Death of the Couch Potato’s Wife, by Christy Barritt (Lighthouse Publishing, 2012)

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Laura Berry and her husband Kent have relocated from Chicago to a town called Boring, Indiana.

The locals call them city slickers, the Homeowners’ Association rules are driving them nuts, and Laura’s only friend is a senior citizen who tries to talk like a teenager. Kent is putting in long hours as new owner of the town pharmacy, and Laura can’t get a  handle on the housewife thing after being a career woman.

Then she finds her neighbour dead—murdered—and someone starts sending anonymous threats. Will the mystery jolt her out of her depression, or send her over the edge?

Christy Barritt weaves an intriguing plot that kept me guessing until the end. Laura is a lifelike character who’s struggling emotionally, yet she’s someone we can relate to. And the mystery balances her introspection.

In some ways Laura is a textbook “unreliable narrator” in that readers begin to suspect her perceptions and perspectives may not be as accurate as she thinks. That’s a good lesson for all of us, because so often we do the same things to ourselves.

Award-winning mystery author Christy Barritt’s novels include the Squeaky Clean Mystery Series and a number of Love Inspired titles. You can learn more about Christy Barritt and her books at her website.

[Review copy from my personal library.]