Megan Abbott’s El Dorado Drive is definitely a slow burn mystery, but by the end, it’s burning brightly.

The story starts with Harper, who has moved back in with her younger sister Pam. Pam’s going through a brutal divorce, and while Harper expects to see disarray, Pam is thriving. How is Pam thriving? The Wheel. Twice a month a group of women meet, with new recruits bringing $5k in cash, which ends up being gifted to one of the lucky women. It’s about women supporting women, lifting each other up. When Harper is invited into the group, this may finally end her financial hardship. The group comes with consequences though, and when one member is murdered, Harper’s world gets torn apart and the fear of being found out starts to rise.

I’ve only read one of Megan Abbott’s books before, but the premise of this one excited me. This one definitely takes awhile to warm up. I did think there were some issues with the execution of the build up. I had a hard time connecting with the characters in this one. I don’t know that anyone was likable, though that’s not a requirement for a good story for me. I did like the last third of this book though. The scenarios to figure out who the murderer was did keep me on my toes and I was surprised by the end.

The book ended up feeling middle of the road for me. Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Putnam books for the ARC. This book was absolutely excellent! I did struggle for the first 20 pages or so as so many characters were introduced.
This was about 3 sisters who lived in Detroit. They each had their own struggles with husbands, the economy, and life. Harper was such a well written character. She had some
Demons and was afraid of what her life has become. She loves both her sisters, Pam and Debra. Harper moves in with Pam and has a wonderful relationship with her Neice, Vivian.
The book also centers around the idea of a “pyramid scheme.” These women become desperate for the big payout and keeping all the money a secret.
Definitely add this book to your to read pile!

The premise of El Dorado Drive really enticed me. Anyone who knows the way pyramid schemes and MLMs work will not be surprised that the story is about strained relationships and empty promises. Mayhem and murder ensue out of the characters desperation.

I appreciated the dark suburban world building and watching the way the relationships with women in the pyramid scheme. However the story started to drag on. It wasn't until was the halfway point that the murder occurred. I almost DNF-ed it before the crime occured. I am glad I stuck with it as the mystery, suspense and female drama that the crime caused made for an entertaining and addictive read.

Thank you Netgalley and Putnam Books for my review copy.

I am also posting this review on Goodreads with 3/5 stars

I have read quite a few Megan Abbott books and this book was not as good as some from a few years ago. I hate giving bad reviews for books I get to read prior to release date. I feel like I need to "be nice" and not too harsh... Unfortunately I did not like this one.

It gave SAHM pyramid scheme murder mystery. Not in a good way. It took 55% to get to anything but inner monologue, two paragraph sections, flashbacks to a girlfriend (that never makes an appearance in the book). 55% before something exciting happens.

It was so drawn out, like she was getting by word and I just rereading the same pages and inner dialogue over and over again.
I generously have it 3 stars bc I do like Megan Abbott books, and look forward to the next one.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this upcoming novel (due out in June, 2025) through NetGalley.

This winds up being a murder mystery, but it doesn’t start out that way. The beginning of the book focuses on three sisters and other women they interact with in the community. Pam, on of the three sisters, is a real go-getter and is living the good life even though her marriage has fallen apart. How? She was on the ground floor of a neighborhood Ponzi scheme called The Wheel. The women in The Wheel partied regularly and each party provided someone that opportunity to go home with a lot of cash. Pam, being on the ground floor of this organization, had stashes of cash in her home.

But then, predictably, it all goes wrong. There is a death ….. and plenty of people became suspects. Law enforcement got involved but the story centered around the sisters and their effort to figure out who did it. Toward the end, the story takes on aspects of a thriller (which I didn’t like), but otherwise this was a solid murder mystery tale.

I liked all the character development in the set-up of this story. Some of these women were real pieces of work.

It was only reading the afterword where Megan Abbott tells us about growing up with a big family in Michigan that the coincidence struck; the family name of the sisters in El Dorado Drive is Bishop. But I very much doubt much of the detail is autobiographical. In this story Debra, Harper, and Pam are three sisters living in reduced circumstances, not in provincial Russia but in Gross Pointe. Their father was a big wheel in motor manufacture till he was fired when it collapsed in the face of foreign competition and the parents declined into alcoholism and death. The girls were Chi Omegas at the University of Michigan, apparently majoring in partying, lacrosse, and horses. Now in early middle age the eldest Debra’s husband Perry is a failed lawyer on chemo, the youngest Pam has seen her children cheated out of their trust fund by her sleazy ex Doug, and middle daughter Harper, a single lesbian, is barely getting by giving riding lessons at the Hunt Club where as children they had once been members. Heather is now lodging with Pam in a house with vinyl siding (tacky!) on the downscale street that gives this novel its title. And Harper has a guilty secret. She borrowed fifty thousand dollars from Doug (money that probably came from the college trust fund for her niece and nephews) to fee her lover Leigh’s lawyer in a child custody case like in Patricia Highsmith’s The Price of Salt (Leigh later dumped Harper to return to her husband and child). Harper’s bad luck apparently takes a happy turn when Pam introduces Harper to an unusual women’s support group called The Wheel. It provides more than emotional sustenance. The carefully selected invitees pay $5000 to join, and when their turn comes round, they expect a “gift” of $25.000. Of course, the faster the group grows, the sooner one is eligible for the “gift.” The word “pyramid” is forbidden. They are literally promised an exponential return on their investment, five squared, in weeks.

Readers even minimally financially literate may wonder if any of these women took Econ 101 in college, because “The Wheel” is obviously a classic Ponzi scheme. (In the 18th-century William Hogarth chose a wheel to illustrate the South Sea Bubble.) But before we become too censorious of Abbott’s characters, consider how the American electorate responds to the prospect of reforming the Social Security system. And once they are in, the members trawl their friends, their clubs, and their churches for prospective recruits to add to the pot. Abbott doesn’t tell us what they’re thinking but one suspects that like voters who can do elementary math, they’re just hoping to get theirs before the bubble bursts.

Abbott uses a specialized vocabulary to depict the world of these women, in which epithets and labels undergo bizarre metamorphosis: a Greyhound isn’t a dog, it’s a motorcoach, a “California king” isn’t a monarch, nor is a “Tudor”; the former is an item of furniture (as is a “built-in”), the latter a house, as is a “split-level” and a “ranch” as well as a “rental”; a lynx” isn’t a predatory feline, it’s an expensive coat one obtains in Windsor (I assume because the cat was trapped in Canada too), but you don’t wear a “Dutch warmblood”; you ride it. My favorites were “shearling mules”—after wondering where on earth you find fleecy equine crossbreds, I figured out these are supposed to be bedroom slippers. The sisters also recall labels from undergraduate days, when these women wore Tretorn and K-Swiss shoes. I remembered how Beth and Addy wore Puma shoes in Dare Me. It's appropriate; these middle-aged characters wish they were still teenagers living in a sorority house playing lacrosse for the Wolverines.

The story takes place in 2009, though the great Obama General Motors bailout isn’t mentioned, nor much taking place in real grown-up world. As the narrator remarks, in their imaginations these women are living in a country where Dwight Eisenhower is still president. His cabinet included someone named Charlie Wilson, famous for declaring that “What’s good for General Motors is good for the country.” Which explains the title of the novel. El Dorado isn’t the mythical South American city of gold. Rather it was the biggest most expensive and vulgar model of Cadillac in the tailfin era. There was a ‘50s movie titled “The Solid Gold Cadillac” actually. Now sister Pam is displaying her new status with a gold-colored Lexus. Of course. it’s leased -the sure sign of someone living beyond her means—but at least it’s a better-made car. (The great GM secret was that it cost only a few hundred dollars more to build a Cadillac than their despised el cheapo Chevrolet.)

With Dare Me, Abbott gave us a principal character in Beth Cassidy who almost achieves tragic stature. The only other teen-aged athletes I’ve encountered who reach the same level are Lee in Heather Lewis’s House Rules and Thea Atwell in Anton DeSclafani’s Yonahlosssee Riding Camp for Girls. Perhaps not coincidentally, like Heather in this novel, they are equestrians. I think El Dorado Drive comes closer than any of Abbott’s subsequent books to equalling Dare Me. Unfortunately, there’s a streak of vulgarity in Abbott’s imagination (as we see in the television adaptation of Dare Me, which descended to the level of popular entertainment). But despite a contrived denouement owning more to accident than character, El Dorado Drive is a thoroughly engaging and often amusing story.

3.5 stars rounded down to 3.

I enjoy Megan Abbott's books usually, but this one was just okay. I was compelled to keep going and wanted to find out what happened to Pa, but I felt like this was less of a thriller and more of a family drama. Perhaps that is my own misunderstanding of the author's intentions.

I found Harper to be kind of boring as a protagonist. I just wasn't that invested in what was going on with her. Little hints were dropped throughout about her and Doug and her and Leigh, but I was left mostly unsatisfied. Vivian's character was mostly just annoying to me. The Bishop sisters and their drama as a whole was just lackluster.

The Wheel was an interesting part of the story, and I found it pretty unique when considering other mystery novels I've read (and I've read a lot of them). I thought that was probably the most interesting part of the story.

I did really enjoy the twists at the end, and I did not see them coming, so bravo to the author for that.

Thanks to Net Galley for the book to review.

Sisters Pam, Harper and Debra get entangled in “The Wheel”: a secretive women’s social club that promises financial gifts. Pam, struggling after her divorce from Doug, brings her sisters into the scheme, hoping for a fresh start. But when she’s found dead, the question lingers: was “The Wheel” her salvation or her undoing?

I struggled with this book. Nothing much happened in the first 10% and I grew bored. I couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters, three sisters dealing with their individual issues. There was nothing interesting happening for me to want to pick up my Kindle and continue reading. While I live in the Metro Detroit area and can appreciated the familiar landmarks and locations mentioned, if I'm not hooked at the beginning, my patience is lost.

It began with The Wheel. And greed and desperation. In Grosse Point the effects of the auto industry collapse were far reaching, and included the Bishop sisters—Pam, Debra, and Harper. Their lives of luxury evaporated and what remained was marginal at best. Money became a prized need, an obsession. Enter the ever grinding Wheel and it’s promise of riches. Forget that it was an unsustainable scam. It drew the Bishop sisters in deep and uncovered long held personal and family secrets. When Pam is brutally murder, all is slowly and relentlessly exposed. The suspect list is long, and varied, as are the potential motives and payoffs. No one writes family, and young adult, angst better than Megan Abbott. No one. El Dorado Drive is another stellar example. Once you enter this relentless, slow-burning story it is impossible to set aside. Highly recommended.


DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series and co-creator of The Outliers Writing University

I have mixed feelings about this book. I had been excited to read the story of a woman-run pyramid scheme taking place in Oakland County, Michigan, a place I am quite familiar with. I figured it would be similar in tone to the Lula Roe documentary, maybe by someone with experience in modern MLMs. It turns out that the pyramid scheme is about 30% of the book and the rest of it is a murder mystery.

"The Wheel" is a poorly explained concept... the newest members make a $5000 initial investment but somehow they're immediately able to acquire luxury vehicles and expensive jewelry while they wait for their turn "at the top". How? Does the hostess get a cut? Is there a Finder's Fee when people bring in new "investors"? It doesn't make any sense.

The first few chapters were weird... lots of dialogue that doesn't reflect how people actually talk to each other. There are also odd word choices throughout the book- sometimes it's the use of an ALMOST accurate synonym, sometimes it's an old-fashioned term that hasn't been used in 50 years, sometimes it's just the wrong word altogether. I believe some editing for grammar and word choice would not be out of place.

The author also uses a couple of my literary pet peeves as plot devices:
A. Characters treating a low-stakes problem as if it's actually a high-stakes problem, leading to:
B. Characters taking "desperate measures" to avoid having a simple conversation about their low-stakes problem.

Here, the issue is that Harper borrowed money from her brother-in-law. She asked her sister for help, her sister said no, and her brother-in-law gave her the money. Then her sister and brother-in-law split up. That's the big secret she's so desperate to hide. And she frets that he'll "expose her" to her sister, especially when he starts hinting that he needs to be paid back. Honestly, who TF cares. This is not a high-stakes problem. People borrow money ALL THE TIME. Just tell your sister the truth and get on with your life.

So what did I like? I liked the references to local Michigan businesses and locations. I did not sign up to read a murder mystery book but when El Dorado Drive morphed into one, the author did a great job of presenting several potential suspects with believable motive and opportunity. I raced through this part of the book, looking for clues and building my theory. Unfortunately, Abbott did SUCH a great job of setting up her red herrings that when the killer's identity was revealed (and the circumstances behind the crime), it felt unearned. Very little groundwork had been laid for the plot to turn the way it did, and I found the reveal to be both disappointing and not believable. However, I see plenty of other readers enjoyed this book so YMMV.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion

I honestly did not know what to expect with this book. I thought it was going to be a true mystery. Instead, it was so much more. It was a family drama with multigenerational stories as well as a mystery and also a contemporary story of women of a certain age. It all tied in together very nicely. I really enjoyed this book. I’m the characters were all well developed and the setting in 2008 wi th the financial crisis was the perfect backdrop for the story. I highly recommend this book

This is a quick read. Told only from Harper's POV it delves into family, friendship, and what happens when people get desperate. Harper, Pam and Debra are sisters. They grew up well to do until the automotive businesses in Michigan went under.
Debra and Pam went on to marry OK considering. Pam is now divorced. Her husband Doug a weasel taking money from their kids trusts. Pam never used her college degree. She stayed home and raised the kids. Then comes an opportunity to get money. A pyramid scheme.
Pam ropes Harper in. Harper who struggles the most in every way. She moves in with Pam and becomes enmeshed in this secret world. Then the worst happens and the sisters question if the pyramid scheme (disguised as a women's empowerment group) was a huge mistake.
El Dorado Drive is well written and descriptive. The secrets keep coming towards the end. The fights and feelings between Pam and her daughter Vivian were real and raw. The real villain is desperation. You'll read it all in one sitting. 3.5-4 stars.

I'm a longtime Megan Abbott fan, and EL DORADO DRIVE is a must for any reader's collection! Nobody is better at exposing the cracks in relationships and building suspense than Abbott, especially when it comes to complicated women. I just loved this one!

I love Megan Abbott and was once again so impressed by her skill in writing about women’s relationships. While I think the set up for the plot was good, I felt like everything stayed a bit surface the whole time. I also think there could have been a bit more development on some of the side characters.

This is the first of Megan Abbott’s books I’ve read and I loved it! Her sense of character is excellent and she has an amazing sneaky way of amping up tension before you realize what’s happening. I’ll dig up her backlist next.

Thank you for the opportunity to read el dorado drive! I loved this fast paced, unputdownable book!! It leaves you needing more, therefore I had to stay up reading and binging this! Great read!

Sisters who have fallen on financial hardships are privy to a secret group that gives them the chance to enhance their finances. When something appears to be too good to be true, it probably is and such is the case in this story. Someone is murdered and chaos ensues. I am a huge Megan Abbott fan but this wasn't my favorite. The story kept mentioning a wheel that the women would use to make money but there wasn't really a wheel, so it was kind of confusing. It was more of a pyramid scheme and it just seemed silly. Unfortunately, neither the whole premise nor the characters hooked me and I grew bored. I did finish the book but it probably isn't one that I will remember much going forward. Hopefully Abbott's next book will resonate more with me!

If you enjoy strong family environments in your thrillers, I think you’ll enjoy this one!

I try to navigate away from children, teens, and young adults in thrillers personally, so it is totally on me for not fully understanding and seeing that in the synopsis. Please also know I am picky with thrillers.

I liked the writing style of this book quite a bit and the cover is cool. I think thriller readers who enjoy family dynamics in their books will heavily enjoy this one. It was not personally my favorite, so I am leaving a 3.6 star review rounding up to 4 stars.

Thank you for the opportunity to leave honest feedback voluntarily! I received a free eARC.

El Dorado Drive felt more like a family saga than a traditional thriller. The characters are well fleshed out, and Abbott captures the family's messy, complicated relationships with a lot of nuance. The plot is definitely a slow burn, with storytelling and tone that reminded me of God of the Woods, even though the narrative structure was different. While the first half was slower paced, the second half picked up the pace and kept me guessing until the end.