From Amazon:
Stephanie and Patrick are adjusting to life with their colicky twin girls. The babies are a handful, but even as Stephanie struggles with the disorientation of sleep deprivation, there's one thing she's sure of: she has all she ever wanted.
Then Erica, a woman from Patrick's past, appears and makes a disturbing accusation. Patrick had always said his first wife's death was an accident, but now Erica claims it was murder.
Patrick insists he's innocent, that this is nothing but a blackmail attempt. Still, Erica knows things about Patrick--things that make Stephanie begin to question her husband. Stephanie isn't sure what, or who, to believe. As Stephanie's trust in Patrick begins to falter, Patrick stands to lose everything. Is Patrick telling the truth--is Erica the persuasive liar Patrick says she is? Or has Stephanie made a terrible mistake?
My Take:
I should know better that if Shari does make a novel, do not expect any romance. Anyway,as mentioned earlier the novel deals with a very evil blackmailer, Erica Voss, who not only blackmails Patrick but 2 other couples. She was the best friend of Patrick's first wife whose death though ruled an accident , still had very questionable overtones.
First, there is the blackmaul of Patrick who Erica claims murdered his first wife. When this did not persuade him to pay up she goes with the next bomb, he fathered her son who she gave up 9 years ago.
This brings us to couple no. 2 who she blackmails for custody and monthly payments. But she does not stop there . She blackmails a third man, Partrick's business partner who she has sex with !
Then the killer reveal comes! Patrick did murder his pregnant wife and hinted he wanted to spend time with Erika! Then he meets this heiress, Stephanie, who inherited 2 milliom from her father. Thus the equally nefarious man actually had plans of killing her off. However, he failed the lie detector test BUT got aquited because the authorities got wind off Erica's criminal past. Now he is in a predicament on how to kill Stephanie and Erika without sounding alarm bells.This got solved because Stephanie now suspects his evil plans and kills him off making it look like a suicide. She made sure she filed for divorce and made it known to everyone how depressed he got. Hence he was buried without any suspicion.
Still Evilness still envelopes Erica to the core wherein she congratulates Stephanie for successfully killing off her husband. Another hint that more blackmail was about to come.
I loved the epilogue wherein Erika's dead body is found in the Hudson River. What blackmailers keep on forgetting - your victim(s) either continues to pay up or they just kill you and end your miserable life.
