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Best Intentions: A Novel [Hardcover]

Emily Listfield
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)


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Book Description

May 5, 2009
What happens when you think you know the person you love -- and you're dead wrong?

From the acclaimed author of "Waiting to Surface" comes the story of four college friends whose reunion reawakens old desires and grudges -- with fatal results.

After tossing and turning all night, thirty-nine-year-old Lisa Barkley wakes up well before her alarm sounds. With two daughters about to start another year at their elite Upper East Side private school and her own career hitting a wall, the effort of trying to stay afloat in that privileged world of six-story town houses and European jaunts has become increasingly difficult, especially as Manhattan descends into an economic freefall.

As Lisa looks over at her sleeping husband, Sam, she can't help but feel that their fifteen-year marriage is in a funk that she isn't able to place. She tries to shake it off and tells herself that the strain must be due to their mounting financial pressures. But later that morning, as her family eats breakfast in the next room, Lisa finds herself checking Sam's voicemail and hears a whispered phone call from a woman he is to meet that night. Is he having an affair?

When Lisa shares her suspicions with her best friend, Deirdre, at their weekly breakfast, Deirdre claims it can't be true. But how can Lisa fully trust her opinion when Deirdre is still single and mired in an obsessive affair with a glamorous photographer even as it hovers on the edge of danger?

When Deirdre's former college flame, Jack, comes to town and the two couples meet to celebrate his fortieth birthday, the stage is set for an explosive series of discoveries with devastating consequences.Filled with suspense and provocative questions about the relationships we value most, "Best Intentions" is a tightly woven drama of love, friendship and betrayal.



Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Financial troubles and more test the marriage of a downtown Manhattan career mom and her business journalist husband in this writerly page-turner from Listfield (Waiting to Surface). Sam and Lisa Barkley, who were college sweethearts, can just afford to send their two daughters to an Upper East Side private girls' school, though Lisa, whose family struggled into the middle class, wonders if a public school gifted program would've been a better choice. Meanwhile, Sam's late-night phone calls and odd absences from his office lead her to accuse him of having an affair. Lisa confides her fears to her best friend from college, Deirdre Cushing, whose mysterious death heightens the tension and mistrust between Lisa and Sam. While the author's penchant for punch lines and cliffhangers can come across as a stylistic tic, deft pacing keeps the action moving and the reader guessing. Listfield ensures no character is above suspicion, and in the end, no one is without blame. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Best Intentions examines with wit and seriousness what can happen when old passions and new lives collide." -- Real Simple

"A writerly page-turner... deft pacing keeps the action moving and the reader guessing. Listfield ensures no character is above suspicion, and in the end, no one is without blame." -- Publishers Weekly

"In Best Intentions, past indiscretions give way to fresh deception with devastating consequences." -- Parade

"In this gripping page-turner, Lisa suspects that her husband is having an affair with her friend Deirdre. Her hurt turns to shock when Deirdre turns up dead, entangling Lisa in a mystery with no alibi and no one to trust." -- All You --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Atria Books (May 5, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1416576711
  • ISBN-13: 978-1416576716
  • Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.3 x 9.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,310,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Story Overview
On the surface, Lisa Barkley seems to have it all -- a husband who was her college sweetheart, two lovely daughters, a high-powered PR job, a residence in Manhattan, and a best friend she's had since college. But Lisa's life isn't as perfect as it may seem on the outside.

* She is beginning to suspect her husband Sam might be having an affair -- and the distance that has been growing between them seems insurmountable. In addition, she is startled to find herself feeling attracted to another man.

* Her daughters are pulling away from her -- seemingly embarrassed to be seen with her.

* Her job hangs in the balance when her company is sold to another PR firm -- and the new vice president seems hell bent on making Lisa's life miserable.

* The financial pressures of living in Manhattan and sending her daughters to an expensive private school are taking a toll on the Barkley finances -- but neither Sam or Lisa can talk together about the financial pressures they face.

* Her best friend Deirdre is in a volatile relationship with Ben -- a dashing photographer who won't commit to her and sometimes leaves her with bruises.

When Jack -- an old college friend of Lisa, Sam and Deirdre -- comes to town for a reunion dinner, it seems like things in Lisa's life start to unravel all at the same time -- Sam's distance, job pressures, financial pressures, pressures to fit in at her daughters' school, and Deirdre's toying with both Jack and Ben. Just when it seems like things can't get any worse, it does -- Deirdre is found murdered in her apartment and no one (including Lisa) has an alibi.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Really interesting book... June 3, 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
I picked out this book based solely on the product description. I was not really sure what to expect but "Best Intentions" definitely far exceeded my expectations. It was a fun book, in the sense that I enjoyed the gossipy look into the private school, New York lifestyle of privilege but it was also a subtle mystery. It was not a true thriller in the sense that the "heroine" was never in danger, but there were definitely mysteries surrounding her husband, work and best friend. I liked how the book did not fit into any one category. I also enjoyed the ending; satisfying without being too pat. It was realistic I think. I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's books.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Well-written, quality chick-lit May 14, 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
Lisa Barkley and her husband have what they need to stay afloat in the ultra-competitive Manhattan world they inhabit. They may not have a cash cushion, but they can pay the tuition for their daughters to attend an exclusive Upper East Side private school (even though the other mothers make Lisa feel like she doesn't belong in their world of casual chic; she muses that they seem to have been born wearing ballerina flats.) But approaching their 40th birthdays, a lingering unease or discontent is beginning to weigh on both of them in different ways. Sam is struggling to break stories, competing with younger (and cheaper) journalists; Lisa must deal with obstreperous PR clients and the sale of the agency that she works for to a much bigger firm.

It turns out, however, that these concerns take a back seat to more dramatic events that flow out of a reunion dinner between Lisa, Sam, her oldest friend,Deirdre, and Deirdre's college boyfriend Jack. Jack, it seems, has never recovered from his early love for Deirdre; she, meanwhile, is grappling with her reluctance to have what she views as a temporary state of singledom become a permanent, irrevocable condition of being single, which she fears will happen after she turns 40. The hopes and fears of all four of the college friends will collide and long-buried secrets are disinterred, with horrifying consequences.

Emily Listfield has a real knack for portraying the fast-paced world of New York from the perspective of someone who isn't a part of the smart set. From social-climbing mothers on the charity gala circuit to hedge fund managers worried about her reputation, she nails the characters she portrays. And her writing is downright elegant, with marvelous turns of phrase that are so pithy they make you smile.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Be Careful What You Wish For... May 14, 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
Into a world of privilege that includes private schools, high-level careers, and upward mobility, the seeds of doubt are planted and lie fallow, waiting for the opportunity to blossom and spread like a malignant disease.

At first, Lisa Barkley begins to feel the doubts about her career, which seems to be hitting a wall - an outside company has purchased the public relations firm where she works - and the expenses that barely allow them to keep afloat seem to be growing rapidly. And Sam, her loving husband, seems remote. Secrets crop up, nurturing those seeds of doubt, until finally everything escalates into a terrifying morass of fear, dread and panic.

Best friend Deirdre, always so reliable, now seems unpredictable. An old lover from Deirdre's past joins the troops, reminding them all of their carefree college days, but his presence only complicates the situation.

Outsiders inflict their own worrisome thoughts into the mix - one David Forrester is there to offer support, but also to fan the doubt flames - and soon Lisa doesn't know who to trust or what to believe.

Then, finally, a tragic death brings everything to a crashing climax, escalating the doubts to suspicion, mistrust, and fear.

Will all of their worlds crash and burn? Can anything be salvaged, and if so, what will fall into place after the final resolution of who did what, with whom, and why?

A fascinating portrayal of a privileged world that lends credence to the warning to "be careful what you wish for," Emily Listfield's Best Intentions: A Novel delivers all that it promises.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful thriller!
I loved this book. It has just the right mixture of suspense and thrills to carry one through to the end. Read more
Published on June 16, 2011 by Violet Yates- Author- Women's Lit
3.0 out of 5 stars Murder Myster? Not Really
Many people had said what a great book this was and so many members were wishing it I had to read it. Way too much detail for me before the crime happens. Read more
Published on May 29, 2011 by Tsquared
3.0 out of 5 stars Adultery as Corporate Intrigue
This is an interesting twist on the use of adultery as corporate leverage. Not a page-turner, but well-crafted and engaging. A for idea.
Published on January 31, 2011 by Elaine
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, Entertaining
The passive-aggressive Lisa is being bombarded with tragedy, trauma, and angst. This story follows her through her battle to come out on top of it all. Read more
Published on July 31, 2010 by ardnam
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Good read, not my typical type of book to read, but it kept my attention. I would recommend this to anyone.
Published on June 24, 2010 by Layla B.
3.0 out of 5 stars chick lit "mystery" could have been better edited
I found this book easy to read and interesting for its New York location. It was fun to get a peak into the East Coast mentality. Read more
Published on June 22, 2010 by katieray
4.0 out of 5 stars author error!
I am not seeing anyone noting the fact that the most shocking thing in this murder mystery is that the detective refers to a key piece of information (David's photos) that Lisa had... Read more
Published on June 22, 2010 by A. O'Keefe
2.0 out of 5 stars For Women Only
I quit reading after page 70. I couldn't stand any more slow slow s-l-o-w development. Nothing happened that a man, and I doubt a woman would care about. Where's the mystery? Read more
Published on December 14, 2009 by Glenn A. Scott
4.0 out of 5 stars Best Intentions- indeed.
The pace of this novel starts out leisurely as the reader follows Lisa Barkley through a day in her life. Read more
Published on November 29, 2009 by Amy Y.
5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing and entertaining
Since there are numerous reviews where other Vine Voice reviewers rehash the plot, I will spare you all another rehashing and get right to the point: Best Intentions is an... Read more
Published on October 23, 2009 by Calamity Jane
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