I received an advanced gifted copy and am providing a review. Publishing March 2022. Not my picture.
This was an intense read created around a true crime that happened in Canada. This story captures quite a few underlying stories in relation to the main story … that of a brutally horrid crime that occurred in Glenn Dennig.
Lily, Tom, Phoebe, Matthew Bradley. Seemingly the perfect family living in an eggplant-colored house with green trim.
Arwen, Joe Harper. The new neighbors who moved in down the street from the Bradleys and right across the lane from the Cody family.
Hannah, Simon, Fiona, Jacob Cody. The house where the annual neighborhood barbecue takes place. This year, though, there was an argument of extreme proportions.
Rue, Eb Duval. The detective on the case and her son, Eb.
The intertwining of lives and lies are found within the pages of this tale. Lily and Tom have the biggest secret past lives of all of these characters. Phoebe, their daughter, is a bit of a rebellious teen and falls for Joe, the new neighbor. Phoebe is 12 and Joe is 16. This brings all sorts of memories up for Lily, Phoebe’s mom. Matthew, the Bradleys’ son, is a future photographer, stealthily sneaking up and taking photos … sometimes in places he shouldn’t be, capturing images he shouldn’t capture. Matthew is an integral part of this tale.
Arwen and Joe, a mother and son, always moving. Arwen is the one who was working on a “secret” project to give her and Joe their “big break.” She is the one who ties this story together as it is told in a “then” and “now” voice, amidst the newspaper reports of the crime that happened many, many years ago.
Hannah and Simon … Hannah has her suspicions about Simon having affairs. Simon has a man shed that Hannah has been in, but Simon doesn’t know that. Fiona and Jacob are their children and have minimal parts in this tale.
Rue and Eb have their own story intermixed in this tale, Rue has a troubled marriage, and she suspects her son did something he shouldn’t have.
This is the first book I have read by Ms. White. I found this to be quite an intense read, the brutality of what happened back in 2006 is indescribable and I suspect has been somewhat toned down for this story. It is not for the faint of heart. The question still remains to this day – what really happened in that room? Only two people know and neither one of them are talking.
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