A Cry In The Night, by Mary Higgins Clark

Jenny is a divorced mother of two young girls, working at an art gallery in New York. She meets artist Erich Krueger at a gallery showing of his work, where everyone notices that Jenny looks just like the painting of Erich's deceased mother, Caroline. Erich & Jenny begin dating & become engaged within a few weeks. When Jenny marries Erich less than a month after they meet, she & the girls move to Erich's large home in Minnesota. Jenny soon realizes disturbing things about Erich, especially his obsession with his late mother. Erich becomes more & more possessive & controlling, and Jenny plans an escape back to New York with her girls, but instead, Erich takes the girls away with him and leaves Jenny in the house alone, not knowing where he has taken them or when they'll be back. A scandal involving Erich's artwork erupts, and when Erich is returning home, Jenny realizes that he is far more disturbed than even she realized. She is worried for her children's safety. Jenny's life is threatened when Erich returns home, but with help from her neighbors, her terror comes to an end.

A Reliable Wife, by Robert Goolrick

In 1907 Wisconsin, wealthy businessman Ralph Truitt advertises for "a reliable wife". A Few months later, he marries Catherine Land, who has secret plans of her own for him and his money. In the end, the reader is surprised to discover that things don't turn out quite the way the story builds them to expect.

Dark Places, by Gillian Flynn

Libby Day's mother & 2 sisters were murdered at their home when she was 7 years old. Libby ran into the freezing snow and hid in a nearby field, lost some fingers and toes to frostbite, but survived. Her 15 year old brother, Ben, is blamed for the murders, and Libby's testimony helps put him behind bars for life. Now, 24 years later, after meeting a group that is trying to get Ben set free, Libby investigates what really happened that night, by interviewing people who were close to Ben, and even her estranged father. The club pays her for all her research into the case, which takes her all over Kansas & Missouri, as well visitations to Ben, who she hadn't seen since that tragic night. It turns out that Ben is innocent, but he is protecting someone else. The story keeps the reader guessing all the way through, and is almost impossible to put down for a break.

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County, by Tiffany Baker

Truly Plaice was born so large that her mother died giving birth to her. Her sister, Serena Jane, is her exact opposite: small & pretty. When their father dies, each girl goes to a separate home to live with family friends. Truly goes to live with the Dyerson's, a poor, out-of-luck family with a daughter her same age, Amelia, who rarely talks. A few years later, Serena Jane is married to "Bob Bob" Robert Morgan, who comes from a long line of Robert Morgans, all doctors. Bob Bob takes Serena Jane to Buffalo, where he goes to medical school & Serena Jane gives birth to a son, Robert "Bobbie". Meanwhile Truly takes care of the horses & does other work on the Dyerson farm. Serena Jane & Bob Bob move back to town & live in the doctor's house, while Bob Bob starts his new practice. Truly moves in with Bob Bob to take care of him & Bobbie, age 7, when Serena Jane leaves. Bob Bob is ashamed that his wife has left him, so he invents the story of her death, and Truly doesn't know the truth. Truly's friend Marcus returns from Vietnam, with injuries to his hand & leg. He becomes the gardener for Dr. Robert "Bob Bob" Morgan. There is an ongoing idea of romance between Marcus & Truly. Truly discovers the secret shadowbook of Tabitha, the first doctor's wife. She begins mixing herbs to try out remedies, and finds that there are herbs that can heal, but also herbs that can cause death. Bobbie moves out the house at age 18 with a secret of his own, estranged from his father. Soon after, Robert Morgan is diagnosed with cancer, and after his death, Truly learns the truth about her sister, who is still alive, and feels betrayed by Amelia, who knew the truth but didn't say anything. This book was hard to stop reading!

Made In The U.S.A., by Billie Letts

15 year old Lutie and her younger brother, Fate are living with their father's ex-girlfriend, Floy, in South Dakota until the day that Floy drops dead of a heart attack at Wal-Mart. Fearful of being put in foster homes, Lutie & Fate steal Floy's car & drive to Las Vegas to look for their alcoholic father. It turns out that their father died a year earlier and the two kids have to live out of the car for several weeks, until Lutie is badly beaten for the little money she had saved to get an apartment. A stranger, Juan, and his dog come to her rescue just in time & Juan drives Lutie & Fate to Oklahoma, where he has family that he hasn't seen in 15 years. The family runs a circus, and after healing up from her injuries, Lutie begins to learn to walk on a high wire. Fate meets a boy who becomes his best friend and the circus family becomes family to both the kids. It is the first real home they have had for years. This story was an entertaining read for me.

Night and Day, by Virginia Woolf

In this novel, Katherine Hilbery must decide whether to be engaged to poet William Rodney, or to have a relationship with Ralph Denham, whom she finds much more interesting. Also in this story is Mary Datchet, a friend of Katherine's who is involved in the Women's Rights movement. Katherine's mother is struggling to put together a book about her late father, a famous poet, with help from Katherine. This book was first published in 1919. It is by far one of the best stories I've ever read.

An Unkindness of Ravens, by Ruth Rendell

A man (Rodney Williams) disappears & it is thought that he has run off with a woman other than his wife. But then a second woman reports that her husband is missing. It turns out to be that same man, for he is secretly married to two different women & has children with both. Later his body is found buried near a wood, and the mystery of his murder is eventually discovered. Turns out that the two daughters from different wives know each other, and the murder was committed by the two of them. This story is another Inspector Wexford mystery. I enjoy these British mysteries very much.