A shooting lays bare the secrets harboured by five families in a sleepy suburban cul-de-sac in this riveting psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of All the Wrong Places.

Someone in a quiet, unassuming cul-de-sac was shot dead in the middle of the night.

Was it Maggie, the perfectionist wife, or Craig, the husband who can't quite live up to her expectations? When Maggie witnessed a shooting and later testified against a killer set free, the couple relocated, putting new pressure on their already strained union. Maggie is constantly looking over her shoulder. She owns a gun, just in case.

Was it Nick, a doctor whose family, especially his wife, Dani, must bear the brunt of his ill temper? Nick is an avid hunter, too, and keeps a collection of handguns.

Or was it Julia, a recently widowed grandmother? Her grandson is a troublemaker, someone not above stealing from her purse. His friends are equally unsavory. Her son buys her a gun for her protection.

And then there's Olivia and her husband, Vic, who has been laid off, forcing Olivia to become the breadwinner. Vic is resentful. And depressed. He's started drinking heavily, and has threatened to shoot himself on several occasions.

Or it could be one of the newlyweds, Aiden and Heidi, who are already on the rocks. Aiden refuses to stand up to his intrusive mother. When Heidi befriends Julia's grandson, it sets the stage for a major blow-up.

Every house owns a gun. And anyone can be the victim, or the killer.

Joy Fielding's profile page

JOY FIELDING is the New York Times bestselling author of All the Wrong Places, The Bad Daughter, She's Not There, Someone Is Watching, Charley's Web, Heartstopper, Mad River Road, See Jane Run and other acclaimed novels. She divides her time between Toronto and Palm Beach, Florida.

AN INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER

"Set within an upscale neighborhood brimming with dark secrets, this captivating thriller thrums with delicious foreboding on every page. I was entranced by the gifted storytelling and magnetic characters, whose twisted paths converge in a shocking, explosive climax. Cul-de-sac proves once again that Joy Fielding is an ingenious master of domestic suspense." —Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge

"As perfect a character-based thriller as you can find. . . . [Joy] Fielding has created some of her strongest, most compelling characters. An outstanding thriller and a perfect beach read. . . . Expect a late-summer boom as the book starts turning up in beach bags everywhere." —Booklist (starred review)

"This gripping psychological thriller focuses on the occupants of five identical two-story homes on a cul-de-sac in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., in the two months leading up to a Fourth of July weekend when simmering resentments finally boil over. . . . As Fielding slowly reveals each character’s secrets, she nicely upsets readers’ perceptions and expectations as they try to figure out who will be the first to snap—and who will die. Suspense fans will be well rewarded." —Publishers Weekly