The Good Wife: A Rural Noir

by J.D. Salyers

Bill Landry is the master of his home and land. He’s never faced anything that he couldn’t crush beneath his wide size twelves or put down with a shot from his rifle. Nobody crosses Bill, including his wife Martha. He sees himself as a man's man, a strong provider who takes care of business. In reality, he's sliding into insanity. Things only get worse when a hunting accident leaves him home-bound and full of rage. He’s becoming more vicious by the day, turning on her and anyone else who ventures too close to their mountain home. She’s trapped there with him, and the more deranged he grows, the more she believes that she’ll never get out of that isolated valley alive. Only a small-town country doctor sees what's happening and starts working to fix it. As Bill descends into madness, young Paul Newsome and his lovely fiancee might just be the only thing standing between Martha and certain death. A dark, gritty look at rural life, one toxic family, and dementia's ability to tear a family apart.

106 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a ranch family bound by unrelenting and hard-core traditions and shattered by one tragic and life-altering accident.


Bill—always the strong one, always the provider, always active and in charge—has been sentenced to a wheel chair for the rest of his life. From then on, he turned into a bitter and angry stranger that aimlessly shot at animals. Horrible.

Bill becomes mean and abuses his devoted wife, Martha. I suddenly see Jack Nicolson in The Shining or Lizzie Borden. I can’t think of anything scarier than being trapped with a killer.

This was a good psychological thriller, even though it was a tad predicable and a little anticlimactic.

[Mystic Miraflores · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could barely finish this book as I found it so sad and depressing. The old man was so mean and vicious and the wife was
such a doormat!

[Lauren LeDay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Left Wanting More

The book started out great, amazing climax, then a big letdown for the ending. Definitely could've had a stronger conclusion.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good read!!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read, good story, great ending. Really liked it.