As Long As We Both Shall Live by JoAnn Chaney

Read this if you are in the mood for a seriously twisted, totally warped and outlandishly crazy book about the marriage from hell!

"...that's how marriages were -- like a private room for two, where no one else could see inside."

Matt and Marie have been married for over 20 years and they've definitely had their ups and downs. Now wealthy with two college-aged daughters living away from home, they find themselves face to face, alone with each other and returning to some old habits. Now they both love -- and hate -- each other but what can be done since divorce is so expensive and out of the question. They've been working on their marriage for years, seen therapists, tried to make it work. So when they decide to go on a hiking trip to Estes Park they find some inspiration in the mountains. But! Tragedy strikes when Marie falls from a cliff into the roaring river beneath. Things go from bad to worse for Matt when he becomes the prime suspect as the police begin to think the fall was no accident. It seems that Matt has a history: his first wife died under some very suspicious circumstances. Detectives Spengler and Loren (a mismatched pairing if there ever was one) are investigating the death and come to some very surprising conclusions. NO SPOILERS.

What a fun book that is chock-full of some of the most unlikeable and outlandish characters ever! I found it almost laugh-out-loud funny at times, especially with the aside observations. I liked the style of the narrative as it switched between the characters and the use of the second person point of view was masterfully handled. I really enjoyed this one more than I expected, thinking I'd had it was twisty psychological thrillers that seemed just like the other, and I had a great sigh of satisfaction at the ending. So, suspend your disbelief and go along for this rocky ride without thinking too much about tedious little details or tiny things like realism! And don't let it put you off from the idea of marriage LOL, it's doubtful you'll find a soulmate in each other as this couple did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the e-book ARC to read and review. It kept me thoroughly entertained!

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre/Labels: Domestic drama, psychological thriller, dark humor