The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Macmillan Audio
Domestic Thriller
March 8, 2022
Review by Jen
This book should become a series. One of the MCs is a therapist with an unconventional approach to helping her clients. I need more of this character!
The Golden Couple is a psychological thriller that follows the marriage troubles of a couple, the Bishops, who are beautiful, live in Washington DC and seem to have it all. Marissa is the owner of a cozy sophisticated boutique and Matthew is a lawyer. They met in high school in a small beach town on the eastern shore of Maryland. Matthew was from a wealthy family who owned a beach house and Marissa’s family lived in town and owned a popular deli/store.
They’ve been married for several years and have one young son. Matthew is away on a business trip and Marissa receives a call from their friend, Skip. Skip says he’s in the neighborhood and wants to stop by. He brings a bottle of wine, they get tipsy, and Marissa and Skip have sex. Marissa regrets it. She loves Matthew and wants to fix her marriage. She drags Matthew to see therapist, Avery Chambers. She doesn’t tell Matthew the truth of why they’re going to a therapist. She springs that on him when they’re actually in their first session. Marissa doesn’t tell him who she slept with either, she just vaguely says it was with some guy from the gym.
What follows is an excellent tale that had me guessing about what really happened, who it happened with, and what other secrets this clearly dysfunctional family has and wasn’t sharing with Avery.
Avery knows something is up. She’s used to clients’ secrets and her unusual protocol includes investigating their relationships, friendships, colleagues, and family. She follows her clients covertly when they go out to dinner. She talks to their friends. She googles past loves. Several characters are introduced and Avery starts digging and learns more about Matthew’s ex-girlfriend, Matthew’s father, Skip the friend, and Marisa’s assistant Polly. Each one seems to either have it in for either Matthew or Marisa or wants TO BE Matthew or Marissa.
Avery is also receiving threats from a pharmaceutical company. She called in an anonymous tip about a problematic drug trial. The information came from a client and she felt obligated to report it. Now the company wants to know who she got the information from and they are relentless in making her life difficult.
Throughout the book, there were weird things, sounds and conversations that happened. I wasn’t sure which character was responsible, and if it was related to the drug company or to the Bishop’s marriage. Matthew’s ex-girlfriend clearly wanted him back. Matthew has a strained relationship with his dad. Marissa’s assistant is so over the top toxically positive that she’s sketchy.
Who’s good, who’s evil, who’s lying, and who’s actually sincere??? The audiobook was amazing!! The two voice actors who played Marissa and Avery were just outstanding. I absolutely loved it! I started this after finishing the audible of One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It was fabulous and I honestly didn’t think I could hit two crazy good books in a row. I did. Listen to The Golden Couple, you won’t regret it.
Grade A
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