Product Description

Jim Beckett was everything Tess had ever dreamed of ... But two years after Tess married Jim, she helped put him behind bars for savagely murdering ten women. Even locked up in a maximum security prison, he vowed he would come after her and make her pay. Now the killer has escaped, and Tess has got to learn to fight back. With the help of a burned out ex-marine, Tess learns how to protect herself as a gigantic manhunt, crossing four states, counts down to this terrifying reunion between husband and wife.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #68876 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

About the Author
Lisa Gardner sold her first novel when she was just 20 years old. In 1993 she graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in international relations. She lives in New Hampshire.

Customer Reviews

Murder Mayhem - Mills & Boon Style
I think I may be one of the few male reviewers of this novel here, I'm not sure - but I'm well aware that of the other reviews, most gave this book an emphatic 5-Star rating and some considered it one of the best books they have read.

Well, in my opinion 'The Perfect Husband' is utter tripe and if not for a reasonably well-written final chapter I wouldn't have given it any stars at all, if that were possible.

This is a book very obviously written by a woman and in a woman's style, the synopsis being the pursuit of a sicko-serial killer who I think kills more than twenty people altogether, I lost count. So the tone should understandably be one of a very violent nature.....but the bulk of the story is inexplicably allocated to a paper-thin love affair between the serial killer's ex-wife and the man she tracks down to train her as a killer - so that she can kill her ex.

By way of example, here's an extract - bear in mind that only hours before this takes place, the woman (whose 4 year old daughter has been kidnapped) witnessed a decapitation, and within 24 hours of this scene, she is about to set herself up as bait for the man obsessed with killing her. So you'd think she would have other things on her mind apart from this:-

"She got up off the bed and went to him. The moonlight
slashed across his face, shrouding his eyes in
shadows. She touched his shoulders, then his cheek.
She moved until her body was touching his. His face
was hard, his chin and jaw sculpted with resolute
lines. He looked strong, and suddenly she needed that
strength. She wrapped her arms around his waist. 'Hold
me.' "

This is just one of many examples of Lisa Gardner's writing style, which is heavy on romance (or attempts at it) and conspicuously light on violence, which makes no sense given the whole point of the story. The plot, please remember, is essentially about killing a vicious, psychopathic killer.

Some of my favourite authors are female, and three who spring to mind (and who have often covered themes such as rape and serial killing) include Jilliane Hoffman, Val McDermid and Mo Hayder. All three are in a different universe to Lisa Gardner, in my view, partly because they understand what the reader wants and stick to the plot. I purchased 'The Perfect Husband' because the basic plot sounded interesting and of course I was impressed by the 5-Star reviews here on Amazon. Now, just hours after finishing the book, it vaguely reminds me of a novel called 'Tonight You're Mine' by Carlene Thompson in that a juicy story was ruined by feeble writing. It's confusing - how could a supposedly great story, lauded so highly by other readers, disappoint so much? I don't know, but frankly I can only suggest that 'The Perfect Husband' is nothing better than chick-flick style nonsense, utterly devoid of suspense and absolutely predictable in its outcome.

You Have To Read This Book ..... Brilliant
I happened upon this novel in a local store (cheaply!) and thought it sounded 'quite' interesting. How wrong can I be!! From the very first page I was completely engrossed.

From a storyline that sends shivers up your spine, to a whole host of characters each with their own secrets and flaws, there is nothing more you can want in a thriller.

My advice, BUY THIS BOOK NOW. I have since bought another two of her novels which shows that ... first impressions can indeed be deceptive ... (read the book and you'll know what I mean!!!)

What a fantastic read.
I could not put this book down! The characters had me gripped from the very first page and I was sorry that the book ended (but what an ending). I am now ordering the second book from Lisa Gardner "The Other Daughter" and looking forward to another gripping read.