Spoiler Discussion (Dec 2022) Value Read - The Life She Wants, by Mel Sherratt

[Bill]

I really like the Mapleton setting. Take a tour on Google.

[Beth]

Isn’t Richard a nasty piece of work?? And for comparison you have the nice fellow next door.

[Beth]

Finished. Not our usual kind of read but I did, overall, enjoy the book

I think I would give it a three stars but that’s because it isn’t the usual “who Done it”

[Beth]

Question for mothers —-
How easy would it be to keep a Toddler
Secret in a house for a year?

[Beth]

Another query: when police came and investigated would they not have done a search of the house and found the other four knives hidden throughout, thus putting up some doubt about the theory of self defense?

And speaking of hiding five knives of suitable size to do significant damage, that would be my entire hoard in the kitchen drawer!

[Jeanne]

Beth wrote: "Question for mothers —-
How easy would it be to keep a Toddler
Secret in a house for a year?"

As a mother of 3,grandma of 7 impossible

[Bill]

Should we feel that Sarah literally gets away with murder? Perhaps having grown up in Texas affected my judgement, that Richard got only what he deserved. There's a story about a visitor to Texas in the days of the Wild West who was surprised that the Texans hanged horse thieves but often ignored homicide. Asked to account for the difference, a Texan explained to the visitor, "Well, out here we figure there's a lot of men that need killin' but there ain't no horses that need stealin'." Richard definitely needed killing.

[Pat]

Bill wrote: "Should we feel that Sarah literally gets away with murder? Perhaps having grown up in Texas affected my judgement, that Richard got only what he deserved. There's a story about a visitor to Texas i..."

Being born and reared in the East TN Appalachains to young adulthood, then living in TX for the next 57 years, I understand about people "needin' killin'." I agree with Bill and the author that Richard needed killing. Sarah needed to kill him to revenge her sister's death and atone for her part in events that led to it. This was the story line that was written, whether we agree with the ethics or not. People have different capacities to suspend disbelief, and it's the author's job to overcome your sense of reality as you read. Readers have different levels of belief suspension in reaction to different writers' work.

What bothered me about the book and earned it a 3-rating from me was the ending. The final part of the book, especially the scenes of the dinner, to me were rushed, incomplete, not fully justified or fleshed out. I could see what the author wanted me to believe, but I couldn't find reason on the page to believe it.