On a Quiet Street

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of domestic abuse.

On a Quiet Street is a novel in the domestic psychological thriller genre. Domestic fiction includes fictional stories that are set in and deal with the concerns of a household or a collection of households. The plot and conflicts largely take place within the home setting between members of a family and others in their circle. Traditionally, works in this genre focus on the female characters and their experiences. This genre is sometimes referred to as “women’s fiction,” both because of its subject matter and its typical readership, although this designation can reductively suggest that a woman’s role is in the home rather than in the outside world. On a Quiet Street conforms to the traditions of domestic fiction in that it focuses on the experiences of the three female protagonists, Paige, Cora, and Nicola, their husbands and children, and the interactions between their households. Typical examples of domestic fiction include Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (2014) and Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (2017).

On a Quiet Street combines domestic fiction with the thriller genre. A thriller is a narrative that uses suspense, tension, and fast-paced action to drive the plot forward. Thrillers share many characteristics with the mystery genre in that they may involve the characters unraveling the details of a crime, plot, or other misdeed. Often, both thriller and mystery writers will include clues so that the reader can act as detective along with the protagonists. Likewise, these kinds of novels both feature plot twists, or revelations of new information that are shocking and change one’s understanding of the characters or events. However, there can be differences between thrillers and mysteries. For instance, survival thrillers like The Martian by Andy Weir (2011) do not include a plot to be unraveled or solved, but instead chronicle humanity’s attempts to live in an inhospitable environment. On a Quiet Street includes elements of both mystery thriller and survival thriller. In a typical example of a mystery thriller plot, the protagonist Paige works to find the culprit or culprits of her son Caleb’s murder. The plotline wherein Nicola attempts to escape her abusive husband who keeps her locked away in her home is more typical of survival thrillers.

On a Quiet Street is a psychological thriller because the narrative focuses on the inner life and emotions of the characters. Additionally, psychological thrillers often include plots that involve “mind games” wherein the characters psychologically manipulate one another, such as how Paige manipulates Cora’s husband, Finn, in order to get what she wants. The subgenre of the psychological thriller is somewhat distinct from other thriller subgenres like the political thriller and the military thriller, which tend to focus on the external actions and activities of the protagonists rather than their emotional states. Other examples of domestic psychological thrillers like On a Quiet Street include The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (2015) and The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena (2016). Like these novels, On a Quiet Street focuses on female protagonists, their domestic lives, and their perspectives to generate suspense and intrigue.