I’ve been an Anna Quindlen fan for quite awhile – Black and Blue is among my favorites. I was really looking forward to her latest, Alternate Side…and, as usual, it was well-written with excellent dialogue, setting, and characterization. The problem for me was that I not only didn’t care for the setting, I really didn’t care about any of the people…despite Quindlen’s skill at making them real for me.

In this book, the Nolans (Nora and Charlie) are among the “elites” of New York City, living on a dead-end street where the residents have huge issues around parking (hence the title). Bothe their kids are at college, and life should be terrific, right? But then an act of violence occurs, and the neighborhood starts to unravel.

Charlie and Nora not only live on a dead-end street, they have a dead-end marriage.  The story revolves around the well-to-do residents on this one street but expands to address issues of class, including several characters who are not among the elites. It is fascinating to see such a smug character as Nora interact with those people she would never encounter in the neighborhood if the elites didn’t need so many services.

So: interesting, entertaining, well written. Just not my thing. Three stars.