Poison by Gail Neiderhoffer 3 stars

So, I have a confession to make. This is one of the first books I requested from Netgalley when I started my blog. And I whipped through the book in a couple days and wrote my review…then realized I wasn’t supposed to post until a month before the pub date. So I’ve been sitting on this one for a while.

I liked it, at the time I had just finished reading Breakdown by B.A. Paris and both feature a main character that might be losing her mind. So while I was reading both these, I started to feel a little fuzzy. Lots of missing details and I didn’t know if it was me or the character in the book!

Anyhow, read on! And yes, this book is finally coming out in one month, on November 21!!

From the Publisher:

Cass and Ryan Connor have achieved family nirvana. With three kids between them, a cat and a yard, a home they built and feathered, they seem to have the Modern Family dream. Their family, including Cass’ two children from previous relationships, has recently moved to Portland —a new start for their new lives. Cass and Ryan have stable, successful careers, and they are happy. But trouble begins almost imperceptibly. First with small omissions and white lies that happen daily in any marital bedroom. They seem insignificant, but they are quickly followed by a series of denials and feints that mushroom and then cyclone in menace.

With life-or-death stakes and irreversible consequences, Poison is a chilling and irresistible reminder that the closest bond designed to protect and provide for each other and for children can change in a minute.

My review:

I loved the way this book started. It just felt so everyman, how each of our families are perceived an how that perception can be totally off from what is really happening. I think to some degree this happens with every single one of us. And I know that people lament Facebook and Instagram and the like, saying that we only post what we want people to see and it’s just not authentic. But, on the other hand, can you imagine if we all posted our problems for everyone to read? I’m pretty sure that would not go over well either.

But Cass, the narrator of the story does have a pretty fantastic life. She’ had to overcome horrible tragedy–including the loss of her first husband to cancer–but she has beat the odds and found love again. She has a great and flexible job, three beautiful children and she lives in Seattle (which is my dream). Ryan is gorgeous, employed and the perfect husband, stepdad and father until he just isn’t. The story definitely deteriorates quickly.

I don’t want to give much away, but I will say that early on into the downward spiral, I couldn’t believe that no one believed Cass. I find it a little hard to swallow, given that she didn’t have a history of mental illness or the like, for absolutely no one to take her seriously. I found myself as I read on wondering if anyone was on her side, and if she was actually in fact the problem.

I found the book to be very readable and I did stay engaged with the story the whole time. I’m not sure about the ending. I feel like it kind of came out of nowhere, but it did provide a resolution.

I haven’t read any of Gail Niederhoffer’s other books, but I did notice she has produced over 30 indie films. I actually love independent films and the more I think about it, flaws or not, this book would make a fantastic movie. Even a Lifetime movie, I kind of love those too.