Truly Madly Guilty is the story of three couples: Oliver and Erika, Vid and Tiffany, and Sam and Clementine. Their lives are connected as neighbors and friends of friends but they become totally connected one afternoon at a barbecue. "This is a story that begins with a barbecue" says Clementine on the first page (first line actually) of the book.
The problem is that you don't learn what really happens at the BBQ until about half-way through the book. Until then, you are (or at least I was) frantically reading and turning pages as fast as possible to find out what happens. Each chapter leaves you with a cliffhanger and since the chapters are told in an alternating way it's several chapters later before you find out what happens after each little cliffhanger. Moriarty is very good at creating suspense.
With that being said, when you are finally told what happened at the BBQ, it's very hard to read. I did put the book down for a while and almost dreaded going back to it. The second half of the book, then, details everyone's attempts to reconcile what happened at the BBQ and to put their shattered lives back together.
And just when you think the entire book has resolved it all and everyone will be ok, chapter 83 comes along and rocks your world all over again, adding a sad new twist to the story that you thought was basically over. Moriarty is also good at making your mouth drop open in disbelief.
I have yet to read a book by Liane Moriarty that I didn't love. If you want a page turner, read this one. Oh, and then go learn CPR.
Happy reading!
-Dodie
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