As Long as We Both Shall Live

The fall of 40-something housewife Marie Evans off a cliff above the Three Forks River in Estes Park, Colo., kick-starts this uneven domestic thriller from Chaney (What You Don’t Know). According to Marie’s husband, Matt, the couple were hiking when she slipped off a cliff, but nearby campers report having heard a woman scream for mercy shortly before Marie went missing. Matt maintains his innocence, but Denver homicide detectives Marion Spengler and Ralph Loren have their doubts—particularly once they learn that 23 years earlier Madison, Wis., police suspected Matt of murdering his first wife. As recovery teams search for Marie’s body, Spengler and Loren investigate the Evanses’ marriage. But after a strong start, the plot loses momentum. Though the complex female characters intrigue, crass male stereotypes monopolize the narrative, robbing the tale of depth and verisimilitude. Twists abound, but poorly established stakes lessen their impact, and a subplot spotlighting Loren’s dark past distracts from the central mystery. Hopefully, Chaney will do better next time. Agent: Stephanie Cabot, Gernet Co. (Jan.)