Customer Reviews

Best Intentions: A Novel

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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. Driven to find out what happened to her best friend and put her life back together, Lisa must face the truth about herself, her husband, her friends and best friend -- no matter how painful it might be.

My Thoughts
When I was contacted about reading and reviewing this book, I was expecting a run-of-the-mill murder mystery. Now there is nothing wrong with murder mysteries. I certainly enjoy them from time to time. But I often find them to be a bit formulaic. But this one sounded a bit different from the norm, and the setting of Manhattan was intriguing so I said "Yes...please send me a copy."

I was thrilled to find out that this book WAS NOT your standard murder mystery. Lisa's character and the stresses of her life are very well-developed. In fact, the murder doesn't happen until about two-thirds of the way through the book -- giving you plenty of time to get to know all the characters and the stresses of Lisa's life. For me, this made for a better-than-average mystery. I always like when an author takes the time to develop the characters rather than just focusing on the "who done it" or procedural aspects. In fact, I think the author could have skipped the whole murder part of it and still had a wonderful book about marriage, friendship, and the pressures of being a working mom. I really don't think the book would have suffered at all had Deirdre lived.

I also like the little details the author works into the book that give it a ring of authenticity. For example, here is a passage from when Lisa's husband is looking for some mittens for one of their daughters:

It occurs to me that he is not really asking for their likeliest location but prompting me to find them for him. I consider telling him to look for them himself but I don't. The first attempt at ferreting out last winter's accessories from the jumble of mismatched gloves, hats and scarves is an iffy proposition at best, especially for one with little experience in this type of archaeological dig.

I don't know about you, but I very much related to this passage -- finding gloves for the first time in a winter is a task best left up to Mom!

The other aspect of the book I liked was the setting of Manhattan. My family likes to visit New York City, and it was kind of fun to read about the Barkley's life in the city and recognize some of the places where we had been on visits. Also, the sections where Lisa feels outclassed and intimidated by the mothers at her daughters' elite private school were fascinating to me. It felt like getting a glimpse at secret society from an outsider's perspective -- kind of like falling into The Nanny Diaries but from a working mom's point-of-view.

My Final Recommendation
This was a good read, and I would recommend it. If you are looking for a "by the books" procedural-type murder mystery, this might not be a good fit for you. To me, this was really more of a character-driven novel that just happens to have a murder in it.

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.

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. This is a great novel for anyone who enjoys a good yarn revolving around relationships -- family, work and friends -- with a much more serious bent and higher quality writing than any chick lit I've read. But... in common with most chick lit, too many of Listfield's plot elements appear and disappear too rapidly and conveniently to be any more than plot devices, disappointing the reader. It seems as if a major thread will revolve around the sinister figure of the new overseer at Lisa's PR agency; but her fate at the agency and what happens to the agency are dealt with in (count 'em) six sentences scattered throughout the final 20% of the book. The reasons Lisa suspects her husband of having an affair are spelled out in detail; the truth is delivered in an almost perfunctory manner. Similarly, the odd plot twist involving the hedge fund manager's real motivation in being Lisa's "rabbi" is so out of the blue and out of context that I found myself going "hunh"?

If you approach this book with modest expectations, you'll likely enjoy the writing, the characters and the major plot twists without worrying about these more minor deficiencies. I've rated it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

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. The author carefully reveals the multi-layered social universe that, on the surface, appears untouchable and successfully drives home the point that none of us are exempt from life's tribulations.

Laurel-Rain Snow
Author of: Web of Tyranny, etc.

The blurb for this book made it sound like a mystery. It's actually more of a chick lit book that turns into a mystery halfway through. Although the prologue gives away the crime, the first half reads more like a typical novel for that genre. The narrator is 39-year-old Lisa Barkley, who is beginning to suspect her husband may be having an affair. There is a hostile corporate takeover where she works, and her job may be in jeopardy. She's envious of the more lavish lifestyle the other families on the Upper East Side have, but at the same time cynical. Her older daughter cuts classes so she can go to Starbucks with her friends and text. Things are rough, but not insolvable. Until her best friend winds up dead.

Until the murder, there is a lot of detail about the relationships of several of her old college friends,
debate over the ideal diet with her best friend, and gripes about how all the other moms she knows don't have to budget. After the police inform the protagonist and her family about the crime on page 222 and begin their investigation, all those things fade into the background, and the focus is on finding the perp. It gets much more fast paced (probably since there isn't much story left to go). Yes, there's an intriguing story in here somewhere, but it seemed to me like all the issues were given equal weight. I got the impression that Lisa cared more about being snubbed by one of the power moms than she did about the prospect of losing her job. I was puzzled at this prioritizing by someone almost forty years old, who had a family to support. The end, in which everyone lives happily ever after, didn't seem earned. Everything seemed to work out a little too neatly, in my opinion.

I usually think that I have a pretty good grasp on knowing about books that I'd enjoy. But evidently, I'm living under a rock -- and in this case, a very big rock because I wasn't familiar with the novel BEST INTENTIONS by Emily Listfield. When I first read the description, I just knew if was a book that I had to read and probably one that I'd enjoy. I was right! I really, really liked BEST INTENTIONS.

I couldn't put this book down, and it definitely captured my attention from the very start! Even before the murder part of the storyline was introduced, I was already caught up in Lisa's life as a mother and a wife. While I am approximately the same age as Lisa, I can't really say that I related to her; and I'm not even sure that I really liked her all that much. However, I loved her as the narrator of the story. I thought her insecurities about her job and marriage made for great reading; and I definitely thought seeing the story through her eyes made it all the more interesting. When Lisa's entire life (her marriage, friendships, career, etc.) was turned upside-down, I really felt as if the author made her behavior realistic; and I eventually found myself feeling a great deal of compassion for her.

One of the main reasons for that was I loved how this book toyed with my mind. There were so many twists and turns as well as questions of betrayal by almost all of the characters that I found myself really having a hard time figuring out who was responsible for Deirdre's death. Every time I thought I had it figured out, the author would add one more thing to further confuse me. In addition, I found myself doubting Lisa's husband, her marriage and even her friendship with Deirdre -- much in the same way that Lisa was throughout this novel. I realize that I was only getting Lisa's viewpoint on everything because she was the narrator of this story, but it made for quite the suspenseful and intriguing story.

As I mentioned earlier, I am so disappointed in myself for never having read any books by Ms. Listfield. However, on the positive side, I love that I've found a "new-to-me" author; and I can't wait to go back and read her earlier works. I absolutely loved her writing style and I found many of her characters' insights into life as quite honest and refreshing. I thought she did an amazing job of telling this story and creating questions not only in her characters' minds but in my mind as well. If you'd like to learn more about Ms. Listfield and the background on BEST INTENTIONS, you can check out this very interesting interview with her. She also has a great website and blog that I enjoyed looking at.

I absolutely recommend BEST INTENTIONS for a book club pick because I think it will be a terrific discussion book. BEST INTENTIONS will probably be a departure from your normal book club picks because of the mystery/murder aspect; however, don't let that deter you from choosing it. The characters and their relationships are very complex and will be sure to stir up some controversy. I can guarantee that there won't be a lack of things to discuss. I was so happy when I found a reading guide because I think the questions are very thought-provoking. I was also excited to see that the reading guide had some suggestions for ways to enhance your book club meeting. Some of the ideas sounded fun especially the one which involves looking at a map of Manhattan and trying to figure out what places in the novel were real.

Lisa Barkley and her husband, Sam, are struggling to maintain their toehold on the upper income lifestyle they enjoy on New York's East Side with their two young daughters. If their impending fortieth birthdays were not bad enough, both are facing a crisis of sorts in the workplace. Lisa's PR firm has just been taken over by an aggressive Chicago firm and she senses that she is being squeezed out of the picture. Sam, a journalist, known for his exposés, is desperately searching for his next big story because he has an editor interested only in what Sam has done for him lately. Their money worries have become so distracting that Lisa is even starting to doubt that her husband loves her as much as he once did.

Things begin to get complicated after Sam reluctantly agrees to a reunion dinner with Lisa, Lisa's best friend, Deidre, and Deidre's old college boyfriend, Jack. Jack, in from Boston for a job interview, has not seen the three New Yorkers in several years and he seems determined to charm his old friends, especially Deidre. Jack's re-entry into their lives, has come at a time when all of them are emotionally vulnerable, Sam and Lisa because of their financial worries, and Deidre because she is terrified that she will never marry and have a child if she reaches her fortieth birthday as a single woman.

Jack has come along just when stirring the pot can be a dangerous thing for his friends - and stir the pot, he does. Deidre finds herself trying to choose between Jack, and the future he seems so ready to offer her, and her current lover, Ben, a man who can barely bring himself to discuss his feelings about their relationship. Lisa is caught in the middle after Jack asks her help in finding out, on the sly, if Deidre still has a romantic interest in him, and Sam is reminded of just how much he has always disliked Jack.

Try as she might, Lisa cannot completely shake the nagging doubts that she has about her marriage and whether Sam might be involved in an affair. All the signs are there, and she is becoming more and more consumed by the thought that her world is falling apart. She is not the least bit prepared, however, for the great shock that will soon have her second-guessing everything she thinks she knows about her husband and her best friends.

I have not experienced much in the way of chick lit (I'm not even sure whether or not the term "chick lit" is considered a derogatory one) but I found "Best Intentions" to have a higher level of literary quality than the few others of that genre I have read in the past. Emily Listfield describes the lifestyle of upper-income New Yorkers, both the pros and the cons, so well that the city almost becomes another character in her story.

This is chick lit with a twist, a more literary approach to the usual story about relationships and feelings, all of it cloaked within a mystery that almost destroys its main characters when Lisa learns the hard way that even the best of intentions have a way of backfiring.

Is it possible that the world you carefully constructed can shatter in an instant based on an assumption you made after hearing a voice message on your husband's cell phone? This is what Lisa Barkley begins to think after hearing the muffled message from an unknown woman to her husband.

On the outside, Sam and Lisa are happily married with two daughters, Claire and Phoebe. Lisa holds a top position at a PR firm, while Sam is a journalist. They met and fell in love during college and married shortly after graduation. Their daughters attend private school on the Upper East Side.

Lisa never thought to question her marriage until she hears this voice message. She shares her concerns with her best friend, Deirdre. Deirdre does not share Lisa's suspicions and tells her it's probably nothing. Lisa tries to shrug it off, however she just cannot seem to let it go.

Meanwhile an old college friend comes to Manhattan to interview for a job and to celebrate his 40th birthday. Jack is Deirdre's former boyfriend and the four of them get together for a night of celebration and to reminisce. Jack and Deirdre entertain the idea of resuming their past love, only this time both have significant others. Jack is now married to Alice and Deirdre is in a relationship with Ben.

The four friends' reunion sets the stage for past secrets, betrayal and lies to be revealed. Can we truly leave our past in the past? If we try to correct past mistakes, are really doing more harm than good?

Best Intentions is a book that you can easily get lost in. I was captivated within the first chapter and began to wonder if Sam was truly having an affair. Without giving too much away, the novels twists and turns and I began to question each character's motive. At one point I truly felt for Lisa because I didn't know who was telling the truth and who was not. I have to admit, after finishing the book and finally knowing Sam's side of the story, I still had my doubts.

This is the first book I read by this author and it will not be the last. Best Intentions is one I highly recommend.

4.5 Stars

From its cover image and description, I wasn't sure I was going to like BEST INTENTIONS. It appeared to be a tarted-up soap opera, a high-toned example of chick lit. But I was wrong.

BEST INTENTIONS turned out to be one of the best novels I've read in a long time. It weaves so many themes in its captivating, engrossing story that it was always a pleasure to sit down with the book and read...and it was often hard to get back up and get on with the demanding business of life. BEST INTENTIONS is about life in 21st century Manhattan, when marital discord, economic uncertainty, and dreams unfulfilled at life's mid-point all come together. It is a book that can be enjoyed for its gripping story (it's a bit of a murder mystery and a well-done one at that), for its delicate portrait of a marriage in trouble, and for its telling observations on contemporary society. In short, it's a good read, whether you read between the lines or not. And Listfield (whom I had not read before) is an amazing writer: her characters are sympathetic and flawed, her word choice is impeccable, and her ability to fade into the background as her story takes place in the reader's mind is enviable.

I saw this book recommended in several "women's" magazines and found it to be a worthwhile effort. Perfect for a summer read, "Best Intentions" draws the reader in almost immediately. Read this for pleasure and fun!