Reviewed by Jeanne
Greg is an ambitious young doctor who should have it all. He’s not like his friend Pete, who’s out for
a good time and who changes girlfriends like he changes his shirts. Greg wants a wife, the house, the kids, the
whole domestic scene. While acting as
reluctant wingman for Peter, Greg meets Anya at a party and is instantly
smitten. When Anya cuts her foot on a
broken bottle, Greg is able to come to her rescue and bandage her wound like
the gallant knight he wants to be. Soon
they’re dating and Greg is determined to give Anya everything she could ever
want, even if he has to change his life to make his butterfly happy.
Anya is an artist, working part time at a gallery while she
paints. She’s struggling, not only
financially, but in seeking her own style and a breakthrough in the arts
scene. When she meets Greg, she likes
that he seems sweet and more of a gentleman than some men she’s dated. It’s obvious that he doesn’t understand her
art (or really, any art) but he’s supportive in his own way.
Is this a romance for the ages—or a disaster waiting to
happen?
The Butterfly Trap is one
story, told from two different points of view.
The first half of the book is Greg’s story; the second half is Anya’s,
and while they are describing the same events, their perceptions are quite different. The reader may spot red flags that the
characters are oblivious to, ratcheting up the tension as the story plays out.
This is a bit of a departure for Simon, who has written a
number of cozy mystery series as well as some grittier standalone novels such
as Bad Boy Beat. I found it most
readable, and was reluctant to put it down. When the story comes to a climax just a few pages
from the end, it’s both expected and shocking at the same time.
While this isn’t my usual cozy or classic mystery, I certainly
enjoyed it and found it memorable. The
characters are well-developed, and the setting is vivid, especially the peek
inside the serious art scene of galleries and exhibitions. It’s not a finger-pointing type of book: one character isn’t totally right and the
other totally wrong, but two people who misread each other. Greg especially tends to project his ideals
onto Anya, but Anya fails to see how deeply invested Greg is in the
relationship. The pacing is very good;
the story never dragged for me.
Recommended for anyone who likes relationship suspense with
strong characters and a good sense of place.
