BOOK REVIEW
The Widow on Dwyer Court by Lisa Kusel
Domestic thrillers are so much fun! I love the suspense of watching a husband and wife circle around each other, hiding secrets, and working out their own agendas. Just like I am glad I don't actually have to solve murder mysteries, I am happy I don't have to live through the drama these couples inflict on themselves. But I do enjoy imagining their anxiety-producing adventures through a good story.
The Widow on Dwyer Court by Lisa Kusel is a perfect example. It is the story of Kate and Matt, who are making their unconventional marriage work for them. Kate writes erotic fiction and Matt travels a lot for his work as a PR guru. The only thing is, Kate is no longer interested in sex. So they work out a deal that Matt can have one night stands when he goes for work trips, as long as he tells Kate about his encounters so she can use them in her books.
I admit, this premise didn't appeal to me. I don't read erotica, or even racy romance books. But Kusel is a masterful storyteller who pulled me into the tale, despite my reservations. And there was nothing too graphic in the sex bits, which were also blunted by being second hand accounts. There are no actual "sex scenes." Instead, there is only Matt telling Kate what happened and Kate considering what to include in her books.
Kate and Matt's marital workaround goes fine until a free-spirited widow moves into the neighborhood with her daughter, who soon becomes best friends with Kate and Matt's daughter. Annie seems like the breath of fresh air the neighborhood, and Kate, needed. But Annie is hiding a secret that could upset the equilibrium Kate and Matt have established between them. The suspense builds to an exciting and unexpected conclusion.
All in all, The Widow on Dwyer Court is a clever thriller, packed with entertainment.
FROM THE PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION
[A] sexy psychological thriller that will leave you breathless.
Thirty-six-year-old stay-at-home soccer mom Kate Burke is happily married to Matt Parsons, although their marriage looks very different behind closed doors. Kate is no longer interested in having sex with her husband, so, while they still love each other madly, they make an arrangement: Matt can have one-night stands with other women on work trips, but when he returns home, he has to tell Kate about them--every juicy detail.
Because Kate has a secret life writing erotic romance novels, and Matt's adulterous affairs are her bread and butter.
The family equilibrium is upset, however, when Annie Meyers, an eccentric young widow, moves to town with her daughter. At first, Kate is smitten with this wild, witty woman, who gives her a much-needed break from the other picture-perfect suburban moms, although she's not sure how much of her secret life she's willing to share with her new friend. But, it turns out Annie has secrets too--big ones that could destroy all their lives.
