The Coworker by Freida McFadden

 

The best way I can describe Freida McFadden's novels is to say they are like a snack--you start nibbling and the next thing you know you've eaten the whole bag. I started this novel late Saturday night and wrapped it up early Sunday afternoon in between loads of laundry. 

Dawn Schiff works as an accountant at Vixed, a health supplement company. She sits next to Natalie, the top saleswoman in the company. Cubicles for all! Natalie and Dawn are complete opposites: Dawn is definitely on the spectrum--she eats one color food (all white, all yellow), must have everything organized, struggles with social norms and cues, and loves turtles above everything else. Natalie is blonde, gorgeous, and not above using her physical assets to bring in sales. 

The novel starts out with Dawn not showing up to work one morning, and Natalie notices. It's odd, because Dawn is punctual every day. Doesn't deviate from her routine. Yet here it is, over an hour later, and she's not at her desk, and no one has seen her. Natalie begins to worry; where could Dawn be? Add to that a bizarre phone call to Dawn's desk; "help me" are the only words spoken, and it sounds like Dawn. 

Natalie is worried--so worried she remembers where Dawn lives, and decides to check on her. Inside, she finds a pool of blood and what looks like a crime scene with no body.  Police get involved, and it's soon national news: where is Dawn Schiff?

The novel moves back and forth between present day, four months in the past and  two months in the past. It also switches narrators between Dawn and Natalie. What at first seems like simple co-worker concern from Natalie quickly becomes something much darker, and strap in because it's a roller coaster ride from there on out. 

What can I say? A co-worker can be someone you admire or like, but they turn out to be not so nice. We've all been there. But this takes it to eleven. 

You'll gobble this up pretty quickly. I can't say the ending was satisfying, but everything was tied up neatly. It was a heck of a read. 

Rating: 4/6 for a thriller with plenty of ups and downs, a clear message about the damage bullying does for both kids and adults, and being accepted for yourself-quirks and all. Office politics are a hot mess in this one. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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The Coworker by Freida McFadden

July Read: The Senator's Wife by Liv Constantine

 

I picked up this novel at the library to read over the July 4th holiday and had a few good reading days where I got into the story and far enough along that I just had to finish it and miss neighborhood fireworks (which are illegal in my city, but people do them anyway).

Enter the world of wealthy political figures in this novel that is a twisty-turny thriller that isn't difficult to figure out. Sloan Chase is a wealthy philanthropist who, after the tragic death of her senator husband two years before, marries another senator-Whit Montgomery. Whit was married to Peg, who was the cousin of Sloan's husband and was also involved in the tragedy. 

Phew-got it? Sloan and Whit have known each other for years and the tragedy found them comforting each other and then marrying. Now it's two years later, and Sloan is scheduled to have a hip replacement due to her ongoing lupus issues. She's kept her lupus under control for years, but she's afraid the surgery will create a flare up. Whit arranges in home care for Sloan, and Athena arrives. Athena is not only a qualified and capable at-home care giver, she's also experienced in charities and will help Sloan manage some of her correspondence while she's recovering at home. She's also gorgeous--and Whit is one handsome dude who likes beautiful women. 

Sloan returns home from surgery, and pretty quickly her recovery turns south and she's having terrible lupus issues--lethargy, nausea, pain in her joints, and even hallucinations. She's confused, weak, and every week she's worse. She begins to question her own sanity as she doesn't remember things Whit tells her happened. Athena falls under suspicion, too. Is she doing something to Sloan to make her ill? Can Sloan get help before something horrible happens?

Each chapter is told through a different character: Sloan, Whit, and Athena. You know from the beginning Athena has ulterior motives but you're not quite sure what or who is her target--Whit or Sloan--or both. Whit seems like a loving spouse, but he's got Sloan fooled--he's a real asshole. Sloan seems to be a smart woman, but boy it takes her a long time to get smart about her husband. 

As a reader, you know more than Sloan does, because you've got the inside peek at Whit and Athena. But it all comes together quickly at the end. It's not much of a surprise, but there are a few clever points that build up the "Gotcha!" moment at the end. 

If you like domestic thrillers with a little bit of politics thrown in, along with the glam life of the ultra wealthy in DC, you'll enjoy this novel. I'm willing to read more of the backlist of the writing duo Liv Constantine. 

Rating: 3/6 for an entertaining thriller that kept me turning the pages. Lots of brand names for the wealthy thrown around (Hermes, Tiffany, etc) to hammer home the absurd money that folks have and spend. A peek into the politics of a government and the politics of a marriage that is not what it seems. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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July Read: The Senator's Wife by Liv Constantine

January Read: The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

 

First book of the new year, and it was my favorite genre, historical fiction. It was also a fascinating dive into the world of the Mitford Sisters. 

You may, like myself, have heard the Mitford name. Nancy Mitford is most famous for her two novels The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate. She's also famous for being one of six of the Mitford Sisters, who were young, beautiful, and part of the "young bright things" group of the 1930's. So many books have been written about the Mitford Sisters because they were big and bold, and that fascination continues nearly 100 years later. 

The sisters: Nancy, Diana, Jessica, Unity, Deborah, and Pamela, were brought up in English society by parents Muv and Farve. Financial problems plagued the family and they had to keep downsizing, all the while maintaining ties to the movers and shakers of the time--Winston Churchill's wife Clemmie was their cousin. 

What's fascinating about the sisters during the 1930's and into the 1940's are the ardent belief in fascism and friendship with Hitler by Unity and Diana. Unity's obsession with Hitler led her to move to Munich, learn fluent German, and work to become his closest friend. Diana followed suit in her determination to keep her lover Mosley's British branch of fascism the BUF growing and gaining power. It's well documented the two sisters were thick as thieves with Hitler and the Nazi party. 

That relationship is the biggest part of this novel. Nancy is another large part of the plot, as she struggles in her marriage to an alcoholic, writes her novels, and sees her sisters (and eventually her mother and father) fall further into the Nazi fold, and the slow descent into war with England. Should Nancy do something to stop all of this?

This is fiction, but based on a lot of historical fact. What was frustrating for me was Nancy's inability to act on what she saw and heard in her family. Eventually she does put her feelings for her sisters aside when the enormity of what is happening in England makes it clear she must act. But holy heck! One of the quotes in the novel is "How personal is the political in the end". For Nancy and her sisters, they were so intertwined it became impossible to separate the two. 

The novel also focuses on Unity and Diana. Diana is beautiful, cold, brilliant, and obsessed with her lover Mosley. She'll do anything for him. Unity is obsessed with the Nazi ideal and Hitler. So much to that she goes to great lengths to get into the inner circle of Hitler and become his friend. 

Before reading this novel, I knew very little about the Mitford Sisters, and even less about their close connections to Hitler and the Nazi system. Wow. I'll say this novel got a bit heavy at times, especially the scenes where people dismissed the rise of Hitler's power and scoffed at what was being reported in Germany. 

This was a very good novel, and kept me turning the pages. I had to do a quick dive into the internet to look at photos of the Mitford sisters, and there is plenty of material out there if you decide you want to read more about them. One of the more popular books about the Mitford Sisters:

Honestly, the Mitford sisters are endlessly fascinating. You won't be able to resist exploring the wealth of articles, photos, and books written about them. 

Rating: 4/6 for a well researched historical novel about one of the most interesting families in England, at one of the most fascinating times. 

A big thank you to Sourcebooks for an advanced copy. This novel will be out in the U.S. on January 17th in hardcover, audio, and ebook. 

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January Read: The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

The PIlot's Daughter by Meredith Jaeger

 

This book came out of nowhere thanks to an invite to read and review it (thank you Dutton/Penguin/Random House).  I just got back from vacation and found it in a pile of books while I was unpacking and immediately started reading it. I'm not exaggerating when I say I couldn't put it down. I spent quite a bit of Sunday on the couch reading this historical novel that bounced between 1920's New York ad 1945 San Francisco. 

Ellie Morgan is a secretary at the San Francisco Chronicle and has recently become engaged to a handsome officer stationed in San Francisco as World War 2 rages on. She chafes against societal rules that keep her career limited to housewife or secretary--when all she wants to do is write for the newspaper and wear trousers like Katherine Hepburn. 

However this all falls to the wayside with a telegram stating that her father, a pilot, is missing and presumed dead over the Adriatic Sea near Italy in December, 1944. Devastated, she refuses to believe he's dead--after all, her father was a resourceful man, and surely he survived. The arrival of her father's personal effects is a blow, and comes with an unwelcome surprise: a package of letters from a woman named Lillian in New York, which clearly illustrate a decades long love affair. What??!!

This sends Ellie on a trip to New York City with her Aunt Iris, determined to find Lillian and see if she has any information on her father. What Ellie finds out from her Aunt Iris, as well as the discoveries she makes in New York City change her life forever. 

This did remind me of Fiona Davis novels, in that it took place in NYC and set in the early to mid-20th century. The 1920's portion of the novel involves the Zigfeld Follies, rich men, and an unsolved murder. Yes, it ties into Ellie's quest in 1944 very neatly-you'll see as you read. I just found it fascinating. 

Many parts were predictable, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment at all. I blazed through this story and am eager to read more of Meredith Jaeger's novels. 

Definitely fans of World War 2, early-mid 20th century history, Broadway history, San Francisco, journalism-you name it, this has a little bit of everything in it. It's also about societal and familial expectations, and how going against them can ruin a woman, or set her free. 

A big thanks to Dutton (part of Penguin/Random House) for the chance to read and review this novel. I found an author I enjoy, and that's always a gift. 

This novel is available in trade paperback, ebook, and audio.

Rating: 5/6 for a fast paced historical novel that didn't disappoint-it definitely transported me to the glam of 1920's NYC, and the foggy streets of San Francisco. Likeable characters and definitely a few bad apples, too. 

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The PIlot's Daughter by Meredith Jaeger

Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything by Kristin Bair

 

I picked this up at Barnes & Noble last month based on the cover and title. Then I read the blurb on the back and decided it sounded like a fun book. It was entertaining, but also did have some touching moments that I didn't expect from Agatha.

Agatha lives in New England in a lovely home with her husband and two boys. She's an author and oh, she is one sassy Facebook Mom Page commenter. She's not short on snark!

Agatha's happy life comes to an abrupt end when she finds her husband and the local dog walker going at it in their garden shed. She takes a hatchet and proceeds to destroy the shed, leaving the mess in her yard, which quickly makes the rounds of the Facebook Mom page. Before the hour is out, streams of cars are driving past her house to check out the carnage. Agatha, meanwhile, is lying on her front porch, devastated and the victim of a skunk spray. 

Agatha's husband moves in with the dog walker, and her boys spend half their time at her house. Agatha's promised thriller manuscript is not even started, as she can't bring herself to climb the stairs to her office. Bear Gyrlls is her hero, and she carries a bobblehead of him around to give her courage. She decides the best thing to do is to spy on her husband and his girlfriend, so she outfits herself with spy pants, spy gear, and a plan. 

Agatha is a mess. 

Agatha is also endearing, funny, and hurting pretty badly. As she battles with her neighbor over the increasingly overgrown and messy pile of shed garbage in her yard (it's ruining the neighborhood!), battles with other moms on Facebook, and visits her shrink, she is trying really hard to cope with her sudden life change. 

I liked Agatha and the cast of characters. Agatha was funny, annoying, and at times did things I probably would do, too. You'll find yourself hoping Agatha will be able to move forward with her life and find joy again--and be brave. 

This reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (which I loved!). Contemporary fiction fans will enjoy this novel. 

Rating: 4/6 for an endearing main character going through some pretty big life changes. Join Agatha on her journey to peace and finding joy again. A cast of characters that flesh out the community Agatha lives in, along with her loving relationship with her two sons all add up to a satisfying read. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio.

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Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything by Kristin Bair

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones

 

This book wasn't on my TBR list at all, but as I was cataloging at my library it came across my desk and I thought it looked like a good domestic thriller and a quick read. Boom! Perfect summer read.

This novel takes place in Portugal and involves five friends: Jack and Rachel, Noah and Paige, and Will. Jack and Will are brothers, and they are all gathered to celebrate the wedding of Will and Ali--who really irritates the hell out of everyone but Will. She's bubbly, wears clothing that really accentuates her curves, and is an attention seeker. Will's gaga over her, but no one else really cares for her. Especially Jack. He appears to loathe her--but you're just not sure why. 

The story is told from Rachel's point of view. She's happily married to Jack, and they have a 19 year old son. Rachel and Noah were college friends--and secretly slept together just once, confessing their love for each other. It ended with Noah begging Rachel to leave her then new relationship with Jack and come away with him. She refused. Now, twenty years later, they are both married to different people, but that love is still there. That's just one of the things that will bubble over in Portugal. 

As the wedding day draws near, Rachel becomes convinced Ali and Jack are having an affair. What should she do? Confront both of them? How can she let Ali marry Will? Then Ali overhears some pretty explosive stuff between Noah and Rachel, and oh crap what if she tells Jack and Paige? Paige, Rachel's best friend. 

Rachel's thoughts are swirling around and around, and oh boy there is a lot at stake. Wedding day dawns and it will all come crashing down--and not in the way you expect. Not at all. 

This was a quick read, but it wasn't an edge of your seat kind of read. A lot of the novel is spent in Rachel's thoughts and guesses about what is going on. The end kind of fell flat for me. 

Rating: 3/6 for a novel that had some great potential, but just didn't quite make it. Fans of domestic thrillers will want to read this--it's an interesting read about friendship, marriage, past secrets, and making assumptions that prove to be deadly and just plain wrong. 

Available in hardcover ebook, and audio.

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The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray

 

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I picked this book up not knowing a whole lot about the subject matter and under a deadline to read it in ten days before returning it to the library. Add in a very busy  July 4th weekend and I only had a few days to read it.  I wasn't sure I'd make it, but happily the story grabbed my attention and I've spent the last few nights reading about an amazing librarian: Belle da Costa Greene.  

Belle became the personal librarian of JP Morgan in 1906. JP Morgan had built an impressive private library to house his already impressive collection of manuscripts and rare books. Belle was hired to organize and develop his collection. What JP and everyone around Belle didn't know was that Belle was an African American woman who passed as white. Her secret would drive her career and personal choices for the rest of her life. 

Belle's family history was definitely one that kept her conflicted about her choice to follow her mother's wish to pass as white in a city and country where African Americans were being lynched, denied rights, and only hired for menial, low paying jobs. Belle's job had her dining with the Vanderbilts, attending the opera with well known New York socialites, and most importantly, garnering JP Morgan's admiration and trust. Belle traveled to Europe to spend millions of JP's money at auctions, all the while building his private collection into one that rivaled most museums. 

Belle was an amazing woman--brilliant, hard working, and self-taught. She gave up a lot to keep her secret, and her place as librarian. I was curious enough to google her, and there's a lot out there about her. The Morgan Library and Museum will have a exhibition on Belle in 2024.  

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about a woman who blazed a trail during a time when women were struggling to be heard and respected. She was the ultimate career woman and remarkable for her time. 

Both authors have notes in the back of the book detailing their experience writing this novel during the 2020 Pandemic. This would make an interesting discussion for a book club. I'd like to read more about Belle. 

Rating: 4/6 for a fascinating novel about JP Morgan's personal librarian. She was an incredibly smart, talented woman who defied societal norms while creating one of the most important collections of manuscripts, art, and books in the United States. Anyone with a love of libraries, art, or books will find this novel hard to put down. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

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The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray

Blush by Jamie Brenner

 

Click here to purchase from Amazon

I spotted this novel a few months ago as I was ordering books for my library and thought "Hmmm" this may be an interesting read. 

I was correct.

 I will confess to drinking a glass of wine Friday night as I was reading the last 50 pages, but it wasn't a rose. I kid you not, if you're not a wine drinker, this novel will certainly tempt you to try a few. If you are a wine drinker, just settle back, pop the cork, and pour yourself a glass while you enjoy this novel about a family winery, 80's glam novels, and cheese. Yes, cheese. You'll want some cheese and crackers, too. 

The Hollander Estates Winery has been a hot spot for parties, day trips, and a big tourist attraction on the North Fork of Long Island for decades. What were once potato fields is now a gorgeous winery, complete with an equally gorgeous home to the Hollander duo of Leonard and Vivian. Newly married, the couple created the winery through years of hard work and effort. Their son Asher--who does not want to work at the winery, helps runs it. Their daughter Leah Hollander Bailey runs a successful cheese shop in New York City. Leah was, sadly, not given the chance to help run the winery with her father. He is not about to have a woman make the big decisions. Leah's cheese shop is not her passion and now her lease is up and she's got to make a decision to find another location or close shop. 

Leah, Steve (her husband), and Sadie her college age daughter arrive at the winery for a week of rest and relaxation. Instead, they hear the news that Leonard must sell the winery--the whole kit and caboodle, due to big losses. Vivian is beyond bereft--she had no idea. Again, Leonard not sharing. Leah wants to do whatever she can to save the winery, even if it means angering her father by pushing the idea of creating a Hollander Rose--the one thing Leonard refuses to do. 

Oh, there's a whole lot going on here! Sadie is in a college thesis crisis; Steve wants to move the cheese shop and is not happy Leah keeps putting off returning to NYC; Vivian is crushed she will lose her home. Asher just doesn't seem to care, and his much younger girlfriend rubs Vivian the wrong way. 

Enter Jackie Collins, Judith Krantz, and a few other big authors from the 1980's when glamorous women's fiction was all the rage. Sadie begins reading it, Leah follows (remembering how she would sneak the books as a kid), and some of that magic 80's tough heroine fiction rubs off. The show isn't over, not by a long shot. 

I so enjoyed this novel that I'm probably going to read Jamie Brenner's other novels, too. I didn't read Jackie Collins or Judith Krantz back in my teen years, but I was certainly aware of them--and can't forget those glam covers, either. It's pretty interesting how the characters they wrote about influence these women of 2021. Some call it trash fiction, but really, if it speaks to you, entertains, and years later still makes an impact, why would you call it trash? Sounds like darn good storytelling to me. 

This would make a great book club choice--head out to a winery with your friends to sip, nibble, and discuss. There is a lot to talk about! Probably enough for at least one bottle of wine...

Rating: 4/6 for a swiftly moving family novel with plenty of strong women who are just not going to take being in the back seat anymore. Plenty of information about how a winery operates, the magic of growing grapes, and oh, plenty of drama, too. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Blush by Jamie Brenner

The Portrait by Ilaria Bernardini

 

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It's taken me a bit to finish this novel, but that's okay because it's not a novel to rush through. The Portrait a character driven story about two women, one man, and a lifetime of love. 

Valeria Costa is a famous writer who has had a decades-long affair with Martin Acla. Now Martin has had a stroke and is in a coma in his London home. His wife, Isla, is a famous portrait artist, and she, along with their three children, are at their home in London with Martin as his days wind down. 

Valeria is bereft and is desperate to see Martin again. She writes Isla, asking to have her portrait painted. This way, she can get into the house, and hopefully see Martin. Isla agrees, and Valeria temporarily moves to London to have her portrait painted. 

Valeria goes to a lot of trouble to see Martin! But he is her love, and their relationship goes back decades; they've been secret lovers almost as long as Martin and Isla have been married. Flying around the world, meeting each other for nights and weekends, Valeria and Martin had a deep connection and love for each other. Valeria knows everything about Isla's life with Martin. 

As Valeria visits the home, and sits for her portrait, she's drawn deeper into the lives of Isla and her children. Martin is only a few floors up, on a ventilator, being monitored by nurses; completely unaware his two lives have now come together. 

I kept looking at the cover; intrigued by the portrait. It's haunting, to be sure. Valeria is one complex character, as is Isla. The novel moves back and forth between the portrait sitting, Valeria's youth and her troubled relationship with her mother, to her times with Martin. She is constantly framing her life and observations into short stories (which she is famous for)-which, if you look closely, tell the tale of her love affair with Martin. 

Throughout the novel, I kept asking myself if Isla knew who Valeria was-did she know about the affair? You don't know for sure until the end, and oh my, that's a pretty good ending. It takes a bit to digest and understand how the story all comes together. You will spend time thinking about these two complex women.

A big thank you to Pegasus Books for a review copy. This is not my typical novel, but I'm so glad I had the chance to read something so character driven and complex. Author Ilaria Bernardini is a well-known Italian author, this is her first American debut. 

Rating: 4/6 for a character driven novel about grief, love, death, art, aging, life, and forgiveness. A slow build that grips you and doesn't let go. An ending that takes your breath away. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

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The Portrait by Ilaria Bernardini

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

 

I first read about the real-life mystery of Agatha Christie's disappearance in 1926 a few years ago and was fascinated by it. What intrigued me the most is that no one, to this day, knows what exactly happened, and why she disappeared for eleven days in December, 1926. This lead to a wave of news media and police searching for her, fearing the worst. And yet after eleven days, she's found staying at a hotel near London, under an assumed name. 

Agatha Christie never explained her disappearance--never talked about it for the rest of her life. Instead, she went on to become the most popular author of all time, writing mysteries that defined the genre and made her so famous she still steadily sells books and has movies based on her works produced 100 years later. Amazing. 

Marie Benedict was also intrigued by this real-life mystery and decided to craft a novel around it, with a possible explanation as to the "why" of it. It's an interesting take on a mystery that will never be solved. 

This novel moves back and forth between the eleven days of Agatha's disappearance, and the years leading up to that December of 1926. The novel starts off in 1912, as Agatha meets Archie Christie at a dance. She's already engaged to another man, but Archie is boldly attracted to Agatha and pursues her. She, in turn, it captivated by this handsome man who clearly wants Agatha. He courts her, and she falls in love. They are married when Archie is fighting in World War I. Agatha helps out taking care of wounded soldiers, and this is where her knowledge of medicine and poisons comes from; her talent at writing is natural and something she has always done but never seriously. Archie starts to show his true colors-he's self-centered, demanding, and falls into depression pretty regularly. Taking her mother's terrible advice, Agatha does everything she can to be the perfect wife to Archie. 

As the years go by, Agatha loses more of herself in the process. She does all she can to keep Archie happy, and gets little in return. Even the birth of her daughter Rosalind is tempered by the knowledge that Archie must always come first. It causes permanent damage in her relationship with her daughter, who doesn't understand why her mother doesn't spend more time with her. Archie is one annoying man! 

Meanwhile, Agatha's stories are gaining in popularity. At first supportive of her writing, it's now just another thing that Agatha does that irritates Archie. She just can't win with her husband. 

And then Archie does the unforgivable, and it sets off a chain of events concluding with Agatha's reappearance, claiming amnesia. This story is just one author's imagining; it seems that Agatha left us with one mystery that we can't ever absolutely solve. 

It took me a bit to read this novel, mostly because i was a bit unsure where it was headed. I'll admit to being a touch disappointed at the final reveal as I read it. However, spending some time thinking about the ending afterwards, I will admit it is pretty clever. 

You may want to do some sleuthing of your own after reading this, and delve into the internet to read up on the real-life disappearance and reappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926. It's pretty interesting; you'll find yourself crafting your own explanation to a mystery that went to the grave with the Queen of Suspense.

Rating: 4/6 for a dive into the marriage and mystery of Agatha Christie. It's also a novel about a women finding her talent and her power to live life her way. Anyone who has read an Agatha Christie mystery or watched a movie based on her books will want to read this. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

The End of Her by Shari Lapena

This is the second Shari Lapena novel I've read, and wow! she can really spin a heck of a domestic thriller. 

The End of Her is about Patrick and Stephanie, a happily married couple and new parents to twin girls. Patrick is a partner in an architectural company, and Stephanie has left her job to stay home with the girls. Both are struggling with having two colicky babies that don't sleep and cry all the time. Stephanie is so sleep deprived she forgets to shut off the stove, and sometimes leaves the front door wide open. She just can't remember doing those things. There's not enough coffee in the world for her to stay functioning normally. Visits to a pediatrician for help don't really go as planned; the girls' doctor simply says they will stop being colicky sometime, and it will end abruptly. Meanwhile, Stephanie, and Patrick, too, are having major sleep deprivation. 

One day, a woman from Patrick's past appears, and threatens to blackmail Patrick if he doesn't pay her off. Erica knows Stephanie has inherited a few million dollars, and she wants money. Who is Erica? She's a woman who had an affair with Patrick years before, in Colorado. She was Patrick's first wife's best friend. And that first wife? Lindsey? She died, along with their unborn child, in a freakish accident. But Erica says she knows Patrick deliberately killed her. WHAT?!

Patrick tells Stephanie about Erica, and Stephanie refuses to give her money. Things are going to get sticky for everyone...and Erica is determined to get her way. She's not afraid to make some noise, and make a whole lot of trouble for Patrick. Erica makes enemies wherever she goes. 

This was such a good thriller! I raced through it. So many twists and turns. Shari writes about seemingly average couples; however they're really hiding a lot of secrets, and capable of doing terrible things. Things they may never have imagined doing just a few short weeks before--it's amazing what people will do to protect themselves. Look a little closer at domestic bliss and you'll find it's usually pretty dark, and not so blissful. 

It's only taken me two novels to become a firm fan of Shari Lapena. Thanks to NetGalley and Viking/Penguin for the advanced ebook. This novel is out in hardcover on Tuesday, July 28th in the U.S. Shari has plenty of novels, and they are all stand alones, so you don't have to read them in order. You'll be hooked in no time!

Rating: 4/6 for a twisty-turny domestic thriller that will keep you guessing who to believe--and an ending that will leave you with just one more surprise!

Available Tuesday, July 28th in the U.S. in hardcover audio, and ebook. 

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The End of Her by Shari Lapena

The Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes

I've read quite a few of Jojo Moyes' novels and haven't been disappointed in any of them. I have to say, however, The Peacock Emporium fell a bit flat for me. It was a novel I've had on my shelf for about a year, and after clearing off my bookcases, I found it again and added it to my summer reading list. But darn it all, it was a struggle to read and I'm still scratching my head over it after finishing it late tonight. 

Reading the back cover, I thought this would be about a delightful young woman running a shop and dealing with a mother who is a bit overbearing. The delightful young woman would find her way by being a successful shop owner, and eventually connect with her mother. That's what I got out of reading the back cover. 

Oh heck no, I was waaaay off. Honestly, I spent a lot of my time a bit confused as to where this plot was going. It seemed to be a jumble, as if the author couldn't decide which set of characters to concentrate on, so she tried to fit them all in. It didn't work for me. 

The novel starts with with Vivi and Douglas in 1963 going to a big fancy party in the English countryside. Vivi is in love with Douglas, who remains oblivious. At the party, Douglas falls for Athene Forster, who is wildly beautiful, troubled, and a bit out of control. Vivi is devastated, of course. Then the story swings to 35 years later--and Suzanne Peacock. Suzanne and her husband Neil have left London and moved back to Suzanne's hometown due to some bad financial mistakes Neil made--they are getting back on their feet very slowly. Suzanne is gorgeous and a bit spoiled. She's not interested in visiting her parents, who own a family estate outside of town. And guess who her parents are? Yep--Vivi and Douglas. 

Suzanne is the kind of character who doesn't make you feel warm fuzzies at all. She's completely lost, resentful of everything, and decides to open a small shop in town to help her pass the time. The Peacock Emporium is a bit of a mishmash of a coffee shop and a store that sells higher end bits and bobs. Suzanne just hangs out there, and meets Jessie, a young mother who boldly decides to work part-time at the shop and show Suzanne how to engage with the public. Jessie and Suzanne become friends, and all seems to be going well. 

However, there's a bit of a mystery involving Suzanne and her family. Suzanne is unhappy in her marriage, and not sure how to get out of it. And there's a new man in town from Argentina who is growing on Suzanne's heart and mind. 

Tragedy happens and that was the one thing I didn't see coming. Not at all. Not sure why; maybe to move the plot forward? I'm not sure. It definitely took the wind out of my reading. I had to put the book down for a week before I could return to it. I finally finished it today. 

I don't know what to tell you about this novel. It seems like it was all over the place, and I wasn't sure what the heck I was reading-was it Suzanne's story, was it Jessies? Was it Vivi and Douglas' story, or was it Athene's? I spent a lot of time trying to understand what exactly was going on, and not enough was going on to keep me glued to the pages. This novel was written in 2004, and released in the U.S. in 2019. So I think it is one of Jojo Moyes' earlier novels. Darn it all, I was all set for a great story, but this one just wasn't it. 

Rating: 2/6 for a disjointed tale of one woman's journey to understanding her place in her family, and finding happiness for herself. I usually don't have any trouble following dual storylines involving different decades, but this one jumped all over and I couldn't piece it all together very easily. I'll still read Jojo Moyes because she is quite good, but this one, an earlier novel, definitely wasn't a favorite of mine. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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The Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes

Eliza Starts a Rumor by Jane L. Rosen

I've had this novel on my radar for quite some time, and I had a chance to read an advanced digital copy (but for a limited time). I noticed I had just a few days left before my time was up, so I sped through it this weekend. To be honest, it wasn't hard to do--I got hooked and couldn't put it down. 

Eliza has been the moderator of the Hudson Valley Ladies' Bulletin Board for over fifteen years. It's basically an online digital discussion group where women can post questions and others chime in with answers or suggestions. It's Eliza's one lifeline, since she's home alone after her twins have gone to college. Eliza also suffers from agoraphobia, and hasn't left the house in months. She had one bout in high school that lasted a few months, then one day it disappeared and she returned to her normal routine. Now, years later, she's suffering from it again, and can't tell her loving husband Luke. Instead, she has an elaborate system set up so he never suspects she doesn't leave the house. 

One day, Eliza manages to get to the grocery store. Sweating, shaking, and close to being physically ill, she's in the donut aisle when she overhears two younger women talking about an online discussion group--a newer one that is more titillating than The Hudson Valley Ladies' Bulletin Board. In fact, the ladies scoff at Eliza's board. She gets home and checks out the other board, and sees it's more popular and current than her board. 

Eliza decides the only way to bring people back to her bulletin board is by starting a rumor. A rumor that has lasting effects on the community she lives in, and the women who follow her board. 

Along the way, Eliza meets Olivia and Allison, two new moms who are new to the area and trying to make connections. There's also Amanda, Eliza's childhood friend, who has returned from Los Angeles with her two girls after her husband has been accused of sexual misdeeds as a famous producer in Hollywood. Oh, so many issues! And yet you never get confused about what's going on, and each woman's story is equally readable. I couldn't even begin to pick which one I enjoyed the most. The plot is at times funny, charming, sad, hopeful, and troubling. It's a quick read, and the last 50 pages just flew by. 

I did begin Jane Rosen's previous novel: Nine Women, One Dress a few months ago, but I lost focus and returned it to the library. I think it was at the beginning of the Covid-19 mess, when I stared at the TV for hours and couldn't read anything. So I am probably going to return to that novel and gulp it down. Maybe now is the right time!

This is a great read if you're going on a short trip and need something engaging but not 500 pages. Something you can finish in a weekend. There's lots of wine drinking, so you may want to have a bottle on standby. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel that brings together women over a rumor that blows up a community, and leads to a lot of life-changing decisions. A cast of characters you'll enjoy, plenty of drama, but a lot of lighter moments, too. 

Available in hardcover, audio, and ebook on June 23, 2020 in the United States. Thanks to Edelweiss for an advanced e-copy. 

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Eliza Starts a Rumor by Jane L. Rosen

Someone We Know by Shari Lapena

A very cool, windy, and gloomy Sunday gave me the chance to read the e-book of Someone We Know, and I discovered Shari Lapena. 

This was a quick read, and that's a good thing, because I couldn't put it down. I've read quite a few domestic thrillers, and I'll admit, I was a bit burnt out. However, I had never read Shari Lapena's novels, and once I started reading, I quickly got over my blahs about domestic thrillers. I've even made plans to read the rest of her books over the summer. And I've already told my sister she needs to read them. It's been a busy Sunday. 😀😀

Anyway-back to the story. Raleigh is a sixteen year old boy who gets a thrill out of breaking into neighboring homes and hacking into people's computers. He doesn't do it to find information, but to hone his skills as a hacker. Unfortunately, a friend leaves a text that his mom finds, and all hell breaks loose. And this is the tip of the iceberg in a neighborhood where a missing wife is found dead in the trunk of her car; affairs are rampant, and there's a cold blooded killer lurking somewhere in the midst of it all. 

Raleigh's parents Olivia and Paul Sharpe are horrified their son has been breaking and entering. He's promised not to do it again. That's the least of their worries, of course. 
Amanda Pierce-a beautiful, flirty, neighbor has been reported missing by her husband Robert Pierce. She said she was meeting a friend for a weekend shopping trip but never came home. The friend said they never had a trip planned. Suspicion quickly falls on Robert, and he definitely is a utter jerk and a total creep. But does that make him a killer? Other neighbors are quickly pulled into the mystery; Becky and Larry live next door to Robert and Amanda, and hoo boy Becky is tangled up in Robert's web.  What does she see out her windows?

Then there's Glenda, her husband Keith and her teen son Adam. She's so worried about Adam! He's been binge drinking, and she doesn't know what to do about him. Oh, the neighborhood seems to be falling apart. 

This thriller ping pongs around from couple to couple, each one falling under suspicion in the investigation. Truth and lies swirl around, and you just can't tell who may be guilty, until the end. There isn't any one person who is very likable, and certainly all are guilty of keeping secrets--some pretty darn big, too. 

I throughly enjoyed this novel. It's been a long time since I've read so quickly and in a few hours. A big thank you to Penguin for offering me the chance to discover a new author--and NetGalley for providing an ebook copy for me to read. 

4/6 for a domestic thriller full of twists and turns, revelations, and a whole lot of suspicious people. Add Shari Lapena to your summer reading list! 

Available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook. 

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Someone We Know by Shari Lapena

Beach Read by Emily Henry

I finished a book! I'm still trying to find my pandemic comfort reading. I think it's trending towards lighter reads. If I can't focus on a book right away, I put it aside. Sunnier days ahead will send those books back to me and I'll happily read them then. 

So, Beach Read. Emily Henry is an author I haven't read before. She writes YA novels and I think this is her first adult novel. I was excited to read it because it looked like a rom-com and I was all in! This is, however, one of those novels where the cover does not match what's inside. For one thing, the two main characters (Gus and January) only actually sit on the beach near the very end of the novel. They aren't beach people, especially when the beach in on Lake Michigan and the water is cold. 

For another, I found this novel to be less rom-com and more a tale of two damaged people who are really struggling to come to terms with their pasts in order to move on. January is 29 and it's been a year since her father suddenly passed away. She's published three romances, and is on a deadline for her fourth. She's broke, and suffering from writer's block. She's traveled to North Bear Shores in Michigan to get her father's second home ready to sell (she needs the money!). She's also come to face the second home her father secretly had with another woman. January's unable to face the fact that her father was unfaithful to her mother for most of her life, and her happy childhood memories are crushed under her father's secret life. Happily ever after doesn't exist. 

Gus lives in the house next door to January. He's also a published author, and oh boy, January and Gus went to college together. January and Gus didn't get along at all. So of course sparks will fly, but the path to happiness is very rocky. They make a pact that January will write her idea of the great American novel, and Gus will write a novel that has a happy ending. Whomever gets published first wins. 

As their friendship grows, January's writing fire is lit! She's finally writing again. And she finds herself falling for Gus and preparing herself for heartbreak. For most of the novel you never quite know what Gus is thinking; he's pretty hard to read. But finally, you get a peek inside Gus and he's quite charming. But you're still not sure if happily ever after is in the cards for these two. You have to read to the end to find that out. 

This story wasn't what I expected when I picked this book up and began to read. I'm still trying to decide if I am disappointed or not. There was a lot of emotional baggage between Gus and January, and I felt it weighed the book down a bit. What I did take away was that we should be happy with now, and be satisfied with that--we aren't guaranteed happy all the time, and that's okay. Happy is also in the small moments that we think are just everyday, and that I can agree with and recognize. Those small, quiet moments are what we string together to make one big happy life. 

Rating: 3/6 for a novel that has me on the fence. There were parts of it I enjoyed very much, and other parts that felt really heavy. Gus will steal your heart and you'll find yourself cheering for him and January in their complicated path towards love. 

Available in the United States on May 19, 2020 in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Beach Read by Emily Henry

The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet

The House Swap is another entry into the psychological relationship thriller. It does, however, have quite a different twist on it; one where you just don't see it coming for quite some time. 

Told in two storylines: 2013 and 2015, you would think not much could happen in a few years. You'd be wrong, especially when it comes to the relationship between Caroline and Francis, a couple who's marriage has been slowly disintegrating due to Francis' addiction to pills, and the resulting affair Caroline has with a coworker. A mess, right? It's a bit sad to see what was once a solid relationship erode over time, and neither participant seems to know how to fix it. 

Move to 2015, and Caroline and Francis are house swapping for a week to get away and continue to repair their relationship. The house is oddly bare of any personal touches; it's neat as a pin and pretty much empty of anything-more like a hotel. Making arrangements only through email, the owner of this home is staying at Caroline and Francis' home for a week. Heck, people do this all the time!

Except this one is weird. Caroline's affair may be long over, but she's still haunted by it, and odd little things around the house jolt her into remembering key scenes from two years before. Of course she can't tell Francis, since their relationship is still fragile and this whole getaway was meant for them to spend time together. Is she just projecting, or are these little things: certain flowers in the bathroom; a photo of a park that Caroline visited during her affair--are these things a deliberate poke at Caroline? Amber, a woman across the street--seems oddly determined to get to know Caroline. Is her ex-lover the one she's swapped houses with?! Is he trying to drive her mad?

There's not a huge amount of action here; it's definitely one where a lot is spent on feeling, reflecting, and remembering. Caroline is a bit of a tortured soul, and you have no idea the depths until much farther along in the plot. The big reveal is something you won't see coming at all, because there's just not any way you could--a deliberate twist out of nowhere. Let's just say Caroline's instincts that something's not right, and someone is deliberately tormenting her, are spot on. But who you think it might be--well, that's the big surprise. Francis' thoughts are also a big part of the novel, as we see addiction from his point of view; the hopelessness, the aching, the need to just take the pill and make everything okay. We see how easy it is to slip down that slide, and how it can wreck a family. 

The cover of this novel has a quote from Lee Child, saying this is a "domestic noir".  Yes it is. It's a bit dark, and all you can do is hang on and hope Caroline and Francis come out the other side still together and with a better understanding of their relationship. It's a pretty good thriller! Wow, the depth and work the person bent on revenge goes to is pretty thorough.  

Rating:  4/6 for a very different thriller that slowly unravels and gives you tidbits along the way, keeping you guessing and biting your nails. 

Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books/Viking for an advanced copy of this novel!

Available in hardcover and ebook. 

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The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet

The Color of Bee Larkham's Murder by Sarah J. Harris

This was one of the most unusual mysteries I've read, and a definite stand out in my reading list this year. 

The Color of Bee Larkham's Murder is centered around Jasper Wishart, a thirteen year old  autistic boy who also has synesthesia: he sees sounds--voices, birds chirping, cars, you name it--as colors. Each sound and person has their own particular color. Jasper's world is an amazing rainbow of never ending colors, and the only way he can cope is by painting what he sees. His big issue is his inability to recognize and remember faces-this is where remembering the color of a voice helps him recognize people. His mother is dead, and he lives with his father, who struggles to understand his complex child, and navigate raising a special needs son on his own. 

Jasper believe's he's murdered the next door neighbor, Bee Larkham, and that his Dad is involved. The police have been looking for Bee, and she never answers her door. Jasper's beloved parakeets, who like to stop at the feeders in Bee's yard, are not coming around much since Jasper has run out of bird seed to feed them. He spends hours with his binoculars watching the birds, making notes. He also has watched Bee and the people coming to her house when she plays very loud music late into the night. Their friendship evolves into something dangerous for Jasper, until the night he believes he stabs her in her kitchen. His father has cautioned Jasper not to say anything--to stick to the story they've rehearsed, but Jasper is ready to burst and wants to confess.

This was really a great thriller, as you slowly unravel Jasper's tangled thoughts and colorful memories of the days leading up to Bee's death. Everything--and I mean everything--is awash in so many vivid colors it is hard to imagine living everyday with this gift. Author Sarah Harris does an amazing job describing just what difficulties Jasper encounters trying to live his life in a world where no one seems to understand what he sees or feels. Jasper copes by routines, counting, painting, and sometimes, screaming and vomiting out his feelings. He's so darn smart, but no one sees that; they just see he's different. His grief over losing his mother, and his feeling that his father doesn't love him both play a part in his guilt over Bee's death. Can you imagine only being able to remember people by the color of their voice? What if the color changed?

So the questions are: did Jasper kill Bee? Is she really dead? Will we ever know what happened? Yes. Yes you will. And it's pretty darn good, too. Twists galore!

Rating: 5/6 for a thriller told through the eyes of a young boy gifted with synesthesia. His world makes the mystery that much more interesting, and difficult to tell who did what and when. Do you trust what Jasper sees, or is there more? A pretty good plot, and just when you think you've got all the answers, more comes out of left field. You will need to slow your pace on this one, as reading what happens from Jasper's point of view requires patience and attention. 

Available in hardcover, audio, and ebook. 

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The Color of Bee Larkham's Murder by Sarah J. Harris

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Well.  I told myself I wouldn't read anymore of the husband/wife/marriage/insanity/thriller genre that has become so dominant since Gone, Girl (which I haven't read, but I know the story).  I read a few last year that were pretty good, but I was satisfied with those few and decided that there wasn't much more that could be done that would surprise or even interest me.

Enter The Wife Between Us.  I seriously underestimated this novel.  While I did figure out one of the big twists early on, there were a few other twists that I didn't figure out, and when they were revealed, I looked like this: 

via GIPHY


The story is told through alternating voices:  Vanessa and Nellie.  Vanessa is a mess.  She's divorced from Richard, living with her Aunt Charlotte in New York City, and is an alcoholic.  She works as a personal shopper at Saks and struggles to get to work on time and actually be present while she's there.  Her life is an unending routine of depression, sneaky drinking, and popping sleeping pills to conquer her insomnia.  She's not very likable.  She also seems obsessed with the woman who is newly engaged to Richard, and will be marrying him soon.

Nellie is a young, newly engaged woman who works as a preschool teacher in New York City.  She's excited and a bit nervous about leaving her job and her apartment to begin a new married life with...Richard.  He's nine years older, suave, handsome, and a big muckity muck who makes some serious cash in the New York financial world.  He is kind but controlling.

Vanessa, I wasn't a big fan for a big chunk of the book. I always have anger issues with female characters who let life rattle their cages so much that they become incapable of getting out of bed. I just wanted to shout at her.  Until I figured things out. Nellie certainly seemed very likable, but I felt sorry for her struggle to be herself while learning how to operate in Richard's much more sophisticated world. The issues she'd had in college that made her afraid to be alone and pretty much uneasy at every little noise made me think she just needed a good "put your big girl panties on and deal with it" kick in the pants.  I was wrong. I'd like to insert a swear word here: _______ you, Richard. You'll see. Just read the book. 

There are some pretty good twists in this story.  I can't possibly even begin to reveal anything at all, because I want you to enjoy the moments of discovery.  There's so much going on; I was constantly mentally apologizing to Vanessa and Nellie for thinking badly about them.  Yes, I was apologizing to fictitious women.  I will say, the ending is satisfactory, sad, and creepy.  The epilogue is a cherry on top of the sundae.  There are a whole lot of power struggles, mental manipulations, and just plain scare tactics happening throughout the story.  I know I'm being vague, but just trust me.  Read the book.  You'll enjoy it.  You'll especially enjoy the changes in Vanessa.  She finally walked past her fear and took control.  Bravo.

This novel will be for sale in the United States on Tuesday, January 9th.  Available in hardcover and ebook.  

Rating:  5/6 for a very clever novel about marriage, relationships, and the damage we do to each other. Fantastic--read it!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy.

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The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Lies She Told by Cate Holahan

Lies She Told is a novel that blurs reality and fiction and adds in two unreliable narrators.  What you get is a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, waiting for the curtain to whoosh open, revealing the truth.  

Liza Cole is an author who's had a respectable run publishing novels, but now she's stuck, and under a deadline to produce another novel in quick time, or she will probably lose her contract.  She's struggling with infertility; taking hormones and trying desperately to engage her husband in this latest round of treatments.  He's grown distant, and it's no wonder:  his best friend and law partner Nick is missing, and no one has a clue what's happened to him.  

Liza's novel begins to take shape in the form of Beth, a new mother who is also riding the hormone train, and feeling a bit insecure regarding her husband's affections.  As a reader, it took me awhile to get it in my head that Beth was the creation of Liza, and not another character living in Liza's New York reality.  I guess that means Liza has a possible hit novel on her hands, if only she can stick with it! 

 Blurred lines play a big part in the storyline:  headaches, hormones, shady memories--or no memories at all.  Liza's experimental hormone therapy has some seriously bad side effects but she's unwilling to give up what may be her last chance to conceive. She also likes to drink, and that just adds to the uncertainty of Liza's view of the world.  

Beth and Liza's worlds are similar, and as you read you realize they're not only similar, but may be more horribly connected than you thought.  You get bits and pieces of Liza's past colliding with the present, and you can feel her desperation to gain her husband's attention not only through her thoughts, but as reflected in Beth's story.  It's the best writing Liza's done in years, but how far is it from reality?  

I don't want to give anything away, but holy cow even if you figure it out, you just haven't really figured it out.  There's a big twist at the end, and it will keep you thinking about this book long after you're finished.  You'll want to discuss it with others, so make sure you either read it in a book group, or have a friend or two read it.   I haven't read Cate Holahan's first novel, The Widower's Wife, but I'm certainly adding it to my list.  

A big thank you to Crooked Lane for a review copy of this novel.  I would have passed it by in the library or bookstore, but now I've got a great book to recommend.  

Rating:  5/6 for a twisty plot that blurs reality and fiction.  Marital relationships, that "perfect couple", those secrets that sometimes lie down deep, just waiting to pounce.  A thriller folks will gulp down. 

Available in hardcover September 12 in the U.S. Also will be available as an e-book and audio book.  

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Lies She Told by Cate Holahan

My Husband's Wife by Jane Corry

I always start out a new year with a whole bunch of reading rules in my head.  I look at what I read the year before, see the patterns, and decide I have to pay attention to the genres that didn't get much reading from me.  Chick lit is still one of my favorite genres, but it certainly has gone through a bit of a change since I read Jemima J by Jane Green years ago. I still love my Jenny Colgan, my Jane Green, my Katie Fforde; my fun and frothy novels.

 But  I have to say, there's a new chick lit in town, and it's the woman/dysfunctional marriage/drama/maybe someone will die/oh there's a twist  sub-genre.  I think it's still chick lit, but a much darker side.  These novels are definitely written with a female audience in mind: Gone Girl, Girl on the Train, The Woman in Cabin Ten...you get the picture. 

My Husband's Wife by Jane Corry fits into that category, but it is different from the other novels I've mentioned above.  It sounded intriguing, so when I received a review copy, I dove right in without thinking too much about what to expect.  This was the perfect way to approach this story, because there's no way I would have been even close to guessing what would happen--and a lot happens.

The novel starts with someone's murder.  Just a short blip, but enough to tell you to hang on for an interesting ride.  Move back fifteen years, and we meet Lily and Ed, two newlyweds living in London.  They've just come back from an Italian honeymoon after a whirlwind courtship, and Lily has to go back to work as a lawyer.  Ed works in advertising, and desperately wants to be an artist.  Their relationship is very new, and very awkward.  It's pretty clear Lily and Ed have some work to do if they want this marriage to last.  Lily's boss has moved Lily to a different kind of law work:  she's been assigned the case of a prisoner in jail who's been convicted of murdering his girlfriend, but wants to appeal. Lily is in no way ready for this, but has no choice--she needs her job (Ed isn't a very good breadwinner).  She visits the jail, and meets the enigmatic Joe Thomas.  Mild mannered looking, he reminds Lily of her adopted brother Daniel, and that's where the fatal attraction begins.  Joe is not all he seems; Lily quickly becomes deeply entangled in his appeal and upcoming court case.  Meanwhile, Ed struggles to find his muse, and the tension between the two is painful!  

Enter little Carla and her mother Francesca.  They live in the same apartment building as Lily and Ed; Francesca is a sales clerk and Carla is a deeply unhappy little girl who's bullied at school for her dark Italian looks and her lapses into speaking Italian during the day.  Francesca's got a sugar daddy, and Carla figures out how to use his desire to keep certain things secret in order to transfer to another school, get a bike, and get her way in a lot of things.  

Ed and Lily's life intersects with Carla and you just know things are going to get bad.  And they do...but not for 15 years.  Move forward 15 years; Lily is a successful lawyer, Ed tries to be a successful artist.  He's actually just an alcoholic.  Marriage is still intact, but so dysfunctional it's no wonder Lily works all the time.  They have a son, Tom, who is such a challenge that he's another added stress.  Joe Thomas is still in the picture, lurking....why won't he leave Lily alone?  I know....but you're going to have to read the book.

Carla arrives back in their lives.  She's now 23, gorgeous, and has a giant grudge.  She wants what Lily has, and does her best to get it.  You know what they say about the grass is always greener?  Well, Carla gets to find out if that's true.  

There are so many twists in this story that you're never quite sure what's going to happen next.  Everyone has a secret; Lily has more than a few.  She's a good person trapped by a few little lies that turned into potentially life-destroying secrets.  No one here (besides Joe) is really a bad person. Circumstances and poor choices made them what they are; those choices keep propelling them all towards an inevitable nightmarish crash.  Yes, you are  on the roller coaster until the very last page.  What a ride. 

I was totally surprised by this book in a very good way.  All of the characters are flawed and every one of them have issues from their pasts that drive them to do destructive things.  It's a tale of revenge, opportunity, lust, frustration, and that sense of being trapped and feeling helpless to get out.  But there are ways to get out...

Thank you to Penguin/Viking for a review copy.  Wow!  This was a really good read, and refreshingly different in the female thriller/dark chick lit genre. You'll find yourself thinking about it long after you've turned the last page. It would make a really good book club choice!

Rating:  8/10 for a tangled weave of past and present, deadly secrets, destruction, and a marriage that struggles under the weight of two flawed people.  

Available in hardcover, e-book, and audio. 

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My Husband's Wife by Jane Corry