“Her Perfect Life”

“Her Perfect Life” is a story of guilt, fame, revenge, sisters, and a trail. Every single thing characters do, every single decision they make opens one door but closes others.

Lily lives the perfect life. She has a daughter Rowen, now in the first grade. She had a sister, Cassie, who was “lost, and Lily has never stopped looking for her. She is an investigative journalist; she gets the “big” news stories, and the big news is always bad.  She lives the volatile life of a “public figure” and has “first world” problems: too much attention, too little anonymity, an expensive and obvious car, and a constant fear that she will be some other reporter’s big scoop.

The story is told in alternating narratives by Lily and her assistant, Greer; each chapter is clearly labeled. The team has a new “source,” one who has given them a couple of amazing leads, but now he wants something in return for the next big story, something special, and something very important. A high-stakes emotional chess game ensues. Events from the past wait to spring into the present for revenge and retribution. Ignoring them will not make the danger go away, and a decision must be made; that decision will change everything.

“Her Perfect Life” highlights the dark side of fame. It is a cat and mouse game, but who is the cat and who is the mouse? I received a review copy of “Her Perfect Life” from Hank Phillippi Ryan, Tor/Forge Books, and Macmillan Publishing. It is the story of a family, relationships, duplicities, and ultimate forgiveness. Advice for readers: plan your time wisely; once you start reading this book, you will not be able to stop reading until the very last page.