User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
This is impressive, slow-burn, murder mystery/legal thriller hooks you up by the author’s creative writing skills and you start to read each parties’ back stories and welcome them like they’re one of your friends or family acquaintances and twisty final revelations, cliffhangers grip you from your throat and as your heart rating hits the roof, you just flip the pages nonstop, tsking, changing your guesses several times to find who is the murderer and author keeps on killing your spidey senses. (By the way I guessed the killer right but it was my third guess and I popped up three fish oil pills to have brighter mind during my read but as you may see, it didn’t work so well)
As a result: This is one of my best reads and I’m hitting my forehead several times for being first timer reader of this brilliant author’s works.
This book made me rethink about my priorities during my grading of the books. I normally hate too many characters because you overload extreme information on your head: the characters’ attributes, their own back stories including families, flaws, traumas, dramas, close circle, which makes you turn back a few pages to remember those details because they might give you important clues to solve the mystery. Sometimes each detail at the book may represent crucial facts about the big revelation parts.
This book has so many characters but the good thing is both of them are truly well-developed, layered and you may see them objectively without judging or annoying their flaws, mistakes. As a matter of fact: none of them are despicable or too unlikable to give you urge to punch them. (which it’s a brilliant thing for me because I don’t like gritting my teeth when a character appears on the page and fantasizing 100 ways of getting rid of him/her because it cuts my attention and I cannot fully concentrate on the story.)
I summarize the plot for you: Lizzie Kitsakis is already overwhelmed by her grueling working hours at her elite law firm Young& Crane, thanks to her husband suffering alcoholism and insisting of chasing his dreams to be a successful writer ( he lost it after being sacked from New York Times and several other important gigs because of too much connection with tempting liquids and let’s not forget he crashed into a historic pub with his car and damaged the place!) Her marriage is about to end. She sees it coming. She has already too much on her plate and as a phone call from prison at the evening makes things more complicated. Because the caller is Zach Grayson, a close friend from her college times needs her help to prove his innocence. He is murder suspect! His wife Amanda has found dead at the bottom of the stairs of their Park Slope apartment.
As soon as Lizzie reluctantly takes the case, she finds herself dig out the dark world of Park Slope neighborhood, cyber bullying scandal at Grace Hall private school, lies, swapping secret parties. When she finds out more about the close-knit group’s marriage dynamics, she is forced to face her own dysfunctional marriage problems.
Overall: Even though there are too many characters and the beginning is a little slow for my own reading pace, I loved character development and unique criticizing and realistic portraits of marriages. I’m giving my 4 shiny, mysterious, gripping for stars. This is one of my winners of the year!
Rating: really liked it
BOTM Pick May 2020As someone who thoroughly enjoyed Kimberly McCreight's previous novels, I was dying to get my hands on her upcoming release, A Good Marriage, even though I've become a bit jaded when it comes to domestic suspense. The gamble paid off, as the author has woven quite the web of deceit and inserted many twists and turns with her particular brand of sleight of hand. Please don't let the 400 page count turn you off from picking this one up; while I did feel a few things could have been edited out, overall this is a fast paced read that doesn't save all the AHA! moments for the climax. In short, if you're looking for a suspense novel with substance and depth, and are hoping to stave off the self-isolation boredom, I can't imagine a better way to do so than with A Good Marriage.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Rating: really liked it
“A good marriage is the one that survives.”
Secrets, lies, and obsession lead to murder in A Good Marriage. This is one twisted tale of deceit! Four couples whose seemingly perfect marriages are slowly imploding. All are keeping secrets, and the cracks are starting to show. Some are bigger than others, but all are hidden behind well-crafted lies. Their lies slowly unravel, as do their marriages, leading to shocking revelations, and, ultimately, to murder.
The narrative focuses primarily on Lizzie, a lawyer who is about to defend her old law school friend, Zach, for the murder of his wife, Amanda. Lizzie is not only dealing with defending Zach, but also with her own marriage, which is hanging on by a thread.
Amanda, the dead wife of Zach, was running from her dark past, but it seems like her past has caught up with her. When she is found murdered at the bottom of her stairs, her husband is the number one suspect in her murder.
Told through the eyes of Lizzie and Amanda (before her murder), both of their secrets are gradually revealed. Neither one of their stories quite adds up until the truth is finally exposed!
It took me a little while to get into this book. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and I found the beginning to be a little slow. However, there’s a certain moment that caught my attention (I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I will keep the specifics to myself), and after that moment, I was hooked!
The characters were interesting and the holes in their stories made this even more interesting to read. I liked both Lizzie and Amanda. Then there was Zach.
Zach’s character was a first-class a**hole. I wanted to run him over with my car! The ending felt a little unbelievable in just how the four couples were linked, but it made for good reading! I still have a few unanswered questions, but I am going to let them go. At the same time, I really enjoyed seeing how things played out. Some elements took me by surprise, and I loved the final scene between Lizzie and Zach!
Overall, this is a page-turning, dark psychological thriller that kept me entertained and shut down my overly critical brain!
Rating: really liked it
the more i read domestic mystery/thriller novels, the more marriage seems like a bad idea. i mean, i never want to judge anyones living situation - whatever floats your boat - but the people in this book are crazy. lol.
and although the characters are fascinating to read about, what i really liked about this was how much it focused on the legal side of the investigation. i think some readers might consider the pacing to be on the slower side of things because a lot of page time is focused on legalities and court room scenes and interviews, but i really enjoyed it.
i will say i was able to pick up on who did it quite quickly, but it was interesting to discover the why. i think the way the information unfolds in present time, and in the flashback scenes, is done really well.
overall, a very solid novel that has me motivated to pick up more books by this author!
↠ 4 stars
Rating: really liked it
It was a good marriage...until it was not! This book had alot going on in between those pages. A murder, a key party, lawyers, lovers, losers and liars! Whew this book had it all. I was all in from page one.
After attending a key party, a woman is brutally murdered in her home. First off- do key parties really exist? I thought that was something from the 1990's??? No, I am wrong? Okay well I will be first to admit that I am NOT into that. Yet, this made for some great reading material! So this murdered woman was at the so called key party, so who murdered her? Well after digging into this you will see that there were plenty of people with motive. It started out a bit of a slow burn for me, as I got to know all the characters. There were alot of players in this book, which normally I don't enjoy. Yet I did with this book because it just made more suspects!
As I did my super sleuthing and came up with.......nothing...the author kept adding players aka suspects to this game that might want this girl dead. People from her past, secrets were revealed. The author did a great job of developing her characters so we got a feel for each personality. There were some very strong personalities in this group! I mean a bunch of lawyers..who would think it?
I loved that this was a mystery that I was constantly trying to solve..I failed by the way. The author managed to keep me guessing all the way until the end. Then it all came together nicely in the end...well not for the dead woman, but I sure enjoyed it! It almost had a legal thriller type of feel to it because there were so many lawyers...so many..yet it had alot of family/backstory drama as well. While the kids are away at camp, the adults will play! It kept me glued to the pages until the end! This was my first book by this author and I need more!!!!!! I will defiantly be reading more from her.
Huge shoutout to HarperCollins for this stunning finished book in exchange for an honest review! You guys rock! I loved it. Thank you for introducing me to another great author.
Rating: really liked it
surprisingly solid!i think this was a book of the month selection at one point, but the cover really turned me off. once i really examined it after picking it up i didn't totally hate it... it just wasn't eye catching enough to get me interested. and the title? well let's just say i have a complicated (read: i think they suck ass) relationship with truly domestic thrillers.
but this was really solid. anytime i thought i knew whodunit, more information was made available that had me questioning everything. and the general theme of the book, about marriage, wasn't as heavy handed as i expected it to be.
i think the best thrillers are the one that really bring out the depravity of human nature in a way that is real and convincing. because that is truly scary. and this book really did deliver. i'd honestly recommend this if you, like me, have had some mixed luck with thrillers this year.
tw: sexual assault, stalking
Rating: really liked it
4.5 starsOkay, wow I did not expect to love this the way I did. This is a thriller that is slightly out of my comfort zone because it's more of a legal thriller. It's about this woman Lizzie who is an attorney and she gets a phone call from a guy she went to law school with who was just arrested on the suspicion that he's murdered his wife. He wants her to represent him and she can't figure out why because she doesn't work in criminal law.
This book was a roller coaster. I was personally hooked from the beginning, it did take about fifty pages or so before it picked up for me but once it did, wow. I like that we have two POV chapters in this book, we alternate between Lizzie's present day chapters and then in alternate chapters we get Amanda's POV (the girl who died) six days before her death. Some aspects of this book reminded me of
Big Little Lies with the way we follow all of these suburban moms and their scandalous behavior. And the plot twists were solid, there were a few twists that had my mouth hanging open in shock or of me saying out loud: 'what the fuck?'
I was thoroughly impressed by the writing in this book.
I devoured this story in two sittings because I had to know what was going on and every time I thought I figured it out I was wrong. I would definitely like to check out more books from this author, this is my first read from her!
You can add this book as a May BOTM selection here: http://bit.ly/38OkeUT and use the code MAY5 to get it for only $9.99
Rating: really liked it
Thank you for the marriage lesson! I totally . . .
blasé my way through this.
Lizzie Kitsakis receives a call from an old friend, Zach Grayson, asking her to represent him as his lawyer because he’s been targeted by the police as the primary suspect for the murder of his wife.
For a thriller about husbands and wives in their picturesque neighborhood with their lies and secrets and shady behaviors tucked behind closed doors, this book is relatively stale. I was
perfectly calm and unaffected with my interest somewhat piqued from start to finish (because I wanted to know who did it).
“I’d been so foolish to think love could change the essential nature of anything.”
And mind you, this book has
all kinds of twist and turns! They’re not ones that you discover only during the climax either. Rather, the little twists and deceits are scattered throughout the different stages of the story telling. But instead of “holy shits” and “WTFs,” they just made me go “ahh, ooh, okay, so this/that happened, I knew it!”
“That’s the hardest part about marriage, isn’t it?” Zach went on. “Somebody else’s problems become your own. It doesn’t always feel fair.”
I enjoyed the
domestic drama in this book, but it wasn’t as gripping as I would’ve liked. I felt bad for Lizzie, but I wasn’t attached to any of the characters. Furthermore, I wasn’t satisfied with the ending, and I feel like there are still
questions unanswered. I think the ‘legal’ thriller element in this book ended up not working in my favor.
“And in the end, wasn’t that the key to marriage? Learning to pretend that a few unspoiled things could make up for all the broken ones.”
In every few chapters, the book presents you with a transcript of a
grand jury testimony detailing the interview between a called witness and the prosecutor building the case against Zach. Unless you’re closely paying attention to what is being said, you’ll find them rather repetitious. I personally thought of them as more of a nuisance than anything else.
“Forgiveness is a side effect of love,” he said finally. And sadly, almost. “If you are going to be married, share the ups and downs of life. What other choice is there?”
I don’t know what went wrong, but I think
A Good Marriage is just not the perfect fit for me. All I could think and care about when I finished this was . . . (view spoiler)
[What’s going to happen to my poor baby boy, Case? And whose POV is the prologue written in? Is it Zach? Is he talking about Lizzie or sweet Amanda? (hide spoiler)] (Read as an Audiobook)
Rating: really liked it
4 StarsI don’t read a lot of mystery/thriller books...but this book makes me want to. I’m not sure how this would stand up for someone who does read a lot of the genre; all I know is, I certainly enjoyed it and was guessing until the very end.
The story felt firm, the characters felt real, and I felt very immersed it in all the whole time I was reading it. I will definitely pick up more from this author in the future.
Rating: really liked it
Lizzie is working late one evening at the law office of Young & Crane when she receives a call that is about to turn her world upside down. The call is collect and it's coming from Rykers prison. More specifically from a Zach Grayson who was a friend of hers from law school. Curiosity compels her to take the call. It appears Zach has been charged in his wife's murder and it is Lizzie who he wants to represent him.
This is an example of domestic suspense done right and I say that because a huge plot point to this book was so "out there" to me personally and I found it hard to believe that so many people, couples, were okay with this and even maintained such levels of discreetness in regards to it a bit tough to swallow. This will make no sense to those that haven't read this but to elaborate more would be a spoiler so I must keep this as vague as possible. The thing is even with my reservations in regards to this plot point I was flipping pages faster than ever. It never hindered my reading experience and I can only attest that to McCreights writing skills. With mouth gaping reveals and shocking surprises along the way this book made me a happy reader. 4 stars!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Perfect title for this book… every marriage featured here is anything but good! Lol!Lizzie and Sams’ marriage has hit rock-bottom. Lizzie has been forced to set her dreams of working as a prosecutor on hold. Instead, she’s virtually switched sides, now working with the defense, in order to earn enough to pay for Sam’s “actions.”
Lizzie receives a call from an old University friend Zach pleading for help and Lizzie knows immediately she’s in over her head. She just has no idea how deeply.
As the justice system plays out in the courtroom, couples who live in this exclusive neighborhood in Brooklyn are desperate to hide the secrets behind their marriages, children and parties!
Kimberly McCreight writes a well-crafted thriller that held my interest and kept me guessing right to the end! There was a large cast of characters, but I never had a problem keeping all the couples and their
“issues” apart!
Highly recommend to all thriller fans who are looking for a twisty read!
A buddy read with Susanne
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an ARC to read and review
Rating: really liked it
This does remind me, in style, of “Big Little Lies”, so I am not surprised to see that it is COMING SOON, from Amazon and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films!
“CLOSING YOUR EYES WON’T STOP THE BAD THINGS FROM FINDING YOU”
Lizzie Kitsakis doesn’t practice Criminal Law.
But, she is the only one that Zach Grayson trusts, when he ends up at Rikers for assaulting an Officer, and is held as a suspect in his wife Amanda’s death.
At least that is the EXCUSE he gives her...
Amanda is just trying to fit in, with the other Moms in Brooklyn, and she finally feels that she has two good friends in Sarah and Maude. So, she pretends that her marriage is good, and keeps it to herself that she thinks she is being stalked by a person from her past.
Because of that, there are no other suspects when Amanda is found dead, at the bottom of her own stairs, after leaving Maude’s annual “Key Party” 🗝
Told from the alternating narratives of Amanda, in the days leading up to the party, and of Lizzie, as her investigation leads her toward the truth in the days following it, I found myself eager to pick this book back up, every chance I got!
Both perspectives were equally engaging, and although there were a few, minor unanswered questions, the author cleverly ties the two narratives together by the end .
I loved the opening Epigragh which really says it all..
💔 Love never dies of a natural death-Anais Nin,
The Four Chambered Heart 💔
Rating: really liked it
How much do we really know about the person to whom we’re married? How much do we care? These questions are at the forefront of Kimberly McCreight's new book,
A Good Marriage .
When Lizzie met Sam, she thought she had truly found a partner in taking on the world. She’d be a prosecutor and he’d be a writer, both beating back injustice. But things didn’t work out the way she hoped. Now their relationship is filled with anger and guilt, and Lizzie was forced to take a job at a fancy law firm and work long hours.
One night at the office she gets a collect call from Rikers Island. An old law school friend whom she hasn't seen in years, Zach Grayson, desperately needs her help. He’s been arrested for the alleged murder of his wife, Amanda, at their Park Slope brownstone. He maintains his innocence and pleads for Lizzie to defend him.
It’s the last thing she wants to do, but she’s encouraged by one of the firm’s partners to do so. And as she starts to dig into what happened that night, she discovers that Zach and Amanda’s marriage wasn’t quite what it seemed, and neither are Amanda’s seemingly well-put-together friends and neighbors. Everyone has secrets to hide about their lives and their marriages. Even Lizzie herself.
For me, this book started
SO SLOWLY that I really wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep reading. I get slow burn, but this took a long while to hit its stride. When it did, however, it took off. I honestly didn’t know what to think or what to believe, and even though I figured some of the twists out, I was still surprised by some of the plot, too.
I loved Kimberly McCreight’s
Reconstructing Amelia , so I was eagerly anticipating this one. It’s definitely twisty and suspenseful, provided you have the patience to stick with it until it takes off.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Rating: really liked it
What makes a good marriage? How many marriages do we think are solid only to watch them fall apart? How many do we think are troubled, only to see them weather the storm and survive?
We all bring our sometimes complicated past experiences into our relationships. Couples compromise and make adjustments to make a long-term marriage work. The intimate details of a relationship aren’t usually the subject of casual conversation. That is, unless you live in the Park Slopes neighborhood of NYC. Then, no topic is seemingly off-limits. But there are secrets. Many secrets. Until a murder threatens to expose them all.
I loved the premise on complicated marriages, even though my own marriage is solid. However, I was not a fan of the way it was carried out. Most of the couples were despicable and immature. There was only one couple, along with the murdered woman, who was somewhat sympathetic. I’ve never taken so long to read a book in this genre. When I set it down I had to force myself to pick it back up. The middle was a slog and the ending was a convoluted mess with dangling plot threads.
Less is more. For me, this had too much going on, to the point where I had trouble keeping the characters straight. This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce and both of us were left scratching our heads. I felt it had an identity crisis and a tighter focus would have made for a better story.
This was not for me, but there are plenty of 4 and 5 star reviews so be sure to check them out. I'll be taking a break from the genre.
Rating: really liked it
4.25 Stars
An Excellent Reminder as to Why I’m Not Married! Baaawaah!!! Thank goodness for Kimberly McCreight! Lately I’ve been reading what I would describe as “less than stellar” domestic suspense/thrillers and then this one came along and all I have to say is Heck Ya!!
“A Good Marriage” is crazy, totally wicked and full of surprises. This one got me and got me good. While I feel that there may have been one or two over the top moments, this is in fact one of the best thrillers I’ve read all year.
I went into this one completely blind and I suggest you do the same. A brilliantly clever novel that is a must read for mystery/suspense fans.
A fabulous buddy read with Kaceey.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Harper Collins and Kimberly McCreight for the arc.
Published on Edelweiss and Goodreads on 5.9.20.
