Title: Such a Good Wife by Seraphina Nova Glass
Publisher: Graydon House
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Betrayal was just the beginning…
Melanie Hale is a devoted mother to her two children, a diligent caregiver to her ailing mother-in-law and a trusted neighbor in their wealthy Louisiana community. Above all, she’s a loving partner to her wonderful husband, Collin.
Then there are the parts of herself that Mel keeps hidden. She’s exhausted, worried and unfulfilled. So much so that one night, after a writers’ group meeting, Mel begins an affair with a successful local author named Luke. Suddenly she’s transformed into a role she doesn’t recognize—a woman who deceives with unseemly ease. A woman who might be capable of just about anything.
When Mel finds Luke’s dead body in his lavish rented house, she realizes just how high the stakes have become. Not only does she have to keep her affair a secret in order to preserve her marriage, but she desperately needs to avoid being implicated in Luke’s death. But who would want to kill him? Who else in her life is keeping secrets? And most terrifying of all, how far will they—and she—go to keep those secrets hidden?
Review:
Such a Good Wife by Seraphina Nova Glass is a clever domestic mystery.
Melanie “Mel” Hale is a wife, a mother and her mother-in-law’s caregiver. She loves her family but she feels as if she has lost herself over the years. Her husband Collin is a workaholic so the brunt of the work at home falls on her shoulders. Their daughter Rachel is thirteen years old and just beginning the angsty teen years. Their son Bennett is very intelligent but he is also neurodiverse so he can be quite a handful when frustrated. Mel loves her mother-in-law and she mourns the vibrant woman she was before the cancer and dementia diagnoses.
At Collin’s urging, Mel joins the neighborhood book club only to be disappointed to discover no one is interested in reading the books. Her husband very thoughtfully finds a local writer’s group that might just be what Mel needs to spark her creativity. They meet at a local bookstore where popular romance author Luke Ellison is promoting his latest release. He and Mel enjoy chatting with each other, but their mutual attraction is undeniable and impossible to resist. When she finally decides to end their affair, Mel discovers Luke’s lifeless body and she is left hoping the police do not uncover their illicit relationship.
Mel is completely overwhelmed by the weight of her responsibilities. She sometimes yearns for the life she planned to have before becoming a stay-at-home mom. She is friendly with their neighbors but Mel is not close to any of them. Once she embarks on her affair with Luke, she experiences guilt at betraying her loved ones, but she cannot find the strength to give up the relationship. Mel also tries very hard to act normal but she is distracted by her memories of her stolen hours with Luke.
After Luke’s death, Mel dreads the local police finding out about her affair with Luke. However, it does not take long for them to learn she knows him. But instead of being honest, Mel lies to the detectives in order to protect her secret. Mel is shocked when it becomes obvious someone does know about her and Luke’s relationship. She is under considerable stress as she tries to uncover the identity of the person threatening to destroy her life.
Such a Good Wife is a deliciously engrossing domestic mystery with an intriguing storyline. Mel really is a good wife and it is easy to relate with stressed she is. Collin is a sweet man but even when he is home, he is preoccupied with work. Luke is a charming man but how well does Mel know him? The plot is engaging and full of tension. With stunning plot-twists, Seraphina Nova Glass brings this domestic mystery to an unpredictable conclusion.
