A murder, lawyers, a prison and several marriages.
'A Good Marriage' by Kimberly McCreight is so good! So well-written and page-turning by a lawyer who clearly knows her stuff. I wanted to finish the book to find out who "dunnit" and didn't want it to end at the same time. It's rare when a novel does that to me. The end was so, so satisfying.
The prologue starts with a murder, as a good crime novel should. That the prologue's first person POV view says that he/she did not commit the murder, is a twist on the genre. I was intrigued by the psychology referenced regarding marriage, "Eventually all you're left with is somebody who sees you for who you really are. And sooner or later, they hold up a mirror and you’re forced to see for yourself."
In the subsequent chapters, a man is calling from prison. It piqued my interest that prisons go together with marriage in the book's title! We see NYC's parks that aren't Central Park, Rikers prison, high-rise buildings, apartments, brownstone houses. The myriad of interesting characters play a number of fascinating roles. We see parents and other adults who all put on a front of idealism, while wishing they had the perceived perfection of someone else's life. Either the other's marriage is enviable or their looks or their wealth. But don't get me wrong. This isn't a superficial book by any means. Quite the opposite.
There is a selection of marriages on view, none of them perfect, but some outwardly happier than others: the protagonist, Lizzie, and her husband, Sam, Sarah and Kerrie, Maude and Sebe, Amanda and Zach. The title could be about any or all of these marriages. These characters have depth; they come in shades of grey, their flaws engaging, and their secrets ones the reader is keen to unravel. There's the other telling line that underscores many characters' roles, "It wasn't like I'd set out to lie".
Sebe and Maud, who have an open marriage, host their annual partner-swapping, 'soiree' party. On the night of this year's party, Amanda is found murdered in her home after leaving the party alone. Her husband, Zach, is arrested, and asks his old law school friend, Lizzie, to represent him.
The two POVS are from the protagonist, brilliant, corporate lawyer, Lizzie Kitsakis, and the ill-fated Amanda Grayson writing in the past. Interspersed are the occasional 1-page chapters titled, "Grand Jury Testimony" interviewing the witnesses to the party that Maude threw in her home on 6 July; and again 1-page chapters titled, "Krell Industries" which provide information on a cyber-hacking case at Brooklyn Country Day School, where the 3 friends – Amanda, Maude and Sarah – sent their children.
The entire book, 'A Good Marriage' is a cracker. Lizzie is a relatable protagonist, battling with her husband's raging alcoholism, yet supporting him through the worst of its ravages, and constantly forgiving him. She thinks that is love, then wonders if love is enough. The book is full of twists and turns, always full of tension and excitement. I didn't see the twists coming, and didn't figure out the end. I did pick some clues, in a satisfying way, rather than in an 'aha, I'm one step ahead of the author' way.
Some sordid past crimes are described that should maybe heralded to vulnerable readers. The entire lawyer-cum-detective role Lizzie took on was fascinating. Lizzie is determined to uncover Amanda's murderer to release Zach from Rikers. The reader starts adding many of the characters to their suspect list. Some characters seem too good to be true, others are unlikable, irredeemable, even sociopathic. Is Zach really vile enough to have murdered his wife? The ending was enjoyable and satisfying. Kimberly McCreight did a wonderful job, and I would like to read her other crime novels.
Thanks to bookishfirst.com for this novel.
This review also appears in https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3438244551,
https://thereadersvault.blogspot.com/2020/07/a-good-marriage-by-kimberly-mccreight.html & Amazon.com.
The prologue starts with a murder, as a good crime novel should. That the prologue's first person POV view says that he/she did not commit the murder, is a twist on the genre. I was intrigued by the psychology referenced regarding marriage, "Eventually all you're left with is somebody who sees you for who you really are. And sooner or later, they hold up a mirror and you’re forced to see for yourself."
In the subsequent chapters, a man is calling from prison. It piqued my interest that prisons go together with marriage in the book's title! We see NYC's parks that aren't Central Park, Rikers prison, high-rise buildings, apartments, brownstone houses. The myriad of interesting characters play a number of fascinating roles. We see parents and other adults who all put on a front of idealism, while wishing they had the perceived perfection of someone else's life. Either the other's marriage is enviable or their looks or their wealth. But don't get me wrong. This isn't a superficial book by any means. Quite the opposite.
There is a selection of marriages on view, none of them perfect, but some outwardly happier than others: the protagonist, Lizzie, and her husband, Sam, Sarah and Kerrie, Maude and Sebe, Amanda and Zach. The title could be about any or all of these marriages. These characters have depth; they come in shades of grey, their flaws engaging, and their secrets ones the reader is keen to unravel. There's the other telling line that underscores many characters' roles, "It wasn't like I'd set out to lie".
Sebe and Maud, who have an open marriage, host their annual partner-swapping, 'soiree' party. On the night of this year's party, Amanda is found murdered in her home after leaving the party alone. Her husband, Zach, is arrested, and asks his old law school friend, Lizzie, to represent him.
The two POVS are from the protagonist, brilliant, corporate lawyer, Lizzie Kitsakis, and the ill-fated Amanda Grayson writing in the past. Interspersed are the occasional 1-page chapters titled, "Grand Jury Testimony" interviewing the witnesses to the party that Maude threw in her home on 6 July; and again 1-page chapters titled, "Krell Industries" which provide information on a cyber-hacking case at Brooklyn Country Day School, where the 3 friends – Amanda, Maude and Sarah – sent their children.
The entire book, 'A Good Marriage' is a cracker. Lizzie is a relatable protagonist, battling with her husband's raging alcoholism, yet supporting him through the worst of its ravages, and constantly forgiving him. She thinks that is love, then wonders if love is enough. The book is full of twists and turns, always full of tension and excitement. I didn't see the twists coming, and didn't figure out the end. I did pick some clues, in a satisfying way, rather than in an 'aha, I'm one step ahead of the author' way.
Some sordid past crimes are described that should maybe heralded to vulnerable readers. The entire lawyer-cum-detective role Lizzie took on was fascinating. Lizzie is determined to uncover Amanda's murderer to release Zach from Rikers. The reader starts adding many of the characters to their suspect list. Some characters seem too good to be true, others are unlikable, irredeemable, even sociopathic. Is Zach really vile enough to have murdered his wife? The ending was enjoyable and satisfying. Kimberly McCreight did a wonderful job, and I would like to read her other crime novels.
Thanks to bookishfirst.com for this novel.
This review also appears in https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3438244551,
https://thereadersvault.blogspot.com/2020/07/a-good-marriage-by-kimberly-mccreight.html & Amazon.com.