Happily Ever After the Murders is a love story between Jean and Rae. They meet in 1952 when both are married with young children. They both have abusive husbands. Eventually, they kill their husbands and bury them in Jean’s backyard.
They live happily together outwardly as “roommates” for 40 years. Until the electric company must dig up their yard and possibly expose their crime, and forbidden love, to all. Instead of running when they first find out about the electric company’s plans, they kill the first digger that arrives and then take off running. And that is when I began to dislike this novel.
Despite being avowed television detective fans, running so late was a dumb mistake soon followed by many others, all while complaining about their aging body’s aches and pains. They are just annoying to be around.
Happily Ever After the Murders wasted a great elevator pitch on whiny characters that kept making bad decisions. The best part, how they murdered their husbands, is used just as backstory. While the boring part, driving towards Haight-Asbury in a confused attempt to relive the sixties dragged on for hundreds of pages. Even the ending was contrived and schmaltzy.
Overall, Happily Ever After the Murders was a complete disappointment. 2 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Legacy Lit for providing me with an advanced review copy.