The Doorman by Chris Pavone
5/20/25; 400 pages
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
The Doorman by Chris Pavone is a recommended novel of class, privilege, and murder set in NYC.
Chicky Diaz is a well liked doorman at the Bohemia, an elite apartment house in NYC. He is deeply in debt due to his late wife’s medical bills. Unhappily married Emily Longworth and her billionaire husband Whit live in the penthouse. In apartment 2a, Julian Sonnenberg, whose gallery and marriage are both failing, has just been diagnosed with a potentially fatal heart valve problem. In the streets are demonstrations and the ever present threat of violence breaking out.
While the quality of the writing is as good as I expected and what
kept me reading, the pace felt glacially slow for much of the novel. I
kept reading, anticipating more intrigue, secrets, and action which
didn't pick up until the end.
Additionally, the narrative is enmeshed in class, privilege, prejudice, and other current topics which diminished the novel for me as, generally, I'm reading for relaxation and entertainment. Most
of the characters are well-developed, but unlikable, with the exception
of Chicky, who is at least a sympathetic character. While I wasn't a
fan of this one, I am looking forward to Pavone's next novel.
The Doorman is a good choice for those who like character studies that cover contemporary socioeconomic and sociopolitical themes and are set in NYC. Thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
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