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Raven Lane
The truth can bring out the worst in the best of friends. Esme and Benedict Werner have an idyllic life in a tight-knit community until an accident in their cul-de-sac ends in the tragic sudden death of one of their dearest neighbors. After vindicating eyewitness accounts morph into contradictory memories, suspicion, and unaccountable accusations, Benedict is arrested. Esme’s life, too, is changed forever. As the neighborhood largely turns against her and her family, Esme has time to think about her past and what to do next. Then her fellow residents start looking deeper, questioning one another, and themselves, about hidden lies and betrayals. Esme has more than her share of secrets. And the consequences of what happened on that fateful late-summer evening on Raven Lane are far from over. When the mask of civility slips, can friends and neighbors recover from seeing the monstrous truths beneath?
288 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2019
532 people are currently reading
2763 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
September 28, 2019
Raven Lane by Amber Cowie was a book that I had high hopes for. And it started really well.. As the story went along though I started to lose interest and by the end I didn't really care for any of the characters or what happened to them. The idea of the book really appealed to me but the execution did not. In saying that I did not hate this book, I just hoped for more from it.
Raven Lane is a tight knit community where everybody knows each other and their business. Esme and Benedict appear to have a charmed life. Money, a beautiful house and a smart daughter. Until one night when Benedict hits one of the neighbours with his car. As the police investigate the couple secrets and those of the neighbours come to light. When the neighbour dies, Benedict is arrested for murder.
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
Raven Lane is a tight knit community where everybody knows each other and their business. Esme and Benedict appear to have a charmed life. Money, a beautiful house and a smart daughter. Until one night when Benedict hits one of the neighbours with his car. As the police investigate the couple secrets and those of the neighbours come to light. When the neighbour dies, Benedict is arrested for murder.
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
June 3, 2019
Raven Lane by Amber Cowie is a thriller novel with an average storyline. The suspenseful ending is a bit unorthodox, but it isn't enough to revive the stereotypical plot involving rich people with their drugs, and love triangles, and whatever follows.
Across the length of the book, I encountered two grave mistakes. Firstly, in one of the scenes, a character picks up her phone to do something, but ends up putting back her laptop when distracted with something else. Unless this was magical realism or some sort of fantasy that I failed to grasp, the phone should have remained as such. Secondly, and more importantly, the author seems to have messed up with one of the chief character's name. Head chef Anthony is introduced with a family name Cole, but he becomes a King as soon you turn a few pages. A huge oversight on part of the author and the beta-readers!
Who is to say there aren't more such mistakes? I'd highly recommend a few more sessions of proofreads before the text is sent for publishing.
What I really liked in this book is the prose within the prose. During the course of the story, the chief character (I am deliberately not calling her the protagonist, or the antagonist, if you know what I mean! And that is all you're going to get from my review as far as spoilers are concerned!) reads a bestselling fantasy novel penned by one of her neighbors. The author has done a good job to relate it to the main storyline.
Thanks to the author and the publisher for the ARC.
Verdict: Read it for its ending.
Across the length of the book, I encountered two grave mistakes. Firstly, in one of the scenes, a character picks up her phone to do something, but ends up putting back her laptop when distracted with something else. Unless this was magical realism or some sort of fantasy that I failed to grasp, the phone should have remained as such. Secondly, and more importantly, the author seems to have messed up with one of the chief character's name. Head chef Anthony is introduced with a family name Cole, but he becomes a King as soon you turn a few pages. A huge oversight on part of the author and the beta-readers!
Who is to say there aren't more such mistakes? I'd highly recommend a few more sessions of proofreads before the text is sent for publishing.
What I really liked in this book is the prose within the prose. During the course of the story, the chief character (I am deliberately not calling her the protagonist, or the antagonist, if you know what I mean! And that is all you're going to get from my review as far as spoilers are concerned!) reads a bestselling fantasy novel penned by one of her neighbors. The author has done a good job to relate it to the main storyline.
Thanks to the author and the publisher for the ARC.
Verdict: Read it for its ending.
September 5, 2020
A story about the secrets that we try to hide, but that always eventually come to light. Dark, character-driven, and addictive!
There were so many juicy and salacious secrets that came out in this story! Amber Cowie really delivered a suspenseful book filled with dark pasts and hidden truths. I would call this more of a character-study than an outright psychological thriller, though there are certainly some twists. Primarily, though, this is a story fueled by the character development more than the action. And I loved it!
Raven Lane is fascinating. A close-knit cul-de-sac who is heavily involved in the status of those who can move in. Former model Benedict and his wife who owns a highly regarded restaurant are instantly accepted into Raven Lane. But when Benedict hits novelist Torn Grace with his car, things begin to unravel. And it isn’t long before secrets start to come out, tearing apart the people in this tiny cul-de-sac.
I don’t want to spill much about the secrets, that is the best part of reading this book! I will say this—I definitely wouldn’t want to live in this cul-de-sac. These people have a lot of baggage and are a bit too involved with one another! But I certainly enjoyed grabbing my popcorn and learning all of the juicy, sordid details of this group who are quite frankly closer than neighbors should be!
A fantastic domestic drama that has made me a fan of Amber Cowie!
Thank you to Lake Union for my copy. Opinions are my own.
There were so many juicy and salacious secrets that came out in this story! Amber Cowie really delivered a suspenseful book filled with dark pasts and hidden truths. I would call this more of a character-study than an outright psychological thriller, though there are certainly some twists. Primarily, though, this is a story fueled by the character development more than the action. And I loved it!
Raven Lane is fascinating. A close-knit cul-de-sac who is heavily involved in the status of those who can move in. Former model Benedict and his wife who owns a highly regarded restaurant are instantly accepted into Raven Lane. But when Benedict hits novelist Torn Grace with his car, things begin to unravel. And it isn’t long before secrets start to come out, tearing apart the people in this tiny cul-de-sac.
I don’t want to spill much about the secrets, that is the best part of reading this book! I will say this—I definitely wouldn’t want to live in this cul-de-sac. These people have a lot of baggage and are a bit too involved with one another! But I certainly enjoyed grabbing my popcorn and learning all of the juicy, sordid details of this group who are quite frankly closer than neighbors should be!
A fantastic domestic drama that has made me a fan of Amber Cowie!
Thank you to Lake Union for my copy. Opinions are my own.
November 9, 2019
3.5 stars rounded down to 3.
Raven Lane is a small cul de sac. Esme and her husband Benedict live there with their daughter. One dark night Benedict is reversing out off his driveway when he knocks over and kills one of their neighbours. With many witnesses to the accident, Benedict is arrested. Everyone of the neigh ours turn against Esme.
This ook showed so much promise, but it seemed to lack something. The story starts of strongly, building the scene leading up to the accident. We get a glimpse of the secret lives Esme and Benedict's neighbours live. We don't know what goes on inside our neighbours houses, we just take them at face value. None of the characters are likeable. There were parts I couldn't read quick enough, others were hard to follow. It also felt a little far fetched. Everyone in the cul de sac was harbouring some kind of secret. The conclusion was a bit of a let down. This isn't a bad read, it's just not a great read either.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author Abber Cowie for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Raven Lane is a small cul de sac. Esme and her husband Benedict live there with their daughter. One dark night Benedict is reversing out off his driveway when he knocks over and kills one of their neighbours. With many witnesses to the accident, Benedict is arrested. Everyone of the neigh ours turn against Esme.
This ook showed so much promise, but it seemed to lack something. The story starts of strongly, building the scene leading up to the accident. We get a glimpse of the secret lives Esme and Benedict's neighbours live. We don't know what goes on inside our neighbours houses, we just take them at face value. None of the characters are likeable. There were parts I couldn't read quick enough, others were hard to follow. It also felt a little far fetched. Everyone in the cul de sac was harbouring some kind of secret. The conclusion was a bit of a let down. This isn't a bad read, it's just not a great read either.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author Abber Cowie for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2020
I loved reading this book—at literally no point did I even have a guess as to where it was headed, and I enjoyed the ride so much. Cowie's specialty seems to be likeable characters doing terrible things without being able to see themselves for what they are (so...in other words, they're very, very human). The writing is strong and compelling, and I cannot WAIT for her next release.
November 7, 2019
I absolutely love a juicy domestic drama and Cowie delivers with Raven Lane. This is full of the type of characters I love to hate and so many of them are hiding dark and dangerous secrets, I know I wouldn’t want any of them as my neighbors! But they were really entertaining to read about and all were rather complex and interesting, but not altogether likable. If you like a quiet style of suspense this is the book for you, it’s character driven and scandalous and even a little sexy at times, but this combo worked incredibly well for me and I raced through this one.
Another aspect that I enjoyed was the book within a book, the man that died is an author and every once in a while there’s an excerpt from his book. The book he was writing was a little weird but intriguing, and between that, the present day timeline and Esme’s slow unraveling of her own past, I was hooked. This was edgier than Rapid Falls and very different, but I adore Cowie’s writing style and that didn’t change. I also applaud authors who push their own boundaries and try something new from book to book and the shift was great for me, I’m now a firm fan of the author
Another aspect that I enjoyed was the book within a book, the man that died is an author and every once in a while there’s an excerpt from his book. The book he was writing was a little weird but intriguing, and between that, the present day timeline and Esme’s slow unraveling of her own past, I was hooked. This was edgier than Rapid Falls and very different, but I adore Cowie’s writing style and that didn’t change. I also applaud authors who push their own boundaries and try something new from book to book and the shift was great for me, I’m now a firm fan of the author
April 10, 2019
I hate to be unkind about a book. I couldn't finish it. While the story line was interesting enough, things starting going out of control and out of my pretty vast realm of tolerance. The party, the drugs, a key (read: partner) swap...Esme going along with it all....a gay man's attraction and subsequent infidelity with a straight woman. I'm not a prude, but it was just too much. And very unbelievable. I appreciate the ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, but this was just not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2021
RAVEN LANE is another excellent thought-provoking domestic suspense installment with superb storytelling by talented author Amber Cowie. 💕 She wowed readers and me worldwide with her knock-out thriller debut, Rapid Falls and she is BACK!
Sexy, provocative, edgy, and scandalous!
Meet the suburban neighbors of Raven Lane, a cul-de-sac with five detached homes arranged in a U shape, tucked into an area just two blocks away from one of the busiest commercial areas.
Set in the Pacific Northwest, an exclusive neighborhood. Little traffic. Safe neighborhood? The residents of Raven Lane are drawn into a web of secrets, lies, betrayal, scandal, and tragedy.
What happens behind closed doors?
I adored the diverse neighborhood and characters, chiefly, the lyrical prose from Author Torn Grace. From a former model, a chef, an author, real estate agent, a former movie star, an artist, plus more.
"The Truth Can Bring Out the Worst in the Best of Friends."
Atmospheric and twisty. If you are a fan of Robin Harding's THE SWAP, BIG LITTLE LIES, and the TV series, THE AFFAIR, (one of my favorites), would never miss an episode— you will find a lot to like here. 🎬
The purpose of referencing the hit TV series in comparison to Raven Lane—I think there are some parallels and especially if you are a fan of the show, this current Season 5, which is moody, dangerous, sexier, and edgier than previous seasons. In the aftermath of horrific events, characters try to come to terms with the consequences of their choices, similar to the characters in RAVEN LANE.
Some have darkness and monsters within them. Often they fool others and sometimes they deceive fool themselves. As always, I adore Amber's writing and her diverse and dynamic characters.
An ideal choice for book clubs and future discussions. 📚 An excellent Reader Group Guide is included.
Highly Recommend! All three books are 5 STARS.
Head over to my blog and check out my
INTERVIEW with Amber's debut, RAPID FALLS.
Be sure and check out her upcoming book: Loss Lake coming Nov 2020 and my Q&A Elevator Ride Interview.
A special thank you to Lake Union (print) and NetGalley (digital) for an advanced reading copy.
#JDCMustReadBooks
Sexy, provocative, edgy, and scandalous!
Meet the suburban neighbors of Raven Lane, a cul-de-sac with five detached homes arranged in a U shape, tucked into an area just two blocks away from one of the busiest commercial areas.
Set in the Pacific Northwest, an exclusive neighborhood. Little traffic. Safe neighborhood? The residents of Raven Lane are drawn into a web of secrets, lies, betrayal, scandal, and tragedy.
What happens behind closed doors?
I adored the diverse neighborhood and characters, chiefly, the lyrical prose from Author Torn Grace. From a former model, a chef, an author, real estate agent, a former movie star, an artist, plus more.
"The Truth Can Bring Out the Worst in the Best of Friends."
Atmospheric and twisty. If you are a fan of Robin Harding's THE SWAP, BIG LITTLE LIES, and the TV series, THE AFFAIR, (one of my favorites), would never miss an episode— you will find a lot to like here. 🎬
The purpose of referencing the hit TV series in comparison to Raven Lane—I think there are some parallels and especially if you are a fan of the show, this current Season 5, which is moody, dangerous, sexier, and edgier than previous seasons. In the aftermath of horrific events, characters try to come to terms with the consequences of their choices, similar to the characters in RAVEN LANE.
Some have darkness and monsters within them. Often they fool others and sometimes they deceive fool themselves. As always, I adore Amber's writing and her diverse and dynamic characters.
An ideal choice for book clubs and future discussions. 📚 An excellent Reader Group Guide is included.
Highly Recommend! All three books are 5 STARS.
Head over to my blog and check out my
INTERVIEW with Amber's debut, RAPID FALLS.
Be sure and check out her upcoming book: Loss Lake coming Nov 2020 and my Q&A Elevator Ride Interview.
A special thank you to Lake Union (print) and NetGalley (digital) for an advanced reading copy.
#JDCMustReadBooks
November 6, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Adults behaving badly is a great way to describe Amber Cowie's new novel Raven Lane. This book was full of secrets and lies, and all the things that make for lots of drama!
I can't honestly say I liked any of the characters all that much in Raven Lane, but I did both empathize and get angry at them. Esme is such a complex character and I really liked all the depth that Cowie gave her. This book ended up being more emotional than I had expected and Esme both fascinated and disgusted me at times, along with a few other characters. This book is caulk full of secrets and you never know quite where things are going as life on Raven Lane becomes more and more complex. SO MANY SECRETS! WHO CAN YOU TRUST?
I also loved that there was a book within a book! The neighbor that dies is an author and Cowie included paragraphs from his book into Raven Lane. I always enjoy when an author does that, and it gave this one a little something extra. The only thing I am a little confused by is the fact this is marketed as a mystery/thriller since I found it to be more of a drama, and there isn't really all that much mystery to it besides the secrets people are hiding.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Untouched by The Veronicas
Final Thought: I really liked the structure of Raven Lane which is set in present with Esme basically having what I would call mini flashbacks to the past before the death of their neighbor. In this way, the past is untangled and the whole truth comes out, along with lots of skeletons in more than just Esme's closet. Cowie has quickly become one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend this if you are into a slower paced, neighborhood drama.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advanced review copies. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Adults behaving badly is a great way to describe Amber Cowie's new novel Raven Lane. This book was full of secrets and lies, and all the things that make for lots of drama!
I can't honestly say I liked any of the characters all that much in Raven Lane, but I did both empathize and get angry at them. Esme is such a complex character and I really liked all the depth that Cowie gave her. This book ended up being more emotional than I had expected and Esme both fascinated and disgusted me at times, along with a few other characters. This book is caulk full of secrets and you never know quite where things are going as life on Raven Lane becomes more and more complex. SO MANY SECRETS! WHO CAN YOU TRUST?
I also loved that there was a book within a book! The neighbor that dies is an author and Cowie included paragraphs from his book into Raven Lane. I always enjoy when an author does that, and it gave this one a little something extra. The only thing I am a little confused by is the fact this is marketed as a mystery/thriller since I found it to be more of a drama, and there isn't really all that much mystery to it besides the secrets people are hiding.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Untouched by The Veronicas
Final Thought: I really liked the structure of Raven Lane which is set in present with Esme basically having what I would call mini flashbacks to the past before the death of their neighbor. In this way, the past is untangled and the whole truth comes out, along with lots of skeletons in more than just Esme's closet. Cowie has quickly become one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend this if you are into a slower paced, neighborhood drama.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advanced review copies. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
January 1, 2020
Domestic draaaaaaaaaaama! This close cul-de-sac of Raven Lane has quite the characters. When one of them, Torn, dies in an accident, Benedict is now on trial for hitting him with his car. Once it's realized he wasn't entirely sober, this accident becomes a torrid insight to the lives of everyone on Raven Lane.
This starts off strong and then towards the middle, I began to lost a little bit of interest. Nothing too exciting was happening. The book within a book (which sometimes works for me and sometimes doesn't) wasn't doing anything for me... until towards the end. And now I kinda want to read that book! The last few chapters starts to get more exciting and boy oh boy... these people need some HELP! But I love to hate characters and some of these were FUN to hate on. I'm not *quite* sure what I even think about that ending though. HUH? I'm not particularly confused as I just didn't think it made a whole lot of sense. And what happened about *this* and *that*? I don't mind being left wanting a bit but certain things I feel needed to be addressed and they never were.
As domestic dramas go, this was a fun one to be a part of. While some things might not have worked completely for me, I was eagerly awaiting for more secrets to come to light. And remember y'all - we all have monsters inside of us - one way or the other. *wink*
Side note: I couldn't read Torn's name without having Natalie Imbruglia's song ping off in my head. So now that's my sound track for the day.
Thanks so much to Lake Union for my copy.
August 29, 2019
I went into Raven Lane under the impression it was a thriller. I would not consider this a thriller type read, it is definitely more of a suburban drama read.
The residents of Raven Lane (which is a cul de sac) all live in identically laid out homes, which one of the residents, Kitty, basically hand picking who is allowed to buy a home and live there. She does this as a realtor and by convincing people to sell their homes privately so she screens people. Um, super shady but ok.
Esme is the main character of our story, and she lives on Raven Lane with her husband Benedict and their teenage daughter Zoe. Honestly, I struggled with this book a lot. I would have DNFed it if it weren't for the curiosity to figure out the "twist" at the end. Actually, this book made me upset.
So, throughout the course of the book, we learn that Esme is having an affair with Torn (which is a SUPER weird name and I don't generally get judgmental about names but it just didn't flow well for me to read it in the book). Ok so Esme spends weeks feeling remorse and apologizing for her affair, but really WHY?
Ok, all of that issue above aside, the story itself is clunky and was difficult to read. We spend our time going back and forth between past and present a lot. In fact, we spend a good portion of the book in the past reliving past events. And we also spend a chunk of time reading excerpts from Torn's books, which I didn't care for and skimmed mostly.
I hope that the final version is edited, because the excerpts from Torn's book are not italicized or in any way separated font wise to show it's an excerpt. So the first time I got to one of his pieces I was SO confused and had to go back and re-read to figure out we were reading a part of his book.
While I'm on the topic of editing, Esme's chef goes under two names in this book. He's originally introduced as Anthony Cole and then later is referred to as Anthony King.
I had such high hopes for this book but I really can't get past the "affair."
The residents of Raven Lane (which is a cul de sac) all live in identically laid out homes, which one of the residents, Kitty, basically hand picking who is allowed to buy a home and live there. She does this as a realtor and by convincing people to sell their homes privately so she screens people. Um, super shady but ok.
Esme is the main character of our story, and she lives on Raven Lane with her husband Benedict and their teenage daughter Zoe. Honestly, I struggled with this book a lot. I would have DNFed it if it weren't for the curiosity to figure out the "twist" at the end. Actually, this book made me upset.
So, throughout the course of the book, we learn that Esme is having an affair with Torn (which is a SUPER weird name and I don't generally get judgmental about names but it just didn't flow well for me to read it in the book). Ok so Esme spends weeks feeling remorse and apologizing for her affair, but really WHY?
Ok, all of that issue above aside, the story itself is clunky and was difficult to read. We spend our time going back and forth between past and present a lot. In fact, we spend a good portion of the book in the past reliving past events. And we also spend a chunk of time reading excerpts from Torn's books, which I didn't care for and skimmed mostly.
I hope that the final version is edited, because the excerpts from Torn's book are not italicized or in any way separated font wise to show it's an excerpt. So the first time I got to one of his pieces I was SO confused and had to go back and re-read to figure out we were reading a part of his book.
While I'm on the topic of editing, Esme's chef goes under two names in this book. He's originally introduced as Anthony Cole and then later is referred to as Anthony King.
I had such high hopes for this book but I really can't get past the "affair."
May 17, 2019
Crikey this book took a while!
I was determined to finish it after a promising first few chapters had me reigned in enough, but I found myself constantly distracted whilst reading..... you know, have I left the tumble drier on and other such mundane things! Never a good sign! 😫
I’d like to say this was a great read but in all honesty it was quite boring, love and sex triangles in suburbia stuff, not for me.
I was determined to finish it after a promising first few chapters had me reigned in enough, but I found myself constantly distracted whilst reading..... you know, have I left the tumble drier on and other such mundane things! Never a good sign! 😫
I’d like to say this was a great read but in all honesty it was quite boring, love and sex triangles in suburbia stuff, not for me.
March 1, 2021
I am gonna repeat what some other reviewers have said and say that this does not read like a thriller. Feels much more like a suburban drama. It was very slow burn and I honestly wanted to DNF it at multiple intervals. I kept going because just as I was about to stop a new revelation would come about and I would become intrigued once more.
The last 40% of the book had me thoroughly hooked though and I loved when all the dirty laundry got aired out. That's the only reason I am not giving this a two stars instead.
I really wish I could read The Call which is a fictional book inside this book, that seems like a wild ride! This fictional book has little excerpts in the chapters and it sounded so interesting. I was pretty much as enthralled as our MC Esme when reading those passages.
This was a pretty decent read at the end of the day. I had taken it off my TBR only to end up reading it anyways. I don't think that was the best decision I ever made, but I am also not mad about it.
The last 40% of the book had me thoroughly hooked though and I loved when all the dirty laundry got aired out. That's the only reason I am not giving this a two stars instead.
I really wish I could read The Call which is a fictional book inside this book, that seems like a wild ride! This fictional book has little excerpts in the chapters and it sounded so interesting. I was pretty much as enthralled as our MC Esme when reading those passages.
This was a pretty decent read at the end of the day. I had taken it off my TBR only to end up reading it anyways. I don't think that was the best decision I ever made, but I am also not mad about it.
September 17, 2019
Meh! The blurb sounds so much better than the actual story. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I wish I had better things to say, but I just couldn't get into this story.
November 5, 2019
Ummmm!?!? This is not what I expected it was going to be. They listed this book as a mystery/thriller, and it is more a domestic drama, in my opinion. Although it was not what I expected, it was still a well-written story about deception, lust, and obsession. You must be someone special to live on Raven Lane. The neighbours are close friends and, like with any close friends, lines are often crossed. Benedict is backing out of his driveway on his way to get more wine. He did not see his neighbour Torn passing behind the car on his bike; now Torn is dead. This is a dramatic event and, as in all good drama, the truth comes out. Not everyone is innocent.
🙋🏼♀️ Thank you Lake Union Publishing and Amazon Publishing for sending me a final copy of this good book. Raven Lane by Amber Cowie will be available at your favourite bookstore on November 12, 2019.
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January 1, 2020
I really enjoyed Rapid Falls so was very excited to be approved for Raven Lane, I wasn't disappointed either! I find myself drawn to a good suspense novel and this is one of the better ones for this year. If you like slow-burn domestic suspense, where no one is quite what they seem, you'll love Raven Lane. I raced through this book in just a few days, because I was so curious to find out everyone's secrets! I loved the multi layers of the characters and the unorthodox ending is very unexpected. If you have money to spend on books I would recommend adding this to your list. Esme, her husband Benedict & their daughter Zoe live in a close-knit neighborhood where nothing stays private. Benedict's car hit their neighbor who was riding by on a bicycle as Benedict was backing out of the driveway. Torn's bicycle was twisted beneath Benedict's back tire. I will not say more about the story because I think you have to peel this one back like an onion without the tears this was great.
August 29, 2019
I went into Raven Lane under the impression it was a thriller. I would not consider this a thriller type read, it is definitely more of a suburban drama read.
The residents of Raven Lane (which is a cul de sac) all live in identically laid out homes, which one of the residents, Kitty, basically hand picking who is allowed to buy a home and live there. She does this as a realtor and by convincing people to sell their homes privately so she screens people. Um, super shady but ok.
Esme is the main character of our story, and she lives on Raven Lane with her husband Benedict and their teenage daughter Zoe. Honestly, I struggled with this book a lot. I would have DNFed it if it weren't for the curiosity to figure out the "twist" at the end. Actually, this book made me upset.
So, throughout the course of the book, we learn that Esme is having an affair with Torn (which is a SUPER weird name and I don't generally get judgmental about names but it just didn't flow well for me to read it in the book). Ok so Esme spends weeks feeling remorse and apologizing for her affair, but really WHY?
Because the "twist" which I assume this is supposed to be the twist? is that Benedict has been having his own affair, with Kitty's teenage daughter. YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT. A TEENAGER. Now, Julia is the same age as Esme and Benedict's teenage daughter Zoe.
Zoe and Julia are starting their senior year of high school as this story starts. So Julia is 17 mayyyyyyybe 18 if she's got a fall birthday like I'm talking within the first week of school starting. WHY IS NO ONE OUTRAGED ABOUT THIS?
Here's my other issue (ok really one of them because I have a lot about this situation). Zoe is described in the book as young, so young. Always her descriptions are about how young she is. But Julia's descriptions give the indication she's much older than she is. The truth is, the girls are maybe a week or two apart in age.
Julia's age isn't given in the book, but I don't care. Can we not normalize relationships between teenagers and middle aged men please? Because NOT ONE CHARACTER in this book went crazy over the fact that a potentially underage girl is having sex with a 40 year old man. NOT ONE.
In fact, Esme knows about Julia and Benedict's sexual encounters BEFORE all this shit goes down and Benedict finds out about his wife's affair. And Esme literally sat on this information for weeks before saying something.
I'd also like to point out that the only reason Esme even knew about Julia and Benedict is because Torn told her because he WITNESSED it. Hello, why is no one freaking out about this? Multiple adults know and no one is acting like this is a big deal. It's even heavily hinted throughout the book that Zoe is aware something is up between her dad and her fellow teenage neighbor.
Ok, all of that issue above aside, the story itself is clunky and was difficult to read. We spend our time going back and forth between past and present a lot. In fact, we spend a good portion of the book in the past reliving past events. And we also spend a chunk of time reading excerpts from Torn's books, which I didn't care for and skimmed mostly.
I hope that the final version is edited, because the excerpts from Torn's book are not italicized or in any way separated font wise to show it's an excerpt. So the first time I got to one of his pieces I was SO confused and had to go back and re-read to figure out we were reading a part of his book.
While I'm on the topic of editing, Esme's chef goes under two names in this book. He's originally introduced as Anthony Cole and then later is referred to as Anthony King.
I had such high hopes for this book but I really can't get past the "affair."
The residents of Raven Lane (which is a cul de sac) all live in identically laid out homes, which one of the residents, Kitty, basically hand picking who is allowed to buy a home and live there. She does this as a realtor and by convincing people to sell their homes privately so she screens people. Um, super shady but ok.
Esme is the main character of our story, and she lives on Raven Lane with her husband Benedict and their teenage daughter Zoe. Honestly, I struggled with this book a lot. I would have DNFed it if it weren't for the curiosity to figure out the "twist" at the end. Actually, this book made me upset.
So, throughout the course of the book, we learn that Esme is having an affair with Torn (which is a SUPER weird name and I don't generally get judgmental about names but it just didn't flow well for me to read it in the book). Ok so Esme spends weeks feeling remorse and apologizing for her affair, but really WHY?
Because the "twist" which I assume this is supposed to be the twist? is that Benedict has been having his own affair, with Kitty's teenage daughter. YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT. A TEENAGER. Now, Julia is the same age as Esme and Benedict's teenage daughter Zoe.
Zoe and Julia are starting their senior year of high school as this story starts. So Julia is 17 mayyyyyyybe 18 if she's got a fall birthday like I'm talking within the first week of school starting. WHY IS NO ONE OUTRAGED ABOUT THIS?
Here's my other issue (ok really one of them because I have a lot about this situation). Zoe is described in the book as young, so young. Always her descriptions are about how young she is. But Julia's descriptions give the indication she's much older than she is. The truth is, the girls are maybe a week or two apart in age.
Julia's age isn't given in the book, but I don't care. Can we not normalize relationships between teenagers and middle aged men please? Because NOT ONE CHARACTER in this book went crazy over the fact that a potentially underage girl is having sex with a 40 year old man. NOT ONE.
In fact, Esme knows about Julia and Benedict's sexual encounters BEFORE all this shit goes down and Benedict finds out about his wife's affair. And Esme literally sat on this information for weeks before saying something.
I'd also like to point out that the only reason Esme even knew about Julia and Benedict is because Torn told her because he WITNESSED it. Hello, why is no one freaking out about this? Multiple adults know and no one is acting like this is a big deal. It's even heavily hinted throughout the book that Zoe is aware something is up between her dad and her fellow teenage neighbor.
Ok, all of that issue above aside, the story itself is clunky and was difficult to read. We spend our time going back and forth between past and present a lot. In fact, we spend a good portion of the book in the past reliving past events. And we also spend a chunk of time reading excerpts from Torn's books, which I didn't care for and skimmed mostly.
I hope that the final version is edited, because the excerpts from Torn's book are not italicized or in any way separated font wise to show it's an excerpt. So the first time I got to one of his pieces I was SO confused and had to go back and re-read to figure out we were reading a part of his book.
While I'm on the topic of editing, Esme's chef goes under two names in this book. He's originally introduced as Anthony Cole and then later is referred to as Anthony King.
I had such high hopes for this book but I really can't get past the "affair."
April 2, 2020
This book is described perfectly: it is not a mystery, and implying otherwise would be doing this book a disservice. Rather, this story is a slow burn as the Raven Lane residents' monstrous secrets are exposed.
Primarily told from Esme's third person perspective, the book focuses on Esme, a former actress, and her husband, Benedict, a former model. Esme has dark secrets that she's tried to ignore for 2 decades, and Benedict has darker tendencies, also ignored by Esme. Thrown into the mix are the residents of Raven Lane, a neighborhood known for preferring "artistic" (aka partying and young-acting) residents. Wild parties are a monthly occurrence on Raven Lane, parenthood and marital responsibilities be damned, and they only stoke the embers of the fire that will slowly build and incinerate everything Esme has sought to build.
There are three different realities in this book, and the story alternates between them: the present, where Esme and Benedict deal with the fallout of a car accident; the past, where Esme deals with the fallout of her own secrets; and a fiction novel, a bestseller, written by one of the residents of Raven Lane.
There's a #metoo aspect of this book. I understand why it's there, and it serves it's purpose, but I'm personally tired of this topic. I wasn't very interested in it, and I certainly didn't pity a woman who made a fortune as a result.
The fiction book within this book was unique. Dealing with the theme of monsters who've heard "the call", the fiction book paralleled and foreshadowed the events of the primary book. I definitely appreciated this literary device, and I found it effective.
I would never live in a neighborhood like Raven Lane. Those people were just asking for the troubles they found. Drinking and drugging with the neighbors on a monthly basis? Ridiculous, and everything that befell them should have been no surprise.
There's a minor "whodunnit" element to this book, and there are a few big and small reveals throughout. Some of the reveals were predictable, as the reader was basically spoonfed the information throughout the book, and some of the reveals were not surprises.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a slow build.
What I didn't like was the inaccurate legal element. NO lawyer would give legal advice of this nature. It's unethical to do so. Instead, if a real lawyer were trying to guide his clients this way, he would be far less obvious about it and he would protect himself from liability. As a lawyer, I cannot help but cringe when i read books like this.
I give this book 3 stars because I really could have put it down at any time and not really wondered about the ending, but I'm glad I finished it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for this honest review.
Primarily told from Esme's third person perspective, the book focuses on Esme, a former actress, and her husband, Benedict, a former model. Esme has dark secrets that she's tried to ignore for 2 decades, and Benedict has darker tendencies, also ignored by Esme. Thrown into the mix are the residents of Raven Lane, a neighborhood known for preferring "artistic" (aka partying and young-acting) residents. Wild parties are a monthly occurrence on Raven Lane, parenthood and marital responsibilities be damned, and they only stoke the embers of the fire that will slowly build and incinerate everything Esme has sought to build.
There are three different realities in this book, and the story alternates between them: the present, where Esme and Benedict deal with the fallout of a car accident; the past, where Esme deals with the fallout of her own secrets; and a fiction novel, a bestseller, written by one of the residents of Raven Lane.
There's a #metoo aspect of this book. I understand why it's there, and it serves it's purpose, but I'm personally tired of this topic. I wasn't very interested in it, and I certainly didn't pity a woman who made a fortune as a result.
The fiction book within this book was unique. Dealing with the theme of monsters who've heard "the call", the fiction book paralleled and foreshadowed the events of the primary book. I definitely appreciated this literary device, and I found it effective.
I would never live in a neighborhood like Raven Lane. Those people were just asking for the troubles they found. Drinking and drugging with the neighbors on a monthly basis? Ridiculous, and everything that befell them should have been no surprise.
There's a minor "whodunnit" element to this book, and there are a few big and small reveals throughout. Some of the reveals were predictable, as the reader was basically spoonfed the information throughout the book, and some of the reveals were not surprises.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a slow build.
What I didn't like was the inaccurate legal element. NO lawyer would give legal advice of this nature. It's unethical to do so. Instead, if a real lawyer were trying to guide his clients this way, he would be far less obvious about it and he would protect himself from liability. As a lawyer, I cannot help but cringe when i read books like this.
I give this book 3 stars because I really could have put it down at any time and not really wondered about the ending, but I'm glad I finished it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for this honest review.
November 12, 2019
Amber Cowie will pull you right into Raven Lane and the Neighbors who live there, the interesting and fantastic characters and you won't want to put this book down. I was sucked in immediately and felt part of the story. A shocking, intricate and fascinating read. Emotional, relatable and shocking. The perfect domestic thriller that will have you wondering what you would do. 5 stars! Cowie is quickly becoming a go to author for me. Brilliant.
June 3, 2019
Raven Lane was a trip! I went through a whole myriad of emotions while reading this book. I started off curious about the comings and goings of the fancy folk who live in the perfect little cul-de-sac called Raven Lane. It seems it's a lovely little suburbia where everyone knows everyone else's business and there's always a party to be had---basically my hell.
Right off the bat, things seem a bit off with Esme and her husband Benedict and then almost immediately into the book he accidentally hits a neighbor with his car and everything gets twisty. Surprise! Suburbia isn't perfect!
It took me almost a full month to read Raven Lane because I didn't care about any of the characters; they are all awful people (with maybe the exception being Esme's daughter Zoe, but we didn't get to know her) who do nasty things for no real reason other than to feel stuff. I feel like you're supposed to like Esme and feel bad for her as more of her background is revealed, but I just found myself annoyed with her.
Occasionally parts of the book cutaway to a book within the book written by one of the characters. These parts were confusing at best and maybe it's just my ARC, but it was hard to determine when they were starting and ending. They had a Lovecraftian type of vibe going on and I wanted more of them and less of annoying Esme.
However, my main problem with Raven Lane was the bad taste it left in my mouth after reading about Esme (a straight white woman) being seduced by Torn (a younger, gay guy). We, the reader are supposed to believe that Torn was such a fan of Esme's one movie role that he suddenly is a bisexual who finds her irresistible and wants to bang her. *eyeroll* Like, okay maaayyybeeee, but it seemed really weird and dishonest to the LGBTQ community. Oh and they have such good sex together that was cringy as fuck to read about.
I don't really know what this book brings that is worth reading about. I would read more by this author to give her a second chance, but what i really want is a full-length book of The Call.
Right off the bat, things seem a bit off with Esme and her husband Benedict and then almost immediately into the book he accidentally hits a neighbor with his car and everything gets twisty. Surprise! Suburbia isn't perfect!
It took me almost a full month to read Raven Lane because I didn't care about any of the characters; they are all awful people (with maybe the exception being Esme's daughter Zoe, but we didn't get to know her) who do nasty things for no real reason other than to feel stuff. I feel like you're supposed to like Esme and feel bad for her as more of her background is revealed, but I just found myself annoyed with her.
Occasionally parts of the book cutaway to a book within the book written by one of the characters. These parts were confusing at best and maybe it's just my ARC, but it was hard to determine when they were starting and ending. They had a Lovecraftian type of vibe going on and I wanted more of them and less of annoying Esme.
However, my main problem with Raven Lane was the bad taste it left in my mouth after reading about Esme (a straight white woman) being seduced by Torn (a younger, gay guy). We, the reader are supposed to believe that Torn was such a fan of Esme's one movie role that he suddenly is a bisexual who finds her irresistible and wants to bang her. *eyeroll* Like, okay maaayyybeeee, but it seemed really weird and dishonest to the LGBTQ community. Oh and they have such good sex together that was cringy as fuck to read about.
I don't really know what this book brings that is worth reading about. I would read more by this author to give her a second chance, but what i really want is a full-length book of The Call.
May 26, 2019
Esme and Benedict Warner seem to have it all. They have an intelligent teenage daughter Zoe and they live in a seemingly perfect community on Raven Lane. Raven Lane is a small cul-de-sac populated by artistic types who often gather together as a community. However, when one of their neighbors, a popular author, tragically dies and Benedict is charged with his murder, the neighbors they thought were their close friends quickly turn against them. As the case goes to trial, secrets from both Benedict and Esme's lives come to light. Will Benedict and Esme be able to recover from the unearthing of these secrets and betrayals or will it destroy them?
Raven Lane started out strong but for me, it quickly derailed. Esme and Benedict were really interesting characters and I enjoyed that both of them had past careers that were cut short and they had to evolve and become a new version of themselves. It felt like the author tried to cram as many shocking things into the plot, instead of focusing the story on a few issues. It became extremely unbelievable that murder, adultery, drug use, sexual assault and other "shocking" things happened all in one story. The timeline also kept jumping around and it felt very disconnected.
I did not enjoy the part of the story in which Esme was reading pages from the dead author's book. Not only did I not enjoy the dead author's story but I also felt that it kept taking me out of the narrative. While I understand why Amber Cowie included these snippets from the dead author's book, it was the weakest part of Raven Lane. And the ending? Normally, I can get on board with a somewhat ambiguous ending. But this one just made me sigh and roll my eyes and I was happy that the story was over.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Raven Lane started out strong but for me, it quickly derailed. Esme and Benedict were really interesting characters and I enjoyed that both of them had past careers that were cut short and they had to evolve and become a new version of themselves. It felt like the author tried to cram as many shocking things into the plot, instead of focusing the story on a few issues. It became extremely unbelievable that murder, adultery, drug use, sexual assault and other "shocking" things happened all in one story. The timeline also kept jumping around and it felt very disconnected.
I did not enjoy the part of the story in which Esme was reading pages from the dead author's book. Not only did I not enjoy the dead author's story but I also felt that it kept taking me out of the narrative. While I understand why Amber Cowie included these snippets from the dead author's book, it was the weakest part of Raven Lane. And the ending? Normally, I can get on board with a somewhat ambiguous ending. But this one just made me sigh and roll my eyes and I was happy that the story was over.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2019
Raven Lane is a delightful domestic suspense. I haven't read any other books by Amber Cowie, but I think it's time to get them on order. This is a book about family and friendship and how hiding our past can have ramifications on our present. The deep dark secret is slowly unraveled which made it a book that was difficult to put down.
Raven Lane is a cul-de-sac in a town in the Pacific Northwest with five detached homes arranged in a U shape, tucked into an area just two blocks away from one of the busiest commercial areas. It's a very exclusive area and the real estate agent who sold all of the houses and lives there herself only sold to select people - actors, models, writers. All of the neighbors were very friendly with each other and had parties on a regular basis.
In the beginning, the people who lived on Raven Lane all appeared to be best friends who loved to spend time with each other. After the accident, Esme and Benedict learned who their real friends were as some of their neighbors turned against them. As the skeletons in the closet came to light, they had even more friends turn their backs on them. When the mask of civility slips, can friends and neighbors recover from seeing the monstrous truths beneath?
This was a very interesting look at friends and how much we really know about them and what we keep hidden from other people. My biggest disappointment in this book is that I didn't like any of the characters. I liked Esme and Benedict at first but the more I learned about them, the less I liked them. I know if I lived on Raven Lane, I would sell my house immediately.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Raven Lane is a cul-de-sac in a town in the Pacific Northwest with five detached homes arranged in a U shape, tucked into an area just two blocks away from one of the busiest commercial areas. It's a very exclusive area and the real estate agent who sold all of the houses and lives there herself only sold to select people - actors, models, writers. All of the neighbors were very friendly with each other and had parties on a regular basis.
In the beginning, the people who lived on Raven Lane all appeared to be best friends who loved to spend time with each other. After the accident, Esme and Benedict learned who their real friends were as some of their neighbors turned against them. As the skeletons in the closet came to light, they had even more friends turn their backs on them. When the mask of civility slips, can friends and neighbors recover from seeing the monstrous truths beneath?
This was a very interesting look at friends and how much we really know about them and what we keep hidden from other people. My biggest disappointment in this book is that I didn't like any of the characters. I liked Esme and Benedict at first but the more I learned about them, the less I liked them. I know if I lived on Raven Lane, I would sell my house immediately.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
September 4, 2019
Raven Lane is the second domestic suspense by author, Amber Cowie. I loved her first standalone, Rapid Falls and couldn't wait for her next novel. Raven Lane did not disappoint!
Esme and Benedict Werner could live on any upscale cul-de-sac. Their neighbours, seemingly all with secrets of their own, could be my neighbours. Or yours. When what seems like an unfortunate accident kills one of them, slowly but menacingly, the layers of their respective onions, are peeled away.
I loved that this story harkens back to an earlier time but the author never does an info dump; seamlessly, she weaves the past into the current-day, contemporary tale. Just when I thought I had it figured out, a twist came along that turned everything on its head. I also found this author's second book to be more complex and multi-layered. The beautiful writing is often more powerful by its subtlety.
While it doesn't necessarily end happily-ever-after (depending on your point of view), I found it to be a realistic and satisfying ending. I highly recommend this book!
Esme and Benedict Werner could live on any upscale cul-de-sac. Their neighbours, seemingly all with secrets of their own, could be my neighbours. Or yours. When what seems like an unfortunate accident kills one of them, slowly but menacingly, the layers of their respective onions, are peeled away.
I loved that this story harkens back to an earlier time but the author never does an info dump; seamlessly, she weaves the past into the current-day, contemporary tale. Just when I thought I had it figured out, a twist came along that turned everything on its head. I also found this author's second book to be more complex and multi-layered. The beautiful writing is often more powerful by its subtlety.
While it doesn't necessarily end happily-ever-after (depending on your point of view), I found it to be a realistic and satisfying ending. I highly recommend this book!
October 27, 2019
I liked this book. There were enough good things about it to keep me reading until the end. Although, I do wish that the "intensity" level was higher. The people of Raven Lane did have many secrets. They are not the "perfect" neighbors that they want you to think they are.
Example is Esme and Benedict. They may seem like they are a good couple but when Benedict is arrested for murder; their world comes crumbling down around them including their skeletons in the closet.
As the story progresses; the secrets are revealed. While, I did like this book and the characters were fine; as I stated before the "intensity" level is what I found lacking. There was not enough to make me "gasp" in shock. As you might expect from a thriller. As I got to know the neighbors, I really would not want to be their friends. The conclusion to this book was a bit of a letdown.
Example is Esme and Benedict. They may seem like they are a good couple but when Benedict is arrested for murder; their world comes crumbling down around them including their skeletons in the closet.
As the story progresses; the secrets are revealed. While, I did like this book and the characters were fine; as I stated before the "intensity" level is what I found lacking. There was not enough to make me "gasp" in shock. As you might expect from a thriller. As I got to know the neighbors, I really would not want to be their friends. The conclusion to this book was a bit of a letdown.
April 22, 2019
Beware! Enter the sexy, sordid affairs of Raven Lane with a clear schedule, because you won't be able to put this HOT thriller down. Paired with your favorite vino or tea, you'll find the escape into this suspenseful page-turner full of delicious betrayals. Loved it. Clever. Unique. Hot. Devilish fun.
November 12, 2019
Raven Lane is a cul-de-sac of friendships. Dinner parties, sex and secrets until a tragic accident changes everything. This was emotional, dark and sexy, tragic and compelling. A domestic thriller with a plot you won't see coming. It had me up all night reading it. Then I still couldn't sleep still thinking about it. Don't miss this one. Everyone will be talking about it. I loved it.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
March 7, 2023
3.75/5 ⭐️
October 23, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley, Amber Cowie and Lake Union Publishing for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.
I have had Cowie’s first novel on my TBR for what feels like years so I was really excited to get a galley of this one that I would have to get to in a timely manner. I will now be picking up Rapid Falls sooner rather than later because this book had me hooked right from the first chapter. I didn’t want to put this one down for anything – I just had to know what the heck was going on in this neighborhood. I loved the idea of neighbors being so close to one another, and all the drama that the closeness brought with it. There are so many twists and unexpected drama in this novel that I honestly felt like I never knew what was going to happen next and I loved it. I flew through this one in one day and I was so pleased with the chapters of one of the characters books interspersed throughout the novel! Definitely kept my interest! I would definitely recommend this novel and trust me; you’re in for a treat!
Out November 12th!
I have had Cowie’s first novel on my TBR for what feels like years so I was really excited to get a galley of this one that I would have to get to in a timely manner. I will now be picking up Rapid Falls sooner rather than later because this book had me hooked right from the first chapter. I didn’t want to put this one down for anything – I just had to know what the heck was going on in this neighborhood. I loved the idea of neighbors being so close to one another, and all the drama that the closeness brought with it. There are so many twists and unexpected drama in this novel that I honestly felt like I never knew what was going to happen next and I loved it. I flew through this one in one day and I was so pleased with the chapters of one of the characters books interspersed throughout the novel! Definitely kept my interest! I would definitely recommend this novel and trust me; you’re in for a treat!
Out November 12th!
August 19, 2019
It’s always been my dream to live in the perfect neighborhood. You know the one where all the neighbors are friends, have communal dinners, kids are all buddies. The kind of neighbors you can count on under any circumstances. Well, I had that dream until reading Raven Lane.
Raven Lane takes us to one such neighborhood, a cul de sac with a group of people that are similarly minded and good friends. People that have each other’s backs. Weekly dinners and monthly parties and barbecues. All of that good stuff. Until one night when an accident occurs, throwing their happy little homes into turmoil. The kind that people simply don’t always recovery from.
Esme and Benedict are the focal couple of this story, and it’s told from Esme’s point of view. Esme was once an up and coming actress. Benedict once a celebrated fashion model. Until things get turned upside down for Esme in the film business, and Benedict is dropped because of his drug and alcohol habits. They start over by moving to Raven Lane, getting married and having a daughter. Esme opens a restaurant and Benedict a modeling agency. One night when they are celebrating one of Benedict’s clients, he accidentally hits his neighbor Torn, a famous author, with his bike, knocking him headlong into the street. With all these famous people involved in what should have been a quiet, but tragic, accident, it makes the news. And turns everyone on Raven Lane’s lives upside down.
I could not put this book down. Raven Lane appears to be such an idyllic place to live, but when the stuff hits the fan, it’s amazing how everything breaks down. Tragic, compelling and page turning, Amber Cowie has written a book with a little bit of romance and mystery. She shows us the dark side that everyone has, we are just all fairly good at keeping them hidden. This is a good one.
Raven Lane takes us to one such neighborhood, a cul de sac with a group of people that are similarly minded and good friends. People that have each other’s backs. Weekly dinners and monthly parties and barbecues. All of that good stuff. Until one night when an accident occurs, throwing their happy little homes into turmoil. The kind that people simply don’t always recovery from.
Esme and Benedict are the focal couple of this story, and it’s told from Esme’s point of view. Esme was once an up and coming actress. Benedict once a celebrated fashion model. Until things get turned upside down for Esme in the film business, and Benedict is dropped because of his drug and alcohol habits. They start over by moving to Raven Lane, getting married and having a daughter. Esme opens a restaurant and Benedict a modeling agency. One night when they are celebrating one of Benedict’s clients, he accidentally hits his neighbor Torn, a famous author, with his bike, knocking him headlong into the street. With all these famous people involved in what should have been a quiet, but tragic, accident, it makes the news. And turns everyone on Raven Lane’s lives upside down.
I could not put this book down. Raven Lane appears to be such an idyllic place to live, but when the stuff hits the fan, it’s amazing how everything breaks down. Tragic, compelling and page turning, Amber Cowie has written a book with a little bit of romance and mystery. She shows us the dark side that everyone has, we are just all fairly good at keeping them hidden. This is a good one.
June 16, 2019
Disclaimer: I got an advance copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is a pretty good thriller. I think with some work (and mostly formatting) this could be a heck of a lot better than just pretty good. What do I mean my formatting changes? Well I didn't like that there was no paragraph break between the book-within-a-book and the book-book, a paragraph break, an inset, and maybe some italics (or a font change) would help a lot here. Same deal with flashbacks, these need to be broken up with at the very least a paragraph break if not a section break.
Esmé is an ok character, I really really disliked her husband Benedict though. My copy included a bookclub guide with questions and one of them was along the lines of 'what are the benefits for Esmé gains from staying with Benedict?' And I, having just finished the book couldn't tell you, other than another body in the house, I don't think he did much for anyone other than himself... But maybe we aren't maybe to dislike him so vehemently?
The book-within-a-book was weird... like Lovecraft and Cthulhu-inspired weird. We are told at the end of the passages, that are never more than a page and a half long, that Esmé had been engrossed for long periods reading the book, if the passages are supposed to be engrossing and time consuming to get through I would expect that they would be longer than what they were presented as being. Honestly this literary device needed to be fleshed out a bit, maybe more length would have given us a break in the main narrative... I don't know, usually I like this device, just didn't get the feeling that it worked here.
The resolution will probably surprise you. Read the last couple chapters carefully or you will miss elements of it. Also if things wrapping up in a few pages bugs you like it bugs me, you've been warned.
This is a pretty good thriller. I think with some work (and mostly formatting) this could be a heck of a lot better than just pretty good. What do I mean my formatting changes? Well I didn't like that there was no paragraph break between the book-within-a-book and the book-book, a paragraph break, an inset, and maybe some italics (or a font change) would help a lot here. Same deal with flashbacks, these need to be broken up with at the very least a paragraph break if not a section break.
Esmé is an ok character, I really really disliked her husband Benedict though. My copy included a bookclub guide with questions and one of them was along the lines of 'what are the benefits for Esmé gains from staying with Benedict?' And I, having just finished the book couldn't tell you, other than another body in the house, I don't think he did much for anyone other than himself... But maybe we aren't maybe to dislike him so vehemently?
The book-within-a-book was weird... like Lovecraft and Cthulhu-inspired weird. We are told at the end of the passages, that are never more than a page and a half long, that Esmé had been engrossed for long periods reading the book, if the passages are supposed to be engrossing and time consuming to get through I would expect that they would be longer than what they were presented as being. Honestly this literary device needed to be fleshed out a bit, maybe more length would have given us a break in the main narrative... I don't know, usually I like this device, just didn't get the feeling that it worked here.
The resolution will probably surprise you. Read the last couple chapters carefully or you will miss elements of it. Also if things wrapping up in a few pages bugs you like it bugs me, you've been warned.
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