Cul-de-Sac Book Review

Full disclosure: I was given a free advance reader copy of this book by Author Marketing Experts in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning: this review discusses sex and swinger parties.

There are certain topics that I never would have encountered without this website. I could list them here, but it would be too long. One thing that I can add is swinger parties in well-to-do neighborhoods. What book tackled that topic? It was Cul-de-Sac by Liz Crowe, which is an excellent slow-burner about a tight-knit neighborhood.

Cul-de-Sac explores how well one truly knows or should know about their neighbors. Connelly Court in the suburbs of Ann Arbor, Michigan is a secluded old money neighborhood. It harbors a web of desires and deceit behind pristine facades and manicured lawns. This is where a group of neighbors – bound by their secrets and unconventional lifestyles – will see their lives unravel. Amelia and Michael Ross move into their dream home and get seduced into the allure. However, their house once belonged to a previous family whose lives were ruined by their participation. This leads Amelia to question everything about the neighborhood and her new-found friends. Suspicions run wild as the close-knit group turns on each other, and secrets and lies are revealed one by one.

I love the location. I grew up in a cul-de-sac, where many of the neighbors were friends with my family. Luckily, there were no swinger parties in my neighborhood, or at least to my knowledge. Also, I like how it takes place in Michigan. As a Michigander, I’ve noticed that not many stories take place in that state. The only titles that I can think of are The Women of Copper Country, Firekeeper’s Daughter, and books written by Robert C. Jones. And of course, did you think I was going to leave out The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides – a novel with similar themes to Cul-de-Sac? The fact that Cul-de-Sac takes place in Ann Arbor is an inspired choice that reflects the neighborhood’s mentality. That city is famous for being liberal, but it also reeks of privilege. The neighbors, in turn, may seem open-minded, yet they are set in their traditions no matter how much they try to get out.

The novel has a strong ensemble with fully-developed characters. Each scene focuses on one couple at a time. Our protagonists are Amelia and Ross, who want the perfect home in the city they went to college in and have a two-year-old son. Then, there’s Janice and Allen – the older, alpha couple; Emily and Sai – the childless pair; and Cassie and Barnett – the duo who are expecting a child, but no one is certain who the father is. Even though they have been engaging in sex parties orchestrated by Janice and Allen, each has their own reasons for ending it. It doesn’t help that a man from one couple who had previously lived in the neighborhood died while living there. The emphasis on each pair results in slow pacing in the beginning, yet this was done on purpose. The book establishes the personalities of each character and how they interact with others, and then it gets to the action. When things started to unravel, it was exciting to see how each couple reacted. 

While reading it, one of my first thoughts was that Cul-de-Sac could make a good play. Since the focus is on the characters, one could have a black box or roundabout theatre production of the book. Different props can be used to signify the house of one couple, yet Janice and Allen’s house is the one with an actual set. Or, it could be like the musical Into the Woods with three sets all at once, and then, they could roll away to reveal the home of the older couple. No matter how the production does it, I would love to see that show.

Now, I have to address the elephant in the room: the sex. Since this novel explores swinger parties, some readers might not want to pick it up. Like many who have read the book, I will say that while there’s plenty of erotica depicted, it’s not explicit. I mean, yes, take a drink anytime the book mentions hard nipples, but that’s besides the point. Even the way that the swinger parties are portrayed is actually nuanced. Sure, many of the couples don’t want to get involved anymore because they’ve gotten too entangled with the other pairs, especially pregnant Cassie, who doesn’t really know who the father is. At the same time, Janice initiated these parties to not only get closer to the neighbors, but also to keep an eye on her husband Allen, who had cheated on her before. All she wants to do is to be a good wife and mother, yet she realizes how difficult that can be. On top of that, it’s all consensual. If a couple wants to leave, they would have to exit together. However, some start to have businesses and sexcapades with each other outside of the parties, which leads to more complications.

Cul-de-Sac by Liz Crowe is a fascinating look at a suburban neighborhood and how the residents try to get close to each other. I love the setting, and it’s not just the fact that it takes place in Michigan. It informs the environment, which the sex parties thrive on. In addition, it had a strong cast that I was invested in. It’s a pure slow-burn, so it was fascinating to see how each person acts when things start to fall apart. And yes, its sexual landscape might turn off some people, but it’s still entertaining. To quote Chewable Orb on Goodreads, “In a nutshell, if you love your novels steamy with a penchant for lies, secrecy, and betrayal, this book is for you.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Cul-de-Sac  is out now, so go grab it wherever you get your books. 

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