On page 79 we learn of Sheila’s true motivation, which is nearly lost in a sea of red herrings. Sheila wanted Jack dead not because of his numerous infidelities and unprotected sex. She simply wanted to wipe the persistent smirk off his face. Unfortunately for Jack, she wiped off more than just his expression. You can skip the grisly bits that describe the unsuccessful reconstruction surgery for Jack’s open-casket funeral. But the narrative picks up again near the end of the book on page 309 with the description of Sheila’s fugitive life in Peru and her losing battle with syphilis.

Jim Woessner is a visual artist and writer in Sausalito, California. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from Bennington College and has had poetry and short fiction published in numerous online and print magazines.

photo by Giancarlo Revolledo

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