🌺🌺🌺1/2
Hemlock Lane
Marshall Fine
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Lake Union Publishing
237 Pages
Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Women’s Fiction | Historical Fiction
I loved this author’s first novel, The Autumn of Ruth Winters. This one takes place in the summer of 1967. The Levitskys are home over a long weekend, and daughter Nora knows everything isn’t as it seems. This family is run by a mother who borders on psychotic. She is authoritative and overbearing; everyone has to tiptoe around her or face her wrath. Nora confides in their housekeeper, Clara, but Nora is concerned that the family secrets are about to be revealed. Each of the four days is told from the point of view of a different family member, but it was Nora I could relate to most.
This story is atmospheric and mysterious, and it builds the suspense well. The small-town setting works to help the story unfold while the family tries to keep everything hidden. The premise is intriguing, and the sense of unease was palpable. This looks like your typical, tranquil neighbourhood suburb, yet it is anything but. So many secrets!
The pacing of the story is steady, if a bit predictable. I loved the initial setup—so compelling—and the different narratives worked well for me. This would have been a four-star read, but the plot relies on overdone tropes, and the resolution didn’t deliver an impact like the author’s previous book did. The main characters of the story, who each have their own chapters, were perfectly written, but the secondary characters felt a little flat to me and a tad underdeveloped.
Overall, I felt this book was a decent read and worth my time, as I am a fan of domestic suspense. The mystery itself is well done, and it held my attention throughout. And even though it didn’t reach my four-star “very good” rating, it is more than worthy of earning a recommendation.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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