The Marriage Pact

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.