First published 2005
Natalie Rubin has disappeared. The middle-class Jewish mother took her three children and left no trace. Her husband Mark turns to private investigator Tess Monaghan for help. He claims he loves his wife and believed she was content with their life together. Tess hesitates to take the case. Domestic disputes make her uncomfortable, and something about Mark troubles her. His devotion to Natalie carries an edge of control that sets off warning bells. Did his behavior push Natalie to run? Could he have harmed her instead? Tess accepts the job despite her reservations. Her search reveals that Natalie guards secrets about her past. Mark's values clash with Tess's own beliefs about marriage and freedom. The Rubin family has practiced the art of keeping secrets for years. Tess must navigate the lies and half-truths to find the missing woman and her children.
Genres: domestic-fiction, suspense, mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: deception, domestic-disputes, missing-wife, unreliable-narrator
400 pages · Paperback · Orion