The Paperwhite Pauper

Now that was more like it. After having read Revival a few days ago and finding it sorely lacking in the suspense/horror/oh-my-God-I'll-never-close-my-eyes-again department, I was pleased to discover A Good Marriage was plenty creepy and plenty suspenseful. Although I did not have a problem falling asleep thereafter. Still, it was engaging and full-bodied despite the length.

I didn't actually by this story as a standalone, but already had it as part of the mini-anthology, Full Dark, No Stars. And I was familiar with the BTK serial killer crimes enough to immediately recognize the inspiration for this short, which Mr. King acknowledges in the back of the book. This did have a different ending than the outcome for BTK, one I found more apropos, if you believe in that sort of thing. I could understand the wife's quandary on how to deal with her discovery and her husband's subsequent admission, and how it could affect her entire family if brought to light. The only thing I was left wondering in the end was how she could continue to live in that house?