Following three wealthy but deeply troubled guests of the Rush Recovery center: Amelia Blue Harris, the daughter of a rock star grappling with an eating disorder and lingering questions about her mother’s mysterious death; Lord Edward of Essex, a British aristocrat battling addiction; and Florence Bloom, a singing hiding from scandal. When a body is discovered on the grounds, the rules forbidding patient interaction begin to unravel, and long-buried secrets come to light. The novel weaves themes of addiction, grief, family trauma, privilege, and mental health into a suspenseful, atmospheric mystery.

The first half felt slow, and while I wanted to be more invested early on, the pacing was just a bit off. There was a lot of buildup that didn’t quite land for me, especially when so much was packed into the final portion of the book. The last stretch moved quickly, almost too quickly, compared to the drawn-out beginning.

That said, I liked the overall storyline and appreciated how flawed and human the characters felt. I was interested in their perspectives and emotional struggles, even if I guessed many of the reveals ahead of time. Fortunately, that didn’t detract too much from my enjoyment. With some tightening and more balanced pacing, this could have been a stronger thriller but as it stands, it’s an engaging, atmospheric story with interesting themes that just didn’t fully come together for me.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP | ★★★

Such Sheltered Lives is out now. Thank you to Atria Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.