Goodnight Nobody

Jul 21, 2008 Rita rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who likes chick lit

I liked Goodnight Nobody. It's an easy, fun read.

Having said that, however, I am going to critique Jennifer Weiner's works in general. I have read three of them: Good in Bed, In Her Shoes and Goodnight Nobody. There are similarities between the three of them that are starting to make Weiner's work seem formulaic.

1. Each of the books features a protagonist who is very conscious of her own non-stick figure body shape.

GIB: Cannie
IHS: Rose
GN: Kate

2. Each protagonist has a friend/cohort who is the o...more

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May 15, 2007 Abby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If Kate Klein, the protagonist of GOODNIGHT NOBODY, were real, we'd be best friends. Kate struggles with her life as a stay-at-home mom in suburbia. When she finds her neighbor stabbed to death in her kitchen, Kate launches her own investigation to find the killer. The investigation gives her life purpose again.

Author Jennifer Weiner is right-on with the desperation stay-at-home moms feel, as we put our skills aside and our lives on hold to change diapers and clean up spilled Kool-Aid. Kate Kle...more

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Sep 08, 2007 Kristen rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I saw this in the bargain bin at Barnes & Noble - I thought I struck gold! I had really liked Good in Bed and In Her Shoes and was excited to pick up another book by Jennifer Weiner. Unfortunately, this fell flat. It was stale and I wasn't involved with the characters at all. Her protagonist was annoying (i.e. mother dealing with a crush she had years ago and now is hemming and hawing about the what-could-have-been) all the while her husband makes attempts (small though they may be)...more

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Jul 07, 2008 Kirsten rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to admit - I was disappointed by this book. I felt the heroine, whose name I have already forgotten, was not, in fact, someone I would want championing for me if I was murdered! Why does this woman have to be such a bumbling doofus? Just because she is a stay-at-home mom? The scene at the memorial service was just one example of her embarassment. She's telling everyone she is going to speak at the service, and then she is surprised when she is pushed to speak! I do like how the author inc...more I have to admit - I was disappointed by this book. I felt the heroine, whose name I have already forgotten, was not, in fact, someone I would want championing for me if I was murdered! Why does this woman have to be such a bumbling doofus? Just because she is a stay-at-home mom? The scene at the memorial service was just one example of her embarassment. She's telling everyone she is going to speak at the service, and then she is surprised when she is pushed to speak! I do like how the author incorporated having to work with dealing with small children while she is trying to do her "investigating."

Also, I just about LOL when she told her husband she is good at this investigating thing! First of all, she was only doing it because she was bored and lonely. Secondly, how many people did she accuse of killing Kitty? And I'm talking about directly, to their face! And, in the end, she truly had no clue until the very end! Every theory she had turned out to be nothing at all. As a matter of fact, because she decided to dig into the situation and did it with so little ability, her children could have ended up hurt, or worse.

By the way, why was her fabulous friend from the City (excuse me, but I've forgotten her name as well) her best friend? Their initial meeting was rather ridiculous - I mean, I believe the friend did what she did, but not our heroine. And then what, neither of them had friends before each other, or did they just drop them all in favor of each other? I don't know, I don't really question that they were friends, I felt that could have been set up differently.

I did like a couple of points in the book. The super-moms and feeling left out because she was not one. I have never been a super-mom and have never tried to be - it's just not me. I would have been completely intimidated by them as well and probably wouldn't have been included by them either. Those super-moms seemed to treat their children as a kind of career, as if they were being reviewed and up for more benefits the better they were as moms!

I also like how she handled Evan. Nice guy, but an idiot. Really. Or, maybe not an idiot, but bad news. If he truly had feelings for our heroine, why didn't he ever try to get her back, at least once he and the super-model broke up? It's not like he had any trouble finding her once all hell broke loose with Kitty. I agree with the Friend, Evan is all about the chase. Our heroine should not leave her husband for this dude, as much as she may want to. I honestly think if she had just gotten the chance to sleep with him when she was single, she could have gotten him out of her system a little easier.

As for the husband, should she stay with him? That is a very tough question and I don't believe either answer is competely right. Either way, there is going to be unhappiness for her and for others. I think that is why the author ended the book without an answer to that question. Whichever road she chose, it would not be a satisfying end to the book. Maybe she has a sequel in mind. I don't think I'll read it, though.(less)

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Sep 07, 2007 CJ rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

i didn't have a book to take on the bus/train for labor day weekend...a co-worker loaned me this...i was semi-interested b/c the author has another book i've wanted to read...anyhow, _goodnight nobody_ is a bit hackneyed. trite writing about the thin, beautiful, seemingly successful types...and i'm afraid the author didn't make me very empathetic to the more "realistic" narrator...she's supposed to be smart and not thin...looking for more stimulation than she's getting from being a stay-at-home...more

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Aug 30, 2007 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kate Klein’s life is not what she thought it would be. Trapped in suburbia with three preschoolers, her days drone endlessly by in a never-ending parade of carpools, play dates, snooty super moms, and household chores.
Kitty Cavanaugh is the undisputed queen of the Upchurch mommies. On the surface, she’s the perfect mom with the perfect suburban life. She’s gorgeous, with not a single ounce of “baby weight” hanging around her tummy or hips. Her twins are beautiful and well behaved. Her home is lo...more
Kate Klein’s life is not what she thought it would be. Trapped in suburbia with three preschoolers, her days drone endlessly by in a never-ending parade of carpools, play dates, snooty super moms, and household chores.
Kitty Cavanaugh is the undisputed queen of the Upchurch mommies. On the surface, she’s the perfect mom with the perfect suburban life. She’s gorgeous, with not a single ounce of “baby weight” hanging around her tummy or hips. Her twins are beautiful and well behaved. Her home is lovely. Her husband is devoted and attractive. She seems to have it all.
When Kitty invites Kate over for lunch, Kate is mystified. Kitty’s mention of a “mutual friend” piques her curiosity, so she reluctantly agrees. Kate arrives at Kitty’s house on the appointed day only to discover her hostess facedown in the kitchen, a huge knife stuck between her shoulder blades. Then Kate spies Evan McKenna’s phone number on a notepad by Kitty’s phone. It seems that Kate and Kitty did have a mutual friend.
Kate is horrified. And, once the initial shock wears off, more than a little intrigued. After all, Kitty’s murder is the most interesting thing that’s happened in sleepy little Upchurch since the Kleins moved to town.
Kate launches an unofficial investigation into Kitty’s murder. Armed with a hello kitty notepad, she chips away at Upchurch’s perfect veneer. Kate discovers cheating spouses, a former call girl, jealousy, unrequited love and a search for a deadbeat father lurking behind her neighbors’ closed doors.
Another Upchurch mommy goes missing and Kate finds a threatening note on her car, but Kate’s interest in the case never wavers. Against her husband’s wishes and the advice of local law enforcement, she plunges ahead. Her reporter’s instinct tells her she’s closing in on the answer as she peels back the layers of Kitty’s not-so perfect life. She doesn’t realize that Kitty’s killer is closing in on her as well.
Weiner’s strength as a writer truly lies in her ability to create believable characters. In Goodnight Nobody, she has brought to life another captivating heroine. Kate Klein is very much an “everywoman.” She’s overwhelmed by sudden motherhood. She’s sad and more than a little angry at her once attentive, now absent, husband. She’s a good mother, but she’s bored. She is struggling to hold on to her identity, but feels herself slipping further and further away from the woman she once was.
The supporting cast in this novel is great. Kate’s best friend, carpet heiress Janie Segal is a breath of fresh air in Kate’s stale existence. She’s smart, funny and more than willing to play Watson to Kate’s Sherlock.
Once again, Weiner has crafted an intimate look into the lives of modern women, this time taking on suburban moms. The Upchurch mommies represent the best and worst faces of motherhood. Their struggle to hold together the illusion of perfection despite reality is by turns funny, sad and mean-spirited. Their choices, sacrifices and compromises ring true for all women. They’re formidable and competitive. They have secrets. They harbor hopes and dreams that have absolutely nothing to do with the fall festival at playschool.
Goodnight Nobody is Weiner’s first attempt at writing a mystery. She masterfully strings just enough clues and red herrings along the path to keep her readers turning the pages without giving too much away. There are suspects aplenty and a variety of motives – I finally gave up trying to figure out “whodunit,” and let Weiner take me along for the ride.

(Review published in the Burlington Times-News, 11/6/2005)(less)

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Apr 23, 2012 Courtney rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I should preface this by saying chic-lit is generally not my thing. I had read a couple of other Wieiner books, and they were better than the average chic-lit I have read. The characters were a bit more skewed and more real to me. So, when I saw this in the bargin bin, I bit. This was definitely more indicative of general chic-lit blah fair for me. Cookie cutter characters, bored mommy story.

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Dec 01, 2007 Lain rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am a little confused as to why Weiner, one of the hottest writers today, felt it necessary to try her hand at a mystery. After the raucous success of "In Her Shoes," "Good In Bed," and "Little Earthquakes," I expected her to keep moving on the same vein -- and I was excited about it.

But this book doesn't make the grade set by her previous three best-sellers. The mystery is clunky, the characters annoying, and the plot disjointed. This was a strange attempt at a new genre. Let's hope Weiner re...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, crime

This is not the type of book I normally read. It's not the right genre, style or character. So I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed it.

Kate Klein is an accidental mother of three. She fell in "like" with her husband after a bad rebound, married him because it was sensible to do so, accidently fell pregnant and had a baby girl, then accidently fell pregnant with twin boys some two months later. Suddenly, she's gone from being a free-spirited (if slightly self-conscious) fashion and tabl...more

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May 27, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: satire

A very good novel that is several cuts above the average mystery which is forgotten as soon as you finish it. An unusual mix of the literary with satire and mystery, it is hard to peg but easy to recommend.

Kate is a fish out of water in her new Connecticut suburb, where everyone else is a Supermom and is careful to feed their kids only organic foods.

She tries to befriend Kitty, but unfortunately she turns up dead when Kate and her kids show up for a play date. Oops, sorry to bother you, Kitty....more

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Aug 18, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kate Klein, mother-of-three, leads a fairly quiet, boring life. Her days are filled with taking care of her children and being a house wife until another mother in the neighborhood is killed. Kate's former life as a reporter soon takes over and she conducts her own investigation. Her days are now filled with phone calls, trips to NYC to question people, and research. Now feeling as if her life has a purpose, she cannot give up the investigation until she has seen it through to the end.

My bigges...more

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Jul 19, 2011 ErinReadsTooMuch rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: No one

I have to say that I pretty much hated this book. I only gave it that extra star because the actual writing is pretty good. She spins a good tale, and pretty much the only person you like in the book is Janie, her best friend. Kate, the main character, is pretty much one of the most selfish people I have ever read as a main character. You just feel sorry for her husband, whom she doesn't really love, but thought was suitable to marry because he was "nice", and you really feel sorry for her kids....more I have to say that I pretty much hated this book. I only gave it that extra star because the actual writing is pretty good. She spins a good tale, and pretty much the only person you like in the book is Janie, her best friend. Kate, the main character, is pretty much one of the most selfish people I have ever read as a main character. You just feel sorry for her husband, whom she doesn't really love, but thought was suitable to marry because he was "nice", and you really feel sorry for her kids. She does love them, but she tends to drop them off at day care and other people's houses for playdates a lot (never actually hosting one herself). She complains constantly about not having time to take care of herself - I'm not saying she needs to be impeccably groomed like the other Moms at the playground - but at least clean clothes would be a step in the right direction. She also compares constantly that everyone else is wearing or using much more expensive clothing than her and her children have - but it's from choice, really. The author states how much money her husband makes, and with the neighborhood they chose to live in, if she wanted to care enough to dress more nicely, or have her kids in better clothes, or even have them eat better food, she could. She complains about not having time to do any of those things, yet she makes time to do all this investigating. It just shows that while she is resentful of the other moms because they take time to make snacks for their kids instead of feeding them processed food, and because they dress better and look better - she has no desire to apply any change like that into her own life. She has the money, the means, and apparently the time that she thinks she doesn't have (until she makes time to do investigative work, that is). She just likes to complain and feel sorry for herself more. And that bugs the crap out of me.

On a personal level, she made it sound like the moms who tried to do alternative or green parenting were robots or aliens at best. That normal people just couldn't or wouldn't want to try to make their kids eat healthily (or at the very least, not prepared, processed, or frozen food all the time). I mean, her kids all got the stomach flu, and the first thing she gives them when they're better is freaking Rice Krispie Treats! And then she feels a mixture of guilt, but also defiance that she is not like those other moms. Excuse me, I work up to 4 jobs at a time, and don't make a lot of money. We live very simply, and I take care of my appearance, as well as my daughter's - even if she is in second hand clothes, at least they're clean most of the time - and we cloth diapered and she eats mostly a diet of organic food. It's not rocket science. It's a desire to keep your kids healthy, and to take care of yourself. Not that hard to do.

***************SPOILER ALERT******************
So, why did I read this book when I hated the main character so much? Well, like I said, that extra star up there is for plot development. You may not like the characters, but the plot does keep it moving. You want to find out who did it, and why. You also want to find out what happens with her relationships. Is she doing to leave her nice husband and go back to her old flame, the only man she ever really loved? Even though it was unrequited until she became unavailable - which seems to be his thing. Only wants what he can't have. And for her? It was frustrating because the story kept jumping back and forth between the past and present, and you're wondering how she loved this other man so intensely and ended up where she is now. About halfway through the book, you finally find out what caused the big rift and falling out between her and Evan, the man she really loved. And it was lame. He got drunk, they made out, he felt guilty because he had a fiance, and did she stay and fight for him? Bare her soul? Tell him how she felt? Other than a whisper of love when he was passed out - NO. She didn't. She ran away. Then she met her husband, decided he was nice and suitable, and married him. Even did nothing really to deserve her mirth. He acted with honor by NOT cheating on his (cheating) fiance. You think for a while that Kate is going to go ahead and cheat on her husband with Evan, and other than a couple of kisses and heavy groping, she doesn't. Because that would have been the last straw in trying to find anything likable about her character. But she constantly lies to her husband, and goes behind his back, even to a point of almost getting him fired. He puts up with her, genuinely loves her, and really makes an effort to salvage their relationship. So, you're wondering, how is this going to end? What will become of this intense desire within her to investigate? Will she open her own PI Business? Become a cop? (doubtful). What is going to happen with her and her husband? With Evan? Will she finally run away from her life and take off with Evan, leaving 3 kids and a devastated husband behind? I wouldn't put it past her. She's utterly selfish. But, you don't even get the satisfaction of finding out. She does solve the mystery - of who murdered Kitty, that is (not who fathered Kitty, which is what it was more about it seemed) - she almost gets her kids killed in the process, even. But then what does she do? Runs away. Again. Leaves her husband, moves her kids and mother into a house in Cape Cod, and ignores the rest of the world. Her husband sells their old house and rents a condo nearby, coming out every weekend to play with the kids and try to save their marriage. After he did nothing wrong in the first place. Even still calls her, trying to get her to run away with him. She lies in the ocean and ignores everyone. The End. How unsatisfying is THAT?!(less)

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Jun 18, 2011 Britni rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was the first book I've read by Jennifer Weiner and probably will be the last. It was okay, but I wouldn't recommend it. The novel is basically about a stay at home mom (she doesn't want to be a SAHM) who moved with her husband from NYC for safety reasons to a small Stepford Wives type town. All of the mothers are perfect in every way. Until one day the ring leader of the Wives gets murdered. The rest of the novel is about the SAHM trying to crack the case. The book is supposed to be full o...more

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Oct 09, 2010 Jessica Lawlor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2009

Since I adore Jennifer Weiner’s writing, I was very excited to read Goodnight Nobody. Unfortunately, now I have read all of Weiner’s novels, so now I’m just waiting for her to write another!
Goodnight Nobody tells the story of Kate Klein, an unsatisfied suburban mom with three kids who misses life as a working woman in New York City. Trying to fit in with the other mom’s in the Connecticut town of Upchurch proves difficult for Kate, but just as she feels like she could make a connection with one...more Since I adore Jennifer Weiner’s writing, I was very excited to read Goodnight Nobody. Unfortunately, now I have read all of Weiner’s novels, so now I’m just waiting for her to write another!
Goodnight Nobody tells the story of Kate Klein, an unsatisfied suburban mom with three kids who misses life as a working woman in New York City. Trying to fit in with the other mom’s in the Connecticut town of Upchurch proves difficult for Kate, but just as she feels like she could make a connection with one of the mom’s, Kate finds Kitty Cavanaugh dead.

Once a journalist, Kate is curious to find out as much as possible about Kitty’s life. She investigates into her past with the help of a past love, Evan McKenna and her best friend Janie Segal.

The story takes many twists and turns and I found myself really getting into the mystery of who killed Kitty Cavanaugh. After reading Weiner’s other books, it was great to see a different side of her writing…a mystery. Initially, I was skeptical about how well the whole mystery thing would go, but I ended up thinking it was awesome and I hope Weiner is considering another mystery.

I really love that the story is told in two different time periods; the first being the present in which the crime and investigation occur and the second being the story of Kate’s life in New York City ten years back with Janie and Evan.

Honestly, the only thing that REALLY bugged me about this story was Weiner’s choice to use the name Kitty as a main character. For some reason, every time I read the name, I was really thrown off.

Weiner really creates characters you can relate to and love. I found myself adoring Kate Klein and her curiosity and eagerness to solve this mystery. Kate’s best friend Janie plays a wonderful supporting role, being both hilarious and a great friend. Even Kate’s young daughter Sophie provides her own unique flair to the story.

One thing I loved about this book was that the action took place in the first chapter. I love books where I’m thrown right into the drama and just want to keep turning the pages. After reading a few slow starting books lately, I was happy to read a book that really kept me interested.

Once the mystery was neatly solved at the end of the book, I was definitely satisfied, but I would have liked the romantic aspect of the book to be tied up a bit more as well.(less)

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Mar 20, 2010 Mel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kate Klein is a stay-at-home mom with three young children and a successful husband. She leaves the city and a best friend behind for suburban life, and a visit to the local park tells her she doesn't quite fit in. While Kate has messy hair, baggy clothes, kid-friendly food and simple birthday parties, the other mothers are primped, plucked and perfectly styled. Their children are well-behaved, eat organic food and have over-the-top birthday parties. The one that irritates Kate the most is Kitty...more Kate Klein is a stay-at-home mom with three young children and a successful husband. She leaves the city and a best friend behind for suburban life, and a visit to the local park tells her she doesn't quite fit in. While Kate has messy hair, baggy clothes, kid-friendly food and simple birthday parties, the other mothers are primped, plucked and perfectly styled. Their children are well-behaved, eat organic food and have over-the-top birthday parties. The one that irritates Kate the most is Kitty Cavanaugh, beautiful and seemingly perfect in looks, style and life. Kate perceives her friendliness as smugness and so is surprised when Kitty invites her to lunch. However, Kate gets a nasty shock when she finds Kitty dead, stabbed with a butcher knife and the phone number of a past crush on the counter.
Kate, who is secretly bored with day-to-day motherhood, decides to play detective while her kids are in nursery school to find out who Kitty's killer is. The story shifts between Kate in the past, dealing with a career-minded mother whose talent overshadowed hers; meeting her eccentric best friend; and the unrequited love for a man she cannot have to Kate in the present, balancing family and chores while interviewing those who knew Kitty best. Kate soon discovers the painful secrets Kitty hid and finds that sometimes perfect isn't quite so perfect.
Goodnight Nobody is a decent effort, but not without its faults. While Kate's antics are amusing, I found it hard to believe that after weeks of going to the same park with the same mothers, Kate would still forget to pack snacks for her kids. Secondly, Kate convinces people to talk about Kitty by telling them she's preparing a speech for her funeral and wants to make it special. Therefore, showing up unprepared with no speech and singing a shockingly inappropriate song is stretching it a bit thin. Finally, I know kids are demanding as I am a mom myself, but there's time to take a shower and brush your hair. Kate's constant sloppiness gets a little silly at times, at least for me. Despite all this, I would still recommend this book. Mothers will relate at some level and it's a still a fun read.(less)

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Mar 02, 2010 BarkLessWagMore rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, audiobook

This story is about a desperate housewife who doesn't seem to fit in. After a surprise invite to the meanest of the "in" mom's home, Kate arrives to find her hostess dead on the floor with a knife poking out of her back. It's time to run, methinks.

She instead decides to spice up her boring life by investigating the murder. It reads to me like a very dull episode of Desperate Housewives with some flashbacks to the past thrown in for added tedium. I don't know if I'll finish this because, as the b...more This story is about a desperate housewife who doesn't seem to fit in. After a surprise invite to the meanest of the "in" mom's home, Kate arrives to find her hostess dead on the floor with a knife poking out of her back. It's time to run, methinks.

She instead decides to spice up her boring life by investigating the murder. It reads to me like a very dull episode of Desperate Housewives with some flashbacks to the past thrown in for added tedium. I don't know if I'll finish this because, as the book goes on and on, I'm finding myself liking Kate less and less. Her longing for a past almost-lover because her current life is so boring isn't exactly sympathy inducing stuff. Poor, poor Kate. She's married to a guy who works so hard to pay for their mini-mansion (while Kate stays home with the kiddies) that he falls asleep before satisfying her. The nerve of the rotten guy!

Another thing bugging me are the constant jabs at healthy eating and the people who promote it, like it's a snobbish thing to eat veggies, fruit and nuts! Note to author: it's actually cheaper to eat the good healthy stuff in the long run and the short run if you know how to shop and can be bothered to learn how to cook. All of that packaged junk is overpriced. The author thinks it funny to stuff her fictional kids with Cheetos and sugared crap while making fun of the "organic crowd". Really, how hard is it to do 20 seconds of planning and stick some fruit or carrots in your bag before going to the park so your kids won't annoy you with whines of "I'm hungry" driving you to raid the nearest convenience store because you can't stand the whining one freaking minute more? This just makes the heroine appear like a thoughtless, disorganized person. As someone with a very busy life (and a job) and with a child allergic to most of that processed crapola and as someone who finds the childhood obesity epidemic quite sad, I find these jabs offensive and ignorant. It looks like I just talked myself out of finishing this one!(less)

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May 25, 2009 Jennifer Johnson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Apparently all housewives in Connecticut are bored- and I was NOT the only one.

Jennifer Weiner's Goodnight Nobody is her latest novel and the author finds herself straying from her lighter more romantic stories to one of mystery. Kate Klein is the heroine, stuck in boring Connecticut, in kind of a Stepford Wives hell, a hell she feels in no way in which she belongs. The "mommies" around her are perfect and she feels like she and her family don't fit in to the perfect little town. When she discov...more Apparently all housewives in Connecticut are bored- and I was NOT the only one.

Jennifer Weiner's Goodnight Nobody is her latest novel and the author finds herself straying from her lighter more romantic stories to one of mystery. Kate Klein is the heroine, stuck in boring Connecticut, in kind of a Stepford Wives hell, a hell she feels in no way in which she belongs. The "mommies" around her are perfect and she feels like she and her family don't fit in to the perfect little town. When she discovers Kitty Cavanaugh's lifeless body in her kitchen- the town's perfection begins to unravel and Kate feels herself rejuvinated out of her boring life by the mystery. As Kate plays detective she's shocked at what she discovers.

I've liked the last two Jen Weiner books that I've read ("Good in Bed" and "In Her Shoes")- her writing feels real, and she'd rather be bluntly honest than create charicature characters. This one was different though- not only was there a mystery that needs to be solved, but there's an amazing amount of back story about childhood pressures and her fears that she is a disappointment, a crush that she never quite got over and her exciting life with her best friend Janie in New York. The problem is that I don't think the author could decide whether or not she wanted to write a mystery or a just a chick lit novel- because she switches back and forth between each genre. I will admit that I don't usually read mysteries, but I felt that this one got a little confusing. I appreciate that the author was hoping to do something that was unexpected, and realistic, but I got confused about what suspect she was talking too and their connections to the deceased. It was also confusing to go from "unrequited love, and family pressure" in one chapter to "who killed Kitty" in the next. I felt that the balance was poor. In my mind the writer should either have stuck to the mystery and the solving of the mystery, or she should have developed and clarified Kate Klein's life into a novel unto itself, without a murder to solve.

Overall I give this book a 6/10- it was good, and it was interesting, but a lot of the times I kept wishing that the author would have stuck to what she writes best, "chick lit", and skipped the mystery part. The story would have been more interesting had she stuck the life of Kate Klein and the decisions she faces. The book actually ends with a major question still hanging- and I'm hoping that the author chooses to write a follow up, where we do get more of the personal side and the decision that the heroine eventually makes. Not bad- but not great.(less)

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May 21, 2009 Alison rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fun

All in all: read the book. It's a good one. Honestly, read anything by Jennifer Weiner. She is very talented, even if I don't always agree with her decisions.

Surprisingly, I probably liked this book the best out of any of Jennifer Weiner's books. I say surprisingly, because it is probably the most different. It mixes mystery, suspense, and romance all in one, and does a very good job with all three. I didn't see the ending of the mystery angle coming until Kate did, which I always think is good;...more All in all: read the book. It's a good one. Honestly, read anything by Jennifer Weiner. She is very talented, even if I don't always agree with her decisions.

Surprisingly, I probably liked this book the best out of any of Jennifer Weiner's books. I say surprisingly, because it is probably the most different. It mixes mystery, suspense, and romance all in one, and does a very good job with all three. I didn't see the ending of the mystery angle coming until Kate did, which I always think is good; too often I can pick out the ending before it happens, and that's just no fun!

I am disappointed by the romance ending, though. Because it doesn't end. There is no conclusion, not even a hint at a conclusion. I don't believe in books' endings being wrapped up in neat little bows. I don't need a happier ever after. But basically her last thought about Ben and Evan is... "which one? Hmm. I don't know yet. Simply can't decide." That's kind of annoying. And at least with the author's other books, they had endings. No, I wasn't thrilled with the ending of Certain Girls, but it was an ending. This just leaves us floating in nowhere land. That's a little annoying.

Personally, if I were the author, Kate would end up back with Ben. I can't believe she doesn't love him a little bit; she is too intelligent to have married someone she only "likes," as she says at one point in the book. And her family is very important to her, and, I think, to Ben. I think that if he tries harder, maybe gives her a little room, things could work out. Evan is a run-of-the-mill scumbag, and I truly believe, if his character played out, he would end up being a scumbag to her, too. Janie was right: he only likes the chase. He didn't like Kate when she was single (and younger, and probably slimmer) but he wants her now, with three kids and a husband? Um, no. He doesn't. He was married (still is?) to Michelle, and he was in Florida with some other girl (over night, which is why his alibi didn't line up at first). Scum. Bag. She's a smart girl; she can work that out before making an egregious mistake. (less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Cook Memorial Public Library rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: humorous-stories, chick-lit

This is the first chick-lit book I've ever gotten all the way through, not that I've tried that many, I never thought I'd enjoy one. I was wrong. And I might read another Jennifer Weiner book, some day.

Goodnight Nobody is about a New York gal who falls in love, gets married, has three kids in the space of two years, and ends up in a Connecticut suburb before she knows what hit her. Then one of the playground mommies is murdered and things really get interesting.

Kate can only investigate the mu...more

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Oct 23, 2009 Olivia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I LOVE Jennifer Weiner's Good in Bed and enjoyed In Her Shoes and Little Earthquakes, but Goodnight Nobody just doesn't measure up. Maybe it is just slow to start, but I kept trying and couldn't finish it. In the other books, Weiner's characters aren't perfect and you love them that way, but the main character of GN is downright negative to the point of being extremely annoying. If I met her at the park, I would not befriend her either. (If you have read the book, you know what I mean by this.)...more

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Nov 02, 2009 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I went in blind...having no clue it was a murder mystery...what do I not read front covers?? ha! This book could easily be a season out of "Desperate Housewives". I found it entertaining and I wanted to keep reading. I even found myself becoming a bit nervous/anxious towards the climax/conclusion. With that being said I wish Weiner did not feel the need to involve such explicit sexual details...and I felt like I was almost home free without encountering too much "adult language" until the last f...more

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Dec 15, 2010 Jamie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The ending was really unsatisfying, though I am glad to say that the book didn't meet my predictions and Kate didn't leave her husband for Evan. Though I might have been rooting for that. Or not. I'm not sure now.

The story starts out as pretty predictable chic lit. Overweight, less than fabulous girl ends up with less than fabulous guy. She has a fabulous friend and a fabulous guy who got away/or who she wasn't good enough for. In this case, less than fabulous girl has a famous mother, a house i...more

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Jun 29, 2010 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kate Klein is a displaced suburban mom of three who misses her former life in New York where she used her brain and didn't feel completely inadequate compared with the playground supermoms she associates with (none of whom she'd actually call a true friend). When one of the ubermommies turns up dead, Kate can't resist the lure of trying to solve the crime, which causes her path to cross with a former boyfriend -- the one that got away.

Part who done it, part a commentary on married life with chil...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Alice rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, humor, library, literary, audio, mystery

I don't like open-ended narratives. It's a shame, because this book had so much going for it. I sympathized with the main character, I enjoyed the pacing and the characters, and I wanted to know where it was going. Instead, I got a fizzled part 3, no resolution to the questions that kept me pulled along to the end, and a failed attempt at a pastiche to Kate Chopin's The Awakening. An ending that tried to be highbrow and literary instead felt to me like a cop-out, and I made a disgusted noise whe...more I don't like open-ended narratives. It's a shame, because this book had so much going for it. I sympathized with the main character, I enjoyed the pacing and the characters, and I wanted to know where it was going. Instead, I got a fizzled part 3, no resolution to the questions that kept me pulled along to the end, and a failed attempt at a pastiche to Kate Chopin's The Awakening. An ending that tried to be highbrow and literary instead felt to me like a cop-out, and I made a disgusted noise when I realized that was all there was.

I listened to the book on audio, and the narrator was overall good. She had inflections and accents to mark each individual character, and didn't make the children sound screechy. I was distracted, though, by her continued pronunciation of Eastham (properly pronounced "East Ham") as "East'im." She also attempts a Cape Cod accent, which I wish she'd left alone.

Aside from that, the book had a lot of promise. Kate gained my sympathy early on, by living one of my worst nightmares, and handling it with humor and sarcasm, the way I think I might've.

The story follows Kate Klein, mother of three-year-old twin boys and a four-year-old girl, stuck in suburban housewife hell. She discovers her neighbor, a fellow stay-at-home-mother, dead with a knife in her back, and sets out to solve the mystery. She uncovers a lot of sordid details along the way, and starts to feel useful and smart and like she's good at something, a feeling which has eluded her most of her life.

Along the way, she reconnects with someone who broke her heart 7 years before, and for whom she still carries a torch. Evan McKenna is the private investigator the murder victim sometimes hired to find details which eluded her, and he is, briefly, a suspect in Kate's mind.

I honestly don't know if I was supposed to root for her to leave her boring, safe husband for Evan, if I was supposed to hope she'd finally be able to quell all those old, stupid feelings, or if I was supposed to believe she'd strike out on her own at the end of the book. Considering most of her problems in the beginning of the book revolve around her having to take care of the kids by herself, I hope that's not the answer. Nor am I entirely comfortable rooting for Ben, the husband. Declarations of how much he'll change, of bending to please the wifey, rarely end up with a blissful marriage, and I saw no indications this would end with a major overhaul to Ben's personality. Nor did I get the sense Evan was anything but a complication, or that he would be anything but another mouth to feed for poor, put-upon Kate.

I wasn't particularly impressed with the resolution to the murder mystery, either. The murderer worked so hard behind the scenes to stay off Kate's radar that the reveal felt like it came out of left field. There needed to be more direct intervention.

Kate's investigation turns up another mystery, too, and the resolution to that one was even less satisfying. I didn't see what triggered the person who eventually fesses up, there, to do so. It felt like it was dropped in there because an editor noted that there were too many questions remaining at the end of the book, and so a solution was cobbled together. It felt messy.

This is not the first of Jennifer Weiner's books I've read, which is good. If it was, I wouldn't want to pick up anything else she'd written. Instead, I'll write this off as a disappointing anomaly, and try something else she's written, at some point.(less)

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Jul 07, 2011 Joanie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It took me 3 months to finish this book. I liked the first third of the book. The second third lost me. I did like the fish out of water angle, but the contrast was too extreme. She was portrayed a a bumbling idiot. When she kept using the Hello Kitty notebook throughout her entire "investigation" I wanted to scream and ended up feeling very disconnected from her. There were so many interviews and suspects I got lost. While the last third of the book was paced more quickly and a little intriguin...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Kolleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, murder-mystery

What can I say? Jennifer Weiner is my hero. She writes these delicious stories with the quirkiest and most loveable characters and they always happen to fall into my lap at just the right time. Her stories and writing are always very similar, but different enough to make each read unique and fun. And praise to her for adding a little mystery to her novels. I thought she did a great job of it, despite everyone elses critiques. That being said, if Kate Klein were a real person, we would be best fr...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Ingrid Fasquelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Un mari avocat, une jolie maison dans une petite ville "select" du Connecticut et trois charmants bambins... A première vue, Kate Klein a tout d'une femme comblée. Mais en réalité, elle s'ennuie ferme et ne se retrouve pas dans son quotidien de femme au foyer. Lorsqu'elle découvre sa voisine un couteau plantée dans le dos, son esprit de journaliste d'investigation refait surface ! Accompagnée de son amie de toujours, l'excentrique et fringante Janie, elle décide d'élucider le mystère qui secoue...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-romance, entertaining-and-funny

I enjoyed the book. I love mysteries and a little romance. I kinda guessed "whodunnit" early, so that was kind of a disappointment for me. Also, the author seems to always write the same characters. the same leading lady. Unhappy with her body... and this one had messed up hair and clothes but never really tried to fix it even though it bothered her. And in this book I never felt I really got to know Kate as well as some of the other leads in other books. And I never got the feeling she even car...more

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Jan 10, 2010 Tamara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 29, 2009 Caitlin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the first book I have read by Jennifer Weiner and I must say I am slightly disappointed. I definitely expected a light, chick lit kind of book and was surprised to find a chick lit twist on a murder mystery (which trust me, isn't as good as it may sound). I have no idea what her other books are like, but I was left wanting more from my first experience. Nevertheless, I still found it mildly entertaining but its definitely no page turner. I will admit that I didn't figure it out ahead of...more

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