City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita
Published: January 10, 2023 – Berkley
Description:
When a local teenager discovers a severed hand and foot washed up on the shore of the small town of Point Mettier, Alaska, Cara Kennedy is on the case. A detective from Anchorage, she has her own motives for investigating the possible murder in this isolated place, which can be accessed only by a tunnel.
After a blizzard causes the tunnel to close indefinitely, Cara is stuck among the odd and suspicious residents of the town—all 205 of whom live in the same high-rise building and are as icy as the weather. Cara teams up with Point Mettier police officer Joe Barkowski, but before long the investigation is upended by fearsome gang members from a nearby native village.
Haunted by her past, Cara soon discovers that everyone in this town has something to hide. Will she be able to unravel their secrets before she unravels?” (publisher)
About the author:
Iris Yamashita is an Academy Award–nominated screenwriter for the movie Letters from Iwo Jima. She has been working in Hollywood for fifteen years developing material for both film and streaming, has taught screenwriting at UCLA, and is an advocate of women and diversity in the entertainment industry. She has also been a judge and mentor for various film and writing programs, and lives in California.
My take:
This was my first book of 2023 and what an intriguing story to start the year. Thanks to Berkley for the finished copy. Author Iris Yamashita’s debut novel had a slow start but the short chapters kept me reading and I ended up finishing City Under One Roof in three days. Point Mettier made for a unique and mysterious setting. I did a search and came up with a lot of info on the town of Whittier, AK, including this youtube short, that is the actual town in this book.
Detective Cara Kennedy is on leave from the Anchorage PD but is drawn to the town and hopes to help solve the mystery of the body parts that have turned up on shore. When an avalanche strands her for the unknown future she becomes more determined. In this enclosed city the quirkiness of the residents comes to the forefront and take the story in different directions all leading to an exciting denouement. So, if interesting characters, a gruesome crime, and a different kind of setting sounds appealing to you, I say give City Under One Roof a try.
Praise for CITY UNDER ONE ROOF:
“Heralds the arrival of a major new talent.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED review
“An offbeat, sharply written thriller.”—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review
“The claustrophobic atmosphere in this unique one-building town, isolated by tunnels, weather, and secrets, builds a memorable debut crime novel.”—Library Journal, STARRED review
“Northern Exposure meets Dexter in this clever thriller in which an isolated community is rocked by a twisted murder, increasingly dark secrets and the terrifying knowledge that the people they always thought they knew are now the ones they should fear the most.”
—Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Step Too Far
“Iris Yamashita blasts into the world of crime fiction by doing something spectacular: introducing us to a totally unique location and sub-culture. A compulsive page-turner that’s both atmospheric and claustrophobic at the same time.”
—C.J. Box, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shadows Reel
“CITY UNDER ONE ROOF is a gripping, unsettling and oppressive thriller that welcomes a wonderful new talent to the genre. Prepare to be quickly immersed in this dark and moody murder mystery.”
—Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of Local Woman Missing
“Electric and fast-paced, this debut thriller is a testament to Yamashita’s skills as a storyteller. There’s no escape from the isolated Alaska setting for either the murder investigator or the reader. I fell down the rabbit hole and couldn’t come out until I read the final page.”
—Naomi Hirahara, Edgar Award-winning author of Clark and Division
“Iris Yamashita delivers! Compelling characters, clever plot twists, and a story that will chill you to your bones. CITY UNDER ONE ROOF is a must-read thriller.”
–New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin
“A well-crafted novel, told through the eyes of three very different women, with a wonderfully claustrophobic and atmospheric background.”
—Ann Cleeves, New York Times bestselling author of The Long Call and Vera Stanhope novels
Bookfan 