The Perfect Home by Kevin Lynch
Genre: Psychological thriller
Read: 3rd February 2022
Published: 30th January 2022
★ 1 star
DESCRIPTION:
It’s a beautiful place to live. Or die.
June is very happy in her home. It’s where she raised her two kids – now college age – and every room is filled with memories, some beautiful, some painful. She loves the garden she has worked so hard to create. She likes her neighbours in this pleasant, leafy suburb.
But lately, something has changed.
There’s the new guy across the street. He seems rough, possibly criminal. And he’s been taking a definite interest in June’s rebellious daughter, Cathy.
And there’s June’s son, Sam. He’s always been open and friendly but recently he’s been sullen and secretive.
Even more disturbing, June’s cheating ex-husband suddenly seems to be everywhere. It’s almost as if he’s stalking her.
Then, when someone she knows is murdered, June begins to understand that all these different things are connected. And as she investigates further, she realises that she herself is in terrible danger.
Because someone out there wants June gone. Permanently.
MY REVIEW:
I generally love neighbourhood thrillers. You are given a glimpse into the lives of those you think you know but really you don't and then from out of nowhere you are hit head on with a twist you very probably didn't see coming! However in this case, I could see no twist, no tension and nothing remotely interesting happening in this neighbourhood. And after an interesting presmise I was somewhat disappointed.
I was so bored throughout as far as I read in this so-called thriller. I got as far as 30% before I chucked it in and couldn't be bothered with any of them. Each character was equally unlikeable and none of them gave me an inkling to find out more about them or what they could be hiding...if anything. June is a divorced mum of two equally irritating offspring who show no respect whatsoever to their mother, instead giving her attitude and constantly talking back. And the neighbours?? Elderly Fred looked as if he was about to blow a gasket and Paul would trip over his supply of alcohol he uses to blot out the rest of the world on a daily basis because, well, his own has basically fallen apart.
And then there is Steve Murray, the new neighbour from hell, busy clogging up their normally quiet street with a deluge of cars he is tinkering with and revving on a daily basis accompanied by his very loud choice of music. Cathy, June's twenty year old know-it-all daughter, says he's just tryong to make a living and to give him a break. Her son, Sam, bounces between much of the same and it being next to impossible to study or write his assignments for uni. And then there's Nick...June's ex-husband who has now found a new job as gardener for the letting agent of the properties in their street and therefore sees it as his right to pop in for morning tea and breaks and basically whenever he chooses...regardless of the fact that it is no longer his home. Of course June is seen as the bad guy if she refuses him a spare key, but having Nick in her home and sanctuary is the last thing she wants. Basically, she's a doormat for everyone else and their wishes.
So with 30% of the book consumed I can safely say nothing happens in that time apart from the comings and goings of June to and from work, throwing together something for tea, a few words with the offspring, the new neighbour revving his engines and playing loud music with the other neighbours growing increasingly irritated by his disrespect of his neighbours and Cathy's coming and going to Nick's constantly popping in. It's more like a drop-in centre where nothing really happens except bitching about the neighbours and arguing with your adult children.
Not even the death of a neighbour swayed my waning interest in this book. Sorry, but I couldn't finish it and moved on to greener and more interesting pastures.
I would like to thank #KevinLynch, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #ThePerfectHome in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Kevin writes psychological thrillers. The Perfect Home will be his second novel published with Inkubator Books.
No comments:
Post a Comment