Review: Greenwich Park

Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
I'm rounding up a little bit on this book, because while it did have its problems, I really did end up enjoying it.
This story, of 3 women who are expecting babies very soon and how they interact with each other, was set up to be a great psychological mystery. But it got slightly confusing after the first several chapters. About 1/4 to 1/3 of the way through, the pacing began to feel off: Rachel's relationship with Helen felt very glossed over in its beginning stages--what exactly is it about Rachel and her personality that makes her so compelling to Helen? The reader knows there must be something, because Helen lets Rachel insinuate herself into Helen's life, but it's hard to really figure out why. Rachel, who is a pivotal character, isn't really as developed as I would have liked. I kept reading, hoping I would learn more about her and the reasons she was acting so suspiciously. I really needed more in the beginning of the book to really seal up Rachel and her relationship with Helen. I felt like I was missing something that was very important, which unfortunately set the tone for the rest of the book.
As the story continues, and more characters and their points of view are introduced, more tension and doubts creep in and the story really picks up. Is Helen being gaslighted? Is she on the verge of a breakdown? Is there someone in her life who is really out to get her? Who is it? And why? Although Helen is naive and gullible, the reader really roots for her to smarten up and start seeing things as they actually are, even if the reader is not sure how things "actually are." Serena is interesting as well; the reader isn't quite sure what to make of her: is she really a good friend? Is she worth Helen's adoration? Does she truly have Helen's best interests at heart? I also enjoyed Kate and her storyline quite a bit, but towards the end I really was not sure how exactly that all fit into the narrative--it almost felt kind of extraneous...which was actually kind of sad, because I didn't want it to be!
Saying all this, I think my biggest problems with the book were Rachel and Kate. I really liked them both--A LOT!--but... Rachel was so organically important in the book, and I didn't get to really know her in a way I felt she deserved and that would have added more depth and complexity to the story. On the other hand Kate felt INorganically important in the book, and while I did enjoy getting to know her, I'm not sure she really "fit in" to the way the story developed--she ended up almost feeling like some sort of plot device or deus ex machina. (She's a great relatable character, but once the twist was revealed and I went back to reread and pick up all the clues I missed, I skipped over most of Kate's parts, because I felt they really didn't have much relevance to the "mystery," and therefore the overarching story.)
All that being said, I haven't read a book with an ending like this in a very long time. I LOVED it!! I really don't want to give away any spoilers, so read ahead at your own risk, but I almost cheered out loud after reading the last several lines! It was incredibly satisfying, and absolutely added to my enjoyment of the story. It was great.
I would recommend this book. It's a twisty mystery, and although it is far from perfect, its definitely worth checking out.

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