DiscoverContemporary Fiction

Cooperative Lives

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Loved it! 😍

A character-driven novel that will excite and intrigue readers with its gripping storyline

Finegan’s writing is incredibly evocative. He captures Manhattan, and especially Central Park, really well; I felt like I was back there amongst the crowds. He captured the sights and sounds, as well as the overall feel, of the city. However, it is in his characterisations where Finegan really excels. With such a large cast of characters whose lives overlap throughout the novel, it would be easy for Cooperative Lives to become confusing and cluttered. But each person is given a distinct voice and identity, making it not only easy to work out who is speaking, but also makes the reader genuinely care about these characters. The reader is able to see both sides of a situation and can empathise with the people in it, becoming impartial observers in a way.


Cooperative Lives begins quite slowly but gradually builds momentum to a shocking climax. It is hard to talk about this aspect of the novel, mainly because of spoilers but also, I think the reader should know little going into the story. It makes the twists and turns all the more shocking, heart-breaking, and thrilling to read. It starts off at quite a slow pace which might deter some people from continuing but I really enjoyed that, as it meant I got to really know the characters. Maybe not one for those who like their novels fast-paced, but Cooperative Lives is a well-written, character-driven thriller which will keep readers hooked.   

Reviewed by

Lou has been blogging on Random Book Reviews Web for nearly 3 years, reviewing a mixture of books from historical fiction to romance to non-fiction. When not reading she can be found at her local cinema, theatre or in her kitchen attempting to bake.

Chapter One

About the author

Patrick Finegan graduated from Northwestern and the University of Chicago. He worked more than 30 years in law, corporate finance, management consulting and risk management, and has lived in the New York metropolitan area his entire professional life – most of it in the same residential cooperative. view profile

Published on March 21, 2019

Published by Two Skates Publishing

140000 words

Contains mild explicit content ⚠️

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

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