Greenwich Park

As close to perfect as a domestic thriller could be, the author mixes up pregnancy, adultery, sexual assault, women's friendships, and gaslighting in a riveting mélange of class warfare. At first there seems to be little connection between the perspectives of three characters, but after Rachel, a wild young woman, shows up drinking wine and smoking cigarettes at Helen's prenatal class, the strings start being woven tightly together. Helen and her husband Daniel are finally hopeful, after four miscarriages; Helen's brother Rory and his wife Selena are due at the same time; and childhood friend Katie, now an investigative journalist, becomes involved when covering a rape case in the wealthy neighborhood that echoes one that ended in show more acquittal ten years before. The outcome is so satisfying that the reader might punch the air in glee. show less

Greenwich Park has been on my radar for quite a while now and I was so excited to dive between the pages. I can tell you now that I was not disappointed. It is a thrilling and fast-paced read that had me gripped from beginning to end.

The story centres mainly around Helen. Pregnant with her longed-for baby, she goes to an antenatal class in a warm and muggy room above a bar. She's alone (her husband, Daniel, and her brother and sister-in-law, Rory and Serena, have stood her up) and so when Rachel, also alone, gravitates towards her, Helen finds herself with a brand new friend.

We know from the synopsis that Rachel turns out to be a nightmare but the reasons why are only revealed gradually as the story unfolds. I thought Katherine show more Faulkner did an amazing job plotting this book and as Rachel insinuates herself deeper into Helen's life and we also hear from Serena and Katie, a friend of both couples, I honestly didn't know who to trust. It's clear that something isn't right but I was left guessing all the way through, via a few good twists and turns.

This is a brilliant story and an impressive debut. It's a psychological thriller and a really well-drawn example of the genre, but it's also about women and that time running up to the birth of a baby, a kind of limbo-land when you're just waiting and potentially quite vulnerable. It's full of tension and suspense and I was hooked all the way through. For me the pace never let up and the underlying sense of foreboding was ever-present. I really enjoyed my thrilling visit to Greenwich Park. show less

A tense, slow burning and suspenseful psychological thriller centring around a group of friends, three of whom are siblings. One of them is befriended by a girl at an antenatal class and she appears to have an ulterior motive....

This is quite an exciting and gripping read, although I did have to suspend my belief at times. The behaviour of some of the characters is slightly incredulous. It’s told from three different viewpoints and I never knew who to believe. There are quite a few twists and turns, taking the reader on several different, interconnecting paths. My brain began to hurt with all the tension, trying to work it all out! All in all a compelling and enjoyable debut, it had me on tenterhooks a lot of the time. I loved the show more ending - it deserves a resounding cheer! show less

"Greenwich Park," by Katherine Faulkner, is the story of two British couples who have been close friends since their university days at Cambridge. Rory Haverstock and Daniel Thorpe are partners in an architectural firm founded by Daniel's late father-in-law. Daniel is married to Rory's sister, Helen, who is anxious about her pregnancy. Sadly, her previous attempts to carry a baby to term ended in disappointment. Rory's wife, Serena, is also expecting and coincidentally, Helen and Serena's due dates are only two weeks apart.

Helen, who is emotionally vulnerable and painfully lonely, is upset that her husband is too preoccupied to give her the support that she needs. In her prenatal class, Helen meets a single expectant mum, Rachel, who show more latches on to her like a barnacle. Everywhere that Helen goes, it seems, Rachel is there, insinuating herself into Helen's life.

This is an accomplished and impressive debut. Faulkner's characters are riveting; her prose and dialogue are smooth and uncluttered; and this well-constructed and suspenseful thriller grows ever more intense until it reaches its shattering conclusion. There is an undercurrent of menace throughout, and observant readers will pick up on Faulkner's hints that a major storm may be brewing. The plot is deliciously complex, but not dauntingly so. Although "Greenwich Park" is not a feel-good book, it is a riveting and entertaining page-turner in which desperate individuals are driven by lust, greed, and a thirst for revenge. The two key questions are: Who will survive, and will justice prevail? "Greenwich Park" is a must-read for fans of spellbinding psychological suspense. show less

I've been looking forward to quite a few new titles coming out in 2022. Katherine Faulkner's debut novel, Greenwich Park, has been at the top of the list. And if you enjoy twisty suspense that will keep you guessing, you need to put this book on your must read list.
Helen, her husband Daniel, her brother Rory and his wife Serena all went to University together. They lead the enviable lives of the wealthy. And now Helen and her sister-in-law are each expecting their first child. For Helen it's a frightening time as she's had many miscarriages. So, she is off work and ordered to take it easy. Helen ends up solo at her prenatal classes and meets Rachel - a young woman who is also pregnant. Rachel is loud, flamboyant and doesn't seem to read show more social cues. She's the opposite of Helen, but still, she is drawn to Rachel. Perhaps it's because she's lonely....

Uh huh - you can see where this is going can't you? Or can you? Is Rachel what and who she says she is? Or does she have another reason for befriending Helen? Faulkner puts her own twist - or I should say twists - on the idea of a stranger insinuating themselves into someone's life.

Helen is the perfect unsuspecting, unreliable lead character. She's afraid to offend anyone, wants to do the 'right' thing and seems to not want to address the cracks in her own life. The supporting cast provide many choices for the 'whodunit'. None of them are truly likeable and each seems to be harboring their own secrets. Some of those supporting players are given their own voice, giving the reader more clues as to what is going on - and why.

I thought I had things all figured out - I was happily proven wrong. I love being surprised by a author. And just when I thought things were all neatly tied up, Faulkner changes the endgame - again. Bravo!

A binge worthy debut and I look forward to Faulkner's next book. show less

This is one of those books that just keeps the reader guessing. There are dark secrets to be unearthed, and just when I thought I had them all sussed out, then something else popped up.

As seems to be the fashion with the recent crime fiction novel, there are several narrators and their names head the various chapters. The "hook" is a letter written after the action is complete by an inmate of HMP Bowood to Helen saying that she needs to hear the truth, and here it is. There is no indication who the writer might be. The next chapters regress to when the pregnancy is at 24 weeks, and with Helen who is waiting at the antenatal class for her husband, brother, and sister in law to join her. Her sister in law Serena is also pregnant, more or show more less due at the same time. They don't arrive and Helen is joined by Rachel who is similarly pregnant and also on her own.

The novel then counts down each week, and new narrators pop up. Helen and Rachel become closer, until eventually Rachel moves in with Helen and Daniel. There are also scenes from Greenwich Park involving characters who remain unnamed.

So there is plenty of mystery for the reader to unravel, there are references to things that have happened in the past, as well as strange events occurring now. We are never quite sure about the relationship between various characters, but we tend to see things mainly from Helen's point of view. show less

Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner was a delightfully binge-worthy book that I couldn't get my hands off of.

I managed to binge read this book in three nights. I had to put it down, but I really didn't want to. I love a great thriller read with leading women, especially when it makes you question what is going on and if we have a reliable narrator. Lucky for me, this book was just SO GOOD. And so fast paced, that I didn't want to stop reading. It's those kinds of books that remind me why I love reading so much. It's so nice to dive into a book that whisks you away and lets you forget about the insanity of our world. We all need that these days.

The title references the location/setting of the book. Greenwich Park is where our lead, show more Helen, and her family live. Helen is married to Daniel, and they are expecting a baby! Since she's had multiple miscarriages, she is off work and resting while Daniel keeps up his gig as an architect. He works in a firm with her brother Rory, and it just happens that Rory's wife Serena is also pregnant at the same time (and due around the same time too!). When Daniel, Rory and Serena all miss out on Helen's prenatal classes (you know, like total jerks... too busy and don't care enough to show up), she meets Rachel. Rachel is a wee bit of a train wreck and is definitely not following society's typical rules for a pregnant woman. Despite their polar opposite personalities, they strike up a friendship. But things start to get weird... Rachel starts spending more time around Helen, knows things Helen doesn't think she told her, and eventually sneaks in way too close for anyone's liking... And then she goes missing. Secrets galore get shared, secrets get kept, and everything is not what it seems in Greenwich Park...

This book is delightfully eerie. All of my theories started lining up about half way through the book. It's a slow burn for getting information at the start, but it all gets info dumped by the end. I was a little disappointed that my first theory was right, but hey... Maybe I just read too many books. I don't think it was that obvious, and some of the final plot points aren't easy to guess (and weren't set up well, in my personal opinion).

I will say a few possible negatives:
1. The book can be hard to decipher and it does jump around a lot with the hints of what's going on. I didn't mind at all, because I was just along for the ride for a little fun. I didn't take it too seriously. It's definitely not the best thriller ever written, but it is a fun time.

2. I felt like Charlie should have been there more... He felt kind of out of place when he finally shows up in the book. I also wanted to see more of Rory, since he becomes important but isn't around much.

3. A lot of these characters are horrible people, so I know readers won't like that. Again, it didn't affect my reading experience but I can understand how you'd want to tell some of these characters to buzz off.

4. Did Daniel actually want a baby or what? That dude is MIA for most of the pregnancy for a man who "wanted" a baby.

Katherine Faulkner has a marvellous writing style and I definitely want to pick up any more books she writes in the future. If this was just her first book, I can hardly imagine her next ones because they will be even better! Fast paced, easy to read, and full of twists and turns is how I like my thrillers.

Overall, this was a fantastic book that I highly recommend!

Five out of five stars.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. show less