Title: Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
“A twisty, fast-paced” (The Sunday Times, London) debut thriller, as electrifying as the #1 New York Times bestseller The Girl on the Train, about impending motherhood, unreliable friendship, and the high price of keeping secrets.
In this “gloriously tangled game of cat and mouse that kept the twists coming until the very last moment” (Ruth Ware, #1 New York Times bestselling author), Helen’s idyllic life—handsome architect husband, gorgeous Victorian house, and cherished baby on the way—begins to change the day she attends her first prenatal class.
There, she meets Rachel, an unpredictable single mother-to-be who doesn’t seem very maternal: she smokes, drinks, and professes little interest in parenthood. Still, Helen is drawn to her. Maybe Rachel just needs a friend. And to be honest, Helen’s a bit lonely herself. At least Rachel is fun to be with. She makes Helen laugh, invites her confidences, and distracts her from her fears.
But her increasingly erratic behavior is unsettling. And Helen’s not the only one who’s noticed. Her friends and family begin to suspect that her strange new friend may be linked to their shared history in unexpected ways. When Rachel threatens to expose a past crime that could destroy all of their lives, it becomes clear that there are more than a few secrets laying beneath the broad-leaved trees and warm lamplight of Greenwich Park.
Review:
Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner is an exceptionally compelling domestic mystery.
Helen Thorpe is on maternity leave for a high-risk pregnancy when she meets Rachel in pre-natal class. Helen is following all of the pregnancy advice so she is a little shocked that Rachel drinks and smokes during her pregnancy. But Helen is lonely since her husband Daniel is working long hours and she overlooks her new friend’s flaws. At loose ends with little to occupy her, Helen runs into Rachel frequently. Growing a little weary of the young woman’s irritating behavior, Helen would like to distance herself from her. Instead, Rachel becomes even further enmeshed into her family’s life.
Helen is bit awkward and finds it difficult to make friends. She and Daniel met during college and their best friends are her brother Rory and his wife Serena. Helen is a little irritated that Daniel is not home very much so she puts up with Rachel’s exasperating behavior. Even when she is ready to break off their friendship, she finds it impossible to refuse Rachel during her time of need.
Helen is a bit nosy and she is perplexed by an unexpected discovery. As she tries to parse the meaning, she is easily distracted. Helen also easily experiences self-doubt that sometimes clouds her thinking. As her due date grows nearer, she tries to ignore her feeling that things feel off. Will Helen trust her instincts when everything begins to spiral out of control?
Greenwich Park is a captivating domestic mystery with an ingenious storyline. The characters are well-drawn with intriguing backstories. The settings are well-detailed and spring vividly to life. The plot is well-executed with chapters that alternate between three distinct points of view. With the tension ratcheting up with each chapter, Katherine Faulkner brings this thrilling mystery to a jaw-dropping, twist-filled conclusion.
