Spouse Trap
Blackmail, sabotage, and blood-chilling suspense converge in this phycological thriller meets detective mystery. Madeline Ridley had it all: a handsome, successful husband, a place at the top of Santa Barbara society and every luxury money could buy. In all respects, her world was perfect…until she awoke in the early morning hours in an unfamiliar hotel room, alone, unclothed, with a splitting headache and no memory of how she got there.
When Steven Ridley comes home in the middle of a weekday and throws a sheaf of damning photos at her, Madeline’s enviable world collapses in a swirl of blackmail, sabotage and deceit. Hoping to convince Steven of her innocence, Madeline drives to his office and witnesses a scene that makes her realize who the enemy really is.
From that point on, Madeline deconstructs herself, reverting back to Madeline Dawkins while she tries to salvage what’s left of her life. In the process, she discovers where her true strengths lay. Utilizing those, she steels herself for battle, while her life hangs in the balance. An action-packed ride full of unexpected twists. A must-read for fans of Ruth Ware, Karin Slaughter, and Mary Stone.
Reviews
“In a word: fabulous! If you enjoy reading mysteries, SPOUSE TRAP is the crème de la crème. Cynthia Hamilton has created riveting, memorable characters to follow…I didn’t want the book to end…It kept me up at night and when I finally had to put it and myself to rest, I couldn’t sleep thinking of the machinations and intrigues of Steven Ridley keeping Madeline, the main character, off kilter and completely imbalanced constantly.” ★★★★★
“What makes Ms. Hamilton stand out is the way she immerses herself in her stories. If she wants to write about something, she just doesn’t do research, she experiences it firsthand so she can make her stories so wonderfully realistic. Her writing makes me think of Robert De Niro in the movie “Raging Bull” and how he not only portrayed boxer Jake La Matta, he became Jake La Matta by submersing himself in his life.” ★★★★★
“Mystery, suspense, intrigue…tragedy, hopelessness and redemption. Hamilton deftly weaves these elements through her story, never with a heavy hand. Twists and turns abound. A happy resolution is never certain, and Madeline dips and rises below and above waves that threaten to overwhelm her. She’s a wonderful character. On the surface, a spoiled Santa Barbara socialite, but also a resilient woman who discovers depths of strength she never imagined she possessed.” ★★★★★