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 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
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.
A lifetime’s worth of letters combine to portray a singular character.
Sybil Van Antwerp, a cantankerous but exceedingly well-mannered septuagenarian, is the titular correspondent in Evans’ debut novel. Sybil has retired from a beloved job as chief clerk to a judge with whom she had previously been in private legal practice. She is the divorced mother of two living adult children and one who died when he was 8. She is a reader of novels, a gardener, and a keen observer of human nature. But the most distinguishing thing about Sybil is her lifelong practice of letter writing. As advancing vision problems threaten Sybil’s carefully constructed way of life—in which letters take the place of personal contact and engagement—she must reckon with unaddressed issues from her past that threaten the house of cards (letters, really) she has built around herself. Sybil’s relationships are gradually revealed in the series of letters sent to and received from, among others, her brother, sister-in-law, children, former work associates, and, intriguingly, literary icons including Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Perhaps most affecting is the series of missives Sybil writes but never mails to a shadowy figure from her past. Thoughtful musings on the value and immortal quality of letters and the written word populate one of Sybil’s notes to a young correspondent while other messages are laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with her characteristic blunt tartness. Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life. As Sybil grows into a delayed self-awareness, her letters serve as a chronicle of fitful growth.
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780593798430
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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