A Book A Week

I read a lot of thrillers. Dating all the way back to my days in high school, I would spend way more time devouring the mass market paperback edition of whatever thriller was besting the NYT bestsellers list than the books I was supposed to be reading for school. All these years later, the genre continues to be one of my favorites. The only downside to reading as many thrillers as I do is that they've become a bit formulaic. It is rare for me to get to the end of one of these books without guessing the big twist. The books by writing duo Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have been some of the few exceptions. In fact, the way they built upon established formulas while completely subverting expectations in their novel The Wife Between Us cemented them as must-read authors in my yearly TBR list. Their new novel The Golden Couple was sent to me by their publisher, and I couldn't be more excited to read their latest effort.  

Avery Chambers is a formerly licensed therapist who has newfound success after losing her initial career. You see, without being required to follow a prescribed method to treat her patients, Avery has been able to take a more unconventional approach. And it works! These days, she only takes on clients who she knows can be cured within 10 sessions. How does she do it? It's simple really. Avery obsesses over her clients, learning every aspect of their lives and relationships, even interjecting and setting up specific scenarios for them to live through. Like I said, unconventional but effective. After so many years of this kind of success, Avery feels pretty confident when her latest clients enter her office for their first session. Little does she know that she's about to meet her match. 

On the surface, spouses Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem like a normal couple. For all appearances, their relationship seems strong, and the pair have made a loving home for their young son. There's no such thing as perfect, and the Bishops are about to prove the point. As they walk into Avery's office, Matthew is unsure of why they are at a therapist. Then Marissa drops the bomb. She's cheated on Matthew, and, for the sake of their marriage, wants Avery's help in patching things up. There's only one problem. The more Avery dissects the Bishop's marriage, the more confusing things become. Amongst the lies and infidelity rests something more sinister, the kind of secret that has the potential to destroy a marriage and the lives of anyone who comes close to it. What is the secret? You'll have to read to find out. 

With The Golden Couple, authors Hendricks and Pekkanen take all the things that have made their previous novels so intriguing and ramp them up another notch. The story is told through shifting perspectives, giving the reader just enough breadcrumbs to follow into the next moment without giving too much away. The authors eschew the usual crimes or murders that typically drive the suspense in this genre in favor of even more electrifying personal relationships and character revelations. Things get a bit convoluted, but I didn't really care. I was so enamored by the actions of each of these characters that I couldn't stop reading. Even better, I didn't see the big ending coming. That's always a win in my book. If you're looking for the kind of book that shocks, surprises, and keeps you reading into all hours of the night, look no further. The Golden Couple proves once again that Hendricks and Pekkanen have got the goods. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2022, 10)