The Divorcées

Beaird shines in her impressive debut about a group of divorcées-to-be in 1950s Reno, Nev. After Lois Saunders asks for a divorce from Lawrence, her husband of nearly four years, she departs their home in Lake Forest, Ill., for the Golden Yarrow Ranch—a place designed for “good girls” to establish Nevada residency so they can secure a divorce under the state’s no-fault policy. While there, Lois becomes friendly with the ranch’s other guests and learns about their marital situations. Mary Elizabeth is fleeing an abusive husband, while Vera is recovering from heartache after her husband cheated on her with the maid. In Lois’s eyes, the most dazzling guest of all is Greer Lang, who claims to be escaping a violent marriage in New York City, and who inspires the women to step out of their staid lifestyles by indulging in boozy nights at a casino. But is Greer the person she claims to be? What if she’s actually leading Lois to her downfall? To find the answers, readers will eagerly follow Beaird’s skillful plotting and appealing characters all the way through the final page. This author is one to watch. Agent: Jamie Chambliss, Folio Literary. (Mar.)