Synopsis

Welcome to Connelly Court. A secluded, old money neighborhood, harboring a web of desires and deceit behind pristine facades and manicured lawns, where the lives of a group of neighbors, bound by their shared secrets and unconventional lifestyle, are about to unravel.

Michael and Amelia Ross move into their dream home, and get drawn into the seductive allure. But their house once belonged to a family whose lives were seemingly ruined by their participation, which leads Amelia to question everything about her new-found friends. Suspicions run rampant as the close-knit group turns on each other. Lies, betrayals, and hidden agendas are revealed, ripping apart the fabric that once bound the group together.

“Cul-de-Sac” is a dark tale of marriage, friendship, desire, and betrayal, where nothing is as it seems, and the truth may be more shocking than anyone could have imagined. Discover the twisted secrets of Connelly Court in this chilling domestic suspense novel that will leave you questioning just how well you truly know—or should know—your neighbors.

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Excerpt

Amelia’s phone buzzed, interrupting her favorite Spotify playlist. The unobtrusive Siri voice told her she had a call from a number that was not one she immediately recognized. When asked if she wanted to take the call, she told Siri she did, then turned the volume up on her wireless earbuds. “Hello?”

“Hi! Amelia? This is Emily. Your neighbor.”

“Oh hi,” Amelia said, trying to recall what Emily looked like. She was easily the most forgettable of the women she’d met these past few weeks and at the party. Melissa she knew well, based on the time they’d spent together as Realtor and client. Janice was the attractively preserved older woman at the end of the cul-de-sac. A sort of matriarch for the group who’d hosted the party. Cassie was the gorgeous young woman with the bright-blue eyes who was pregnant and seemingly not too happy about it. Emily…which one was she?

“So, I was wondering if you’d like to come out to brunch with us.”

“Oh um…” She was preparing to beg off, not willing to change her plans for the next forty-eight or so hours. She’d been walking around feeling like a giant exposed horny nerve ever since she’d let Michael f* her on the kitchen table earlier that day. She wanted more. A lot more. And she was about to get it.

“I mean, um, next weekend. While the boys are golfing?”

Amelia blinked then realized what she was talking about. The “boys” had invited Michael to golf. And she was going to lunch with the ladies. Part of her bristled at this. Why couldn’t they be in on the golfing? But she hated golf. So why not?

“Sure, that sounds like fun. Where?”

“Oh, at the club. I figured you guys had already joined.”

“No, not yet.” To be honest, she’d avoided it, although she knew they should do it. She’d done her research. And her mother had, too. They’d decided that Forest Hills Golf and Swim Club was the best one to join. And she liked to believe that the fact of her husband’s skin color wouldn’t matter in this enlightened, Midwest college town. But part of her wasn’t certain about that, and she was reluctant to put Michael through it. Perhaps going to a day at golf and lunch would ease their entry a bit. “But we have every intention of it.”

“Any of us can sponsor you. They still require that. It’s so…colonial, don’t you think?”

Amelia hesitated, wondering if Emily would realize the awkwardness of that question. She picked up her pace, nervous and yet somehow pissed off at the same time.

“Well, anyway,” the woman went on, not realizing it, apparently. “Why don’t you ride with me? The guys usually all carpool to their golf days.”

“Sure, sounds good.” She didn’t want to go now. In fact, all of a sudden, if she never saw or spoke to any of her immediate neighbors ever again, she’d not mind it one bit.

She shook her head at this ridiculous thought. One of the reasons she’d chosen this street was for the social opportunities. She was being paranoid. Her neighbors were just…a little enthusiastic and, well, touchy, when it came down to it. The memory of the women surrounding Michael, leaning in, hands on his thighs and arms as he sat in the midst of them like some kind of a sultan among his harem wafted through her brain. Even as she recalled the way she’d been the center of the male attention most of the night. How attractive they all were, those men, from brash contractor Ryan to soft-spoken, exotic-looking Sai, to the two older men, Barrett and Allen. All of them were rich, handsome, fit to the point of model-perfect. And they’d been all over her.

She stopped in her tracks, recalling something else from that night she must have been suppressing as a figment of her imagination, or something her drunken brain had conjured. The large bedroom window on the second floor of the Coopers’ house. The light, the shadows she’d taken for Janice and Allen at first in an embrace. Then the other shadows that joined them. The other people who’d been in that room and…and…

That is crazy, Amelia Elizabeth. Stop it. You’re pent up and horny and are taking care of all of that within hours. Get a damn grip on yourself. These people are inviting you and Michael to a snooty country club that has likely only recently allowed black people to be members. Keep things in perspective.

“Amelia? You still there?”

“Yes, sorry. I’d be happy to join you all. Looking forward to it.”

“Great! Super. We’ll…um…” There was a beat of silence that made Amelia uncomfortable again. “Anyway, if you need any tomatoes, you should stop by this week.”

“Tomatoes,” Amelia said, confused by the shift of topic.

“Yes. Between my garden and Cassie’s, we’re overflowing with them. There’s only so much sauce and salsa I can make. Talk soon!” She hung up before Amelia could say anything else.

Review

This neighborhood needs to come with a warning or at least an upside-down pineapple flag.

This book sounded interesting from the synopsis, but once I got into it, I found all of the characters to be flawed in one respect or another. Whether it was their proclivities, dreams, or desires from life. Each character has their own secrets, which makes the interactions between the characters intriguing.

The story dances around the nature of the neighborhood. While you can read between the lines, it is about 1/3 of the way into the book before it is fully addressed. I will say that the author writes tasteful but steamy scenes. The scenes are also informative. We learn so much more about each character and their likes, dislikes, and insecurities. I will say that all the characters seem to be straight shooters. They are very upfront about what they do and what is required/expected from everyone in the neighborhood who participates. But they do have their secrets that they keep from each other. Even from their spouses. This causes some issues.

There there is the death of Tom Franks. Was it suicide or something else? It takes a bit before the whole truth is revealed. The answer might surprise you. Or maybe not.

While this is normally not my type of book (the steamy side, not the suspense portion), I was intrigued by the characters and the secrets surrounding them. Each chapter brought new secrets, lies, and motivations for the various characters. While I don’t think I connected with any of them, I did feel like the story could happen anywhere. Who knows, you might have this sort of neighborhood in your area.

We give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

Liz Crowe is a Kentucky native and graduate of the University of Louisville living in South Carolina. She’s spent her time as a three-continent expat trailing spouse, mom of three, real estate agent, brewery owner and bar manager, and is currently a digital marketing and fundraising consultant, in addition to being an award-winning author.

The Liz Crowe backlist has something for any reader seeking complex storylines with humor and complete casts of characters that will delight and linger in the imagination long after the book is finished.

Her favorite things to do when she’s not scrolling social media for cute animal videos is walk her dogs, cuddle her cats, and watch her favorite sports teams while scrolling social media for cute animal videos.

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