New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner’s unforgettable story of adjusting to suburbia—and all the surprises hidden behind its doors.
For Kate Klein, a semi-accidental mother of three, suburbia has been full of unpleasant surprises. Her once-loving husband is hardly ever home. The supermommies on the playground routinely snub her. Her days are spent carpooling and enduring endless games of Candy Land, and at night, most of her orgasms are of the do-it-yourself variety.
When a fellow mother is murdered, Kate finds that the unsolved mystery is the most exciting thing to happen in Upchurch, Connecticut, since her neighbors broke ground for a guesthouse and cracked their septic tank. Even though the local police chief warns her that crime-fighting's a job best left to the professionals, Kate launches an unofficial investigation -- from 8:45 to 11:30 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, when her kids are in nursery school.
As Kate is drawn deeper into the murdered woman's past, she begins to uncover the secrets and lies behind Upchurch's picket-fence facade -- and considers the choices and compromises all modern women make as they navigate between marriage and independence, small towns and big cities, being a mother and having a life of one's own.
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"This book surprised me because the main character & I had much in common. Poor Kate has moved into Upchurch, Conneticut -- the suburbs -- where she soon figures out she doesn't measure up to the beautiful, thin, perfect mom/wives and their perfect children. Her kids are always a little messy, her kids eat junk food, her kids sing risque songs. Oh, do I know that feeling... However Kate's life takes a turn when she discovers one of the "perfect mothers" murdered. (Okay, that hasn't happened to me)Kate decides to use her pre-mommy skills in investigative journalism to track down the killer. This book contains twists and turns and a surprise at the end. It will definitely keep you reading!"
— Shannon (4 out of 5 stars)
“Weiner recognizes that the real mysteries—the ones without tidy Murder, She Wrote endings—are why we marry whom we marry, why we stay with our spouses (and why they stay with us), whether we’re raising our kids as well as we should, and why, in the grand scheme of things, any of it matters. These unknowables couldn’t be in more competent, funny or empathetic hands than Weiner’s.”
— Washington Post“A Peyton Place for the twenty-first century, only more modern, hip, and funny than the original.”
— Boston Globe“Hilarious…begs to be read in one sitting.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer“Weiner’s sharp wit makes murder entertaining.”
— Miami Herald" This was a good murder mystery that was hard to put down. I was so curious to find out who did it. It was smart and funny while having a decent depth of meaningfulness to it. The setting was fun too--an upscale southern Connecticut town in the world of wealthy stay-at-home moms whose husbands earn big bucks at their high-powered jobs in NYC. "
— Donna, 2/17/2014" I LOVE anything Jennifer Weiner writes. While it is still Chick Lit, it is usually a little deeper and more poignant while still having some lightheartedness. "
— Renee, 2/14/2014" I'd recommend some other Jennifer Weiner books before this one. Like "GOOD IN BED". This one moved fast and was easy to read, but she's a hilarious writer and it was sort of a murder mystery, so that combo was a little strange for me. "
— Kim, 2/13/2014" This was the first Jennifer Weiner book I've read. Up until the last 50 pages, I would say that I'd read her again especially given the other titles. Character development and their interaction throughout the storyline I thought was well developed. However, the ending of this book negated all the positives. "
— Michelle, 2/12/2014" Lightweight, read-and-toss paperback. "
— Elphabaj21, 1/24/2014" repeatative "
— Steph, 1/21/2014" Liked this one. The take on suburban mothers may have hit a little too close to home however. "
— Heatherannwurtz, 1/20/2014" Great look at life as a mom/wife after being more in the working world. Loved it! "
— Karin, 1/16/2014" i'm not a big fan of 'chick lit' but this book is very good. it's light and funny without being mindless. a very nice easy read "
— Maranda, 1/12/2014" Good chick lit without the usual annoying main character "
— Miyo, 12/22/2013" I listened to this book - read by Johanna Parker. Not a bad narrator. Needs to NOT try a Boston accent. It was entertaining and better written than I expected. I have never read any Weiner and was pleasantly surprised. "
— Wendy, 12/19/2013" I found myself enjoying this book and picking it up to read quite often during the day. "
— Yvonne, 10/18/2013" Not my favorite by this author, but good plot and interesting read "
— Sean, 9/26/2013" Great "summer" read. Love the use of humor in all of her books. "
— Tracey, 9/5/2013" Classified as crime, but another mommy-lit from Jennifer Weiner. Has some suspense, some focus on the situation and psyche of a stressed mother, good characters, but not as moving as her other fiction. "
— Beverly, 5/9/2013" I personally couldn't get into this book. I read a few pages and then the next night I wouldn't remember what was happening in the book. I read another book by her and really liked it, this one just couldn't grasp my attention. "
— Vikki, 3/12/2013" Not very memorable "
— Tiffany, 2/23/2013" I've read other Jennifer Weiner books and did not enjoy this one as much. I did not have much sympathy for the central character. It is, though, an easy read - probably why I bought it in an airport. "
— Litapayne, 2/12/2013" When did Jennifer Weiner become a detective writer? She always seems to surprise me in each of her novels - this one definitely captured my attention. "
— Danielle, 2/11/2013" Not the best JW book. "
— Becky, 11/24/2012" I liked Jennifer Weiner's attempt at mystery. A different turn from her previous books. I enjoyed this one. Funny and cute. "
— Sheela, 8/10/2012" Total piece of crap. The best I can say is, I laughed on the inside once, a little. "
— Samantha, 6/14/2012" A subway read for my new commute. I'm not even embarrassed by how much I liked this one. "
— Kelly, 4/18/2012" June 2006 book club at Amy's "
— Donna, 3/24/2012" This was a really good book, more of a mystery than some of her other books. I enjoyed it! "
— Betsy, 3/17/2012" I did not actually "read" this book. I listened to it. It is very different than all of her other books. Not too crazy about it. "
— Alicia, 11/23/2011" I would probably give this one 3.5 stars if that were an option; it wasn't her best, but I was still very invested in the story, and, like all of her others, there were points where she made me laugh out loud, which is a big plus for me! "
— Bev, 11/22/2011" This was a hard read to get through. I usually like Jennnifer Weiner, so I'm not sure if it was the story line or if I just wasn't in the mood to read it. "
— Katy, 8/13/2011" Chick lit meets mommy blog meets murder mystery. I liked it. "
— Sarah, 8/13/2011" I love this author's sense of humor. This book is a murder mystery. "
— Corinne, 7/17/2011" It took some getting used to this book as this is not a "typical" Jennifer Weiner book. It was a good book in the end, but I was looking for the same style as before, but it wasn't there. "
— Nancy, 5/24/2011" The writer is hilarious, but the plot was a little bizzare at times. Still, it was entertaining. "
— Catherine, 5/3/2011" I really enjoyed this book. It’s a good mix of humor, chick lit and thriller and Kate and Janie are memorable characters. "
— esterb, 5/2/2011" This was a cute, easy read. Not super thought-provoking, but it's not supposed to be! I especially liked some of the terms used for things mommies experience on a regular basis (i.e. "uncooperative corner," rather than the good ol' "time out" that I use). Enjoyable book! "
— Stacey, 3/27/2011" Jennifer Weiner is a humorous writer. She gave me lots of laughs. <br/>The storyline and plot were just mediocre, however. "
— Dee, 3/24/2011" I actually listened to this on CD when on a trip. It was a good "read" -- I didn't finish it on the trip and loaded it up to my iPod so I could finish it. "
— Shayna, 3/10/2011" I loved this book! Murder mystery meets mommy-hood. Very funny and real lead character. "
— Molly, 3/8/2011" An enjoyable read - author's writing is light and leans toward comedy. "
— Nora, 3/4/2011" It was easy and fun to read. There were a lot of times when I got excited to see what's going to happen next. <br/>But there isn't anything special about it, but it's likable "
— Modhi, 2/27/2011Jennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one books, including In Her Shoes, which was made into a major motion picture starring Cameron Diaz. She has appeared on many national television programs, including Today and Good Morning America, and her work has been published in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, among other newspapers and magazines. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com.
Johanna Parker is an Audie and Earphone Award–winning actress living and working in San Francisco. Since narrating her first audiobook in 2002, she has received praise for her work in all genres, including her portrayal of Sookie Stackhouse in Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire books. She received her BFA in acting from Boston University and studied Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. She has performed on stages in London, Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York and has numerous film and television credits. As a voice-over actress, she has voiced commercials, video games, documentaries, and websites.