Nur wenn du mich liebst

by Joy Fielding, Kristian Lutze

Vier junge Frauen, Nachbarinnen in einem Wohnvorort von Cincinnati, allesamt Mütter von etwa zweijährigen Kindern, lernen sich kennen und werden -- so unterschiedlich ihre soziale Stellung, ihre Lebensweise und nicht zuletzt ihre Männer auch sind -- zu unzertrennlichen Freundinnen. Alles scheint leicht, locker und fröhlich, und was auch passiert, sie werden immer zusammenhalten -- denken sie. Doch nach einigen unbeschwerten Jahren bricht das Schicksal mit einer Wucht in ihr Leben, der sie sich nicht entziehen können. Das Unheil beginnt, als die schüchterne Chris von ihrem unkontrolliert aufbrausenden, herrschsüchtigen Mann immer massiver gequält wird und sich die Freundinnen einmischen. Als dann Barbara, die ihre ganze Lebensenergie aus ihrem guten Aussehen zieht, von ihrem Mann wegen einer Jüngeren verlassen wird, drohen die Dinge zu eskalieren. Und dann geschieht das Eine der vier Frauen wird ermordet, in ihrem eigenen Schlafzimmer bestialisch aus dem Leben geprügelt. Die burschikose Anwältin Vicky nimmt sich vor, mit aller Kraft nach dem Täter zu suchen, koste es, was es wolle. Schon bald stößt sie auf eine unfassbare Spur... Der jüngste Roman der amerikanischen Erfolgsautorin Joy Fielding baut seine Spannung eher langsam auf, dafür aber unaufhaltsam -- während man sich auf den ersten hundert Seiten noch fragt, wann es denn jetzt endlich losgeht und ob dieses Buch wirklich ein Thriller sein soll, kann man es danach nicht mehr aus der Hand legen, so fesselnd entwickelt es sich. Der erzählerische Kniff, eine Ich-Erzählerin einzuführen, von der man als Leser nicht weiß, welche der vier Frauen da spricht, sorgt für einen zusätzlichen Dreh, der die Spannung noch erhöht. Ein souveräner Gesellschaftsthriller mit einem irritierend bösen Ende, der der ohnehin schon großen Schar der Fielding-Süchtigen mit Sicherheit noch einige neue Fans hinzufügen wird. --Christoph Nettersheim

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Chick Lit, Suspense, Romance, Drama

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Joy Fielding (née Tepperman; born March 18, 1945) is a Canadian novelist and actress. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, she graduated from the University of Toronto in 1966, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. As Joy Tepperman, she had a brief acting career, appearing in the film Winter Kept Us Warm (1965) and in an episode of Gunsmoke. She later changed her last name to Fielding (after Henry Fielding) and began writing novels.
Fielding is also the screenwriter of the television film Golden Will: The Silken Laumann Story.

At the age of 8, Joy Tepperman wrote her first story and sent it into a local magazine, and at age 12 sent in her first TV script, however both were rejected. She had a brief acting career, eventually giving it up to write full-time in 1972. She has published to date 22 novels, two of which were converted into film. Fielding's process of having an idea to the point the novel is finished generally takes a year, the writing itself taking four to eight months. Joy Fielding sets most of her novels in American cities such as Boston and Chicago. She has said that she prefers to set her novels in "big American cities, [as the] landscape seems best for [her] themes of urban alienation and loss of identity. Fielding is a Canadian citizen. Her husband's name is Warren, and they have two daughters, Annie and Shannon. They have property in Toronto, Ontario, as well as Palm Beach, Florida.

Fielding had an interview with the Vancouver Sun in 2007, just after her publication of Heartstopper. She enjoys catching readers off guard with the endings of her stories, but insists that "[it] isn't what her fiction is about", but rather more about the development of her characters. Discussing her novels with the Toronto Star in 2008, she said "I might not write fiction in the literary sense. But I write very well. My characters are good. My dialog is good. And my stories are really involving. I'm writing exactly the kind of books I like to write. And they're the kind of books I like to read. They're popular commercial fiction. That's what they are."

Fielding has been noted as a novelist who is more popular in the United States and foreign countries, rather than in her native Canada. For example, the novel Kiss Mommy Goodbye was more popular in the States, and See Jane Run in Germany. In addition, she had an American agent and publisher, although she has now switched to a Canadian publisher.

Reviews

[Leanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first Fielding book and I am hooked! What an incredible sociological study of everyday housewives, friends, mothers, daughters and career women. This story follows the lives of four friends over 23 years. Their lives are freckled with events of sexual harassment, domestic abuse, murder, and sexual discovery. All the while they try to maintain a brave face and keep the seams of motherhood and marriage tied close together. I was amazed by the insecurities that were conveyed by each woman's narration of the story. Truly riveting, I couldn't put it down!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me a little bit of Mary Higgins Clark, and in a good way! I really enjoyed reading this book, in fact I found it hard to put down. It contained all of the elements that I feel like really makes a book good - friendship, unique characters who aren't above all the normal "life" problems all of us have, a little bit of romance, murder, some violence...just a great, well-written book.

I like the ending, I felt like it was the perfect way to end all of the women's stories. However, the thing with Tracey creeped me out, big time! I don't want to give anything away, but that whole situation make me mad.

I like reading books about characters who are reflecting on times when they were young, strong, more confident, optimistic about the future, etc. It reminds me to enjoy all of these moments now, and to live fully, so that I'M not one of those people who look back and are sad that they didn't do more, or enjoy more, or stress less. It's a good lesson for all of us, no matter what our age!

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is an oldie but a I-can't-believe-I-never-read this treasure published in 2001. I know Joy Fielding, of course, from the Bridget Jones books, but I had never read her other work until this.

Grand Avenue is a friendship story, who doesn't love those? Four young women each with a two year old daughter meet in the park on Grand Avenue and become lifelong friends who called themselves "The Grand Dames". The aspect of this book I found so remarkable is the exquisite plotting which reaches out and grabs you and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the last page.

From the beginning the author tells you that over the course of 23 years two of the women will die, one "murdered in the cruelest of fashions", one friend will turn out not to be a true friend at all and in one of those innocent babies beats the heart of a monster. One woman is trapped in an abusive marriage, one is married to an older man as much as she's married to her career, one fights her baby fat body and confidence issues and moves from insecurity to accomplishment and one, a former beauty queen, fights the fact that every day she is moving further and further from her zenith in which she carried an armful of roses and a crown proudly on her head. They are complex characters each with flaws and talents trying their best in the world they had created for themselves driven by where they came from, what they brought to the table to end up where destiny tosses them. I just loved this book!

[Pauline · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't like it, yet was engrossed enough in the characters to make sure they were alright, LOL, so I had to finish the book.

[Gosia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't more surprised after reading any other book. when you actually start reading this, you just can't get over, and it's story to read in one night. those jumps in time are sometimes confusing, but it's good written, and oh my gosh - that twist in the end.. i mean, those twistes, they were more. i was thinking that there would be happy ending - thank you mrs Fielding for surprising me.

[Debbie Urso · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like how Fielding intertwined the lives of four very different women, but was upset with the prologue giving away huge details for the ending.

[Nina Draganova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Много подтискаща книга.

[Roxann Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started this book, it was super slow going....Im glad I stuck with it, definitely had my attention middle to end. I love reading Joy Fielding.....definitely reccomend.

[A.K. Frailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a story! Vivid descriptions and lots of action, written with excellent literary skills. For me though, it moved from a story about four women I could relate to, to a story of four women I had nothing in common with and pray I never become like. Though I have faced some challenges, never on their level, and I suppose that's what makes a powerful novel. It's not real life. At least, not my life.

The tragedies of life can be handled in so many ways, I look for stories that I can relate to but also emulate, even in the smallest, hope-filled way.

Not so with this one. I was glad to finish the book and get back to my real world.

[Heidi Schuschitz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eines der langweiligen Bücher, die ich je gelesen habe. Es passiert nichts und das , was passiert, steht in keinem Zusammenhang. Die Handlungsstränge sind zeitlich um Jahre versetzt und am Ende....welches dann doch überraschend ist....hätte man alles davor einfach weglassen können. Ich habe mich wirklich durch dieses Buch gequält und kann es nur weiterempfehlen, wenn man Schwierigkeiten hat, einzuschlafen, denn man möchte es einfach zur Seite legen und nicht darüber nachdenken

[Cdubbub · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the quintessential beach read. I haven't read a Joy Fielding book in about 30 years and it was nice to come back to her. Some twists you could see a mile away but some were truly surprising. All in all, I was intrigued from beginning to end.

[Ulla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erst ganz zum Ende wird die Geschichte zum Thriller, ist aber auch sonst durchaus spannend. Der überwiegende Teil des Buches handelt von den Beziehungen zwischen den Frauen, von ihren Eheproblemen, Problemen mit ihren Kindern, bei der Arbeit und von ihren Liebschaften. Im großen und ganzen finde ich das Buch nicht schlecht, jedoch hat es etwas zu viel expliziten Sex für meinen Geschmack.

[paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

ich habe selten ein buch gelesen, bei dem man sich so gut in die charaktere hineinversetzen konnte bzw bei dem die charaktere so lange und gut eingeführt und beschrieben wurden! kommt auf jeden fall in die liste meiner lieblingsbücher

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

joy Fielding always manages to pull a reader in - well written with a good twist

[Annette Nielsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

En barsk bog om venskab plus alt det grumme vi mennesker kan blive udsat for. Samt hvad er venskab og hvor langt vil kan man gå for at frelse en ven? Eller ikke gå?

[Mommcgee · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a SAGA! I was doubtful for a while but she really pulled it all together in the end. Full of great friendships and great love.

[June Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joy Fielding never disappoints. Unlike most authors who write numerous novels, Fielding never seems to miss the mark. Grand Avenue takes place mostly in the eighties, and the story certainly brought back memories of how things were back then. I thought this book deviated a little from Fielding's usual style, but the deviation did not take away from the enjoyment and pleasure the novel brought to me. The ending was a surprise in some ways, not so much in other ways. Highly recommended for fans of this genre.

[Shyla · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a whim from our "shared" book shelf in the break room at my work. I had never read Joy Fielding but had heard of her so figured I would give it a go thinking it would be a fun, easy chick lit kind of fast read about good friends. I like these kind of books every now and then. Hmmm, this is soooo not that book.

There was not one redeeming character in the whole story. Every character was tragically flawed and in ways that in no way made them romantic or sympathetic, more like pathetic.

Four women all living on the same block (Grand Ave, of course) who meet as young mothers of toddler girls and the ensuing years of their friendship. There are a few passages that make it bearable like the beginning when we meet the main characters and the scene is narrated from a future vantage point hinting at tragedy, Chris' struggles in her abusive marriage and the failed intervention the friends try to stage to save Chris. But those moments are few and far between. Instead we get a lot of complaining, and a lot of time getting to know these women who are in turn superficial, judgmental, weak and fake. There is some loyalty shown in the end but even the kids in the book are not likable.

Not a very good read for me, probably the worst all year actually.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always the quiet ones, people say.
4 women who live on Grand Avenue become friends when their children were little. They met in the park in that neighborhood. They had parties together, chatted about everything and just enjoyed each other's company. Their husbands got along with each other. But, everyone had a secret. Yes, they chatted about almost everything but one woman had a secret she wouldn't tell anybody. So, when one of the husbands thought the other 3 women knew about the secret, he moved his family away. There were 2-3 years that they didn't see their friend. And then one day, she rang her best friend's doorbell & told her story.
The secret was out. Someone gets killed. Who got killed and who did the killing? The ending was very suspenseful & I would've never suspected the person who did it and/or why.
This is one of Fielding's earlier books and it was very good. I still she is still word-y and the book could've been shorter.

[Sharon Joag · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Grand Avenue" by Joy Fielding was definitely not one of my favorite books. It took me weeks to get through it, which is very unlike my nature when it comes to Joy Fielding's works. Usually her stories are quite gripping and suspense-filled, but I was just annoyed and repulsed with Tony, one of the characters in the book, until almost 3/4 of the way through it.
Then, finally at the very end, the story started to get interesting, but it just fizzled out in the end, and I didn't quite like her ending. To me, it almost seemed as if Joy Fielding was not herself when she wrote this book.. or I dare say it may have been written by a ghost writer.
Any how, the story was okay, and it was generally a good book, but not one of my favorites.

[Henni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bag på denne bog er det er trykt: "advarsel! denne bog er umulig at lægge fra sig!"
De har ret - jeg læste den samme dag jeg købte den - kun afbrudt af en fodboldkamp, bogen var derved skyld i at jeg kun fik 4 timers søvn den nat, men det var det værd.

Det er en rigtig god bog om fire kvinder, og deres yderst forskellige liv, efter at de tilfælding mødes en dag og bliver veninder igennem de næste mange år.

Det er helt sikkert ikke den sidste bog jeg læser af Joy Fielding.

Genlæst 2018:
10 år senere og jeg har ikke fået læst flere bøger af Fielding, men en genlæsning afskrækker ikke, selvom den ikke er helt så fængende at jeg måtte læse den i et stræk denne gang.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book overall. It started out as a random meeting at the playground...4 women with 4 daughters close to the same age, all living on Grand Avenue. They bond and stick together through the years, through the good and the bad, and through the secrets they each have that come to light towards the end. One of them is horribly murdered, by someone you would not expect, and the result tears the friendship apart. Be forewarned, this book is also disturbing as it deals with domestic violence in a realistic light...it does not gloss over details so it can be a bit hard to read during some of those parts.

[LInda L · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a hard-core Joy Fielding fan and have loved her books. This one? Not so much. I tried to warm up to some of the characters, but just could not do it. Each of them had something that made me either angry, upset, or contemptuous (sp?). Chris was married to a monster, but continued to live with him and take everything he did without doing anything to stop him. Vicki was SO full of herself, so obnoxious. Barbara was an idiot who acted as if she was still in Middle school, and Susan was just an idiot. And their children were awful, but in different ways. It was the first Fielding book that I looked forward to the end -- not the ending, just the end.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Quoting the Goodreads review: "Going deep inside the minds and hearts of her utterly believable characters..." sad to say, the situations were not that believeable. The characters all suffered some devasting losses, but each loss was described clinically, for example, Barbara's divorce, Chris's disappearance, Vicki's affairs.

I like Joy Fieldings later novels, but this one disappointed me.

[Dorota · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant! Makes me want to read it in English, even though I already know the plot and its outcome. The twists and turns are anything but predictable. Definitely a nice read.

[Bev Sturgis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of four women who have been friends nearly all of their lives. Now in their middle years they're lives are not all that they had hoped for. Barbara's husband divorces her for a much younger woman, leaving her and their daughter Tracie behind. They have a very unhealthy codependent relationship. And Barbara spends most of her time plotting ways to get even with her ex and his new family.
Chris is married to an extremely abusive husband and finally escapes and goes into hiding for years, leaving her children behind with their dad. over the years, he discovers where she works and lives and so she is continuing changing jobs and apartments in an attempt to have a safe life.
Susan and Vicki are successful professions who struggle to find balance in their lives.
Then the unthinkable happens and Barbara is murdered in her own bedroom. It quickly becomes evident that it was Tracie that murdered her mother. After their husband and father left, Tracie slept with her mother every night. It becomes apparent that Tracie was the killer of her own mother. Her mother had been sexually abusing her for many years.
The book was written 20 years ago, and it seems dated in its attitude's. Grand Avenue is a place of status. And there is many "looking down the nose" comments in the book. The author describes many "lesser" people as poorly and cheaply dressed, fat and slovenly etc.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look, I don't know what to say except that this book took me by surprise and I loved every single second of reading it. It was recommended by a friend who promised it was great, and I'm thrilled to report that Jacquie? You weren't wrong. I loved the slow domestic burn of getting to know these 4 women, and still managed to be shocked by this book's denouement even after low-key spoiling myself when I flipped ahead to see how many pages and how many chapters I had left to go.

(I usually don't mind spoilers but I was so beyond bummed to have skimmed over Tracey accusing Barbara of molesting her AND to have skimmed that Barbara was the one who ended up murdered. That said, I did not spoil Tracey being a psycho who just made that up to justify killing her mother and that was OH SO WILD to discover in the last 20 pages.)

Even though I didn't actually stay up past my bedtime to finish it, this was the first book in a while that I considered doing that for. I will absolutely be reading more by Joy Fielding, and hope they're all as delicious to devour as this one was.

[Americagirl]

Vicki (advocate) & Jeremy Latimer (uitgever) : 2 kinderen Kirsten en Josh
Chris & Tony (partnergeweld) : 2 kinderen Wyatt en Rowdy
Susan (Studente & bediende) & Owen : 2 kinderen Ariel en Whitney
Barbara & Ron : 1 kind Tracey
Ron verlaat Barbara voor Pammy, een vrouw die zijn dochter kon zijn.

Vicki pleegt overspel en Jeremy komt hier op het einde van het boek achter.
Vicki vertegenwoordigt Tracey wanneer Barbara doodgeslagen wordt teruggevonden.
Ze wint de rechtzaak.

Chris wordt jarenlang misbruikt door haar partner . Op een gegeven moment zet hij haar aan de deuren ze vlucht naar Barbara. Ze verhuist daarna nog verschillende keren en begint uiteindelijk een nieuw leven met Donna. Een lang leven is haar echter niet gegund want ze sterft op jonge leeftijd aan borstkanker.

Susan is de doorsnee vrouw maar wordt seksueel benaderd door haar baas.
Als ze niet ingaat op zijn avances ontslaat hij haar. Vicki probeert een minnelijke schikking te krijgen en wint het proces. Susan gaat op zoek naar een andere job en zij en Owen proberen uit de relatiecrisis te komen.

[Franka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know, habe sehr gemischte Gefühle. Habe 300 Seiten an einem Tag gelesen, aber irgendwie war’s auch strange, der Mord, der angeteasert wird, geschieht erst auf Seite 360 von 480 und die Gerichtsverhandlung dazu passiert auf 30 Seiten. Plus alles, was vor dem Mord passiert, ist dann irgendwie irrelevant und wird nicht weiter verfolgt? Ich versteh ja, dass man das zur Verwirrung des/der Lesenden so konstruiert, aber die ganze Tony-Dramatik wird halt wirklich mit keinem Wort mehr erwähnt. Also irgendwie passen Anfang und Ende nicht so richtig zusammen und das Ende ist irgendwie auch zu schnell, der andere Todesfall, der am Anfang angedeutet wird, wird dann literally auf einer Seite besprochen und wirkt irgendwie leicht an den Haaren herbei gezogen, insgesamt etwas zu viele Plot Twists am Ende. Ansonsten sind die Charaktere gut geschrieben, Vicki gibt mir ganz starke Miranda vibes und es lässt sich einfach so runterlesen

[Victoria Wong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully written book which I agree to be an excellent beach/ airport read - mainly because of its ease and flow.

The book eloquently describes four young women and their children throughout the years detailing the happiness and hardships endured. The author was able to describe in realistic detail the themes of domestic abuse, vulnerable women and divorced families. While I related to the close mother daughter relationship - the ending was still a shocker to me. I can’t seem to get out of this trance of disbelief.

The ending also has a strong stench of reality (injustice/ greed/ inequality) which made me cry but swallow in contempt.

I gave this book a 3 because - while I enjoyed the twists and turns - the ending was always predictable. The beginning also gave the book away. It’s a gentle, smooth, page turning read, but never sent my heart racing and clawing to know more.