Cracks in THE STREET
APPEARANCES COULDN’T BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH IN SECRETIVE PLEASANT COURT
How well do you know your neighbours? That’s the question at the heart of this smoothly written family drama.
It’s set over one hot summer in a wealthy Melbourne suburban street called Pleasant Court. This is a place that attracts nice middle-class people, like Essie and Fran, who have both been blessed with new babies, and Ange, who combines family life with being a successful real-estate agent.
When Isabelle moves to the street, everyone is intrigued. She isn’t a Pleasant Court person at all. Childless, apparently single, stylish, mysteriously vague about herself and yet friendly, it starts to become clear that Isabelle hasn’t found herself in Pleasant Court by accident.
While the mystery element of the story keeps things interesting, what I enjoyed most about this novel was the way the author sort of peels back the roofs of the houses in Pleasant Court and shows you what the lives of those inside are really like.
It turns out that Fran has made a terrible mistake and is literally running herself ragged trying to decide what to do about it. Essie, who battled postnatal depression with her first baby, is now juggling a second child and her mental health is fragile. Perfectionist Ange has a husband who is handsome and charming, but is he really the good guy he seems? And has she always been straight with him? Everybody has secrets and insecurities, struggles and worries.
It’s a book that feels very true-to-life, balancing the more dramatic moments with normal everyday details. Its female characters are solidly constructed – the males, though, are flimsier – and the things they grapple with relatable and real.
There’s definitely a trend for these sorts of domestic noir dramas. This one is hard to put down – and delivers a big twist just when you need it.
Most of us are curious about what other people’s lives are like. This book may make you wonder even more about what your neighbours are up to behind their closed doors.