Wish You Were Gone by Kiernan Scott

From the outside, Emma Walsh, her husband James and two teenage children, Kelsey and Hunter look to be the perfect happy family. The children are smart, they are well-off thanks to the success of the elite PR firm James and his partner Darnell started years ago. Emma is content taking care of the family, but…

What is not known and is hidden from their friends is they all live in fear of James. He drinks and he’s abusive. The more he drinks, the more he escalates. Fear is the underlying emotion in the house when James comes home, never knowing just what will set him off.

As she sees her children’s lives deteriorate from his constant mistreatment, Emma decides she has to divorce him. She sets up a meeting with him at a restaurant before a company party to tell him. But James never shows up. Irate, Emma skips the party and goes home seething.

Hours later, Emma is woken up by her son. There was a loud crash and James is dead in the car which somehow smashed into their garage. Shocked and horrified, Emma can’t help to feel like this was bound to happen at some point. James was always a reckless drinker and driver, let alone abusive.

With the help of her two close friends, Lizzie and Grey, she attempts to rebuild her family’s life, somewhat embarrassed and guilty by the peace and relief she feels with James’s death. But there are a few things about the accident that just don’t seem to make sense. Primarily he did not have his work computer or phone on him when he died. She and both her friends debate what could have happened. And then Emma decides to call his phone thinking perhaps it’s in the house. A woman answers. Is it possible James was having an affair?

As Emma’s damaged world completely begins to fall apart, she realizes there have been many who have tried to keep secrets from her. And as the story whose timeline goes back to hours leading up to the accident, and then present day, we begin to see no one is without hidden agendas on that tragic day.

What Emma does not realize that in figuring out what happened that day could destroy friendships, dreams and lives. One thing she does know for sure. She was married to a monster.

Wish You Were Gone is a rollercoaster ride of mystery and secrets. Beginning with the realization that the best part of the story is the death!

Thank you #Goodreads #GalleryBooks #KiernanScott #WishYouWereGone for the copy of the book.