Woman in Red

by Eileen Goudge

Alice Kessler spent nine years in prison for the attempted murder of the drunk driver who killed her son. Now she’s returned home to Gray’s Island to reconnect with the son she left behind. Her boy, Jeremy, now a sullen teenager, is wrongly accused of rape, and mother and son are thrown together in a desperate attempt to prove his innocence. She’s aided by Colin McGinty, a recovering alcoholic and 9/11 widower, also recently returned to the island in the aftermath of his grandfather’s death. Colin’s grandfather, a famous artist, is best known for his haunting portrait, “Woman in Red,” which happens to be of Alice’s grandmother. In a tale that weaves the past with the present, we come to know the story behind the portrait, of the forbidden wartime romance between William McGinty and Eleanor Styles, and the deadly secret that bound them more tightly than even their love for each other. A secret that, more than half a century later, is about to be unburied, as Alice and Colin are drawn into a fragile romance of their own and the ghost of an enemy from long ago surfaces in the form of his grandson, the very man responsible for sending Alice to prison.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Mystery, Chick Lit, Historical Fiction, Drama

355 pages, Hardcover

First published June 12, 2007

About the author

I began writing at the age of eight and wrote my way through the lean years before I found success as New York Times' bestselling author with my first novel GARDEN OF LIES. To date I have published 19 novels and a cookbook. Every life experience I've weathered has found its way into my novels in one form or another: bad exes, births, deaths, divorces, romances, and even true crime. My heroines are like me: tough cookies who don't crumble.

My latest novel, Book One of my Gold Creek series, ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW, is the story of a woman fleeing her abusive ex who finds refuge in a small California mountain town, where she's befriended by a group of women who call themselves The Tattooed Ladies and reinvents herself as a police sketch artist. Kyra "draws lines to stop crimes," as they say in the biz, never imagining she'll one day be forced to confront the biggest criminal of all: her ex.

I'm married to former entertainment reporter Sandy Kenyon and the mother of two grown children. We live in Sacramento, California, where we remodeled a 1940's house for which I was the on-site project manager. Fortunately, multi-tasking is my superpower, so I was able to write a book and supervise a home remodel at the same time. The latter is sure to find its way into a future book. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see pics of my home remodel and other adventures.

Reviews

[Connie Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I love Eileen Goudge's writing style. She has a flow that makes her books so easy to read and wonderful to listen to. The narrator for the audio of the book did a great job with this.

I enjoyed this story that intertwined three families through three generations. The past repeats itself somewhat in the present. The story starts off with a tragedy that changes the lives of many. It continues with the characters trying to start their lives over, or pick up the pieces of their lives while living under the shadow of past events.

I appreciated the character development and felt for Alice as she tries not only to rebuild her life but fix the damaged relationship with her son. Mostly I loved the past story of Alice's grandmother Eleanor and the artist William McGinty. Theirs was the true love story here and it was sad and tragic. I liked that much of the focus in this was on family ties.

Good characters, good but maybe a bit predictable story. All in all an entertaining listen.

[A Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

This work is told using multiple POVs in a dual timeline. One is set in the early to mid-2000s and followed a mother who goes home after nine years in prison and the challenges she faces starting life again. The secondary timeline is set in the 1940s and follows a woman whose husband is fighting in the world war and an artist who moves in nearby.

I definitely enjoyed the 1940s timeline more than the present-day timeline. The characters felt stronger to me in the historical setting, and their relationship felt more believable. The characters in the present day timeline were fine, but didn’t stand out to me.

The book is exposition heavy throughout, often going pages without the plot moving forward or without us learning anything particularly relevant or interesting about the characters or story. This bogged down both timelines and lessened the impact that the events could have had. Something else that lessened the story’s impact were several instances of things feeling just a little too convenient a little too often. There are also a couple elements of this story that didn’t age particularly well.

Overall this was an okay read, but not particularly memorable.

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book to read by this author, which I will remedy---I will be checking out more by her. This definitely reminded me of a Jodi Piccoult novel, so if your not a fan of hers I'm not sure this would be interesting to you. I liked the story though, in a quiet and understated way. Once again, I really enjoyed the past story better. I felt so sad about Eleanor and William! I did like all the characters, the writing, and the story.

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, now that I read this book I am ashamed for not reading it earlier. I borrowed it from a friend, and the book was on my shelve for almost a month. I don't know..there was something seriously bothering with this book (I don't like the cover and I hate red color). So, these were the main reasons why it took me so long to grab this book into my hands. But boy oh boy, was I wrong!!! The book is great! I loved the story (though romance is not my fav genre) and the characters. Being a mother myself, I could totally understand the rage Alice felt when she lost her boy and ended up in jail. I wouldn't go that far by saying I would re-read this book, but I absolutely enjoyed it!

[Ivana Oltovska · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kinda liked it but it isn't my thing so 2 stars to be fairly judged :)

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had so much potential as a story -- a plot about three family lines living on an island and how each generation interacts -- but I ended up pretty frustrated with the book. First of all, the author uses the same repetitive language: like so many stars in the sky, like so many waves in the sea, like so many splinters on the ground. Either pick another phrase or stop with the similes altogether! Additionally, I didn't really like the characters. I know you don't have to like the characters, but it certainly helps. Meet Alice and her stereotypical black best friend from the clink (who might be sleeping with a white guy on the island; can you believe these shocking interracial couples?!), who are just trying to run a restaurant. She's also trying to fight the establishment because her son Jeremy is getting a bad rap. He's accused of rape (falsely-so, according to the summary), even though he slept with a girl who was too drunk to know who he was (she thought he was actually her boyfriend Jimmy). All through the telling of said situation (which was way too graphic to be in any book not on the Romance shelf), Jeremy's conscience knew it was wrong to sleep with a girl blitzed out of her brains, but she didn't stop. Every time the reader crosses paths with Carrie Ann, she's either been drinking, or she's wearing slutty clothes. But poor Jeremy is being railroaded because of who his mom is. I was SOOO bothered by this subplot -- call it rape or something else, what he did was wrong, and I'm not exactly sure why the author feels that the reader should sympathize with him. And the depiction of Carrie Ann sends a horrible message: she gets what she deserves. But when things go to court, along comes Colin, who is Jeremy's lawyer. Also, Colin used to be an alcoholic, did you know that? It's okay if you forget, because you're reminded of it everytime Colin is mentioned in the story. All these "layers" to the different characters are supposed to add complexity, but somehow make them seem all the more superficial... like so many Valley Girls in Southern Cal. I won't give away the ending, but it's so ridiculous that it's almost a non-ending. What an annoying book.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just okay. The story, though interesting, failed to deliver any effective twists and turns in the plot; the reader pretty much knew the "big secret" half way into the book. This made the book's ending mediocre at best. Some of the wording was trite and cheesy (for lack of a better term) which put me off a bit. Although this book wasn't a total waste of time, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone--there are too many other great books out there on which to spend one's free time.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I think about my review for this book , I have to laugh ... Although Goudge has the market cornered on secrets in this superb book , I'm going to disclose a secret of my very own !

Even though I LOVE to read , I am not one of those folks you'll see on the bus with book in hand , in the grocery store check-out line flipping pages, or waiting in the car for hubby to return something in the hardware store with my nose in a book . I'd like to be one of those people , but ...

Truth is , I am not one to carry more than my purse , which is not large enough for one more thing , let alone a book . I'm not someone who wants to wrap an arm around a book -bookmark included , of course - and the MUST HAVE reading glasses , and carry them along with a purse, that won't hold one more thing, over my shoulder . Fact is , I have never been good at juggling and I would lose something. Okay , I have lost juggled things...

I am an at home reader ...my best reading is done relaxing at home , snuggled in on the couch ....in my night clothes ;-) I don't care if it is the middle of the afternoon , company's coming and I should have left 30 minutes ago for the bank - if I am reading , you'll find me on the couch in my nightie ! Okay , 'nuf said ...my secret is out , but ....

Woman In Red is such a wonderful read I found myself taking it to work with me (even though I knew there would be no time to read ) , to appointments that I attended for my consumers , and to the hardware store , where I waited in the car for hubby to return something ! You'll be happy to know , not once during work , the appointments or the hardware store did I wear a nightie ;-)I just could not wait to find out what happened next .

Goudge's writing style in this novel is next to perfect , the characters are so interesting ( even the ones I wanted to slap ) , and the story gets better and better with each turn of the page . I found the twists and turns making me think , " Okay now ....so wait a minute ....that makes him her, whew ...they're okay then ....okay ...yeah ! " . I loved how the secrets of the past unfolded into the present and how the secrets of the present peeked into the past. This book is like a 3-D kaleidoscope of all things beautiful!

It did not disappoint - I highly recommend it to everyone . Drag it along with you wherever you go ! The only thing that could possibly make reading it any better is reading it in your favorite nightie!

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit slow at the start, but did pick up the pace and in turn my interest around the middle. Alice and Colin were very interesting characters. I also loved the story about their grandparents. It is truly a story about love and the wonders of it. How love can be the muse to create a beautiful piece of art, to endure the pain of seeing the one you love, but not being able to have it, and how love can heal old wounds. Love is at the core.
The end was satisfying. I was a bit bummed that all the stories of the past were not shared. How could the fact that Lucy was a half-sister to Owen not come out. I mean she alludes to it when Yoshi comes back, but it was not dealt with. How will Alice feel when she realizes she almost killed her uncle? How will Owen react to learning he killed his nephew? I don't know I found that the family ties were so interesting that I was a little let down when this secret was not explored.
Over all I enjoyed the book, but found that I did not love it as much as I enjoyed The Diary, also by this author.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice lost her son at the hands of Owen, a man who was driving drunk. And when Owen gets to walk after trial, Alice seeks her revenge by running him over. The story takes place after she gets out of jail and is forced make a new life for herself, including making amends with her other son. The story contains a lot of vivid characters, including Calpurnia, Alice's friend who was in prison with her, and the rest of her family. The story goes back and forth between Alice's story and her grandmother Eleanor, who was alive during World War II. The book was a good read, but I felt that many of the chararcter's should have had more time in the book and the resolution wasn't particulary draw dropping. Nevertheless, I did enjoy this book.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful melding of the past and the present. Who is the beautiful woman in the portrait of the Woman In Red? Colin comes to Gray's Island to determine what to do with his grandfather's cottage, the painter of the famous portrait. He has hit bottom and needs a fresh start and healing. Alice, just released from jail is also looking for a second chance. Her son was a young boy when she was sent to prison and now is a teenager not ready to forgive her. Paralleling the story of Colin and Alice is the story of the relationship of Colin's grandfather and Alice's grandmother. A poignant story of family bonding and sacrifice.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this book in a contest and was excited to read it. You don't find out until about 1/2 way through that is gets pretty ... graphic. I enjoyed the story, but not worth reading all the trashy stuff to get through it.

[Sharon Huether · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Stories in one, present and in the 40"s. An act of courage long remembered. Loss of time in prison and loss of family connections. The redeeming factors of the truth being told before it was too late. The story behind the portrait of the " Woman in Red".

[millie___s. · Rating 4 out of 5]

~~ utisci ~~

Dobar storytelling, dobra priča po starim pravilima zanata pripovedanja - neke stvari se otkriju na kraju. Svakako asocijacije na Skarletno slovo, veliki američki klasik Natenijela Hotorna, postoje ne samo u naslovu, već i po temama.

Pratimo Alis koja se obračunava sa ubicom svog sina. Naime, on je nastradao dok se igrao loptom ispred kuće. Naletela su kola Ovena Vajta.

Kad ga oslobode krivice, Alis uzima pravdu u svoje ruke, zbog čega završava 9 godina u zatvoru.

Nakon tih devet godina, vraća se na ostrvo Grejs. Tu je i Kolin, muškarac koji je upao u bezdan sopstvenih neprilika i nedaća. Alis i Kolina očekuju zajednički momenti, jer njihovi deda i baka imaju zajedničku prošlost. Kolinov deda, Vilijam Makginti, bio je slikar i jedini portret koji je sačuvao za sebe bio je portret Alisine bake Eleanor.

Vraćamo se u period Drugog svetskog rata, i saznajemo kroz kakve muke je Eleanor prošla.

Knjiga je klupko tajni koji se odmotava malo brže i očiglednije da bismo nazvali roman trilerom. Zato bolje da ga nazovem porodičnom dramom.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't like it as well as I thought I would. Woman whose son was killed, then she runs over the culprit. This is the story of her life afterward.

Alice Kessler is a broken woman after her young son is killed by a drunk driver. She pursues a case against him, but as it is his word against hers about the alcohol, he is acquitted. In her grief, she attempts to murder him, which sends her to jail for nine years. When she gets out and returns to her small hometown in Washington state, she is divorced, hasn’t seen her other son in years, and everyone in town has something against her—including the man she tried to kill, who is now the mayor. As she begins to piece her life back together, things start to fall apart for her son, Jeremy, who is falsely accused of rape. Can she move forward and help her son?

Colin McGinty, the grandson of a famous painter, also comes to the island in search of putting his life back together. After losing his wife on 9/11, he became an alcoholic and has lost almost everything else. He moves into his deceased grandfather’s house and discovers a painting of a beautiful “woman in red.” This woman happens to be Alice’s grandmother, and the two find they have this connection and more. Can they help each other get their lives on track?

Woman in Red is an intriguing story. The characters are extremely well drawn, and Goudge’s characterization makes this story shine. She moves back and forth between the present day with Alice and Colin’s stories and the World War II era with their grandparents. The reader can feel Alice’s grief and almost sympathize with her for what she does.

Some parts of the plot verge a bit on the unbelievable and are just a little too convenient to feel like real-life drama. But the story mostly flows well and draws the reader into its twists and turns of fate. The themes of love, honor, and family resonate throughout the book. Overall, Woman in Red is a satisfying read that will please both new and old fans of Eileen Goudge.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a multi-generational story with two timelines. It is easy to follow the two time periods and see how the story fits together, even though the characters themselves never know.

Alice Kessler is a strong woman who is dealing with one of the worst things that can happen to a mother. She sees her young son hit and killed by a drunk driver while he is riding his bike. She then witnesses the driver get off without even a slap on the wrist. Of course the fact that he is wealthy and one of the pillars of the community help with that. As she is leaving the trial, she sees the driver walking with his wife and loses control, running him down and injuring him so that he ends up in a wheelchair. She ends up in prison for nine years.

Nine years later, Alice is released from prison and heads home to Grays Island, Washington. To some she is a pariah, others try to help her. It is not easy and her son wants nothing to do with her. The story is about family, forgiveness, making things right and power. There is alcohol addiction discussed, rape, peer pressure and making the right decisions. Colin McGuinty has come to the island after the death of his grandfather, an artist. He is trying to make a new life for himself and is actually in the same boat as Alice to some degree. The second story line takes place in the 1940s. It is the story of Alice's grandmother, Eleanor and Colin's grandfather. Again, a strong woman trying to do right by her daughter, Lucy, while her husband is off fighting in the war.

This story has wonderful characters. There stories are real and are shared with the reader that you get to know them well. The setting of a small town on a small Island shows how people take sides, and power coupled with money runs the town. I really enjoyed both story lines as well as the unexpected twists that this family takes. I enjoyed Eileen Goudge's writing style. She was very descriptive and the text flowed very nicely. I am so glad I finally read this book.

[Janet Hawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a disappointment. Generally, I enjoy books that include two or three generations, but this was an exception. So much empathy was expressed for the boy who was accused of committing a crime, but no consideration was shown for the victim who was dumped out of the boys’ car when she was taken home. You must be kidding. And the mother who swore her son wasn’t capable of doing such a thing. We were supposed to feel for the boy? And the sex. Everyone in this book who had sex had great sex. Is this realistic? I liked the first third, or so, of the book. But then the chaos begins. I would start to like a character, but the character soon became difficult. Eventually, there wasn’t a single person who interested me. The book had been spoiled anyway due to the crime scene in the middle of the book. Btw, when someone is being held hostage at gunpoint, what responsible person in law enforcement would let anyone walk into the situation these days? No one would even be allowed near the building. Every civilian would be kept away, not milling around in the street. I wanted to like this book. I gave it two stars because I was mesmerized near the beginning. However, it was downhill after that.

[TheSaint · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my usual selection, but my book club decided to read it, so I picked it and got through it in a day and forgot about it just as quickly.
The island setting is integral to understanding the motivations of the characters: They seem to be trapped in space. The time, however, shifts around in the past, involving recent ancestors and their influence on events in the present.
My problem, as usual, was that I just didn't care about the characters. Sure, the protagonist goes off and almost kills the man who killed her son. OK. After her time in the slammer, she moves back to the island and tries to put her life together.
All the things that happen seem as if they could happen. I just didn't happen to believe any of it.

[Mom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically pretty bad, had the tone of a romance novel with a little mystery thrown in. I didn't feel connected with these people or this place and although I think it was supposed to be about triumphing over adversity, neutralizing the past, renaisance of the spirit within, I didn't get it. The prison experience of the main character wasn't believable, the heardache from loss of her son seemed hazey, the rage of her crime was like a dream. The ensuing story didn't grip me, silly shallow romances, no salvation in work, all ill defined and blah.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was disappointing- a little bit too contrived. Too many cliche characters, not enough of a big climax, didn't really connect with the characters or believe their passion.

[Denise Shaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put it down!

[Kendi Hollis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, it was endless with excitement!! I never got bored with it!!

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice is a 39-year old woman being released after nine years in prison for a crime of passion.  She's returning to Gray's Island, where her sister Denise, ex-husband Randy, and teenage son Jeremy reside.  All Alice wants is to make up for lost time with her son who is understandably angry with his mother for all the time she's missed.  It isn't exactly a warm welcome from Jeremy at their first meeting, but Alice is determined to get to know her son. 

Colin McGinty has also returned to Gray's Island after the death of his wife and a downward spiral into alcoholism.  Seven months sober, the former attorney is running from his demons and trying to start a new life on Gray's Island when he runs into Alice.  She strikes him as a kindred spirit, another lost soul trying to piece together the ruins of her life.  The two form a fast friendship that quickly hints at something more.  

When Jeremy finds himself in some legal trouble (that's an understatement!), Alice begs Colin to dust off the law books and represent Jeremy, which he agrees to.  What no one knows is that police officer Gary (Alice's brother-in-law!) is in cahoots with the mayor of Gray's Island, Owen White, who has a bone to pick with Alice now that she's back in town.  With those two pulling strings behind the scenes, Jeremy may not stand a chance against the charges filed. 

The title, Woman in Red, refers to a beautiful painting of Alice's grandmother, Eleanor, which was painted by Colin's grandfather, William years ago.  The painting resides in Colin's home, and that is what draws Alice to him at first.  There's been talk for years that Eleanor and William had an affair, but both have been dead for years and no one knows the truth - yet.  The story has flashbacks told from Eleanor's point of view in 1943, and for me, those were some of the best parts of the story.  Eleanor and Alice are remarkable, strong, resilient women, and I loved watching both their lives unfold after tragedy and unimaginable loss.

Woman in Red is an absolute delight; I give it 4.5 stars.  The characters are rich, the scenery is beautiful, and the mystery is intriguing. 

[Gayle Cappelluti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eileen Goudge is brilliant, an absolute craftswoman adept at interweaving stories and lives seamlessly while never once leaving the reader confused as to what's going on. She moves back and forth through time, giving just enough to keep her reader yearning for more. I LOVED this book!
Woman in Red refers to an incredible work of art, a painting done with the skill of a great old world master. The subject of the painting is Eleanor, the grandmother of Alice, the main protagonist of the story, a woman recently released after spending nine years in prison for plowing her car into the man who drove drunk and killed her young son. Both women, true survivors, truly unfortunate in matters of the heart are linked over time in many ways. Their stories are rich in tragedy, love, heartbreak, forgiveness, redemption, romance, secrets, family. It literally has everything you could hope for in a great novel.
I'm going to go find another book by this amazing author!

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I was a little concerned about the authors ability to fully explore every plot she had listed on the back of the book, it sounded like there was too much to do justice for in 350 pages. However, I was pleasantly surprised! The authors writing style made the book flow well. I feel like most of the main characters had depth and their stories felt well hashed out but predictable.

One BIG criticism I have is — did the one Black character have to be such a stereotype? Loud, brash, described as intimidating multiple times, the slang, the acrylics, the “DIVA” shirt. It felt like there was a disconnect and that the author was relying solely on clichés of Black women for Calpernia.

[Susan Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a very good story line, and the prose is descriptive and mysterious. The basis of the story is painting title "Lady in Red" painted by a reclusive painter on whom the story and the love of his life rest. The storyline covers several generations and the connection between them, sometimes obscure, will have the reader wondering how the story turns out. The description on the inn cover does not accurately describe the emotions of the story. Not what I thought it would be, but definitely worth reading. Quote from text: "The only way you can really lose someone is if you forget them."

Borrowed from the Berkley, Michigan Public Library.

[Maegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! When I started this book I had no idea how much I would love it. The story is so much more than a woman trying to reconnect with her son after being in prison for nine years. Family history that comes into play and the overall plot of the story had me hooked the entire way.
I'm sure there are some flaws in this book but at the moment I just finished it and I'm in tears. The ending was so simple and yet so sweet. January isn't even over and I already have one of my favorite books of the year.

[Heather Barta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Source: Libby text

Recommended by Tina at the library. I liked it more than I thought that I might have. I did sing “Lady in Red” every time I opened the book. I don’t understand why they didn’t make the cover art match the description of the painting. Hit some good topics that are important to talk about and described “small town” life VERY well. All the ways that everyone’s life intertwines… perfectly described. Fun connection at the end.

Learned that this author wrote on the Sweet Valley High series, so a reason to like her all the more!

[Annee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how I've missed reading this author, but I'm resolved to remedy that.
There is much I liked about Woman in Red. The setting is rich in detail and true to the Pacific NW islands where I have spent many days walking the island of the story. It's set before cell phones with a second thread woven in from the beginning of WWII. It's accurate in details of the times and location.
Although my TBR stack is high I can see myself picking this book up again.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent fast moving novel. Alice Kessler has spent 9 years in prison for the attempted murder of the drunk driver who ran over her young son. Now that she has been released and is trying to put her life back together she now has to battle the man who put her behind bars. Her remaining son is being railroaded by the same man as he is trying to force her out of town. This story spans 3 generations, of two families and how their lives are still connected.