A Reliable Wife

I have actually checked out A Reliable Wife by Richard Goolrick from the library before but had to return it. When I saw it at my new to me library as one of the few books that interested me, I thought it must be library fate.

A Reliable Wife takes place in Wisconsin during the turn of the century. Catherine Land has answered widower Ralph Truitt's want ad for "a reliable wife." After some courting by letters, Ralph sends for Catherine from Chicago. He is the richest man in the small Wisconsin town he basically owns. In his 60's, his first wife and daughter dead, and his son missing, Ralph is looking for companionship. He hopes to find this with Catherine. Catherine has other motives. Motives of a monetary nature.

A tale of deceit and sadness, A Reliable Wife was not really what I was expecting. I'm not really sure what I was expecting and I'm leaving out a key ingredient of the story so I don't give away too much about the plot. I didn't really like any of the characters and the plot kind of plodded along. You can probably skip this one.

Rating: * * 1/2