Lots of factors made me want to read The Good House: The Boston North Shore rural setting, the intriguing insider real estate details, and especially the 60 year old protagonist, an alcoholic in denial who nonetheless leads a life that works pretty well. For a while, anyway. It won’t be giving away any important plot points to mention that her secret drinking does not end well, yet her story is a tale of female strength. It’s a natural tale of witty domestic fiction, a genre of which I am very fond.
The one thing that made me wary of this book is that the author is Ann Leary, wife of the actor Denis Leary. I am very glad I overcame my initial “celebrity writing fear”, because Ms. Leary’s informed voice is funny, sensible, and lyrical. This book is a real find, destined for great things, and also an easy gulp of realistic fiction.
-Alison
