The Block Party by Jamie Day Book Review

About the Book:

This summer, meet your neighbors.

The residents of the exclusive cul-de-sac on Alton Road are entangled in a web of secrets and scandal utterly unknown to the outside world, and even to each other.

On the night of the annual Summer block party, there has been a murder.

But, who did it and why takes readers back one year earlier, as rivalries and betrayals unfold—discovering that the real danger lies within their own block and nothing—and no one—is ever as it seems.

My Review:

There is the hint of a murder at the beginning of this novel then we are taken back and go through the year leading up to the current time. That year of background explores the people living on the cul-de-sac. We read of divorces in the making, surprised parentage, desire for teenage revenge, blackmail, a closet alcoholic, one addicted to porn, spousal abuse, and relationships not being what they appear. I would think one could investigate the dwellings on any street in general and explore similar circumstances. We are given a number of possible villains. There is a revelation near the end that we had no way of anticipating that clarified the murder issue.

This is a novel for readers who would like a dive into the people and relationships in an upper scale neighborhood, none of which are likable. Secrets come out, some of which could be deadly. The build up is slow and tedious. Who likes to read angry dialogue again and again? The last bit of the book has good suspense and action, however. The novel is a good explorations of the damage caused when so many secrets are kept.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

About the Author:

Jamie Day lives in one of those picture-perfect, coastal New England towns you see in the movies. And just like the movies, Jamie has two children and an adorable dog to fawn over. When not writing or reading, Jamie enjoys yoga, the ocean, cooking, and long walks on the beach with the dog, or the kids, or sometimes both.

St. Martin's Press, 384 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)