Bent Road

Arthur and Celia Scott flee Detroit's racial tensions in 1967, returning to Arthur's Kansas hometown on Bent Road. With their three children, they move into a house near Arthur's mother, confronting the community he left behind twenty years ago. The family's arrival stirs up memories of Arthur's sister Eve, who died mysteriously as a teenager. When a local girl disappears, the similarities to Eve's death create fear and suspicion in the rural community. Celia struggles to adapt to small-town Kansas life while their teenage daughter Evie grapples with her aunt's legacy. The Scott family must navigate long-buried secrets, small-town dynamics, and their own evolving relationships. Through its exploration of family bonds and buried trauma, Bent Road examines how the past shapes present choices and how violence can echo across generations in a close-knit rural community.

Readers note the dark, gothic atmosphere and complex family dynamics as standout elements. Many praise Roy's ability to build tension and create a sense of dread throughout the story, with careful attention to period details of 1960s Kansas. What readers liked: - Rich character development, particularly of Evie and Daniel - Authentic portrayal of small-town dynamics - Effective use of multiple perspectives - Strong sense of time and place What readers disliked: - Slow pacing in the first third - Confusing timeline shifts - Some plot threads left unresolved - Difficulty keeping track of multiple characters Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (3,800+ ratings) Amazon: 3.9/5 (160+ reviews) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (200+ ratings) Common reader comments mention the book being "atmospheric but slow-moving" and "beautifully written but requires patience." Several reviewers compared the tone to Gillian Flynn's works, though with less overt suspense.

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🔍 Lori Roy won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author for "Bent Road" in 2012 📚 The novel draws inspiration from the author's own family history of living in Kansas during the 1960s 🏃‍♀️ The Great Migration (1916-1970) serves as a historical backdrop to the story, when millions of African Americans moved from the South to northern cities like Detroit ⚡️ The book's Kansas setting was heavily influenced by severe weather patterns and tornado seasons, which play a significant role in creating the story's tense atmosphere 🏆 "Bent Road" was named a New York Times Notable Crime Book and was selected for the Kansas Notable Book List in 2012