(Reviewed by JD Jung)
Sterling has always been rebellious and strong-willed, so her mother doubted anyone would ever want to marry her. To ensure her daughter settles down, she imposes an unusual condition on Sterling’s massive trust fund: she must marry before turning twenty-five. If she divorces, she and her children will lose their financial security.
Sterling falls in love with Keith and marries him just before her twenty-fifth birthday. They have three children, and she tries to be a good wife and mother. But as their marriage deteriorates, Sterling discovers that the life they built is largely funded by her family’s money. Keith has multiple affairs, including one with the mother of one of their daughters’ boyfriends, yet he has no intention of leaving. With divorce financially devastating, Sterling begins to feel that the only escape from her miserable marriage is if one of them dies.
Her mother never approved of Keith, considering him beneath their social standing, but he has played his part well enough to maintain appearances.
I did have trouble accepting the premise that a mother would impose such a restrictive condition on her daughter’s inheritance, especially when it could also jeopardize her grandchildren’s future. It struck me as implausible.
However, once I put that objection aside, I found the story captivating. I kept wondering how Sterling would navigate her unhappy life and whether she could find a way forward. I was particularly interested in watching her reconnect with her children, especially one of her daughters. The author also develops the characters in considerable depth, making their complicated relationships feel central to the story.
Despite my reservations about the trust fund arrangement, I was drawn into Sterling’s world and wanted to know how her story would end. If you enjoy character-driven family dramas about unhappy marriages, complicated family dynamics, and the search for personal freedom, One of Us Must Die may be worth adding to your reading list.