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Book Review of The Block Party

The Block Party
The Block Party
Author: Jamie Day
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Hardcover
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The residents of Alton Road are holding their annual Memorial Day Block party but the usually family friendly get together is about to take a sinister turn that ends in a homicide. The core families each have something to hide and as the novel unfolds we learn that even the most idyllic neighborhoods are not always as serene as they appear to an outsider.

The mystery is narrated from dual points of view and interspersed with the online chatter from other community members who like nothing better than to speculate about the residents of Alton Road. Alex Fox seems to have it all together; successful businesswoman, loving mother and devoted wife but she is also an alcoholic. Lettie Fox, her 17 year old daughter is entering her Senior year of high school on the heels of a two week suspension at the end of Junior year for vandalism to the school. She will be the first to admit that she doesn't fit in with her peers and wants nothing more than to graduate and move across country to attend USC.

The story starts off in present day with Alex drunk, and after landing on her butt in the kiddie pool and totally humiliating her husband Nick, she goes into the house to sleep it off. She's awakened by the sounds of sirens and staggers outside to see what is happening.

The author then takes us back a year and we get to know each of the families and the secrets they are hiding which ultimately will end in death for one of them, and completely destroy the lives of several others. An eerie tale filled with obsession, blackmail, infidelity and drug abuse that will have you binge reading an afternoon away. This is not my normal genre but am glad that I took the opportunity to spend a day with the residents of Alton Road.