The Constantine sisters have penned an interesting book. Multiple twists and turns that will delight fans of plot-driven stories. There’s even a plot twist embedded in the last line, which was cleverly done. The story has many tropes found in romance novels, but then, some of those same tropes are skewered and turned upside down. Leo’s chauvinistiic/alpha-male behavior was tiring and eye-roll-inducing. This seemed to be explained away by saying that he was “old-fashioned” and Greek? The “wronged wife” trope figured prominently, too, and on multiple levels. The story was somewhat compelling, if initially standard fare. Middle-aged woman (Joanna) still loved her partner, the two kids, the houses, etc. She managed her busy life, handling everything seamlessly on the home front, while Leo relished his work as a corporate attorney. Predictably, Leo got bored after a bout with depression, and sought the company of the young, beautiful and accomplished, Piper.
Piper was new in town, eager for a fresh start, and had set her sights on Leo. Unsurprisingly, Piper and Leo soon married, after Leo untangled himself from the bereft, Joanna. Joanna found out that Piper had a shady, mysterious past, with two dead husbands and a stepchild, who all died under suspicious circumstances. Joanna feared for the safety of Leo and the two children. She became obsessed that Piper had “bewitched” (eye-roll) Leo and vowed to get her family back. She investigated many of the people in Piper’s past, attempting to piece together the relevant facts. She worried that they were all in danger, and began to stalk and lurk to keep watch over everyone.
It is best to remember that the two narrators are unreliable, and all is not what it seems. Also, at one point, therapist, Celeste, called her client “crazy”, and I doubt an actual clinician would say that.
This is a good story, if you like devious, misguided plans and characters with little sense of self. Because the book was written by two women, I was surprised when some of the women were portrayed as shallow, unhinged, conniving and unstable. It is a fast-paced, entertaining tale, if one can sidestep and ignore the stereotypes and a few minor plot holes. Otherwise, it’s a quick read.
ENCINARK
Erika