The Widow Waltz

Koslow (Little Pink Slips) illustrates how a family upheaval can prompt personal change in this entertaining but ultimately uninspired novel. Fifty-year-old Georgia Waltz’s husband Ben Silver has always taken care of his family, providing them with a luxurious condo overlooking Central Park and an expansive beach house in the Hamptons. But when Ben dies during a marathon training run, Georgia discovers that their life of luxury has been built on lies; the real estate is mortgaged to the hilt, they owe thousands of dollars to creditors, and Ben has left behind less than $40,000 for Georgia and her two daughters, Nicola and Louisa, both in their early 20s. Georgia, determined to get to the bottom of Ben’s deceit, embarks on an odyssey that includes a new career venture and a tentative attempt at dating. Meanwhile, Nicola and Louisa stumble their way toward independence. Koslow’s novel is diverting, and the three different viewpoints add interest, but Georgia’s romance is tepid and unconvincing, and the resolution is abrupt and overly tidy. Agent: Christy Fletcher, Fletcher & Company. (June)