Book Review: The Cul-de-sac by Christopher Null

3.5⭐
Genre ~ crime thriller
Setting ~ California
Publication date ~ February 10, 2025
Est Page Count ~ 392 (85 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 0 minutes
Narrator ~ Heather Nichols, Perry Daniels
POV ~ multiple 1st & single 3rd
Featuring ~ serial killer (slim on the killing really), short chapters

My review:

Since there’s quite a few POV’s from the cul-de-sac residents I’ll give you a quick bio on them.

Klaus ~ the killer
Eliza (14) ~ moves to the cul-de-sac from the city with her parents
Alex ~ a sick man on dialysis who tutors Eliza in math
Peg ~ a widow in her 60’s
Jean~Claire (14) ~ befriends Eliza
Lupe ~ live-in help for a blind man, Mr. Percy
Lew ~ Eliza’s father (not sure his POV added much to the story)

It took me a minute to get all of the characters straight, but the author did a great job distinctifying (don’t think it’s a word, but I like it) them. I, especially, thought he did great job capturing the tones of the 2 teenagers. The short chapters helped it move along at a quick pace. I was engaged throughout and eager to see how it would all play out.

Overall, I enjoyed it, but I’m not too sure about the ending. I could definitely go for a sequel.

Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the above info for reference. I’m glad there were two, but the characters do greatly vary in age, so I am curious though how they did with their tones.

*Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

Get your copy on ~ Amazon

Add to your never ending TBR  ~ goodreads

I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve read it.

Book blurb:

How well do you really know your neighbors?
Veteran serial killer Klaus Fischer is determined that his most recent murder will be his last, but like many retirements, this one isn’t sticking. No one has come close to suspecting he’s buried the victims on his quiet suburban California cul-de-sac property—but he’s feeling the urge to kill again, and this time he’s set his sights on a target dangerously close to home.
Widowed Peg Jurgensen has lived on the cul-de-sac for the past fifteen years, and she’s ready to shed her doldrums and re-enter the world around her. And where better to start than with mothering the curious young teen Eliza van Damal, whose family just moved to the cul-de-sac in order to expose their daughter to a better life.
Eliza, however, prefers to coerce the enigmatic hermit next door, Alex, into helping her pass math. Alex wishes the lot of them would disappear.
The closer these misfits become, the more danger even the most ordinary conversations invite. As the body count rises, can these residents trust anyone hiding behind their doors on this street?

Fans of The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell and The Good Neighbor by A.J. Banner will love this domestic thriller filled with dark secrets and dangers lurking in a seemingly quiet suburban neighborhood…

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