Block Party by: Jamie Day

 

Block Party

author: Jamie Day:

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

release date: July 18, 2023

 *I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way. 

    Residents of the exclusive Alton Road community of Meadowbrrok Mass. are gathering for their annual Memorial Day Block Party. Although their lives may appear perfect to the outside world, the people on Alton Road have secrets-- lots of secrets.

    A mysterious new couple has moved in with their son, who has recently been kicked out of college. They don't decorate the inside of their house. They are rarely even seen outside. So why does Alex (short for Alexandria) see her brother-in-law sneaking away from their house late at night?

    A mysterious stalker is tormenting another neighbor. (Why did her husband die so mysteriously?) Yet another neighbor is in a horrible marriage, held prisoner by a prenup she should never have signed.

    A gun is missing and, before the block party is over, more than one person will be dead. Alton Road's residents are about to learn that secrets can be deadly.

    Told in turns through the points of view of Alex (short for Alexandria) and her teen daughter, Lettie, the story takes the reader into the lives of this exclusive, wealthy neighborhood and its residents.

    This is a swiftly moving no-holds-barred story. Full of twists and turns, it leads the reader into the privileged and messy lives of its many characters. I admit I got a few characters mixed up a couple times. Ken and Evan confused me because they were both a little one-dimensional, serving more as a backdrop to their wives. I think both could be drawn out a little more, considering their roles in the story. For the most part, all the male characters are more one-dimensional. An exception would be Jay, who plays more of a starring role. The females are more fully developed and carry the story. This is why the ending is a shocker. There is zero foreshadowing.

    I enjoyed this story. It does move swiftly, without getting bogged down in detail. It moves back and forth in time, which was hard to follow in a couple places. However, it didn't detract from the overall story.

Read this story if...

... you love small town- community stories

... you love mysteries