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Дали жертвата ще бъде Маги – съпругата перфекционист, или Крейг, който никога не оправдава очакванията и? Избягали с децата си от разочароващ живот в Калифорния, двамата се надяват да започнат начисто във Флорида, но демоните от миналото още витаят пред входната им врата.
А може би ще бъде Ник – многоуважаван онколог, или съпругата му Дани – успешен зъболекар? Всеки от тях грижливо пази опасните си тайни. Защо жертвата да не бъде Джулия – възрастна вдовица с проблемен внук? Или пък Оливия и съпругът ѝ – Шон? Загубил работата си в престижна рекламна агенция, той е депресиран и склонен към все по-жестоки фантазии.
А какво да кажем за младоженците Хайди и Ейдън, чийто брак вече е застрашен от постоянната намеса на властната му майка? Интригата съвсем се заплита, когато Хайди се сприятелява с внука на Джулия, подготвяйки почвата за голямо разкритие.
„Разнородна група съседи. Всеки със своите тайни. Всеки със своите белези. И всички имат достъп до оръжие. Джой Филдинг за пореден път забърква зашеметяващ сюжет от наглед най-банални съставки. Ще съжалявате, ако не го прочетете!“ – Amazon
А може би ще бъде Ник – многоуважаван онколог, или съпругата му Дани – успешен зъболекар? Всеки от тях грижливо пази опасните си тайни. Защо жертвата да не бъде Джулия – възрастна вдовица с проблемен внук? Или пък Оливия и съпругът ѝ – Шон? Загубил работата си в престижна рекламна агенция, той е депресиран и склонен към все по-жестоки фантазии.
А какво да кажем за младоженците Хайди и Ейдън, чийто брак вече е застрашен от постоянната намеса на властната му майка? Интригата съвсем се заплита, когато Хайди се сприятелява с внука на Джулия, подготвяйки почвата за голямо разкритие.
„Разнородна група съседи. Всеки със своите тайни. Всеки със своите белези. И всички имат достъп до оръжие. Джой Филдинг за пореден път забърква зашеметяващ сюжет от наглед най-банални съставки. Ще съжалявате, ако не го прочетете!“ – Amazon
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2021
528 people are currently reading
10136 people want to read
About the author
Joy Fielding
121 books2,197 followersJoy Fielding (née Tepperman; born March 18, 1945) is a Canadian novelist and actress. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, she graduated from the University of Toronto in 1966, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. As Joy Tepperman, she had a brief acting career, appearing in the film Winter Kept Us Warm (1965) and in an episode of Gunsmoke. She later changed her last name to Fielding (after Henry Fielding) and began writing novels.
Fielding is also the screenwriter of the television film Golden Will: The Silken Laumann Story.
At the age of 8, Joy Tepperman wrote her first story and sent it into a local magazine, and at age 12 sent in her first TV script, however both were rejected. She had a brief acting career, eventually giving it up to write full-time in 1972. She has published to date 22 novels, two of which were converted into film. Fielding's process of having an idea to the point the novel is finished generally takes a year, the writing itself taking four to eight months. Joy Fielding sets most of her novels in American cities such as Boston and Chicago. She has said that she prefers to set her novels in "big American cities, [as the] landscape seems best for [her] themes of urban alienation and loss of identity. Fielding is a Canadian citizen. Her husband's name is Warren, and they have two daughters, Annie and Shannon. They have property in Toronto, Ontario, as well as Palm Beach, Florida.
Fielding had an interview with the Vancouver Sun in 2007, just after her publication of Heartstopper. She enjoys catching readers off guard with the endings of her stories, but insists that "[it] isn't what her fiction is about", but rather more about the development of her characters. Discussing her novels with the Toronto Star in 2008, she said "I might not write fiction in the literary sense. But I write very well. My characters are good. My dialog is good. And my stories are really involving. I'm writing exactly the kind of books I like to write. And they're the kind of books I like to read. They're popular commercial fiction. That's what they are."
Fielding has been noted as a novelist who is more popular in the United States and foreign countries, rather than in her native Canada. For example, the novel Kiss Mommy Goodbye was more popular in the States, and See Jane Run in Germany. In addition, she had an American agent and publisher, although she has now switched to a Canadian publisher.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, she graduated from the University of Toronto in 1966, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. As Joy Tepperman, she had a brief acting career, appearing in the film Winter Kept Us Warm (1965) and in an episode of Gunsmoke. She later changed her last name to Fielding (after Henry Fielding) and began writing novels.
Fielding is also the screenwriter of the television film Golden Will: The Silken Laumann Story.
At the age of 8, Joy Tepperman wrote her first story and sent it into a local magazine, and at age 12 sent in her first TV script, however both were rejected. She had a brief acting career, eventually giving it up to write full-time in 1972. She has published to date 22 novels, two of which were converted into film. Fielding's process of having an idea to the point the novel is finished generally takes a year, the writing itself taking four to eight months. Joy Fielding sets most of her novels in American cities such as Boston and Chicago. She has said that she prefers to set her novels in "big American cities, [as the] landscape seems best for [her] themes of urban alienation and loss of identity. Fielding is a Canadian citizen. Her husband's name is Warren, and they have two daughters, Annie and Shannon. They have property in Toronto, Ontario, as well as Palm Beach, Florida.
Fielding had an interview with the Vancouver Sun in 2007, just after her publication of Heartstopper. She enjoys catching readers off guard with the endings of her stories, but insists that "[it] isn't what her fiction is about", but rather more about the development of her characters. Discussing her novels with the Toronto Star in 2008, she said "I might not write fiction in the literary sense. But I write very well. My characters are good. My dialog is good. And my stories are really involving. I'm writing exactly the kind of books I like to write. And they're the kind of books I like to read. They're popular commercial fiction. That's what they are."
Fielding has been noted as a novelist who is more popular in the United States and foreign countries, rather than in her native Canada. For example, the novel Kiss Mommy Goodbye was more popular in the States, and See Jane Run in Germany. In addition, she had an American agent and publisher, although she has now switched to a Canadian publisher.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,251 reviews
August 10, 2021
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!
Do you think you know your neighbors? Everyone who lives on this cul-de-sac has a secret. Which one of them is deadly?
Carlyle Terrace is a small cul-de-sac in a quiet neighborhood in Florida. With only 5 houses, there aren’t too many people.
Maggie, along with her husband and two children, have recently moved onto Carlyle Terrace after leaving a traumatic experience in California.
Nick and Dani, doctor and dentist respectively, live with their two younger children and appear standoffish to the rest of the neighbors.
Olivia and Sean are married, and struggling after Sean loses his job. Maybe he has a solution.
Julia is an elderly woman whose grandson, Mark, moves in with her. Mark is troubled, maybe even more than Julia realizes.
Then, there’s Aiden and Heidi, newlyweds who are already having problems in their marriage due to his controlling mother.
On a quiet night in July, one of these people will be shot dead.
I wouldn’t classify this as a mystery/thriller. It’s more along the lines of domestic/neighborhood drama/suspense. Did that bother me? NOT ONE BIT.
I devoured the secrets these characters were keeping, and couldn’t get enough. The use of multiple POVs is handled expertly, with each neighbor’s story leaving me wanting more until their respective chapters came around again. The characters are fully-fleshed out and multi-dimensional...very human. Some I really cared for, others not so much. There’s definitely someone for all readers to love or hate in this gem.
I’ve been reading Joy Fielding’s books for years and have rarely been let down. This is no exception. I absolutely loved it. Scandal, devious behavior, moving/touching moments, a hugely satisfying ending...What more could I ask for?
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This will be available: 8/10/21.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Do you think you know your neighbors? Everyone who lives on this cul-de-sac has a secret. Which one of them is deadly?
Carlyle Terrace is a small cul-de-sac in a quiet neighborhood in Florida. With only 5 houses, there aren’t too many people.
Maggie, along with her husband and two children, have recently moved onto Carlyle Terrace after leaving a traumatic experience in California.
Nick and Dani, doctor and dentist respectively, live with their two younger children and appear standoffish to the rest of the neighbors.
Olivia and Sean are married, and struggling after Sean loses his job. Maybe he has a solution.
Julia is an elderly woman whose grandson, Mark, moves in with her. Mark is troubled, maybe even more than Julia realizes.
Then, there’s Aiden and Heidi, newlyweds who are already having problems in their marriage due to his controlling mother.
On a quiet night in July, one of these people will be shot dead.
I wouldn’t classify this as a mystery/thriller. It’s more along the lines of domestic/neighborhood drama/suspense. Did that bother me? NOT ONE BIT.
I devoured the secrets these characters were keeping, and couldn’t get enough. The use of multiple POVs is handled expertly, with each neighbor’s story leaving me wanting more until their respective chapters came around again. The characters are fully-fleshed out and multi-dimensional...very human. Some I really cared for, others not so much. There’s definitely someone for all readers to love or hate in this gem.
I’ve been reading Joy Fielding’s books for years and have rarely been let down. This is no exception. I absolutely loved it. Scandal, devious behavior, moving/touching moments, a hugely satisfying ending...What more could I ask for?
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This will be available: 8/10/21.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
October 6, 2021
3.5 stars!
Its normally a quiet peaceful street. No one would of believed what happened that July night. It was so shocking. None of their neighbors seemed capable of committing such a cold blooded heinous act. How could this happen?
The street is a cul-de-sac which is a dead end street, like a horseshoe. The street's name is Carlyle Terrace. There are five houses on that street. The neighbors that live on that street are a single mother, and her two children, a doctor and his dentist wife with their two sons, another couple who are married with their three offsprings, a widowed grandmother, and another married couple only married for one year.
"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men"
There were shots that went off in the middle of that July night and no-one would of thought that it was a gun that was held mere inches from its targets head.
All of the neighbors have secrets and have access to guns and not all survive that night.
I did enjoy the first half of the book. There were too many characters to keep track of. This is a domestic drama and a who-dunnit. It did not seem to be a thriller for me. I am not a big fan of these two genres. I am a big thriller fan. I was disappointed because I loved several books of by this author and they were all thrillers.
There were some unlikable characters in this book. My favorite character was Maggie because she would go out of her way to help others. I did enjoy the ending.
I would recommend this book if you enjoy a domestic drama and a who-dunnit. If you enjoy these two genres I think you will love it.
This was a buddy read with Susan. She enjoyed it a lot more than me so go check out her review. I am an outlier on this one.
I want to thank Netgalley, and Ballantine Books for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Its normally a quiet peaceful street. No one would of believed what happened that July night. It was so shocking. None of their neighbors seemed capable of committing such a cold blooded heinous act. How could this happen?
The street is a cul-de-sac which is a dead end street, like a horseshoe. The street's name is Carlyle Terrace. There are five houses on that street. The neighbors that live on that street are a single mother, and her two children, a doctor and his dentist wife with their two sons, another couple who are married with their three offsprings, a widowed grandmother, and another married couple only married for one year.
"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men"
There were shots that went off in the middle of that July night and no-one would of thought that it was a gun that was held mere inches from its targets head.
All of the neighbors have secrets and have access to guns and not all survive that night.
I did enjoy the first half of the book. There were too many characters to keep track of. This is a domestic drama and a who-dunnit. It did not seem to be a thriller for me. I am not a big fan of these two genres. I am a big thriller fan. I was disappointed because I loved several books of by this author and they were all thrillers.
There were some unlikable characters in this book. My favorite character was Maggie because she would go out of her way to help others. I did enjoy the ending.
I would recommend this book if you enjoy a domestic drama and a who-dunnit. If you enjoy these two genres I think you will love it.
This was a buddy read with Susan. She enjoyed it a lot more than me so go check out her review. I am an outlier on this one.
I want to thank Netgalley, and Ballantine Books for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2021
3.5 STARS
A domestic drama set on a street full of mostly unlikeable characters, wack-a-doos with secrets to hide and guns in their closets.
My first by the author and definitely won't be my last, although I had some issues with this one. Many cliched characters and some tropes that I'm completely over (PTSD, hateful MIL, spousal abuse) just to name a few. Maybe if she hadn't piled sooo many on! I enjoy some sarcasm, but it was too excessive and harsh after awhile.
She did a good job of developing the characters even with so many to keep up with. I absolutely despised one of them and I'm sure that was the point. I guessed part of the ending (double cringe). Even though this one fell short for me, I want to read more from the author. She did keep me invested and reading until the end.
Library loan August 2021
A domestic drama set on a street full of mostly unlikeable characters, wack-a-doos with secrets to hide and guns in their closets.
My first by the author and definitely won't be my last, although I had some issues with this one. Many cliched characters and some tropes that I'm completely over (PTSD, hateful MIL, spousal abuse) just to name a few. Maybe if she hadn't piled sooo many on! I enjoy some sarcasm, but it was too excessive and harsh after awhile.
She did a good job of developing the characters even with so many to keep up with. I absolutely despised one of them and I'm sure that was the point. I guessed part of the ending (double cringe). Even though this one fell short for me, I want to read more from the author. She did keep me invested and reading until the end.
Library loan August 2021
August 5, 2021
What is this the year of the neighborhoods gone naughty? So many books with this theme lately.
Asshole men, weak and passive women, and a neighborhood where everyone's locked and loaded does not make for a good book for me.
Here's the thing: I am anti-gun. I don't like them one bit. I have no desire to own one and no desire to ever shoot one. When I hear people start spouting about their 2nd amendment rights I head in the other direction. Simply put, guns aren't my thing.
However, I do realize guns are other peoples things and I'm okay with that assuming they are RESPONSIBLE gun owners.
This book right here based in a neighborhood in Florida is a place where everyone has guns so my first reaction is just....blech! Yet this book is also very anti-gun or I assume anyways because every character in this book is unstable. Not sure if her point was that all gun owners are belligerent assholes or panic stricken weaklings but that's how it came across to me. So as an anti-gun girl this didn't sit right with me but for a pro-gun person I don't think this would sit right with them either. It all got a little too heavy handed.
I will say that the last 25% did have me flipping the pages. I did guess who the victim / perpetrator was early on in the book and was proven right. This one particular storyline just made it very obvious to me. Most everyone in this neighborhood is unlikable except for Julia the 80-something year old resident. She was one cool lady and definitely a bright spot in this book for me. It was well written as Fielding has been at this writing gig for many years and I think so many people are going to love this. My issues are from a completely personal standpoint and will likely not bother other readers. My verdict: Take a spin around the cul-de-sac and watch the fireworks fly! 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my copy.
Asshole men, weak and passive women, and a neighborhood where everyone's locked and loaded does not make for a good book for me.
Here's the thing: I am anti-gun. I don't like them one bit. I have no desire to own one and no desire to ever shoot one. When I hear people start spouting about their 2nd amendment rights I head in the other direction. Simply put, guns aren't my thing.
However, I do realize guns are other peoples things and I'm okay with that assuming they are RESPONSIBLE gun owners.
This book right here based in a neighborhood in Florida is a place where everyone has guns so my first reaction is just....blech! Yet this book is also very anti-gun or I assume anyways because every character in this book is unstable. Not sure if her point was that all gun owners are belligerent assholes or panic stricken weaklings but that's how it came across to me. So as an anti-gun girl this didn't sit right with me but for a pro-gun person I don't think this would sit right with them either. It all got a little too heavy handed.
I will say that the last 25% did have me flipping the pages. I did guess who the victim / perpetrator was early on in the book and was proven right. This one particular storyline just made it very obvious to me. Most everyone in this neighborhood is unlikable except for Julia the 80-something year old resident. She was one cool lady and definitely a bright spot in this book for me. It was well written as Fielding has been at this writing gig for many years and I think so many people are going to love this. My issues are from a completely personal standpoint and will likely not bother other readers. My verdict: Take a spin around the cul-de-sac and watch the fireworks fly! 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my copy.
September 24, 2021
4.5*
Oh what scandalous, delectable fun!
I just adore neighborhood books and this was among the best of them!
A shot rings out in the night. One neighbor is dead. Of course, everyone wants answers.
Although there’s a considerable list of characters in this book, Ms. Fielding did an amazing job of bringing vivid depth and life to all of them. At no time did I have any difficulties keeping them apart.
The storyline unfolds from multiple POV. and I enjoyed them all. Once again, I think we can all agree, no one ever really knows what goes on behind closed doors.
My third read from this author and my favorite to date and can’t wait to see what she conjures up next. Meanwhile, I have an enormous backlog of her books to keep me busy!🤓🍿
Enjoy domestic drama? Make sure this book is on your list!
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for granting my wish.
Oh what scandalous, delectable fun!
I just adore neighborhood books and this was among the best of them!
A shot rings out in the night. One neighbor is dead. Of course, everyone wants answers.
Although there’s a considerable list of characters in this book, Ms. Fielding did an amazing job of bringing vivid depth and life to all of them. At no time did I have any difficulties keeping them apart.
The storyline unfolds from multiple POV. and I enjoyed them all. Once again, I think we can all agree, no one ever really knows what goes on behind closed doors.
My third read from this author and my favorite to date and can’t wait to see what she conjures up next. Meanwhile, I have an enormous backlog of her books to keep me busy!🤓🍿
Enjoy domestic drama? Make sure this book is on your list!
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for granting my wish.
June 24, 2021
If you could flip the lid on some of these upscale homes in Cul De Sac, you'd view some mighty strange goings on. People behaving badly. Every day of the week non-stop.
Joy Fielding has taken a slice of Florida life in the heat of July. Fielding has added a lotta lotta characters to keep track of including their various children. Each household has a kettle of questionable behavior brewing on the back stove burner. And while that is circulating hot steam into the air, a gun shot rings loudly through the neighborhood. Which address can it be traced to?
Palm Beach Gardens seems to be the ideal community especially in regard to a semi-circle of houses situated in proximity to one another. Oddly, the neighbors hardly ever greet one another or raise a hand in recognition. But that's all about to change now. Certain events will cause these individuals to realize that they do need one another. Some more than others. And some will still guard their privacy at all costs.
Fielding has created characters as varied as the flowers in a field. Neighbors range from an elderly widow whose grandson now lives with her to another couple who have just recently separated. There are two married doctors, a former soldier and his wife, and a couple in which the husband lies about the loss of his job. Fielding has packed this one with PTSD, marital trauma, violence, dishonesty, theft, in-law woes, and mega secrets galore. Like Cinderella, you've got to see which fits which household. Oh, and there's got to be fingerprints on that gun. Care to take a guess?
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Random House (Ballantine Books) and to Joy Fielding for the opportunity.
Joy Fielding has taken a slice of Florida life in the heat of July. Fielding has added a lotta lotta characters to keep track of including their various children. Each household has a kettle of questionable behavior brewing on the back stove burner. And while that is circulating hot steam into the air, a gun shot rings loudly through the neighborhood. Which address can it be traced to?
Palm Beach Gardens seems to be the ideal community especially in regard to a semi-circle of houses situated in proximity to one another. Oddly, the neighbors hardly ever greet one another or raise a hand in recognition. But that's all about to change now. Certain events will cause these individuals to realize that they do need one another. Some more than others. And some will still guard their privacy at all costs.
Fielding has created characters as varied as the flowers in a field. Neighbors range from an elderly widow whose grandson now lives with her to another couple who have just recently separated. There are two married doctors, a former soldier and his wife, and a couple in which the husband lies about the loss of his job. Fielding has packed this one with PTSD, marital trauma, violence, dishonesty, theft, in-law woes, and mega secrets galore. Like Cinderella, you've got to see which fits which household. Oh, and there's got to be fingerprints on that gun. Care to take a guess?
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Random House (Ballantine Books) and to Joy Fielding for the opportunity.
July 20, 2021
“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of man?” Is the old motto from the Shadow. Well, it applies here. What a wild story! Everyone in this story has secrets and everyone is pretending to be something they’re not. The cul de sac only has five houses, but, oh, what a wild assortment of folks live there. The chapters alternate between the various neighbors, which helped to keep moving the story along at a brisk pace.
We know from the very first chapter that someone dies but we aren’t told who dies or who kills them. As we get to know them, it would appear that anyone could have been the victim (hell, there were a few I would have gladly shot) and anyone could have committed the crime.
This is just pure entertainment. It’s the kind of story that should be opted as a mini-series for Amazon or Netflix. I heartily recommend this for when you need something really fun.
This is Joy Fielding’s 29th book but the first of hers I’ve read. It won’t be the last!
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
We know from the very first chapter that someone dies but we aren’t told who dies or who kills them. As we get to know them, it would appear that anyone could have been the victim (hell, there were a few I would have gladly shot) and anyone could have committed the crime.
This is just pure entertainment. It’s the kind of story that should be opted as a mini-series for Amazon or Netflix. I heartily recommend this for when you need something really fun.
This is Joy Fielding’s 29th book but the first of hers I’ve read. It won’t be the last!
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
September 7, 2021
Light ‘Em Up.
If you want to see fireworks, come to this neighborhood where fuses are posed to ignite.
With a cast of fifteen prime time players ranging from sympathetic to despicable, there’s ample room for developing frictions and setting off tempers. Facades are about to fall by the wayside.
The book introduces each resident in the five houses by alternating their stories and slowly weaving them together. With so many characters, I outlined the occupants and their relationships which prevented me from having to play catch up with each new chapter starting with a different person.
I was intrigued with all and because of my investment, I enjoyed the tidy ending. Each individual and their lives going forward had loose ends fastened and although slightly predictable, anything different would have left me disappointed.
This was my kind of book. I love colorful characters - whether likable or not, and dysfunction as a side dish. However, I wouldn’t describe it as a thriller but more of a domestic drama with a mystery.
A buddy read with Mary Beth, she wasn’t quite as thrilled as me, so be sure to look for her wonderful review for an alternate opinion.
Heads up for domestic abuse, rape, and firearms discussion.
Hardback purchased at Barnes and Noble.
If you want to see fireworks, come to this neighborhood where fuses are posed to ignite.
With a cast of fifteen prime time players ranging from sympathetic to despicable, there’s ample room for developing frictions and setting off tempers. Facades are about to fall by the wayside.
The book introduces each resident in the five houses by alternating their stories and slowly weaving them together. With so many characters, I outlined the occupants and their relationships which prevented me from having to play catch up with each new chapter starting with a different person.
I was intrigued with all and because of my investment, I enjoyed the tidy ending. Each individual and their lives going forward had loose ends fastened and although slightly predictable, anything different would have left me disappointed.
This was my kind of book. I love colorful characters - whether likable or not, and dysfunction as a side dish. However, I wouldn’t describe it as a thriller but more of a domestic drama with a mystery.
A buddy read with Mary Beth, she wasn’t quite as thrilled as me, so be sure to look for her wonderful review for an alternate opinion.
Heads up for domestic abuse, rape, and firearms discussion.
Hardback purchased at Barnes and Noble.
July 13, 2021
Joy Fielding gives a potpourri of lifestyles in this little cul-de-sac of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Some are abusive, cheaters, liars, thieves, lonesome and some have just giving up on life. There was a constant blend of emotions that left me bitter and unresolved on what to think. You know someone is going to die by a gun in the beginning. It became a board game of Clue deciding which room it would take place in and which character would die or kill someone.
With 5 houses, only one without marital issues and that was due to her being a widow. Maggie & Craig have split up. Their daughter says because she is crazy, which you realize quickly and humorously she talks to herself ....sometimes not realizing aloud in public. Dr. Mick and Dr. Dani have control issues counteracting with abusive behaviors. Olivia and Sean, probably the saddest of the couples because of her denial that anything is wrong...a constant slew of lies brew from his mouth and some weird notions of killing people or himself. Aiden & Heidi have understandable problems because his mother Lisa is the evil puppet master in his marriage and has decided to move in with them.
A quick and fun psychological domestic mystery/thriller which ramps up at the annual neighborhood BBQ, so accept my invitation to join in on this celebration and you decide which one deserves to die...
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group & Ballantine for inviting me to review this book and this is my honest opinion.
With 5 houses, only one without marital issues and that was due to her being a widow. Maggie & Craig have split up. Their daughter says because she is crazy, which you realize quickly and humorously she talks to herself ....sometimes not realizing aloud in public. Dr. Mick and Dr. Dani have control issues counteracting with abusive behaviors. Olivia and Sean, probably the saddest of the couples because of her denial that anything is wrong...a constant slew of lies brew from his mouth and some weird notions of killing people or himself. Aiden & Heidi have understandable problems because his mother Lisa is the evil puppet master in his marriage and has decided to move in with them.
A quick and fun psychological domestic mystery/thriller which ramps up at the annual neighborhood BBQ, so accept my invitation to join in on this celebration and you decide which one deserves to die...
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group & Ballantine for inviting me to review this book and this is my honest opinion.
dnf
September 29, 2021DNF at 30%
Domestic violence, tons of gun talk, and a character having thoughts of family annihilation are just not things I want to spend my free time reading about. I've heard good things about some of the author's other books, so perhaps I will give those a try sometime instead.
Domestic violence, tons of gun talk, and a character having thoughts of family annihilation are just not things I want to spend my free time reading about. I've heard good things about some of the author's other books, so perhaps I will give those a try sometime instead.
August 11, 2021
Actual footage of me every single time I see a house on a book cover . . .
I requested this one from NetGalley quicker than a jackrabbit on a date. The story here is about a cul-de-sac (duh) and a shooting that occurs there one July night after a neighborhood block party. You’ll meet all of the players who live at the end of the street and get to snoop around in all of their closets for random skeletons while trying to figure out the whodunit.
Per my comment with my pal debra below, I’d call this a poor man’s Liane Moriarty. It contains the mystery and the neighbors behaving badly aspect of Big Little Lies, but it wasn’t quite as polished. It turns out Joy Fielding has written a poopton of books . . . but I had only read one of them prior to this. I’ll definitely be picking up more of her stuff in the future – especially if it has a house on it *wink wink*
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
I requested this one from NetGalley quicker than a jackrabbit on a date. The story here is about a cul-de-sac (duh) and a shooting that occurs there one July night after a neighborhood block party. You’ll meet all of the players who live at the end of the street and get to snoop around in all of their closets for random skeletons while trying to figure out the whodunit.
Per my comment with my pal debra below, I’d call this a poor man’s Liane Moriarty. It contains the mystery and the neighbors behaving badly aspect of Big Little Lies, but it wasn’t quite as polished. It turns out Joy Fielding has written a poopton of books . . . but I had only read one of them prior to this. I’ll definitely be picking up more of her stuff in the future – especially if it has a house on it *wink wink*
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
November 20, 2021
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.
July 11, 2024
4.5⭐
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Setting ~ Florida
Publication date ~ August 21, 2021
Est Page Count ~ 364 (p+ 53 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 42 minutes
Narrator ~ Lauren Fortgang
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ secrets, domestic abuse, marital rape
Maggie & Craig ~ have just moved to town, but not without secrets, of course
Dani & Nick ~ are a dentist & doctor respectively. Guess what? they have secrets
Sean & Olivia ~ he’s an unemployed resentful husband and she’s the breadwinner. There wouldn't happen to be any secrets in this household, would there?
Julia ~ a widowed elderly lady has her grandson, Mark, staying with her
Aiden & Heidi ~ are newlyweds with a MIL that Heidi doesn’t get along with. Bet that puts a damper on things.
There are so many POV’s to keep track of, but it’s not hard to do so. You just never know what’s happening behind closed doors, unless they leave the curtain open and you have your binoculars out. Nothing too exciting going on behind mine, in case you were curious. Pretty predictable, but with a super satisfying conclusion
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Setting ~ Florida
Publication date ~ August 21, 2021
Est Page Count ~ 364 (p+ 53 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 42 minutes
Narrator ~ Lauren Fortgang
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ secrets, domestic abuse, marital rape
Maggie & Craig ~ have just moved to town, but not without secrets, of course
Dani & Nick ~ are a dentist & doctor respectively. Guess what? they have secrets
Sean & Olivia ~ he’s an unemployed resentful husband and she’s the breadwinner. There wouldn't happen to be any secrets in this household, would there?
Julia ~ a widowed elderly lady has her grandson, Mark, staying with her
Aiden & Heidi ~ are newlyweds with a MIL that Heidi doesn’t get along with. Bet that puts a damper on things.
There are so many POV’s to keep track of, but it’s not hard to do so. You just never know what’s happening behind closed doors, unless they leave the curtain open and you have your binoculars out. Nothing too exciting going on behind mine, in case you were curious. Pretty predictable, but with a super satisfying conclusion
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
August 10, 2021
I love reading neighborhood dramas as much as family dramas. This book is basically a combination of the two. You just never know what is going on behind closed doors, right? This story had the added bonus of throwing in some thriller and suspense elements into the mix. I hesitate to call it an entertaining read because there are some dark storylines, but I certainly felt invested in the story.
There are five families living in a suburban cul-de-sac. From the get go you find out an important piece of information, someone in the neighborhood was shot in the middle of the night. The story alternates between the different characters and shows what led up to the gunshot as well as the aftermath.
The reason this book was a page turner for me is because it has an intriguing setup in that everyone is a suspect as well as a potential victim. I think the author did a good job at building a case for each character being somehow involved that night. However, at some point I think it does become obvious the direction the story is headed even if I couldn't come up with the details. For that reason, I wouldn't say this book is necessarily a strong thriller/mystery/suspense read, but as a fiction read it held my interest for sure.
I think it is important to note this story has some heavy subjects, abuse and suicidal ideation, which might be triggering for some readers. While I don't normally give trigger warnings in my reviews, I want to mention it in this case because I did find myself feeling uneasy with certain parts of the story. Each person can decide for themselves if it's something they feel comfortable reading about or not.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
There are five families living in a suburban cul-de-sac. From the get go you find out an important piece of information, someone in the neighborhood was shot in the middle of the night. The story alternates between the different characters and shows what led up to the gunshot as well as the aftermath.
The reason this book was a page turner for me is because it has an intriguing setup in that everyone is a suspect as well as a potential victim. I think the author did a good job at building a case for each character being somehow involved that night. However, at some point I think it does become obvious the direction the story is headed even if I couldn't come up with the details. For that reason, I wouldn't say this book is necessarily a strong thriller/mystery/suspense read, but as a fiction read it held my interest for sure.
I think it is important to note this story has some heavy subjects, abuse and suicidal ideation, which might be triggering for some readers. While I don't normally give trigger warnings in my reviews, I want to mention it in this case because I did find myself feeling uneasy with certain parts of the story. Each person can decide for themselves if it's something they feel comfortable reading about or not.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
August 22, 2021
Wife beater. Rape. Surly teen. Cowering victim. Powerless women. Is there anything more despicable? Sure. All Scum and this is right there with em. 0 of 10 stars
August 5, 2023
3 Stars ⭐️ for me
This was my first Joy Fielding novel & I am in a quandary of what to write!!
Did I like it?
No
Reason too many boring moments in the beginning the residents were unlikeable except for Julie, but how could you not like an elderly lady 👵 & GUNS which terrify me living in Australia 🇦🇺 we don’t need them but in America it’s okay to have them.
Now the one positive thing was the last 25% there was actually something thrilling happening I may be an outlier but this was not for me.
This was my first Joy Fielding novel & I am in a quandary of what to write!!
Did I like it?
No
Reason too many boring moments in the beginning the residents were unlikeable except for Julie, but how could you not like an elderly lady 👵 & GUNS which terrify me living in Australia 🇦🇺 we don’t need them but in America it’s okay to have them.
Now the one positive thing was the last 25% there was actually something thrilling happening I may be an outlier but this was not for me.
August 17, 2021
Just about in every town in America you will find cul-de-sacs but in this story there will be a deadly shooting in one of the five almost identical homes and someone won't live to tell their version of what happened on that fateful day.
Who might the shooter and the victim be? Maggie and Craig have only lived in the area for two years and have recently separated leaving Maggie in the home with her two children while dealing with severe PTSD.
Dani and Nick a middle aged couple and their two sons. Dani is a dentist and hansome Nick is an Oncologist and they also have plenty of problems in their marriage as well.
Heidi and Aiden, a lovely young married couple although Aiden also suffers from traumatic episodes of PTSD from serving time in Iraq but another problem is his mother who wants to control every aspect of their lives.
Olivia and Craig, another middle-aged couple with their three children who have always been happy until Craig lost his prestigious job and cannot catch a break at getting hired anywhere and their savings have finally dried up. Craig now suffers from depression and a wounded ego while Olivia stays strong and supportive.
Last but not least, there is Julia who is an elderly widow living alone until her twenty year old grandson moves in with her while carrying a lot of baggage with him including drugs and no job.
One of these homes will suffer and unspeakable tragedy which will leave a devastating effect on all the other people who lived in their very lovely and special CUL-DE-SAC.
This was another terrific novel from Joy Fielding to add to her credits. I am a big fan and started reading her books many years ago and will always continue to seek out any new book that she writes. This book was current and stylish and possibly represent many homes or families and their problems. What fun and drama along the way trying to figure out who will be the shooter and the victim while all their stories unfold. The story was entertaining and so enjoyable that I didn't want to put the book down. The characters were relatable and for the most part likeable while all dealing with different weighty problems. I loved the book and I absolutely recommend it to any domestic mystery/thriller reader.
I want to thank the publisher "Random House Publishing - Ballantine" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book 4 1/2 MARVELOUS 🌟🌟🌟🌟Stars!!
Who might the shooter and the victim be? Maggie and Craig have only lived in the area for two years and have recently separated leaving Maggie in the home with her two children while dealing with severe PTSD.
Dani and Nick a middle aged couple and their two sons. Dani is a dentist and hansome Nick is an Oncologist and they also have plenty of problems in their marriage as well.
Heidi and Aiden, a lovely young married couple although Aiden also suffers from traumatic episodes of PTSD from serving time in Iraq but another problem is his mother who wants to control every aspect of their lives.
Olivia and Craig, another middle-aged couple with their three children who have always been happy until Craig lost his prestigious job and cannot catch a break at getting hired anywhere and their savings have finally dried up. Craig now suffers from depression and a wounded ego while Olivia stays strong and supportive.
Last but not least, there is Julia who is an elderly widow living alone until her twenty year old grandson moves in with her while carrying a lot of baggage with him including drugs and no job.
One of these homes will suffer and unspeakable tragedy which will leave a devastating effect on all the other people who lived in their very lovely and special CUL-DE-SAC.
This was another terrific novel from Joy Fielding to add to her credits. I am a big fan and started reading her books many years ago and will always continue to seek out any new book that she writes. This book was current and stylish and possibly represent many homes or families and their problems. What fun and drama along the way trying to figure out who will be the shooter and the victim while all their stories unfold. The story was entertaining and so enjoyable that I didn't want to put the book down. The characters were relatable and for the most part likeable while all dealing with different weighty problems. I loved the book and I absolutely recommend it to any domestic mystery/thriller reader.
I want to thank the publisher "Random House Publishing - Ballantine" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book 4 1/2 MARVELOUS 🌟🌟🌟🌟Stars!!
August 17, 2021
While this is not the first book to plumb the depths of the dark secrets your neighbors may be keeping, it is definitely a standout. Expertly written, nuanced characters and a carefully interwoven plot about several families in a well-to-do cul-de-sac come together beautifully with a suspenseful tone to make this book a great read.
Joy Fielding does a fantastic job of demonstrating the tension bubbling and brewing under the surface of numerous happy-looking families, making it possible that any of these houses might be the one on the cul-de-sac that has a murder. She builds suspense expertly in each family’s story. There’s the well-respected doctor who may be horrible to his wife behind closed doors….the grandma who’s being robbed by her grandson and urged into assisted living by her selfish kids…the recently laid-off VP who can’t stand his wife being the breadwinner….the recently separated wife on the run from a motorcycle gang (yes, really!) and more! I was really impressed by the way Fielding drew all the characters. She made me care about all of them, and made me switch my opinion of which family would end up resorting to violence several times throughout. She also did a great job of joining some of the characters’ stories together.
Though the real “action” does not take place until the end of the novel, the suspense and thrills throughout are very satisfying. I am always pleased to find a thriller author with writing chops like these, and I will definitely be jumping on Joy Fielding’s next read! Page-turning, suspenseful and thought-provoking.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC! 4+ shiny stars!
Joy Fielding does a fantastic job of demonstrating the tension bubbling and brewing under the surface of numerous happy-looking families, making it possible that any of these houses might be the one on the cul-de-sac that has a murder. She builds suspense expertly in each family’s story. There’s the well-respected doctor who may be horrible to his wife behind closed doors….the grandma who’s being robbed by her grandson and urged into assisted living by her selfish kids…the recently laid-off VP who can’t stand his wife being the breadwinner….the recently separated wife on the run from a motorcycle gang (yes, really!) and more! I was really impressed by the way Fielding drew all the characters. She made me care about all of them, and made me switch my opinion of which family would end up resorting to violence several times throughout. She also did a great job of joining some of the characters’ stories together.
Though the real “action” does not take place until the end of the novel, the suspense and thrills throughout are very satisfying. I am always pleased to find a thriller author with writing chops like these, and I will definitely be jumping on Joy Fielding’s next read! Page-turning, suspenseful and thought-provoking.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC! 4+ shiny stars!
October 20, 2021
4.4 Bright Stars, rounded down.
Man, there is a lot to unpack with this story! Talk about a community full of dysfunctional families! Oddly, that's what made it come across incredibly realistic, and I bought into each family storyline. The controlling, abusive husband. The unemployed husband lying about the plentiful job interviews he's at during the day. The elderly woman being thieved by her grandson. A mother who's lost her spark and confidence, in the process pushing her husband away. A husband who always sides with his mother, over his newlywed wife. All very intriguing story lines that I was captivated by!
By the time I was halfway into the book I was completely enthralled and had to know how everything was resolved and who it was in fact that got shot. I was correct in my prediction, however I did waver a little bit towards the end, which is on account of some great Thriller writing! It took me a little while to get all of the couples and their children correct and by the time that I did I was really connected to each household respectively, although I do believe my favorite character was Maggie as she just seemed to be the most level-headed, despite her issues with paranoia. She was genuine and truly wanted to help it seemed anyone and everyone. I had some issues with how her daughter Erin treated her, but her attitude came off incredible as a 16-year-old. We all know we've been there, and that is the time in our lives we just hate at least one of our parents. Thank God we grow out of it, for the most part! If I did have to give any sort of negative critique of this novel, it would be that there were no lesbian or gay couples, nor were there any couples of color included in this neighborhood which seemed lacking in diversity, but perhaps next time!
I think that this is a book that I went into blind, not really knowing about any of the story lines, and it served me very well in the end. I would recommend this to anyone out there that loves themselves some family drama, a bit of suspense, gossip, and of course, murder mysteries!! Fielding is an author I've only read prior a couple times, but I think I will definitely have to remedy that and go read some of her previous work, her prose and world building in this novel especially were fantastic!
Now that the year is slowly coming to a close, I can say that there have been some phenomenal suspense / thrillers in 2021, this being one of them, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds in the store!!
Man, there is a lot to unpack with this story! Talk about a community full of dysfunctional families! Oddly, that's what made it come across incredibly realistic, and I bought into each family storyline. The controlling, abusive husband. The unemployed husband lying about the plentiful job interviews he's at during the day. The elderly woman being thieved by her grandson. A mother who's lost her spark and confidence, in the process pushing her husband away. A husband who always sides with his mother, over his newlywed wife. All very intriguing story lines that I was captivated by!
By the time I was halfway into the book I was completely enthralled and had to know how everything was resolved and who it was in fact that got shot. I was correct in my prediction, however I did waver a little bit towards the end, which is on account of some great Thriller writing! It took me a little while to get all of the couples and their children correct and by the time that I did I was really connected to each household respectively, although I do believe my favorite character was Maggie as she just seemed to be the most level-headed, despite her issues with paranoia. She was genuine and truly wanted to help it seemed anyone and everyone. I had some issues with how her daughter Erin treated her, but her attitude came off incredible as a 16-year-old. We all know we've been there, and that is the time in our lives we just hate at least one of our parents. Thank God we grow out of it, for the most part! If I did have to give any sort of negative critique of this novel, it would be that there were no lesbian or gay couples, nor were there any couples of color included in this neighborhood which seemed lacking in diversity, but perhaps next time!
I think that this is a book that I went into blind, not really knowing about any of the story lines, and it served me very well in the end. I would recommend this to anyone out there that loves themselves some family drama, a bit of suspense, gossip, and of course, murder mysteries!! Fielding is an author I've only read prior a couple times, but I think I will definitely have to remedy that and go read some of her previous work, her prose and world building in this novel especially were fantastic!
Now that the year is slowly coming to a close, I can say that there have been some phenomenal suspense / thrillers in 2021, this being one of them, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds in the store!!
December 25, 2021
I have been a fan of Joy Fielding’s writing for many years, so I was looking forward to reading Cul-De-Sac.
From the onset of the book, you know someone in the cul de sac is killed, you just don't know who or why.
"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?”
Told through multiple narrators, I thought Fielding handled their individual stories well, though I did get a few of them confused at different points. Depending on what you like,this was more of a slow burn domestic drama/whodunit, rather than a thriller.
There was a big focus on guns, which to be fair, just made you suspect pretty much every character of committing the crime, since they all had access to guns. But I don't particularly want to read about guns, in general. I did guess the perpetrator and victim early on,though it didn't detract from the story.
Although some characters were well fleshed out, many were stereotypical, almost exaggerated tropes, from the annoying mother in law to the controlling, !#%?@! men.
My biggest issue, and I've said it before, I just DO NOT want to read about domestic abuse or any abuse for that matter, especially when it's described in detail, over and over again. It seems very commonplace in many psychological thrillers or suspense books in general, and I truly wish it was labeled with trigger warnings of some kind.
Although relevant social issues were explored,it felt like too many at once, ranging from domestic abuse, mental health issues and post traumatic stress disorder, to name a few.
I know many of my Goodreads buddies loved this, and also saw many reviews that mimicked my own. That is not to say I didn't enjoy the book, there were parts and characters I liked, especially Maggie.
Although this wasn't a home run for me, Joy Fielding is a talented author, and will definitely read more books by her.
Trigger Warning: Explicit Domestic Abuse
From the onset of the book, you know someone in the cul de sac is killed, you just don't know who or why.
"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?”
Told through multiple narrators, I thought Fielding handled their individual stories well, though I did get a few of them confused at different points. Depending on what you like,this was more of a slow burn domestic drama/whodunit, rather than a thriller.
There was a big focus on guns, which to be fair, just made you suspect pretty much every character of committing the crime, since they all had access to guns. But I don't particularly want to read about guns, in general. I did guess the perpetrator and victim early on,though it didn't detract from the story.
Although some characters were well fleshed out, many were stereotypical, almost exaggerated tropes, from the annoying mother in law to the controlling, !#%?@! men.
My biggest issue, and I've said it before, I just DO NOT want to read about domestic abuse or any abuse for that matter, especially when it's described in detail, over and over again. It seems very commonplace in many psychological thrillers or suspense books in general, and I truly wish it was labeled with trigger warnings of some kind.
Although relevant social issues were explored,it felt like too many at once, ranging from domestic abuse, mental health issues and post traumatic stress disorder, to name a few.
I know many of my Goodreads buddies loved this, and also saw many reviews that mimicked my own. That is not to say I didn't enjoy the book, there were parts and characters I liked, especially Maggie.
Although this wasn't a home run for me, Joy Fielding is a talented author, and will definitely read more books by her.
Trigger Warning: Explicit Domestic Abuse
August 1, 2021
In Cul-de-sac, Fielding has brought us a psychological drama giving us an in-depth look into the lives of five families living in a residential area of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. At first glance it seems these people are living a perfect life in their quiet cul-de-sac. But in the sultry summer heat of July, something bad is about to happen to someone living here.
The reader learns quickly that there are problems lurking inside these homes. Single mother Maggie suffers from PTSD from a previous trauma in her life which has chased husband Craig away from his family.
Neighbors Nick and Nora are well-off with careers as an oncologist and a dentist. However, behind the façade of their seemingly perfect life lurks something ugly.
Then there is the elderly widow Julia whose grandson is living with her. Julia is my favorite character whose wit and sense of humor continually infuriate her only child. He wants to move her to retirement home where she has no intention of going.
Olivia and Sean have recently switched roles when Sean lost his prominent position and Olivia went back to work. Sean is now playing househusband and quickly spirally downward into drinking and lies.
Newlyweds Alden and Heidi are not living the newlywed dream with Alden’s evil mother running their lives. Alden loves his wife, but Heidi is at her wit’s end and has had enough.
The recurring theme in this book is that everyone has a gun, so someone is going to die.
Although this story is told in multiple POVs, I had no trouble following along, and in fact, devoured it, wanting to know what was going to happen. What a great, fun read for me living in south Florida to read in July! Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I gave it four stars!
The reader learns quickly that there are problems lurking inside these homes. Single mother Maggie suffers from PTSD from a previous trauma in her life which has chased husband Craig away from his family.
Neighbors Nick and Nora are well-off with careers as an oncologist and a dentist. However, behind the façade of their seemingly perfect life lurks something ugly.
Then there is the elderly widow Julia whose grandson is living with her. Julia is my favorite character whose wit and sense of humor continually infuriate her only child. He wants to move her to retirement home where she has no intention of going.
Olivia and Sean have recently switched roles when Sean lost his prominent position and Olivia went back to work. Sean is now playing househusband and quickly spirally downward into drinking and lies.
Newlyweds Alden and Heidi are not living the newlywed dream with Alden’s evil mother running their lives. Alden loves his wife, but Heidi is at her wit’s end and has had enough.
The recurring theme in this book is that everyone has a gun, so someone is going to die.
Although this story is told in multiple POVs, I had no trouble following along, and in fact, devoured it, wanting to know what was going to happen. What a great, fun read for me living in south Florida to read in July! Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I gave it four stars!
August 7, 2021
There are five identical two-story homes on Carlyle Terrace, a small tree-lined cul-de-sac in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Nothing too noteworthy about the street. It isn’t part of one of the many luxurious gated communities located throughout the area. But on a July evening in this quiet place, someone is going to be shot and killed. The specter of death looms throughout Joy Fielding’s latest domestic thriller, Cul-de-sac.
No one would ever suspect that this small street is brimming with family problems. Maggie, with husband Craig and their children, moved to the area to escape a threatening situation in LA. She now carries a gun everywhere she goes. Her husband can no longer handle her paranoia and has left the house. Sean has lost his job while wife Olivia’s career is thriving. He turns to alcohol to drown his frustrations. Nick is a highly respected doctor married to Dani, a successful dentist. The seemingly perfect couple has their own secrets. Eighty-four year old Julia’s son wants to put her in assisted living. When her troubled grandson comes to live with her, he is more interested in stealing from her than anything else. And Heidi is unable to enjoy married life with Aiden as she tries to deal with his meddlesome mother and his PTSD. Each household is troubled. Each household has a gun inside it. Fielding does a fine job telling the stories behind each locked door keeping you guessing as to who will be the one carried off in a stretcher in the end.
This is Joy Fielding’s 29th book. She may be one of those author’s you recall your mother reading. (My mother introduced me to her books quite a while ago.) But Fielding has kept current and has written what might just be her best book in years.
Many thanks to Ballantine Books / Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this enjoyably suspenseful book in advance of its August 10, 2021 publication.
Rated 4.5 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
No one would ever suspect that this small street is brimming with family problems. Maggie, with husband Craig and their children, moved to the area to escape a threatening situation in LA. She now carries a gun everywhere she goes. Her husband can no longer handle her paranoia and has left the house. Sean has lost his job while wife Olivia’s career is thriving. He turns to alcohol to drown his frustrations. Nick is a highly respected doctor married to Dani, a successful dentist. The seemingly perfect couple has their own secrets. Eighty-four year old Julia’s son wants to put her in assisted living. When her troubled grandson comes to live with her, he is more interested in stealing from her than anything else. And Heidi is unable to enjoy married life with Aiden as she tries to deal with his meddlesome mother and his PTSD. Each household is troubled. Each household has a gun inside it. Fielding does a fine job telling the stories behind each locked door keeping you guessing as to who will be the one carried off in a stretcher in the end.
This is Joy Fielding’s 29th book. She may be one of those author’s you recall your mother reading. (My mother introduced me to her books quite a while ago.) But Fielding has kept current and has written what might just be her best book in years.
Many thanks to Ballantine Books / Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this enjoyably suspenseful book in advance of its August 10, 2021 publication.
Rated 4.5 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
June 19, 2021
This book is about 5 families all living on a middle class cul-de-sac. Someone is shot, and all the neighbors have access to guns. It goes through each neighbor's circumstances as secrets and lies are revealed. As you read along, you get to know all these characters. There's definitely alot of them, but the author handled it so well. Such a juicy, thrilling, and dramatic read. I enjoyed this book so much.
There are some triggers in this book such as sexual assault, and domestic violence!
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted egalley for an honest review, all opinions are my own!
There are some triggers in this book such as sexual assault, and domestic violence!
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted egalley for an honest review, all opinions are my own!
March 24, 2022
Solid family drama with a little bit of mystery mixed in.
December 5, 2025
It's been a long time since I read a Joy Fielding novel, nearly 10 years I think. I've added her more recent ones to my Want to Read list but it's the usual "too many books, not enough time" holding me back. I spotted Cul de Sac at the library and decided it was time to revisit this Canadian author. I enjoyed the book but it was much longer than I expected. This isn't a mystery or a thriller, more of a domestic/neighbourhood drama. All the characters reside in a small residential cul-de-sac in Florida and everybody seems to have at least one secret. The book is told from the points of view of the various neighbours and emphasizes the fact that you never know what's going on behind closed doors. It's well written and, although not really exciting, it's a satisfying read.
Thanks to the London Public Library for the loan of this book.
Thanks to the London Public Library for the loan of this book.
August 19, 2021
Hooked from the first page, this incredibly intense story begins with a description of a group of families who all live in houses on a cul-de-sac discussing the shots fired and the death which occurred the night before.
The story then moves backwards and explains the varied lives and relationships of the families living on the street and their interactions and secrets with each other up until the sudden gunshot from the early morning hours before.
First we have Nick, a highly respected doctor and his wife Dani, a southern belle who is a dentist. Nick has a tendency to pick at his wife’s pronunciation feeling her southern slang is tacky. They have two young children, both boys. From the outside looking in they seem to be the all-American family, but when the doors close, they are anything but. Nick, by the way has a gun collection.
Sean and Olivia are next. Sean is a miserable stay at home dad. He was laid off from his executive position over a year ago and has been unable to find work. Olivia, his wife, was fortunately able to get her lucrative job back at the advertising firm she worked at prior to having their children. Sean has become extremely depressed and is secretly drinking and lying to Olivia about finding work. As his anger towards everything and everyone escalates, he considers buying a gun.
Julia is an elderly widow whose husband died of cancer. Nick was his doctor. She is incredibly indebted to him. Her relationship with her only son is a bit strained, as is his son’s relationship with his own son, Mark, a man in his early twenties who would rather steal from wallets and pawn jewelry for drugs rather than get a job. Julia takes Mark in as he has nowhere to go. While rifling through old things, Mark finds his late grandfather’s gun.
Craig and Maggie found themselves living on the cul-de-sac after an incident occurred with Maggie and the family was being harassed. They were so affected they moved to another state. But Maggie’s personality changed because of what happened. She has become fearful and paranoid of everything and everyone, to the point where Craig has moved out, unable to live with her anymore. They have two children, a rebellious teenager and a young boy. Maggie secretly carries a gun in her purse everywhere she goes and keeps it by her bedside at night.
Finally, newlyweds Heidi and Aiden are happily in love, except for the fact that Aiden’s mother dislikes Heidi and is super rich and has basically bought them everything they own, even the house where they are living. This has put incredible pressure on the couple who both work at the mall and without her help could barely make ends meet. To add to their stress, Aiden sees a therapist for PSTD from what he saw during combat in the war. As his stress increases, it seems so do his flashbacks.
So here are the cast of characters who live on this beautiful street, some of whom have unbearable deep rooted secrets. As they begin to interact and get to know each other, some of the secrets begin to fall out of the houses and into the streets where others can see. So which of these neighbors will finally snap? And who is the victim?
Cul-De-Sac reads like an updated version of Peyton Place or Knot’s Landing, where the dark secrets run deep and the gossip flows like good wine! Quite the page turner!
Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #Cul-De-Sac #JoyFielding for the advanced copy.
The story then moves backwards and explains the varied lives and relationships of the families living on the street and their interactions and secrets with each other up until the sudden gunshot from the early morning hours before.
First we have Nick, a highly respected doctor and his wife Dani, a southern belle who is a dentist. Nick has a tendency to pick at his wife’s pronunciation feeling her southern slang is tacky. They have two young children, both boys. From the outside looking in they seem to be the all-American family, but when the doors close, they are anything but. Nick, by the way has a gun collection.
Sean and Olivia are next. Sean is a miserable stay at home dad. He was laid off from his executive position over a year ago and has been unable to find work. Olivia, his wife, was fortunately able to get her lucrative job back at the advertising firm she worked at prior to having their children. Sean has become extremely depressed and is secretly drinking and lying to Olivia about finding work. As his anger towards everything and everyone escalates, he considers buying a gun.
Julia is an elderly widow whose husband died of cancer. Nick was his doctor. She is incredibly indebted to him. Her relationship with her only son is a bit strained, as is his son’s relationship with his own son, Mark, a man in his early twenties who would rather steal from wallets and pawn jewelry for drugs rather than get a job. Julia takes Mark in as he has nowhere to go. While rifling through old things, Mark finds his late grandfather’s gun.
Craig and Maggie found themselves living on the cul-de-sac after an incident occurred with Maggie and the family was being harassed. They were so affected they moved to another state. But Maggie’s personality changed because of what happened. She has become fearful and paranoid of everything and everyone, to the point where Craig has moved out, unable to live with her anymore. They have two children, a rebellious teenager and a young boy. Maggie secretly carries a gun in her purse everywhere she goes and keeps it by her bedside at night.
Finally, newlyweds Heidi and Aiden are happily in love, except for the fact that Aiden’s mother dislikes Heidi and is super rich and has basically bought them everything they own, even the house where they are living. This has put incredible pressure on the couple who both work at the mall and without her help could barely make ends meet. To add to their stress, Aiden sees a therapist for PSTD from what he saw during combat in the war. As his stress increases, it seems so do his flashbacks.
So here are the cast of characters who live on this beautiful street, some of whom have unbearable deep rooted secrets. As they begin to interact and get to know each other, some of the secrets begin to fall out of the houses and into the streets where others can see. So which of these neighbors will finally snap? And who is the victim?
Cul-De-Sac reads like an updated version of Peyton Place or Knot’s Landing, where the dark secrets run deep and the gossip flows like good wine! Quite the page turner!
Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #Cul-De-Sac #JoyFielding for the advanced copy.
February 28, 2022
3.75 Stars Rounded Up
Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence, PTSD, Guns
Joy Fielding delivers 5 star writing capabilities, so why did I knock off a point? This book is a not so thinly veiled treatice against gun ownership. Fielding incorporates statistics, school shooting commentary and other "fun" facts in her efforts to convince people that there is no room for gun ownership within a community setting. She portrays who own a gun are mentally unstable and/or less than average decision making skills particularly on when to handle a gun and what reasons to have one nearby, demonstrating poor judgment calls and provoking dangerous situation to unfold.
As a survivor of multiple heinous situations, I kept thinking that the author would change her tune if she had experiences at least one of the crimes I lived through, btw, I don't own a gun but I don't judge anyone who does. Also, that author's agenda was obvious. I have written about "agenda" books and generally I DNF them. I debated about it especially after reading page 179, but she wrote such compelling characters, I wanted to know what happens to the people of Carlyle Terrace. Towards the end, she gave a list of all the ways one can legally end their gun ownership in great detail.
What I did like included: well developed, flawed characters; interesting dynamics between the characters; the various life challenges that each family had to handle; the evolving and dynamic plotting; and as already mentioned, Fieldings talented writing.
I would recommend this book to those who like strong, interesting characters and drama involving family relationships. I'll read Fielding again.
Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence, PTSD, Guns
Joy Fielding delivers 5 star writing capabilities, so why did I knock off a point? This book is a not so thinly veiled treatice against gun ownership. Fielding incorporates statistics, school shooting commentary and other "fun" facts in her efforts to convince people that there is no room for gun ownership within a community setting. She portrays who own a gun are mentally unstable and/or less than average decision making skills particularly on when to handle a gun and what reasons to have one nearby, demonstrating poor judgment calls and provoking dangerous situation to unfold.
As a survivor of multiple heinous situations, I kept thinking that the author would change her tune if she had experiences at least one of the crimes I lived through, btw, I don't own a gun but I don't judge anyone who does. Also, that author's agenda was obvious. I have written about "agenda" books and generally I DNF them. I debated about it especially after reading page 179, but she wrote such compelling characters, I wanted to know what happens to the people of Carlyle Terrace. Towards the end, she gave a list of all the ways one can legally end their gun ownership in great detail.
What I did like included: well developed, flawed characters; interesting dynamics between the characters; the various life challenges that each family had to handle; the evolving and dynamic plotting; and as already mentioned, Fieldings talented writing.
I would recommend this book to those who like strong, interesting characters and drama involving family relationships. I'll read Fielding again.
November 10, 2021
I loved this book. I always enjoy books that are about seemingly normal people and what their lives are really like behind closed doors.
In this book you are following the lives of characters living in a cul-de-sac. From the outside they all seem like perfectly normal people. You have the elderly woman who's grandson lives with her to help her, two prestigious doctors and their idyllic children, a stay at home dad and his wife, the newly divorced mother trying to find her way, and the newly married young couple.
In the beginning you know that one of the characters has died. Flashback to before the murder and the characters start telling their stories about their lives.
The character development is so good. The author does a great job of really making you feel certain ways about the characters. Some of them I wept for and some of them I wanted to tell off in real life. There were parts of this story where my heart ached. The author also does a great job of leading you to the climax without giving away too much. You feel like any of the characters could be responsible and I was shocked by the ending.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read more of her work.
In this book you are following the lives of characters living in a cul-de-sac. From the outside they all seem like perfectly normal people. You have the elderly woman who's grandson lives with her to help her, two prestigious doctors and their idyllic children, a stay at home dad and his wife, the newly divorced mother trying to find her way, and the newly married young couple.
In the beginning you know that one of the characters has died. Flashback to before the murder and the characters start telling their stories about their lives.
The character development is so good. The author does a great job of really making you feel certain ways about the characters. Some of them I wept for and some of them I wanted to tell off in real life. There were parts of this story where my heart ached. The author also does a great job of leading you to the climax without giving away too much. You feel like any of the characters could be responsible and I was shocked by the ending.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read more of her work.
August 18, 2021
This book falls into my top 10 books I’ve read this year. Five families live on a quiet cul-de-sac and the reader becomes acquainted with each family. From the prologue you know someone will die at the end of the story. By the end of the story, you aren’t sure who will die, but there are several possibilities. Favorite characters were Maggie and the older woman, Julie.
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