Just The Nicest Couple
When Jake Hayes goes missing, suspicion falls on those closest to him. Nina, his wife, is desperate for answers, while her friend Lily harbors a dangerous secret - she and her husband Christian know more about Jake's disappearance than anyone realizes. As lies pile up and alliances shift, the truth behind Jake's vanishing unravels in dark and unexpected ways.
- Lily - Christian's wife, Nina's friend
- Christian - Lily's husband
- Jake - Nina's husband
- Nina - Jake's wife, Lily's friend
- Nina's mother - Not given a name
- Nina assumes jake disappeared on purpose to avoid her.
- The day Jake disappeared, Lily ran into him while she was on a walk at Langley Woods. He tried to rape her and she hit him on the head with a rock and ran away. She lost her earring in the process.
- Lily tells Christan what happened and they go back to Langley Woods to look for the rock and the earring.
- Jake is gone and so is the earring.
- Nina reports Jake missing when he doesn't show up for work.
- The police find Jake's car and return it to Nina who finds Lily's lost earring in the backseat.
- Nina is informed that Jake's body was found at Langley Woods.
- Lily and Christian hear on the news that Jake was found with a gunshot wound to the head.
- Lily admits to Christian that she lied, she was having an affair with Jake but she did not shoot him.
- Lily asked Jake to meet her at Langley so she could end the affair.
- Jake flew into a rage at the news and Lily hit him with the rock in self defense.
- Lily is arrested for Jake's murder but gets out on bail.
- Nina discovers her mother lied about her health problems to keep her close. She also finds a gun in her mother's car.
- Nina confronts her mom who admits she killed Jake and lied about her failing eye sight.
- Nina struggles but ultimately decides not to turn her mom in.
- 8 months later: Nina's mom gets released from prison due to her declining health.
- Christian and Lily meet to exchange custody of their baby, Bella, leading us to assume that they divorced due to Lily's infidelity.
- Lily - Alive - Teaching at a new high school and embracing motherhood
- Christian - Alive - Focused on fatherhood and still hoping to reconcile with Lily
- Jake - Dead - Shot and killed by Nina's mother
- Nina - Alive - Returned to her job at the high school
- Nina's mother - Alive - Released from prison on compassionate grounds
- Ryan - Alive - Resigned when Nina returned to work
- Murder
- Miscarriage
- Infertility
- Infidelity
- Sexual assault
- Cancer
- Stalking
- Gun violence
Dark/Bleak
Publisher: Park Row
ISBN: 9780778333111
Publish Date: January 10, 2023
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.