Title: The End of Her by Shari Lapena
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery
Length: 347 pages
Book Rating: C
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss
Summary:
The new domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door and Someone We Know
A long-ago accident–and a vistor from out of the blue. . .
Stephanie and Patrick are adjusting to life with their colicky twin girls. The babies are a handful, but even as Stephanie struggles with the disorientation of sleep deprivation, there’s one thing she’s sure of: she has all she ever wanted.
Then Erica, a woman from Patrick’s past, appears and makes a disturbing accusation. Patrick had always said his first wife’s death was an accident, but now Erica claims it was murder.
Patrick insists he’s innocent, that this is nothing but a blackmail attempt. Still, Erica knows things about Patrick–things that make Stephanie begin to question her husband. Stephanie isn’t sure what, or who, to believe. As Stephanie’s trust in Patrick begins to falter, Patrick stands to lose everything. Is Patrick telling the truth–is Erica the persuasive liar Patrick says she is? Or has Stephanie made a terrible mistake?
How will it end?
Review:
The End of Her by Shari Lapena is an intriguing domestic mystery.
Stephanie Kilgour is the sleep deprived mom of colic stricken twin girls. Her husband, Patrick, helps as much as he can during the evenings with their inconsolable babies. Barely coping, Stephanie is stunned when Patrick informs her of the accusations leveled against him by his deceased first wife’s friend Erica Voss. Reeling from these before unknown details of his previous life, Stephanie is even more shocked by the next bit of news he tells her. Despite Patrick’s assertions that Erica is a lying, manipulative woman, Stephanie begins harboring doubts about her husband. As Erica ups the ante with her wild claims, will Stephanie unearth the truth about her husband and his past?
Stephanie stays home to care for the babies and she stumbles through her days in a daze of exhaustion. Patrick’s confessions add to her stress and she is so wound up she finds it impossible to sleep. When strange things begin occurring, Stephanie starts blaming herself for making careless mistakes. Is there a logical reason for these missteps? Or is there a more sinister explanation?
Patrick is already struggling to keep up with his end of the business he co-owns with Niall Foote. He too is exhausted with helping Stephanie deal with their colicky babies. Patrick is horrified when Erica shows up at his office and he is mystified when she pretends not to know him. He is wary of her sudden presence and he is even more skeptical of some of her claims. Patrick is fully aware she could destroy the life he has built but is there any truth to what she saying?
Erica thrives on stirring up trouble and she goes after Patrick with a vengeance. She sets her plan in motion and delights in sitting back and watching her targets suffer. Erica is a little surprised by some of the reactions to her machinations and she always seems to have another plan waiting in the wings. But is Erica fully prepared for the culmination of her schemes?
The End of Her is an perplexing domestic mystery. The storyline is interesting but slow-paced and several passages are repetitive. The characters lack development and none of them are particularly likable. With late in the story, unbelievable plot twists, Shari Lapena brings the mystery to an unpredictable conclusion.
