Such Sheltered Lives by Alyssa Sheinmel
It’s not true that painkillers eliminate pain. They only make it seem far away, as if it’s happening to someone else and you have no choice but to watch.
Three intricately woven stories of addiction, resentment, and deceit converge at an exclusive rehabilitation facility for the rich and famous. The mysterious death of a patient threatens to expose the troubled history of the treatment center, along with the painful secrets of each guest. Bestselling author Alyssa Sheinmel presents her first novel of adult fiction, Such Sheltered Lives. For fans of Ruth Ware and Freida McFadden, Such Sheltered Lives is a clever mystery told with atmospheric detail and characters of true depth. Sheinmel provides a look behind the glamorous façade to see how the super wealthy face their addictions, disorders, and grief.
A Luxury Rehab with Deadly Secrets
Such Sheltered Lives opens with three broken figures making their way, in disgrace, to a treatment and recovery center that promises clients privacy and the best treatment that money can buy. These characters each have more money than most of us can imagine, along with prestige and privilege. What they need most, and can’t seem to find, is any sense of hope. The only strict rules of Rush’s Recovery center are that they can’t go out at night, and they aren’t allowed to know the identity of the other people staying there. Both rules are broken quickly as their lives converge and intermingle over the course of several frigid, winter nights in New England.
Amelia Blue’s father was a “guitar god” who took his own life when she was young. She watched her mother struggle with drugs and alcohol throughout her own star-studded life before also dying young. Left in the care of her grandmother, Amelia battles an eating disorder, defying previous efforts at intervention.
Lord Edward is the black sheep of a proud British family of royal lineage. Edward has consistently disappointed his father and overachieving sister. Getting kicked out of private schools, and general misconduct pale in comparison to his most recent debacle. He’s been remanded to the treatment center following an automobile accident while his sister tries to avoid further rumors that would damage the family name. Can Edward survive this stint of rehab without the pain medication he depends on to get through each day?
Florence rounds out the trio of high-profile misfits at Rush’s Recovery. A mercurial legend of the 1990’s music scene, Florence has entered the care center after a confrontation with a rival starlet that turned ugly. Her agent urges her to use the time to get clean and wait out the onslaught of bad press before attempting to make her comeback. Florence has a history of alcohol abuse but insists that she’s clean; bitterness and resentment are the only toxic drugs coursing through her veins.
Flawed Characters Beneath the Privilege
Author Alyssa Sheinmel paints each of these embattled characters with remarkable clarity and attention to detail. We initially see each character at a distance, through the barrier of unimaginable wealth. Their problems first appear to be a function of their own ineptitude, carelessness, and privilege. As the novel develops, we discover additional layers that generate a deep connection with these fictional characters. Sheinmel transforms these individuals throughout the book in a way that is truly remarkable.
Such Sheltered Lives is notable for the way in which the setting contributes to the mystery and the overall quality of the book. Initially presented as a luxurious oasis catering to every desire of their clients, the grandeur of Rush’s Recovery is stripped away over the course of the novel. During the day, guests are provided privacy, warmth, and natural light, but the majority of this novel takes place at night, in the freezing temperatures of winter. Upscale furniture, high thread counts, and gourmet meals are intended to make clients feel at home, but the questionable history and menacing nature of this site are gradually revealed when a body is found near the grounds.
A Tightly Woven Mystery with Rising Tension
Immersive setting and well-written characters are featured in this book, but Such Sheltered Lives is driven by an intriguing mystery and tight suspense. The plot is propelled by the knowledge of a body discovered under questionable circumstances within the first few pages. We learn about the main characters and the supporting cast, even as we understand that one of them will meet a tragic end. A number of witnesses and clues are presented in subsequent chapters, but we are left guessing at the identity of the victim until the end of the book, along with a dramatic escalation in the action.
When asked why she wrote this book, the author explains that she’s obsessed with mid-90s music and fashion, she missed her mother, and once she formulated the story, she couldn’t get it out of her head. With compelling characters, brilliant details, and an intense crescendo of action in the final pages, readers will also find Such Sheltered Lives impossible to forget.
About Alyssa Sheinmel:
Alyssa Sheinmel is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels for young adults, including A Danger to Herself and Others, The Castle School for Troubled Girls, and Faceless. Such Sheltered Lives is her adult debut. Alyssa grew up in Northern California and New York and currently lives and writes in New York. Follow her on Instagram @AlyssaSheinmel or visit her online at AlyssaSheinmel.com.
