Dark secrets lurk beneath the glittering veneer of this slow-burn thriller.
Moving to wealthy Montecito seemed like a fantastic idea to Hollis Crawford and his wife Cricket. The lavish neighborhood could give their children the best chance at a stellar education and, with Hollis working in plush IT startups, Cricket could devote her time to the community. However, after being fired for the third time, Hollis must concede that their master plan has a few flaws. Namely him.
When an obscenely rich family moves to the area, they bring with them Hollis’s last hope in the form of a spectacular job offer. Not everything is as it seems in this luxurious, glittering world, however. And soon Hollis finds himself embroiled in a situation that he’s not sure he or his family can escape.
Montecito is difficult to categorize into a particular genre. It could fit under psychological thriller or domestic mystery; it even has aspects of family drama. Whatever the genre, it is an astoundingly good read. How could this be a debut? The execution is too deft and confident. Nothing is over-explained or hammed up. In fact, there’s a rare degree of subtlety to the writing. Everything in this story unfolds at its own pace, revealing secrets upon secrets until the final page.
A compelling narrator and equally fascinating setting serve as a vehicle for this riveting tale. There’s no rush to the storytelling on these pages. Both characters and situations expand little by little until the reader can finally see the whole situation. It’s an immensely satisfying way to read. Montecito is like an exquisite little machine where all the moving parts slot impeccably together. The story couldn’t stand without the setting or characters, and Hollis’s specific flaws are the force that drives the narrative.
The Crawford family has a kind of charm that makes them stand out. Hollis is a man with many faults, made endearing by how aware he is of his failings and how incapable he is of altering them. Cricket’s easy acceptance of everyone around her, including her socially inept husband, makes her instantly likable. The realness of this story is probably the most powerful part of this novel. While Hollis’s situation isn’t ordinary, his emotions, doubts and hopes are. This isn’t an overblown story about heroes; it involves normal people trying to navigate overwhelming situations.
Anyone interested in a compelling character-driven mystery will devour this story. It’s unlike any crime novel I’ve read before but is no less gripping for it. This is an author I’ll definitely be looking out for again.
What did you think?