If She Were Dead

November 4, 2019
Popular author Amelie Ferrar, the protagonist of this taut, twisted thriller from Smith (The Drowning), is always thinking ahead, envisaging her next plot twist. Though Amelie has relied tangentially on her personal life for inspiration, she finds herself at a crossroads: she thought she was happy—immersed in a two-year affair with a married man, Ben—but she wants more. Her daughter’s in college, her ex-husband’s new wife is expecting, and she feels untethered and alone. Unfortunately, Ben doesn’t feel the need for any changes and has no intention of leaving his wife. Stranger still, Ben’s wife has reached out to Amelie as a friend and confidant. Is it coincidence, karmic comeuppance, or perhaps something more sinister? As Amelie plots the future, on the page and off, she begins to lose control of her narratives with such unexpected and dangerous results as betrayal and death. Smith does a masterful job blending multiple story lines. Readers will find plenty of action, intrigue, and surprises. Agent: Claire Roberts, Claire Roberts Global Literary Management.

December 1, 2019

Best-selling novelist Amelie Ferrar, recently divorced and an empty-nester, has a schedule filled with book signings and interviews while finding time to write her next book. Yet her mind is consumed with love for Ben, the married father of her daughter's classmate with whom she's having an affair. Ben's wife, Janet, edges her way into Amelie's life, making Amelie suspicious that she knows about the affair. When Ben rebuffs Amelie's urgings for him to get divorced so the two of them can marry, her obsession deepens, and she becomes fixated on how to get Janet out of the way. In this psychological exploration of one woman's descent into loneliness and obsession, Smith's (The Drowning) detailed and nuanced prose, along with a stifling portrayal of small-town life, are assets. Yet the pace is a bit too leisurely to create tension, and the action doesn't pick up until the last few chapters. VERDICT For readers seeking an unsympathetic portrayal of "the other woman," but with the ample offerings of domestic thrillers available, this is an optional purchase.--Anitra Gates, Erie Cty. P.L., PA

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2019
Best-selling novelist Amelie Ferrar is stunned when her husband, Richard, abruptly leaves her for his younger lover. But she soon fills his gap with an affair with Ben, an architect with a wife, Janet, and children, Rachel (the same age as Amelie's daughter and only child, Nina) and younger son, Andrew. Now that the affair has gone on for two years, with their daughters freshmen in college, Amelie wants more, specifically marriage to Ben. Then, as Amelie does readings and interviews to promote her newest book, she finds Janet, a successful entrepreneur, reaching out to her to share drinks, a meal, and even intimate details of her marriage and suspicions of Ben's infidelity. Working on her next book, Amelie begins seeing darker plots and imagines Janet dead, as the distinction between fiction and real life sometimes fades. As she braces for an ugly confrontation with Janet, Amelie instead realizes just what she's up against in competing for Ben and what move she might still make. In clear prose, Smith spins out a sensuous, sinuous psychological thriller that compels attention to the final line.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)