Don't Blame the Wife (A Novel)

Succession meets The Guest List in Darby Kane’s newest novel where rich people are doing terrible things, including murder. There’s no telling how far these weekend guests will go to be the next heir of the Benedict estate…

For the second time in ten years a body drifted in the water at Waverly...

Ten years ago, someone who supposedly loved Walter Benedict murdered him during a party at Waverly, the family’s Rhode Island estate. His body was found floating in the pool, and his wife, the Amery Aberdeen Benedict, was immediately named the suspect by law enforcement and every true-crime fan on the internet.

Amery being Amery, she spent less than a day in jail and did so with her usual spare-no-expense flair. Then…nothing. The years ticked by without an arrest or any new information. Whispers about Amery’s involvement continued but closure never came.

Now on the tenth anniversary of the tragic event, Amery has called her children and their partners home for a “Walter is still dead, so let’s celebrate” soiree. But her true motivation is quickly revealed. With rumors of an impending explosive documentary about the family, Amery wants the murder solved and offers a challenge to make it happen: Waverly in exchange for the truth.

A twenty-eight-million-dollar oceanfront estate is a lot of incentive. The kind some people would kill for.

Amery knows someone might be tempted to get a little nasty. To break the rules. To eliminate the competition. You might even say she secretly hopes all of those things happen. See, Amery likes games. She’s been planning this for a long time and it’s time to play.

One weekend. One answer. One heir to the estate. Huge money. A new murder. Winner takes all.

This will teach people to blame the wife.