The Doctor's Wife

by Elizabeth Brundage

“The memory starts here, in my apron pocket, with the gun.”

So begins The Doctor’s Wife, a stunning debut novel about four people and the cataclysmic intersection of their lives. Michael is a rising OB/GYN at a prominent private practice in Albany, New York; he also moonlights at a local women’s health clinic. But Annie, his wife, has become tired of her workaholic husband’s absences, and the soccer-mom lifestyle has worn thin. She begins a passionate love affair with bad-boy, fading celebrity painter Simon Haas—an affair that quickly goes awry when Simon’s wife Lydia, who is also the model upon whom he built his career, discovers the truth. 

Abortion, local evangelism, marital disenchantment, and the rifts of social class:  Brundage takes on the fault lines of our era with a deft hand. 

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Book Club, Mystery, Suspense, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

ELIZABETH BRUNDAGE is the author of five novels including The Vanishing Point and All Things Cease to Appear which was a WSJ Best Mystery of 2016, a NY Times Editor's Choice, and the basis for the Netflix movie Things Heard and Seen. She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers Workshop, where she received a James Michener Award, and attended the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, Witness, New Letters, The Greensboro Review, and elsewhere. She has taught at Skidmore College, Bard's Simon's Rock College, Florida Atlantic University, Trinity College, the University of Hartford, and the Rochester Institute of Technology. She lives with her family in Albany, New York.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually find it funny that some people hated this book because they found the pro-life/anti-choice characters to be "too extreme" and took offense on the basis that "not all those who stand on the right of this issue are psychotic maniacs." Well, duh. Of course they aren't.

But this book isn't about the ones who aren't. And why not? Because run-of-the-mill ordinary pro-lifers don't make for very interesting fiction. (Neither, for that matter, do run-of-the-mill ordinary pro-choicers). They have ordinary beliefs and do ordinary things and are, by and large, ordinary people. In other words, they're BORING. They don't, for instance, plot the deaths of doctors who perform abortions or bomb clinics. Both of which, while controversial, make for excellent centers of conflict if you are say, an author wanting to write a novel.

This wasn't intended to be a piece of journalism in the New York Times or a documentary on the abortion debate. It's a work of FICTION. As such, it is art. The author has absolutely no obligation to present an unbiased view of the members of this or any other group. That some readers think she should is completely confounding. Give me a break. Have you not read fiction before?

The reviews of this book which offer this as a criticism are utterly baffling and exasperating. I wouldn't think that you'd need to be a writer to understand the basic elements of fiction, but simply an astute reader. I'm sure there are plenty of sensible criticisms that one could make of this book, which I, on the whole thoroughly enjoyed. But this isn't one of them. In fact, as I read over the reviews which offer this criticism all I can hear in the back of my head is a whiny little voice saying, "But the characters . . . they're nothing like me at all . . ." Ugh.

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a Thriller. I have to say this book was not a good thriller in my opinion. The beginning had me saying what is going on after the second part started because I was wondering what is going on. It never told us we are going back in time, and it took me a while to figure out that is what me did. I guessed all the twisted and I did not think they where great. The ending was just ok.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know that this is just my opinion, and others are free to disagree, but I found this book nothing but trash. I found it to be very pro-choice and liberal, with Republicans potrayed as rude, ridiculous, religious bigots, and pro-life people potrayed as crazy and violent. The entire book is simply distateful; while the writing is well done, it is clear this author has an agenda (pro-choice), and the plot itself serves only to reiterate this purpose. To quote another reviewer, tough customer, from Amazon, "the doctor here works for a Catholic hospital and performs abortions on the weekends at a clinic. He's "noble" and the whole Catholic hospital community is wrong....so the author would make it seem. Maybe if a doctor feels OK about doing abortions he shouldn't work at a Catholic hospital, but then Brundage would have no book to write. ALL the pro-life characters are amoral, psychotics and because of that all the pro-choice characters need not believe God existst." This is completely accurate. I think this a very disturbing plot, and I found no character to be simpathetic. Lydia appears pretty unrealistic - just a complete nutcase, her husband is a sleeze ball, Annie is a snot, and the doctor himself, well, there's just not to be to said for him one way or other (in truth, he does't seem to matter much in this book, only to move the plot along, basically). If I could give this book less stars, I would. Maybe it warrants a half star for decent writing, however even if you agree with the blatent politics (which are outrighly offensive to probably half the population, that is, anyone anywhere right of pro-choice and liberalism) displayed in this book, the story itself is deeply disturbing with nothing redeeming whatsoever. I cannot reccommend this book to anyone.

[Rsupergirl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Early on I found myself not caring about what happened to the characters. They weren't just deeply flawed, they were unlikable, every single one. I kept reading to see if any life lesson was going to turn even one into a better, likable person, or if something were to be revealed about a character which would mitigate their unlikability. Didn't happen. The ending was underwhelming and unsatisfactory. Don't bother.

[Amy Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a page turner. I enjoyed it. It was a cross between a love story and thriller/suspense story. It was a different kind of read for me and definitely brought me out of the serious dramas that I have been reading as of late. Well written for a debut novelist. I will certainly read the next one.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the reviews posted here I was worried that I was not going to like this book. So many people gave one or two stars, and didn't have much good to say about it.

Needless to say, I loved it. I thought it was fantastic and did not want to put it down. I was sad when it was over and really felt a connection to all of the characters.

I will be sure to look for more books from this author in the future.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contrary to what others may think, I thought this was a wonderfully written and suspenseful book. It really is hard to believe that this is Brundage's debut novel as it written like one of an experienced author. Thankfully I didn't read any of the reviews on here or I may not have read it as I think they are very misleading. It seems like a lot of the people on here took it way too seriously. I can understand how some may feel that Brundage was trying to insult the conservative way of thinking, but I really do not believe it was her intention to insult or undermine anybody's beliefs. Like others have mentioned, it is a work of fiction, and any decent fiction piece is going to have some extreme circumstances. Also, I found it very strange that so many people said that they didn't get attached to any of the characters. Though all four of the main characters have major flaws and make big mistakes, I found myself getting emotionally attached to all of them at certain points during the book. I can't help but naturally want people to pull through the hard times and fix all of their problems. I recommend this to anyone who is open-minded and enjoys a suspenseful read.

[Stacy K B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The basis of the book could be one of 'controversy' but, regardless of the pro/anti abortion theme, this book picks up as quick thriller. Just about half way through I become addicted to the characters and did not want to stop reading.
The way the story was written you get to know the characters, as their backgrounds intertwine with their current lives.

Michael and Annie, and their two children; Annie is a bored housewife, who adores her children and her husband, Michael, is a popular Ob/Gyn who reconnects with an old lover and goes to work in an abortion clinic. Their lives become hectic and filled with fear as Michael becomes the center of harassment for his work at the clinic.
Simon and Lydia; Simon an artist/professor, working at the same college as Annie and his wife, Lydia, the "younger" wife, once the object of Simon’s desire, is emotionally unstable (to describe at best).
This book was very well written, complete and thrilling.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has the sentence "She parks in the frozen grass and gets out and walks up to the house with her throat feeling tight and a weight in her chest like a dead squirrel." I'm sorry; I can't get past that. WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book began much better than it ended. From the first few pages I was hooked because it sounded like it was going to be a really good thriller with some kind of amazing plot.

How wrong I was. How very wrong.

The 4 main characters - Michael and Annie Knowles and Simon and Lydia Haas - are all, for the most part, cardboard and unlikable. I never felt as if I should be rooting for any of these characters. Michael is an OB/GYN who moonlights at a local abortion clinic. (This never made sense to me. Why in the world would an OB doctor also perform abortions? That just seemed very conflicting to me.) His wife, Annie, is an alleged "feminist" and a journalism professor at a women's college. Simon is a sleazy, emo painter who also teachers at the women's college. And Lydia is the much younger wife of Simon the painter who's mentally a few fries short of a Happy Meal and a right-wing, conservative nut.

Annie is the typical not-happily-married-but-appears-happily-married-until-sleazy-man-hits-on-her-and-makes-her-feel-alive-again wife. Michael is a workaholic, and she rarely sees him and neither do their kids. So it only makes sense that she would have a secret love affair with Simon because he's an honorable man, and he brings out the best in her. After all, he KNOWS her. But only in the sense that he's explored every inch of her body in the confines of a drab motel room. I also had a hard time buying into this relationship because if Annie was such a hardcore feminist, it seemed to me that she wouldn't give herself to some man to be used for his animalistic fantasies. I thought feminists had more dignity than that.

Another glaring absurdity in this book was the stereotypical ways the author portrayed those who are of the pro-life persuasion. Because we all know that everyone who is opposed to abortion is a radical freak who leaves bloody dolls in mailboxes, leaves bombs in abortion clinics, and claims they're doing it all in the name of Jesus. Sure there are some people out there like that, but let's not use the same brush to paint everyone.

This was one of those books that I honestly didn't really want to finish. Maybe I shouldn't have, but once I start a book I finish it. That's just what I do. This book was just very 2-dimensional and too full of the author's agenda. Oh, and the ending was lame.

[Houry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow what a bunch of self centered, self absorbed, insincere, morally bankrupt group of characters. Not one of them had any redeeming qualities about them. Where to start?
The doctor: When presented with a proposition to work in the clinic, he makes the decision without consulting his wife about the hours he will be gone, the obvious risks he is putting himself and his family in, and whether she has any input, because he has memories of the sex he had with the doctor who asks for the favor. Nice!
The doctors wife: Presented to us as an educated, well bred woman with the finer things in life, she views disturbing paintings that the artists created of an obviously young girl in situations that make her stomach turn, it disgusts her so OF COURSE she has an affair with him. What?
The artist: Do I need to say it? He is the most self indulgent and narcissistic of them all. He's a pig and proud of it. He takes care of his child bride who he feels responsible for but mistreats her at the same time. Charmed.
The artists wife: What a nut!
Reverend Tim: Manipulative, hateful, unkind, and just disturbing.

Put them all together in a small conservative town that has a vigilante group out to do Gods work and you have one hot mess. It should have created sympathy for most, if not all the characters, but left me feeling like I was reading a bad script for a made-for-TV movie.

[Dana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish the book. I read it once a long time ago and I remember it taking me a while to weigh through but this time around, I just couldn't do it. The characters are flat. None of them have any moral likability about them which would be okay if there was a reason for it. Instead, there isn't one. The bad guys are bad because they're religious and the good guys (Although I really hesitate to call them that because they seem like equally horrible human beings) are good because they are the victims. As for the plot? It's meant to be juicy and decadent but I feel as if the author tried to hard. Brundage went for a dark seeded topic and placed it in her story because she wanted to be edgy but instead, it came off as dull and kind of irritated.

I would suggest skipping this one if you're looking for a thriller or a page turner.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I pulled this book off the library shelf because on the first page the main character was swearing up a storm. I mean, how often do you get to hear that? Especially followed by "I wanted him to be buried deep in the ground where no one would ever look... when I consider my unrelenting devotion to Jesus, I have to say that I am sorely disappointed." This scene is actually almost the last scene in the book and it took me a few pages from this intense beginning to get into the story. After that, the characters' intertwining lives get closer and closer until they kept me up well after 1:00 in the morning the night before my new job started.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasn't sure if I was going to like it at first because of the way it went back and forth in different scenes, past to present, etc. However, I did enjoy it very much and found it hard to put down once I continued reading. Although each of the characters had their own skeletons in the closet, so to speak, I felt empathy for each and every one of them, understanding what led them to their actions. At first I was thinking it would have been nice to find out who's baby Annie was pregnant with. But, since the book was regarding the contraversy of pro life, as Michael said "Does it Matter?"

I found this overall to be an excellent read for her first novel.

[Cortney - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Doctor's Wife wasn't the book I thought it was going to be... I think I was expecting more suspense, especially based the first line of the book "The memory starts here, in my apron pocket, with the gun."

The four main characters were all deeply flawed, with no real redeeming qualities. Their story was told from different perspectives, all with different takes on the same interactions. I guess that's how real life is, but it left me confused about who was really the "bad guy."

This was the type of book that I kept thinking about if I wasn't reading, but I didn't love it. Solid 3 stars.

[Amy Rhoda Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book out of a box on someone's front yard because it looked interesting. Before I started it, I thought I'd checked out the reviews here to see if it was any good. I saw that the rating was pretty low, but on closer inspection that seemed like it was because of bad ratings from angry pro-lifers.

It turns out that this is not a great book, pro-lifers or no.

First, the good. I liked the premise and the characters were intriguing. The plot was sound (although it lagged in the middle).

The good was outweighed by the bad writing, though. The author overreaches, trying to be clever and missing: "Summoned by her small, indifferent back" makes the reader wonder how a back can be indifferent. "Celina's skimpy bras like slithery vertebrate animals" — what?

At other times it just doesn't make sense: "'You'll get used to it', she answered in broken Russian." Probably meaning "in a Russian accent", but the copyeditor didn't catch it. At a party, a character gets "more agitated by the minute" in a conversation that would only take a few seconds. Children are spoken to and then five lines later have disappeared for no reason, only to be called back into view for dinner.

It's off-putting to be dragged out of the narrative every few pages to try and picture something which doesn't make sense or decipher a weird metaphor.

The characters were unevenly drawn, as well. Most of the characters are terrible people, which is fine, but the letcherous art professor blushes and stammers. His unstable wife is sometimes naive, sometimes manipulative, sometimes clever. Yes, people can be complicated, but none of these discrepancies are explored or explained. Actually that's probably the most disappointing thing: the characters are sketched to be so rich and interesting, but they are not filled in.

Oh, and a character is locked up at the ankles with those cheap chain-and-plastic bike locks with the four-number cylinder locks, but his hands are free and he's left alone for hours at a time. How long would it take to crack one of those? Like twenty minutes? WHERE IS THE COPYEDITOR?

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read books about couples with commitment issues before. Their relationship is lacking, the wife finds someone more intriguing, the husband finds out, there's some other drama thrown into it, the end. But this book is so far off from that.

There isn't a lot of information given in the first part of the book, but it certainly drew me in right away. Actually, the entire book was like that for me: I loved every part of it because it was all so interesting to me. I loved that the author went back to explain each character's past. I especially loved hearing about Simon and Lydia's; both of their stories, especially when combined, were heartbreaking. On one hand you feel bad that they're trapped in this relationship together, but on the other, you're screaming at them to leave (which explains why Simon ends up having an affair with Annie). I think Lydia's history was the most fascinating to me because over time, it started to explain why she turned out the way she was. I understood why she turned to religion to save her, and how she had always been a broken sort of character that latched on to anything that could help her, despite what the repercussions might be.

Annie and Michael's relationship is a bit more cliche. Michael is a doctor who is never home because he cares more about his work, which leaves Annie feeling lonely. I'm bored with that story, so I think I clung to Lydia/Simon's parts more. Thankfully there was so much more going on throughout the book that it wasn't sodden down by the depression of their marriage.

I'm trying not to give away too many spoilers, and I don't know exactly what to say about this book because I'm still in awe of it. Everything pieced together over time, and while I do wish there would have been a more drawn out ending, I absolutely loved it.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really like this novel a whole lot; I kept thinking quitting but unfortunately I'm obsessive and have to finish all the books I start. Mostly, the characters annoyed me - Annie is supposed to be a feminist and journalist, but she too readily plays the role of neglected housewife. Simon is simply selfish, in every possible way; even his care of Lydia is done for selfish reasons (fear and guilt) rather than out of love or even a sense of duty. Michael is a pushover who lets his career run wild over his life, but he finds something he believes in and dedicates himself doing it, hurting his family in the process. Michael was the only character I liked; maybe because he never wanted to hurt the people he loved, it was just a side-effect of him trying to do some good.

As for the abortion aspect, I didn't like to see things turn so violent without anyone ever coming to their senses, but I can appreciate that part of the story line simply because it had happened. I kept hoping that maybe Annie would do something like write an article exposing the situation, or someone would make the point that just because you disagree with what someone does, does not make it okay to hunt them and their family down! But I guess that never happens in real life. I liked the ending for Annie and Michael, though I wish that we got to see what happened to Reverend Tim.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once i started reading this book i could not put it down. It has everything: murder, suspense, romance. There are 4 main characters that are connected to each other by a very controversial subject. I found the book disturbing at times but most certainly would recommend it. I would like to read another book by this author.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure why there's hasn't been more buzz about this book. Brundage's Lydia Haas could give "Amazing Amy" a run for her money (And if you don't know who "Amazing Amy" is, I can't help you!) Fantastic book with great character development. Definite book-to-big screen potential Would read more by her.

[Jeanette]

I'm making this a DNF after reading about 1/2. It's a first book and does it read like one. Some of the phrasing is actually laughable. When it really is supposed to be quite the opposite.

I did like her other books that I've read. This one is violent, depressing and filled with characters that are rather moaning despicable. And trashy low life always blaming someone else. Others feel differently? It's also, frankly rather offensive in parts too.

There are all kinds of voids where you need to guess and guess again. The entire doesn't make sense and is no solution for a human regardless. And Annie is supposed to be a feminist? She's the opposite and plays the dependent neglected housewife card. UGH!

Onward and upwards. Easily. So glad she got better because I'd be stretched to giving this a 2.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read some reviews about this book that made me hesitant to start it. but i did anyway and i absolutely loved it. i liked the fact that it pushes the limit on humanity, morale, religion, and standing up for what you believe in. this book is about an OB/GYN who volunteers at an abortion clinic to help a friend. he knows there will be pro-life activists but he has no idea that theft, guns, bombs, affairs, kidnapping, drugs, sex, lies, and murder would all be entailed. dr. knowles tries to stand up for his beliefs while keeping his family safe and his marriage intact which proves harder than he thought. overall a very real and chilling read that you won't want to put down.

[Joan · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first few pages caught my interest. However, it became extremely predictable right away. There was no character/relationship development and they were all unlikeable. It seemed as though the writer got to a certain point and then started adding things to the story as she wrote it just to make it longer. It dragged so I ended up speed reading just to get to the end (much like what the writer seemed she was doing...speed writing toward the end just to get it over with).

[Inspired Bookster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this years ago and was fascinated by the story.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second of Elizabeth Brundage's psychological suspense novels that I've read -- the other was A Stranger Like You, about which I made some notes here back in February last year -- and if anything I like it the better of the two.

In Albany, upstate New York, Michael is pursuing an ascendant career as an OB/GYN and his journalist wife Annie has an academic appointment teaching writing; they have two young children. Also on Annie's campus is artist Simon Haas, whose days of generating social outrage and huge prices are long behind him; Simon's wife Lydia, his muse from supposedly far too young an age, is dealing with issues by finding Jesus and getting involved with a violent religious pro-choice group led by a quietly psychopathic cleric whom everyone assumes is an angel.

Since Michael has, as a favor to Celina James, his lover long before he met Annie and still someone important to him, taken on a clandestine part-time post performing abortions for mainly deprived and incompetent teenage mothers, it's clear his path and Lydia's are likely to collide violently at some point, and indeed the opening section of the novel sees Lydia arrange for him to be viciously beaten before abducting him to a remote cottage, where she incarcerates him Misery-style. What has really kindled her ire, though, is that Annie and Simon -- who's not nearly the wild licentious reprobate the world believes him to be -- have started an affair.

Who, by book's end, will be left standing of this vicious rectangle?

I see that I noted in my scrappy comments on A Stranger Like You an irritating clumsiness in Brundage's handling of those passages of the book told in the present tense, and the same is true here; but it's a minor concern. Perhaps, had I thought about it, a more significant oddity is that the most interesting and sympathetic figure for me in the tale is the support character Celina James; but I didn't much think about it, instead just enjoying her scenes. I enjoyed, too, the treatment of the pro-choice and anti-choice viewpoints, and the way that Brundage declined to give the latter the free pass, on science and logic as well as ethics, that its proponents so often militantly demand.

Leaving any such issues aside, I found The Doctor's Wife a white-knuckle ride, just as advertised on the cover; the fact that it gave me some food for thought too was a gratefully received bonus.

[Jehnya Footitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oooh my, how I missed reading this genre!! This book was enraging at times, yet enthralling. The plot felt so timely, even though it was written nearly 20 years ago. Annie was the most infuriating character, honestly. I couldn't stand her constantly justifying her time with Simon. Honey, your husband is out there saving lives. Learn to communicate. Also, I think Simon is a despicable human!

I have never read a book with women's healthcare/abortion as a central theme, but I think for the most part, Brundage approached the topic very well. Oh, the irony of the pro-life group doing what they do...

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hm... What do I think?

To be honest, I'm not too sure how I'm supposed to feel about the four main characters by the end of the book.

I didn't like Simon Haas from the beginning, and I'm a little concerned that he is supposed to be redeemed by the end, at least somewhat. The characters flip-flop constantly over whether or not they are guilty of being, for the lack of a better term, bad people. Flawed is human, but the question of whether or not they deserve punishment for their actions keeps coming up; I'm just not sure where they all stand in the end.

I'm also not sure what compelled me to continue the book apart from the fact that I dislike not finishing books in general. I really don't understand how the book is a psychological thriller when the suspense takes a backseat to marital drama. Of course things are rocky when Annie and Simon have an affair (not a spoiler - it's in the blurb), and the fact that Annie was so infatuated with Simon despite having heard of his violent, sexually sadistic tendencies toward his childlike wife is utterly gross.

At the risk of making this review totally negative, I will make one more comment about the writing style - purple prose. That is all.

As for the parts I did like? Celina James! Celina James! CELINA JAMES! The only one who speaks any truth around here, calling you out on your bullshit while offering you the soundest advice you need.

The issue of abortion goes hand-in-hand with sexual abuse in this book, and these are the conversations where the story is actually illuminating. Lydia and Simon are both scarred by abuse, which certainly makes their relationship doomed but, ironically, possibly inevitable. Of course, that by no means excuses anyone for their actions, but I can see how the characters were meant to be fleshed out.

Overall, I would't recommend this one, mostly because I think there are far, far more books to spend the time on. I've had this one on my shelf for years, and I finally made myself sit through it. Unfortunately - or not - it has finally showed me that I don't need to do such a thing, and that I can, in fact, pass on the books in my shelf, even if I intended to read them years ago. It's just not worth the time.

[Kathleen Valentine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Doctor's Wife is a complex and beautifully-written novel that deals with some tough subject matter. I've read a lot of reviews that complained about the story as having an "agenda" which is unfortunate because it deals quite graphically with a painful reality in our society - violence in the name of righteousness. Specifically violence against women's health clinics where abortions are performed.

The four main characters in the story are complex and interesting people although I have to say the only one I genuinely liked and felt sympathy for was Michael, the doctor who was also an abortionist. Annie, his wife, started out sympathetic but I had a hard time caring about her once we find out how self-centered she is. She approves of her husband's choice to work in the clinic until the harassment begins but her way of dealing with it is to have an affair? That was certainly believable but I lost sympathy for her.

Simon, the artist and Annie's lover, is a self-centered jerk. He wasn't always. His rescue of Lydia, his much younger wife, was not entirely selfless but, none the less, I appreciated him for it. Lydia, his wife and the model for the paintings that made him famous, is a very, very damaged person. She's also completely nuts.

Elizabeth Brundage writes well and weaves a complex tale. More than anything I was impressed by the way she wrote about the issues surrounding a woman's right to choose. She did not take a position one way or the other but painted a picture that is all too believable -- a group of zealots who are willing to use violence and intimidation in the name of religion. Regardless of what your opinion about abortion is you need only read newspapers to know that Brundage's story is truthful and all too believable.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not care for this book. it was a relatively easy read, but Im afraid I may have not read it carefully towards the end. I have a few unanswered questions, but there's a chance I just blew over them. Was her article ever published? What happened to her baby? Why didn't Lydia see Simons car at the house when she arrived? Who stuffed their dog? Did the minister ever get his cat back? How did they find a new house and move when they were at the hospital all week? Where were they moving to and would he go back to work at the Catholic hospital or the clinic?

The characters would give any feminist a headache. The females, while different, shared an irrational longing men to complete them. The women are not properly tamed, so they run wild, messing everything up, trying to fix their problems by using men. There is a fair amount of liberal and conservative stereotyping as well. But those stereotypes seemed relevant to the story line.

I would love a response to this, especially if you can answer the questions. thanks!

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the premise of this book. In the wake of Dr. Tiller's murder, it is important to remember that abortion providers all over the country are putting themselves at risk. But the abortion issue was just one aspect of this amazingly complex portrayal of two married couples and the community they live in.

This book was very suspenseful but as much as I wanted to stay up late reading it, it was also so disturbing and the images so vivid, that I found myself needing to take breaks from the story. The ending did not disappoint and I found myself rereading the prologue to try to piece together the elements of the story. I look forward to reading more from this author.