One of Us Must Die

Buy the Book:
Simon & Schuster
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book Shop
Published by: She Writes Press
Release Date: October 20, 2026
Pages: 256
ISBN13: 979-8896361800

 
Synopsis

For fans of Kimberly Belle and Apple TV+’s Bad Sisters, a domestic suspense exploring the lengths a woman trapped in an unhappy marriage by an ironclad trust fund clause will go to in order to escape her greedy, gaslighting husband.

She married for love. He married for trust. Specifically, her trust fund—the one with the iron-clad “no divorce, no matter the circumstances” clause her mother insisted on.

Sterling (not as good as gold) has always come second to her family’s wealth—but unlike her mother, she’ll do anything to protect her three children. For years, she’s kept up the perfect family illusion to shield them from their manipulative, gaslighting father. But now her husband is becoming more reckless, and her children more exposed. And when her daughter’s fiancé says he wants a marriage just like hers, Sterling knows her charade has gone too far.

To free herself, she must outwit her husband and the legal ties meant to trap her—before it’s too late. Because in this family, there’s only one way out: One of them must die.

Add on Goodreads

Praise

“One of Us Must Die is a taut domestic thriller about generational wealth, marriage, and the slow erosion of morality. A truly chilling and thought-provoking read!”
—Wendy Walker, USA Today best-selling author of Blade

“Tense, sharply written, and buzzing with suspense, Zelly Ruskin’s One Of Us Must Die is a compulsively readable peek into a world of privilege and simmering grudges. Clear your calendar and lock the doors, you’ll be turning pages late into the night to find out what happens next.”
—Heather Gudenkauf, the New York Times best-selling author of The Overnight Guest and The Perfect Hosts

“Zelly Ruskin delivers a deeply satisfying domestic suspense set in the deliciously toxic world of the one percent, full of scandalous rich people behaving badly and mile-a-minute twists and turns. This is the definition of a ‘good for her’ story—readers won’t be able to stop cheering or put it down!”
—Ashley Winstead, national best-selling author of This Book Will Bury Me

“In her latest page-turner, Zelly Ruskin proves she’s a powerful storyteller who’s not afraid to look at the dark side of marriage. One of Us Must Die is a fresh, propulsive novel that will make you think long and hard about that oft-repeate vow, “till death do us part.”
—Camille Pagán, Washington Post best-selling author of I’m Fine and Neither Are You

“Will the husband die, and if so, was it the wife? Dark humor runs through this novel, which makes it as fun as it is unsettling. Death by marriage has never been such a page-turner.”
—Lainey Cameron, award-winning author of The Exit Strategy

“One of Us Must Die offers a unique window into the darker side of privilege. It begs the reader to explore whether great wealth can fortify or fracture a family. Don’t miss this one!
—Jennifer Sadera, award-winning author of I Know She Was There

“Zelly Ruskin has written another absolute stunner of a novel. It felt like I was right next to Sterling, kept in suspense as she uncovered layer upon shocking and twisty layer of her marriage. I can’t wait to read Zelly’s next book.”
—Barbara Bos, managing editor of Books by Women

“Filled with unexpected twists, One of Us Must Die is hard to put down...”
—D.Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Dook Review 

“Fans of B.A. Paris’s Behind Closed Doors will absolutely devour this tense, slow-burning thriller...and the chilling final chapters are completely unforgettable.”
—Reader’s Favorite, 5-star review