The Ex Files: A Novel About Four Women and Faith [Paperback]

Victoria Christopher Murray (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 19, 2007

There are four ways a woman can handle heartbreak. She can fall apart, seek revenge, turn cold, or move on. The Ex Files is the story of these four women:

When Kendall Stewart finds her husband and her sister in bed together, she vows to never let anyone get that close again. But when she is faced with saving the life of the woman who destroyed hers, will she be able to forgive?

When an NBA superstar tells his mistress, Asia Ingrum, that he's decided to honor his marriage vows, her shock quickly gives way to revenge...but her decision may come back to haunt their five-year-old daughter.

Every night Vanessa Martin wonders why her husband committed suicide. Even worse, she contemplates joining him in eternity. Will Vanessa be able to gather the strength to live again?

Sheridan Hart is finally finding her way after a lie destroyed her seventeen-year marriage. Her new love is ready to get married, but will she commit to this younger man or is her ex-husband taking up too much space in her heart?

When their pastor asks Kendall, Asia, Vanessa, and Sheridan to meet weekly for prayer, they can't imagine they will have anything in common. But then a devastating tragedy strikes and these strangers are forced to reexamine their choices. Will they find true friendship, or will prayer -- and their union -- fail them?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Murray's powerful testament to Christian fellowship and friendship (after 2006's A Sin and a Shame), four members of an L.A. prayer group find spiritual growth and heartache as they struggle with broken dreams. Drawn together by Hope Chapel's Pastor Beverly Ford, these African-American women stand at crossroads in their lives. For Sheridan Hart it's trying to choose between marrying her lover or going back to the bisexual Ex who left her for a man. Kendall Stewart deals with her rage over her younger sister and Ex falling in love, but must make a life or death choice when her sister becomes seriously ill. Asia Ingram wants revenge on the father of her six-year-old daughter, a retiring, married LA Laker who's decided to end their decade-long affair. Vanessa Martin copes badly in the aftermath of her husband Reed's shocking suicide, grappling with a growing depression that threatens her ability to go on. The engrossing transitions the women go through make compelling reading, but some readers might find some of Pastor Ford's wisdom a little off as she assures Sheridan that Quentin, her bi-sexual Ex, "wasn't born that way." Still, Murray's vivid portrait of how faith can move mountains and heal relationships should inspire her growing conservative fan base.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"The Ex Files is a moving-on song in four-part harmony."

-- Donna Grant and Virginia DeBerry, authors of Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made

"Once again, Victoria Christopher Murray has crafted a compelling, intriguing, and page-turning story that stays with you long after you've finished the book. This wonderful tale of four different women from vastly different backgrounds shows how we can all be bound by the common thread of faith."

-- ReShonda Tate Billingsley, bestselling author of Everybody Say Amen and I Know I've Been Changed

"My girl, Victoria Christopher Murray has done it again! I love her work and this book will bless you, so read it."

-- Michele Andrea Bowen, author of Church Folk, Second Sunday, and Holy Ghost Corner

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 388 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (June 19, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416535519
• ISBN-13: 978-1416535515
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 7.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #824,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Victoria Christopher Murray is the Essence bestselling author of the novels Truth Be Told, Joy, and Temptation. Visit her at www.victoriachristophermurray.com. She lives with her family in Inglewood, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Forgiveness Is The Key To Moving On, June 8, 2007

By 

Donnica Carter "AKA DCSquared" (Marietta, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Ex Files: A Novel About Four Women and Faith (Paperback)

APOOO Rating- 4.5

The Ex-Files brings four unlikely women together. They have all been hurt in some form or fashion by their exes. Murray brings Sheridan Hart back from Grown Folks Business. Sheridan is the leader of the prayer group. While it was two years ago that her husband left her for a man, she is still trying to cope with not having him in her life and moving on with someone new. Vanessa Martin puts on a great front for the group. She is coping with the death of her husband. It is so unbearable sometimes, that she wants to do anything to be with him again. Kendall Stewart caught her husband in bed with her sister. She decides to write them both off...no husband and no sister. But things quickly change and she is faced with stepping up for her family. Asia Ingrum is the youngest one of the group. She is also the only one that is not married. She was actually the mistress to a NBA player. He decides to make it work with his wife and leaves Asia AND her child alone.

Their pastor suggests that they come together in a prayer group and hopefully work through their situations. They soon realize they have a lot more in common then they first thought. You quickly become invested in each character. How will each of them deal with the end of a relationship? Murray does it again and definitely delivers a great story. This one will grip your heart.

Donnica Copeland
APOOO BookClub

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Believing in something..., July 29, 2007

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ex Files: A Novel About Four Women and Faith (Paperback)

THE EX FILES is not a scientific read, quite the contrary. It is a simple yet compelling story about four women struggling with the loss of their partners.

-Sheridan's husband, of sixteen years, left her for a man. The marriage has been over for three years and she has a new man in her life. But, Sheridan never put an emotional end to the marriage and her indecisiveness may send her new man away; then her 'ex' re-enters her life.
-Kendall and her husband built a business together before they married. She catches him in bed with her sister and she is done. They divorce, but still share the business. Kendall wants them both to suffer, so when her 'ex' asks her to help save her sister's life, she refuses and distances herself from them.
-Asia is twenty-seven, and has never worked a day of her life. For the past ten years she has lived in hopes of marrying the NBA star who is her part time, live-in sponsor. But, he returns to his wife leaving her and their five-year-old daughter. Asia seeks serious revenge, but will it destroy her daughter?
-Vanessa was married for six years, and loved every day of it. For no apparent reason her husband committed suicide; it left a hole in her soul. She cannot deal with the painful emptiness.

Encouraged by their pastor, the four women meet and discover a similarity in their predicaments. With a foundation of prayer, they let God into their lives and develop a bond. Then a surprising tragedy forces them to gather spiritual strength, move past their respective heartbreaks, and seek forgiveness and redemption. THE EX FILES is emotionally charged with familiar characters, definitive storylines, and an engaging plot. The magnitude of this story puts emphasis on the power of prayer and resonates after the book is closed.

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Weak, January 7, 2009

By 

Emi (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ex Files: A Novel About Four Women and Faith (Paperback)

i was so disappointed with this book having already read tmptation and a sin and a shame, two great books by the way. in this book i feel like the plots are dragged on and the characters unrealistic. also the language is unsophisticated and doesn't flow. the plot is choppy. moreover the characters underdeveloped. especially vanessa, couldn't understand her motives and she seemed very whiny. moreover the characters situations in the book dont really change, they are not really "stronger". i feel like the author was forging religion in this book and trying way to hard. i will still read books by this author however i give this book a C.