This was a tense and wild ride. Truly a suspenseful book that had me on the edge of my seat - especially for the second half of the book!

Debra, Harper, and Pam grew up in the heyday of the auto industry in Michigan, living lavishly in an affluent suburb until mass layoffs impacted their family. Fast forward to nearly two decades later and each of the Bishop sisters has their own set of money problems. Debra’s husband’s cancer treatments are racking up massive amounts of medical debt; Pam’s acrimonious divorce left her penniless and scrounging to cover the costs of supporting her teenage kids through high school and college alone; and Harper hit rock bottom after a relationship went awry, leaving her cash-strapped, working a low wage job, and living with her sister. That is when the sisters find out about the Wheel, a sisterhood of middle-aged women who lift each other up - and a way to make lots of money quickly. What started out as a way out of their money problems quickly turns into their worst nightmare.

It was a bit slow for about the first part of the book, while they build out the suburban world and characters, but then it quickly picks up. It was fairly interesting read, especially since it wasn’t your average suspenseful mystery. Instead, it mixes in family drama while also being a deep character study on the three sisters, especially focused on Harper. I also loved how realistic the rotating cast of characters felt, all tied by their desperation and turmoil caused by financial burdens. I felt really satisfied by the end twist and the surprise bonus twist. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC!

Classic Meg Abbot—a story centering women and their relationships with each other. This time it’s the Bishop sisters, who struggle with money and relationships. They see a bit of reprieve with a club called “the wheel,” but obviously getting out of their debt won’t be that easy. My favorite thing about Abbott is the voice she uses for her characters, and how the thriller is secondary to the women’s’ relationships.

Three sisters with money problems become part of a club that is a glorified pyramid scheme, hoping for an easy answer to their problems. But instead it turns deadly, with various suspects. this was a fast read, sometimes overtrivalizing issues and wasn't sure what it wanted to be, a mystery, an expose or a story of childhood dynamics spilling into the present. This made it harder for me to care, so it was ok for me, i did skim parts of it to get to the ending 3.5

Megan Abbott's El Dorado Drive, due for release in July 2025, is a thrilling, deeply human dive into the complex lives of the Bishop sisters as they navigate the unraveling of their privileged past. This book is a tightrope walk of power, vulnerability, and the tight bonds between sisters—along with the darker secrets that lurk just beneath the surface.

The Bishop sisters, Harper, Pam, and Debra, are a fascinating trio. They grew up in the cushioned comfort of Detroit’s wealthy suburbs, but as the auto industry falters, so does their family fortune. Harper, struggling to make ends meet, is reluctantly pulled into a dangerous new venture when her sisters bring her into "The Wheel", an exclusive club promising women like them a way to regain financial independence. The club’s allure is powerful, but its intoxicating grip soon leads them down a dangerous path. As the story unfolds, so do the complex secrets these women hold—not only from the world around them but from each other.

Exploring all the characters, each with their own troubles, slowly reveals how the secrets sisters share with one another are often the same ones they desperately hide. The emotional tension is palpable. At times, you feel the pull between their love and betrayal, with each sister’s actions shaped by desperation and the desire to reclaim what was lost. The novel is layered, providing a deep look at how external pressures—like money, success, family, and societal expectations—can drive women to the edge, making them question their morality, their bonds, and their very sense of identity.

While I absolutely loved the way Abbott intertwines power dynamics and the raw emotions of these women, El Dorado Drive isn't without its darker moments. The book is suspenseful and at times heavy, particularly as the sisters’ participation in "The Wheel" escalates into something far more dangerous than they could have anticipated.

This book was absolutely a slow burn, but never boring. Abbott knew what she was doing and set this one up perfectly. I found myself hooked from the first chapter, but what truly kept me turning the pages was Abbott's ability to capture the complicated dance of sisterhood—love, rivalry, guilt, and betrayal all rolled into one. You’ll be rooting for these women, even as they teeter on the edge of their own undoing.

With its masterful portrayal of ambition, loss, and the lengths we go to for survival, El Dorado Drive is an intense, gripping read. Megan Abbott once again proves that she knows how to explore the dark, twisted undercurrents of human relationships. I give it 4 out of 5 stars—a thrilling, thought-provoking ride that will keep readers questioning how far they would go for another chance at a life they once knew, one that can't be taken away.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons, for sharing this eARC with me in exchange for an honest review. My review is based off an uncorrected copy, but this did not sway my opinions in any way.

This was the third book I picked up by this author and now I'm very sure that Megan Abbott's books are not for me.
I do tend to love domestic thrillers involving family drama, especially. But something about Abbott's writing or choice of character's development that just don't clique with me.
I cannot pinpoint exactly what I didn't like about this book. I just got a little bored. I couldn't relate or connect with the characters, so I ended up not caring for what was going on with their lives and struggles and dramas.
I'd say that if you have ever read a book by this author and enjoyed, pick this one up. I'm sure this book will please many other readers. It just wasn't for me.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 stars. .

Debra, Pam and Harper Bishop grew up in the moneyed suburb of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, but as the auto industry declined does did the fortunes of their family. Their dad lost his high paying job when the girls were in college and there went grad school, the fancy clubs and any inheritance they might have expected. Now Debra has a disabled husband and a ne’er do well college age son, Pam is the victim of a contentious divorce and has a son in college, a daughter in high school and not a dime to spare and Harper has a low paying job at the local hunt club and is living with Pam.

But then along comes The Wheel, a way for middle-aged women to make their own money. It seems like the answer to the sisters’ prayers…right before it becomes a nightmare.

I almost always like Abbott’s books and this was no exception, except for one kinda big problem. These are not stupid women. How is it that they do not understand how insane this is? However, if you can set that aside, the economic depression we are in is a great topic…there are too many books out there about moneyed women and not enough about the Debras, Pams and Harpers, who aren’t starving to death, but who are not thriving, either, but are trying to keep up appearances. Really enjoyed this aspect.

I loved this one so much! Abbott is so skilled in her writing and I could not put this down. If you love domestic thrillers this is the one for you

Not my favorite book by MEGAN abbott, but she is a favorite among our patrons at the library Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

This book was slow to start. I honestly had a hard time keeping track of who was who and how they knew each other. It did pick up when they started playing the airplane game and we slowly learned more details about everyone’s back story. I still don’t know how all these women had so much cash or hand or couldn’t guess that it would collapse. People do fall for it in real life though!

I felt like to ended a little abruptly and honestly, fewer people got in trouble than I would have guess but I guess that’s true to how law enforcement works.

This is the second book I have read by Megan Abbott. I read the first years ago. I really ended up enjoying this thriller. I so enjoyed the author's writing style. I always love a book with family drama. I loved reading about the Bishop sisters. 3.5 stars.

First off thank you in advance for the advanced readers copy all opinions are my own.

This book did not work for me. I didn’t enjoy the way it was written, and I didn’t really care for the plot.

At about 30% I started to get bored and I DNF it at 47%

It might work for some people, but the writing just wasn’t for me

Unsettling in the best of ways, EL DORADO DRIVE delivers on its fantastic premise. This is a smart, clever novel, as we have grown to expect from Megan Abbott. While not super fast paced, the story does move along nicely. I especially enjoyed how Abbott explores the private desires and motivations of the women involved in the scheme. There is also a nice twist toward the end. Highly recommended for fans of literary thrillers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

This was my second Megan Abbott book and while I liked it a lot more than the first one I’ve read, I still struggled a bit with it. The characters were unlikable, the story and pyramid scheme was interesting but overall it dragged. I felt like it could’ve been a little shorter. I will say that I did not see the full twist coming so the ending was satisfying.

This book got off to a slow start but was ultimately very satisfying. It centers on a whole family, but primarily one sister named Harper. Harper and her 2 sisters grew up with privilege but lost their wealth when the automotive industry took a dive and caused their dad to lose his job. A couple decades later, all 3 women are still struggling with recapturing the financial freedom they once had. One sister, Pam, gets all of them into a pyramid scheme called the Wheel, in order to make money quickly.

Of course, the Wheel is a bad idea, but it’s really interesting to get deep into the dynamics of the sisters and their families. The author does a good job at creating really authentic relationships between the characters. I particularly liked Pam’s daughter Vivian’s story. I enjoyed the foreshadowing throughout where Harper lets the reader in on premonitions she had when various things happened. The murder was shocking and I didn’t expect it, and the mystery around who did it was sound. I liked the way it ended and felt like loose ends were tied up (for the most part). I was not super clear on when this story took place, which maybe I just missed, but found myself looking for clues into the timeline.

Overall, this is a mystery and a family drama all tied up in one. Despite it taking me a while to get into the book, once I did, it was a wild ride. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a bit to get into this but once I did I couldn't put it down! It's a really interesting plot with a pyram8d scheme and murder.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Love everything by this author. Always suspenseful, fast paced and sorry to fet to the final page. GReat story great intrigue and great entertainment.

This was not my favorite Megan Abbott title but I did enjoy the characters, and the many twists and turns of the plots. The dynamics among the sisters were interesting, especially seeing how each one reacted to feeling desperate and backed into a corner. I did not see the ending coming. Overall, I enjoyed it and it is easy to get into.

Megan Abbott’s latest novel had so much potential with its MLM-inspired thriller premise, but it didn’t quite deliver. The story unfolds too slowly, lacking the drama and tension needed to make it truly gripping. While the sisterly dynamics felt authentic and the ending had a satisfying twist, the overall execution fell flat. I kept reading out of curiosity, but I wished for more suspense and excitement along the way.

Yet again, Megan Abbott makes me supremely uncomfortable.

In El Dorado Drive, Abbot brings us a trio of sisters who get deeper and deeper into some very troubling waters.

I liked each of our sisters (though one more than the others). But even as I liked reading them, I didn't really want to know any of them.

As you read, you're tense. It becomes clear that things are going to spiral tragically out of control - you just don't know who might survive.

I couldn't decide whether some of the women it the book were stupidly blind or purposely blind. I mean the pyramid scheme (or triangle as they lie to themselves lol) was super obvious. But the author does give us a sense of the desperation that would lead people to chance something they know is going to end up bad.

I liked the book. As uncomfortable as the characters made me, and oh I despaired for some of them, I did enjoy this.

Megan Abbott is a master of subtle unease. The discomfort she is able to cultivate contributes to an overall sense of dread that pulls the reader through the story, like a crooked finger. I cannot wait for the release so I can buy a trophy copy for my shelf.