A mostly satisfying sequel with a clever concept and a stunning villain.
Kenealy’s novel explores the long-lasting aftermath of an out-of-control neighborhood watch.
“She’s back. Sue Ellen’s back, Peter,” Josephine “Joe” Barnes announces to her father, Peter Barnes. But Peter is already well aware that his maniacal ex-wife has been released from prison and returned to Ridgeport, Illinois. As recounted in the author’s novel Neighborhood Watch (2022), 18 years earlier, “The Band” of Joe, Scott (now her husband and the father of her infant son), and Matt (Sue Ellen’s biological son) had helped send Sue Ellen to jail after she used the neighborhood watch to turn Ridgeport into an idyllic American suburb by torturing and brainwashing any possible deviants within a secretive reeducation center straight out of A Clockwork Orange. Sue Ellen is determined to exact her revenge and bring the citizens of Ridgeport under her thumb once again—this time by running for mayor. After a shocking death, The Band must come back together, leave the lives they have been building elsewhere behind, and try to find evidence that will send their nemesis back to prison once and for all. Sue Ellen easily steals the show, earning sympathy just as easily as provoking shock or outrage from one page to the next. It sometimes feels like The Band simply can’t compete—neither in the election nor for readers’ attention. Kenealy admirably depicts the depth of The Band’s trauma, but troubled adults facing an upsetting election and a laborious murder investigation just doesn’t pack the same narrative punch as the preceding novel’s tale of teenagers unearthing a conspiracy. There’s a lot of exposition and dreary ground to cover, and the story drags as it strives to ensure readers are up to speed on everything happening in Ridgeport. Still, when the author leans into his pulpy narration, Ridgeport—filled with shadowy figures, seedy motels, political machinations, and bold Sue Ellen surprises—is actually a very fun town to revisit.
A mostly satisfying sequel with a clever concept and a stunning villain.Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9798985209815
Page Count: 315
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Sept. 17, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A grim yet gleefully gratifying tale of lost innocence and found family.
A woman fears she made a fatal mistake by taking in a blood-soaked tween during a storm.
High winds and torrential rain are forecast for “The Middle of Nowhere, New Hampshire,” making Casey question the structural integrity of her ramshackle rental cabin. Still, she’s loath to seek shelter with her lecherous landlord or her paternalistic neighbor, so instead she just crosses her fingers, gathers some candles, and hopes for the best. Casey is cooking dinner when she notices a light in her shed. She grabs her gun and investigates, only to find a rail-thin girl hiding in the corner under a blanket. She’s clutching a knife with “Eleanor” written on the handle in black marker, and though her clothes are bloody, she appears uninjured. The weather is rapidly worsening, so before she can second-guess herself, former Boston-area teacher Casey invites the girl—whom she judges to be 12 or 13—inside to eat and get warm. A wary but starving Eleanor accepts in exchange for Casey promising not to call the police—a deal Casey comes to regret after the phones go down, the power goes out, and her hostile, sullen guest drops something that’s a big surprise. Meanwhile, in interspersed chapters labeled “Before,” middle-schooler Ella befriends fellow outcast Anton, who helps her endure life in Medford, Massachusetts, with her abusive, neglectful hoarder of a mother. As per her usual, McFadden lulls readers using a seemingly straightforward thriller setup before launching headlong into a series of progressively seismic (and increasingly bonkers) plot twists. The visceral first-person, present-tense narrative alternates perspectives, fostering tension and immediacy while establishing character and engendering empathy. Ella and Anton’s relationship particularly shines, its heartrending authenticity counterbalancing some of the story’s soapier turns.
A grim yet gleefully gratifying tale of lost innocence and found family.Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781464260919
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Poisoned Pen
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
A standout in the series.
The sixth adventure of Harvard symbology professor Robert Langdon explores the mysteries of human consciousness, the demonic projects of the CIA, and the city of Prague.
“Ladies and gentlemen...we are about to experience a sea change in our understanding of how the brain works, the nature of consciousness, and in fact…the very nature of reality itself.” But first—Langdon’s in love! Brown’s devoted readers first met brilliant noetic scientist Katherine Solomon in The Lost Symbol (2009); she’s back as a serious girlfriend, engaging the committed bachelor in a way not seen before. The book opens with the pair in a luxurious suite at the Four Seasons in Prague. It’s the night after Katherine has delivered the lecture quoted above, setting the theme for the novel, which features a plethora of real-life cases and anomalies that seem to support the notion that human consciousness is not localized inside the human skull. Brown’s talent for assembling research is also evident in this novel’s alter ego as a guidebook to Prague, whose history and attractions are described in great and glowing detail. Whether you appreciate or skim past the innumerable info dumps on these and other topics (Jewish folklore fans—the Golem is in the house!), it goes without saying that concision is not a goal in the Dan Brown editing process. Speaking of editing, the nearly 700-page book is dedicated to Brown’s editor, who seems to appear as a character—to put it in the italicized form used for Brownian insight, Jason Kaufman must be Jonas Faukman! A major subplot involves the theft of Katherine’s manuscript from the secure servers of Penguin Random House; the delightful Faukman continues to spout witty wisecracks even when blindfolded and hogtied. There’s no shortage of action, derring-do, explosions, high-tech torture machines, attempted and successful murders, and opportunities for split-second, last-minute escapes; good thing Langdon, this aging symbology wonk, never misses swimming his morning laps. Readers who are not already dyed-in-the-wool Langdonites may find themselves echoing the prof’s own conclusion regarding the credibility of all this paranormal hoo-ha: At some point, skepticism itself becomes irrational.
A standout in the series.Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9780385546898
Page Count: 688
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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