Mary Kubica is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of many suspense novels. A former high school history teacher, Mary holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in History and American Literature. She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two children. Mary’s novels have been translated into over 30 languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. She is currently working on her next novel.
Just The Nicest Couple
Two couples, two close friends, one missing husband…
Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend’s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found.
Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and coworker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake’s disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered.
Chapter 1
CHRISTIAN
Lily is sitting on the leather chair in the family room when I come in. Her back is to me. I see her from behind, just her long brown hair spilling down the back of the chair. She stares toward the TV on the opposite wall, but the TV is off. It’s just a black box, and in it, I see a murky reflection of Lily on the screen, though I can’t tell if her eyes are open or shut.
“Hey,” I say, coming in through the garage door, closing it quietly and stepping out of my shoes. I set my phone and keys on the counter, and then ask, “How was your day?”
It’s getting dark in the house. Out the window, the sun is about to set. Lily hasn’t bothered with the lights, and so the inside of the house is colorless and gray. We face east. Any pretty sunset is the other way. You can’t see it from here, if there even is one to see.
Lily says nothing back. She must have fallen asleep, sitting upright in the chair. It wouldn’t be the first time. She’s been extremely tired lately. The pregnancy is getting the best of her, not to mention that she’s on her feet teaching all day. These two things in combination exhaust her. It used to be that Lily would be in the kitchen, cooking dinner when I got home, but these last few weeks, she comes home from work ready to drop. I don’t mind that she’s not cooking. I’ve never been the kind of person to need a home-cooked meal after work, but that’s the way Lily was raised. Her mother did it for her father, and so she thinks she should do it for me. She’s been apologetic that she hasn’t had it in her to cook dinner, but she’s been queasy, too, and the last thing she needs to be doing is cooking for me. I called from the car and ordered takeout already; it will be here any minute.
I step quietly into the family room. I come around to the other side of Lily to face her. Lily isn’t asleep like I thought. Her eyes are open but her expression is blank. Her skin looks gray, washed-out like the room, and I blame the poor lighting.
Lily’s head turns. She looks up at me as if in slow motion.
“Hey,” I say again, gently, smiling. “You okay? Did I wake you?”
I flip on a side table light, and she winces from the brightness of it, her eyes taking time to adjust. I apologize for it, realizing that her pale face had nothing to do with the lack of light.
In the warmth of the lamp’s glow, I see that Lily’s hair is wet. She wears maroon-colored joggers and a sweatshirt. She’s showered and changed since coming home, which is more than she usually does. Usually she falls flat on the couch and doesn’t leave until it’s time to go to bed.
I drop to my knees in front of her. I reach forward and run a hand the length of her hair. “You look exhausted, babe. Do you want to just go to bed? I can help you up. Takeout should be here soon. I’ll bring it up to the room for you when it gets here.”
Lily blinks three times, as if to clear the fog. She finds her voice. It’s husky at first, dry, like after a day of shouting at a football game, which is not that different than a day of teaching rowdy high school kids math.
“No,” she says, shaking her head, “I’m fine. Just tired. It was a long day.”
“You sure? I wouldn’t mind dinner in bed myself.” I had a long day too, but it doesn’t seem right to compare them when only one of us has another human growing inside of them.
“That sounds messy,” she says.
“I promise I’ll be neat.”
Lily smiles and my heart melts. I love it when she smiles at me. “When are you ever neat?”
“Never,” I say, feeling better if she can still poke fun at me.
I’ve done my research on pregnancy and childbirth. I’ve read that the fatigue women feel during the first trimester is maybe the most tired they’ll feel in their whole lives. Growing a human is exhausting. Caring for one is too, but we’re not there yet.
“You need anything?” I ask, and she shakes her head.
Takeout comes. I convince Lily to come sit on the couch with me, where we both fit. We watch TV and, as we do, I ask her about her day and she asks me about mine. She’s quieter than usual tonight. I do most of the talking. I’m a market research analyst, while Lily teaches high school algebra. We met in college over of our shared love of math. When we tell people that, it makes them laugh. We’re math nerds.
When it’s time for bed, Lily goes up to the room before me. From downstairs, I hear the sink run as she washes up. I clean up from dinner. I throw the takeout containers in the trash. There is a package waiting on the front porch. I step outside to get it, where the night is dark, though the sky is clear. It must be a new moon.
Lily is standing at the top of the stairs when I come back in. She’s there in the upstairs hall, standing in the dark, backlit by the bedroom light. Gone are the maroon sweats she wore earlier. She has on my flannel shirt now. Her legs are bare, one foot balanced on the other. Her hair is pulled back, her face still wet from washing it.
“Don’t forget to lock the door,” she says down over the railing, patting her face dry with a towel.
I wouldn’t have forgotten to lock the door. I never do. It’s not like Lily to remind me. I turn away from her, making sure the storm door is shut and locked, and then I push the front door closed and lock the dead bolt too.
Our house sits on a large lot. It’s old on the outside, but has a completely revamped, modern interior. It boasts things like a wraparound porch, beamed ceilings, a brick fireplace—which Lily fell in love with the first time she laid eyes on the house, and so I knew I couldn’t say no despite the price—as well as the more modern amenities of a subzero fridge, stainless steel appliances, heated floors and a large soaker tub that I was more enthusiastic about. The house is aesthetically pleasing to say the least, with an enormous amount of curb appeal. It practically broke the bank to buy, but felt worth it at the time, even if it meant being poor for a while.
In the backyard, the river runs along the far edge of the property, bound by a public hiking and biking trail. We were worried about a lack of privacy when we first moved in, because of the trail. The trail brought pedestrians to us. Strangers. People just passing by. For most of the year, it’s not a problem. The leaves on the trees provide plenty of privacy. It’s only when they fall that we’re more exposed, but the views of the river are worth it for that small sacrifice.
“Done,” I tell her about the locks, and she asks then if I set the alarm. We’ve lived here years and hardly ever set the alarm. I’m taken aback that she would ask.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
Lily says, “Yes, fine.” She says that we have an alarm. We pay for it. We might as well use it. She isn’t wrong—it’s just that she’s never wanted to before.
I set the alarm. I make my way around the first floor, turning off lights. It takes a minute. When I’m done, I climb the stairs for the bedroom. Lily has the lights off in the room now. She stands at the window in the dark, with her back to the door.
She’s splitting the blinds apart with her fingers and is looking out into the dark night.
I come quietly into the room. I sidle up behind Lily, setting my hand on the small of her back and asking, “What are you looking at?” as I lean forward to set my chin on her shoulder, to see what she sees.
Suddenly Lily reels back, away from the window. She drops the blinds. They clamor shut. I’ve scared her. Instinctively, her hands rise up in self-defense, as if to strike me.
I pull back, ducking before I get hit. “Whoa there, Rocky,” I say, reaching for her arms.
Lily’s hands and arms remain motionless, suspended in air.
“Shit, sorry,” she says, knowing how close she came to impact. The realization startles us both.
“What was that?” I ask as I gently lower Lily’s arms. Lily isn’t usually so jumpy. I’ve never seen that kind of reaction from her.
She says, “I didn’t know it was you.”
“Who did you think it was?” I ask, as a joke. She and I are the only ones here.
Lily doesn’t answer directly. Instead she says, “I didn’t hear you come up the stairs. I thought you were still downstairs.”
That doesn’t explain it.
“What are you looking at?” I ask again, gazing past her for the window.
“I thought I heard something outside,” she says.
“Like what?”
She says that she doesn’t know. Just something. We stand, quiet, listening. It’s silent at first, but then I hear the voices of kids rising up from somewhere outside. They’re laughing, and I know there are teenagers clowning around on the trail again. It wouldn’t be the first time. They never do anything too bad, though we’ve found cigarette butts and empty bottles of booze. I don’t get mad about it. I was a stupid teenager once. I did worse.
I go to the bed. I pull the blankets back. “It’s just dumb kids, Lily. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Come to bed,” I say, but, even as she turns away from the window and slips under the sheets with me, I sense Lily’s hesitation. She’s not so sure.
This first chapter is captivating! Really gets you hooked and want to know more! Absolutely brilliant! Would love to win
I can’t wait to read this! Kubica is one of my favorite thriller authors!
This book is so good.
This sounds right up my street!
I would love to read this book!
Adding this to my “must read” list!
Can’t wait to read the rest!
Sounds interesting!
Never win, but entering with hopes
Sounds really good!
I’m intrigued!
Seems like a interesting story to read can’t wait..
I love the name Lily! It’s my daughter’s middle name.
Oh…this is good!!
I need to get lost in a good book, and this looks like the one!😉😉
Added to my TBR list! It sounds intriguing!!
Cannot wait to read this!
The title sounds good
Reading the excerpt has me intrigued. I cannot wait to read the entire book!!
Ohh!! I’m hooked already!! I want to read more!!
Great first chapter!!
Would love to read this
I will enjoy reading the rest of this book. Thanks for the giveaway chance.
Already added to my wish list to read. I never win so hears hoping I do. Love your books too Christine!
Thank you so much, Charlene! 🙂 (PS – I never win anything either. My whole life, I’ve never won a thing, it’s really annoying! lol)
I need this book in my life. It sounds intriguing.
This sounds great! Looking forward to reading it. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
The first few lines have got to grab me to finish! I need this book!!!!
I love her books! I’m so excited for this one!
I LOVE Mary!! This book is on my TBR for sure!
Makes me want to keep reading
Riveting first chapter. I added it to my TBR list.
Sounds Intriguing – Peeked my interest so I’ll have to read it now. Thanks
Sounds like a good book! Thank you for the opportunity!
This sounds so good
Can’t wait to read the rest of the story to find out what or who she is afraid of.
What a great start , I love the sound of this book and would love to be in the draw please
Can’t wait to read this book on vacation!
Gripping, can’t wait!
I’m hooked!! I need to finish this book…. please pick me! Thanks!!!!
I need to carry on reading now I’ve started this
Looking forward to reading this!!!
Sounds so good. Thank you for the opportunity.
This sounds great! What the heck is Lily so afraid of?!
This is already on my TBR and I NEED it please 🙂
Really makes me want to read on!
Cant wait to read the rest!
I so want to read this!
Adding to my wishlist!
Love the vivid descriptions. Lily’s escalating tension brings the suspense level to a high. Looking forward to reading more! Appreciate the opportunity to enter.
Can’t wait to read this!
Ok I’m hooked after the first chapter – I know this would be a book I won’t be able to put down!
Thanks for the chance! This is one of my most anticipated books for 2023. I look forward to reading more.
Ooh. A missing husband? Did the wife do it? I want to know!!
Can’t wait to read this! Pick me!!
I’m already hooked! Can’t wait to read this!
I am so intrigued. I would love to win acopy!
Sounds very intriguing!
Looks like a good story! On my to be read list!
What a tease! I can’t wait to read the rest
OMG! It hooked me up from the first chapter! Now I need more! As a fanwoman of the author, I’m so intrigued by the mystery! It seems like unputdownable domestic thriller that I cannot wait to get my hands on it!
Hooked already. I’m dying to know what Lily’s secret is
Thank you
I am on the edge of my seat wanting to know more…. cannot wait to find out!
I want more. I’m hooked.
Mary is a master at writing suspenseful novels and this sounds like another wonderful story. Thank you for this chance to read this book.
This sounds like a good 📚. I gotta read the rest.
This first chapter has me hooked already
Intriguing, can’t wait ti finish it! Thanks for the opportunity.
So excited to read this!
Leaves you on the edge of your seat in anticipation!
OMGi sooo want to read this book!
This has been on my radar for a while. Reading the first chapter makes me want to read it more!! My New Years resolution was to not buy any books… my library better hurry
Ok, I’m in, what next?!? 😋
I have wanted this book since I first heard about it! This author always writes great stories, in my opinion!
Can’t wait to read!
Had me captivated from the first sentence. Can’t wait to read this.
I want to read more!!!
Looking forward to reading the rest of the story!
Let’s start our 2023 TBR list with a thriller! Looking forward to this one
Well this is just my kind of book! Thank you for the chance to win!!
Great author! I Can`t wait to read this. It`s on my soon TBR pile, for sure, after reading that!
I really want to read this now!
Oh sounds so good! Can’t wait to read it! ❤️ 📖📚
Great preview!
Looking forward to reading this one
I’ve heard good things about this book and can’t wait to read it!
Can’t wait to read the rest!!
This book sounds amazing and I’m already hooked!!
This book is right up my alley!!
Ok now I have to read the rest of the chapters.
Omg I need to read the rest right now!!!! So good! I bet this will be one that will keep me up until the wee hours of morning as well as checking our home alarm and not wanting to look out the window shades.
I can’t wait to read this book!! Have it on hold from my library 🤞
Sounds REALLY good!! I have it added to my “To-Be-Read” shelf on Goodreads.com!!
Intrigued!
Omg I need to read the rest right now! So good! I bet this will be one that will keep me up until the wee hours of the morning as well as checking our house alarm and not wanting to look out our window shades.
Can’t wait to read this!
Looking forward to this one and your new books.
Great first chapter! Can’t wait to read the rest!
I’m adding this book to my TBR list.
Excited for a new Mary Kubica book to look forward to.
A teacher at the center of a thriller makes this book super enticing. I cannot wait to read the rest. This is why Mary Kubica is one of my favorite authors.
This sounds very good! I can’t wait to read it!
This book sounds very intriguing!
Oh this sounds good! I’m interested in reading the rest.
I cannot wait to know what happens next. This is on my TBR list now.
Definitely want to read this!
Wow! I’m hooked already!!
Would like to read the rest of this…seems interesting!
Intriguing! Can’t wait to read the rest of the story!!!
This is so good, can’t wait to read the rest.
Oh! This looks so good!
Oh this book sounds amazing!
This book is a keeper. Ty
This book is on my TBR and I can’t wait to read it! Thanks for sharing the first chapter.
I almost thought the husband came home to a dead pregnant wife🫣 I have to read this book🤨.
Sounds like an amazing book would love to read and review
Ooh something’s up! I want to keep reading!
Sounds so good
!
I have enjoyed all of Mary’s other books. I am looking forward to reading this one too!
From reading the first chapter, I can tell I am going to love reading this book, I hope I win.
This sounds great. Thank you for the chance! xx
Sounds like a really good mystery suspense for me .
Thank you
This books looks really good. It looks like it’s a page turner.
Some authors are autobuy – and Kubica is one of them.
Sounds like a great read, would love to win
This book sounds so good! Adding it to my TRL right now!
Now this sounds like a good one! The first chapter has me intrigued to see what happens in the rest of the story
Wow! I just have to read more now! The first chapter really draws you in!
Now I can’t wait to keep reading!
Definitely has my attention. Would love to win.
Wow! This sounds fabulous. It certainly has a lot of twists and turns in the first chapter. There is so much undercurrent as well as questions that are raised. Thanks so much for sharing. God bless you.
This sounds fabulous. It certainly has a lot of twists and turns in the first chapter. There is so much undercurrent as well as questions that are raised. Thanks so much for sharing. God bless you.
This is on my tbr list. Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
Can’t wait to find out what happens in the rest of the story!
Right up my alley, thank you for sharing the first chapter.
This sounds so good! I really liked Local Woman Missing, so I’m looking forward to another by her.
Thank you for the chance to win!
would love to win this book.
A real page turner. Kept me up so late at night. Just read it.
would love to win this book.
Wow!! This is a must read!!
The wives did it!
Sounds like a great read
I love books that get you stuck and sucked in right from the first chapter. Suspense books are definitely my favorite!
Sounds great – look forward to reading the rest.
Thanks for the chance to win.
Another one for my tbr list
Sounds like an awesome read!
Sounds intriguing, on the list for 2023!
Oh this sounds really good! I’ve loved her other books, excited for this one!
Another book added to my tbr pile!
I need more!!! Thanks for the opportunity!
This sounds a great story already! Would love to read more!
Sounds really good!
Adding to my tbr!
This looks great! Mary Kubica can certainly tell a story! Look forward to reading it!
Sounds great! I can’t wait to read it! Thank you
Interesting. Adding this to my “must read: list. Thank You!
Mysterious..begs the question, do you really know the person
you are married to? Would love to find out more of their story!
This sounds so intriguing, the kind of story that would just reel me in.
sounds like this will be a good read
Mary gets you pulled in with the first chapter. It’d intriguing full of suspense. Mary can write a book that makes you feel like your in the book.
I can’t wait to read this book! It’s next in my line up of books to read.
Never read this author before, I usually go for this genre but like them written in the 1st person, wasn’t totally hooked on this to begin with but I think the storyline will carry well
Wow, this gets you interested right away. I’d love to read it and hope to win. Thanks for the opportunity.
This looks good! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
I really want to read this after reading this excerpt! It is really engaging and now I need to know the whole story!
Looks like a good read! I have read several books by her.
I would love to win a book from you and to try a new author, since the first chapter was so interesting
Looks like a good read
Can’t wait to read it
Really want to read more of this
I really want to read this!
I’m already on the edge of my seat! Looking forward to this one!
Omg sounds very intriguing and I would love a copy to finish reading what I’m sure is a very fascinating book. Thanks for the first chapter! Good luck everyone!
Hooked already!!!!
I am really excited to read this book!!
I’m excited for this book. Looks so good.
Can’t wait to read this!!!
I love her books!! Thanks for the chance! Sounds great!
I am excited to read this one! I was hooked from the initial description. Thank you for this opportunity and for your book club!
Fingers crossed
Love reading Mary’s books! Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
I’ve read several of Mary’s books & always find them hard to put down!!
I cannot wait to sit down with this book! Mary Kubica often keeps me reading through to the end in one sitting!
Can’t wait to read this!
Can’t wait for this one!
Thank you! Looking forward to reading!
I really enjoy her writing. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!
I am intrigued! I would love to win! I will be reading this book, even if I don’t win.
Oh wow o can’t wait to read this. What an intriguing beginning.
Would love to win a copy of this book. Looks amazing!
Mary Kubica is a fantastic author. This book already has me wanting to find out more about Lily. What has her spooked and what is she hiding. Love stories that have you on the edge of your seat.
Can’t wait to read this!
Ooh great giveaway
Well, this will get me out of my reading slump! Q🤞🏻💝📚
So excited for this one!
On my TBR list
I’m intrigued to see what’s next. The chapter kept me pulled in to it.
One of my favorite authors! Can’t wait to read the rest.
I love Mary Kubica books. What a fantastic writer
I can’t wait to read!!
On my TBR list!
I love discovering new authors 🙂 this book sounds like a real page turner. And I love mysteries & thrillers! Thanks so much.
Wow! I want to read more. Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
Ok, now I need to know who or what Lily is so worried about. I’m guessing it’s a “who”, rather than a “what”!
Definitely intrigued after reading that first chapter!! I NEED MORE!
Sounds like my favorite kind of book~ I already feel invested & can’t wait to see how everything unfolds 😊📖
Looking forward to reading!
What a tease! now I can’t wait to read the rest of the book.
This sounds intriguing! Adding to my TBR
Wow, this book sounds amazing.
This was added to my TBR as soon as I saw it was coming out
The fist chapter is so captivating!! I’m hooked and need to know more! I’d love to win a copy 😍
I’m super excited for this book! Thank you for the preview.
I want to keep reading!
I would love to win this book! I love her books & after reading the first chapter, this one already has me wanting to read more!
I really need more of this story! Thanks so much for the chance!
Congrats on the new release! This is on my TBR. Thanks for the chance to read an excerpt and enter.
Sounds like a good read!
The story is getting interesting, and I’m hooked, and I want more!! Thank you for the giveaway!
I am sending good vibes out to the universe, so I can win this copy. I am intrigued after reading the snippet of the book above. Mysteries are fun to read and anticipate the ending.
Already on my TBR and hoping to catch up with you to get a copy…Love your work! #TheSecretBookSleuth
So looking forward to this book! I’m such a fan of Mary Kubica!
Thanks for the chance! 😊
Thank you for the chance!
I’m already sold on this book! I can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the giveaway!
I read very quickly because I don’t want to get deja vu when I’m reading the whole book in the future! Thank you for the opp!
Its sounds like a fascinating read and i cant wait to read this book.
Intriguing! Thanks for posting.
This sounds so good. I cannot wait to read
I can’t wait to read this! It’s right up my alley, as all Mary Kubica books are. 📚
Wow! So excited for this book.
I have been dying to read this! Thanks for sharing!
I’m already hooked! I can’t wait to read the rest 😊
Terrific teaser…now I need the rest of the story!
Looks like a great book!!! Can’t wait to read it!
Hi Vanessa, I’m not sure if you’ve seen my emails, but you’re the winner of a copy of this book. Could you please reply by end of day today with your address so I can get it sent out. Thanks! Christina