Anne-Marie and Daniel meet in a bar.  They fall in love and get married. Their marriage did not stay happy for long due to serious issues:  Alcohol played a role not only in their meeting, but also in the loss of a child during pregnancy, and Anne Marie’s mother was a manipulative, dysfunctional bitch.  As Anne-Marie slips into alcoholic oblivion, she becomes more and more difficult to deal with, much less live with. It is so bad that she does not bathe, she does not change clothes, and she demands alcohol from the corner store without paying.   Not one single person in the neighborhood wants anything to do with Anne-Marie. Daniel struggles with embarrassment, fear, and the question of what to do with his marriage.

Oddly enough, I think Daniel actual loved Anne-Marie at some point, but I am not so sure about her.  One day they fight, a bad fight, and Daniel, being totally overwhelmed, leaves the house for a long walk.  When he returns he finds her dead. The police come and are horrified at the condition of the house and Anne-Marie.  It is obvious that she is a complete drunk and has been for a long time. The house smells of alcohol, vomit, dirty linens, clothing, empty bottles and broken glass is everywhere.  Anne Marie’s feet are cut to shreds from walking on broken alcohol bottles. Daniel is in total shock.

After a lengthy investigation, the police cannot decide if it is an accident, a suicide or murder.  They question everyone and cannot find any evidence to determine manner of death. Anne-Marie’s Mom will stop at nothing to throw Daniel under the bus, but even she comes up with nothing incriminating.  Suddenly, the police find a link and discover the real killer. The killer does not think themselves guilty because of how horrible Anne Marie was in life, a favor has been done to all. As is true for many alcoholics, Anne-Marie would have died soon any way, leaving behind nothing but waste.

If you have ever had experience with an alcoholic, this book is difficult to read.  There is no holding back, the descriptions are dead on and difficult to swallow.