The Silent Wife: A Novel

Second part is highlight of the book. Expected twist but neatly narrated. But first part seems to be lagging. Good one

Creepy and increasingly fraught, this turns the screw for both Jodi and Todd, with a very satisfactory ending. it uses alternating chapters, first of the `wife's' experience (she is in fact a common-law wife, but never wanted to be a legal one) and then the husband's story. The writing could use a little more animation, however, as it often reads `flat' and we need more showing to balance the affectless telling.When Todd falls for the much younger daughter of one of his business partners, it seems the silent wife of the title, Jodi Brett, will lose everything she has gained after twenty years of a willed but seemingly contented partnership. All she has to do is accept that he is going to stray now and again. But the new love-interest is pregnant.Jodi is a psychotherapist; Todd is renovating an old building, modernising it into a prime housing prospect. He expects this to get him firmly on the ladder in the business of real-estate in the centre of New York. But Todd has reckoned without the resources to which Jodi has access and things begin to go very wrong in a most unexpected direction.Increasingly fraught, this turns the screw for both Jodi and Todd, with a satisfactory ending. The characterisation is stereotyped throughout though I found myself riveted by the excellent plot-line from start to finish.

Vielen Dank, Amazon! Das Buch kann ich wärmstens weiterempfehlen. Eigentlich eine alltägliche Geschichte, aber die Spannung bleibt, das ganze Buch hindurch. Keine Pappfiguren, sondern echte Menschen, die man mögen kann. Und in einem Fall, überhaupt nicht mögen will. Amazon hat auch pünktlich geliefert. Vielen Dank!

This book shows how a woman turns her brokenness to victory without hurting herself any further. Even though she is facing a divorce from her husband, until the last day she treats him respectfully and cares for him. In the end it is pure luck through a magical twist that saves her subtly.

Jodi Brett and Todd Gilbert met by accident in Chicago. Jodi was moving and her moving truck struck Todd's truck and after the yelling and shouting a relationship began.Jodi is a psychologist with several degrees after her name. Todd is a renovation expert and a developer with no degrees. He is also a cheater. They have been together for twenty years and now their relationship is disintegrating. Jodi is in denial.The story is told in alternating chapters giving two different viewpoints, HER and HIM.Jodi is 45 years old and still sees herself as a young woman. She lives in the present and never thinks about the future. If she doesn't think about it, life will go on as usual. However, she is now strongly aware that her life is peaking and her twenty year old "marriage" has been slowly falling apart. Jodi and Todd live in a beautiful waterfront condo. They have no children. They have a dog named Freud. Jodi lives the life of a diva. Her days are well mapped out in a daybook. She must have a daily schedule of activities planned and this keeps her feeling secure and happy. She needs to have things to look forward to. Keeping busy is the key to staying healthy. She is a part-time psychologist who sees two clients every morning before noon in the spare room at home. This gives her a little money. Then she's off to the gym, which is in the same building. There are Pilate sessions, hairdresser appointments, spa visits which she loves going to, meetings from the Order of Psychologists, taking courses in whatever interests her etc. She likes driving around in her Audi Coupe with the windows down and enjoys just looking around and taking it all in. On her way home, she stops for a Frappuccino. The first thing she does when she arrives home is walk the dog. If Todd isn't coming home, she goes out to dinner with her friends.When Todd is home, she loves to prepare dinner for him and make a fuss around him. Todd just loves the attention. If you told her that in a few short months a break-up would make a killer out of her, she would never believe it.Todd is 46 years old and probably going through the middle-age crisis. He is a very successful businessman. When he walks in a room. people wake up. He is a handsome man and full of energy. He loves Jodi and respects her intelligence. With all her degrees, he feels certain that money not education is the holy grail in America. His friends tease him about Jodi being a cut above him. In Todd's relationship with Jodi, he has always been a cheater. He has been living dual lives, the life with his women and his solid life with Jodi. He has asked Jodi to marry him on several occasions, but she doesn't want to talk about it. She feels that if she lets things be as they are, nothing will change. she feels grateful for the stability and security of her life and treasures the everyday freedom. By forgoing marriage and children, she has kept a clean slate. To most people, she is Mrs. Gilbert and to her closest friends, she is Jodi Brett. After twenty years, she is as married as anyone else. When Todd comes home one evening, he has something important to tell Jodi and the story begins...........This book is about deception, denial and revenge. Two very different people in a bizarre relationship that very slowly unravels.It was interesting to read the back of the cover of The Silent Wife in which the author tells the reader the ending. Even though you know how it will end, you are drawn in and before you know it, you just can't put the book down.A.S.A. Harrison has so cleverly written a strange and fascinating book. It happens to be her debut novel. Sadly, she passed away last year.The Silent Wife merits FIVE STARS. I highly recommend this book.