Setting
The story starts in New York City, most likely present day. Then asthe story goes on it moves to minnesota out to Erich’s farm. It is winter in Minnesota and very cold.
Characters
- Jenny is the main character of the story. She is a divorced mother of two. She is young and pretty. She works at an artmuseum in New York City to support herself and her two little girls. She is kindand sweet and has a brilliant sense of humor.
- Erich is an artist. He’smysterious and curious. His actions speak louder then most words because hetends to be quiet during the story. On the outside he seems like the mostperfect man. The type that every woman hopes of meeting and falling in lovewith. But on the inside he holds dark secrets of his past and a twisted, hatefulmind.
- Kevin is Jenny’s ex-husband. He’s a struggling actor with a great sense ofhumor. He tends to be a little selfish, but always tries to put everything onthe good side of the hill. He cares about Jenny and his children even if itseems like he doesn’t. Clyde is the old man who works on Erich’s farm. Hebasically runs the place and had been around ever since Erich was in diapers. Heworked with Erich’s father to make his farm the most respected and well known inthe county.
- Rooney is Clyde’s wife. She used to be great friends with Erich’smother. She turns to Jen to give her a friend and some confidence. Everyonearound the farm thinks that Rooney is crazy and doesn’t know what she is doing. She’s smart and a good cook, and loves to help.
- Mark is Erich’s best friend fromchildhood. He is a doctor and helps out Erich whenver needed. When Erich startsto get weird, Jen turns to Mark for help and friendship. Mark is a helpful manwho cares deeply for others. In the story it seems like he’s falling for Jen.
- Tina and Beth are Jen’s little girls. They are both young and influential.
Summary
She had been struggling ever since her and Kevin had broken up, Jenthought to herself one night as she was rushing out of work to go pick up Tinaand Beth. Life had just gotten out of hand for her after the divorce. Moneyseemed like it was everything. But she was still happy. She knew she’d pick upher children go home and make them dinner and feel all cozy in their littleapartment. That was what she was really looking forward to for the night. Jenknew that the next day would be very big and important.
All her boss told herwas that a special unknown, yet very talented, artist would be coming to thegallery and that she would be the one to introduce him and his work the the artsellers and buyers. What Jen did not know, was that this man was named ErichKruegar, and was soon to be her future husband. Walking into work the nextmorning was nerve wracking to her. Not only because she was meeting this”infamous” artist, but also because she had to worry about thechildren’s new day care center.
Worrying wasn’t an abnormal thing in herschedule though, she always had something on her mind other then herself. Sheknew Kevin would be showing up that night because it was pay day. He alwaysshowed up on pay day. He’d say to her something along the lines of, “ButJen, I’m a struggling actor? You don’t want me to starve do you? I promise I’llpay you back Jen, I swear!” He’d never pay her back she thought to herselfas she walked into the gallery.
Mr. Hartely, the owner of the gallery, rushedJen through the door and gave her some paperwork. Erich would be there soon hehad told her. He also made clear to her his plans with Erich and where he wouldbe and at what times. It was her job to arrange the artwork to a precise orderthat was given to them by Erich.
Jen stared in awe at Erich’s work. He’s greatshe thought to herself as Mr. Hartely walked out the door. Day dreaming aboutthe man on the front of the pamphlet she found herself thinking of what type oflife this handsome man led, if he was married. All of a sudden, she feltsomething behind her. She had bumped into Erich Kruegar. He must have lethimself in without Jen hearing him. He was early she thought. Staring caughtherself staring at him, he is gorgeous she thought to herself with a smile.
Making polite conversation they hit it off. Erich was considerate, intelligent,and clean cut. Erich had insisted on taking her out for lunch. Knowing this willcompletely throw her bosses schedule haywire, she hesitantly agreed. Theyimmediately hit it off. She felt like he really cared as he stared at her everymovement. After lunch they bought coffee and walked back to the gallery. Meetingher boss at the door she knew she was in for it. Erich quickly introducedhimself and took full credit for them being late. Mr. Hartely nodded and openedthe door to the gallery.
The customers would be there soon and then the gallerywould be full, loud, and full of life. After the showing of the artwork, Erichinsisted on walking Jen to the day care to pick up her children then to takethem out for supper. Him being very financially secure, took it upon himself toinvite Jen everywhere. Jen felt uncomfortable at first about all the money hehad been spending on her. But when he insisted that he didn’t mind and that itwas all his pleasure to do so. She gave in. After about a month Erich brought upand important issue, marriage.
The thought of such commitment scared Jen todeath. Thinking about what had happened to her last marriage she was veryhesitant upon answering. But after thinking it through she figured it would bethe best thing to do. It would take her children out of this environment and itwould make her happy. Because Erich made her happy.
Kevin had shown up one nightwhen Erich was over visiting Jen and the kids. Erich stood amazed as Jen handedKevin over some money. While Kevin was there Jen had explained to him what wasgoing on between her and Erich. Kevin didn’t think it was such a hot idea, buthe took it as a sign of her moving on and he knew there was nothing he could doabout it, so he left.
Erich was enraged that Jen gave Kevin money for no reason,even when Kevin didn’t pay any type of child support or anything. But then hethought, well soon we will be gone and I will take her away from all of this,and that is what he did. After the Wedding they moved on up to Minnesota. Thisis where all of the fun began. They did not have a honeymoon because they didn’twant to leave the kids at such a young age with people they did not know.
Erichhad also told the town that Jen was a widow and not a divorced woman. And theemptiness of the farm also seemed just a little bit fishy to her. But she justfigured it was nothing and thought about all the good things. She noticed slightchanges in Erich’s behavior. He was very obsessed over his deceased mother, andhe had ill memories of his father. He cried in his sleep and wandered secretlyaround the house. Jen didn’t know what to do, so she just tried to ignore it.
But when scary things started happening to her, she started to worry. Erichwould leave in the morning and go out to his little cabin in the woods. No- onebesides him was aloud there, and nobody but him and his mother had ever beenthere. He told Jen it was his special place to be at peace and where he felt hecould work his best.
Jen understood this, thinking nothing really of it. Until,Erich started to leave for days at a time. This really worried Jen, she alsomissed her husband. They had only been married such a short while, she justcould not understand why all of this stuff was happening. When she went on awalk one day she stumbled upon something. It was a graveyard. It was the KruegarFamily Graveyard. Opening the fence she entered the little space and lookedaround. She scanned all the gravestones, but none shown up with the name”Caroline Bonardi”. Caroline was Erich’s mothers name.
Then deep inthe corner, under a big tree was a stone. Jen slowly walked across to look atthe stone as she peered down a hand on her shoulder startled her. She turnedaround to find Erich standing behind her. His face looked stern and he lookedupset. She looked at him innocently and his face calmed he told her of hismother, her accident, and why she was buried in the far corner. Jen thoughtabout everything he said, and asked herself, why doesn’t this all work out?Weeks passed and she had become quite close Clydes wife. Clyde was the man whoran the farm while Erich was away.
Rooney was Clyde’s wifes name. She was asimple woman, who was made out to be crazy and looney. Which she was not. Jenknew this right away, just after spending some time with her. Rooney told Jen alot of things Erich had left out. How when Erich was young, he was really veryattached to his mother. He never wanted Caroline out of his sight. Jen never leton that she knew any of this stuff when Erich was around. But then reallystrange things began to happen. One was when Kevin turned up dead.
The policehad stopped by to talk to Jen about Kevin’s death. He was found in a nearbyriver his car had been run off the bank and into the rapid icy water. In the carwas Jen’s jacket, so the police were led to believe that Jen had something to dowith the accident. But truth was, Jen didn’t even know that Kevin had been upand around Minnesota at the time. Jen was confused. Soon enough everyone thoughtshe was a crazy confused woman, they thought she was dangerous because she lied.
Jen felt like there wasn’t a care in the world, but then Mark showed up. Markbelieved that Jen was telling the truth. He was on her side. Together they triedto figure everything out. Then one day. Jen came home to find that Erich hadtaken Tina and Beth away. He called later that night saying he wouldn’t be back.
He made her feel guilty by saying things such like telling her that she promisedthat she’d never leave him, and that she said they’d be together forever. Jenwas stressed beyond belief, how in the world did he find out about her trying toleave. She then knew that the only thing she could do was find that cabin out inthe woods. She set out, day after day, not knowing where and when she would findit, and then one day, she stumbled upon it. She broke into the cabin by breakinga window and unlocking the door.
Upon entering she felt this cold chill go rightthrough her. She looked around, amazed. Art work lined the walls. But it wasn’tErich’s artwork. It was not his scribbled signature. It was one of a woman namedCaroline Bonardi. Looking around Jen stood in a maze of art supplies. She justcouldn’t understand. What did Erich do with all the time he spend here, if allhe did was copy over the signature of his mother. So she looked around.
Shefound a closet, or what appeared to be a closet. She opened to the door and toher horror, on an easel, was a picture of her, her 2 children, dead. It was abrutal picture. She was scared, this was Erich’s work. Taking the painting underher arm, she ran. As soon as she got back to the house, she called for Mark.
Mark arrived at the house no more then 10 minutes later. In horror she showedthe picture to Mark. All of a sudden there was a knocking at the door. Who couldthat be? They quickly shoved the painting into the closet, and opened the door.
There stood the sheriff. He looked at Jen and said, “We need to speak withErich, where is he?” Jen told him that he had gone a little vacation withthe children and should be back soon. The sheriff nodded and then said to her,”Your husband is a fraud, those were his mothers paintings, not his,”and then he left. Jen couldn’t take it anymore she turned to Mark, and startedto sob. It was Erich’s 35th birthday on that next day.
It was nearly 20 yearsago that Caroline had died. Sad enough that she had died on his birthday. Ittore him up. Then it hit her, she realized what she had to do in order to getErich to come back. Ever since Erich was a little boy he had never left the farmon his birthday. Jen had always resembled Caroline. That is why Erich had pickedher. It had taken her this long to realize this. She knew what she had to do. Inorder to get her children back and to help Erich, she had to pretend to beCaroline.
There was a picture of Caroline that Erich had treasured. Jen foundsome clothes that were basically identical to those Caroline was wearing in thepicture, she put them on, and went outside to sit in Caroline’s chair. Mark wassitting inside waiting. Then all of a sudden came Erich running, he was dressedjust the same as Jen, just like Caroline was in the picture. He had a gun. Markhad called the sheriff to come down. Mark ran outside in fear that Erich wouldshoot at Jen. Jen was just as scared and then, “BOOM”. Erich was dead.
Jen had began to cry. Mark had put his arms around Jen and hugged her. Everyonehad come running. The sheriff arrived. Erich’s body was taken away. But wherewere her children. Erich had whispered that he had been staying 6 hours north ofthere and that the children were alone. But now Erich was gone, and they didn’teven know where to start. Jen was going crazy. Her little babies were alone, inthe cold. They would freeze to death.
Mark recalled a house that Erich hadowned, it was the first place they checked. He was right. And then it seemed tocome to an end. Jen couldn’t go back to New York, she had no life there, andyet, she had no life in Erich’s house either. Mark had told her that he had alittle house on a lake that he rented out. Jen took it. There she lived andraised her children. Traumatized for life she would stay, but she at least knewthat all her troubles were over, and she’d always have a friend when she neededone, and that was Mark.
Conclusion
This book was really good. A page turner atany rate. I loved it. It was full of suspense and mystery. I kept asking myself,”What’s going to happen next?” I just could not put it down. The booktold a good story though. It taught about lies, deceit, cheating. That’s life,right? It seemed like the story was real. As much as we all know it was not. Itcould have been.
