Altered identities seem to be a theme in my latest mystery reads. "Die for You" by Lisa Unger lets the reader know before the book is even opened that one character is not who he says he is. The mystery is: Who is he? and Why did he hide? The protagonist, the unknowing wife, quickly finds clues to the deception in retrospect. Unger neatly ties together financial deception with ethical deception and wraps everything up in a bow called "love is blind" (often on purpose). Following deception, as a theme is abandonment as both the wife, Isobel, and her sister, cope in very different ways with the suicide of their father when they were very young. Suicde is, of course, the ultimate abandonment. Not asking questions in a relationship, not being financially independent or even aware are just some of the issues Unger covers while portraying Isolbel's quest to solve the mystery of just who her husband was. Isobel was a well drawn and evolving character, her husband despicable, her niece and nephew amazing. Most of the characters were well drawn to depict them is specific ways. Jealousy raised its ugly head more than once.
This book was a definite page turner and left me with the urge to read more of Unger's work. "Die for You" was featured in 2009 as a Today Show Top Summer Pick, and Parade Magazine, Good Morning America, Good Housekeeping and USA Today all picked it as a top summer read.
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