“It was all an act. The nice guy. Letting me go out with Roman.”
“I am patient. I am a talented actor, even if the world hasn’t realized it yet. I am intelligent—far more intelligent than that imbecile Roman. I was patient. Watched, waited.”
“You mean you stalked me. Spied on my every move.”
“The four of you women talked about how to murder a man in your book club. You wanted it; you set me up. Who the hell cares if the courts never get a conviction? Roman’s out of the way, and that’s what matters. Everyone’s better off for it—you, Anne, Eliza, Marguerite. You should all be thanking me.”
“It’s not your job to play God.”
“I wasn’t playing God. I was just helping to scoot our destinies along in the right direction. A gentle touch, if you will.”
“A knife to the heart isn’t very gentle.”
“No, but it was pretty damn poetic. Not bad for a struggling actor.”
“What now?” Penny pressed. “How do you expect to get away with it?”
“I expect we’ll get away with it together. You won’t say anything. If you do, I’ll be forced to…take Peter under my wing. As a single parent.”
“You wouldn’t kill me.”
“I love you, sweetheart.” Ryan had dropped his hand from Penny’s chin, but at his declaration of love, he grabbed her by the back of the head and pulled her against him. His tongue burned against hers as he shoved it into her mouth. He pulled away, whispered hotly against her cheek, “But I won’t go to prison for you. My son needs me.”
“He’s not your son,” Penny said. “He’s my baby. Just mine.”
“I wish it didn’t have to come to this, but I planned for all scenarios. Bottle of sleeping pills, a note of postpartum depression from the doctor. It was all too much for you, the baby, the trial… It tipped the pretty Penny Sands right over the edge.”
“You’re right,” Penny said finally. “This is fate. You and me. Maybe you were right all along.”
“It’s too late for that.” Ryan clucked his tongue. “You don’t love me anymore.”
“I meant this.” Penny nodded toward the baby monitor. The one that had belonged to Anne once upon a time. The fancy-schmancy device that streamed live to an app. “Ironically, you gave me the idea.”
“The idea?” Ryan sounded unsure for the first time. “What idea?”
“You’ve been watching me for months. Creepy, Ryan. Creepy. So I figured you wouldn’t mind if I reciprocated.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Anne still has the app to this baby monitor on her phone—it was her hand-me-down. I called her on the way here, and she’s livestreaming everything we say. Recording it, too. In the car with her is her husband. Mark is a cop…but I’m sure you know that. You know everything, right?”
Ryan’s eyes widened. “You’re bluffing.”
“Am I?” Penny used the element of surprise to her advantage and jerked her knee upward, connecting with Ryan’s groin. “Sweet dreams, asshole.”
Then Penny marched to the crib and picked up Peter, deftly avoiding a groaning Ryan. By the time she made her way to the living room, the door had burst open, unlocked by the spare key Penny had left downstairs with Anne and Mark.
Mark burst into the room first, his gun drawn. Anne was just behind him, her face white, her hand clutching a cell phone where the livestream was still happening. Ryan’s groans echoed from her phone, giving an eerie surround sound to the man’s agony.
Behind Mark and Anne poured in more cops, some plainclothes detectives, others in uniform. Penny didn’t pay them any mind; she just held Peter close and huddled against Anne as Mark arrested Ryan.
When Mark appeared, leading Ryan out of the apartment in handcuffs, she met Ryan’s gaze head-on.
“You bitch,” he said. “I did this for you, for us. And this is how you repay me?”
“Take charge, asshole,” Penny said. “Never underestimate book club.”
_______________________________
An excerpt from an article in the Iowa Times
August 2019
By: Penny Sands
Earlier today in Los Angeles, Eliza Tate was released after spending months in prison for a crime she did not commit. In related news, Ryan Anderson has confessed in a plea deal to the murder of Roman Tate.
When asked for a quote, Eliza said, “For the full story, you can buy my book.”
Eliza Tate’s first nonfiction book, Taking Charges, will be out in May 2021.
Gina LaManna is a USA Today bestselling author. She has written more than thirty novels that include Pretty Guilty Women, Sprinkled, and Shades of Pink, among many others. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with her husband and son. Visit the author online at ginalamanna.com.
READING GROUP GUIDE
1. Which of the three main characters did you find the most interesting? Who did you identify with the most?
2. How did you feel about the courtroom interludes? How do you think they changed your perceptions of the rest of the book?
3. Eliza tells Anne: ‘You shouldn’t live your life like me. It will only get you in trouble.’ Given the way the book turns out, what do you think of her advice?
4. Anne seems guilty and upset when she consults Luke Hamilton. Would you ever hire a private investigator? How comfortable would you be?
5. Marguerite’s vegan, gluten-free, wholesome lifestyle is a facade she keeps up to capitalize on trends. Do you think most modern-day influencers are like that? How does that reflect the progression of social media?
6. What did you think of Ryan when he was first introduced? By the end of the book?
7. If Marguerite’s book was condoning, or even recommending, murder, would you consider her responsible for deaths that might result? How much can an author be expected to control the way her books are interpreted?
8. What did you think of Penny’s ‘hobby?’ Is it as harmless as she thinks?
9. Eliza, Anne, and Penny all lie in some way to keep up appearances. Do you think they have good reasons? How do these lies hurt them?
A CONVERSATION WITH THE AUTHOR
Eliza, Anne, and Penny have followed three very different paths in life. Are they inspired by women you know? Do you see yourself in any of them?
While my real-life relationships and experiences have always inspired my work, I tend to avoid having a single person in mind as I create my characters. I like them to be unique individuals, a combination of traits from people I’ve met or read about over the years. I fill in the rest with my imagination.
If anything, I see myself in my characters more than any other person. Little bits, here and there. Penny’s dreamer-like attitude. Anne’s hectic mom-life. Eliza’s desire to work hard and succeed. I hope many women can relate to at least one of the characters in Three Single Wives, if only a glimmer.
Anne’s postpartum depression is integral to the way that other characters treat her. Did you do much research on the topic?
I did do a fair amount of research prior to writing Anne’s character. Postpartum depression isn’t something that is discussed a lot publicly, but it is a very real, very scary illness that affects many women. I think by talking about it and researching it, we can bring the subject to light. The end goal is to bring awareness to women and help one another recognize that there is help available.