This is the second book I have read by English author Joy Wood and as I had thoroughly enjoyed the previous novel, I was looking forward to reading Getting Away With Murder.
The Blurb
Claire is happily married to the charismatic Max Maric and living the dream in a luxury house in the prestigious Sandbanks area of Poole Harbour. She loves her husband and their precious son, Freddy. Her life is perfect. Or so she thinks.
Annabelle is Max Maric's lover. She's a wealthy widow and is all set to marry him, just as soon as he's divorced. Her life will then be perfect. Or so she thinks.
One man, two women, but they can't both have him. And he doesn't get to choose - the schizophrenic decides, with a sophisticated plan to eradicate her nemesis in the most heinous of ways.
The intended victim needs a friend. Fortunately, she has a new one she's become close to. But nobody told her that false friends are worse than open enemies.
The Review
This book started slowly and gently and just kept building.
The author draws the relationships between Max and his wife, Max and his lover and Max and the gardener. Max comes across as a very driven personality with fixed and determined ambitions and plans. He has this in common with his lover, Annabelle, but his wife, Claire, is more nuturing and family oriented. Max seems to spend far more time at his office than his wife would like. Claire finds Max's workaholic attitudes exasperating and is delighted to meet a new friend in whom she can confide.
Claire enjoys the dream home Max has created for their family and not only cares for her son, Freddy, but also looks aout for her recently widowed mother. Although Max does not like the gardener, Claire, her mother and son all find him courteous and hard working. He even encourages Freddy's interests and helps Claire and her Mum, over and above doing the gardening.
Max continues his double life and much of the time he claims to be working, he is spending time with Annabelle. She is so looking forward to how she imagines life with Max will be when he divorces Claire and they can be together.
I never indulge in spoilers, but there is an extrememly clever twist in the plot in Getting Away With Murder which I did not see coming. What a clever author Joy Wood is! I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it to all who enjoy crime thrillers and mysteries.
The Author
I’ve always loved the many facets of the English Language. At school, my favourite lesson was English Literature. I used to read a specific story, imagine I’d written it and then formulate a different ending. Delighted with my own efforts, I’m not so sure the renowned authors’ would have appreciated my slant on their work.
Poetry was a particular favourite of mine, and I’d use any excuse to dabble. I trained as a nurse, and whenever I left a period of employment such as working on a ward or in an operating theatre, I would leave behind a witty poem about my colleagues, turning them into humorous characters, which were always well received.
I progressed to consumer competitions, and enjoyed a significant amount of success writing slogans. Nothing would please me more than to receive a long white envelope through the post, announcing a prize I’d won for an innovative slogan. I was very lucky with most of the prizes, although a runner up reward of a year’s supply of dog food wasn’t the best prize, especially when I didn’t have a dog!
I once wrote a simple romantic story for a competition run by a clothing catalogue. I did the usual, boy meets girl, conflict between the two of them which was eventually resolved, and they both lived happily ever after. However, I featured the male and female characters wearing brand names of outfits from the catalogue range, and used appealing descriptive phrases about the garments. To my amazement, I was rewarded by winning first prize of an all-inclusive holiday.
Even though I knew that the reference to the catalogue clothing range most probably sealed the win, it gave me the encouragement to try my hand at actually writing a romance novel. Two years ago, I moved with my husband to Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire. Watching the tide turn daily, gave me the idea for the story, ‘For the Love of Emily’. I would develop the characters in my head, and create the chapters on my laptop when I returned home. Although this story is now finished, I still have plenty of ideas still whirling around in my brain, yet to be sealed in ink.
Val Penny