My Husband's Wife

November 7, 2016
Newlywed London lawyer Lily Macdonald’s best intentions land her in some of the worst predicaments in British author Corry’s devilishly devious U.S. debut, in which almost no one proves totally trustworthy. For instance, Lily’s generous impulse to befriend nine-year-old neighbor Carla Cavoletti, a bullied Italian immigrant with whose vulnerability she identifies, will eventually change the course of the lives of Lily and her artist husband, Ed, unfortunately not for the better. Similarly, Lily’s drive to champion clients she views as underdogs, which stems in part from experiences with her autistic brother, blinds her to the fact that some are dangerously manipulative liars who actually belong behind bars. But well-meaning as Lily is, readers will discover she isn’t above hiding some rather unsavory secrets of her own. As twisty as little Carla’s glossy curls, which inspire Ed’s best work, this swiftly moving psychological thriller offers surprises right up to the finish. Agent: Kate Horndern, Kate Horndern Literary Agency (U.K.).

Rosalyn Landor gives a measured, elegant performance of this ambitious first novel despite the fact it is possibly trying to do too many things at once. One protagonist is a lawyer named Lily with a thing for men with Asperger's (family secrets are involved). The other is Lily's malignant neighbor, Carla, whom we meet first as a devious child, then 15 years later as a devious bombshell. Lily also has an untrustworthy husband and a psychopathic stalker. Could this end well? Landor is brilliant with accents (Carla is Italian, plus there are all those UK regions and classes to render). Her pacing is polished and deliberate, which provides a sense of structure to an overstuffed plot that, nevertheless, has its pleasures. B.G. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine