The Governor's Wife

It’s been two years since disgraced Illinois governor Ray Perry disappeared from a federal courthouse in Chicago moments after being sentenced to thirty-eight years in prison on corruption charges. P.I. Michael Kelly is sitting in his office when he gets an anonymous email offering to pay him nearly a quarter million dollars if he will find Perry, no questions asked. Kelly’s investigation begins with the woman Ray Perry left behind – his wife, Marie. Ostracized by her former friends and hounded by the feds, Marie tells Kelly she has no idea where her husband is. Like everyone else, Kelly doesn’t believe her. As he hunts for her husband, Kelly begins to unwind Marie Perry’s past.  What he finds is a woman who turns out to be even more intriguing than her husband, with her own deeply complicated reasons for standing by him. 

Everyone in Chicago has secrets, including the governor’s wife. Some of them she shared with her husband. Some of them she kept to herself. And some of them could get Michael Kelly killed.

The Governor's Wife is a hard-eyed look at the intersection of the political and the personal, at the perils of trusting even those closest to us and the collateral damage of our highest aspirations. Stylish, knock-out suspense from a modern master.

Praise for The Governor’s Wife

“I found this book simply irresistible. I haven’t read the other five books in Michael Harvey’s series set in Chicago but, based on this one, I plan to binge soon. The Governor’s Wife is brilliant.” 
—The Globe and Mail

"Harvey makes political corruption personal: this isn't a story of anonymous millions being shuffled between various offshore accounts. The consequence of every decision in Kelly's gritty world bleeds."
—Kirkus Starred Review

“You always know where you are in a Michael Harvey novel: Chicago — where else? Harvey is one of the best regionalists in the game, and the great city of Chicago is his beat.”
—New York Times

“...thrilling, page-turning crime fiction novel. The Governor’s Wife is a fun summer read and perfect for the beach.” 
—The Toledo Blade

“Harvey’s The Governor’s Wife is addictive. In his latest book, he’s a master. Harvey... has an eye for detail and knows how to tell a gripping story.”
—San Antonio Express News

"Michael Harvey writes frugally but in a fast-paced style that will have you turning pages at a rapid rate. The Governor’s Wife is like the city Harvey loves – gritty, complex and with few frills. Michael Harvey captures the spirit of his city and its quirky history in ways that few writers can accomplish. He is a joy to read." 
—Illinois Times

“Harvey’s elegant writing and imaginative plotting keep readers intent on Kelly’s fate from beginning to end.”
—Toronto Star

“Harvey skillfully turns his chronicle of large-scale, faceless corruption into a personal and often heartbreaking story.”
—The Seattle Times

"The Governor's Wife is deeply rooted in Chicago: its neighborhoods, its ethnic communities, its politics. [It's a book that's] replete with surprises. Every time the reader turns the page and thinks he knows what he's going to encounter, there's Harvey waiting to wallop him with a sandbag. Harvey does that: he surprises you. Repeatedly. Read this book. You'll enjoy it a lot."
—Publisher's Weekly Starred Review

"Harvey... knows Chicago like Raymond Chandler knew Los Angeles, and these mean streets come alive even as bodies pile up." 
—Library Journal Starred Review

"With his snappy patter, jaded outlook, weakness for mysterious women and proficiency at violence, this former cop is squarely in the tradition of the classic gumshoes... Deft characterizations and lean, mean plotting."
—Chicago Tribune

Darin Stoneking