Happy Wife

“Instead, his phone starts buzzing in his pocket. He looks at the caller ID and then to me. ‘Sorry,’ he mouths. And the moment—the one I had been hoping not to break—shatters. I nod, letting out a heavy sigh.”

From the beginning of the novel, Nora is disappointed by her husband Will’s behavior, especially his tendency to put work above their relationship. This disappointment is designed to mislead the reader into thinking that Nora is responsible for Will’s disappearance. In this moment, Nora reflects on how she hadn’t wanted “to break” their intimate moment, but Will has no such qualms—a difference that reflects the power dynamic in their marriage and how Nora seeks to accommodate Will in a way that is not reciprocated.

“Sometimes I get the feeling the second he sold his company she forgot about the long hours that he undoubtedly had to pour into his job to get to the acquisition stage. And good for her, by the way. Who among us wouldn’t take selective amnesia in exchange for endless amounts of cash? It’s not time that heals the wounds. It’s money.”

Although Nora’s best friend Este is also the wife of a wealthy man, their experiences in the novel are dramatically different. Unlike Will, Este’s husband Beau no longer works, having sold his tech company for millions. This passage suggests that Este has deliberately forgotten the long hours that Beau worked before his retirement, and that Nora would be willing to do the same if Will retired.

“‘Play the optics out with me.’ He rubs his chin. ‘We file the report. The BOLO goes out over the radio. Some reporter hears over the police scanner that Will Somerset is missing. How long are we talking before this city is on its head with speculation and wild theories?’”

The early chapters of the novel suggest that Will Somerset’s law partner Frederick “Fritz” Hall III is somehow involved in his death. In this passage, his apparent concern over the status of their law firm trumps his concern over his partner’s death. His fears about the implications of media coverage introduce the theme of The Influence of Media on the Criminal Justice System, foreshadowing how a scandal will indeed soon erupt over the disappearance.

“The moms, perpetually in an arms race to see who could be the most agelessly beautiful while also jockeying to snag the latest designer bag or priciest Cartier bangle, sunned themselves on lounge chairs while a veritable army of babysitters and nannies sat fully dressed under umbrellas with strollers or wrangled kids and their snack stand hotdogs and instantly melting Popsicles.”

This passage reflects the novel’s interest in the divisive effects of money in communities. Here, the authors draw a clear line between the wealthy mothers who frequent the country club and the working-class nannies and staff, like Nora, who make their lives possible. Although Nora is able to cross from one class into the next, she is not welcomed by the wealthy wives of her husband’s friends, reflecting The Power of Cliques.

“The thing about second wives is that by the time I came along, Will had a system for everything. He even had a money manager who handled his bills, so I never had to worry about details like how or when the mortgage or taxes got paid. When we’d gotten married, he’d handed me a black card.”

Although Nora and her neighbors in Winter Park seem to believe that marrying a rich older man would solve all of Nora’s problems, the novel suggests that Nora and Will’s financial differences are a significant roadblock in their relationship. Nora initially enjoys not having any responsibilities, but she quickly realizes that she has no real influence or control in their lives. This passage suggests that Will thought he could buy Nora’s compliance.

“Whether I was teaching their kids to swim or checking them in for an afternoon at the museum, the country club moms glared at me like I was a predator—a threat to the natural order of their world.”

This passage reflects the novel’s interest in The Power of Cliques. Since Nora is not only younger than the rest of the Winter Park wives but also working-class, she is treated like an outsider by their social circle. The use of the terms “predator” and “natural order” suggest that Winter Park society is more animalistic than civilized.

“This house was always too big for just Will and me—even during the weeks we had Mia. But without him home, it’s cavernous. The air is so still it feels brittle. The spacious rooms and echoing hallways only magnify his absence.”

Being alone in her house makes Nora realize how needlessly large it is. Although Nora has gained everything she wants materially, the loss of her husband makes her realize how useless those material goods are. In this passage, the use of the words “cavernous” and “brittle” make their home seem like an inhospitable place.

“One look at him telegraphed a radioactive variant of privilege and an air of invincibility—gilded Teflon—like he could dodge DUIs as easily as sexual assault accusations with a bought-and-paid-for impunity.”

From their earliest interactions, Nora does not like Will’s law partner Fritz. This passage suggests that Fritz’s financial and social privileges have made him arrogant, and the references to drunk driving and sexual assault suggest that he does not think the law applies to him. This characterization of Fritz is designed to mislead the reader into thinking that he is responsible for Will’s death, but it also highlights The Power of Cliques, as Nora realizes Fritz’s wealth and prestige can shield him from consequences.

“True to his word, Will had replaced the plastic straw with a massive stone and diamond pavé wedding band within a few days of our return from Nevis, but I kept the plastic ring in my jewelry drawer. The sentimental feeling I got when I spotted it was in sharp contrast to the shame I felt listening to Fritz yell.”

Will’s law partner Fritz immediately assumes that Nora has married Will in order to steal his money and his stake in the law firm. The fact that Nora values the plastic ring Will made out of trash to propose to her more than the massive diamond ring he bought her to make it official suggests that she is not as materialistic as Fritz believes. Fritz’s accusations are ironic given the final revelation that he has been stealing money from the firm.

“In a place that seemed to be built on double-talk, it was refreshing to be in the company of someone who called things as they were. Este didn’t talk to be crass or boisterous. She couriered the truth with an ease and sense of perpetual relief.”

Nora becomes close friends with Este because they both feel like outsiders among the Winter Park social circle and The Power of Cliques. This passage suggests that they are outsiders because, unlike the rest of the circle, they tell the truth about how they feel. The novel suggests that the social circle is built on a focus on appearances, rather than reality.

“I think we mutually found solace in the morning runs, shopping on Park Ave, yoga classes, spa trips, and evening cocktail meetups. We made up our own little world with a full schedule of diversions.”

Although the Winter Park social circle accuse Nora of being a gold-digger seeking a life of luxury, this passage suggests that Nora and her best friend Este are actually unhappy with their lives. The use of the word “solace” suggests that they need comforting, while the use of the world “diversions” suggests they are bored. Ultimately, the novel ends with Nora feeling relieved that she can step away from the life of a housewife.

“I wanted to be flattered that he could count on me and my company for relief from the chaos of his day, but with as often as he was calling all the shots, it felt more transactional than being someone’s source of comfort.”

In the final third of the chapter, it is revealed that Nora was unhappy in the months leading up to Will’s murder, reflecting The Complex Nature of Grief. This passage suggests that she felt Will treated her as if she was an object he could use when he wanted, rather than a partner with feelings to consider. Nora’s complex feelings about her marriage reveal that it was not as idyllic as it seemed to others.

“After her antics with the wine and the haranguing at pizza night, I feared out paths crossing would create a scene. But then run-in I dreaded never happened. I should have known other people saw how sticky inviting her was, too, so they just left her off their lists.”

This passage reflects the novel’s interest in the difference between appearances and reality. Although Nora feels like the Winter Park social circle is isolating her, she eventually realizes that they are willing to isolate Constance in order to keep the peace. This suggests that friendships in Winter Park are not as solid as they may seem, reflecting The Power of Cliques.

“People who, for the past year, have taken unique pleasure in skewering me as the interloper gold digger are now giving me consoling hugs. I guess death trumps social politics. Or maybe social politics still reign supreme and they’re just in it for the spectacle.”

Initially, Will’s death makes Nora more acceptable in the eyes of the Winter Park social circle, who rally around her because they know it is the right thing to do. Although Nora is grateful for their support, she sees it as a symbol of their fake nature. The fact that these people later treat Nora as a murderer also reflects their fickle nature.

“Even though I’m ready to start a fight with almost anyone these days, I soften when I think about the spot she’s in. She has the worst position in this whole thing. Her livelihood is so embedded in this community. She can’t alienate her clients—not me or Constance.”

Nora and her best friend Este bond over their mutual disdain for the Winter Park social circle. However, unlike Este, Nora is capable of compassion for women like Autumn who, as a party planner living in a more modest apartment, is in a more vulnerable socioeconomic position, reflecting the novel’s interest in how economic hierarchies impact social relations.

“I had moved the short ribs to the warming drawer, but the polenta was beginning to rubberize into a sad, sticky little Frisbee. I should have known better than to cook it so soon.”

Will promises to be home for a dinner Nora cooks, but will arrive late. In this passage, the warming drawer reflects the luxurious life Will has provided for Nora, complete with luxury appliances. However, Will’s inconsiderate absence indicates that her life is not perfect.

“I couldn’t help but wonder what my life would have looked like if I had a place all to myself. A house of my own. Will’s taste had become mine. His life was my life now.”

In the final months of Will’s life, Nora realizes that she is unhappy in her marriage, reflecting The Complex Nature of Grief. This passage suggests that she never really had the chance to discover who she was before she was subsumed into Will’s life. Her reflection that she has adopted Will’s tastes and taken his life as automatically her own life reinforces the sense of a power dynamic between them and hinting at Will’s control.

“I look around, feeling the cameras, the two-way mirrors, the weight of suspicion bearing down on me. I’m not the enemy here. I did not kill my husband. I did not kill Will.”

The Influence of the Media on the Criminal Justice System is an important theme in the novel. In this passage, Nora imagines true crime media as a physical, oppressive presence bearing down on her. The fact that journalists like Lindy Bedford are accusing her of murder convinces Nora that she needs to investigate personally.

“Twenty-four hours ago, I would have swooned over this offer. But now…I can’t just whisk off to someplace that makes it all seem like problems can be blown away with fairy dust. ‘We can’t ignore last night, Will.’”

When Nora and Will have an explosive fight, he attempts to apologize by taking her on a lavish vacation. Here, she suggests that she can no longer be manipulated that way, and insists that he take accountability for his abusive actions. Ultimately, however, she does accept his apology and allow him to take her on vacation, suggesting that she has not learned her lesson.

“‘I’ll figure it out. I have the combination to the safe, right?’

‘Sure.’ He shrugged. ‘So are you going to use it? […] You deserve the things you want in your life, and you don’t have to bow down to these people to get them.’”

Although Nora considers herself an interloper, Marcus repeatedly reminds her that she has been given the combination to the metaphorical “safe” of treasures that is Winter Park. Here, Marcus encourages her to use the resources available to her to live her life to the fullest, without accountability to anyone. Ultimately, Will’s death allows Nora to live her life this way.

“I hear it all. The affairs, the fights, the bounced checks. Do you know how much I know because I plan the parties and I’m in their houses and they talk freely because I’m basically invisible to them? I stay out of everything. I do what I have to do.”

Nora sees party planner Autumn as an ally among the Winter Park social circle until she realizes that Autumn has been sitting on vital information about the night Will disappeared. In this passage, Autumn explains that she also feels like an outside among the Winter Park elite, who see her as an “invisible” service worker, rather than an equal. The novel suggests that Nora feels drawn to Autumn because they are both outsiders in the face of The Power of Cliques.

“No one is going to want to believe me. In fact, at this point, most of them would probably love nothing more than to watch me burn. […] No, if people are going to believe me in this place where Fritz is king, I will have to prove everything irrefutably.”

The Power of Cliques in Winter Park is such that Gianna Hall is almost able to get away with murder because of her social prominence while Fritz nearly gets away with fraud. The fact that the Halls are able to commit serious fraud without being caught suggests that their social status protects them from suspicion.

“I realize now that I am the enemy. I am the person who threatened the glass house you put yourself in. I am the little pebble that shattered the image of who you are.”

This passage suggests that the Winter Park social circle excludes Nora because, as the young, beautiful second wife of a prominent citizen, she represents a threat to their sense of superiority. The image of the glass house suggests that Winter Park society is fragile and exposes residents to constant scrutiny.