Behind the tall hedges of the affluent, gated community of Apple Tree Creek, not all is as it seems…
Out of the blue, Gertie’s husband decides they need a break and he leaves her with their three children. Two streets east and three gardens down, successful businesswoman Rachael discovers her husband has cheated on her – again – even though she’s pregnant with his third child. Thrown together by a chance encounter, the two women bond over the shared disaster that is their marriages.
But people can only be pushed so far…
When one of their husbands is attacked, ambulance sirens cut through the serenity of manicured gardens and cobblestone streets, and the small community is shocked at the violence that’s played out in their midst. CCTV reveals no outsiders visited the estate that night, confirming that the assailant must be one of their own.
As the web of neighbourly relationships unravels and the secrets of Apple Tree Creek are exposed, one question will be asked: which one of us is willing to kill?
Kylie Kaden’s last novel was The Day the Lies Began, a gripping domestic noir about two couples with a lot of secrets in a small coastal town. I devoured it in one sitting and it put her on my radar as an author to watch. Now, she’s back with One of Us, another page-turning read that delivers pitch-perfect plotting, lots of twists and turns, and the layers of friendship built over time in a small-town setting – or in this instance, a wealthy, gated community.
Kaden writes intelligent thrillers, exploring complex subjects and multilayered relationships. In One of Us, she weaves in wealth and power, domestic violence and abuse, and that you never know what’s happening behind closed doors. One of the highlights of a Kaden novel, however, is that she’ll deliver all of this in a thriller and add in a good dose of humour along the way. It’s a powerful combination and pure entertainment.
One of Us is both thought-provoking and fun. It’s addictive reading, and I can’t wait for what Kaden’s has in store next.
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