What sort of person marries a serial killer? Three very different women are left asking themselves that question in Elizabeth Arnott’s gripping novel The Secret Lives Of Murderers’ Wives. Pragmatic Margot wed a cold-hearted politician to escape poverty, anxious Beverley was happy to let her more confident partner take control, while overlooked Elsie had never been kissed until she met her charismatic teacher. This unlikely trio are brought together by their husbands’ crimes and a shared desire to transform their guilt into something good.
When a spate of fresh homicides threatens to dim the lights of Tinseltown, the three women spring into action, convinced they’ve uncovered a pattern that the police have failed to spot. Using their hard-won insights to catch the culprit, they strive to get justice for the murdered women and lay their own demons to rest.
A pacy, stylish thriller with just enough red herrings swimming around its pages to keep you guessing, The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives has all the zeal and glamour of a classic Hollywood noir. Like the very best whodunnits, it knows its detectives are more important that its murderer, and Margot, Beverley and Elsie emerge as the shining stars of this show.
