Sydney Green has returned to the home where she was raised in Brooklyn, New York to care for her mother’s house while she was confined to to a nursing home. But the community Sidney knew seemed to be changing rapidly right before her eyes. For Sale signs are going up, lifelong neighbors inexplicably leave overnight, replaced with affluent people of a different ethnicity, and new shop owners are taking over stalwarts of the neighborhood. But more disturbingly, she senses a sinister element, especially as she begins her research into the community’s history for a tour she’s developing with assistance from Theo, one of the new neighbors.
This story turned out to be much more than I’d expected. I’m well aware of how destructive the gentrification of neighborhoods of color can be as I’ve witnessed some but this was insidious. The level of complicity rang too true to life and made me uncomfortable throughout the story. The mystery element added another layer of discomfort and soon I wasn’t as committed to solving the puzzle as I was worried about Sydney and Theo’s well being, along with others I’d come to care about!
While the dangerous aspects of the story might be inflated, the reality of how long-standing communities of color can be so easily displaced under the umbrella of gentrification certainly wasn’t. The author did an outstanding job of illustrating the positives of the neighborhood cohesion and the cost of the losses. The pacing of the story could be uneven because of the devotion to that element but it was worth the sacrifice. The two narrators did a great job inhabiting their characters, with Sydney coming across as possible paranoid and definitely mistrusting everyone outside of the neighborhood, and Theo as an opaque character who might not be trustworthy. They very much added to the mystique of the story. This is an important story that goes well beyond that of a thriller, though the ending was pretty exciting.
Book Info
- Release Date: September 1, 2020
- Narrators: Susan Dalian & Jay Aaseng
- Audio Length: 8 hours, 30 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
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(Thanks to HarperAudio and Libro.fm for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Blue Mood Café 
Great review! I also just recently read this book. I enjoyed it but I thought the pacing was off as well and I preferred Sydney’s narration to Theo’s. Overall an interesting concept and a good read though.
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Thank you, Amy💜 I agree about the narration distinction. I came around to Theo as he revealed more of his backstory because that’s who he came across as being.
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Wonderful review Jo. I read and enjoyed this one very much. I agree about the terrible impact of “gentrification” of black neighbourhoods and communities. My one problem with this book was the dip into the Sci-Fi feeling of the solution to the mystery. It is a well-written book with a great message though.
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Thank you, Carla💜 By the time I got to the ending, I was ready to accept just about anything if it included a rescue😏
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This sounds like an intensely moving story as well as a good mystery. Stories done well, like that, can be very impactful. Wonderful review for a compelling read!
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Thank you, Tessa💜 That’s a perfect description.
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Fab review Jo sounds like a good listen!
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Thank you, Nicki💜 It truly was.
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Excellent review! I enjoyed this one and found some aspects too possible.
Anne – Books of My Heart
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Thanks, Anne💜 The ending got a little out there but the rest I found credible.
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I am getting this book. Fantastic review Jo
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Thank you, Shalini💜
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I was living in NY when they gentified Harlem. There was an enormous change maybe not always for the better. Wonderful review, Jo!
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Thanks, Marialyce💜 I’d left NY when that gentrification started. The positive part of that transformation was they kept it a blended neighborhood. You’re right about it not being perfect but at least they tried to preserve its character.
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This definitely sounds like it has a lot more to it than a typical thriller. I’ve been wanting to try something by Alyssa Cole and I think this is the book I’m going to start with. Wonderful review, Jonetta!
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Thank you, Suzanne💜 No, it’s not your typical thriller, which made it more interesting.
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Fantastic review, Jonetta!!
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Thank you, Julie💜
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