In “What the Wife Knew,” accomplished author Darby Kane ably demonstrates her expertise writing about families and relationships. Here we meet several dysfunctional families, but perhaps the most dysfunctional is that of main character Addison. Her mother would clearly win a “Worst Mother of the Year” award, as she is an absolute narcissist who has used Addison her whole life without regard to Addison’s safety or well-being at any time whatsoever. Addison fled when she graduated from high school, but no matter how far she goes and no matter how she tries to stay under the radar, her mother finds her and tries to manipulate her.

Though Addison knows her mother is a horrible person, she craves her mother’s love, and when her mother asks Addison to help her in her quest for revenge, Addison finally agrees. Her mother has been plotting for revenge against the person she blames for ruining her life practically since Addison was born. To enact this devious scheme, Addison marries successful pediatric surgeon Richmond Dougherty, who saved his high school from a school shooter by killing his brother, who was planning on a rampage. Dougherty is revered not only in their town, but everywhere. He’s a hero.

But what we know is that he divorced his wife in order to marry Addison, whom he hates, for some reason we aren’t yet aware of. The story opens, interestingly, on the day of Dougherty’s funeral. We see his ex-wife and her histrionics; we see his children mourning the loss of their father; we see Addison, looking at all the friends and family of Dougherty who think that she killed him. And she admits (to us) that she wanted to kill him. Unfortunately, someone else did it first. All that pathos and humor in just the first three pages!

The story is laid out brilliantly, with much of the first person narrative in the “present” and by “her,” meaning Addison. But there is also narrative set in the past, with the time and speaker clearly noted. Some of it is humorously labeled by number of days of marriage, and there are a few short chapters labeled “him,” from Richmond’s point of view. Altogether, it’s a masterful narrative which becomes so engrossing, we can’t stop reading. I literally was up until the early morning to finish this one because the pages flew by and because there are twists and very unexpected turns almost to the last page.

Kane treats us to a very jaded look at the “high society,” very successful people who go from country club to office to private posh events. But while the doctor is highly esteemed, what we come to realize is that he is not someone to revere or admire. The person behind the glass is like a carnival mirror, warped and distorted, and completely unlike his public persona, which is heroic and capable and brilliant. We find that Dougherty is anything but. In a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction moment, the fictional Dougherty mirrors a real-life Helena, Montana oncologist recently discovered to have misdiagnosed cancers and whose persona and the power he wielded shielded him from scrutiny for decades, just like the fictional Dougherty. But Dougherty’s misdeeds go even deeper, as we ultimately discover.

Addison is a fascinating, multifaceted character who was raised by a grifting amoral mother and who, by all rights, should have few concerns about taking revenge on the whole Dougherty family, ruining them all, and leaving with the money. But we see that Addison is really much more a whole, caring person who believes in doing the right thing than many of the others in the story who should know better. She has a large enough heart to cover for her mother’s lack of that organ. We really like Addison, who’s gotten a raw deal in life but still wants to be kind and compassionate (to those who deserve it). And while we see that she wants to drive Richmond crazy and then kill him, Richmond is also threatening to kill her.

There’s no mystery about whether he kills her or she kills him because we know he’s dead, but what we don’t know is who actually killed him and why. There are several people who have motives, although the local police have bought into the whole “Saint Richmond” thing and think Addison is guilty. There is his scheming ex-wife who detests Addison and wants “her” money back. There’s the grieving father whose son died on the operating table and who blames Richmond for that death.

The whole package — the writing, the plot, the characters, the chronology, each new revelation, all work so well that this is a read you’ll love to the last page. You will become immersed in Addison’s life and her determination to find the real killer (she doesn’t want to go to jail!) and to do the right thing with Richmond’s blood money. Because make no mistake, you won’t feel sorry for Richmond at all. He is a really perfect, really bad guy.

This review was first posted on Bookreporter.com.