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Goodnight Nobody: A Novel

by Jennifer Weiner

Goodnight Nobody: A Novel Cover

ISBN13: 9780743470117
ISBN10: 0743470117
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner's newest novel tells the story of a young mother's move to a postcard-perfect Connecticut town and the secrets she uncovers there.

For Kate Klein, a semi-accidental mother of three, suburbia's been full of unpleasant surprises. Her once-loving husband is hardly ever home. The supermommies on the playground routinely snub her. Her days are spent carpooling, and at night, most of her orgasms are of the do-it-yourself variety.

When a fellow mother is murdered, Kate finds that the unsolved mystery is one of the most interesting things to happen in Upchurch. She launches an unofficial investigation with the help of her hilarious best friend, carpet heiress Janie Segal, and Evan McKenna, a former flame she thought she'd left behind in New York City.

As the search for the killer progresses, Kate is drawn deeper into the murdered woman's double life. She discovers the secrets and lies behind Upchurch's placid picket-fence facade — and the choices and compromises all modern women make as they navigate between independence and obligation, small towns and big cities, being a mother and having a life of one's own.

Engrossing, suspenseful, and laugh-out-loud funny, Goodnight Nobody is another unputdownable, timely tale; an insightful mystery with a great heart and a narrator you'll never forget.

Review:

"Chick Lit star Weiner's fourth novel, following In Her Shoes (2002), which has been adapted as a major motion picture starring Cameron Diaz, follows bored, upper-middle class, suburbanite mother of three Kate Klein as she becomes entangled in a local murder case. When Kate discovers the stabbed body of neighbor Kitty Cavanaugh, her pursuit of the killer gives Kate's mundane life a new sense of purpose, but her zeal puts pressure on her already wobbly marriage to Ben. She charges on, however, aided by best friend Janie, the chic, fearless daughter of a multi-millionaire. Kate soon uncovers Kitty's second life, centered on Kitty's search for her real father, entailing an investigation of several powerful men. Things are further complicated by the reappearance of Evan McKenna, Kate's unrequited love interest of the past seven years, who is a charming part-time private investigator, the exact opposite of Ben. Linked to the case through work he'd done for Kitty, Evan joins Kate on the mystery, and his seductive presence leaves her torn. While Weiner's characters are passionate, affecting and poignant, the murder mystery is less compelling. Too many false conclusions leave the reader tired by the time the real killer is revealed. The ending is also hard to believe. But Weiner's readers will root for Kate, whose humor and warmth amidst her struggles to transcend the roles of mom and wife make her a loveable, fully realized character." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"Weiner is undeniably funny, and her sketches on motherhood will make you laugh. But neither the romance nor the mystery fully tracks. Weiner neatly deploys a school of red herrings, but the ending is so preposterous that it almost derails the entire novel. (Grade: B-)" Christian Science Monitor

Review:

"It's like Desperate Housewives: The Novel....It's fast, fun reading." Chicago Sun-Times

Review:

"Weiner's got a brilliant eye for a particular social stratum....[It] couldn't be in more competent, funny or empathetic hands than Weiner's." Washington Post

Review:

"Weiner's first attempt at mystery writing is an all-around success...from the nonconformist heroine to the story line that keeps you guessing right up to the end." Charlotte Observer

Review:

"Weiner's knack for creating characters with personality and witty social commentary make this a winner." Library Journal

Review:

"Jennifer Weiner has a gift for creating funny, flawed heroines...but as a suspense writer, she's still finding her footing. The Desperate Housewives gimmick throws Goodnight Nobody off focus, robbing us of Weiner's typically razor-sharp originality. (Grade: B)" Entertainment Weekly

Review:

"Were it not for the murder mystery that dominates the plot, Goodnight Nobody would be a saga about desperate housewives trapped in the suburbs, a Peyton Place for the 21st century, only more modern, hip, and funny than the original." Boston Globe

Review:

"While the mystery...will keep readers guessing, it's the engaging Kate Klein...that propels the book to one that begs to be read in one sitting. It's time well-spent, even for time-crunched mothers." Philadelphia Inquirer

Review:

"Ultimately, it's flat characters such as the militant anti-feminist Baird that hold back the novel. That's frustrating because Weiner proves she can create a rich, multi-dimensional persona." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Review:

"Goodnight Nobody is witty and clever, and Weiner proves that her writing prowess extends beyond chick lit and deeply into the mystery genre....Weiner is gifted and funny, and Goodnight Nobody equals her earlier well-received works." BookReporter.com

Synopsis:

A young mother moves to a postcard-perfect Connecticut town where she unravels crime while her children are in nursery school. Investigating a death, she discovers disturbing truths.

About the Author

Jennifer Weiner is the author of Good in Bed. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, Adam, and her rat terrier, Wendell. To learn more, click on www.jenniferweiner.com.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Add a comment for a chance to win!
Average customer rating based on 2 comments:

c_e_nagel, March 6, 2008 (view all comments by c_e_nagel)
I wish Ms. Weiner would concentrate less on her flashbacks and more on the interesting characters she is writing. The flashbacks seemed like filler to what was otherwise an interesting book. Characters like Janie, Evan, Ben and Raina should have been developed more. More attention should have definitely been given to Raina, her exploits, her lustiness, her flamboyant star quality. Maybe, Ms. Weiner, you could cut to the here and now when you write your next mystery.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(3 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
jdomel, December 5, 2006 (view all comments by jdomel)
"Goodnight Nobody," like Jennifer Weiner's other novels is very well written. I read it all entirely in one sitting because it was so intriguing. The plot is amazinng, I couldn't put it down.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(3 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
View all 2 comments

Product Details

ISBN:
9780743470117
Subtitle:
A Novel
Author:
Weiner, Jennifer
Publisher:
Atria
Subject:
General
Subject:
Literary
Subject:
Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths
Subject:
Housewives
Subject:
Suburban life
Subject:
General Fiction
Copyright:
Edition Number:
1st
Publication Date:
September 20, 2005
Binding:
Hardback
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
384
Dimensions:
9.18x6.48x1.27 in. 1.18 lbs.

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Related Aisles

Goodnight Nobody: A Novel Used Hardcover
0 stars - 0 reviews
$8.48 In Stock
Product details 384 pages Atria Books - English 9780743470117 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "Chick Lit star Weiner's fourth novel, following In Her Shoes (2002), which has been adapted as a major motion picture starring Cameron Diaz, follows bored, upper-middle class, suburbanite mother of three Kate Klein as she becomes entangled in a local murder case. When Kate discovers the stabbed body of neighbor Kitty Cavanaugh, her pursuit of the killer gives Kate's mundane life a new sense of purpose, but her zeal puts pressure on her already wobbly marriage to Ben. She charges on, however, aided by best friend Janie, the chic, fearless daughter of a multi-millionaire. Kate soon uncovers Kitty's second life, centered on Kitty's search for her real father, entailing an investigation of several powerful men. Things are further complicated by the reappearance of Evan McKenna, Kate's unrequited love interest of the past seven years, who is a charming part-time private investigator, the exact opposite of Ben. Linked to the case through work he'd done for Kitty, Evan joins Kate on the mystery, and his seductive presence leaves her torn. While Weiner's characters are passionate, affecting and poignant, the murder mystery is less compelling. Too many false conclusions leave the reader tired by the time the real killer is revealed. The ending is also hard to believe. But Weiner's readers will root for Kate, whose humor and warmth amidst her struggles to transcend the roles of mom and wife make her a loveable, fully realized character." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
"Review" by , "Weiner is undeniably funny, and her sketches on motherhood will make you laugh. But neither the romance nor the mystery fully tracks. Weiner neatly deploys a school of red herrings, but the ending is so preposterous that it almost derails the entire novel. (Grade: B-)"
"Review" by , "It's like Desperate Housewives: The Novel....It's fast, fun reading."
"Review" by , "Weiner's got a brilliant eye for a particular social stratum....[It] couldn't be in more competent, funny or empathetic hands than Weiner's."
"Review" by , "Weiner's first attempt at mystery writing is an all-around success...from the nonconformist heroine to the story line that keeps you guessing right up to the end."
"Review" by , "Weiner's knack for creating characters with personality and witty social commentary make this a winner."
"Review" by , "Jennifer Weiner has a gift for creating funny, flawed heroines...but as a suspense writer, she's still finding her footing. The Desperate Housewives gimmick throws Goodnight Nobody off focus, robbing us of Weiner's typically razor-sharp originality. (Grade: B)"
"Review" by , "Were it not for the murder mystery that dominates the plot, Goodnight Nobody would be a saga about desperate housewives trapped in the suburbs, a Peyton Place for the 21st century, only more modern, hip, and funny than the original."
"Review" by , "While the mystery...will keep readers guessing, it's the engaging Kate Klein...that propels the book to one that begs to be read in one sitting. It's time well-spent, even for time-crunched mothers."
"Review" by , "Ultimately, it's flat characters such as the militant anti-feminist Baird that hold back the novel. That's frustrating because Weiner proves she can create a rich, multi-dimensional persona."
"Review" by , "Goodnight Nobody is witty and clever, and Weiner proves that her writing prowess extends beyond chick lit and deeply into the mystery genre....Weiner is gifted and funny, and Goodnight Nobody equals her earlier well-received works."
"Synopsis" by , A young mother moves to a postcard-perfect Connecticut town where she unravels crime while her children are in nursery school. Investigating a death, she discovers disturbing truths.
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