Marriage Is Murder (Jenny Cain Mysteries, No. 4) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Nancy Pickard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1988

Jenny Cain and police detective Geof Bushfield already had pre-nuptial jitters. Then a sudden wave of domestic violence rocked placid Port Frederick - in just two weeks, the husbands of three battered wives were shot dead. Homicide was all too familiar to Geof, but this was enough to make him want to quit the force. Except that none of the wives confessed - and none of the guns were found. As Geof searched for clues, Jenny uncovered a dangerous secret - a murderous obsession that threatened to tear Port Frederick apart!

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Jenny Cain, altruistic, bright and rich, is about to marry her policeman-lover Geof Bushfield, when events in this sprightly and intriguing mystery make them pause before taking their final vows. An inexplicable rash of domestic violence has hit the small town of Port Frederick, Mass.three husbands in two weeks have been shot and killed by their battered wivesand Geof, depressed, is considering leaving the force, and is even having grave doubts about gettng married. Jenny (seen in Pickard's No Body et al) is more resolute and puts together a task force of social workers, psychologists, and doctors to pry into the cause of the alarming increase in family violence. She also decides to do some sleuthing on her own and turns up puzzling similarities in all the killings. All three women, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, vehemently deny killing their spouses. And in each case, the murder weapon is nowhere to be found. Jenny even begins to consider a conspiracy afoot against violent husbands. An energetic array of Jenny's friends and co-workers keep this novel a fine mix of romance, violence, and sleuthing moving at a fast clip.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

In the New England town of Port Frederick, there's an intense escalation of domestic violence that depresses and alarms rich, handsome policeman Geof Bushfield and his rich, beautiful civic-worker girlfriend Jenny Cain (No Body, 1986; etc.) As Geof and Jenny's wedding date draws near, abusing husbands Dick Hanks and Eddie McEachen are shot to death, their wives being the main suspects. Geof is threatening to leave the police force, and Jenny is drawn into the affairs of the safe house for endangered families run by tough Smithy Leigh. A third death, surprisingly close to home, takes place before the light - in the presence of a puzzling gun collection - dawns on Jenny and a fourth, totally innocent target is saved. The grim social-tract case-history background is barely camouflaged by the author's crisp, breezy style and the romantic byplay. Well plotted, mildly entertaining, and a bit of a downer. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 286 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Pr (February 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0896211312
• ISBN-13: 978-0896211315
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,563,982 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced & entertaining, February 22, 1998

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[e-mail] (Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marriage Is Murder (Jenny Cain Mysteries, No. 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

In this fourth of the Jenny Cain series Jenny prepares to marry her long-time boyfriend, police dective Geof Bushfield. Before that happens she gets involved with seemingly abused wives who appear to be murdering their husbands. The book delves into the the dynamics of abuse relationships and what happens to the women involved in them. Jenny also questions her forth- coming marriage to Geof while he is questioning if he wants to stay with the force. Although the book was written in 1987 it is still revalent to situations that are happening today. Perhaps the ending is a little too neatly tied up but still an enjoyable read as we get to know Jenny & Geof better.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 3.5 stars--Too obedient to old school, August 9, 2010

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Lazy reviewer (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marriage Is Murder (Jenny Cain Mysteries, No. 4) (Paperback)

Ms. Pickard is a good writer, with the wit to make domestic abuse/murder issues as funny/ironic as they can tastefully be. Reasonably funny, actually, but she does display the multifaceted tragedy of those situations as she goes.

The biggest problem is that this book's characters and plot are developed as though it were a 1950s domestic comedy--her tone and character depth are like Diane Mott Davidson's [an author I like, whose characters somehow end up more winning and less stereotypic, via the extra hundred plus pages per novel she takes to develop things.] Both central and peripheral characters are too simple and unreflective. Pickard does considerably better in her more recent, and longer, The Whole Truth.