Friday, December 8, 2017

Do You Trust Your Spouse?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  How many lives has Jessica Strawser changed? As editor in chief of Writers Digest, she's encouraged authors to work hard and be authentic and do their best. And as a result, readers get the benefits of the books that result!

And now she's taking her own advice--and hitting it out of the ball park with novels of her own.

So now-- take a look at that person sitting across the breakfast table from you. Or across the table of your best friend. How--reliable is that spouse?  

It may be a disturbing question. But it sure makes for a great novel.

(And we're giving a copy of ALMOST MISSED YOU to one lucky commenter!) 


Why Bad Husbands Make for Good Suspense

On the page as in life, there’s just something irresistible—from the outside, of course—about a marriage gone completely off the rails. The best suspense writers are skilled at tapping into our worst fears, and (death and public speaking aside) this one drives deep: It’s that horrifying idea that you might have missed some crucial undesirable something about the person you’ve chosen to spend the rest of your life with.

The person who shares your bank account, your address, your bed … maybe even your children.

My own 2017 novel, Almost Missed You, features a husband who makes some choices we’ll refer to as … questionable. Finn packs up and leaves his unsuspecting wife in the middle of a family vacation, and kidnaps their 3-year-old in the process. No note, no apology, no trace of where he’s gone.

The story that follows takes us, in alternate turns, back to when they met—through tangled years of fate, missed connections, and all that seemed meant to be—and forward to how she might find him now. And while I won’t hint at what happens, I will say this: The “bad” husband of my making isn’t all bad. I have a soft spot for the guy, I confess. I can’t even call him bad without using quotation marks!

Of course, not everybody feels the same about poor Finn, and that’s what’s great about fiction—just as we don’t all dole out forgiveness in equal measure in real life, in novels we’re bound to meet characters whose merits (or lack thereof) are ripe for debate. One reviewer wrote passionately about how badly she wanted to punch Finn in the face—so eloquently I had no doubt she’d do it if presented with the chance! Her visceral response, in my view, means I did my job: In her mind, he’d become real.

You’re probably thinking by now of Gone Girl—the quintessential battle of the bad spouses. Some think, not without grounds, that the book’s success spawned a rash of domestic suspense novels, but it’s also true that fraught marriages are nothing new on the shelf. And they don’t have to go so far as to involve psychotic murder setups to be compelling.

Shades of gray, after all, can be more interesting than black and white. I prefer them in my fiction and in my closet. And I’m not alone. My favorite trade review of Almost Missed You came from Booklist, which called it:

“Perfect for readers looking for something new after all of the ‘Girl’ thrillers … Gritty, witty, and a worthy addition to the recent slate of domestic dramas.”

Here are six others that have kept me good company, ranked on a sliding scale from it’s complicated to get out while the gettin’s good.

• The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty: This one is a few years old now, but I feel compelled to mention it because these days so many people cite Big Little Lies as their favorite Moriarty book. This is mine. Her titular husband is in the same camp as Almost Missed You’s Finn—well meaning, to a point. The end is especially unforgettable in the way that the readers come to know more than the characters ever will. 

The Blackbird Season by Katie Moretti: Alicia’s husband is a popular teacher and coach, perhaps a bit too well liked by his female students in particular … you can guess where this is going. Alicia and the other characters come to think they can, too—but jumping to conclusions can be just as dangerous as looking the other way.

It’s Always the Husband by Michele Campbell: The title says it all—or does it? Revealed almost entirely in flashbacks, this story’s largely unlikeable victim casts shades of doubt over every plot turn, turning friends into frenemies and bonds into betrayals.

The Good Widow by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke: Imagine: Your husband was having an affair, which you learned only when he and his mistress met an untimely end. You allow yourself to be convinced that recreating their final days might somehow be healing. What could possibly go wrong?

• The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle: The abrupt end to a perfect relationship—when a husband goes down with a plane he wasn’t supposed to be on—is the beginning of this psychological thrill ride with twists to spare.

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris: At the far end of the spectrum, if you prefer your bad husbands really, unequivocally, sickeningly bad, I’m not sure you’ll find one much worse than this creep.

My TBR pile wants to know: What’s your favorite book featuring a suspiciously secretive spouse, or a marriage in turmoil? And what was it about the suspense that hooked you and wouldn’t let go?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Whoa. Behind Closed Doors was so creepy! Truly disturbing. And I just read an excerpt of The Marriage Pact. Which seems interesting. (My new book TRUST ME, is about husbands, too. Just saying.)

And I will confess: there’s an arc of NOT THAT I COULD TELL on my nightstand. Lucky me. :-) 

So—marriage books?   Girl on the Train? Anna Karenina?   The other day someone mentioned Blood and Money.  (And do you think the spouses of the authors begin to get suspicious?)



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Jessica Strawser  is editor-at-large of Writer’s Digest, where she served as editorial director for nearly a decade. Her debut novel, Almost Missed You, was named to Barnes & Noble’s Best New Fiction shortlist upon its March 2017 release and will be new in paperback Feb. 6, 2018. Her second, Not That I Could Tell, is forthcoming in March. Connect with her on Twitter @jessicastrawser and on Facebook @jessicastrawserauthor.

58 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your book, Jessica. Finn sounds like an intriguing character; I’m looking forward to reading the book.

    I have to agree about “Behind Closed Doors” . . . creepy . . . I don’t think Jack had a single redeeming quality.
    I recently read an advance copy of Laura Lippman’s “Sunburn,” another domestic drama tale that gives a whole new meaning to cat-and-mouse games.
    Shari Lapena’s “The Couple Next Door” is a complex tale with an unexpected plot twist.
    Sarah Pinborough’s “Behind Her Eyes” is yet another creepy, dark tale . . . .

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    1. Oh, I absolutely love The Couple Next Door! Truly great . I was not a fan of the truly unexpected ending of Behind Her Eyes—though I could not read the book fast enough!
      Can’t wait to read Sunburn—lucky you!

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    2. I agree on the ending of Behind her Eyes--I felt the author cheated pretty badly.

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    3. Thank you, Joan! I've read most of these others but will have to add Sunburn to my list for the coming year -- thanks so much for the tip. :)

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    4. Yeah, Jim...I keep thinking about that!

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    5. While I didn’t feel the predictable plot of “Behind Her Eyes” offered many surprises, I, too, felt cheated . . . I thought the ending of the story was simply preposterous . . . .

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    6. Don't get me wrong--it was a fabulous book!

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  2. Oh, sounds delicious, Jessica. Now all I want to do is get through the day so I can dig in and find out how you made Finn likable and a louse at the same time! You have my attention.

    Anita Shreve's The Pilot's Wife - which I thought more effective as a TV movie than a book, but maybe because that was how I was introduced to the story.
    Behind Closed Doors - very creepy!

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    1. BCD —is that going to be a movie?
      Yeesh.
      I forgot about the Pilots Wife—that was a page turner too—and I agree, the TV show was a good illustration.

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    2. Happy to hear I got your attention, Kait! And I had no idea The Pilot's Wife had been made into a movie! I need to track that one down, as I quite enjoyed the book.

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  3. Lousy marriage is such a juicy topic. Brought to mind The Pocket Wife by Susan Crawford. The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison. And very brave to write un- or barely likable characters. Jessica, congratulations on the book!

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    1. Oh, I don’t know the Susan Crawford book ! Thanks… so great to see you last night!

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    2. THE SILENT WIFE was so good. One of my favorite of that year and I am still heartbroken that we will never get another book from her. I just know she had a huge future ahead of her.

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    3. Hallie, you always have such wisdom to share! The Pocket Wife is in my read pile -- moving it to the top! And thanks for the well wishes.

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    4. Hallie, do you still have it? (Asking for a friend... :-) )

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  4. Congratulations, Jessica, on your book. It certainly sounds intriguing. I'd have to say The Husband's Secret and The Pilot's Wife when it comes to marriage books. I love books that completely surprise me! I wasn't as fond of The Girl on the Train as a lot of others seemed to be. Perhaps there were too many unlikable characters.

    Looking forward to reading your book!

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    1. Yes it’s such a joy to find a book that completely surprises you… And that’s also fair and reasonable, you know?

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    2. Thanks so much for your kindness! I loved The Pilot's Wife as well -- so emotionally raw, and such a shocking end, too.

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  5. Mary Higgins Clark's A CRY IN THE NIGHT gave me shivers as a teen.

    Congrats, Jessica!

    Mary/Liz

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    1. Oh, you know, I bet I’ve never read that… Do you think it would hold up?

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    2. Hank, I can't think that it wouldn't. I haven't read it in years, but I've read some of her other earlier books twice or more and they are still good.

      Mary/Liz

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    3. Thanks, Mary! I adored Mary Higgins Clark as a teen too. (And oh, those titles: Let Me Call You Sweetheart; Loves Music, Loves to Dance...) I actually met her at a ticketed dinner way back when, and she so kindly offered encouragement with my own writing, young as I was. I'm extra happy you recommended her for that reason as well.

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    4. I met her oh-so-briefly at Bouchercon Cleveland. She shook my hand and offered encouragement to me, too. A truly fan-girl moment.

      Mary/Liz

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  6. Bad husbands do make good reading as do bad wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, fill-in-the-blanks.

    The first that comes to mind, the quintessential evil spouse, is Max de Winter in Daphne du Maurier's REBECCA. It doesn't get much better than this.

    But my newest favorite is HE SAID/SHE SAID by Erin Kelly. If you haven't read this, add it to the pile. It had me guessing right up to the end and beyond.

    Congratualtions, Jessica, and welcome. Come sit down while I stoke the fire.

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    1. I have He said She said waiting to go… So pleased to have your recommendation!

      More than you ever wanted to know: She Said She Said was (for about two hours), the title of Trust Me. But It just doesn’t work as well!

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    2. I like Trust Me better. She Said She Said could be seen as a riff on that book that has moved to the top of your pile.

      On an another note, I went to make sure TRUST ME was ordered, and it says "will arrive after Christmas." lol

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    3. I love a good fireside chat! And a good book recommendation. Adding HE SAID/SHE SAID to my list!

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  7. When I came here today, the page opened rather slowly, and the first thing i saw was Jessica's picture. I said, hey, I know that smile from somewhere else! Congrats on the novel! And thanks for your continued good work in WD.

    I loved the depiction of the final disintegration of Russ and Linda's marriage in All Mortal Flesh. Or was it a story of female empowerment?

    For movies with scary spouses, I'm a big fan of Ken and Em's Dead Again.

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    1. AH HA! That is a great question, Jim!

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    2. Thanks for the kind words, Jim! And thanks for reading WD all these years, too.

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  8. Dubious spouses. Claus von Buelow comes to mind. Bookwise, I thought of Rebecca and Dragonwyck.
    The Girl on the Train was also interesting when you could figure out what timeline you were in. My mind keeps flipping to movies: Gaslight. Midnight Lace.

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    1. Claus! I covered his second trial. WHOA. Honestly, it was chilling.

      And Gaslight. THE classic!

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    2. I am sort of new to this genre of mystery novels in general. However, the older I get the more squeemish I find myself at stories of betrayal. The Patrick Hamilton play and the Ingrid Bergman production of Gaslight certainly remains as timely as today.

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    3. I rewatched Gaslight recently and, yep -- a bit too timeless, unfortunately!

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  9. The Girl on the Train haunts me, still. The narrator! What a horror show.

    I've only read three or four of the other titles mentioned, including in the comments section. All relationships are a rich source of conflict, but the yoked ones, a la marriage, seem to have more inherent issues, I think.

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    1. Yes, that;s a wise thought, Karen. How could I be married to this person--and be SO fooled?

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    2. That was my first marriage. In my defense, I was 19, and had been very protected and innocent, and didn't recognize the lies. Luckily, he didn't have true evil in mind, but he was not a nice person to me.

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    3. Glad you're not still in that situation, Karen! (Also, I'm in Ohio too -- *waves*!) Great use of the word "yoked." :)

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    4. Jessica, thanks. I live in Cincinnati, and once wrote a book for F&W.

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  10. Kate White's THE SECRETS YOU KEEP seems to belong on this list. Full disclosure, though, I have read only half of it. I had it on audio from the library and about halfway through a disc was damaged. I returned it, explained what was wrong so they would pull it from circulation, and re-reserved it. A few days later they gave me the same copy again! So I decided to wait a while before I try it again. But that big digression aside, I was far enough in to see that it seemed to be setting up as a classic dubious spouse book. And I always like Kate White's writing, so I assume the ending will satisfy.

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    1. Eager to hear what you think, Susan!

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    2. I've had that happen to me with audiobooks (which I love) too -- I hope the rest is worth the wait!

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  11. I am going to mention an amazing book that won't be out until January. THE WIFE BETWEEN US by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkenan. Remember, you heard it here first!

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    1. This one is on my wishlist, too! So glad you enjoyed it. January always seems to bring some great new releases!

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  12. Jessica, Almost Missed You sounds like a book I'd love. I can't believe I missed it. It's now on the TBR list. It's so scary to think you don't know the person you've married, and the secrets revealed in these stories with that feature can be so creepily great to read.

    I've read The Husband's Secret; He Said, She Said; Gone Girl; and, The Couple Next Door. I just finished one of my favorite reads this year, Blame by Jeff Abbott, and there are plenty of marital secrets in that book. I won't comment any further because it is such an amazing book, I want others to enjoy it without any spoilers.

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    1. Yay, Blame! ANd oh--watch for THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW. Talk about unusual marriages...

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    2. Thanks so much for adding me to your list -- I'm adding BLAME to mine as we speak!

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  13. I really liked "the Widower's Wife" but I thought "Behind Her Eyes was the worst book ever!
    I'm curious - why won't there be any more books by the author of "The Silent Wife"?
    Looking forward to "Almost Missed You" and that's a perfect title on a couple different levels!

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    1. Thanks for the kind words! I have to admit, I love titles that take on a different meaning after you've read the book, and "Almost Missed You" is one of those. :)

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  14. I found out the answer to my own question. There are two books with that title and my sister recomended it but now I don't know which one she meant.

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  15. I’ve read 4 of your recommended 6 and definitely agree. Another one to look into that comes out end of January is the debut Killer Choice by Tom Hunt. A little different premise about what a husband would or wouldn’t do for his dying wife but also filled with twists.

    Great post!

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    1. January is going to be a big reading month! I suspect they figure we'll use our gift cards...

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  16. Congratulations, Jessica! I love a twisty turny "bad" spouse thriller. I look forward to digging into this one while staring at my husband over the edge of the book every now and again. LOL.

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