Review | RAVEN LANE by Amber Crowie

The truth can bring out the worst in the best of friends.

Esme and Benedict Werner have an idyllic life in a tight-knit community until an accident in their cul-de-sac ends in the tragic sudden death of one of their dearest neighbors. After vindicating eyewitness accounts morph into contradictory memories, suspicion, and unaccountable accusations, Benedict is arrested. Esme’s life, too, is changed forever.

As the neighborhood largely turns against her and her family, Esme has time to think about her past and what to do next. Then her fellow residents start looking deeper, questioning one another, and themselves, about hidden lies and betrayals.

Esme has more than her share of secrets. And the consequences of what happened on that fateful late-summer evening on Raven Lane are far from over. When the mask of civility slips, can friends and neighbors recover from seeing the monstrous truths beneath?

After reading Rapid Falls and seeing so much buzz about Raven Lane, I knew I had to get my hands on it and was excited when I was approved via NetGalley.

Raven Lane, a cul de sac consisting of 5 neighbors that are, or have had artistic and famous pasts, that enjoy the company of this friendly group and often socialize with each other having parties. However, each house is hiding secrets and their parties often consist of an abundance of alcohol, drugs and even sex.

Then one fateful day, as Benedict Werner is pulling out of his driveway, after a few drinks, and hits his neighbor, international author Torn Grace, which ends up being fatal? Was it an accident or murder, as the police suspect after finding damning evidence in Benedict’s SUV. Can this little community come together in a time of crisis or do they turn on each other?

I found the first 1/3 of the book to be mainly character development with hints of each of their pasts. After that, let me tell you, the suspense picked up and I had to keep turning the pages to find out what really was going on. And then the last sentence had my jaw hitting the ground!!!!

After closing the book, I can honestly say, that for the remainder of the day I kept going over in my mind this story. A bit of a book hangover!!

A thrilling read with many twists and turns that eventually came to a conclusion that I didn’t see coming!!!!

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