Cul-de-sac

A Novel

By: Joy Fielding

Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang

A shooting lays bare the secrets harbored by five families in a sleepy suburban cul-de-sac in this riveting psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of All the Wrong Places.

“Cul-de-sac proves once again that Joy Fielding is an ingenious master of domestic suspense.”—Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge

Someone on this quiet, unassuming cul-de-sac will be shot dead in the middle of a sultry July night.

Will it be Maggie, the perfectionist wife, or Craig, the husband who can’t quite live up to her expectations? They’ve packed up their two children and fled their life in California, hoping for a fresh start in Florida, only to find the demons of the past hovering on their doorstep.

Maybe it will be Nick, a highly respected oncologist, or his wife, Dani, a successful dentist, both with well-kept secrets of their own.

Or perhaps the victim will be Julia, an elderly widow, whose troubled grandson has recently moved in with her, introducing unsavory habits and even more unsavory acquaintances into her formerly quiet existence.

Then there’s Olivia and her husband, Sean. Having lost his job at a prestigious advertising agency, Sean is depressed, resentful of his working wife, and drinking heavily. He is also prone to increasingly violent fantasies.

And what of the newlyweds, Aiden and Heidi, whose marriage is already on the rocks, due to Aiden’s reluctance to stand up to his intrusive mother? Matters aren’t helped when Heidi befriends Julia’s grandson, setting the stage for a major blowup.

A diverse group of neighbors, to be sure. Yet all harbor secrets. All bear scars. And all have access to guns.

Not all will survive the night.

Critic reviews

“Set within an upscale neighborhood brimming with dark secrets, this captivating thriller thrums with delicious foreboding on every page. I was entranced by the gifted storytelling and magnetic characters, whose twisted paths converge in a shocking, explosive climax. Cul-de-sac proves once again that Joy Fielding is an ingenious master of domestic suspense.”—Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge

“In the residents of an ordinary-looking cul-de-sac, [Joy] Fielding has created some of her strongest, most compelling characters . . . An outstanding thriller and a perfect beach read.”—Booklist (starred review)

Praise for Joy Fielding

“We can always count on Joy Fielding to turn out a well-dressed, well-developed psychological suspense novel.”—The Globe and Mail

“Fielding has made the woman-in-jeopardy genre her own.”—People

“[Fielding] takes domestic situations that everyone faces and combines them with chilling suspense.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Gripping . . . As Fielding slowly reveals each character’s secrets, she nicely upsets readers’ perceptions and expectations as they try to figure out who will be the first to snap—and who will die. Suspense fans will be well rewarded.”—Publishers Weekly

I loved this book!

This is storytelling at it's finest. Excellent character development. Interesting & unexpected twists & turns. A very satisfying ending.

excellent!!

loved this listen. the narrator was perfect. story kept my attention Great twist of events.

The Colorful of Cul-de-sac Living

This was was full real family dramas. Things that are probably happening in your neighbors house, who knows? Good book with multiple story lines.

WOW!

This was a great listen! The author and narrator were great! She has me feeling every emotion possible!

Behind closed doors

Started with the ending. Kept me guessing during the entire story. First one person guilty then another and another. Will you guess who is responsible?