Christopher Null

The Cul-de-sac is not a neat and tidy thriller, and genre fans may be frustrated by the ambiguity lingering not just in the last act but also in the characters themselves.

But not everyone is complaining.

Today, Readers’ Corner (on Instagram @readerslovebook) dropped one of the most insightful reviews of the book I’ve read to date, really digging into the subtext of the setting and its relationship with the characters that live on this isolated street.

I particularly love this paragraph:

The physical setting brilliantly mirrors the characters’ emotional states. The cul-de-sac itself—steep, wooded, and removed from the main thoroughfares of life—becomes a metaphor for these people who have, for various reasons, retreated from meaningful connection. When violence erupts and bodies are discovered, the ensuing investigation peels back layers of carefully constructed facades.

I’d invite you to read more of this Bookstagram review but, truth be told, you’ll find some major spoilers once you get to the fourth paragraph. So, please, check out the book, then read this commentary, which I’m pinning here for posterity.

Thanks again to Readers’ Corner for this insightful coverage.