An unflinching examination of motherhood and the dark side of domesticity set against a suburban backdrop that's anything but blissful. This twisty tale invites readers to a slow motion unravelling that culminates in a devastating finale!
Who was I? What had I become?
Breathe, I commanded. You're doing this for your family.
When Laurel and Rob West move into their new home in New Jersey, it seems too good to be true. But Laurel can't shake off her old feelings of anxiety. The neighbor who pays far too much attention to the Wests' two young children . . . Rob watching her every misstep . . . and there's something people aren't telling her about this house . . .
I promised myself I wouldn't go to that neighborhood again. Not that street. Not so soon.
But I couldn't help it. They made it too easy.
Corey Sutton is trying to outrun her past. Recently divorced and reeling from a devastating loss, she moves into her widowed mother's retirement condo in Florida. Everyone says she just needs some time to recover and rebuild . . . but is Corey beyond saving? She wants answers. And there's very little she won't do to get them.
Though Laurel and Corey have never met, the women have something in common, and if they're not careful, it may just destroy them both . . .
The House on Cold Creek Lane by Liz Alterman was published on 6 August 2024 by Severn House. My thanks to the publisher, and the author, who sent my copy for review.
In April 2023 I read and reviewed The Perfect Neighbourhood by Liz Alterman. I enjoyed that heady slice of domestic noir set in a leafy street full of nosy neighbours. Once more this author takes her readers to what appears to be a normal street in the suburbs of a town in the US, and yet again, she has done it with style.
The story opens as Rob West tells his Laurel, his wife, that their offer on a house on Cold Creek Lane has been accepted. Laurel is a little nonplussed to say the least, with one small child, and expecting another any day soon, she hasn't even seen the house. She cannot drum up the energy to get excited about a move.
A couple of months later, and recovering from a C Section, Laurel has to face up to emptying boxes, and making this house a home. Her life has not been easy, her mother was murdered when Laurel was just twelve years old, and she's been informed that the murderer has been released from prison.
On the surface, Cold Creek Lane appears to be a normal, everyday street. However Laurel is very uneasy, there's something about the house, and the neighbours that make her very uncomfortable. Rob is no help to her at all. In fact, he's cold and appears uncaring, brushing off her fears, making light of her history. He's probably one of the most obnoxious characters I've read in a long time.
Meanwhile, Corey Sutton is living in a bedroom in her mother's house in Florida. Her marriage is over and she's utterly devastated by recent events in her life. Corey seems out of control, driven by a need for justice, and revenge. Her life is spiralling further and further out of control, yet's she a brilliantly created character, the total opposite to Laurel, who often appears weak and unsure. Corey is always sure, but she often puts herself into danger, she's reckless, but determined.
It is the house on Cold Creek Lane that links these women, and as the story progresses, the reader learns more about Corey's past, and how the residents on the Lane may pose a danger to Laurel and her family.
This is devilishly clever, it's a complex plot filled with excellently created characters; some you will hate and others you will cheer on throughout. The author doesn't make life easy for either Laurel or Corey, and she also makes her readers think really hard too. You will suspect everyone at some stage!
This is a fine mystery story, but it is also a insightful look into the power of the family, about how parents will do anything to ensure that their children are safe, and how people are often not who they appear to be.
Filled with suspense, with an engaging story line, with themes of grief, loss and revenge. A really satisfying read.
Sacked. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney's, and other outlets.
She lives in New Jersey with her husband and three sons where she spends most days microwaving the same cup of coffee and looking up synonyms.
When Liz isn't writing, she's reading.
X @LizAlterman
www.lizalterman.com
Instagram @lizalterman
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