I Love You More

A Novel

By: Jennifer Murphy

Narrated by: Dorothy Dillingham Blue, Johnathan McClain, Cassandra Campbell, Danny Campbell

One man, three wives, the perfect murder. A scintillating novel of betrayal and conspiracy.

Picasso Lane is twelve years old when her father, Oliver, is murdered at their summer beach house. Her mother, Diana, is the primary suspect - until the police discover his second wife, and then his third. The women say they have never met - but Picasso knows otherwise. Picasso remembers the morning beautiful Jewels showed up at their house, carrying the same purse as her mother, and a family portrait featuring her father with two strange boys. Picasso remembers lifting the phone, listening to late night calls with Bert, a woman heavily pregnant with Oliver's fourth child. As the police circle and a detective named Kyle Kennedy becomes a regular fixture in their home, Picasso tries to make sense of her father's death, the depth of his deceit, and the secrets that bind these three women. Cunningly paced and plotted, I Love You More is a riveting novel of misplaced loyalty, jealousy, and revenge.

©2014 Jennifer Murphy (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"When lawyer Oliver Lane is shot to death at the family's summer rental on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, his wife appears a likely suspect. Then two other women who claim to be married to Oliver come forward, and the investigation takes several unusual turns… Told from multiple points of view… Murphy examines the periods before and after the murder while providing tantalizing glimpses into the minds of a manipulative sociopath and his targets… Her fluent style and descriptive language produce a very readable story with well-articulated characters. A thoughtfully written, original and entertaining exploration of events ignited by love and lies." ( Kirkus)

"Murphy's debut, an absorbing coming-of-age story, revolves around the murder of Oliver Lane, shot dead at his beach house on North Carolina's Outer Banks. The victim had three wives, starting with his first and legal wife, Diana, a true Southern lady and the mother of his word-obsessed 12-year-old daughter, Picasso… Readers slowly piece together the truth through the eyes of Picasso, the detective, and the wives. Solid, well-defined characters." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Oliver Lane was a busy family man. He had three families going, with growing children (and one in the womb) from three different wives. One day, Oliver is found, his scheming head shot off, on the porch of his summer house on an island on the North Carolina coast. His 12-year-old daughter discovers his body. And this girl, Picasso Lane, is the first point of view in Murphy's debut mystery… Tangled relationships…good suspense and a nicely creepy tone throughout." ( Booklist)

Sheer Escapist Fun, Well Maybe !!

If you could sum up I Love You More in three words, what would they be?

Know thy husband !!!

What other book might you compare I Love You More to and why?

Perhaps it reminded me a little of the Witches of Eastwick; a fanciful plot, 3 beautiful woman, but then there's Picasso..............

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No, it was not that kind of a book, although I did feel sorry for Picasso having such a rotten lying father - I wonder if genetically she will share his personality traits as she attains adulthood. All in all, I enjoyed this book immensely and did not wander off, as so often happens with lesser books. This is the 4 star test for me. I found myself smiling a lot.

Any additional comments?

If you're looking for an interesting somewhat light-hearted mystery with just a little bit of suspense, then this is for you. Hope you enjoy it too.

Keep me quessing!

Where does I Love You More rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In my top 20

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes! Following the plot as the story wants you to and then a great surprise at the end.

Which scene was your favorite?

The end. Made me think about it for days afterwards.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Oliver told his side of the story; I thought I had Oliver pegged.

Any additional comments?

Great book...looking for more from this author

Interesting Thriller

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

This was a page turner with literary pretentious. I do not mean that in a negative way, just that the author intended this to be more than just a fast-paced "who-done-it". I liked the main narrator, Picasso, read by Dorothy Dillingham Blue, but the character of Oliver was seriously underdeveloped.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I did not like the first person plural sections, spoken by "the wives". Their respective perspectives could have been told in first person singular, as was the rest of the book. The premise of the story also doesn't hold up to much scrutiny, it's a bit implausible. However, for a few hours of character-driven escapism, it was quite enjoyable.

oh so refreshing! loved it!

If you could sum up I Love You More in three words, what would they be?

I sliked it

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I love Cassandra in so many books, she brought so much to the character.

Any additional comments?

Very good read

Fun listen!

Where does I Love You More rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I liked listening to the story. It is better than most I have listened to so far.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked the wives. Hearing how their stories entwined was fun.

Three Wives, Murder & Money

Would you listen to I Love You More again? Why?

Pretty much, I only listen to stories once, unless it's something I feel like I missed. It's possible, I missed something because the ending was truly a surprise. So yes, I would consider listening to this story again.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, I kept thinking this child Picasso, was going to end up an orphan. I don't want to give away too much of the story however it was clear one of the three ladies killed Oliver. I was dead set on Picasso's mom Diana actually being the one that pulled the trigger.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

The best character was Picasso, she made the book all by herself. The storyline would not have be a story with out her witty opinions.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

An American Polygamous Murder

I just wanted it to be over

"I Love You More" is catalogued under "mysteries/thrillers". It is not a thriller and not much of a mystery. The summary says it is "riveting". It is definitely not riveting. It was more like torture waiting for it to end. This book was all filler. The last chapter, i.e. the last 20 min could have been told in chap 2 and saved the reader 9 hrs out of their life. The rest of the book is mostly about the young girl's life at school, trying to fit in with the popular girls, trying to get a guy to like her, her passion for words and spelling, etc. There is a little detective work depicted in the novel but it is not the main focus, just a mention here and there. Mostly filler, just filler.