HETTY ON HOLD

In this fifth installment of a series, a radio star becomes beleaguered by attempts to undermine her marriage. 

Now married to Morgan Morganthal, Hetty divides her time between taking care of her young daughter, Pippa, and hosting her own radio show. Katrinka Wallace, also married and resentful as ever that Morgan chose Hetty over her, continues to roguishly find ways to sabotage their otherwise blissfully happy union. Hetty invites Katrinka to be a guest on her show, and she predictably uses the opportunity to publicly mortify her. Later, Hetty turns to her for advice regarding another upcoming guest, and Katrinka feeds her destructive counsel. Meanwhile, Katrinka comes under public scrutiny for animal testing done by the beauty company she fronts, and tries to convince Hetty to bury evidence of wrongdoing. Ignatz Gorman, who once conspired with Katrinka to kidnap Morgan in a complex scheme to win his affection, returns to the scene. Gorman convinces Morgan’s parents to hire him as their chauffeur, introducing himself under an assumed name. Hetty recognizes him, but inexplicably tries to convince Morgan, despite the obvious danger he poses, that Gorman has turned over a new leaf. Katrinka comes into possession of a letter written by Max, Morgan’s father, confessing to wrongdoings long ago committed but kept secret. She ponders the possibility of using it to blackmail Morgan. West (Hetty or Not, 2015, etc.) diligently provides context whenever necessary, ensuring that this novel can be understood independent of its predecessors. But the plot is so thoroughly moored in that antecedent history, it’s unlikely readers’ interest will be gripped without perusing the prequels. The author’s latest has all the tender charm of the others as well as her lovely illustrations throughout. But the striking antagonism between Hetty and Katrinka seems contrived. Katrinka is monochromatically depicted as a cartoon villain, and Hetty as irresponsibly gullible. In addition, it simply makes no sense at this juncture that Hetty and Morgan are still so haunted by doubts about the strength of their bond. Hetty continues to mature, but the story seems stuck in arrested adolescence.

Despite its signature sweetness, this latest chronicle of Hetty’s adventures remains more soap operatic than genuinely dramatic.