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One of Us
Behind the tall hedges of the affluent, gated community of Apple Tree Creek, not all is as it seems …
Out of the blue, Gertie’s husband decides they need a break and he’s leaving her with their three children. Two streets east and three gardens down, successful businesswoman Rachael discovers her husband has cheated on her – again – even though she’s pregnant with his third child. Thrown together by a chance encounter, the two women bond over the shared disaster that is their marriages.
But did one husband push his wife too far?
When the ambulance sirens cut through the serenity of Apple Tree Creek, the small community is shocked at the violence that’s played out in their midst. CCTV reveals no outsiders visited the estate that night, confirming that the assailant must have been one of their own. Is the culprit still living among them? And why didn’t any of the cameras, designed to keep them all safe, catch anything?
As the web of neighbourly relationships unravels and the workings of their inner lives are exposed, questions will be asked, but not everyone wants to learn the answers.
You can only push people so far.
Out of the blue, Gertie’s husband decides they need a break and he’s leaving her with their three children. Two streets east and three gardens down, successful businesswoman Rachael discovers her husband has cheated on her – again – even though she’s pregnant with his third child. Thrown together by a chance encounter, the two women bond over the shared disaster that is their marriages.
But did one husband push his wife too far?
When the ambulance sirens cut through the serenity of Apple Tree Creek, the small community is shocked at the violence that’s played out in their midst. CCTV reveals no outsiders visited the estate that night, confirming that the assailant must have been one of their own. Is the culprit still living among them? And why didn’t any of the cameras, designed to keep them all safe, catch anything?
As the web of neighbourly relationships unravels and the workings of their inner lives are exposed, questions will be asked, but not everyone wants to learn the answers.
You can only push people so far.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2022
17 people are currently reading
520 people want to read
About the author
Kylie Kaden
8 books96 followersHi there, and thanks for taking the time to pop by.
Writing is an isolated occupation, so feel free to drop me a line!
Okay, writers make the stuff up, but the stories only come to life when they get let out into the real world. It is the readers that breathe life into characters, and the readers who I hope to connect with. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
find me at: hello@kyliekaden.com.au
(or www.kyliekaden.com.au)
Raised in Queensland, she spent holidays camping with her parents and two brothers at the Sunshine Coast, where much of Losing Kate was set. She now lives in Brisbane with her husband and three young sons. As the only female in a house of males, Kylie tops up her sanity by writing whilst her youngest naps (and the washing mounts). She is adamant the next addition to the Kaden household will be female…and canine.
Kylie graduated with an honours degree in psychology from Queensland University of Technology in 2000, but cites it helps little with meeting the challenges of parenting in the real world. She shares her frazzled parenting experiences in her regular column in My Child magazine, and is a strong advocate for telling it like it is when it comes to the struggles (and joys) of raising kids.
After postgraduate study, Kylie went on to train and manage staff in both the corporate and government arenas, where she met her surfer/lawyer husband at an end-of-year function (at the pub). She wrote her debut novel,Losing Kate whilst on maternity leave from an executive role in the Australian Public Service.
Kylie knew writing was in her blood from a young age, using her brother’s Commodore 64 to invent stories as a child. Her current novel took shape as she drank tea at the kitchen bench, often with a toddler on her lap and ABC Kids chirping in the background.
Kylie considers being a novelist the best job in the world – what other occupation lets you wear Ugg boots to work and make things up for a living?
Losing Kate, a Women’s Contemporary Novel was Kylie's debut (April 2014), published by Random House and later translated internationally. Her second novel, also published by Penguin Random House was the critically acclaimed, Missing You (2015). The Day The Lies Began - a domestic noir (2019) Pantera Press and One Of Us (2022) and After The Smoke Clears (2023).
Writing is an isolated occupation, so feel free to drop me a line!
Okay, writers make the stuff up, but the stories only come to life when they get let out into the real world. It is the readers that breathe life into characters, and the readers who I hope to connect with. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
find me at: hello@kyliekaden.com.au
(or www.kyliekaden.com.au)
Raised in Queensland, she spent holidays camping with her parents and two brothers at the Sunshine Coast, where much of Losing Kate was set. She now lives in Brisbane with her husband and three young sons. As the only female in a house of males, Kylie tops up her sanity by writing whilst her youngest naps (and the washing mounts). She is adamant the next addition to the Kaden household will be female…and canine.
Kylie graduated with an honours degree in psychology from Queensland University of Technology in 2000, but cites it helps little with meeting the challenges of parenting in the real world. She shares her frazzled parenting experiences in her regular column in My Child magazine, and is a strong advocate for telling it like it is when it comes to the struggles (and joys) of raising kids.
After postgraduate study, Kylie went on to train and manage staff in both the corporate and government arenas, where she met her surfer/lawyer husband at an end-of-year function (at the pub). She wrote her debut novel,Losing Kate whilst on maternity leave from an executive role in the Australian Public Service.
Kylie knew writing was in her blood from a young age, using her brother’s Commodore 64 to invent stories as a child. Her current novel took shape as she drank tea at the kitchen bench, often with a toddler on her lap and ABC Kids chirping in the background.
Kylie considers being a novelist the best job in the world – what other occupation lets you wear Ugg boots to work and make things up for a living?
Losing Kate, a Women’s Contemporary Novel was Kylie's debut (April 2014), published by Random House and later translated internationally. Her second novel, also published by Penguin Random House was the critically acclaimed, Missing You (2015). The Day The Lies Began - a domestic noir (2019) Pantera Press and One Of Us (2022) and After The Smoke Clears (2023).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
April 11, 2022
This novel opens dramatically with a victim lying on the floor surrounded by paramedics and police, his traumatised wife and a shocked teenager sitting watching nearby. A detective is asking himself how this could have happened in a gated community with all the latest security surveillance. The novel then goes on to introduce us to the families and the suspects who might have been responsible for this crime scene.
I really enjoyed this contemporary novel about families living in a gated community of Apple Tree Creek in Sydney. They might be wealthy but they are not all happy by any means. There is Gert, a wife and mother of three who longs to go back to her career, her husband Ed, hiding a secret that he thinks running away will solve, her friend Rachel, a successful businesswoman struggling with a newborn and two other children who really should leave her controlling husband Sam, handsome ex-Olympic swimmer and serial philanderer. And then there are the nosy neighbours who like to give out advice on raising children but really should pay more attention to what their own kid is up to. Throw in a few teenagers with their own problems and secrets and a stalker and there's a lot going on in this little community.
The build up to the crime scene is gradual, but never dragged, as we really get know all the main players and all the pieces are slotted into place. Kaden's characters may all be flawed but are they all relatable with their very human failings. The friendship between Gert and Rachel was portrayed really well and it's easy to feel empathy for both women, although not so much for their husbands, who are somewhat stereotypical bad husbands in different ways. Told with a touch of humour, it was easy to become engaged in the lives and dramas of these families as we wait to find out what really happened at that opening crime scene. 3.5★
With thanks to Pantera Press via Netgalley for a copy to read
I really enjoyed this contemporary novel about families living in a gated community of Apple Tree Creek in Sydney. They might be wealthy but they are not all happy by any means. There is Gert, a wife and mother of three who longs to go back to her career, her husband Ed, hiding a secret that he thinks running away will solve, her friend Rachel, a successful businesswoman struggling with a newborn and two other children who really should leave her controlling husband Sam, handsome ex-Olympic swimmer and serial philanderer. And then there are the nosy neighbours who like to give out advice on raising children but really should pay more attention to what their own kid is up to. Throw in a few teenagers with their own problems and secrets and a stalker and there's a lot going on in this little community.
The build up to the crime scene is gradual, but never dragged, as we really get know all the main players and all the pieces are slotted into place. Kaden's characters may all be flawed but are they all relatable with their very human failings. The friendship between Gert and Rachel was portrayed really well and it's easy to feel empathy for both women, although not so much for their husbands, who are somewhat stereotypical bad husbands in different ways. Told with a touch of humour, it was easy to become engaged in the lives and dramas of these families as we wait to find out what really happened at that opening crime scene. 3.5★
With thanks to Pantera Press via Netgalley for a copy to read
October 26, 2023
This one is set in a gated community, filled with security but how and who stabbed one of the residents, a father to three children, a famous ex-swim star there are a few twists along the way as we learn all about a couple of families and how their lives span out.
Gertie and her husband Ed with their three children Kat, Abe and Harry everything has been fabulous since they won their house and moved in, happily married for twenty years when Ed drops a bombshell.
Rachael who is pregnant and Sam and their two boys Ethan and Noah move her for the security they have spent a lot of time in the media over the years and it is time to let that go.
Penny, Martin and their son Spencer live next door to Rachael and Sam and Penny knows all.
Gertie and Rachael become friends and are opening up to each other, both have problems that are affecting them and their families, they are a big support to each other and then a husband is stabbed, fear, worry about who did this ramp up the emotions.
This is a story that I thoroughly enjoyed, getting to know the people who live in this community and their families had me turning the pages, this is my first Kylie Kaden book but it won’t be my last, I loved the twist at the end.
I do highly recommend this one to anyone who loves a good mystery that will keep your turning the pages.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
Gertie and her husband Ed with their three children Kat, Abe and Harry everything has been fabulous since they won their house and moved in, happily married for twenty years when Ed drops a bombshell.
Rachael who is pregnant and Sam and their two boys Ethan and Noah move her for the security they have spent a lot of time in the media over the years and it is time to let that go.
Penny, Martin and their son Spencer live next door to Rachael and Sam and Penny knows all.
Gertie and Rachael become friends and are opening up to each other, both have problems that are affecting them and their families, they are a big support to each other and then a husband is stabbed, fear, worry about who did this ramp up the emotions.
This is a story that I thoroughly enjoyed, getting to know the people who live in this community and their families had me turning the pages, this is my first Kylie Kaden book but it won’t be my last, I loved the twist at the end.
I do highly recommend this one to anyone who loves a good mystery that will keep your turning the pages.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
March 17, 2025
Loved this book. I loved it so much because I cared about the characters and wanted to know what was happening. I also loved the way everyone had a motive, so it kept me guessing. If you love your neighborhood thrillers/dramas, you need to check this one out.
This book has/is
* Multiple povs
* Realistic
* Unpredictable
* Entertaining
* Manipulation
* Evokes emotions
* Friendships
* Marriages
* Betrayal
* Parenting (teenagers)
This book has/is
* Multiple povs
* Realistic
* Unpredictable
* Entertaining
* Manipulation
* Evokes emotions
* Friendships
* Marriages
* Betrayal
* Parenting (teenagers)
November 29, 2022
The secret dramas that lie behind the seemingly idyllic lifestyle of an exclusive gated community is the delicious premise behind One of Us by Kylie Kaden. The happy fronts being shown to the world are often hiding a darker reality and that’s where we’re taken in this domestic thriller nestled behind hedged walls and in front of a glut of CCTV cameras.
The story is told from the alternating perspectives of the main characters with each chapter providing a new focus. It’s an effective technique that ensures the pace never slows but it also manages to keep you a little unbalanced as a new viewpoint is presented.
We first meet Gertie, a former midwife and now a wife and mother of three. As the story opens she’s hit with the news that Ed, her husband whom she’s known since childhood, has decided he’s moving to Spain for work and leaving her and the kids at home. Next is Rachael, 8+ months pregnant and just gone on maternity leave from the successful business she founded. Her controlling husband, ex-Olympic swimmer Sam, has just come home and confessed to sleeping with yet another woman. Penny, next door, is the typical nosy neighbour who makes judgements on the way others live their lives but is oblivious to the horrible things her own teenage son is getting up to.
Three rather unstable households, all putting on a happy outer appearance, but all just waiting for that teeny tiny push to send them over the edge.
Author Kylie Kaden goes to great pains to help us get into the minds of each of the principal characters. Knowing their motives, their backstories and their flaws gives us everything we need to effectively put just about all of them in the frame for a shocking murder.
The ever-present scourge of modern society, domestic violence plays a key role in this story. Once again, we are reminded that spousal abuse doesn’t always involve physical violence. Emotional control is just as damaging and can lead to unpredictable consequences.
One Of Us is a slowly brewing drama that is wonderfully composed of a range of disparate pieces of information over a period of weeks and months. It is all brought together in a tumultuous rush and leads to quite an unexpected ending.
The story is told from the alternating perspectives of the main characters with each chapter providing a new focus. It’s an effective technique that ensures the pace never slows but it also manages to keep you a little unbalanced as a new viewpoint is presented.
We first meet Gertie, a former midwife and now a wife and mother of three. As the story opens she’s hit with the news that Ed, her husband whom she’s known since childhood, has decided he’s moving to Spain for work and leaving her and the kids at home. Next is Rachael, 8+ months pregnant and just gone on maternity leave from the successful business she founded. Her controlling husband, ex-Olympic swimmer Sam, has just come home and confessed to sleeping with yet another woman. Penny, next door, is the typical nosy neighbour who makes judgements on the way others live their lives but is oblivious to the horrible things her own teenage son is getting up to.
Three rather unstable households, all putting on a happy outer appearance, but all just waiting for that teeny tiny push to send them over the edge.
Author Kylie Kaden goes to great pains to help us get into the minds of each of the principal characters. Knowing their motives, their backstories and their flaws gives us everything we need to effectively put just about all of them in the frame for a shocking murder.
The ever-present scourge of modern society, domestic violence plays a key role in this story. Once again, we are reminded that spousal abuse doesn’t always involve physical violence. Emotional control is just as damaging and can lead to unpredictable consequences.
One Of Us is a slowly brewing drama that is wonderfully composed of a range of disparate pieces of information over a period of weeks and months. It is all brought together in a tumultuous rush and leads to quite an unexpected ending.
June 28, 2022
In One of Us we get to climb security fences and peek through the hedges at the residents of an exclusive gated community.
The story follows the lives of two families on the Apple Tree Creek estate. Gertie and Ed have three children and have lived on the estate for five years when he tells her he needs a break and is moving out. Rachael new to the estate, pregnant with her third child, finds her sports star husband has cheated on her again. These two very different women soon become firm friends supporting each other.
One of Us is a gripping domestic noir filled with simmering secrets. I was intrigued with this story right from the prologue; a husband attacked and a wife in tears. The question of who was attacked is in the back of your mind as you read. Then there is the mystery of the attacker with many of the characters having a motive.
Around these mysteries Kaden has written a story about marriage and motherhood, what goes on behind closed doors and women trying to do their best whilst fighting their own feelings of failure and struggling under the burden. There are multiple themes throughout the novel that I am sure will resonate with readers.
*I received my copy through the Beauty & Lace Book Club
The story follows the lives of two families on the Apple Tree Creek estate. Gertie and Ed have three children and have lived on the estate for five years when he tells her he needs a break and is moving out. Rachael new to the estate, pregnant with her third child, finds her sports star husband has cheated on her again. These two very different women soon become firm friends supporting each other.
One of Us is a gripping domestic noir filled with simmering secrets. I was intrigued with this story right from the prologue; a husband attacked and a wife in tears. The question of who was attacked is in the back of your mind as you read. Then there is the mystery of the attacker with many of the characters having a motive.
Around these mysteries Kaden has written a story about marriage and motherhood, what goes on behind closed doors and women trying to do their best whilst fighting their own feelings of failure and struggling under the burden. There are multiple themes throughout the novel that I am sure will resonate with readers.
*I received my copy through the Beauty & Lace Book Club
October 25, 2022
Apple Tree Creek in Sydney is a gated community consisting of many couples including young children and teenagers. From the outside world, it looks like the residents of Apple Tree Creek have it all with their manicured gardens and neighbors who seem to have it all. But all is not as it seems and this is where the story has the reader asking questions and will keep you guessing to the end.
An enjoyable book that touches on everyday topics that many can relate to. With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review. Recommended.
An enjoyable book that touches on everyday topics that many can relate to. With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review. Recommended.
January 31, 2022
'One of Us' takes us behind the picket fence - and wow! - what a fabulously tangled mess it proves to be! This is a darkly funny depiction of imperfection in a perfect suburb. But more than that it asks what wouldn't a mother do to protect her child? Kylie Kaden has produced a thoroughly entertaining read that's sure to please any reader who likes their domestic noir with a side-serving of wit and humour.
August 1, 2022
One of Us is a contemporary novel of domestic suspense from Australian author Kylie Kaden.
Within one of the architecturally designed homes behind the gates of the exclusive Apple Tree Creek Estate lies the body of a man, blood pooling on the living room floor from a deep stab wound. As a detective studies the scene, and the reactions of the man’s wife, Kaden shifts to the recent past, and focuses on two women, near neighbours Gert Rainworth and Rachel York, who meet and become friends just as their respective marriages are falling apart.
At a fairly measured pace, Kaden exposes the secrets, betrayals, and stresses that culminate in the introductory scene. Gertie is reeling from her husband’s acceptance of a year long transfer to his company’s Singapore office, and his decision to go alone, leaving her with their three children. Rachel, heavily pregnant with her third child, is increasingly exhausted by her husband’s serial philandering, and escalating control issues.
Gertie and Rachel, despite having little in common, form a supportive rapport that feels authentic, as they both struggle with their respective situations. Kaden has a real talent for portraying the familiar minutiae of domestic life, and explores the challenges of marriage and motherhood with empathy.
Stripping back the facade of privilege, wealth and security the community and its residents project, Kaden reveals a host of hidden dysfunctions, from the awful truths about Rachel’s husband, to a neighbours secret shame, and even the way in which the measures used by the gated estate to keep residents safe, can be perverted.
By the time the identity of the stabbed man is revealed, several characters prove to have reasonable motives for the attack. I enjoyed the puzzle of determining which was most likely, and was satisfied by the denouement.
One of Us is an suspenseful and entertaining suburban thriller, sure to appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty, Sally Hepworth and Lisa Jewell.
Within one of the architecturally designed homes behind the gates of the exclusive Apple Tree Creek Estate lies the body of a man, blood pooling on the living room floor from a deep stab wound. As a detective studies the scene, and the reactions of the man’s wife, Kaden shifts to the recent past, and focuses on two women, near neighbours Gert Rainworth and Rachel York, who meet and become friends just as their respective marriages are falling apart.
At a fairly measured pace, Kaden exposes the secrets, betrayals, and stresses that culminate in the introductory scene. Gertie is reeling from her husband’s acceptance of a year long transfer to his company’s Singapore office, and his decision to go alone, leaving her with their three children. Rachel, heavily pregnant with her third child, is increasingly exhausted by her husband’s serial philandering, and escalating control issues.
Gertie and Rachel, despite having little in common, form a supportive rapport that feels authentic, as they both struggle with their respective situations. Kaden has a real talent for portraying the familiar minutiae of domestic life, and explores the challenges of marriage and motherhood with empathy.
Stripping back the facade of privilege, wealth and security the community and its residents project, Kaden reveals a host of hidden dysfunctions, from the awful truths about Rachel’s husband, to a neighbours secret shame, and even the way in which the measures used by the gated estate to keep residents safe, can be perverted.
By the time the identity of the stabbed man is revealed, several characters prove to have reasonable motives for the attack. I enjoyed the puzzle of determining which was most likely, and was satisfied by the denouement.
One of Us is an suspenseful and entertaining suburban thriller, sure to appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty, Sally Hepworth and Lisa Jewell.
April 20, 2022
Oh this book was very cool. A domestic thriller that was a fun and addictive read full of intrigue and suspense! I could not put this one down and highly recommend it!!
My favourite character was Gertie. She was such a real, relatable and honest version of an everyday Mum. Full of quirkiness, triumph and self-doubts as she blunders her way through motherhood, always trying her best… just like all of us Mum’s! Haha!! This is one of those books where you fall into the story and cannot stop reading as you absorb all the juicy details as things unfold, and the suspense just keeps building. I loved it!
A story full of husband’s behaving badly, the bonds of true friendship, teenagers and their secrets, and Mum’s who are trying to protect those they love and hold everything together… This book is a must read, full of emotion, excitement and shocks galore. Definitely add this one to your list!!
May 12, 2022
One Of Us is a entertaining domestic drama that has a clever web spun into its plot.
Inside a gated community, all you dirty laundry is aired for all to see.
Welcome to Apple Tree Creek.
Gertie’s husband Ed decides he needs a break and travels overseas leaving Gertie with the kids and a home to organise.
Just around the corner is Rachael whose husband Sam cheats on her….. again.
Gertie and Rachael meet and bond over their selfish husbands.
But in this secluded social world there’s secrets and lies that have no where to hide.
A slow burn melodrama with twists you won’t see coming and an epilogue that’s compelling.
After a bit of a slow start for me, this really revved up and became hard to put down.
I became totally invested and I wanted to know what was to become of the storyline, characters and ending.
This is my first foray into the writing world of Kylie and I know I will be dragging out her other book to read.
Drama, humour, tension, high emotions and a cast behaving badly.
Dysfunctional families, lying husbands, imperfect wives where gossip and sinister run rampant.
A suburban drama with a little shock here and there.
Inside a gated community, all you dirty laundry is aired for all to see.
Welcome to Apple Tree Creek.
Gertie’s husband Ed decides he needs a break and travels overseas leaving Gertie with the kids and a home to organise.
Just around the corner is Rachael whose husband Sam cheats on her….. again.
Gertie and Rachael meet and bond over their selfish husbands.
But in this secluded social world there’s secrets and lies that have no where to hide.
A slow burn melodrama with twists you won’t see coming and an epilogue that’s compelling.
After a bit of a slow start for me, this really revved up and became hard to put down.
I became totally invested and I wanted to know what was to become of the storyline, characters and ending.
This is my first foray into the writing world of Kylie and I know I will be dragging out her other book to read.
Drama, humour, tension, high emotions and a cast behaving badly.
Dysfunctional families, lying husbands, imperfect wives where gossip and sinister run rampant.
A suburban drama with a little shock here and there.
April 27, 2022
I really enjoyed this ARC of One of Us.
What is really going on behind some of the closed doors of the gated, seemingly perfect and well to do community of Apple Tree Creek? It’s not what you might think.
I was engaged with this believable story right from the first page. I found the characters authentic and I could feel their emotions and pain as the story evolved. The relationships between the female characters is endearing and I felt empathy for the dysfunctional families that were revealed.
This story kept me intrigued to the very last word.
Thank you to Better Reading for the chance to review this great read and I’ll be looking for more of Kylie Caden’s books into the future.
What is really going on behind some of the closed doors of the gated, seemingly perfect and well to do community of Apple Tree Creek? It’s not what you might think.
I was engaged with this believable story right from the first page. I found the characters authentic and I could feel their emotions and pain as the story evolved. The relationships between the female characters is endearing and I felt empathy for the dysfunctional families that were revealed.
This story kept me intrigued to the very last word.
Thank you to Better Reading for the chance to review this great read and I’ll be looking for more of Kylie Caden’s books into the future.
February 10, 2025
kind of big little lies tea plus a cautionary tale about ipad kids
March 21, 2022
Some great characters…and an intense ending
June 13, 2022
Couldn’t have written it better myself 😀
July 6, 2022
You know it is a good book when you decide to keep reading until the wee hours of the morning to finish.
I highly enjoyed reading my first Kylie Kaden novel called "One of Us" but I do have "The Day the Lies Began" waiting for me on Audiobook. This domestic thriller focuses on two families from the affluent gated community of Apple Tree Creek - their secrets, day-to-day struggles, and relationships. It was like peeking through a window into both main characters' lives.
Gertie feels like an imposter living in the gated community - they won this lifestyle via a ticket in a box of chocolates and still drive a second-hand Tarago. Three kids and an adoring Husband she is on the merry-go-round that is life when her Husband blindsides her with his decision to move to Singapore for work without her and the children!
Rachael is the picture of success, beautiful with a dashing ex-Olympian swimmer Husband, a businesswoman in her own right with 2 boys and a baby on the way. Rachael discovers Sam her Husband has cheated on her again.
Two women with nothing in common other than living in the gated community bond over the shared disaster that is their marriages.
The prologue draws us straight in - one of their Husbands has been attacked. CCTV footage shows no outsiders visited the gated community so it had to be someone from the community. Who could it be and why, from here we get to know the residents of Apple Tree Creek.
I found the novel easy to read and liked the characters - chapters moved between each of the characters easily and were always noted with the characters' names. I felt that the author touched on many issues that can impact families - special needs children, midlife crisis, marriage issues, coercive control, screen time and restricted content, privacy, affairs, loss, and grief which made it a realistic read.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace and Pantera Press for the opportunity to discover this new Author and thank you Kylie for a fast paced novel that kept me up till I finished it.
I highly enjoyed reading my first Kylie Kaden novel called "One of Us" but I do have "The Day the Lies Began" waiting for me on Audiobook. This domestic thriller focuses on two families from the affluent gated community of Apple Tree Creek - their secrets, day-to-day struggles, and relationships. It was like peeking through a window into both main characters' lives.
Gertie feels like an imposter living in the gated community - they won this lifestyle via a ticket in a box of chocolates and still drive a second-hand Tarago. Three kids and an adoring Husband she is on the merry-go-round that is life when her Husband blindsides her with his decision to move to Singapore for work without her and the children!
Rachael is the picture of success, beautiful with a dashing ex-Olympian swimmer Husband, a businesswoman in her own right with 2 boys and a baby on the way. Rachael discovers Sam her Husband has cheated on her again.
Two women with nothing in common other than living in the gated community bond over the shared disaster that is their marriages.
The prologue draws us straight in - one of their Husbands has been attacked. CCTV footage shows no outsiders visited the gated community so it had to be someone from the community. Who could it be and why, from here we get to know the residents of Apple Tree Creek.
I found the novel easy to read and liked the characters - chapters moved between each of the characters easily and were always noted with the characters' names. I felt that the author touched on many issues that can impact families - special needs children, midlife crisis, marriage issues, coercive control, screen time and restricted content, privacy, affairs, loss, and grief which made it a realistic read.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace and Pantera Press for the opportunity to discover this new Author and thank you Kylie for a fast paced novel that kept me up till I finished it.
July 1, 2022
Set in the affluent suburban (gated) community of Apple Tree Creek, lie many stories most of which occur behind closed doors – including the story behind the body found unconscious in one of the houses…
The victim is surrounded by police and paramedics – who could have done this and how in a gated community with security surveillance?
Following this dramatic opening, One of Us then introduces us to the neighbours, their relationships and their secrets. It was like peeping into the windows of people’s lives in suburbia which are not what they seem.
Gertie’s husband decides they need a break and leaves her with their three children and heads overseas.
Rachael, a successful businesswoman and pregnant with her third child discovers her husband has cheated on her – again.
Did one husband push his wife too far?
This fast-paced domestic thriller that had me guessing until the end.
In my opinion, this is Kaden’s best book so far!
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The victim is surrounded by police and paramedics – who could have done this and how in a gated community with security surveillance?
Following this dramatic opening, One of Us then introduces us to the neighbours, their relationships and their secrets. It was like peeping into the windows of people’s lives in suburbia which are not what they seem.
Gertie’s husband decides they need a break and leaves her with their three children and heads overseas.
Rachael, a successful businesswoman and pregnant with her third child discovers her husband has cheated on her – again.
Did one husband push his wife too far?
This fast-paced domestic thriller that had me guessing until the end.
In my opinion, this is Kaden’s best book so far!
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
February 6, 2022
I'm a big fan of Kylie Kaden and it has been way too long between drinks. This author has a way of putting words together that always manages to make me go 'wow'. Kylie has a grip on the reality of domestic life that always strikes a chord with me, and I'm sure will with other readers. One Of Us brings together an assortment of beautifully flawed characters, with a plot that keeps you guessing to the end.
July 3, 2022
Have got my reading mojo back with this book. First time I have read one of this author and she did not disappoint. On the cover it says “ a darkly funny depiction of imperfection in a perfect suburb” and it was exactly that. I will be interested to see what her other books are like.
June 8, 2023
I’m almost certain that Kylie Kaden is now one of my favourite authors.
She does a hell of an awesome job portraying her characters with tact.
Oooh, a gated community, love this setting, a new one for me.
There is discord behind the row of bushes of the well-to-do, walled community.
The prologue forewarns us of a dramatic scene, however the story rewinds and takes us back to the beginning where we follow the lives of the residents of Apple Tree Creek, you become so totally immersed in their relationships, you forget that you’re supposed to be focused on, you know, that dramatic scene, then your mouth hangs open when the incident is revealed, and of course, at that moment it all comes back to you.
So there are two women
Couple of crappy husbands
Betrayals
Teenagers
Many-a-twist and turn
It was a slow build before getting to the incident which I loved, you become acquainted with the characters first and what fun it is to learn of all their little secrets and struggling relationships along the way and as a matter of course, a tiny amount of tension builds before the event/twist is revealed.
A highly entertaining domestic thriller.
Listened to the audio via the BorrowBox app
Published by Bolinda audio and narrated by the excellent Rebecca Macauley
Duration: 10 hours, 56 minutes 1.50x Speed
She does a hell of an awesome job portraying her characters with tact.
Oooh, a gated community, love this setting, a new one for me.
There is discord behind the row of bushes of the well-to-do, walled community.
The prologue forewarns us of a dramatic scene, however the story rewinds and takes us back to the beginning where we follow the lives of the residents of Apple Tree Creek, you become so totally immersed in their relationships, you forget that you’re supposed to be focused on, you know, that dramatic scene, then your mouth hangs open when the incident is revealed, and of course, at that moment it all comes back to you.
So there are two women
Couple of crappy husbands
Betrayals
Teenagers
Many-a-twist and turn
It was a slow build before getting to the incident which I loved, you become acquainted with the characters first and what fun it is to learn of all their little secrets and struggling relationships along the way and as a matter of course, a tiny amount of tension builds before the event/twist is revealed.
A highly entertaining domestic thriller.
Listened to the audio via the BorrowBox app
Published by Bolinda audio and narrated by the excellent Rebecca Macauley
Duration: 10 hours, 56 minutes 1.50x Speed
August 7, 2022
One of the more interchangeable supposed thrillers of the modern Era in need of a good editor. The women in this are annoyingly over woke and annoyingly super passive. Story has been done several times. Nothing new here
April 6, 2022
One of Us is a tale of suburban mischief behind the ultra exclusive fence of a gated in community. Very Australian in tone including the many uses of the word ‘Hon” to reference your children and friends. If you can get past that you are greeted with a number of characters that you would have seen on many a tv show or novel; the Alpha Male who is not who he portrays himself to be, his beautiful but downtrodden wife who on the one hand can run a successful business but on the other puts up with some appalling behaviour from her husband. The busy body neighbour who likes to show a prosperous front to the neighbourhood but, as you guessed it, all is not what it seems. And then we have the "Justine Clarke" type character – struggling housewife with three kids, two of whom may or may not be on the spectrum, still loves her husband after many years but suddenly that is thrown into disarray. Not a bad read but I found myself predicting the plot and wasn’t far off in the end. The main point for me was that I didn’t really care by the end either.
August 5, 2022
“One of Us” by Kylie Kaden is a domestic thriller focused on the residents of a gated community. It follows the emotional lives of two families – particularly the women in them – as long held frustrations explode and lead to violence. Kaden makes familiar themes into a fresh and absorbing story and a great reading experience.
Gertie and Ed have never entirely fitted into the wealthy enclave of Apple Tree Creek. They won their house in a raffle, and simply don’t have the disposable income of many other residents. Gertie’s a stay at home mum, often ruffled and perhaps sinking into middle age and parenthood a little too comfortably.
Despite their occasional unease with the environment they’ve found themselves in, Gertie and Ed enjoy a happy and solid marriage. Until, with no warning, Ed announces that they need a break and leaves Gertie with their three children while he accepts an overseas posting.
Meanwhile, only a few streets away, Rachael is glossy and successful, and hugely pregnant. She finds her husband has cheated on her yet again. She should leave, really she should. And yet there are so many reasons to stay.
A chance encounter leads the two to develop a strong friendship. It’s a support to both of them as their lives start to crumble. And they’ll really need that support when one of their husbands is violently attacked. In the closely monitored community, it’s clear that no strangers visited the estate that night. The attacker must be someone from this small and supposedly safe community.
There isn’t a strong sense of place in the novel. We’re told that Apple Tree Creek estate is in Sydney, but if not for that, I might well have placed it somewhere in the US. Perhaps it’s because I associate the idea of gated communities so much more strongly with the US. Perhaps it’s a by product of the stifling, insular atmosphere that Kaden develops for the community. Either way, it contributes to the sense of a community separate from the rest of the world.
Kaden deals with some very sensitive and emotive issues in this novel, and handles them with delicacy and tact. There are not only the issues Gertie and Rachael have to deal with in their marriages; there are teenagers, porn, screen use problems, abuse of technology, special needs kids and the general pressures of parenting. Kaden bundles these together in a way that many readers will recognise: there’s never just ONE problem to handle at a time, is there?
The climatic, violent attack is foreshadowed in the prologue, but you almost forget about it for a while. Kaden draws you so strongly into the emotional and family lives of her characters that you become absorbed by them, and don’t focus on what’s coming.
I found the gradual reveal of the extent of the problems in Rachael’s marriage both credible and handled with considerable sensitivity. Gertie’s journey to re-frame her life without her husband was realistic and very engaging. These two are the heart of the novel, and most readers will empathise strongly with both of them. Many will recognise at least some of the problems they’re handling.
This is a strong thriller, but also a strong exploration of relationships. The particular focus on long term relationships and how to know whether – and when – to walk away is an interesting angle that many readers will appreciate. The believable characterisations are also a huge strength.
“One of Us” is likely to appeal to quite a broad range of readers, and few will be disappointed. It’s an absorbing and memorable novel.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.
Gertie and Ed have never entirely fitted into the wealthy enclave of Apple Tree Creek. They won their house in a raffle, and simply don’t have the disposable income of many other residents. Gertie’s a stay at home mum, often ruffled and perhaps sinking into middle age and parenthood a little too comfortably.
Despite their occasional unease with the environment they’ve found themselves in, Gertie and Ed enjoy a happy and solid marriage. Until, with no warning, Ed announces that they need a break and leaves Gertie with their three children while he accepts an overseas posting.
Meanwhile, only a few streets away, Rachael is glossy and successful, and hugely pregnant. She finds her husband has cheated on her yet again. She should leave, really she should. And yet there are so many reasons to stay.
A chance encounter leads the two to develop a strong friendship. It’s a support to both of them as their lives start to crumble. And they’ll really need that support when one of their husbands is violently attacked. In the closely monitored community, it’s clear that no strangers visited the estate that night. The attacker must be someone from this small and supposedly safe community.
There isn’t a strong sense of place in the novel. We’re told that Apple Tree Creek estate is in Sydney, but if not for that, I might well have placed it somewhere in the US. Perhaps it’s because I associate the idea of gated communities so much more strongly with the US. Perhaps it’s a by product of the stifling, insular atmosphere that Kaden develops for the community. Either way, it contributes to the sense of a community separate from the rest of the world.
Kaden deals with some very sensitive and emotive issues in this novel, and handles them with delicacy and tact. There are not only the issues Gertie and Rachael have to deal with in their marriages; there are teenagers, porn, screen use problems, abuse of technology, special needs kids and the general pressures of parenting. Kaden bundles these together in a way that many readers will recognise: there’s never just ONE problem to handle at a time, is there?
The climatic, violent attack is foreshadowed in the prologue, but you almost forget about it for a while. Kaden draws you so strongly into the emotional and family lives of her characters that you become absorbed by them, and don’t focus on what’s coming.
I found the gradual reveal of the extent of the problems in Rachael’s marriage both credible and handled with considerable sensitivity. Gertie’s journey to re-frame her life without her husband was realistic and very engaging. These two are the heart of the novel, and most readers will empathise strongly with both of them. Many will recognise at least some of the problems they’re handling.
This is a strong thriller, but also a strong exploration of relationships. The particular focus on long term relationships and how to know whether – and when – to walk away is an interesting angle that many readers will appreciate. The believable characterisations are also a huge strength.
“One of Us” is likely to appeal to quite a broad range of readers, and few will be disappointed. It’s an absorbing and memorable novel.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.
September 7, 2023
If I'm less than 100 pages away from the end of your book and I can put it down for days at a time after only reading part of a chapter, there's something wrong.
This is about female neighbours, Rachael and Gertie, who live in an exclusive neighbourhood. They become friends after Gertie has a mild nervous breakdown in public and Rachael helps her out. Gertie's husband has taken off to a job in Bali, saying he needs space. Rachael, several months pregnant, has learnt that her husband Sam, a former swimming champ, has had yet another extramarital affair.
In the prologue, we learn that one of these men has been the victim of a crime. The book is basically the series of (not very interesting) events leading up to the crime, and a bit of mystery thrown in at the end as to who may have attacked whoever the victim was.
The problem was, I didn't give a shit about Gertie's husband (whose name I have already forgotten) or Sam. I didn't really care if one of them ended up at the pointy end of a deadly weapon. They were both jerks (although Gertie seemingly forgives her hubby for pissing off to Bali to escape his problems and leave her to look after three kids.) As for Gertie and Rachael, they spend too long being passive doormats, and I got bored of them.
The blurb suggests this is a mystery/thriller in the domestic noir subgenre, but it feels more like the women-with-secrets, upper-middle-class discontent kind of stuff you get from Liane Moriarty and the like. Not a lot happened, what did happen wasn't all that surprising, and it was happening to characters who bored and annoyed me.
This is about female neighbours, Rachael and Gertie, who live in an exclusive neighbourhood. They become friends after Gertie has a mild nervous breakdown in public and Rachael helps her out. Gertie's husband has taken off to a job in Bali, saying he needs space. Rachael, several months pregnant, has learnt that her husband Sam, a former swimming champ, has had yet another extramarital affair.
In the prologue, we learn that one of these men has been the victim of a crime. The book is basically the series of (not very interesting) events leading up to the crime, and a bit of mystery thrown in at the end as to who may have attacked whoever the victim was.
The problem was, I didn't give a shit about Gertie's husband (whose name I have already forgotten) or Sam. I didn't really care if one of them ended up at the pointy end of a deadly weapon. They were both jerks (although Gertie seemingly forgives her hubby for pissing off to Bali to escape his problems and leave her to look after three kids.) As for Gertie and Rachael, they spend too long being passive doormats, and I got bored of them.
The blurb suggests this is a mystery/thriller in the domestic noir subgenre, but it feels more like the women-with-secrets, upper-middle-class discontent kind of stuff you get from Liane Moriarty and the like. Not a lot happened, what did happen wasn't all that surprising, and it was happening to characters who bored and annoyed me.
May 1, 2022
Do you ever wonder what really goes on beyond the gated, perfect communities out in suburbia? Are they ever safer, or nicer? Are the people living their devoid of drama? If this book is a glimpse of what might be happening in suburban utopia, I think I am glad I am not in one! Apple Tree Creek sounded delightful on face value, but underneath it was far from perfect. I was surprised to see that this fictional suburb as set in Australia – this book did not have a strong Australian flavour to it. It also reminded me a lot of one of my recent 2022 reads by Liane Moriarty, “Apples Never Fall”, so if that book captured your interest, this one will too.
This was more about family and neighbourly relationships with a sinister edge. Kylie Kaden was able to provide a lot of detail about the main families in this book. There were also a few red herring trains in relation to some of the characters – they were introduced but their connections never came full circle and I was a little disappointed in that, like Penelope’s blog and the reveal about her son, Tyson. The whole idea of a gated community or a privatopia has always intrigued me. There was a little bit in each character, apart from Gertie and Ed who seemed to believe they were above all others but really they created their own narrow reality because that was the only place they could maintain some kind of control compared to their life in the big bad world outside those gates.
If you’re looking for a book to take on a long weekend, or to read while you sit on a chaise lounge in the sun with a coffee or a cocktail, this will be a great one to read out for.
This was more about family and neighbourly relationships with a sinister edge. Kylie Kaden was able to provide a lot of detail about the main families in this book. There were also a few red herring trains in relation to some of the characters – they were introduced but their connections never came full circle and I was a little disappointed in that, like Penelope’s blog and the reveal about her son, Tyson. The whole idea of a gated community or a privatopia has always intrigued me. There was a little bit in each character, apart from Gertie and Ed who seemed to believe they were above all others but really they created their own narrow reality because that was the only place they could maintain some kind of control compared to their life in the big bad world outside those gates.
If you’re looking for a book to take on a long weekend, or to read while you sit on a chaise lounge in the sun with a coffee or a cocktail, this will be a great one to read out for.
April 21, 2022
From the impactful prologue that kept the identities of the characters involved a secret for the reader to unpack along with how that day had come to happen, this novel had me hooked. As Kaden revealed the backstory of all of the characters, particularly the relatable two main characters Gertie and Rachael, my belief in who was responsible for the events of the prologue was constantly shifted and questioned. However, I very quickly lost any concern that this was a detective or mystery novel (genres I don’t particularly enjoy reading or viewing) and settled into the lives of the families of Apple Tree Creek. Looking behind their facades, their lives are anything but perfect. Kaden’s descriptions of family life, particularly Gertie’s with parenting special needs kids, were engaging and absorbing. As a reader, you just ‘knew’ there was something not quite right with Spencer, that something had happened with Kat and Sam, and there was more to Ed being in Singapore than was first revealed.
A definite read for fans of Liane Moriarty and Jodi Picoult.
A definite read for fans of Liane Moriarty and Jodi Picoult.
May 4, 2022
I’ve been a big fan of Kylie Kaden’s books, so I was excited to see she had a new release and I loved it.
Set in a gated community where every movement is accounted for, it centres around two families after a chance meeting. Even though Gertie and Rachael are polar opposite’s they form a friendship, both women are dealing with very different instances in their respective marriages.
The story opens after a violent incident and we are taken back to the start of events that lead up to that scene.
Kylie Kaden sets up these characters well, with some exceptions they are flawed but try their best. With themes of domestic manipulation within a marriage and getting lost in the family life and not knowing who you are any more…or who you married, they are themes that are current. I always love a book that makes me ‘feel emotions’ and this certainly did.
Really enjoyed this book and thank Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
Set in a gated community where every movement is accounted for, it centres around two families after a chance meeting. Even though Gertie and Rachael are polar opposite’s they form a friendship, both women are dealing with very different instances in their respective marriages.
The story opens after a violent incident and we are taken back to the start of events that lead up to that scene.
Kylie Kaden sets up these characters well, with some exceptions they are flawed but try their best. With themes of domestic manipulation within a marriage and getting lost in the family life and not knowing who you are any more…or who you married, they are themes that are current. I always love a book that makes me ‘feel emotions’ and this certainly did.
Really enjoyed this book and thank Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
April 20, 2022
Kylie Kaden's One of Us is an intriguing suburban domestic noir thriller where everything is not as perfect as it may seem and there are secrets lurking everywhere. Set in an exclusive gated community that I found somewhat reminiscent of the setting of Harlan Cobin's Safe, we gradually learn about the array of flawed characters as Gert and Rachael develop their friendship. Along the way, many potential motivations for murder are uncovered leading toward the climax.
Gently paced to match the developing friendship, this is an enjoyable mystery perfect for an afternoon by the fire.
Thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
Gently paced to match the developing friendship, this is an enjoyable mystery perfect for an afternoon by the fire.
Thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
May 27, 2022
This novel starts with an attacked body covered in blood. Then we explore life in this supposedly perfect gated community, and find that there were a lot of secrets, flaws and unhappiness. As these threads are untangled, we find that there were several people who could have been the victim and even more who had reason to attack someone. I enjoyed the friendship between Rachael and Gertie, and the portrayal of how hard life can be with kids. I will definitely be looking for other books from this author.
June 30, 2022
This is an Australian novel centred around the families living in the gated-community of Apple Tree Creek. It questions the relationships between the residents, their status and happiness. What is perceived on the outside is seldom the reality.
The build up to the crime is gradual as the reader is introduced to all the key characters and their position within the community and the narrative. For me this was an easy to read, engaging story.
The build up to the crime is gradual as the reader is introduced to all the key characters and their position within the community and the narrative. For me this was an easy to read, engaging story.
May 8, 2022
#netgalley #oneofus This is the first Kylie Kaden book I've read but it is definitely not going to be my last, I loved it read it in one day. If you liked Big little lies you will love this one 4/5 stars
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