Such a Good Wife

Melanie Hale, the narrator of this uplifting but never saccharine psychological thriller from Glass (Someone’s Listening), has a young son on the autism spectrum and is the primary caregiver for her husband’s aging mother, who has dementia. Melanie feels isolated in her upscale Louisiana community and understandably exhausted by her daily routines. When her husband suggests she join a writers’ group at the local bookstore, she jumps at the chance. At the store, she meets bestselling author Luke Ellison, and their mild flirtation soon develops into an affair. Feeling guilty about lying to her faithful, forgiving husband, Melanie goes to Luke’s mansion to break things off, only to find him dead. She flees the scene, but her presence is not unnoticed. Her little white lies blossom into darker, more dangerous territory when she’s subsequently blackmailed and becomes a murder suspect. To what lengths will she go to protect her family and herself? The pleasure of this book comes from seeing Melanie morph from mildly depressed suburban housewife into a woman who’s unafraid of fighting fire with fire. Glass remains a writer to watch. Agent: Sharon Bowers, Folio Literary Management. (Aug.)