Lady Killer
by Jeff Richards
Mitch Lovett, a recently divorced father of two, wasn’t looking for anything serious—but when he fooled around with an old friend, Dee Wynn, serious was what he got. Dee has decided that Mitch will be hers and nothing is going to stand in her way. But Gail, another member of their college group (and now their babysitting co-op), has had her eye on Mitch as well—nevermind the fact that she’s married to a jealous, abusive husband who just happens to have received a new gun for his birthday. When Mitch and Gail consummate their long-standing attraction—recklessly following their heart’s desires—they set into motion a series of events with ultimately tragic consequences for all involved.
Set in Takoma Park (a close-knit liberal community that borders Washington, D.C.) among a group of college friends now raising families together, Lady Killer explores spousal abuse and the ways that both long-standing friendships and marriages can unravel when put to the test. Ultimately, both Mitch and Gail will have to decide who they really are and what they really want—both for themselves and their children.
Momma Says: 2 stars⭐⭐
I spent a lot of this book waiting for something to happen. Something I could care about. Something that would elicit some type of reaction, some type of emotion. Something other than a rundown of who's cheating who in this babysitting co-op. There is a story of obsession in there somewhere, but it's not enough to stir up any kind of mystery. It's actually rather pitiful, a childish attempt to get attention. Things do pick up in the last fifteen percent or so, but it's over quickly. I did finish the book, but I'm left a little confused as to what this story was aiming for. The thing is none of the main players are exactly innocent. It's just that there are varying degrees of guilt among them, and none of them stir even an ounce of empathy. There isn't one character in this story that I felt like I could relate to. The blurb tells us that Lady Killer explores spousal abuse, and it's certainly in there, but I wouldn't call it an exploration. It's more a this is why she did this and why he reacted that way, and so on. I will agree that there are some tragic consequences, but it's all over so quickly that it doesn't have the impact that it should. There is plenty about Mitch and who his flavor of the week may be, which is talked about more often than not among the ladies of the co-op. This one is a quick read, and in the end, that's really the best of it for me.
I spent a lot of this book waiting for something to happen. Something I could care about. Something that would elicit some type of reaction, some type of emotion. Something other than a rundown of who's cheating who in this babysitting co-op. There is a story of obsession in there somewhere, but it's not enough to stir up any kind of mystery. It's actually rather pitiful, a childish attempt to get attention. Things do pick up in the last fifteen percent or so, but it's over quickly. I did finish the book, but I'm left a little confused as to what this story was aiming for. The thing is none of the main players are exactly innocent. It's just that there are varying degrees of guilt among them, and none of them stir even an ounce of empathy. There isn't one character in this story that I felt like I could relate to. The blurb tells us that Lady Killer explores spousal abuse, and it's certainly in there, but I wouldn't call it an exploration. It's more a this is why she did this and why he reacted that way, and so on. I will agree that there are some tragic consequences, but it's all over so quickly that it doesn't have the impact that it should. There is plenty about Mitch and who his flavor of the week may be, which is talked about more often than not among the ladies of the co-op. This one is a quick read, and in the end, that's really the best of it for me.
❃❃ARC provided by NetGalley and Main Street Rag
JEFF RICHARDS’ second novel Lady Killer is forthcoming from Main Street Rag Publishing.
His first, Open Country: A Civil War Novel in Stories , was published by Paycock Press in 2015.
His fiction, essays, and cowboy poetry have appeared in over 27 publications including Prick of
the Spindle , Pinch , New South , and Southern Humanities Review and five anthologies including
“Tales Out of School” (Beacon Press); “Letters to J.D. Salinger” (University of Wisconsin
Press); and “Higher Education” (Pearson), a college composition reader. He lives in Takoma
Park, Maryland, with his wife and two dogs and travels often to Colorado where his kids live.
His first, Open Country: A Civil War Novel in Stories , was published by Paycock Press in 2015.
His fiction, essays, and cowboy poetry have appeared in over 27 publications including Prick of
the Spindle , Pinch , New South , and Southern Humanities Review and five anthologies including
“Tales Out of School” (Beacon Press); “Letters to J.D. Salinger” (University of Wisconsin
Press); and “Higher Education” (Pearson), a college composition reader. He lives in Takoma
Park, Maryland, with his wife and two dogs and travels often to Colorado where his kids live.
Stay Connected With Author Jeff Richards:
Website: https://jeffrichardsauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ohiowa89
Email: ohiowa7@gmail.com
Publisher: Main Street Rag
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