Book Review: ‘Careful What You Wish For: A Novel’ From Hallie Ephron

Emily Harlow has decided on a new career. She was a school teacher for 8 years and now she has started her own business with her friend Becca as professional organizers. They help people de-clutter their houses. Emily is also married to Frank who is a lawyer and a hoarder. Every weekend he goes to yard sales or is on online auction sites buying and storing things in their house.

Emily has a new Mrs. Murphy client whose husband died a year ago. She is ready to clear out his stuff at her house and in a storage locker she has never been to. Emily goes and checks the locker and finds a lot of stuff, some might be stolen she thinks. At the last moment Becca gets a call about a potential new client Quinn who wants a meeting right away. Emily goes to meet her and she wants to get rid of stuff in her garage that is her past. The two have some wine and chat away and even makes jokes about their husbands hording habits (Quinn’s husband likes to buy stuff) and how they should just off them (as jokes).

That night Emily stops for coffee on her way home and runs into a rude man and spills coffee on him and herself. The next day Emily’s life starts to fall apart. Quinn calls and says her husband never cam home. Frank notices damage to Emily’s car. The storage locker has a new lock on it. The police are investigating her husband Wally’s disappearance and it looks like Emily was involved. There was damage to his car like there was with hers and his body turns up in the storage locker. The video shows Emily or someone like her late at night carrying a rug into the locker. Emily looks guilty at this point.

She claims she is innocent and starts to investigate on her own coming up with things that don’t add up with Quinn and the man at the coffee shop that night. She soon uncovers a plot that could cost her her life. Will she be able to get out alive?

A solid mystery that if you pay attention too, you can see where it is going. The characters are interesting, especially Emily’s mother. Author Hallie Ephron always delivers in her novels and this one delivers as well.

You can pick up Careful What You Wish For in stores on Tuesday, August 6th from William Morrow.