This is a fascinating thriller with twist upon twist. It’s set in a private community for women where they work together to share the burden of motherhood while caring for one another and their precious children. Some have arrived at this off-the-grid respite to rid themselves of their past. Others to escape a harsh reality—an unsafe home, or the struggle to survive alone in an unforgiving society. This “safe” space holds promise. Their secrets are protected, resources and burdens are shared, while contact with the outside world is limited—to keep the residents safe and secure.

Encouraged to come to this invitation-only retreat by a long lost friend, Rhiannon, Lenna accepts. Safety, anonymity, and shared responsibility to help her raise her son among other young moms seems idyllic. But soon questions are raised and Lenna suspects things are not all they seem. She soon discovers that there’s more behind her seemingly innocuous invitation and she and many of the other women are here at a price.

This book was a slow start for me. It took a bit to figure out who and what, but about a quarter way into it, things changed fast. I was engrossed. I couldn’t get enough of this latest novel by Sara Shepard, author of Pretty Little Liars, and I finished the rest of the book in one sitting. What is interesting is the lack of elements typically found in a novel—backstories, descriptive emotional arcs, and uh, other genders (though there are a few men). But this isn’t a bad thing. These facets are there, woven in so lightly they’re barely perceptible, yet are impeccable in their placement. Well, done!

So, while there are plenty of detailed reviews of Shepard’s books, I always look to find a different angle, and thus here’s mine for this one. If you like women fiction and enjoy stories with distinctive theme twists such as Stepford Wives, Pleasantville, or American Beauty, then Nowhere Like Home should be on your reading list.

Book and Image Courtesy of Penguin Publishing