Helen’s idyllic life—handsome architect husband, gorgeous Victorian house, and cherished baby on the way (after years of trying)—begins to change the day she attends her first prenatal class and meets Rachel, an unpredictable single mother-to-be. Rachel doesn’t seem very maternal: she smokes, drinks, and professes little interest in parenthood. Still, Helen is drawn to her. Maybe Rachel just needs a friend. And to be honest, Helen’s a bit lonely herself. At least Rachel is fun to be with. She makes Helen laugh, invites her confidences, and distracts her from her fears.
But her increasingly erratic behavior is unsettling. And Helen’s not the only one who’s noticed. Her friends and family begin to suspect that her strange new friend may be linked to their shared history in unexpected ways. When Rachel threatens to expose a past crime that could destroy all of their lives, it becomes clear that there are more than a few secrets laying beneath the broad-leaved trees and warm lamplight of Greenwich Park.
The Review
I have always been captivated by what goes on in small, posh, confined neighborhoods. Greenwich Park is a suspense novel set behind closed doors. And the allure is getting a peek inside.
In this book, there are two women we are focusing on. Helen and Rachel. Helen is kind of overcome by Rachel and her life, possibly enamored by her choices and her -who gives a fuck- attitude. She wants to be like her a little but enjoys being above her all the same.
As the book unfolds so does Rachel as a character. And so does Helen, as she becomes more and more infatuated by Rachel. I enjoyed that aspect of the book. Where the book falls short is in displaying characters that feel different from one another.
Rachel and Helen were too similar. The obsession that I wanted to feel between them did not exist. And it didn’t have the depth I was looking for.
However, if you’re looking for a book to add to your spring break vacation TBR pile, this one would be a great beach or airport read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this advanced copy!
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