Title: Lacy Eye
Author: Jessica Treadway
First published December 2, 2014
352 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9781455554072 (ISBN10: 1455554073)
Rating: 3.64
Overview
In the book Lacy Eye by Jessica Treadway, Hanna Schutt is a loving mother who never expected her daughter’s love life to lead to a family tragedy. Hanna’s daughter Dawn’s new boyfriend, Rud, becomes the prime suspect in the murder of Hanna’s husband, Joe, after a brutal attack on the couple in their own bed.
As Dawn insists on Rud’s innocence and estranges herself from her mother, Hanna is left to cope with her injuries and memory loss. But when Rud wins an appeal, Dawn returns home to support her mother, forcing Hanna to confront the truth about her daughter and the events that fateful night.
Lacy Eye is a riveting story of family secrets and the lengths a mother will go to protect her family.
About the Author
In June 2020, Jessica Treadway released her latest novel, THE GRETCHEN QUESTION. This follows her previous novels LACY EYE in 2015 and HOW WILL I KNOW YOU?
in 2016. She also received the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction for her collection of stories PLEASE COME BACK TO ME, which was published in 2010 by the University of Georgia Press.
Additionally, Treadway has authored the novel AND GIVE YOU PEACE and ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE AND OTHER STORIES. Currently, Treadway shares her expertise as a teacher at Emerson College in Boston, where she instructs students in the Department of Writing, Literature and Publishing.
Editoral Review
Jessica Treadway’s Lacy Eye, published by Grand Central Publishing in December 2014, is a psychological thriller that explores the ramifications of a mother’s love and betrayal. Treadway is a celebrated American author known for her ability to delve into complex characters and their relationships.
Lacy Eye is her third novel that has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal fan base. The novel revolves around the Moore family: Hannah, her husband, and their 15-year-old daughter, Lacey.
The story is set in the suburbs of Boston, where the family lives a seemingly idyllic life until one morning when Hannah wakes up to find her husband murdered in their bedroom. As the police investigate the crime, they begin to suspect the family, especially Lacey.
Treadway weaves a thrilling tale that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The strengths of Lacy Eye lie in Treadway’s masterful storytelling and character development.
Her prose is elegant, evocative, and immersive, pulling readers into the complex emotions of each character. The characters are multidimensional and flawed, making them relatable and compelling.
Through her characters, Treadway explores themes such as family dynamics, secrets, betrayal, and forgiveness. Treadway’s pacing is another standout feature of the novel.
She slowly builds tension and suspense, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. She also deftly controls the narrative, switching between perspectives and timelines without ever losing the reader’s attention.
However, the novel’s pacing can be slow at times, especially in the first half, which may cause some readers to lose interest. Additionally, some plot points may seem predictable, but this does not detract from the overall quality of the narrative.
Lacy Eye is a poignant and nuanced examination of human relationships, wrapped in a gripping thriller. Compared to other works in the genre, such as The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, Treadway’s novel is character-driven and emotionally charged.
Fans of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn or The Good Girl by Mary Kubica will appreciate the novel’s exploration of family secrets and mental health issues. In conclusion, Lacy Eye is a beautifully written and engrossing novel that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and character-driven dramas.
It boasts superb character development, evocative prose, and immersive storytelling that will keep readers hooked until the satisfying and surprising conclusion. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.