Marion McGilvary, A Lost Wife's Tale

A Lost Wife's Tale

Marion McGilvary

Harper, Mar 16 2010, $14.99

ISBN: 9780061766091

Edith Lutz has run away. She obtains work as a housekeeper to publisher Adam Davenport by lying about her background. However, Edith seems to always look back as if she expects someone to come up to her and say gotcha.

As Edith and Adam become better acquainted they are attracted to one another. However, though she wants more, Edith never stays around for relationships of the heart as she learned as a child they always lead to misery. Still she wants to stay as Adam loves her, but her lies are catching up to her as her past has too, which means it is time to run again before she is hurt if he unmasks the real Edith.

Edith holds the tale together as the viewpoints are mostly seen through her eyes and the story line rotates between her present and her past. She is a fascinating protagonist though in spite of her abusive childhood never fully garners reader empathy and loses that when a relative arrives searching for her. Interestingly the other key cast members even to a degree Adam in the present but especially her family in the past are predominantly seen through Edith's filter so the latter cannot "defend" themselves. Readers who relish a strong character study will want to understand Edie's tale.

Harriet Klausner