I felt slightly claustrophobic reading this. A place where the curtains twitch and your neighbours know way too much about you.
Despite that, there's still some secrets kept hidden.
I've said before, I really enjoy these kid led tales, and it was interesting to see the world alongside Tammy and Colin.
Fills in the blank spaces of the crime at a good pace all thr way to the end.
Very entertaining.

This is a compulsive read. I really enjoyed it. Very atmospheric and the details made the setting and characters live in my mind. It’s a whodunnit, but one that it more about the characters lives than ‘just’ the crime.

Set in the 1970s in Australia - and a quiet residential street there has just been a murder. A body part of a young man in his 20s has been found - and his neighbours in the street are immediately all under suspicion.
A story of gossip and suspicion. A young girl desperate to find out who has killed Antonio, who she had a juvenile crush on. Listening in to neighbours conversations, and uncovering way more about her neighbours in the process.
At first it gave me "The trouble with goats and sheep" vibes, but it was darker than this. However the period also bring a lot of similarities to Joanna Cannon's books.
A great read, that totally pulled me in. Simmering tension throughout and a good ending. IFKYK

Curtain twitching on overdrive. The Grapevine is proof that life in suburbia is never quite as it seems. A wonderful cast of characters (don't we all know a Cecil?) this is a book to devour

This book is brilliantly written! I loved everything about it and would highly recommend it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC

The hook: a quiet suburban street in Canberra, Australia 1979. What a lovely place to live. Unless you're the teenage Italian boy whose dismembered foot has been found in the wasteland at the back.
Full intrigue along with a. stunning and evocative claustrophobic 1970s setting. This is written with effortless grace. It's a rich tapestry of a book that's psychologically astute. Think 'The List of Suspicious Things' but warmer and with kangaroos.
It's loaded with clever takedown of misogyny, homophobia, racism and xenophobia. The wit and humour is subtle but cutting.
You'll love this.if: you like sharp takedowns of the flaws of people and society.