A review by kbranfield
After Anna by Lisa Scottoline
4.0
After Anna by Lisa Scottoline is a gripping domestic mystery.
Maggie Ippolitti has not any contact with her seventeen year old daughter Anna since her vindictive ex-husband sued for custody after Maggie was hospitalized for postpartum psychosis. Now happily married to Dr. Noah Alderman and stepmom to ten year old, Caleb, she is stunned but thrilled to hear from Anna. Maggie does not hesitate to agree to Anna's request to move in with them and in short order, her once happy marriage is in serious trouble. The situation goes from bad to worse when Anna is murdered and Noah is accused of killing her. After Noah's trial ends, Maggie learns stunning news but will this startling turn of events undo the damage that has been wrought on her family?
Anna's presence in the Alderman household is disruptive right from her arrival. Maggie is overjoyed by their reunion and desperate to ensure Anna's happiness. Tension quickly builds between Maggie and Noah as they disagree over how to deal with Anna's manipulative behavior. Noah sees his new stepdaughter a whole lot more clearly than his besotted wife who staunchly defends her daughter and ignores some pretty glaring warning signs that something is not quite right. With an alarming rift rapidly widening between Maggie and Noah, Maggie is bamboozled by Anna's shocking allegations.
Unfolding in reverse order, After Anna by Lisa Scottoline shifts back and forth between Noah's murder trial and the events leading up to Anna's murder. Maggie is a completely irritating character who desperately wants to make up for events from the past and her allegiance quickly shifts to her daughter. Noah makes a few boneheaded decisions that that come back to haunt him and it is shocking how quickly Anna comes between him and Maggie. Anna is extremely devious and quite cunning but what possible motive could she have for her malicious accusations against Noah? Well, Lisa Scottoline answers that intriguing questions during the twist-filled, action-packed and somewhat improbable denouement. While all of the loose ends are neatly tied up, readers might be a little disappointed with the novel's saccharine sweet happy ending.
Maggie Ippolitti has not any contact with her seventeen year old daughter Anna since her vindictive ex-husband sued for custody after Maggie was hospitalized for postpartum psychosis. Now happily married to Dr. Noah Alderman and stepmom to ten year old, Caleb, she is stunned but thrilled to hear from Anna. Maggie does not hesitate to agree to Anna's request to move in with them and in short order, her once happy marriage is in serious trouble. The situation goes from bad to worse when Anna is murdered and Noah is accused of killing her. After Noah's trial ends, Maggie learns stunning news but will this startling turn of events undo the damage that has been wrought on her family?
Anna's presence in the Alderman household is disruptive right from her arrival. Maggie is overjoyed by their reunion and desperate to ensure Anna's happiness. Tension quickly builds between Maggie and Noah as they disagree over how to deal with Anna's manipulative behavior. Noah sees his new stepdaughter a whole lot more clearly than his besotted wife who staunchly defends her daughter and ignores some pretty glaring warning signs that something is not quite right. With an alarming rift rapidly widening between Maggie and Noah, Maggie is bamboozled by Anna's shocking allegations.
Unfolding in reverse order, After Anna by Lisa Scottoline shifts back and forth between Noah's murder trial and the events leading up to Anna's murder. Maggie is a completely irritating character who desperately wants to make up for events from the past and her allegiance quickly shifts to her daughter. Noah makes a few boneheaded decisions that that come back to haunt him and it is shocking how quickly Anna comes between him and Maggie. Anna is extremely devious and quite cunning but what possible motive could she have for her malicious accusations against Noah? Well, Lisa Scottoline answers that intriguing questions during the twist-filled, action-packed and somewhat improbable denouement. While all of the loose ends are neatly tied up, readers might be a little disappointed with the novel's saccharine sweet happy ending.