The murder of a young woman shakes a sleepy, upper-class neighborhood and its community. Told from multiple perspectives of people who are close to the teens at the heart of the crime over a short period of time, the reader watches the plot unfold to reveal the murderer while gaining an understanding that things are not what they seem - that material success and wealth sometimes harbor real ugliness, that privilege hides the truth. This was a pretty quick read, especially the last half. The main characters are all flawed, hurt or both in many ways and this definitely affects their view of the murder, which makes Locust Lane a bit more complex than a traditional whodunit. That said, it also felt like there were many issues that were raised (e.g, the role of race and class, gender and domestic violence, generational trauma) but only touched upon in a superficial manner, which might have been a missed opportunity. The story does make you appreciate that an individual (or an entire community/society) can craft a narrative to explain a series of events that is not the actual reality. It was entertaining to read - almost like watching a movie - but not necessarily one that I'll come back to or one that leaves a strong impression. Overall a 3.5 for me.
Many thanks to Celadon Books and Bookish First for the ARC.
Many thanks to Celadon Books and Bookish First for the ARC.