5 stars out of 5
The scene is the close-knit cul-de-sac group of homes on Alton Road - sort of a hoity-toity bunch of families who, for the most part, have more money than they know what to do with. A few have mostly grown kids, and most aren't exactly living idyllic lives when it comes to marital bliss. They have their share of neighbor squabbles, cops being called in for one thing or another (almost always something benign), and they're known for periodic get-togethers topped by the annual block party. Then one year, the unthinkable happens - as announced on the online Community Page: there's been a murder.
Speaking of that page, I have to say it's a hoot and all too true; I belong to one of those things, and the idiotic comments by various contributors mirrors what gets posted on my real life version. But I digress.
The main characters include Alexandra Fox, her husband Nick and their high-school daughter Lettie plus a handful of other couples and kids who live nearby (such as Alex's sister Emily and her husband Ken and new residents Mandy and Samir Kumar and their college-age son Jay. Chapters are told from various perspectives, mainly Alex and Lettie, starting with the current-year's big block bash when all heck breaks loose. Then, the story backtracks to the same event a year ago, then tracks happenings and (most important) interactions among all the characters - none of whom is totally lovable, by the way - from that point to this year's party. Suffice it to say there's plenty to tell with an abundance of quirky and often unexpected twists. As the end nears, we're aware of plenty of motives, but the who - and whodunit - remains a mystery.
Bottom line? I absolutely loved it. Exceptionally well written, fast-paced, and just plain fun, it's so far my pick for best book of the summer. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.
The Block Party by Jamie Day (St. Martin's Press, July 2023); 384 pp.
No comments:
Post a Comment