Late, Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow

The book opens with a funeral. Molly Marx is 35 when she dies in an unexplained bicycle accident, and she is watching her own funeral. She chooses to watch her loved ones after her death. Molly's life is cut short during a bicycle ride in Riverside Park on a rainy day, and she suddenly finds herself in a place called the Duration.

Molly was married to a successful plastic surgeon (who has cheated on her since their wedding day and comes equipped with a stereotypical over protective Jewish mother), has a four year-old daughter she loves with all her heart, close relationships with her family, good friends, a fulfilling and creative career, and a handsome, secret lover who might just be her soulmate.

After her death when she wakes up in the Duration, she discovers that she is equipped with a fully functioning bull*&$ meter, and Molly watches as life goes on without her. Each chapter starts with important events that occurred before Molly's death, so the reader is given clues to perspectives of Molly's life from her memories, current events, the thoughts of her loved ones, and even an NYC detective who is trying to discover how Molly died.

But in the end, how Molly died is less important than how she lived, and how pieces of Molly lived on in others, long after she was gone.

This book reminded me of Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold kind of merging with Sex and the City. But I did really enjoy it. The ending was a bit contrived and really tried to tie up everything. I think I enjoyed the chapters that dealt with her relationships as she realizes that she really didn't value herself until after she saw how it affected her family and friends and even her husband who seemed more focused on apperances rather than just being.