The Joys of Joy Fielding

Chances are that you haven't heard of one of my favorite authors/fellow bibliophiles, but you have seen her books if you like to frequent libraries or bookstores. Her books may have looked you in the eyes, daring you to read them, but you didn't have the time or the fortitude. You might've picked it up and liked what you saw, but again where's the time?

Well, my friend, pick it up. Read it. Love it. That's what I did and I don't regret for one second my love of Ms. Fielding's novels.

The books are a mixture usually of romance and mystery, but Fielding will also play with elements of thriller and erotica. And sometimes she will cover topics such as rape and child murder. No shortage of disturbing words to say about those, but she always writes them with realism. You never feel like you're reading a book. Rather, you feel like you're there. Your ex-husband has stolen your kids (Kiss Mommy Goodbye), your father, stepmother/former best friend, and stepsister have been shot (The Bad Daughter), or you've had a beautiful new tenant move in and you're worried about her intentions (Whispers and Lies). Whatever Fielding writes is easy to imagine around you.

So, why else should you read her?

Well, her characters are extremely relatable. Whether they're in love for the first time or been in a marriage for a couple of decades, it's not hard to see their viewpoints. Especially if you're in your 30s. Maybe your 30s are the new 20s, but for women around me, we're getting told we're getting older. We'll have this and that soon and for these characters, Fielding is very realistic about being a woman getting older. It can exclude men, I'm aware, but a man faces getting older too. Not just women. These main characters may be women of varying ages, but age is a big concern for them in nearly all of her novels.

The plots of the novels are interesting. They cover rape, custodial kidnapping, murder, among other things. Now there are some that are a little overdone or not done very well, but not every novel is going to be a classic especially when you've written 27+ novels and had 47 years of writing experience to grow with. Yes, Ms. Fielding has been publishing novels since 1972 and started with a novel called The Best of Friends. It's about a neurotic young woman who takes refuge from a disastrous marriage in a dependent relationship with a dynamic and successful girl. The story is told through a mixture of flashbacks, interior monologues and conversations with her psychiatrist. This book is incredibly hard to find, but Amazon has a physical copy of it that will be added to my Wish List as soon as I finish this.

And if nothing else, the language isn't pretentious and you don't need a dictionary to follow along. Fielding writes for the every man and the dialogue while simplistic is also realistic. She doesn't dress conversations up to make them interesting. They're interesting on their own and follow with the flow of the story. A bonus.

Now that the praises are done, here are the five recommendations for trying out some Joy Fielding:

The Bad Daughter

Robin's former best friend married her womanizing father after leaving Robin's brother devastated by breaking off their engagement. Despite her complicated feelings for the couple, Robin is still aghast when Tara and her father have been found shot in their home as a robbery gone wrong. Barely hanging onto their lives, Robin goes to see them and the rest of her family in hopes to make amends... or to find out the culprit.

Charley's Web

Charley Webb is a controversial columnist trying to break into bigger journalism when Jill Rohmer contacts her with the biggest opportunity of Charley's career. The only problem is that Jill Rohmer is on death row for the murders of three children. A single mother of two, Charley is abhorred at the idea of being in the same room as Jill. But when she meets Jill, she realizes there's more than meets the eye and there's more to the story than Jill ever let on. A bit graphic of a read, but definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat as you hear what brought Jill to this unspeakable act.

Still Life

Beautiful, happily married, small business owner Casey Marshall is nothing short of pleased with her life when a car hits her at 50 mph. Now in a coma, she is unable to speak or move, though she is able to hear everything and everyone around her. And what she hears makes her question every aspect of her life, but the biggest is was the car hitting her just an accident or was it something more. If it in fact was an attempt to rid the world of her once and for all.

Someone Is Watching

Bailey Carpenter has always been the best private investigator at her law firm. She doesn't mind testifying or getting in the dirt to do her job. Unfortunately, the dirt gets her on the job when she is brutally attacked. Now, Bailey is afraid to leave her apartment or trust a man. Luckily, her sister and niece offer to stay with her. But not even their presence is scaring someone away. Someone who lets Bailey know that he is watching. Waiting. This was my first experience with a Fielding story and I loved the ending. It was empowering to the main character and twisted. Both marks of a good novel.

Whispers and Lies

Terry Painter enjoys her Floridian life as a single, 40 year old nurse after her mother passes. But when eager, young Alison Simms starts to rent from Terry, she finds a fantastic new friend. They have dinners, makeovers, and Terry even finds herself flirting with a patient's son, but there's just something about Alison that Terry can't put her finger on.

What is Allison's true reason for coming to Florida, and is it something that can forever change Terry's own life?

Any of Joy Fielding's novels can be your first, but you gotta pick it up first. If not at the library or your local bookstore, there's always Amazon.

For more info about Joy Fielding:

http://www.joyfielding.com