Category Archives: Margot Hunt

November 25, 2019 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Last Affair by Margot Hunt

Title: The Last Affair by Margot Hunt
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Love may be blind, but obsession’s a real killer.

Nora Holliday is not that kind of woman. Not the kind who has an illicit affair with a married man. But Josh Landon is everything Nora’s alcoholic husband isn’t. And now she and Josh are so infatuated, they can’t stay away from one another.

Abby Landon, Josh’s daughter, is home from college nursing a broken heart. She’s seeking solace, not more scandal, so when she catches her dad kissing Nora, she vows to take the homewrecker down.

And as for Abby’s mother and Josh’s wife, Gwen? To anyone on the outside looking in, the mother of two appears to be living the ideal suburban life.

Until she winds up dead.

The serene seaside town of Shoreham has always been the perfect place to raise a family—not somewhere housewives are brutally murdered. So who killed Gwen Landon, and how many twisted secrets will be exposed as the vindictive plot comes undone?

Review:

The Last Affair by Margot Hunt is a spellbinding domestic mystery.

Popular food blogger and cookbook author Nora  Holliday is unhappily married to husband Carter. But she is staying in the marriage for the sake of their children, Dylan, Matt and Katie.  Nora is devoted to her kids but when the opportunity arises to go to a convention for bloggers, she impetuously decides to attend.  This one decision sets in motion a chain of events that forever alter Nora’s life.

Orthodontist Josh Landon’s marriage to Gwen is also somewhat rocky. They have two children, Abby who is attending university and son Simon. In a surprising coincidence, Josh is attending a different convention at the same hotel as Nora. A chance meeting in the hotel bar leads to a shocking affair that neither Nora nor Josh can seem to end once they return to their small town of Shoreham.

Abby unexpectedly returns home in the middle of the semester and refuses to provide an explanation. She is very depressed and cannot get over a painful betrayal.  But after she sees her father kissing another woman, Abby becomes obsessed with uncovering the woman’s identity.

Gwen’s discontent with her marriage and motherhood is rising with each passing day. Blaming Josh for her misery over the choices she has made, she is biding her time before leaving her miserable life behind. Gwen is suspicious that Josh is having an affair but has she correctly identified the “other woman”?

Alternating mostly between Nora, Abby and Gwen’s perspectives,  The Last Affair is an absolutely riveting mystery.  Despite their affair, Nora and Josh are sympathetic  characters. However, Abby and Gwen are very easy to dislike (Gwen is a serious piece of work!). Margot Hunt does a brilliant job keeping readers guessing the killer’s identity right up until the shocking dénouement (but the ending is a little frustrating).  I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this outstanding mystery to readers of the genre.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harlequin, Margot Hunt, Mira, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Last Affair

December 10, 2018 · 11:57 pm

Review: For Better and Worse by Margot Hunt

Title: For Better and Worse by Margot Hunt
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

On their first date back in law school, Natalie and Will Clarke bonded over drinks, dinner and whether they could get away with murder. Now married, they’ll put the latter to the test when an unchecked danger in their community places their son in jeopardy. Working as a criminal defense attorney, Nat refuses to rely on the broken legal system to keep her family safe. She knows that if you want justice…you have to get it yourself.

Shocked to discover Nat’s taken matters into her own hands, Will has no choice but to dirty his, also. His family is in way too deep to back down now. He’s just not sure he recognizes the woman he married. Nat’s always been fiercely protective, but never this ruthless or calculating. With the police poking holes in their airtight plan, what will be the first to fall apart: their scandalous secret—or their marriage?

Review:

For Better and Worse by Margot Hunt is a clever domestic mystery.

Natalie Clarke and her husband Will met in law school, married and are now the doting parents of their eleven year old son, Charlie. Natalie is a criminal defense attorney whose über organization keeps their lives running smoothly although some of her methods irritate Will. Natalie is suspicious that Will’s sudden fitness regimen, late nights at work and attachment to his phone indicate he is having an affair. Unwilling to examine her concerns too closely, she is content to continue coasting along in their lackluster marriage. Her worries about her husband are soon eclipsed by the shocking news that their one time friend and current school principal Robert Gibbons is under police investigation. Natalie quickly discovers this case hits very close to home and in an effort to protect her loved ones, she devises a plan to dispense her own brand of justice. Will is stunned by her suggestion but when Natalie’s scheme takes an unexpected turn, can she count on her husband to help her finish what she has begun?

While Natalie is surprisingly ambivalent about her marriage, she is devoted to Charlie.  She fully believes in the justice system and as a defense attorney, she is fully aware of how ruthless the defense can be.  After learning devastating information, Natalie is fully committed to her plan and she is calm, cool and calculating as she puts it into motion. Natalie runs into a few snags along the way but she does not let them sway her from her decision.

Will is an estate attorney and while not completely ignorant of the legal process, it is definitely not his area of expertise. The complete opposite of Natalie, he is rather laid back and complacent. Will adores Charlie and he is the “fun” parent since he leaves the day to day parenting to Natalie. Will is as distressed as Natalie when he learns of the shocking revelation but his response is not all what she expects.

Natalie comes up with what she believes to be the perfect plan but she must put it in motion before she can plan for unexpected contingencies. When problems arise, she comes up with solutions quickly, but some of the issues are too much for her to handle on her own.  Will is the only person who can help her but will he agree to follow through with her plan?

For Better and Worse is a riveting novel that is not a conventional mystery but is still quite suspenseful. Natalie is an intelligent woman but she makes some very ill-thought out decisions. Will is a bit spineless and while neither he nor Natalie are particularly likable, it is difficult to feel much sympathy for him. The storyline is somewhat improbable but it is easy to suspend disbelief and enjoy the tension-filled ride. Margot Hunt ends the novel with a twist that is not completely unexpected. All in all, an entertaining and engaging read that I enjoyed and recommend to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Contemporary, For Better and Worse, Harlequin, Margot Hunt, Mira, Rated B, Review, Suspense

January 17, 2018 · 11:57 pm

Review: Best Friends Forever by Margot Hunt

Title: Best Friends Forever by Margot Hunt
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

How well do you really know your best friend?

Kat Grant and Alice Campbell have a friendship forged in shared confidences and long lunches lubricated by expensive wine. Though they’re very different women—the artsy socialite and the struggling suburbanite—they’re each other’s rocks. But even rocks crumble under pressure. Like when Kat’s financier husband, Howard, plunges to his death from the second-floor balcony of their South Florida mansion.

Howard was a jerk, a drunk, a bully and, police say, a murder victim. The questions begin piling up. Like why Kat has suddenly gone dark: no calls, no texts and no chance her wealthy family will let Alice see her. Why investigators are looking so hard in Alice’s direction. Who stands to get hurt next. And who is the cool liar—the masterful manipulator behind it all.

Review:

Best Friends Forever by Margot Hunt is an intriguing mystery about two best friends and the suspicious death of one their husbands.

Alice Campbell’s normal day with her husband, Todd, and their two children Liam and Bridget, is quickly interrupted  when the police take Alice in for questioning about the death of her best friend Katherine “Kat” Grant’s husband, Howard.  Three days earlier, while Kat was out of town, Howard fell from their balcony to his death. Despite the fact he was extremely drunk at the time of the fall, a new witness casts doubt his death was accidental.  The police want to know very intimate details of Kat and Howard’s marriage that only her closet friend might know and Alice is the logical person to answer their probing questions.

Alice is a former math professor turned stay at home mom who met the very wealthy Kat three years earlier and despite their very different socioeconomic backgrounds, she considers Kat her best friend.  Alice is slightly uncomfortable with Kat’s wealth but their connection easily outweighs her misgivings.  Both women are slightly unhappy in their marriages but for very different reasons.  Alice and Todd are always one unexpected emergency away from financial ruin since they are living well beyond their means. Kat’s unhappiness stems from her Howard’s infidelities and she is somewhat trapped in her marriage due to the lack of a prenup.

As the police investigation gains traction, Alice has very good reason to wonder whether or not she knows Kat as well as she thought especially since her friend has not responded to any of Alice’s phone calls or texts.  She is further thrown off balance when Kat’s family hires a lawyer for her, and  Alice soon realizes, her new attorney might not be acting in her best interest. With one of the detectives on the case convinced she killed Howard, Alice begins to look back on her friendship with Kat with new eyes and quickly becomes convinced that she might not be able to trust anything her friend has told her.

Weaving seamlessly weaving back and forth in time, Best Friends Forever is a riveting psychological mystery. The glimpses of  Alice and Kat’s three year friendship are quite insightful and Margot Hunt effortlessly keeps the tension high with cliffhanger endings to the chapters.  A chilling portrait of manipulation begins to emerge but readers will be completely stunned by the jaw-dropping revelations at the novel’s conclusions. An absolutely brilliant debut that fans of the genre are sure to love.

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Filed under Best Friends Forever, Harlequin, Margot Hunt, Mira, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense