Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all—until Marissa is unfaithful. Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship driven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers.
Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate.
When they glide through Avery’s door, and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.
~ Synopsis from GoodReads
The Golden Couple Review
Hendricks and Pekkanen write perfectly serviceable thrillers. They are great for when you’re waiting at the doctor’s or at the airport, or on vacation. Satisfyingly twisty, but don’t ask too much of you as a reader.
That said, I think The Golden Couple isn’t as satisfying as their previous efforts (An Anonymous Girl, You are not alone, or The wife between us). Their style is starting to go a bit stale on me.
The problem is with the couple. The golden couple actually plays out more like the boring couple. The therapist, Avery, reminded me of Esther Perel – the famous infidelity therapist (I have listened to a couple of her podcasts, where she counsels couples dealing with infidelity, and it’s so cringe).
The book picks up a little pace after the first part. And it definitely got better once I started picking up on the clues. There is a definite surprise ending. But this was just not a credible suspense plot. There was this nonsensical side plot about evil big pharma thrown in. Too many unrelated side characters who weren’t very convincing red herrings. Also, Avery was an awful therapist without boundaries (see: using therapy language here 😂). She stalked her clients, followed them around, and was ridiculous and creepy.
So, yeah, I would say this is a run-of-the-mill thriller. Don’t go in with high expectations; you won’t be disappointed.
