A Good Marriage

By: Kimberly McCreight

4/5 Lilacs

Marriage: it's different for everyone. Some are good, some are bad, and some are in-between. Some are completely open and some are full of lies. One thing is for certain: no marriage is perfect.

Lizzie is a lawyer who has worked so hard to be where she is. That is, until her husband's secrets and mistakes ruin the career she worked so hard for. In need of money, Lizzie takes a job at as a defense attorney - something she swore she would never do. After a calculated career specifically avoiding homicide and gore, Lizzie finds herself right in the middle of a headline homicide case.

Amanda, a striking woman, has also calculated every move in her life. Attempting to outrun a traumatic childhood, Amanda just wanted a way out. When Zach, a rich law and business school graduate, stumbles upon her, Amanda sees her chance to escape. Unfortunately, this escape may cost her her life. Could a high society filled with "perfect" marriages actually be a murderous community?

An absolutely riveting read, A Good Marriage did take about 60 pages before I felt invested. It starts off slow, but about the 100 page mark, it's almost impossible to put down! The characters have so much depth, and McCreight did a wonderful job of balancing thrilling scenes with the overarching mystery. With all the twists and turns, it's hard to solve the mystery early one.

McCreight uses one of my favorite writing formats: multiple points of view and time jumps. Lizzie speaks in the first person and discusses the present, while Amanda's overview is written in third person and represents the past. It's a wonderful balance that shows how all the characters are a little more connected than one may think. The looming threat of danger is enough for the reader to distrust every character introduced.

I highly recommend A Good Marriage to all mystery and thriller fans. It may be hard to stick with it during the first few chapters, but the end result is definitely worth it! And unlike various other mysteries, McCreight does address everything, tying up an ending devoid of loose strings. I completely understand the hype this book has received in the press. I couldn't agree with it more!

Suggested Pairing: Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty