Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh

Well, I've just finished the novel above. It's my third time reading this author (Baker Towers and The Condition) which means I obviously like her. This one was no different...probably my favorite of the three.

Mrs. Kimble is a novel that revolves around three women (Birdie, Joan and Dinah), all of whom made the mistake of marrying the same opportunistic jackass, Ken Kimble. The novel spans a 25 year period (1969-1994) and follows, in three parts, the wooing and then heartbreak that Ken Kimble creates for his current target. This is Haigh's first novel and she does a great job creating the epitome of scum in her male character. You find in the first few pages what happens to Kimble in the end (so this next bit of info ruins nothing) and knowing that someone so despicable gets his comeuppance certainly makes reading much easier - except, of course that I wished his ending had been a tad more painful!

I certainly recommend this novel. There are some reviews that say there are several "holes" in Haigh's debut but I don't feel that to be the case. It grabbed me right away and kept me reading, non-stop with anticipation.