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A Good Marriage
12 hours, 57 minutes
Big Little Lies meets Presumed Innocent in this riveting novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia, in which a woman’s brutal murder reveals the perilous compromises some couples make—and the secrets they keep—in order to stay together.
Lizzie Kitsakis is working late when she gets the call. Grueling hours are standard at elite law firms like Young & Crane, but they’d be easier to swallow if Lizzie was there voluntarily. Until recently, she’d been a happily underpaid federal prosecutor. That job and her brilliant, devoted husband Sam—she had everything she’d ever wanted. And then, suddenly, it all fell apart.
No. That’s a lie. It wasn’t sudden, was it? Long ago the cracks in Lizzie’s marriage had started to show. She was just good at averting her eyes.
The last thing Lizzie needs right now is a call from an inmate at Rikers asking for help—even if Zach Grayson is an old friend. But Zach is desperate: his wife, Amanda, has been found dead at the bottom of the stairs in their Brooklyn brownstone. And Zach’s the primary suspect.
As Lizzie is drawn into the dark heart of idyllic Park Slope, she learns that Zach and Amanda weren’t what they seemed—and that their friends, a close-knit group of fellow parents at the exclusive Brooklyn Country Day school, might be protecting troubling secrets of their own. In the end, she’s left wondering not only whether her own marriage can be saved, but what it means to have a good marriage in the first place.
Big Little Lies meets Presumed Innocent in this riveting novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia, in which a woman’s brutal murder reveals the perilous compromises some couples make—and the secrets they keep—in order to stay together.
Lizzie Kitsakis is working late when she gets the call. Grueling hours are standard at elite law firms like Young & Crane, but they’d be easier to swallow if Lizzie was there voluntarily. Until recently, she’d been a happily underpaid federal prosecutor. That job and her brilliant, devoted husband Sam—she had everything she’d ever wanted. And then, suddenly, it all fell apart.
No. That’s a lie. It wasn’t sudden, was it? Long ago the cracks in Lizzie’s marriage had started to show. She was just good at averting her eyes.
The last thing Lizzie needs right now is a call from an inmate at Rikers asking for help—even if Zach Grayson is an old friend. But Zach is desperate: his wife, Amanda, has been found dead at the bottom of the stairs in their Brooklyn brownstone. And Zach’s the primary suspect.
As Lizzie is drawn into the dark heart of idyllic Park Slope, she learns that Zach and Amanda weren’t what they seemed—and that their friends, a close-knit group of fellow parents at the exclusive Brooklyn Country Day school, might be protecting troubling secrets of their own. In the end, she’s left wondering not only whether her own marriage can be saved, but what it means to have a good marriage in the first place.
Audiobook
First published May 5, 2020
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About the author
Kimberly McCreight
20 books4,750 followersKimberly McCreight is the New York Times bestselling author of eight novels including RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA, A GOOD MARRIAGE and LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER. SOMEONE ELSE'S HUSBAND is forthcoming from Knopf June 16, 2026. She has been nominated for the Edgar, Anthony and Alex awards and her books have been translated into more than twenty languages and optioned for film and television. She attended Vassar College and graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She lives in Brooklyn. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook and at kimberlymccreight.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,206 reviews
July 15, 2025
This is impressive, slow-burn, murder mystery/legal thriller hooks you up by the author’s creative writing skills, and you start to read each party’s backstories and welcome them like they’re one of your friends or family acquaintances. The twisty final revelations and cliffhangers grip you from your throat, and as your heart rating hits the roof, you just flip the pages nonstop, tsking, changing your guesses several times to find who is the murderer. The author keeps on killing your spidey senses. (By the way, I guessed the killer right, but it was my third guess. I popped up three fish oil pills to have a brighter mind during my read, but as you may see, it didn’t work so well.)
As a result: This is one of my best reads, and I’m hitting my forehead several times for being a first-timer reader of this brilliant author’s works.
This book made me rethink about my priorities during my grading of the books. I normally hate too many characters because you overload extreme information on your head: the characters’ attributes, their own backstories including families, flaws, traumas, dramas, and close circle, which makes you turn back a few pages to remember those details because they might give you important clues to solve the mystery. Sometimes each detail in the book may represent crucial facts about the big revelation parts.
This book has so many characters, but the good thing is both of them are truly well-developed, layered, and you may see them objectively without judging or annoying their flaws and mistakes. As a matter of fact, none of them are despicable or too unlikable to give you an urge to punch them. (This is a brilliant thing for me because I don’t like gritting my teeth when a character appears on the page and fantasizing 100 ways of getting rid of him/her because it cuts my attention and I cannot fully concentrate on the story.)
I summarize the plot for you: Lizzie Kitsakis is already overwhelmed by her grueling working hours at her elite law firm Young& Crane, thanks to her husband suffering from alcoholism and insisting on chasing his dreams to be a successful writer ( he lost it after being sacked from the New York Times and several other important gigs because of too much connection with tempting liquids, and let’s not forget he crashed into a historic pub with his car and damaged the place!). Her marriage is about to end. She sees it coming. She has already too much on her plate, and a phone call from prison at the evening makes things more complicated. Because the caller is Zach Grayson, a close friend from her college days, he needs her help to prove his innocence. He is a murder suspect! His wife, Amanda, has been found dead at the bottom of the stairs of their Park Slope apartment.
As soon as Lizzie reluctantly takes the case, she finds herself digging into the dark world of Park Slope neighborhood, a cyberbullying scandal at Grace Hall private school, lies, and secret parties. When she finds out more about the close-knit group’s marriage dynamics, she is forced to face her own dysfunctional marriage problems.
Overall: Even though there are too many characters and the beginning is a little slow for my own reading pace, I loved the character development and unique criticizing and realistic portraits of marriages. I’m giving my 4 shiny, mysterious, gripping stars. This is one of my winners of the year!
As a result: This is one of my best reads, and I’m hitting my forehead several times for being a first-timer reader of this brilliant author’s works.
This book made me rethink about my priorities during my grading of the books. I normally hate too many characters because you overload extreme information on your head: the characters’ attributes, their own backstories including families, flaws, traumas, dramas, and close circle, which makes you turn back a few pages to remember those details because they might give you important clues to solve the mystery. Sometimes each detail in the book may represent crucial facts about the big revelation parts.
This book has so many characters, but the good thing is both of them are truly well-developed, layered, and you may see them objectively without judging or annoying their flaws and mistakes. As a matter of fact, none of them are despicable or too unlikable to give you an urge to punch them. (This is a brilliant thing for me because I don’t like gritting my teeth when a character appears on the page and fantasizing 100 ways of getting rid of him/her because it cuts my attention and I cannot fully concentrate on the story.)
I summarize the plot for you: Lizzie Kitsakis is already overwhelmed by her grueling working hours at her elite law firm Young& Crane, thanks to her husband suffering from alcoholism and insisting on chasing his dreams to be a successful writer ( he lost it after being sacked from the New York Times and several other important gigs because of too much connection with tempting liquids, and let’s not forget he crashed into a historic pub with his car and damaged the place!). Her marriage is about to end. She sees it coming. She has already too much on her plate, and a phone call from prison at the evening makes things more complicated. Because the caller is Zach Grayson, a close friend from her college days, he needs her help to prove his innocence. He is a murder suspect! His wife, Amanda, has been found dead at the bottom of the stairs of their Park Slope apartment.
As soon as Lizzie reluctantly takes the case, she finds herself digging into the dark world of Park Slope neighborhood, a cyberbullying scandal at Grace Hall private school, lies, and secret parties. When she finds out more about the close-knit group’s marriage dynamics, she is forced to face her own dysfunctional marriage problems.
Overall: Even though there are too many characters and the beginning is a little slow for my own reading pace, I loved the character development and unique criticizing and realistic portraits of marriages. I’m giving my 4 shiny, mysterious, gripping stars. This is one of my winners of the year!
May 5, 2020
BOTM Pick May 2020
As someone who thoroughly enjoyed Kimberly McCreight's previous novels, I was dying to get my hands on her upcoming release, A Good Marriage, even though I've become a bit jaded when it comes to domestic suspense. The gamble paid off, as the author has woven quite the web of deceit and inserted many twists and turns with her particular brand of sleight of hand. Please don't let the 400 page count turn you off from picking this one up; while I did feel a few things could have been edited out, overall this is a fast paced read that doesn't save all the AHA! moments for the climax. In short, if you're looking for a suspense novel with substance and depth, and are hoping to stave off the self-isolation boredom, I can't imagine a better way to do so than with A Good Marriage.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
As someone who thoroughly enjoyed Kimberly McCreight's previous novels, I was dying to get my hands on her upcoming release, A Good Marriage, even though I've become a bit jaded when it comes to domestic suspense. The gamble paid off, as the author has woven quite the web of deceit and inserted many twists and turns with her particular brand of sleight of hand. Please don't let the 400 page count turn you off from picking this one up; while I did feel a few things could have been edited out, overall this is a fast paced read that doesn't save all the AHA! moments for the climax. In short, if you're looking for a suspense novel with substance and depth, and are hoping to stave off the self-isolation boredom, I can't imagine a better way to do so than with A Good Marriage.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
May 23, 2020
“A good marriage is the one that survives.”
Secrets, lies, and obsession lead to murder in A Good Marriage. This is one twisted tale of deceit!
Four couples whose seemingly perfect marriages are slowly imploding. All are keeping secrets, and the cracks are starting to show. Some are bigger than others, but all are hidden behind well-crafted lies. Their lies slowly unravel, as do their marriages, leading to shocking revelations, and, ultimately, to murder.
The narrative focuses primarily on Lizzie, a lawyer who is about to defend her old law school friend, Zach, for the murder of his wife, Amanda. Lizzie is not only dealing with defending Zach, but also with her own marriage, which is hanging on by a thread.
Amanda, the dead wife of Zach, was running from her dark past, but it seems like her past has caught up with her. When she is found murdered at the bottom of her stairs, her husband is the number one suspect in her murder.
Told through the eyes of Lizzie and Amanda (before her murder), both of their secrets are gradually revealed. Neither one of their stories quite adds up until the truth is finally exposed!
It took me a little while to get into this book. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and I found the beginning to be a little slow. However, there’s a certain moment that caught my attention (I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I will keep the specifics to myself), and after that moment, I was hooked!
The characters were interesting and the holes in their stories made this even more interesting to read. I liked both Lizzie and Amanda. Then there was Zach. Zach’s character was a first-class a**hole. I wanted to run him over with my car!
The ending felt a little unbelievable in just how the four couples were linked, but it made for good reading! I still have a few unanswered questions, but I am going to let them go. At the same time, I really enjoyed seeing how things played out. Some elements took me by surprise, and I loved the final scene between Lizzie and Zach!
Overall, this is a page-turning, dark psychological thriller that kept me entertained and shut down my overly critical brain!
Secrets, lies, and obsession lead to murder in A Good Marriage. This is one twisted tale of deceit!
Four couples whose seemingly perfect marriages are slowly imploding. All are keeping secrets, and the cracks are starting to show. Some are bigger than others, but all are hidden behind well-crafted lies. Their lies slowly unravel, as do their marriages, leading to shocking revelations, and, ultimately, to murder.
The narrative focuses primarily on Lizzie, a lawyer who is about to defend her old law school friend, Zach, for the murder of his wife, Amanda. Lizzie is not only dealing with defending Zach, but also with her own marriage, which is hanging on by a thread.
Amanda, the dead wife of Zach, was running from her dark past, but it seems like her past has caught up with her. When she is found murdered at the bottom of her stairs, her husband is the number one suspect in her murder.
Told through the eyes of Lizzie and Amanda (before her murder), both of their secrets are gradually revealed. Neither one of their stories quite adds up until the truth is finally exposed!
It took me a little while to get into this book. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and I found the beginning to be a little slow. However, there’s a certain moment that caught my attention (I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I will keep the specifics to myself), and after that moment, I was hooked!
The characters were interesting and the holes in their stories made this even more interesting to read. I liked both Lizzie and Amanda. Then there was Zach. Zach’s character was a first-class a**hole. I wanted to run him over with my car!
The ending felt a little unbelievable in just how the four couples were linked, but it made for good reading! I still have a few unanswered questions, but I am going to let them go. At the same time, I really enjoyed seeing how things played out. Some elements took me by surprise, and I loved the final scene between Lizzie and Zach!
Overall, this is a page-turning, dark psychological thriller that kept me entertained and shut down my overly critical brain!
August 27, 2021
the more i read domestic mystery/thriller novels, the more marriage seems like a bad idea. i mean, i never want to judge anyones living situation - whatever floats your boat - but the people in this book are crazy. lol.
and although the characters are fascinating to read about, what i really liked about this was how much it focused on the legal side of the investigation. i think some readers might consider the pacing to be on the slower side of things because a lot of page time is focused on legalities and court room scenes and interviews, but i really enjoyed it.
i will say i was able to pick up on who did it quite quickly, but it was interesting to discover the why. i think the way the information unfolds in present time, and in the flashback scenes, is done really well.
overall, a very solid novel that has me motivated to pick up more books by this author!
↠ 4 stars
and although the characters are fascinating to read about, what i really liked about this was how much it focused on the legal side of the investigation. i think some readers might consider the pacing to be on the slower side of things because a lot of page time is focused on legalities and court room scenes and interviews, but i really enjoyed it.
i will say i was able to pick up on who did it quite quickly, but it was interesting to discover the why. i think the way the information unfolds in present time, and in the flashback scenes, is done really well.
overall, a very solid novel that has me motivated to pick up more books by this author!
↠ 4 stars
October 29, 2020
surprisingly solid!
i think this was a book of the month selection at one point, but the cover really turned me off. once i really examined it after picking it up i didn't totally hate it... it just wasn't eye catching enough to get me interested. and the title? well let's just say i have a complicated (read: i think they suck ass) relationship with truly domestic thrillers.
but this was really solid. anytime i thought i knew whodunit, more information was made available that had me questioning everything. and the general theme of the book, about marriage, wasn't as heavy handed as i expected it to be.
i think the best thrillers are the one that really bring out the depravity of human nature in a way that is real and convincing. because that is truly scary. and this book really did deliver. i'd honestly recommend this if you, like me, have had some mixed luck with thrillers this year.
tw: sexual assault, stalking
i think this was a book of the month selection at one point, but the cover really turned me off. once i really examined it after picking it up i didn't totally hate it... it just wasn't eye catching enough to get me interested. and the title? well let's just say i have a complicated (read: i think they suck ass) relationship with truly domestic thrillers.
but this was really solid. anytime i thought i knew whodunit, more information was made available that had me questioning everything. and the general theme of the book, about marriage, wasn't as heavy handed as i expected it to be.
i think the best thrillers are the one that really bring out the depravity of human nature in a way that is real and convincing. because that is truly scary. and this book really did deliver. i'd honestly recommend this if you, like me, have had some mixed luck with thrillers this year.
tw: sexual assault, stalking
May 5, 2020
It was a good marriage...until it was not! This book had alot going on in between those pages. A murder, a key party, lawyers, lovers, losers and liars! Whew this book had it all. I was all in from page one.
After attending a key party, a woman is brutally murdered in her home. First off- do key parties really exist? I thought that was something from the 1990's??? No, I am wrong? Okay well I will be first to admit that I am NOT into that. Yet, this made for some great reading material! So this murdered woman was at the so called key party, so who murdered her? Well after digging into this you will see that there were plenty of people with motive. It started out a bit of a slow burn for me, as I got to know all the characters. There were alot of players in this book, which normally I don't enjoy. Yet I did with this book because it just made more suspects!
As I did my super sleuthing and came up with.......nothing...the author kept adding players aka suspects to this game that might want this girl dead. People from her past, secrets were revealed. The author did a great job of developing her characters so we got a feel for each personality. There were some very strong personalities in this group! I mean a bunch of lawyers..who would think it?
I loved that this was a mystery that I was constantly trying to solve..I failed by the way. The author managed to keep me guessing all the way until the end. Then it all came together nicely in the end...well not for the dead woman, but I sure enjoyed it! It almost had a legal thriller type of feel to it because there were so many lawyers...so many..yet it had alot of family/backstory drama as well. While the kids are away at camp, the adults will play! It kept me glued to the pages until the end! This was my first book by this author and I need more!!!!!! I will defiantly be reading more from her.
Huge shoutout to HarperCollins for this stunning finished book in exchange for an honest review! You guys rock! I loved it. Thank you for introducing me to another great author.
After attending a key party, a woman is brutally murdered in her home. First off- do key parties really exist? I thought that was something from the 1990's??? No, I am wrong? Okay well I will be first to admit that I am NOT into that. Yet, this made for some great reading material! So this murdered woman was at the so called key party, so who murdered her? Well after digging into this you will see that there were plenty of people with motive. It started out a bit of a slow burn for me, as I got to know all the characters. There were alot of players in this book, which normally I don't enjoy. Yet I did with this book because it just made more suspects!
As I did my super sleuthing and came up with.......nothing...the author kept adding players aka suspects to this game that might want this girl dead. People from her past, secrets were revealed. The author did a great job of developing her characters so we got a feel for each personality. There were some very strong personalities in this group! I mean a bunch of lawyers..who would think it?
I loved that this was a mystery that I was constantly trying to solve..I failed by the way. The author managed to keep me guessing all the way until the end. Then it all came together nicely in the end...well not for the dead woman, but I sure enjoyed it! It almost had a legal thriller type of feel to it because there were so many lawyers...so many..yet it had alot of family/backstory drama as well. While the kids are away at camp, the adults will play! It kept me glued to the pages until the end! This was my first book by this author and I need more!!!!!! I will defiantly be reading more from her.
Huge shoutout to HarperCollins for this stunning finished book in exchange for an honest review! You guys rock! I loved it. Thank you for introducing me to another great author.
January 30, 2025
4.5 stars
Okay, wow I did not expect to love this the way I did. This is a thriller that is slightly out of my comfort zone because it's more of a legal thriller. It's about this woman Lizzie who is an attorney and she gets a phone call from a guy she went to law school with who was just arrested on the suspicion that he's murdered his wife. He wants her to represent him and she can't figure out why because she doesn't work in criminal law.
This book was a roller coaster. I was personally hooked from the beginning, it did take about fifty pages or so before it picked up for me but once it did, wow. I like that we have two POV chapters in this book, we alternate between Lizzie's present day chapters and then in alternate chapters we get Amanda's POV (the girl who died) six days before her death. Some aspects of this book reminded me of Big Little Lies with the way we follow all of these suburban moms and their scandalous behavior. And the plot twists were solid, there were a few twists that had my mouth hanging open in shock or of me saying out loud: 'what the fuck?'
I was thoroughly impressed by the writing in this book. I devoured this story in two sittings because I had to know what was going on and every time I thought I figured it out I was wrong. I would definitely like to check out more books from this author, this is my first read from her!
You can add this book as a May BOTM selection here: http://bit.ly/38OkeUT and use the code MAY5 to get it for only $9.99
Okay, wow I did not expect to love this the way I did. This is a thriller that is slightly out of my comfort zone because it's more of a legal thriller. It's about this woman Lizzie who is an attorney and she gets a phone call from a guy she went to law school with who was just arrested on the suspicion that he's murdered his wife. He wants her to represent him and she can't figure out why because she doesn't work in criminal law.
This book was a roller coaster. I was personally hooked from the beginning, it did take about fifty pages or so before it picked up for me but once it did, wow. I like that we have two POV chapters in this book, we alternate between Lizzie's present day chapters and then in alternate chapters we get Amanda's POV (the girl who died) six days before her death. Some aspects of this book reminded me of Big Little Lies with the way we follow all of these suburban moms and their scandalous behavior. And the plot twists were solid, there were a few twists that had my mouth hanging open in shock or of me saying out loud: 'what the fuck?'
I was thoroughly impressed by the writing in this book. I devoured this story in two sittings because I had to know what was going on and every time I thought I figured it out I was wrong. I would definitely like to check out more books from this author, this is my first read from her!
You can add this book as a May BOTM selection here: http://bit.ly/38OkeUT and use the code MAY5 to get it for only $9.99
June 6, 2020
Thank you for the marriage lesson! I totally . . . blasé my way through this.
For a thriller about husbands and wives in their picturesque neighborhood with their lies and secrets and shady behaviors tucked behind closed doors, this book is relatively stale. I was perfectly calm and unaffected with my interest somewhat piqued from start to finish (because I wanted to know who did it).
And mind you, this book has all kinds of twist and turns! They’re not ones that you discover only during the climax either. Rather, the little twists and deceits are scattered throughout the different stages of the story telling. But instead of “holy shits” and “WTFs,” they just made me go “ahh, ooh, okay, so this/that happened, I knew it!”
I enjoyed the domestic drama in this book, but it wasn’t as gripping as I would’ve liked. I felt bad for Lizzie, but I wasn’t attached to any of the characters. Furthermore, I wasn’t satisfied with the ending, and I feel like there are still questions unanswered. I think the ‘legal’ thriller element in this book ended up not working in my favor.
In every few chapters, the book presents you with a transcript of a grand jury testimony detailing the interview between a called witness and the prosecutor building the case against Zach. Unless you’re closely paying attention to what is being said, you’ll find them rather repetitious. I personally thought of them as more of a nuisance than anything else.
I don’t know what went wrong, but I think A Good Marriage is just not the perfect fit for me. All I could think and care about when I finished this was . . .
(Read as an Audiobook)
Lizzie Kitsakis receives a call from an old friend, Zach Grayson, asking her to represent him as his lawyer because he’s been targeted by the police as the primary suspect for the murder of his wife.
For a thriller about husbands and wives in their picturesque neighborhood with their lies and secrets and shady behaviors tucked behind closed doors, this book is relatively stale. I was perfectly calm and unaffected with my interest somewhat piqued from start to finish (because I wanted to know who did it).
“I’d been so foolish to think love could change the essential nature of anything.”
And mind you, this book has all kinds of twist and turns! They’re not ones that you discover only during the climax either. Rather, the little twists and deceits are scattered throughout the different stages of the story telling. But instead of “holy shits” and “WTFs,” they just made me go “ahh, ooh, okay, so this/that happened, I knew it!”
“That’s the hardest part about marriage, isn’t it?” Zach went on. “Somebody else’s problems become your own. It doesn’t always feel fair.”
I enjoyed the domestic drama in this book, but it wasn’t as gripping as I would’ve liked. I felt bad for Lizzie, but I wasn’t attached to any of the characters. Furthermore, I wasn’t satisfied with the ending, and I feel like there are still questions unanswered. I think the ‘legal’ thriller element in this book ended up not working in my favor.
“And in the end, wasn’t that the key to marriage? Learning to pretend that a few unspoiled things could make up for all the broken ones.”
In every few chapters, the book presents you with a transcript of a grand jury testimony detailing the interview between a called witness and the prosecutor building the case against Zach. Unless you’re closely paying attention to what is being said, you’ll find them rather repetitious. I personally thought of them as more of a nuisance than anything else.
“Forgiveness is a side effect of love,” he said finally. And sadly, almost. “If you are going to be married, share the ups and downs of life. What other choice is there?”
I don’t know what went wrong, but I think A Good Marriage is just not the perfect fit for me. All I could think and care about when I finished this was . . .
(Read as an Audiobook)
July 29, 2020
4 Stars
I don’t read a lot of mystery/thriller books...but this book makes me want to. I’m not sure how this would stand up for someone who does read a lot of the genre; all I know is, I certainly enjoyed it and was guessing until the very end.
The story felt firm, the characters felt real, and I felt very immersed it in all the whole time I was reading it. I will definitely pick up more from this author in the future.
I don’t read a lot of mystery/thriller books...but this book makes me want to. I’m not sure how this would stand up for someone who does read a lot of the genre; all I know is, I certainly enjoyed it and was guessing until the very end.
The story felt firm, the characters felt real, and I felt very immersed it in all the whole time I was reading it. I will definitely pick up more from this author in the future.
April 8, 2020
Lizzie is working late one evening at the law office of Young & Crane when she receives a call that is about to turn her world upside down. The call is collect and it's coming from Rykers prison. More specifically from a Zach Grayson who was a friend of hers from law school. Curiosity compels her to take the call. It appears Zach has been charged in his wife's murder and it is Lizzie who he wants to represent him.
This is an example of domestic suspense done right and I say that because a huge plot point to this book was so "out there" to me personally and I found it hard to believe that so many people, couples, were okay with this and even maintained such levels of discreetness in regards to it a bit tough to swallow. This will make no sense to those that haven't read this but to elaborate more would be a spoiler so I must keep this as vague as possible. The thing is even with my reservations in regards to this plot point I was flipping pages faster than ever. It never hindered my reading experience and I can only attest that to McCreights writing skills. With mouth gaping reveals and shocking surprises along the way this book made me a happy reader. 4 stars!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is an example of domestic suspense done right and I say that because a huge plot point to this book was so "out there" to me personally and I found it hard to believe that so many people, couples, were okay with this and even maintained such levels of discreetness in regards to it a bit tough to swallow. This will make no sense to those that haven't read this but to elaborate more would be a spoiler so I must keep this as vague as possible. The thing is even with my reservations in regards to this plot point I was flipping pages faster than ever. It never hindered my reading experience and I can only attest that to McCreights writing skills. With mouth gaping reveals and shocking surprises along the way this book made me a happy reader. 4 stars!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 22, 2020
Perfect title for this book… every marriage featured here is anything but good! Lol!
Lizzie and Sams’ marriage has hit rock-bottom. Lizzie has been forced to set her dreams of working as a prosecutor on hold. Instead, she’s virtually switched sides, now working with the defense, in order to earn enough to pay for Sam’s “actions.”
Lizzie receives a call from an old University friend Zach pleading for help and Lizzie knows immediately she’s in over her head. She just has no idea how deeply.
As the justice system plays out in the courtroom, couples who live in this exclusive neighborhood in Brooklyn are desperate to hide the secrets behind their marriages, children and parties!
Kimberly McCreight writes a well-crafted thriller that held my interest and kept me guessing right to the end! There was a large cast of characters, but I never had a problem keeping all the couples and their “issues” apart!
Highly recommend to all thriller fans who are looking for a twisty read!
A buddy read with Susanne
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an ARC to read and review
Lizzie and Sams’ marriage has hit rock-bottom. Lizzie has been forced to set her dreams of working as a prosecutor on hold. Instead, she’s virtually switched sides, now working with the defense, in order to earn enough to pay for Sam’s “actions.”
Lizzie receives a call from an old University friend Zach pleading for help and Lizzie knows immediately she’s in over her head. She just has no idea how deeply.
As the justice system plays out in the courtroom, couples who live in this exclusive neighborhood in Brooklyn are desperate to hide the secrets behind their marriages, children and parties!
Kimberly McCreight writes a well-crafted thriller that held my interest and kept me guessing right to the end! There was a large cast of characters, but I never had a problem keeping all the couples and their “issues” apart!
Highly recommend to all thriller fans who are looking for a twisty read!
A buddy read with Susanne
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an ARC to read and review
June 22, 2020
This does remind me, in style, of “Big Little Lies”, so I am not surprised to see that it is COMING SOON, from Amazon and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films!
“CLOSING YOUR EYES WON’T STOP THE BAD THINGS FROM FINDING YOU”
Lizzie Kitsakis doesn’t practice Criminal Law.
But, she is the only one that Zach Grayson trusts, when he ends up at Rikers for assaulting an Officer, and is held as a suspect in his wife Amanda’s death.
At least that is the EXCUSE he gives her...
Amanda is just trying to fit in, with the other Moms in Brooklyn, and she finally feels that she has two good friends in Sarah and Maude. So, she pretends that her marriage is good, and keeps it to herself that she thinks she is being stalked by a person from her past.
Because of that, there are no other suspects when Amanda is found dead, at the bottom of her own stairs, after leaving Maude’s annual “Key Party” 🗝
Told from the alternating narratives of Amanda, in the days leading up to the party, and of Lizzie, as her investigation leads her toward the truth in the days following it, I found myself eager to pick this book back up, every chance I got!
Both perspectives were equally engaging, and although there were a few, minor unanswered questions, the author cleverly ties the two narratives together by the end .
I loved the opening Epigragh which really says it all..
💔 Love never dies of a natural death-Anais Nin,
The Four Chambered Heart 💔
“CLOSING YOUR EYES WON’T STOP THE BAD THINGS FROM FINDING YOU”
Lizzie Kitsakis doesn’t practice Criminal Law.
But, she is the only one that Zach Grayson trusts, when he ends up at Rikers for assaulting an Officer, and is held as a suspect in his wife Amanda’s death.
At least that is the EXCUSE he gives her...
Amanda is just trying to fit in, with the other Moms in Brooklyn, and she finally feels that she has two good friends in Sarah and Maude. So, she pretends that her marriage is good, and keeps it to herself that she thinks she is being stalked by a person from her past.
Because of that, there are no other suspects when Amanda is found dead, at the bottom of her own stairs, after leaving Maude’s annual “Key Party” 🗝
Told from the alternating narratives of Amanda, in the days leading up to the party, and of Lizzie, as her investigation leads her toward the truth in the days following it, I found myself eager to pick this book back up, every chance I got!
Both perspectives were equally engaging, and although there were a few, minor unanswered questions, the author cleverly ties the two narratives together by the end .
I loved the opening Epigragh which really says it all..
💔 Love never dies of a natural death-Anais Nin,
The Four Chambered Heart 💔
August 21, 2020
What makes a good marriage? How many marriages do we think are solid only to watch them fall apart? How many do we think are troubled, only to see them weather the storm and survive?
We all bring our sometimes complicated past experiences into our relationships. Couples compromise and make adjustments to make a long-term marriage work. The intimate details of a relationship aren’t usually the subject of casual conversation. That is, unless you live in the Park Slopes neighborhood of NYC. Then, no topic is seemingly off-limits. But there are secrets. Many secrets. Until a murder threatens to expose them all.
I loved the premise on complicated marriages, even though my own marriage is solid. However, I was not a fan of the way it was carried out. Most of the couples were despicable and immature. There was only one couple, along with the murdered woman, who was somewhat sympathetic. I’ve never taken so long to read a book in this genre. When I set it down I had to force myself to pick it back up. The middle was a slog and the ending was a convoluted mess with dangling plot threads.
Less is more. For me, this had too much going on, to the point where I had trouble keeping the characters straight. This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce and both of us were left scratching our heads. I felt it had an identity crisis and a tighter focus would have made for a better story.
This was not for me, but there are plenty of 4 and 5 star reviews so be sure to check them out. I'll be taking a break from the genre.
We all bring our sometimes complicated past experiences into our relationships. Couples compromise and make adjustments to make a long-term marriage work. The intimate details of a relationship aren’t usually the subject of casual conversation. That is, unless you live in the Park Slopes neighborhood of NYC. Then, no topic is seemingly off-limits. But there are secrets. Many secrets. Until a murder threatens to expose them all.
I loved the premise on complicated marriages, even though my own marriage is solid. However, I was not a fan of the way it was carried out. Most of the couples were despicable and immature. There was only one couple, along with the murdered woman, who was somewhat sympathetic. I’ve never taken so long to read a book in this genre. When I set it down I had to force myself to pick it back up. The middle was a slog and the ending was a convoluted mess with dangling plot threads.
Less is more. For me, this had too much going on, to the point where I had trouble keeping the characters straight. This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce and both of us were left scratching our heads. I felt it had an identity crisis and a tighter focus would have made for a better story.
This was not for me, but there are plenty of 4 and 5 star reviews so be sure to check them out. I'll be taking a break from the genre.
June 10, 2020
How much do we really know about the person to whom we’re married? How much do we care? These questions are at the forefront of Kimberly McCreight's new book,
A Good Marriage
.
When Lizzie met Sam, she thought she had truly found a partner in taking on the world. She’d be a prosecutor and he’d be a writer, both beating back injustice. But things didn’t work out the way she hoped. Now their relationship is filled with anger and guilt, and Lizzie was forced to take a job at a fancy law firm and work long hours.
One night at the office she gets a collect call from Rikers Island. An old law school friend whom she hasn't seen in years, Zach Grayson, desperately needs her help. He’s been arrested for the alleged murder of his wife, Amanda, at their Park Slope brownstone. He maintains his innocence and pleads for Lizzie to defend him.
It’s the last thing she wants to do, but she’s encouraged by one of the firm’s partners to do so. And as she starts to dig into what happened that night, she discovers that Zach and Amanda’s marriage wasn’t quite what it seemed, and neither are Amanda’s seemingly well-put-together friends and neighbors. Everyone has secrets to hide about their lives and their marriages. Even Lizzie herself.
For me, this book started SO SLOWLY that I really wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep reading. I get slow burn, but this took a long while to hit its stride. When it did, however, it took off. I honestly didn’t know what to think or what to believe, and even though I figured some of the twists out, I was still surprised by some of the plot, too.
I loved Kimberly McCreight’s Reconstructing Amelia , so I was eagerly anticipating this one. It’s definitely twisty and suspenseful, provided you have the patience to stick with it until it takes off.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
When Lizzie met Sam, she thought she had truly found a partner in taking on the world. She’d be a prosecutor and he’d be a writer, both beating back injustice. But things didn’t work out the way she hoped. Now their relationship is filled with anger and guilt, and Lizzie was forced to take a job at a fancy law firm and work long hours.
One night at the office she gets a collect call from Rikers Island. An old law school friend whom she hasn't seen in years, Zach Grayson, desperately needs her help. He’s been arrested for the alleged murder of his wife, Amanda, at their Park Slope brownstone. He maintains his innocence and pleads for Lizzie to defend him.
It’s the last thing she wants to do, but she’s encouraged by one of the firm’s partners to do so. And as she starts to dig into what happened that night, she discovers that Zach and Amanda’s marriage wasn’t quite what it seemed, and neither are Amanda’s seemingly well-put-together friends and neighbors. Everyone has secrets to hide about their lives and their marriages. Even Lizzie herself.
For me, this book started SO SLOWLY that I really wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep reading. I get slow burn, but this took a long while to hit its stride. When it did, however, it took off. I honestly didn’t know what to think or what to believe, and even though I figured some of the twists out, I was still surprised by some of the plot, too.
I loved Kimberly McCreight’s Reconstructing Amelia , so I was eagerly anticipating this one. It’s definitely twisty and suspenseful, provided you have the patience to stick with it until it takes off.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
May 9, 2020
4.25 Stars
An Excellent Reminder as to Why I’m Not Married! Baaawaah!!!
Thank goodness for Kimberly McCreight! Lately I’ve been reading what I would describe as “less than stellar” domestic suspense/thrillers and then this one came along and all I have to say is Heck Ya!!
“A Good Marriage” is crazy, totally wicked and full of surprises. This one got me and got me good. While I feel that there may have been one or two over the top moments, this is in fact one of the best thrillers I’ve read all year.
I went into this one completely blind and I suggest you do the same. A brilliantly clever novel that is a must read for mystery/suspense fans.
A fabulous buddy read with Kaceey.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Harper Collins and Kimberly McCreight for the arc.
Published on Edelweiss and Goodreads on 5.9.20.
An Excellent Reminder as to Why I’m Not Married! Baaawaah!!!
Thank goodness for Kimberly McCreight! Lately I’ve been reading what I would describe as “less than stellar” domestic suspense/thrillers and then this one came along and all I have to say is Heck Ya!!
“A Good Marriage” is crazy, totally wicked and full of surprises. This one got me and got me good. While I feel that there may have been one or two over the top moments, this is in fact one of the best thrillers I’ve read all year.
I went into this one completely blind and I suggest you do the same. A brilliantly clever novel that is a must read for mystery/suspense fans.
A fabulous buddy read with Kaceey.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Harper Collins and Kimberly McCreight for the arc.
Published on Edelweiss and Goodreads on 5.9.20.
May 25, 2023
Writing: 4/5 | Plot: 3/5 | Ending: 3/5
SYNOPSIS
Lizzie the Lawyer is hired to defend her previous law school pal after he's accused of murdering his wife.
MY OPINION
Another physical TBR book bites the dust. This was my first from the author and I was quite impressed by the prose. She definitely knows her way around a keyword. While the pace is on the slower side, the storytelling is quite robust. You get sucked into the drama and spit out at the end. This is your typical 'did he or didn't he?' starring rich people behaving badly. I'm always a sucker for a lil court transcript, so I enjoyed the addition of these. Also the whole phishing school scandal added another layer of intrigue. Unfortunately I think because I read too many books, I found it pretty predictable, but there was one lil twist that definitely had me shook (see spoilers).
I think Amanda's character was very well-constructed. Unlike most rich women in thrillers, you can easily empathize with Amanda's identity crisis/impost syndrome struggle. And even better, the author demonstrates this through SHOWING not telling. For example, when Kerry comments on Amanda's fancy diamond earrings and she immediately feels embarrassed because she 'got it wrong again.' There's lots of a lil tidbits about Amanda trying to figure out the 'code' of Park Slope; how to dress in a way that shows you've got money but doesn't scream it. What's an appropriate gift to buy a friend that isn't stingy, but isn't OTT either? These scenarios show how Amanda feels at odd with her newfound wealth given the extreme poverty and trauma she experienced as a child.
I wanted to rate this higher than a 3, but the last 25% kinda goes west and there's some plot holes/questionable moments that collectively cannot be ignored. Let's get into it...
SPOILERS ALERT. SCROLL TO BOTTOM....
So the biggest plot hole is: who was calling Amanda in Cali? Let me back it up: We find out that for YEARS Amanda has been getting weird phone calls from her dad (or so she believes). But then PLOT TWIST, we find out that Amanda is lowkey but also highkey delusional and has been imagining that her dad and childhood bestie are still alive and in her life when in fact they died 10 years ago or so. So obviously it's not her dead dad calling her from the beyond. Eventually its revealed that Kreepy Kerry is the mysterious caller/flower-sender in New York... but we never find out who was hot line blinging her line in Cali.
Also, I felt like the author missed an opportunity with Amanda's twist. The fact she was straight up delusional created a slew of possible storylines, but unfortunately it was only contained to the mysterious phone calls.
The other issues aren't as big but unfortunately it establishes a pattern of questionable moments. Here are the big three:
1) Lizzie goes to the florist to see who sent Amanda the lilies and card. The owner tells her that her son Matthew handwrites the cards. Matthew comes out to identify the sender and says: "...He came in and asked me to make out the card like it was from a secret admirer. He thought she would recognize his handwriting." What?? LOL. If MATTHEW is writing the card, how would Amanda recognize his handwriting and her husband's??????
2) Unrealiable narrator for funsies. Ya'll know how much I hate these. Lizzie tells the reader that both her parents died when she was teen; she later reveals to a friend that she's a big lying liar pants and her dad was actually in prison. Huh??? Why did she need to lie TO THE READER about this? Again, if you want to lie to a friend to save face while the reader still knows the truth, that's fine. But lying to the reader about something so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things is annoying and unnecessary.
3) At the begging of the book, Lizzie goes to Zach's home to looks for some clues. She comes across what she thinks is an ovulation stick on the floor of his office. We later find out that it's actually a glucose testing strip that was dropped by Maude when she broke into their house the night of the big party. This is how we figure out that Maude was in da house. Kudos to the author by foreshadowing this reveal by stating that Maude had diabetes earlier in the book. However, my qualm is why tf would should be rocking a used glucose testing strip on her person like that??? Or are you saying during her lil escapade she stopped to test her glucose levels?? I mean???? Kinda strange and seemed like the author didn't know how else to reveal Maude had been in the house at the time of the murders.
Also, the twist with Zach using Lizzie was giving me Lincoln Lawyer.
SPOILERS DONE
All in all, a nice book to pass the afternoon with a lil more depth than other domestic 'thrillers', but needed some edits.
PROS
Pros: interesting case, Amanda's character nicely flushed out, some intrigue, enjoyed the phishing scandal, one of the twists shocked me
Cons: unreliable narrator for funsies, some questionable moments/plot holes, a lil predictable if you've read a lot of this genre
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
SYNOPSIS
Lizzie the Lawyer is hired to defend her previous law school pal after he's accused of murdering his wife.
MY OPINION
Another physical TBR book bites the dust. This was my first from the author and I was quite impressed by the prose. She definitely knows her way around a keyword. While the pace is on the slower side, the storytelling is quite robust. You get sucked into the drama and spit out at the end. This is your typical 'did he or didn't he?' starring rich people behaving badly. I'm always a sucker for a lil court transcript, so I enjoyed the addition of these. Also the whole phishing school scandal added another layer of intrigue. Unfortunately I think because I read too many books, I found it pretty predictable, but there was one lil twist that definitely had me shook (see spoilers).
I think Amanda's character was very well-constructed. Unlike most rich women in thrillers, you can easily empathize with Amanda's identity crisis/impost syndrome struggle. And even better, the author demonstrates this through SHOWING not telling. For example, when Kerry comments on Amanda's fancy diamond earrings and she immediately feels embarrassed because she 'got it wrong again.' There's lots of a lil tidbits about Amanda trying to figure out the 'code' of Park Slope; how to dress in a way that shows you've got money but doesn't scream it. What's an appropriate gift to buy a friend that isn't stingy, but isn't OTT either? These scenarios show how Amanda feels at odd with her newfound wealth given the extreme poverty and trauma she experienced as a child.
I wanted to rate this higher than a 3, but the last 25% kinda goes west and there's some plot holes/questionable moments that collectively cannot be ignored. Let's get into it...
SPOILERS ALERT. SCROLL TO BOTTOM....
So the biggest plot hole is: who was calling Amanda in Cali? Let me back it up: We find out that for YEARS Amanda has been getting weird phone calls from her dad (or so she believes). But then PLOT TWIST, we find out that Amanda is lowkey but also highkey delusional and has been imagining that her dad and childhood bestie are still alive and in her life when in fact they died 10 years ago or so. So obviously it's not her dead dad calling her from the beyond. Eventually its revealed that Kreepy Kerry is the mysterious caller/flower-sender in New York... but we never find out who was hot line blinging her line in Cali.
Also, I felt like the author missed an opportunity with Amanda's twist. The fact she was straight up delusional created a slew of possible storylines, but unfortunately it was only contained to the mysterious phone calls.
The other issues aren't as big but unfortunately it establishes a pattern of questionable moments. Here are the big three:
1) Lizzie goes to the florist to see who sent Amanda the lilies and card. The owner tells her that her son Matthew handwrites the cards. Matthew comes out to identify the sender and says: "...He came in and asked me to make out the card like it was from a secret admirer. He thought she would recognize his handwriting." What?? LOL. If MATTHEW is writing the card, how would Amanda recognize his handwriting and her husband's??????
2) Unrealiable narrator for funsies. Ya'll know how much I hate these. Lizzie tells the reader that both her parents died when she was teen; she later reveals to a friend that she's a big lying liar pants and her dad was actually in prison. Huh??? Why did she need to lie TO THE READER about this? Again, if you want to lie to a friend to save face while the reader still knows the truth, that's fine. But lying to the reader about something so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things is annoying and unnecessary.
3) At the begging of the book, Lizzie goes to Zach's home to looks for some clues. She comes across what she thinks is an ovulation stick on the floor of his office. We later find out that it's actually a glucose testing strip that was dropped by Maude when she broke into their house the night of the big party. This is how we figure out that Maude was in da house. Kudos to the author by foreshadowing this reveal by stating that Maude had diabetes earlier in the book. However, my qualm is why tf would should be rocking a used glucose testing strip on her person like that??? Or are you saying during her lil escapade she stopped to test her glucose levels?? I mean???? Kinda strange and seemed like the author didn't know how else to reveal Maude had been in the house at the time of the murders.
Also, the twist with Zach using Lizzie was giving me Lincoln Lawyer.
SPOILERS DONE
All in all, a nice book to pass the afternoon with a lil more depth than other domestic 'thrillers', but needed some edits.
PROS
Pros: interesting case, Amanda's character nicely flushed out, some intrigue, enjoyed the phishing scandal, one of the twists shocked me
Cons: unreliable narrator for funsies, some questionable moments/plot holes, a lil predictable if you've read a lot of this genre
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
May 6, 2020
When Lizzie was last happy, she was a prosecutor and married to Sam, and now she’s forced to work in an elite law firm where she doesn’t want to be. Now, an inmate, who also happens to be a former friend, is asking her for help.
The help? Her friend, Zach’s, wife is found at the bottom of the stairs, and he is the suspect. All is not as it appears with Zach and his wife... and what Lizzie is about to experience will question everything she thinks she knows about “good marriages.”
A Good Marriage is a well-paced, original, intriguing thriller. So much deception. So many lies. Who is being honest? Who is good? WHAT is good? I was completely swept up in this intense story and highly recommend it if you are looking for next exciting book!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
The help? Her friend, Zach’s, wife is found at the bottom of the stairs, and he is the suspect. All is not as it appears with Zach and his wife... and what Lizzie is about to experience will question everything she thinks she knows about “good marriages.”
A Good Marriage is a well-paced, original, intriguing thriller. So much deception. So many lies. Who is being honest? Who is good? WHAT is good? I was completely swept up in this intense story and highly recommend it if you are looking for next exciting book!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
October 9, 2020
2.5 stars— I decided to read “A Good Marriage” by Kimberly McCreight because some of the best books I have read recently have been psychological thrillers set around bad marriages (“Gone Girl” “The Marriage Lie” etc). Unfortunately, “A Good Marriage” was not quite as good as the other books I have read dealing with this topic. This book is written from the perspectives of Lizzie, an attorney who agrees to represent an old law school friend, Zach, who is arrested for killing his wife, Amanda, and Amanda herself, as she writes about the events leading up to her murder. The narrators do an adequate job of telling the story, but in my opinion, the story just wasn’t that interesting or enjoyable. “ A Good Marriage” is filled with unlikeable characters who are dealing with personal issues, criminal behavior and phoniness. There were so many characters with negative, irrelevant storylines, that I just wanted to be done with it. The book takes a turn for the worse when you realize that all of one character’s interactions with two other characters throughout the book are just hallucinations brought on by that character’s mental illness ...😳. On the bright side, I did like “Reconstructing Amelia” an earlier novel by this author. (I always try to end on a positive note, lol.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2020
What makes a good marriage? We see couples in various places, some talking little to each other, others holding hands, acting lovey dovey. But we know looks can be deceiving, and those of us who have been married a while know there is much going on the background that others do not see. In this book we observe four marriages, each unique, each with their own problems. Problems that remain hidden until the wife in one is murdered, her husband accused of the crime. Now all bets are off, and the secrets tumble into the foreground.
The husband reaches out to an old law school friend, she is now a lawyer. Her marriage though has many secrets too, things she has kept hidden. Things that could change her life and her marriage. I have to admit that this is a thriller that for me worked well. So far this year, one of a few.n Enjoyed the format, a combination of narrative, emails and grand jury testimonials. The pace was relatively quick and the secrets revealed kept one from knowing who did what and when. There is quite alot going on here, but it is handled well. Anyway, I found it interesting and revealing, this peek into others private lives. Like a fly on the wall.
ARC from Edelweiss.
The husband reaches out to an old law school friend, she is now a lawyer. Her marriage though has many secrets too, things she has kept hidden. Things that could change her life and her marriage. I have to admit that this is a thriller that for me worked well. So far this year, one of a few.n Enjoyed the format, a combination of narrative, emails and grand jury testimonials. The pace was relatively quick and the secrets revealed kept one from knowing who did what and when. There is quite alot going on here, but it is handled well. Anyway, I found it interesting and revealing, this peek into others private lives. Like a fly on the wall.
ARC from Edelweiss.
May 23, 2020
This is a very strong 4.5, but it comes just short of a 5.
This was the strongest thriller I've read in a long time. It had everything that makes a thriller great - a realistic story, proper character development, drip drop reveals and a good (believeable) ending! I read the summary to this probably six months ago so the legal/courtroom aspects were a surprise and my favorite part. There genuinely wasn't a part of this book I didn't like. Domestic thrillers usually aren't my thing, but I wanted to give this a chance because I liked Reconstructing Amelia. I will definitely buy the author's next book for sure.
What bugs me the most about the thriller genre today are the come from nowhere twists that are used to shock the reader, but make little sense. The pacing of the story is a little slower to begin with, but you are captivated the entire time. No shock factor twists are needed because it is a well thought out and clever book. The cookie crumb trail of clues left for the reader made it hard to discern who the killer was. I had a couple of guesses and finally figured it out right before it was revealed. I really loved how it could have gone anywhere because the characters were so flawed and all seemed to have a motive.
I honestly savored each page and always looked forward to getting back to it. If I am honest, unless it was an 800+ page historical fiction novel, I can't think of another book that would have kept my interest over a three week period as well as this one.
Thanks to Edelweiss, HarperCollins and Kimberly McCreight for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
Review Date: 05/22/2020
Publication Date: 05/05/2020
This was the strongest thriller I've read in a long time. It had everything that makes a thriller great - a realistic story, proper character development, drip drop reveals and a good (believeable) ending! I read the summary to this probably six months ago so the legal/courtroom aspects were a surprise and my favorite part. There genuinely wasn't a part of this book I didn't like. Domestic thrillers usually aren't my thing, but I wanted to give this a chance because I liked Reconstructing Amelia. I will definitely buy the author's next book for sure.
What bugs me the most about the thriller genre today are the come from nowhere twists that are used to shock the reader, but make little sense. The pacing of the story is a little slower to begin with, but you are captivated the entire time. No shock factor twists are needed because it is a well thought out and clever book. The cookie crumb trail of clues left for the reader made it hard to discern who the killer was. I had a couple of guesses and finally figured it out right before it was revealed. I really loved how it could have gone anywhere because the characters were so flawed and all seemed to have a motive.
I honestly savored each page and always looked forward to getting back to it. If I am honest, unless it was an 800+ page historical fiction novel, I can't think of another book that would have kept my interest over a three week period as well as this one.
Thanks to Edelweiss, HarperCollins and Kimberly McCreight for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
Review Date: 05/22/2020
Publication Date: 05/05/2020
February 5, 2020
When a young woman with a dark past is found murdered, her husband is accused. But what secrets was she hiding, and what is going on behind closed doors in the very upscale, seemingly picture perfect neighborhood of Park Slope? Part legal thriller, part domestic suspense, pure page turner, this is a novel that will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about marriage.
July 23, 2020
It’s so simple at the beginning. You meet someone gorgeous and smart and funny. Somebody who’s better than you—you both know it, at least on some level. You fall in love with them. But you fall even more in love with their idea of you. You feel lucky. Because you are lucky. Then time passes. You both change too much. You stay too much the same. The truth worms its way out, and the horizon grows dark. Eventually all you’re left with is somebody who sees you for who you really are. And sooner or later, they hold up a mirror and you’re forced to see for yourself. And who the hell can live with that? So you do what you can to survive. You start looking for a fresh pair of eyes.
The bones of this story are the stuff of a typical legal thriller. Amanda is found dead in her home, and her husband Zach is the prime suspect. Zach reaches out to an old law school friend, Lizzie, to represent him. And away we go. But it’s what fleshes out those bones that makes this book special.
It’s much better written than most legal thrillers. The two primary narrators, Amanda and Lizzie, are fully realized characters, as are many of the secondary characters that we see through their eyes. The book is very well-plotted. There are the handful of big twists that you expect in a book like this, but there are also many other smaller twists and red herrings sprinkled throughout the story. You’ll figure out what happened to Amanda and why more than once, I promise.
But what elevates this book from good to great is the examination of marriage that both narrators engage in. Lizzie’s marriage to Sam is rocky, and as she begins to investigate Amanda’s death, she can’t help but compare her marriage to what she learns about Amanda and Zach’s, as well as the marriages of Amanda’s two closest friends, Sarah to Kerry and Maude to Seb. All four marriages are different, and everyone in them has their own secrets. Is it as simple as one character’s observation that “a good marriage is the one that survives”?
I always get nervous when I see a description for a new book that invokes something foundational like Presumed Innocent. That’s an incredibly high bar to set for yourself. But I have to say, this book is worthy of the comparison. A must read.
Read
January 24, 2020I'm probably a tad biased so I'm going to opt out of rating this one--but I have read it. More than a few times. Is it on your shelf yet? I hope so.
Do you think you know what A GOOD MARRIAGE is? Come May 5th, prepare to question EVERYTHING.
Do you think you know what A GOOD MARRIAGE is? Come May 5th, prepare to question EVERYTHING.
June 26, 2020
4.5 stars
I've read so many rave reviews for this book and it hasn't even been out that long. For the most part I thought it was worthy of the hype. I found myself equally fascinated by the different marriages just as much as the criminal case. The book is an interesting combo of being a page turning thriller but with some complex layers that added some depth. This is a great vacation type read but there is enough food for thought that it is worthy of a book club discussion for sure.
Amanda Grayson has been found dead at the bottom of the stairs in her Park Slope home. Her husband has been arrested and currently sits at Rikers. He calls an old law school classmate, Lizzie Kitsakis, to take on his case. So who is responsible for Amanda's death? The story will alternate between Amanda in the days leading up to her death and the present time in which Lizzie is trying to piece everything together.
Both Amanda and Lizzie were fascinating characters as they each had interesting backstories that you got to learn about, piece by piece. This easily could have been a one-dimensional mystery but the author really paid attention to the details which made this a good read. Throughout the story I would come across something that I knew was most likely going to be important later on, but I just didn't know why. I threw a lot of theories at the wall, hoping one of them would stick but it wasn't until I was near the end (I believe at 88% completed on my Kindle) that I finally figured things out. And at that point the author most likely was setting the stage for the reader on purpose, so it's not like I can give myself credit for being a top-notch detective.
This is one of the better books I have read in this genre recently so I do recommend giving this one a try.
I've read so many rave reviews for this book and it hasn't even been out that long. For the most part I thought it was worthy of the hype. I found myself equally fascinated by the different marriages just as much as the criminal case. The book is an interesting combo of being a page turning thriller but with some complex layers that added some depth. This is a great vacation type read but there is enough food for thought that it is worthy of a book club discussion for sure.
Amanda Grayson has been found dead at the bottom of the stairs in her Park Slope home. Her husband has been arrested and currently sits at Rikers. He calls an old law school classmate, Lizzie Kitsakis, to take on his case. So who is responsible for Amanda's death? The story will alternate between Amanda in the days leading up to her death and the present time in which Lizzie is trying to piece everything together.
Both Amanda and Lizzie were fascinating characters as they each had interesting backstories that you got to learn about, piece by piece. This easily could have been a one-dimensional mystery but the author really paid attention to the details which made this a good read. Throughout the story I would come across something that I knew was most likely going to be important later on, but I just didn't know why. I threw a lot of theories at the wall, hoping one of them would stick but it wasn't until I was near the end (I believe at 88% completed on my Kindle) that I finally figured things out. And at that point the author most likely was setting the stage for the reader on purpose, so it's not like I can give myself credit for being a top-notch detective.
This is one of the better books I have read in this genre recently so I do recommend giving this one a try.
April 1, 2020
A Good Marriage is packed tightly with layers of lies and deceptions. Kinda like sardines in a can. Compact and portable.......but it all can go bad once opened and revealed.
Lizzie Kitsakis is trying to keep the lid on her own marriage. She and her husband, Sam, can't seem to come to terms in regard to Sam's excessive drinking. It's cost them his livelihood as a successful writer and it's now forcing Lizzie to backpedal in truthfulness with her job as an attorney at Young & Crane. She's working long hours at the firm to keep their heads above financial waters. She and Sam have even avoided eye contact these days. Just dodgin' and no dealin'.
Out of nowhere Lizzie receives a collect call from Rikers Prison. It's from Zach Grayson whom Lizzie knew from her university days. Something horrible has happened and Zach begs Lizzie to represent him. Lizzie tries to divert Zach into seeking another counsel, but he only wants Lizzie. That first trip out to Rikers will seal the deal for them both.
And that something horrible? Turns out that Zach found his wife, Amanda, at the foot of their stairs blungeoned to death. That's his golf club leaning next to the wall and his prints are all over the crime scene. Zach and Amanda had attended a party together earlier in the evening hosted by a couple known for their party antics on the second floor of their home.
A Good Marriage rolls out like cards held close to the chest in a poker game. We get little snippets of what certain characters may be hiding in order to protect themselves. It does work, but it widens the scope of suspects to a high number in this one. Sorting through them and their backstories is a bit heavy at times. Truth telling is an option here. But Kimberly McCreight makes it all gel together as she did in her Reconstructing Amy novel. She's become a master of deception with her creative storylines. Can't wait for the next one.
I received a copy of A Good Marriage through Goodreads Giveaways. My thanks to HarperCollins Publishing and to Kimberly McCreight for the opportunity.
Lizzie Kitsakis is trying to keep the lid on her own marriage. She and her husband, Sam, can't seem to come to terms in regard to Sam's excessive drinking. It's cost them his livelihood as a successful writer and it's now forcing Lizzie to backpedal in truthfulness with her job as an attorney at Young & Crane. She's working long hours at the firm to keep their heads above financial waters. She and Sam have even avoided eye contact these days. Just dodgin' and no dealin'.
Out of nowhere Lizzie receives a collect call from Rikers Prison. It's from Zach Grayson whom Lizzie knew from her university days. Something horrible has happened and Zach begs Lizzie to represent him. Lizzie tries to divert Zach into seeking another counsel, but he only wants Lizzie. That first trip out to Rikers will seal the deal for them both.
And that something horrible? Turns out that Zach found his wife, Amanda, at the foot of their stairs blungeoned to death. That's his golf club leaning next to the wall and his prints are all over the crime scene. Zach and Amanda had attended a party together earlier in the evening hosted by a couple known for their party antics on the second floor of their home.
A Good Marriage rolls out like cards held close to the chest in a poker game. We get little snippets of what certain characters may be hiding in order to protect themselves. It does work, but it widens the scope of suspects to a high number in this one. Sorting through them and their backstories is a bit heavy at times. Truth telling is an option here. But Kimberly McCreight makes it all gel together as she did in her Reconstructing Amy novel. She's become a master of deception with her creative storylines. Can't wait for the next one.
I received a copy of A Good Marriage through Goodreads Giveaways. My thanks to HarperCollins Publishing and to Kimberly McCreight for the opportunity.
June 27, 2020
Who killed Amanda after she came home from her friend’s annual key party? Was it her husband, Zach, who is now in prison and the only suspect? Was it the person Amanda felt was stalking her? The story is told in alternating POVs: Amanda and the events leading up to the party, as she goes about her life, trying to mask the problems in her marriage and enjoy the time with new friends. She is also hiding some disturbing things about her past that she’s afraid will catch up with her. The other POV is that of Lizzie, a lawyer who knew Zach from college. He asks her to be his lawyer (even though criminal law isn’t her specialty). She doesn’t think Zach is guilty of murdering his wife, and starts her own investigation to find out what really happened the night of the party.
I was a bit worried about this one after finding the first 15% a bit hard to get into. Once the plot ramped up to high gear, I was hooked! There are some juicy secrets and questionable characters...and after 3/4 of the way through, more twists than a high-speed tornado! I highly recommend, and I’m thrilled that the film rights have been picked up.
I was a bit worried about this one after finding the first 15% a bit hard to get into. Once the plot ramped up to high gear, I was hooked! There are some juicy secrets and questionable characters...and after 3/4 of the way through, more twists than a high-speed tornado! I highly recommend, and I’m thrilled that the film rights have been picked up.
May 22, 2020
"That's the hardest part about marriage, isn't it?" Zach went on. "Somebody else's problems become your own. It doesn't always feel fair."
This book was intense! It was very good. Suspenseful, fast paced, and full of twists and turns. Not at all predictable, at least to me. Each time I sat down to read it I convinced myself of a new possible ending. I enjoyed the style of writing. The law aspects were very detailed but not too technical that I wasn't able to follow. I enjoyed the characters and their dynamics. It had numerous characters, so I can't say I became overly attached to any of them or disliked any of them too much. It was creative and felt original, there were great descriptions to make me feel present in each moment. More often than not it felt more like watching a movie than reading a book. I would gladly read more by this author!
This book was intense! It was very good. Suspenseful, fast paced, and full of twists and turns. Not at all predictable, at least to me. Each time I sat down to read it I convinced myself of a new possible ending. I enjoyed the style of writing. The law aspects were very detailed but not too technical that I wasn't able to follow. I enjoyed the characters and their dynamics. It had numerous characters, so I can't say I became overly attached to any of them or disliked any of them too much. It was creative and felt original, there were great descriptions to make me feel present in each moment. More often than not it felt more like watching a movie than reading a book. I would gladly read more by this author!
April 15, 2020
I know we’ve all been struggling with reading lately and while I’ve been lucky enough to still be able to focus on reading, I’ve been struggling to write reviews for the past few days. Anyone else having the same problem?
All of that to say, I loved this book and can’t really find the words to tell you why. I’ll try though because it really was excellent and you should all grab it when it’s out next month. Domestic suspense has been pretty disappointing for me lately and it was so great to find one that was a winner. It’s smart and sharp and kept me guessing the whole time. That’s all I’ve got, just read the book, ok?
All of that to say, I loved this book and can’t really find the words to tell you why. I’ll try though because it really was excellent and you should all grab it when it’s out next month. Domestic suspense has been pretty disappointing for me lately and it was so great to find one that was a winner. It’s smart and sharp and kept me guessing the whole time. That’s all I’ve got, just read the book, ok?
August 18, 2021
**3.5
This one had a sloooooow start and I actually didn’t think I was going to like it one bit until about halfway through. I loved both Lizzie and Amanda in such different ways, but could see aspects of their personalities in each other. Lizzie is so jaded and working through a marriage she doesn’t see ending well at all, while Amanda will always be known as the sweetest person anyone meets while trying to be the perfect wife for a husband who couldn’t care less.
I loved all the legal jargon, it really felt like Kimberly either was a lawyer as well or did a lot of research, which I appreciated! The mystery had so many twists and every time I thought I had it something else would pop up. I can honestly say that the ending wasn’t something I could’ve ever guessed. The funny thing is that this story reminded me a ton of the last book I read- pretty little wife (but I liked that one better).
TW: Rape, Incest, Murder, Gaslighting, PTSD, substance abuse, child pornography, stalking
This one had a sloooooow start and I actually didn’t think I was going to like it one bit until about halfway through. I loved both Lizzie and Amanda in such different ways, but could see aspects of their personalities in each other. Lizzie is so jaded and working through a marriage she doesn’t see ending well at all, while Amanda will always be known as the sweetest person anyone meets while trying to be the perfect wife for a husband who couldn’t care less.
I loved all the legal jargon, it really felt like Kimberly either was a lawyer as well or did a lot of research, which I appreciated! The mystery had so many twists and every time I thought I had it something else would pop up. I can honestly say that the ending wasn’t something I could’ve ever guessed. The funny thing is that this story reminded me a ton of the last book I read- pretty little wife (but I liked that one better).
TW: Rape, Incest, Murder, Gaslighting, PTSD, substance abuse, child pornography, stalking
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