Good Little Wives-Abby Drake

Good Little Wives
Abby Drake
Avon, Sep 2007, $13.95
ISBN: 9780061232213

In New Falls, New York the upper class trophy wives try to push back the erosion of time via plastic surgery as each understands their wealthy husband could decide he needs a younger model on his mantle. Thus Kitty DeLano, Lauren Halliday, Bridget Haynes, Dana Fulton, and Caroline Meacham pretend that their only fear is to wear the wrong item to their next get together.

However, Kitty is the first to face the nightmarish reality of middle age when her husband dumps her for someone a couple decades younger; to add insult the new trophy Mrs. DeLano was a hairdresser. However, soon after she became the ex Mrs. DeLano, the police arrest Kitty for murdering her former husband as she is found by his corpse holding the murder weapon. As the police interrogate the other members of the foursome, each fears that their darkest secrets will become part of the public domain; so believing kitty’s claims of innocence, the GOOD LITTLE WIVES club led by dynamic Dana conduct their own inquiry into who killed the ex-spouse.

With a nod to the First Wives’ Club, the key to this witty relationship drama is the four trophy wives turn amateur sleuths who wear masks in public but have trepidations in private. Each comes across unique with personal fears but share in common that they could easily be replaced by a younger version of themselves. Thus they begin investigating as a means of self preservation though Dana forces the others to reluctantly participate. Though a late second killing seems unneeded, readers will appreciate the antics to remain the wives of affluent spouses by hiding their flaws while also trying to prove that even a former member of their exclusive group would never resort to murder as that is too messy.

Harriet Klausner