The Marriage Pact

May 15, 2017
In this uneven thriller from Richmond (Golden State), an unusual gift from a couple invited at the last minute to Jake and Alice’s San Francisco wedding hints at the possibility of a perfect marriage. When Jake and Alice return to the city after their honeymoon, a visitor reveals the nature of the gift: the members of the Pact, an exclusive and secretive organization dedicated to making marriages succeed, invite Jake and Alice to join them. Insecure Jake, a therapist who’s well aware of the fragility of marriage, is eager to join. Alice, a musician turned lawyer, impulsively signs the contract without reading it or the manual outlining the rules. Soon Jake and Alice discover the dark side of a group that never allows a couple to divorce. The Pact will go to any length to ensure each couple meets the terms of their contracts; no infractions, no matter how minor, pass unpunished. Unfortunately, undeveloped characters and lapses of logic undermine the intriguing premise. Readers will hope that Richmond returns to her usual mesmerizing form next time. Agent: Valerie Borchardt, Georges Borchardt.

May 15, 2017
Alice and Jake, newly married in San Francisco, make a big mistake in signing up with a secret international cult dedicated to making sure wedding vows do indeed last until death.Jake is a marriage counselor and therapist; Alice is a rocker-turned-corporate lawyer. A famous Irish musician represented in a copyright case by Alice's firm is a last-minute invite to their wedding, and it is he who arranges their most peculiar wedding gift: "a substantial, elegant wood box" labeled The Pact. Jake is thinking it contains scotch, which would be bad--they met at rehab--but it's worse than that. Inside the box is "The Manual," a huge tome in tiny print containing regulations like those of Unit 3.12, Health and Fitness, which specifies that neither partner may gain more than 10 percent of what they weigh on their wedding day. Other rules require that couples exchange thoughtful gifts monthly, take a trip together once a quarter, always answer a spouse's telephone call, and never, ever mention The Pact to anyone. Also mandatory is timely attendance at the group's parties, meetings, and one-on-one sessions. Because Jake fails to carefully read the manual, he's surprised when the penalties for noncompliance start rolling in. For example, at their first weigh-in, they learn extra pounds will constitute a Misdemeanor Six. "After that, things get a little sticky," says a "Friend," as the group members creepily address each other. "You two really need to do your homework." Alice's workaholic tendencies first land her in a nonremovable metal cuff bracelet that may contain surveillance technology, but that's a gentle whisper of what's in store for these two; Redmond's (Golden State, 2014, etc.) novel will appeal to those with a weakness for punishment porn. Also, fans of unsurprising factoids--married people live longer than single people, the best predictor of a marriage's success is credit scores, the higher your income, the more likely you are to get married. Judicious editing would have made a difference. The idea of this book is interesting, and it could have had Stepford Wives-type potential for social commentary. Unfortunately, it's weighed down by a weak, repetitive thriller plot.

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June 1, 2017
When therapist Jake and his lawyer bride, Alice, receive a gift inviting them to become part of the Pact, an organization devoted to helping couples sustain their marriages, they assume it will be an interesting lark. They skim the membership manual and agree that such rules and requirements as buying each other monthly gifts and planning quarterly trips together will strengthen their bond. But when the Pact determines that Alice is too devoted to her job, at the expense of her marriage, she is dragged off in shackles to a desert encampment for a trial, after which she returns home wearing a restrictive collar. As if this wasn't bad enough, a female friend of Jake's and fellow Pact member warns him of further danger, prompting him to break a few rules himself. Though Richmond's (Golden State, 2014) creepy and engrossing tale stretches credulity at times, it does take readers deep into the heart of a marriage and exposes some of the darker drives, such as possession and control, that can lurk within even the most harmonious of unions.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

February 15, 2017

As a wedding gift, Alice and Jake received membership in a mysterious organization called the Pact, which aims to promote secure, happy marriages. Advice such as making sure to answer the phone when your spouse calls seems innocuous, but some of the rules and the means of enforcing them are downright scary. Rights sold to Twentieth Century Fox.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 1, 2017

Richmond's (Golden State; No One You Know) fifth novel opens in familiar territory: a couple weds, uncertain about whether their marriage will last. But Richmond quickly moves beyond the expected with this imaginative tale of a worldwide, cultish movement called The Pact, focused entirely on keeping marriages intact. Alice and Jake are flattered to be invited to join The Pact by a client of Alice's, an Irish pop star. The sense of mystery and exclusivity draws them in until they discover that the pseudolegal contract they'd signed isn't so pseudo after all. The by-now familiar domestic suspense setup of a troubled wife leaving a marriage is turned upside down, as the couple faces an outside threat together. Questioning a secretive group's arbitrary "marriage rules," this fast-paced nail-biter goes in unpredictable directions, including some violent scenes. It also raises thoughtful questions about individual agency and marital commitment. VERDICT With strong writing, intriguing characters, and a compelling conceit, this psychological thriller seems destined for the top of summer reading lists. Recommended as a fresh voice for readers of Gillian Flynn or Ruth Ware. [See Prepub Alert, 1/23/17.]--Melanie Kindrachuk, Stratford P.L., Ont.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2017

Richmond's (Golden State; No One You Know) fifth novel opens in familiar territory: a couple weds, uncertain about whether their marriage will last. But Richmond quickly moves beyond the expected with this imaginative tale of a worldwide, cultish movement called The Pact, focused entirely on keeping marriages intact. Alice and Jake are flattered to be invited to join The Pact by a client of Alice's, an Irish pop star. The sense of mystery and exclusivity draws them in until they discover that the pseudolegal contract they'd signed isn't so pseudo after all. The by-now familiar domestic suspense setup of a troubled wife leaving a marriage is turned upside down, as the couple faces an outside threat together. Questioning a secretive group's arbitrary "marriage rules," this fast-paced nail-biter goes in unpredictable directions, including some violent scenes. It also raises thoughtful questions about individual agency and marital commitment. VERDICT With strong writing, intriguing characters, and a compelling conceit, this psychological thriller seems destined for the top of summer reading lists. Recommended as a fresh voice for readers of Gillian Flynn or Ruth Ware. [See Prepub Alert, 1/23/17.]--Melanie Kindrachuk, Stratford P.L., Ont.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.