A Reliable Wife, by Robert Goolrick

Reviewed by Brenda Sewards, Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts

In A Reliable Wife, Robert Goolrick’s debut novel, we witness the uniting of two tortured and troubled souls. They come together as the result of a personal ad placed by the rich but emotionally desolate Ralph Truitt, who is seeking a wife. The advertisement is answered by the equally troubled Catherine Land, a woman who appears to be one thing, but is very much another.

The intricate tapestry of emotions woven between these two characters creates a rich and compelling backdrop for a plot riddled with intricate twists and turns. Even though Ralph Truitt has advertised for a wife, he is a man who has long forsaken the tender mercies of life such as love, tenderness and passion. He has convinced himself that he is unworthy of such things, but desires them just the same. He hopes to achieve some small measure of his desire by marrying this stranger and using her to help him in his intended act of contrition for a past wrong.

 

From the day Catherine Land arrives in Truitt, Wisconsin to meet her intended husband she masks herself in subterfuge and deceit. For her, the impending marriage to Ralph Truitt is not a happy resolution, but a means to an end. Catherine, who has played many parts in her storied life, has come to this cold, stark place to carry out a plan that is harsh and cold as the location itself.

Chilling and gritty at times, A Reliable Wife is a true tale of romantic suspense. The plot twists are well developed, but delightfully surprising at the same time. The fact that the novel is set in Wisconsin in the early 1900’s only enhances the dark and gothic feel of the story. The reader literally feels the inner chill caused by both the setting and the actions of the characters.

A Reliable Wife will entrance you from the first pages, pulling you in as if you were in the audience of a gifted storyteller. The chilling voice you will hear as you read will keep you spellbound until you turn the very last page. This is definitely a book to curl up with on a cold, dark night. Just keep the fires burning to ward off the unavoidable chills.

Review by Brenda Seward, owner, Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts

www.simplepleasuresbooksandgifts.com

A Reliable Wife is a new release by Algonquin Books and is available now through Simple Pleasures. Visit our online store to get your copy or add it to your Wish List:   http://www.alibris.com/stores/spbooks1.