A Good Marriage

Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Contemporary

Book Type: Physical

Author: Kimberly McCreight

Pages: 400

Publisher: Harper (May 5, 2020)

Book Description:

Lizzie Kitsakis is working late when she gets the call. Grueling hours are standard at elite law firms like Young & Crane, but they’d be easier to swallow if Lizzie was there voluntarily. Until recently, she’d been a happily underpaid federal prosecutor. That job and her brilliant, devoted husband Sam—she had everything she’d ever wanted. And then, suddenly, it all fell apart.

No. That’s a lie. It wasn’t sudden, was it? Long ago the cracks in Lizzie’s marriage had started to show. She was just good at averting her eyes.

The last thing Lizzie needs right now is a call from an inmate at Rikers asking for help—even if Zach Grayson is an old friend. But Zach is desperate: his wife, Amanda, has been found dead at the bottom of the stairs in their Brooklyn brownstone. And Zach’s the primary suspect.

As Lizzie is drawn into the dark heart of idyllic Park Slope, she learns that Zach and Amanda weren’t what they seemed—and that their friends, a close-knit group of fellow parents at the exclusive Brooklyn Country Day school, might be protecting troubling secrets of their own. In the end, she’s left wondering not only whether her own marriage can be saved, but what it means to have a good marriage in the first place.

Thoughts:

Murder, mystery, love, friendship, marriage, betrayal, deception, all some of my favorite words when it comes to the books I love… this book DID NOT DISAPPOINT and I HIGHLY recommend it!!!

When Amanda is found dead at the bottom of her stairs, Lizzie is called to represent the suspected husband. Told in alternating POVs (Amanda leading up to the night of her death, and Lizzie in the subsequent weeks following), I loved the way this book was laid out. Not only are the alternating perspectives done with precision, but there are also tidbits of the trial and a cyber investigation sprinkled in the mix to really keep you guessing right up until the end!

This book makes you think about what it means to have a strong marriage: is it loving each other through each other’s faults, success, having an “open” marriage, being together for a long time, being faithful, having status, etc… while also having you think of the sacrifices that you make for your children and things teens go through today. You’re kept guessing on who killed Amanda, but there were many lines throughout that made me reflect on my own thoughts and beliefs on what actually constitutes “a good marriage.” What are our boundaries? How far will we go to protect our loved ones? How far will you go to protect your secrets?

I absolutely LOVED this book. If anyone is doing a book club, this would make for an excellent option!!!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️