MY WIFE IS MISSING

4 stars out of 5

I've read three of this author's books and enjoyed them all. This one keeps the record intact, although I must admit it's not my favorite of the four. It's longer than it needs to be (repetition was an issue for me), and the main characters spend way, way too much time inside their own heads trying to figure out who's out to get them and why. All that aside, though, it's an entertaining story that I'm quite sure many other readers will enjoy thoroughly.

The initial focus is on Natalie Hart, who is on the run from her husband, Michael - taking with her their two children, Addison and Bryce. Their marriage has been on the rocks of sorts for some time now, and she suffers from debilitating insomnia that certainly hasn't helped ease the situation. But she's not only certain that Michael has been carrying on an affair right under their noses, but that he's been keeping an even darker secret from his younger days that at the very least could kill any chances for a reconciliation if the details come to light.

Michael, though, seems gobsmacked by his family's disappearance - even though he admits (to readers) some of the truth and hints that there's more to come. Needless to say, he's fiercely intent on finding his on-the-run loved ones - if not to repair his marriage, but to get the children away from a mother he believes is seriously disturbed.

Chapters shift from perspectives of Natalie and Michael both in their present and past, thus weaving backstory threads that readers presume (rightly) will make a coherent tapestry at the end. Adding texture is Natalie's workplace experience and friendships as well as a meddlesome but seemingly well-meaning police detective who insists on tagging along with Michael as he tries to learn Natalie's whereabouts. As the end closes in, the action heats up to the point of meltdown - leading to what I'm sure is supposed to be a bigger surprise than it was to me. All in all, it was worth reading - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it. 

My Wife Is Missing by D.J. Palmer (St. Martin's Press, May 2022); 384 pp.

THE PERFECT DAUGHTER

4 stars out of 5

I'm not sure when I read Sybil: The True Story of a Woman Possessed by 16 Separate Personalities by Flora Schreiber - sometime in the late 1970s, I suppose. It was the first time I'd ever heard the term "multiple personality" - an almost unbelievable disorder (I won't get into subsequent reports that the whole story was bogus - I have no way of verifying either side of that dispute). But the book certainly did make an impression on me, as well as spark interest in the subject. So it was, then, that I was delighted to be approved for a pre-release copy of this book to read and review (thanks to the publisher via NetGalley).

Of course, it's not a biography; rather, it's billed as a "thriller that explores the truth or lies behind a teenage girl's multiple personality disorder." And yeah, that got my attention. The drama begins when Grace Francone spots a little girl in a park, clearly alone and frightened. With no adults in sight, Grace calls the police, who take the child to the hospital. Grace and her pizzeria owner Arthur have two young sons, but Grace has long harbored a desire for a daughter. You guessed it: No one has claimed the girl from the park, and Grace manages to convince her family (and the proper authorities) to let the girl - now dubbed "Penny" - become their adopted daughter.

Everything seems fine - the brothers are way more delighted than I ever would have been to have a new sibling - until Penny's odd behavior results in a diagnosis of possible Dissociative Identity Disorder (a.k.a., the aforementioned multiple personalities). Even then, the family is perfectly understanding and accepting (mostly, it seems, because Grace insists that it be that way) until Grace gets a call saying her beloved Penny is in jail, charged with murder. Not only does she have ties to the victim, Penny is found covered in the victim's blood and holding the carving knife.

But no - just no, Grace insists. Now a widow (more on this comes to light as the story progresses), Grace turns into a ferocious feline - organizing with the precision of a drill sergeant a team who will do anything, and give up everything - to protect and defend her precious daughter, who ends up at a psychiatric facility at which she'll be evaluated to determine whether an insanity defense is a viable option. But that's not all bad; there, she meets a friendly psychiatrist she calls Dr. Mitch, who has mental issues of his own but has no problem confirming four "identities" - Penny, Eve, Chloe and Ruby - who inhabit the brain of the teenager they (mostly) know as Penny. What he cannot confirm, alas - at least not in a courtroom under oath, much to Grace's dispair - is that Penny really has DID, a detail that's critical to the defense.

So, Grace and her sister-in-law Annie set out to prove Penny's innocence despite warnings from Penny's attorney, the police, and Ryan, one of Grace's sons who seems to be harboring a few secrets of his own. From this point on, chapters shift between what Grace is doing, what the doctor is doing and progress reports on the film Grace's other son, Jack, is making about Penny's unusual life. I won't say it's all believable (far from it in several instances, in fact), and way-too-detailed and lengthy sections that made me feel more like I was being schooled on DID than entertained by a mind-gripping story (although I do give major kudos to the author for doing extensive research on the subject). Overall, though, it was captivating throughout, picking up steam toward the end as layers of fiction were peeled away to reveal an unexpected truth. All in all, quite enjoyable and definitely recommended.

The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer (St. Martin's Press, April 2021); 378 pp.

THE NEW HUSBAND

4.5 stars out of 5


About a year-and-a-half ago, Glen Garrity's boat was found with his blood on it, but not his body. He's presumed to be dead, and six months from now, his wife Nina can have him declared legally dead. That will free her up to marry her new love, Simon Fitch, a teacher who appeared on her scene almost immediately after Glen went missing. Much to the dismay of her middle-school daughter Maggie - who thoroughly detests and distrusts Simon - Nina has moved the family (including Maggie's older brother, Connor) into a new home that includes Simon. 

Even though Maggie has so far resisted Simon's proposal of marriage, she's pretty sure that's how things will end up. After all, Simon's got plenty of money and anticipates her every need and want (almost before she does). The tension between Simon and Maggie gets worse almost by the minute; but when Maggie complains about something nasty she's sure Simon did to her (readers get a closer look by way of chapters told from her perspective), Simon always has a plausible excuse and ends up looking like a rose in Nina's eyes.

Until he doesn't. Little by little, Nina begins to have doubts - mostly triggered by Simon's intense dislike of her decision to return to her career as a social worker. Somehow, she suspects, he's overreacting, but the question is why? Even before her husband disappeared, Maggie learned some unpleasant and totally unexpected facts about him. Now, she's understandably wary of making another mistake. But if Simon's not the person she believes him to be, can she ferret out his intentions before her family is totally destroyed?

Somewhere around the 50% mark comes a major reveal; from that point on, it's a race to see who makes it to the finish line (and a race to see if I could get there before I absolutely had to go to bed). Safe to say the book held my attention all the way - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the privilege of reading an advance copy.

One of the big plusses of the book for me is that although Nina questions her own actions and beliefs, she never crosses over to the hand-wringing, wishy-washy female characters who tends to populate stories like this (never failing to make me want to throw up). On the other hand, the epilogue, which is attributed to one of the major characters, would be far more appropriate, IMHO, as an afterword from the author. While I agree 150 percent with the opinions expressed on spousal abuse and bullying, it just doesn't fit as part of a novel itself (and I just can't believe the text as written could have been done by this character). But that's just my opinion; read it for yourself - it's an enthralling story that will hold your attention from start to finish.

The New Husband by D.J. Palmer (St. Martin's Press, April 2020); 384 pp.

SAVING MEGHAN

4 stars out of 5


Based on the official description, I figured this book would have a melodramatic bent. But in no time at all, the bent went for broke and stayed there till the end. That said, it's very well written, moves along quickly and serves up several doses of suspense. For those reasons, I'm comfortable giving it 4 stars even if it isn't quite my cup of tea.

Becky Gerard and her husband of 20 years, Carl, have an almost 16-year-old daughter, Meghan, who's been in and out of doctors' offices and hospitals for years. All that time, there's been no firm diagnosis and no let-up in Becky's all-consuming attempts to find one (and ultimately, of course, a cure). The book begins as Becky is leaving Boston on an airplane, reluctantly leaving her ailing daughter for California to visit her dying mother. When she gets a just-at-takeoff text from Carl telling her he's taken Meghan to the hospital yet again, the news throws Becky in such an  emotional meltdown that she gets thrown off the plane.

Chapters shift among perspectives of various characters, and next up is pediatrician Zach Fisher, who still gets nightmares about the death of his young son Will. Turns out he's the physician examining Meghan this time around, and he wastes little of it coming up with a diagnosis of mitochondrial disorder, the same disorder (aha!) that resulted in his son's death. Others at the hospital aren't as ready to accept Zach's conclusion, though; not only is there no specific set of symptoms, Zach has earned a reputation for diagnosing way too many patients with the disorder. Becky, though, has no reservations whatsoever; instantly, Zach achieves demigod status - and the devil take anyone who disagrees (including her husband, who after all this time is far less inclined to grasp at straws). 

Becky, now firmly allied with Zach, not only grasps the straws, she darned near squashes the life out of the suckers. Her emotional outbursts are epic, especially as Meghan's episodes become increasingly serious - prompting the medical community (sans Zach, of course) to conclude that Meghan may be a victim of her mother's Munchausen by proxy. Along the way, readers also learn that secrets abound - not every character is as he or she seems - thus building excitement to learn the truth. Near the end, the story takes a darker turn, resulting in a conclusion that for me was half expected, half not.

The overarching question, I guess, is how far would a mother will go to save her sick child, especially when the rest of the world is conspiring against her (and as a mother/grandmother myself, I concede that there are few, if any, boundaries). Overall, this is a story that should appeal to anyone who enjoys relentless angst mixed with a hefty dose of medical details and a few thrills. I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer (St. Martin's Press, April 2019); 374 pp.