When Eliza got her friends Anne, Penny, and Marguerite together for a book club, there was lots of laughter, wine, and maybe even a murder plot. At least that’s what the prosecution seems to think, since one of the husbands turned up dead.
The women claim innocence, as we are transported back in time to Penny’s arrival in L.A. less than a year previous through the months to how the women met each other, the secrets they shared with each other, the information they withheld, and the lies they told.
Eliza and Roman have it all—a beautiful home, good looks, success, and a great marriage. And then Eliza loses her job at a prestigious public relations firm and decides to start over with her own PR firm, and the cracks start to show in their finances and their relationship.
Anne and Eliza met in college, before Eliza married Roman and Anne married Mark. Anne and Mark have four kids, but Mark’s busy police schedule keeps him away a lot. Anne finds herself wondering about all that overtime he puts in and questions whether she should do some of her own investigating to find out.
Penny, meanwhile, is new to the city. Literally walking off a bus from Iowa, she was introduced to Los Angeles in a truly dramatic way. Waiting to make her way as an actress, she signs up for acting classes from Roman, Eliza’s husband, and waits for her big break.
Marguerite is the author. Her breakout self-help book Take Charge is what got Penny to take the bus to Hollywood. Now she has another book about to be released, and Eliza is counting on it to become another monster hit, so her newly formed PR firm can attract more new clients.
All of these women have lied. All of them have secrets. But which of those secrets is worth killing for?
Gina LaManna’s Three Single Wives is a slow-burn study of women burning with resentment and taking action on it. A husband’s betrayal is no small thing, and a smart woman will do just about anything to get her power back. But will she go so far as to kill for it?
I really enjoyed Three Single Wives. It’s a fun thriller that looks at the lives of very different women who have found their way into each other’s lives. The interconnectedness of these women is fascinating, as you see glimpses into their lives from their own perspective as well as the perspective of the other women. And it’s told in alternating chapters, going back to the beginning of their story through to the murder, interspersed with brief court transcripts, so you get yet another perspective on the women, their friendships, their secrets, and their lies.
If you’re in need of a good, slow burning thriller as the nights get longer and blankets get comfier, then Three Single Wives maybe be just what you’re looking for!
A copy of the ebook for Three Single Wives was provided by Sourcebooks, with many thanks.
