"Guilty Wives" by James Patterson and David Ellis

I tend to enjoy A James Patterson mystery/thriller.  It is hard to figure out were his plots are going, so his books keep you on your toes.  So I jumped right in to "Guilty Wives", not knowing what to expect.

So the plot starts out with a group of four wealthy wives who happen to be good friends.  They decide to have a Chick Weekend in Monte Carlo and they quickly cut loose.  As the story unfolds, these ladies decide to step out their husbands and check out other men.  In the process, they somehow get framed for murdering the President of France.  The four wives are subsequently convicted of terrorism and sent to a brutal prison.

The rest of the story focuses on how these ladies get out of prison.  I found this part of the story most interesting.  The determination and grit to survive is a testiment to the human spirit.

But I have problems with the rest of the plot.  First of all, the reason the ladies are framed for murder is that their husbands set them up.  That's right, the husbands committed the murder and framed their wives.  Apparently all was not well in wealthy maritial land.  All sorts of extra caricular activites were going on by both the husbands and the wives.  So I find it hard to believe that all four husbands would commit murder and frame their wives for the sake of false jealousy.  By false jealousy I mean that the husbands are hypocrites.

Another problem with this story is that the love sceines are way to graphic.  This is not supposed to be a porn novel.

Finally I am put off by the casual acceptence (in this story) of maritial infidelity.  That such behaviour is somehow acceptably and the norm.  And that stories like this somehow happen.  Well I have news for you.  If these people were having problems with their marriages then get some kind of help.  Do not decide to indulge in external relationships.  This whole crazy affair and horrible consequences could have been easily avoided by some basic, decent, moral behaviour.

Mr. Patterson has done us a service.  He has highlighted the wages of sin.  Be worned, you reap what you sow.