Andrea reviews MY LOVELY WIFE by Samantha Downing, Penguin Random House, 2019, 372 pages. This debut novel by New Orleans resident Samantha Downing is not bad at all. In fact, her tale of this intriguing couple is downright eerie. The first person narrator never addressed by his given first name. He does introduce himself as Tobias, a deaf man although later he will tell you he is neither He and his beautiful, successful wife, Millicent, are the quintessentially perfect couple, the beautiful ones you want to meet and know. He is the attractive tennis pro at the club, and she is a real estate agent who scores the amazing listings. Their children, Rory and Jenna, are intelligent, respectful teenagers who for the most part behave their parents and contribute well to society.
The narrator and his wife, Millicent, have not always led the charmed life. They struggled financially and emotionally when they were first married not unlike a lot of newlyweds. Millicent is determined her family will not go down that rabbit hole again and will kill to maintain their affluent lifestyle.
Yes, kill, as in literal murder.
Millicent sends her husband on bloodthirsty excursions to find their next victims. Even though she is fully aware her husband is flirting with other women and sometimes sleeping with them, Millicent does get revenge on these people in the worst way. She is a complex woman for sure. The narrator wants his wife of fifteen years to be happy and stay with him. And even though he doesn’t agree with his wife’s actions, the narrator is leading these women to pasture.
We all have our secrets how to keep a relationship alive, but how many people’s secrets are getting away with murder?
A brilliant debut full of psychological and chilling suspense.