Beverley, Elise and Margot are repressed housewives of convicted killers. During the sun-drenched summer of 1966, the three women form an unlikely alliance after the discoveries of their husbands’ brutal crimes. With the exes- some of California’s most notorious murders- dad or behind bars, they are attempting to forge a new future for themselves. These women got mad, frustrated with their prisons of domesticity, they busted out to wreak havoc on the men in their lives or anyone who dared to cross them.  After all, a housewife is, at her very core, a woman who has made sacrifices, by putting herself time and again, only be met with ingratitude and apathy. Now she’s out for vengeance. Beverly tries compulsively to maintain control of everything around her, all while raising two children. Elsie fights to make a name for herself in the newsroom, working among men who sneer at her career goals. Glamorous Margot prefers partying to homemaking and devotes all her energy to upholding the appearance that everything is fine- anything to quell the shame from her husband’s deceit.

They know people look at them and think only one thing. How could they not have not known what their husbands were doing? How much are they to blame? And yet when a string of local killings hits the news, the three women- underestimated, overlooked and shrewd- decided to get to work. Who better to catch a killer than those who have shared their lives and homes with one?

At once a riveting portrayal of shattered trust and a story of gripping suspense. The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives is a testament to the intricacies of womens’ lives and how the deep bonds of friendship can empower, uplift and lead us to endure.

The secret Lives of Murders’ Wives by Elizabeth Arnott, Berkley $14.99