CUL-DE-SAC by Joy Fiedling

 

A shooting lays bare the secrets harbored by five families in a sleepy suburban cul-de-sac in this riveting psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of All the Wrong Places.

“Cul-de-sac proves once again that Joy Fielding is an ingenious master of domestic suspense.”—Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge

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 perhaps the victim will be 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 THOUGHTS

Years ago I read PUPPET by Joy Fielding. I was hooked from then on. I've read every book she's written since then including this one. To me each one is better than the last. The first one, Puppet, I found in a condo in FL when on vacation. 

This book is not a thriller but it will keep you on the edge in many parts. It's the story of five neighbors. Each with their own lives. Their own secrets. Their own problems. And their own lies. From the outside it seems like a quiet and peaceful neighborhood. From the outside you would never think anyone had the problems these people have. 

Five neighbors. One will end up dead. There are four couples and one elderly lady who live on this Cul-de-Sac. One family is dealing with a lying husband, Sean. He lost his job and then makes his wife, Olivia, think everything is one way when it's not at all. Can she forgive him for the cost of their trust? They have three children. One, Nick, is a wife beater and at times rapes her in sadistic ways. They have two sons. The oldest one he treats horribly. Always pushing him. Everyone thinks Nick is so a good looking, nice,  and great doctor. Dani, his wife, is a dentist. How much more can she take before he kills her? Maggie's husband, Craig, decided he could not live with her any longer and leaves. She's terrified and buys a gun. For protection. They have two children. The young couple, Heidi and Aiden. Aiden is a big mama's boy and puts her above his wife in every way. Heidi is so tired of competing with Lisa, Aiden's mom. She can't possibly win. But can she? The older woman of the neighborhood, Julia, has her grandson, Mark, staying with her. He's a bit of a pot head and tends to steal from his grandmother. Julia's son wants her to sell the big house and move into a living assisted facility. 

This book is so good. You get to know each of these families. Some you will like. They may even give you a chuckle. Some you will hate. They get under your skin. Anytime abuse is present it seems people want to say the woman is weak. I disagree. The women for the most part are pretty strong. They have jobs, pay bills, take care of their homes, husbands and children. It's the men who are truly weak. If not they would not do the horrible things they are doing. Put the blame where it belongs please. Also sometimes a woman has no choice. Sometimes they feel trapped.

Who will end up with a bullet in their head? Who will be responsible? Will it be the lying husband who is ashamed of things he has done? The abuser who should be ashamed? His wife? The mama's boy? The mama? An innocent child? On the night the shot rings out who will be the victim? Who will fire the fateful shot? Will these neighbors be able to pick up the pieces and move on?

I throughly enjoyed this book. I always look forward to a new book by this author. 

Thank you #NetGalley, #JoyFielding, #RandomHouseBallantinePublishing for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

5/5 stars and a huge recommendation.