Set at the dawn of the 20th century in a small Wisconsin town, A Reliable Wife, tells the story of deception, betrayal, loyalty, and love. Ralph Truitt, widower, stands alone at the train station waiting for his new mail-order bride. He is wealthy; he is revered in his hometown. He is somber and lonely. He is a man of loss and regret.

Mr. Truitt placed an ad in several city newspapers commissioning a wife - a mail-order bride. What steps off the train catapults him to the extremes of love and life. Catherine Land is a modest woman, by the look of her, who carries a deep secret. The secret is carefully revealed within the pages of A Reliable Wife; however, Catherine Land is a multi-dimensional character. She develops dramatically throughout the pages. Author Goolrick slowly unfolds and reveals us to her.

An exceptional book has been created through the character development. A Reliable Wife is a brooding accomplishment of disaster and love.