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A review by yangyvonne
Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh
4.0
This is a story of three women, all of whom are married to Ken Kimble at different times. His first wife, Birdie, is a product of the 1950's. She gave him Jody and Charlie, but he leaves with a 19 year old. Then, he ends-up with Joan, the heiress friend of the family of the 19 year old and inherits her millions after she dies of breast cancer, and after he already inherited tons from her uncle whom he convinced he was Jewish, when he had been a minister when married to Birdie! Finally, he marries Dinah, the babysitter from when he was with Birdie. He pays for her birthmark on her face to be removed and they have a son. In the end, he is one the run from the FBI because of a housing scam, but Dinah manages to fins happiness AND unite all three of the kids.
This is an amazing story that builds over the 30 plus years of the book. Birdie is a tragic figure, as is Joan. Poor Joan never got her wish of a child and was essentially isolated through her relationship with Ken. Dinah, even though she is a victim too, manages to be independent. She is the one who keeps it together for her son, who unites him with Jody and Charlie, who has an affair and eventually can be with Wayne when Ken leaves, and who is strong enough to talk to the Government and give information to them even though she could lose all that she has. The ending leaves you wondering if Ken is dead or finally gets caught.
This is an amazing story that builds over the 30 plus years of the book. Birdie is a tragic figure, as is Joan. Poor Joan never got her wish of a child and was essentially isolated through her relationship with Ken. Dinah, even though she is a victim too, manages to be independent. She is the one who keeps it together for her son, who unites him with Jody and Charlie, who has an affair and eventually can be with Wayne when Ken leaves, and who is strong enough to talk to the Government and give information to them even though she could lose all that she has. The ending leaves you wondering if Ken is dead or finally gets caught.