Title: All the Broken People by Leah Konen
Publisher: G.P Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Suspense
Length: 367 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss
Summary:
A woman in search of a fresh start is about to get more than she bargained for in this twisty and addictive domestic thriller for fans of The Couple Next Door.
Fleeing Brooklyn with little more than a suitcase and her trusty dog, Lucy King heads to rustic Woodstock , New York, eager to lose herself in a quiet life where her past can never find her. But when she meets Vera and John, the alluring couple next door, their friendship proves impossible to resist. Just as Lucy starts to think the worst is behind her, the couple delivers a staggering bombshell: they, too, need to escape their troubles–and the only way they can begin their new life is if Lucy helps them fake John’s death.
Afraid to lose her newfound support system, Lucy reluctantly conspires with them to stage an “accidental” death on a hike nearby. It’s just one little lie to the police, after all, and she knows a thing or two about the importance of fresh starts. But what begins as an elaborate ruse turns all too real when John turns up dead in the woods the morning after their hike. Now, Lucy must figure out who she can trust and who’s pulling the strings of her tenuous new life . . . before she takes the fall for murder.
Review:
All the Broken People by Leah Konen is a mesmerizing domestic mystery.
Fleeing an abusive boyfriend, Lucy King moves to Woodstock, NY. Despite warnings from other neighbors, she becomes close friends with Vera Abernathy and John Nolan. Spending many evenings together drinking and dining together, Lucy is closely entwined with the couple. Despite their closeness, Lucy is curious about the whispers circulating through the small town and warning letters her friends are receiving from an unknown person.
After a chance encounter with someone from her past, Lucy becomes (willingly) ensnared in her neighbors’ plan to escape and start over. She and Vera tell their contrived story about John’s accidental fall to the authorities. But the next day, Lucy is stunned when she discovers John has been murdered. Under intense scrutiny from Ulster County Detective McKnight, Lucy continues to guard her secrets while also trying to figure out the killer’s identity. Is the murderer someone from her past? Or is it someone in town who is out for revenge?
Lucy has carefully planned her escape from her long term boyfriend Davis. Although their relationship is originally idyllic, over the past three years, Davis began systematically controlling and abusing her. Lucy carefully documents where everything is in her rental house, but she still doubts herself when little things begin happening. When Lucy fears Davis has found her, she does everything she can to keep Vera and John in her life. But after John’s murder, Lucy reluctantly talks to Detective McKnight who makes no effort to hide his certainty that she lying to him.
After John’s death, Lucy becomes absolutely frantic to escape. Certain her worst fears are about to comes to fruition, she clings even more tightly to Vera. But as she makes stunning discoveries in her own home, Lucy becomes suspicious of everyone around her. Is someone trying to make certain she is arrested for John’s murder? Can she unmask John’s killer before it is too late?
All the Broken People is an outstanding mystery with an innovative storyline and engaging characters. Lucy’s fears of her ex finding her are palpable as is her desperation to protect her newfound friendships. The investigation into John’s murder is a slow burn with Detective McKnight remaining tight-lipped about evidence and leads. With a series of dizzying twists and shocking turns, Leah Konen brings this brilliantly plotted domestic mystery to an astonishing conclusion. HIGHLY recommend to readers of the genre.
