The Perfect Husband

by Lisa Gardner

Book 1 of Quincy & Rainie series

 

 

Summary Blurb:

The Perfect Husband was a riveting suspense with a dark and gritty tone surrounding gruesome murders and a somewhat creepy, definitely very evil serial killer.

I’m not entirely certain I was a hundred percent in like with this book if only because of the fact that nothing seems to stand out to me mere hours after finishing it. And to me, that just means that this was your typical, very standard crime thriller and romantic suspense and nothing more.

But I’m not denying that it was written well and that it is and can be highly enjoyable for anyone looking for a great crime thriller/romantic suspense. In fact, this is one of the better ones I’ve read in a long time with just the right amount of character development, great story progression on the criminal aspects (since this was really not so much a mystery), a nice touch of gallows humor and camaraderie among the investigating team (who were side characters, at best), and some dark underbellies for secrets (maybe a bit too dark for my liking).

And there maybe had been a little too much going on alongside the main crime thriller plotline.

This book was definitely a page-turner, seeing as how I managed to devour the entirety of the book within the span of a day. This is one of those books you DO NOT want to take to bed with you if you’re planning on getting any sleep at all. It DOES manage to suck you right in, and the next thing you know "just one more chapter" becomes "only one chapter left, so I may as well finish it".

The only thing I would have liked more for The Perfect Husband would have to be a more likable romance. Tess is a strong heroine, created to be a development-in-progress as she learns how to defend herself and become stronger (physically and mentally)--but unfortunately, she doesn’t keep from falling back into the usual standard main female character tropes of many romances. J.T. is a hundred percent broody alpha male with Daddy problems, commitment issues, and excuses--the exact typical main male character of almost all romances.

Between the two of them, you get a very standard romance trope involving developing feelings that neither party wants to acknowledge for the usual reasons. But even as we speak, I’m afraid to say that, while they DID manage some great banter, and while their "love story" DOES develop at a steady enough rate for me to be appreciative of, I DID NOT feel any chemistry between them. I’m not entirely certain I had the inkling that they were falling in love with each other; maybe that they cared about one another as friends, or that they were attracted to each other in a lustful, animal passion type of way. But I never really felt that romantic connection that eventually stepped into the “I love you” territory.

On the other hand, I found the dysfunctional relationship between J.T. and his sister, Marion, a rather bittersweet and emotional affair. It was, at the same time, frustrating and heartbreaking. And for the main issue between brother and sister to be the big looming evil Daddy whom we don’t even really get to see… I felt like their story could have been developed further.


Some Final Thoughts:
The Perfect Husband is a nice, suspenseful crime thriller that will keep you hooked until the end. It definitely kept me hooked until the end. But while there were a lot of things I liked about The Perfect Husband, there were also a lot of things that didn’t quite do it for me.

And, as a side note, this book also felt like it tried to cram too many side stories and side characters into it. I’m not saying that that’s a bad thing--side characters are important. But there were moments wherein I kept wondering why certain tangents of the story were taking place, even if everything seemed to tie in at the end, in a way.

Finally, I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series and maybe other Lisa Gardner books in the future when my reading schedule permits.


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2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• Reading Assignment Challenge

Ann Rule die at 83

If you are a fan of true crime stories, then you are probably familiar with Ann Rule. I have only read a few of her books, but I found them both terrifying and fascinating.  What's really interesting is the story behind how she got into the business of writing true-crime.  She worked at a suicide hotline with none other than notorious mass murderer Ted Bundy.  Talk about scoops.  Of course, she had no idea at the time, but she parlayed the experience into her first book, and the rest is history.   She was a true victim's advocate, long before it was popular to do so.  RIP Ann, and thanks for your books

I recall reading an anthology of true crime stories by Ann Rule a few years ago. I recall being terribly disturbed by what fellow human beings can do to one another. After being snowed in again (seriously Mother Nature...knock it off) I decided to download this Kindle edition of her book, Dead by Sunset: Perfect Husband, Perfect Killer? since I recall this case being on American Justice a few years back.

Ann Rule starts with the scene of the crime in Oregon in 1986 where a passerby finds Cheryl Keeton beaten to death inside her vehicle in Oregon. Then it transitions to Doctor Sara Gordon and her new boyfriend Brad Cunningham. Readers quickly find out that Brad is the ex husband of Cheryl Keeton and is a prime suspect in her death. Then Ann Rule works backwards and explores Brad's parents, his childhood, and his previous marriages and relationships with others. It is a fascinating read. We also have Ann compare Cheryl's past and what led her to meet and marry Brad in the first place.

What always gets me about Ann Rule novels is that you just hope for things to turn out differently. You read about the victims and you they remind you of someone that you now know or used to know and you wish that they were still alive somewhere enjoying their lives.

I thought this was a very complex True Crime novel and though it dragged in bits (I really didn't care that much about Brad's parents and uncle and aunts background at all) all in all it was a good read. It really picks up when you get to the trial and the aftermath.

I would definitely recommend to other true crime readers out there!

nteresting true life crime story

I picked this up and within a few minutes figured I wouldn’t like it; in fact, I figured I wouldn’t finish the book. It was written in present tense, which I don’t like. Regardless, I decided to read a little. I soon found that despite being in the present tense, I kept turning pages.

The other thing I found was that Wickard provides too much detail, at least for me. Again though, despite the level of detail, I found myself turning pages. I stopped about four or five chapters into it and wondered why I was still reading. Ordinarily I wouldn’t be. I came to the conclusion that it was because Douglas Wickard has a wonderful way to express himself. When I read, I normally like to get from point “A” to point “B” quickly. With A Perfect Husband, I found myself looking at flowers, or the countryside, or the way the sunlight cast shadows on one thing or another. And oddly enough, I found myself enjoying it. It takes a good writer to make me slow down and enjoy that, sort of like a good meal.

He has created believable characters who act the way you expect them to based on their personalities. And he has created a wonderfully tainted antagonist. The plot is good and things tie up at the end, perhaps not as neatly as I would have liked but good. The story was missing a little of the “mystery” factor for my tastes, but Wickard did an excellent job of keeping the tension in every chapter, and that’s tough to do.

If the book had a little more mystery and perhaps if it wasn’t written in present tense I would have given it 5 stars. As it is, it is a very good 4-star book that I would recommend.