Cul-De-Sac by Joy Fielding

☆☆☆☆
.ePUB, 333 pages
Expected Publication: August 10th 2021 by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine

About the Book:
Someone on this quiet, unassuming cul-de-sac will be shot dead in the middle of a sultry July night. Will it be Maggie, the perfectionist wife, or Craig, the husband who can’t quite live up to her expectations? They’ve packed up their two children and fled their life in California, hoping for a fresh start in Florida, only to find the demons of the past hovering on their doorstep. Maybe it will be Nick, a highly respected oncologist, or his wife, Dani, a successful dentist, both with well-kept secrets of their own. Or Julia, an elderly widow, whose troubled grandson has recently moved in with her, introducing unsavory habits and even more unsavory acquaintances into her formerly quiet existence. Then there’s Olivia and her husband, Sean. Having lost his job at a prestigious advertising agency, Sean is depressed, resentful of his working wife, and drinking heavily. He is also prone to increasingly violent fantasies. And what of the newlyweds, Aiden and Heidi, whose marriage is already on the rocks, due to Aiden’s reluctance to stand up to his intrusive mother? Matters aren’t helped when Heidi befriends Julia’s grandson, setting the stage for a major blowup. A diverse group of neighbors, to be sure. Yet all harbor secrets. All bear scars. And all have access to guns. Not all will survive the night.

My Review:

This is my first Joy Fielding book! Can you believe it? I am from Toronto...same as the author...and it is no secret I love supporting Canadian writers. I really liked this book. I wouldn't call it a thriller...it is more of a neighbourhood domestic drama. Fielding provides a clear sense of place, I felt like I was in Florida with the heat and humidity. I also felt like a member of the cul-de-sac, or maybe more like a voyeur into the residents lives.

Readers should know that there are many triggers here...they include but are not limited to...rape, domestic abuse, gun violence and PTSD. All of it was for plot reasons and felt very real while reading it. Along with the difficult subject matter, the characters are often infuriating. Secrecy is a main point, but WOW these characters are poor communicators, especially the adults. I found their lack of growth and their responses to each other confounding at times. I really hated Nick but LOVED Julia. All in all a great way to spend a rainy afternoon and I look forward to reading more of Ms. Fielding's work.

Disclosure:
Thank you NetGalley, Joy Fielding and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

#Culdesac #NetGalley