In this razor-sharp novel of marriage and divorce gone awry, Elizabeth Benedict navigates the turbulent waters of love, power, and vengeance with b...
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reviews
Nov 01, 2009
Candice
rated it: 
I couldn't put this book down. It was a thriller of the "how well do you know this person?" type. Forty-something confirmed bachelor psycotherapist Eric Lavender meets stunning attorney Colleen Golden and it's an instant attraction. Before long they are married and the parents of a daughter. Eric is planning to adopt Colleen's daughter from a previous marriage. Then things begin to go wrong. When Eric attempts to learn about the mysterious Colleen's past, she retaliates horribly
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Jul 05, 2009
Rachel
rated it: 
This reminded me of Fatal Attraction, only with a divorce at the story's center instead of an affair. Elizabeth Benedict wrote the story from a man's POV, which I imagine was tricky to do, and that was done well. The characters are well-developed and unique, and the methods by which Eric Lavender, the protagonist, gets to the bottom of what's going on are clever and well-paced. Still, the circumstances of the book were sad for me--I just felt badly for the poor guy--and that brought me down m
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Feb 10, 2011
Victoria
rated it:
Wonderful book, blending psychological suspense and love story. I love her sense of humor in the midst of serious story developments. This "evil" woman is fun to contemplate, she feels familiar, as if we've all known one like her. The main character is a male psychotherapist who isn't entirely likeable but we relate to him all the same, and want it to work out for him. But not in a syrupy way. He's simply a decent guy who is bad at judging women he falls in love with. Everyone else he
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Dec 17, 2009
LJ
rated it: 
THE PRACTICE OF DECEIT (Psychological Thriller-Scarsdale, NY-Cont) – G+
Benedict, Elizaeth - Standalone
Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005-Hardcover
Therapist Eric Lavendar was a confirmed bachelor until he met Colleen O'Brien. Suddenly he's married with a young stepdaughter, new baby, living in the suburbs, and happier than he imagined. When he suspects his wife is not exactly who he thought and begins investigating her past, he finds himself arrested and charged with abusing his More...
Benedict, Elizaeth - Standalone
Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005-Hardcover
Therapist Eric Lavendar was a confirmed bachelor until he met Colleen O'Brien. Suddenly he's married with a young stepdaughter, new baby, living in the suburbs, and happier than he imagined. When he suspects his wife is not exactly who he thought and begins investigating her past, he finds himself arrested and charged with abusing his More...
Jan 22, 2012
Louise
rated it: 
This took a few pages to get into. At first I didn't care for the protagonist, but by about fifty pages in, I was well and thoroughly hooked-not just by him, but by a sizeable cast of fascinating characters, each of whom had his or her own life, motivations, stakes, and story arc. Well-written, tense, and also a fascinating glimpse into the life of a psychotherapist.
Oct 31, 2011
Kris
rated it:
Difficult subject, but especially well done. A husband is falsely accused of sexual abuse of his young stepdaughter. The discoveries of the mysteries of his wife's past keep you reading to discover the outcome. The couple are well-to-do in Scarsdale, New York, she a divorce lawyer and he a psychotherapist.
Mar 21, 2009
Jody
rated it:
And to think I almost didn't read this - I thought it was an Elizabeth Berg novel and bought it as an afterthought, thinking I could use something "light". I loved this book! Couldn't put it down. Here's an author who basically assumes her readers are intelligent. How refreshing!
Jul 28, 2010
Susan
rated it:
Read by Richard Poe. Once I started listening to this book I was sure I had read it before. Everything sounded so familiar and it was easy to figure out what was going to happen next. I finished it, but won't write home about it. I fear I may have rated it more highly the first time I read it.
Dec 14, 2011
Decent novel about a lawyer who snags a psychologist husband. When he starts figuring out she's not totally who she said, she accuses him of molesting his step-daughter. He has to fight back with everything. Well written and a page turner.
Mar 31, 2009
Anne
rated it:
Listened to this book....started out by expecting very little, but pleasantly surprised by the end. Engaged my interest with appealing main character, psychotherapist, and unexpected plot twists. Not deep, but some interesting observations. If you're sensitive about divorce issues, stay away from this book for now.
Feb 09, 2008
Obisbooks
rated it:
I enjoyed this more than I originally thought I would. Marriage gone wrong, masks, do you ever really know someone or is it all just pretend to get what you want. Eric is a thoughtful psychotherapist avoiding commitment who meets Colleen a tough lawyer who specializes in divorces. A year or so later and Eric’s life is turned upside down, and everything he thought about Colleen is turning out wrong, or was he just blind from the beginning, choosing not to see. Were the Venetian masks Colleen c
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Nov 09, 2009
Chris
rated it:
Intelligently written, completely engaging story of a nice guy psychotherapist who marries a tough/sweet attorney/single mom. He moves to her home in Scarsdale and practices from the therapy cottage she has built in the back yard for him, then he discovers she is not quite the person with not quite the past she claims. I am enjoying this book immensely.
Oct 29, 2011
Victoria Evangelina
rated it:
Loved the language, the narrator, the story and the characters. I am going to listen to this book once again, I loved it so much! (Audible.com purchase)
Feb 02, 2011
Cg
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Really enjoyed this. I'm surprised to see it didn't have more stars on average. Great start to a new year. The breast part gave me the creeps.
Apr 13, 2008
Jill
rated it:
WHAT A GREAT BOOK!!!
I can't believe how enthusiastically I read "The Practice of Deceit!" I originally had that 'Bargain Book Barnes & Noble prejudice' (as it was only $4.98 and was randomly picked by my book-club mate for May). It opens with a bang--the narrator, Eric Lavender is witty and wounded and telling his story from his jail cell where he sits accused of molesting his step-daughter. Almost everything that happens is believable and human--I just can't say enough More...
I can't believe how enthusiastically I read "The Practice of Deceit!" I originally had that 'Bargain Book Barnes & Noble prejudice' (as it was only $4.98 and was randomly picked by my book-club mate for May). It opens with a bang--the narrator, Eric Lavender is witty and wounded and telling his story from his jail cell where he sits accused of molesting his step-daughter. Almost everything that happens is believable and human--I just can't say enough More...
Jan 29, 2009
Janeene
rated it:
listening to this as a book on tape
I guess it would be a 2.5 star but not as good as I expected with the plot
I guess it would be a 2.5 star but not as good as I expected with the plot
Dec 05, 2011
Christine
rated it:
Narrator describes his marriage to a divorce lawyer who is leading a kind of double life.
Nov 30, 2007
Lain
rated it:
An exciting page-turner disguised as women's fiction. Psychotherapist Eric Lavender thinks his practice of bored Scarsdale housewives and personal life including two small children and a workaholic wife is boring, yet comfortable. Then his world falls apart as he's arrested for a horrific crime he didn't commit -- arreested at the hands of his once-devoted wife. As he digs deeper beneath her polished surface, everything Eric once held sacred begins to crumble.
Excellent writing, perf More...
Excellent writing, perf More...
Aug 14, 2008
Nancy
rated it:
I keep getting my books off an NPR "Summer Reads" list - and after a few, I'm starting to GET this category. This is a story about a cutthroat divorce lawyer wife and her psychoanalyst naive(?)husband. The latter is ill-informed about his wife's past and falls prey to her wiles, evil-doing and conniving ways. It's a fast read, easy to follow, characters you enjoy and a storyline perfect for a summer read. Enjoyable and I would recommend if you don't need depth in your storyline.
Jun 12, 2009
Lisa
rated it: 
They need another shelf option: "tried hard to finish, but couldn't take it anymore!"
I tried to like this book, but it just didn't work out. I'm curious how it ends, but not curious enough to keep at it.
I tried to like this book, but it just didn't work out. I'm curious how it ends, but not curious enough to keep at it.
Apr 06, 2009
Deandrea
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Elizabeth Benedict is such a good story-teller. The "mystery" of what the wife is up to is not completely guessable, and a surprise in the end. I'll read lots more by this author.
Dec 27, 2007
Stephanie
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This is not the kind of book I usually read, but sometimes traveling in foreign countries puts you in this position. This story line kept me engaged, and never knowing what was going to happen next. (Well, but really, but at least it was a mystery without being too predictable.)
Mar 08, 2008
Christy
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I'm always drawn to books staring clinical psychologists. Guess it's the psych major in me. This was a fun, intriguing tale. I borrowed it from the library a few years back and finally broke down and bought my own copy a few weeks ago.
Jun 12, 2011
Amy
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Well written but disturbing insight into havoc that results when someone is a disturbed, self-absorbed liar. For much of the book, I was angry at this pathetic character.
Aug 07, 2010
Rod
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This was very interesting book told in the first person. I would highly recommend it. The story of a clinical psychologist who marries a divorce lawyer.
Aug 25, 2008
Heather
rated it:
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