and "This Afternoon" sections of the book which follow, raising the stakes for all of the characters' seemingly unimportant decisions. By the time we arrive back at the events portrayed in the prologue, Pavone has developed not only a full picture of each of these characters' lives, but also of Manhattan itself; he is exceptionally good at portraying the city's neighborhoods and their residents and class groups in all of their eccentricities, affectations and proclivities. I loved that part of the book almost as much as its thriller aspect, although both had me sneaking away to find every spare moment to keep reading--the experience felt akin to binging an entire season of a television suspense thriller. Fast and fun while still thought-provoking and timely.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review.

I’ve loved Chris Pavone since I read The Expats back in 2012.I loved it! It was an international thriller, telling the story of a couple who pick up and leave the US so the husband, Dexter, can take a lucrative job in Luxembourg. They jump at the chance to start a new life abroad with the promise of a much higher standard of living…only catch is that the wife, Kate, has been leading a double life, with all sorts of entanglements and plot twists. In 2016 I read The Travelers, in 2019, Paris Diversion, and in 2021 Two Nights in Lisbon. ALL were solid 5-star reviews from me! So I was super happy to receive a copy of The Doorman from FS&G and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

As with any of his books that I’ve read, telling too much about the story would likely reveal details that would ruin the surprise(s), and I just don’t do that. So let’s just go with the tiny details that the story revolves around a doorman named Chicky Dioaz who works at an upscale building in New York and basically knows everything that is going on, in the neighborhood in addition to his building. Various residents in the building are prominently featured, and all are “elites” living alongside the staff who work in the building, who are primarily black and brown…and when a man of color is killed by police activity near the building, things start to look scary enough that Chicky decides to carry a gun to work. (What could possibly go wrong?)

There is action in the plot, and well-defined characters…in addition to pointed social commentary revolving around race, class, power/privilege, and sex. It’s a wild ride, and well worth reading. Another winner from Pavone!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

The Bohemia is the most famous apartment building in the world PERIOD. It's residents encompass all the rich and famous of New York, although it is not as popular with celebrities as it use to be, but it is still home to some uber-rich people and social elites. And Chicky Diaz has spent years being the perfect doorman to all "his people" . He knows and addresses them by name, knows their pets, their children, everyone's schedules, and swiftly and efficiently manages any deliveries. But few of them know anything about him outside his hours stationed at their front door.

But Chicky's private life is not as tranquil and organized as his professional life. His wife recently died of cancer (although few of the Bohemia's residents even knew he was married), his daughters are grown and gone, living lives of their own, and he is slowly drowning in medical debt. So he goes looking for alternative ways to make some money to remain in his apartment and his job.

Meanwhile, the residents' lives are not as magical as it may seem on the outside, either. For instance, one wife has finally realized that she actually HATES her boorish and overbearing husband, but his income is outlandish and she is not ready to give up her lifestyle. Another tenant is also slowly going bankrupt, his business teetering on the brink of collapse.

But on this night, none of this is important. Because another black man has been killed by police and there is a demonstration looming, with counter demonstrators who will prove to be more deadly than their adversaries. And a gang has targeted the Bohemia.

Who survives? Whose life is better? Whose is worse? And, most of all whose lives are irrevocably changed on this fateful night?

A full review was published by Open Letters review here: https://openlettersreview.com/posts/the-doorman-by-chris-pavone

The Doorman has been the surprise of the year so far. It feels like a new season of Succession with extra blood-soaked choice scenes. Or even Bonfire of the Vanities with Die Hard undertones.

This streamlined and bitingly modern novel takes place around the historic Bohemia on Park Avenue in NYC. The building is a stratified anthill of class and wealth with a vile king and savvy, sympathetic queen atop the pile. Our titular doorman and other staff don't often circulate above ground levels but daring drones can bring down an entire hill.

A vivid cast of across every political and socioeconomic background animates this fabulous story. The precariousness of modern times is fully realized by characters that do much more than just check boxes. The reader is reminded how an errant step, slight nudge or wrong word can bring down kingdoms.

Pavone creates a realistic world where the rich might not be respected but the power wielded by their money must be. It is especially impressive how well “normal” people from the lower and middle classes blend so well into the orbit of the wealthy. The novel has a conversational tone that draws the reader matched with crisp pacing to keep the pages turning. A must read for fans of Don Winslow, Dennis Lehane, or Greg Iles.

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC which is published May 20, 2025.

I was drawn in by the premise of The Doorman and thought it sounded great. Unfortunately the writing style wasn’t a match for me and I decided to dnf.

I found The Doorman, my first read by the author Chris Pavone interesting; although at times rather slow, yet picked up momentum as I continued reading; the ending really sizzled. Chicky Diaz is the doorman at the ultra exclusive Bohemia Apartments on Central Park West. The Bohemia is home to extremely wealthy and prestigious white residents; the apartment has only had one black resident in its history- a sports figure living there off and on. Chicky has been the doorman for 28 years, having only missed one or two days during that time as he takes his job very seriously and is committed to keeping each resident safe from any harm. A few residents appear throughout the book, however it primarily focuses on the beautiful, altruistic and patron of the arts, Emily Longworth and her over bearing and outspoken husband Whit. While Emily appreciates and tries to give back to her community, Whit is only interested in making money and pursuing his rather deviant sexual proclivities. Suffice to say their marriage is far from blissful. The other focus of the book is Julian Sonnenberg, a lifelong resident of the Bohemia, and a struggling art gallery owner. He is facing imminent heart surgery, the sizzle in his marriage has faded and his two teenagers are distant . He is also smitten with the lovely Emily. The novel unfolds with the city of New York in a state of unrest as a result of the police shooting of two black men within 72 hours. The book is a political thriller first and foremost with references to what appears to be the Trump presidency. It also provides insights into the elitist world and the discrepancies between it and the working world of the black and brown. Thank you to NetGalley, Farrar, Strauss & Giroux Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Doorman; this review reflects my candid opinion. 3.5 stars.

This book takes place in New York City in a very famous and elite apartment building. First, we meet Chicky Diaz the doorman, who is having financial difficulties due to the illness and death of his wife. Despite his circumstances, he does a good job and is very responsive to the residents and their needs. Emily is married to Whit, an extremely successful businessman due to the success of his company’s body armor. While Emily is nice to everyone, Whit is quite an obnoxious character. Julian and Jennifer live in one of the smaller apartments. She is a lawyer, and he is an art dealer whose salary is more modest than that of his wife. Julian has been involved with Emily’s art purchases as they were remodeling their home. The book has a bit of upstairs/downstairs vibe to it, with very well-developed characters. Quite a bit of the story revolves around the politics and climate of the city. A black man has been killed by the police and there are protests and violence going on. This has all been woven together into an intriguing read.

Also reviewed on B&N (1IrishEyes430) and Kobo (IrishEyes430)

I received an ARC of this new novel through NetGalley.

This is a very well-written portrayal of the life of the wealthy in an upscale apartment building in New York. While the title of this book is The Doorman, the book actually goes in depth portraying the occupants of two of the apartments. In one of them lives a couple with children where the husband owns a body armor company that is worth billions, selling its products to the USA, its friends and its enemies. The husband has a fat wallet and an ego to match, which leads his wife to a state of disenchantment. In the other featured apartment lives an art dealer who does business with the family just mentioned. He develops a close relationship with the body armor guy’s wife.

The doorman is an observer to the whole scene. This story takes place at a time where there is great tension in the community between the races, resulting recently from Black men being killed by white police. There are also protests against the body armor guy, when word leaks out that he is profiteering from war and by selling to our enemies.

Lots of tension and suspense builds in the first 90% of the book and the reader needs to wait patiently for something big to happen. And it does …. in the last 10% of the book.

This book is very strong on character development and creating an atmosphere of suspense.‘

I have read every Chris Pavone book. I normally love his books that take place internationally, but I actually loved that this book takes place in NYC. He captures the zeitgeist of the rich and priviilege and where we are as a society now.

The Doorman, by Chris Pavone, is a political thriller based solely in Manhattan. The story starts by introducing us to Chicky Diaz, a lifelong doorman at an exlusive co-op residence. He is dealing with a host of crises including grief and serious debt from a variety of sources. He is a figurative juxtaposition between the elite within the building and the rest of society outside its doors and the dichotomy of their struggles. As the tensions and unrest of the world increase, heightened by the insular world he protects, Chicky’s own troubles come to a boiling point, and the result will be explosive.

This story is quite different from Pavone’s previous books. It begins with a great deal of set-up and goes into considerable depth regarding recent social and political issues. It’s heavy on characters, slower on the action. In fact, the mystery doesn’t really kick-in until the latter third of the story. The latter portion is indeed suspenseful, the conclusion is compelling, and the book on the whole is thought-provoking; it just takes awhile to get there.

"The Doorman" was a fine story. I didn't exactly *dislike* it. But it did seem a bit longer than necessary; some of the flashbacks and inner monologues were excessive. I can definitely see this story being adapted into a successful television series.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy.

This is a very strong 4 star read and I really enjoyed it. Few things to note, this is very politically heavy but the author talks about politics in a subtle sarcastic way (I think?) and seems to be making fun of every side and no one is truly spared from the commentary. This is also marketed as thriller but to me it read like a contemporary fiction with a slice of mystery.

What I loved was the structure of us following these people and learning about their secrets and backgrounds through their memories. I was fully into everyone’s business and wanted to know more.

The ending is where the thriller part begins, I was on the edge of my seat worrying how will it end. Overall it’s a great summer pick, despite it being 400 pages long I practically flew through the book.

2.5 stars

This was my first Chris Pavone book, and from what I've read about his other novels, not representative of his work. People who loved The Expats and Two Nights in Lisbon didn't much care for this one, which makes me want to read his other stuff, because I wasn't wild about this one either.

The Doorman is Chicky Diaz, an employee of The Bohemia, a stand-in for The Dakota in New York, an apartment building filled with the rich and famous. Chicky is just one of the working class folks who makes the luxury lifestyle possible for the residents. The book is long on politics, the class system in America, the everyday concerns of everyday people, and how far the rich are removed from those concerns (and how little they care). It includes a LOT of characters, a LOT of back story on all of them, and not much in the way of page-turning plot until the last 15-20 percent of the book. At about the 60 percent mark, I found myself skimming chapters, just wanting the book to go somewhere, and thinking I might not even finish it. If it hadn't been an eARC that I needed to review, I'm not sure I would have even made it that far. Things pick up at the end, but the whole thing feels rushed. I wish there'd been less foreshadowing and more actual action.

I'm not sure who the protagonist of this book is. Chicky is obviously the title character, and I think we're meant to root for him. But I didn't connect with him at all. I understood his depression and how much his life had changed since his wife's death, and I certainly identify with the financial concerns he faced, but I didn't FEEL anything for him. Then there's Emily, who I think we're also meant to root for. But even though she seemed to have her heart in the right place, unlike her vile husband, I couldn't bring myself to care about the trials and tribulations of a woman who sold her soul to marry into luxury. And Julian I just didn't care about at all. His heart condition was a needless addition that didn't go anywhere, and I couldn't get too excited about his love for Emily either, since they both entered into the affair out of boredom. Julian isn't as wealthy as Emily, but he's still pretty insufferable.

I think I might have liked this better if it had focused on Emily finding out about who her husband really is and then teaming up with Chicky (and maybe Julian) to take him down. That happens, but it's too little too late, and overall the ending isn't very satisfying. This could have had an early John Grisham feel, but it comes out more Succession meets Bonfire of the Vanities, and that gets a giant "meh" from me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

Such a well paced and suspenseful book! The twists were believable and not predictable.
It had excellent writing and a fascinating plot.
The Doorman by Chris Pavone is a book which kept me thoroughly engaged from beginning to end.

Chicky is the doorman at the old but impeccable Bohemia Apartments. The tenants are rich, mainly white in little bubbles of their own. Staff in the form of cooks, nannies and chauffeurs are Hispanic and there is a sprinkling of black Americans working too. From the onset it seems boundaries are clearly marked, and anyone crossing the line is made to feel uncomfortable. Little difficult to get my head around as I always presumed boundaries had got a bit looser. Was I ever wrong.

Tension in the air and protests planned over the deaths of two Blacks in the city. Irrational shootings. A robbery well planned going wrong resulting in the death of two of the tenants. One disliked intensely. A fabulous cover up and all ends very neatly tied up.

Everyone in the story has secrets. All are under pressure of some kind. However wholesome they appear there are imperfections. There is a lot going on but I found the first few chapters slow going. It caught up to speed and became a roller coaster towards the end, bringing all the strands together very fast.

Entertaining and very good reading.

3.5 stars.

This is my first book by Chris Pavone and I had a good time with it. Sometimes the story felt too long, and I got confused with some of the POVs, but it was a very well crafted story, overall.

I adored Chicky's character and it made me root for him throughout the story.

Did not expect that ending!

I feel that this was a great introduction to Pavone's writing and made me want to read his backlist.