Growing up on the cul de sac will insert you into the stories of people in the suburb as you uncover their lives while they grow, recalling your own existence. Some of the reading will invoke nostalgia, some will evoke laughter as you recall your youth and some will touch you in ways that are heart warming. Essdale takes you onto the path of a boy and girl who must cope with the problems of youth, adjust to a world that no one can describe accurately and struggle to overcome the obstacles that we all meet on the road of life. It is also about parenting, coping with conflict and problem solving.

Told against the backdrop of the American landscape of the late '80s to the mid-'90s, Growing Up Dead is the story of Peter Conners's journey from straight-laced suburban kid to touring Deadhead. Peter discovered the Grateful Dead in 1985, at the age of 15, through friends who exchanged bootleg tapes of live Grateful Dead concerts. A teenager living in the suburbs of Rochester, New York, he became exposed to an entirely new way of life, and friends who were enjoying more freedom and less parental guidance. At the age of 16, he attended his first Grateful Dead concert on June 30, 1987 - he was hooked. Between 1987 and 1995, Conners would attend Dead 'shows' all over the United States. He traveled with a makeshift 'family' of other Deadheads in a Volkswagen camper, selling drugs and whatever else would provide gas money to the next concert. His hair was a wild, unkempt bush and baths were infrequent. In short, he had progressed from suburban kid, to Grateful Dead fan, to full-blown Deadhead. Chronicling this progression, which culminates with the 1995 death of Jerry Garcia, Conners reveals the truth behind Deadhead culture and history. The result is a riveting insight into the obsessive fandom that made The Grateful Dead the most successful touring band of all time, as well as a cultural phenomenon.

A shooting lays bare the secrets harbored by five families in a sleepy suburban cul-de-sac in this riveting psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of All the Wrong Places. “Cul-de-sac proves once again that Joy Fielding is an ingenious master of domestic suspense.”—Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge Someone on this quiet, unassuming cul-de-sac will be shot dead in the middle of a sultry July night. Will it be Maggie, the perfectionist wife, or Craig, the husband who can’t quite live up to her expectations? They’ve packed up their two children and fled their life in California, hoping for a fresh start in Florida, only to find the demons of the past hovering on their doorstep. Maybe it will be Nick, a highly respected oncologist, or his wife, Dani, a successful dentist, both with well-kept secrets of their own. Or perhaps the victim will be Julia, an elderly widow, whose troubled grandson has recently moved in with her, introducing unsavory habits and even more unsavory acquaintances into her formerly quiet existence. Then there’s Olivia and her husband, Sean. Having lost his job at a prestigious advertising agency, Sean is depressed, resentful of his working wife, and drinking heavily. He is also prone to increasingly violent fantasies. And what of the newlyweds, Aiden and Heidi, whose marriage is already on the rocks, due to Aiden’s reluctance to stand up to his intrusive mother? Matters aren’t helped when Heidi befriends Julia’s grandson, setting the stage for a major blowup. A diverse group of neighbors, to be sure. Yet all harbor secrets. All bear scars. And all have access to guns. Not all will survive the night.

A shooting lays bare the secrets harboured by five families in a sleepy suburban cul-de-sac in this riveting psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of All the Wrong Places. Someone in a quiet, unassuming cul-de-sac was shot dead in the middle of the night. Was it Maggie, the perfectionist wife, or Craig, the husband who can't quite live up to her expectations? When Maggie witnessed a shooting and later testified against a killer set free, the couple relocated, putting new pressure on their already strained union. Maggie is constantly looking over her shoulder. She owns a gun, just in case. Was it Nick, a doctor whose family, especially his wife, Dani, must bear the brunt of his ill temper? Nick is an avid hunter, too, and keeps a collection of handguns. Or was it Julia, a recently widowed grandmother? Her grandson is a troublemaker, someone not above stealing from her purse. His friends are equally unsavory. Her son buys her a gun for her protection. And then there's Olivia and her husband, Vic, who has been laid off, forcing Olivia to become the breadwinner. Vic is resentful. And depressed. He's started drinking heavily, and has threatened to shoot himself on several occasions. Or it could be one of the newlyweds, Aiden and Heidi, who are already on the rocks. Aiden refuses to stand up to his intrusive mother. When Heidi befriends Julia's grandson, it sets the stage for a major blow-up. Every house owns a gun. And anyone can be the victim, or the killer.

Homages to Richard Thompson and his newspaper strip Cul de sac.

Growing Up Doughnut is more than a coming of age tale. It is a story of simpler times in a small town that could be anywhere USA. A time when kids played until the street lights came on and parents watched out for everyone's kids. The story is funny, poignant, revealing, thought provoking and, at times, heartbreaking. Although somewhat autobiographical in nature, the story is a work of creative non-fiction with characters and theme that are universal.