“The Things We Carry” by Kate Anslinger is the first in her The Town series but stands alone just fine. Chapters are labeled “Before” and ‘“After,” indicating a major event, but we won’t know what it is until the end.
Evie and Matt Sullivan and their boys, Jack and Liam, have just arrived in Flagport when Jack makes a friend. The neighbor’s place is gorgeous, complete with a backyard “kid paradise.” It is home to Lauren and Ryan Rivers and their girls, Lily and Piper. The two women hit it off immediately.