A RELIABLE WIFE

Robert Goolrick

MSRP $14.95, 291 Pages.

Published by Algonquin.

Complications ensue when a wealthy Wisconsin widower in 1907 advertises for a spouse.

Rural Wisconsin, 1909. In the bitter cold, Ralph Truitt, a successful businessman, stands alone on a train platform waiting for the woman who answered his newspaper advertisement for "a reliable wife." But when Catherine Land steps off the train from Chicago, she's not the "simple, honest woman" that Ralph is expecting. She is both complex and devious, haunted by a terrible past and motivated by greed. Her plan is simple: she will win this man's devotion, and then, ever so slowly, she will poison him and leave Wisconsin a wealthy widow. What she has not counted on, though, is that Truitt — a passionate man with his own dark secrets —has plans of his own for his new wife. Isolated on a remote estate and imprisoned by relentless snow, the story of Ralph and Catherine unfolds in unimaginable ways.

With echoes of Wuthering Heights and Rebecca, Robert Goolrick's intoxicating debut novel delivers a classic tale of suspenseful seduction, set in a world that seems to have gone temporarily off its axis.

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Articles from the New York Times

Book Review

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Customer Reviews

I didn't like any of the characters

Rating

I read this book since the jacket said it was "suspenseful" but when I got into the book I was very disappointed. I could not stand any of the weird characters. Ralph Truitt the older man was a totally unlikeable person and his relationship with Catherine unfathomable. Catherine Land and Antonio MOrelli, Truitt's second wife and son respectively were totally unbelievable and Morelli was somewhat of a cartoon villain--but oddly enough the book came somewhat to life after pressing through chapters about dreary Ralph and Catherine. The ending which I won't divulge was very offputting as well and it was like the author wanted to wrap things up fast. I do hope sincerely there is no sequel and these characters are not resurrected.

The story is about a lonely widower whose secrets are gradually revealed meeting a "mail order" bride who advertised for a husband. He asks her to be his wife but also wants her to play detective. Flashbacks reveal a Rebecca style plot but this is by no means anywhere near the quality of the novel Rebecca!

There are side characters like Catherine's sister and the Larsens but they are really uninteresting and deadly dull. The author never gave them any life.

It also is a real bodice ripper type of novel so these many elements are mixed together: Rebecca type theme, plenty of sex scenes, and "mystery." But the ending was a cop out in my opinion and very very unrealistic.

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outside the crowd

Rating

I was surprised to see so many negative reviews of this novel and feel somewhat outside the crowd in my views. Is the book predictable? Yes. Is it gloomy? Perhaps a little. Yet, I find the prose beautifully pieced together to create a story about redemption. I feel the characters are believable in motivation and reaction, and I appreciated the setting as one of those characters. I actually sympathized with Ralph and Catherine--either because or in spite of their human failings. One of the better books I've read in a while, as I'm tired of all the stories about wealthy divorced women and mothers in mourning who decide to move somewhere to start over or travel the world (yawn).

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A PAGE TURNER

Rating

This has it all . Romance, intrigue, twist after twist, historical interest, fascinating characters. Ending was just OK. I was a little incredulous at how far he let her take over his life and health. But still worth reading.

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Longest Winter Ever

Rating

I know Wisconsin winters are long, but........she arrived in the freezing winter, met her husband, married him, had an affair with her lover, poisoned her husband, nursed him back to health, got pregnant, planted a garden. Meanwhile Truitt saw his fortunes rise and fall, dealt with his worthless son, on and on. I had to finish the book, only because I always finish books that I start, but his descriptions of each of their feelings went on ad infinitum, ad nauseum until the very pat and predictable ending. I wish all of them had fallen in the ice.

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Exciting plot- a lot of surprises!

Rating

While I agree with other reviews that the author tends to overexplain certain things, I still couldn't put this book down. The story had unexpected twists and turns and I loved how the characters evolved. A lesson in although your past effects who you are today but does not have to haunt you. A great read!

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