THE WIFE BY ALAFAIR BURKE

The Wife is a multilayered domestic thriller. I found myself both obsessively reading this one while I had it in my hands BUT not feeling the desire to pick it up at any chance I could get. 

Rating: ★★★
​Release Date: January 23, 2018
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Series: None. Standalone. 
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover. Purchased. 

His Scandal
Her Secret
From New York Times bestselling author Alafair Burke, a stunning domestic thriller in the vein of Behind Closed Doors and The Woman in Cabin 10—in which a woman must make the impossible choice between defending her husband and saving herself.

When Angela met Jason Powell while catering a dinner party in East Hampton, she assumed their romance would be a short-lived fling, like so many relationships between locals and summer visitors. To her surprise, Jason, a brilliant economics professor at NYU, had other plans, and they 

married the following summer. For Angela, the marriage turned out to be a chance to reboot her life. She and her son were finally able to move out of her mother’s home to Manhattan, where no one knew about her tragic past.

Six years later, thanks to a bestselling book and a growing media career, Jason has become a cultural lightning rod, placing Angela near the spotlight she worked so carefully to avoid. When a college intern makes an accusation against Jason, and another woman, Kerry Lynch, comes forward with an even more troubling allegation, their perfect life begins to unravel. Jason insists he is innocent, and Angela believes him. But when Kerry disappears, Angela is forced to take a closer look—at both the man she married and the women she chose not to believe.
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This much-anticipated follow-up to Burke’s Edgar-nominated The Ex asks how far a wife will go to protect the man she loves: Will she stand by his side, even if he drags her down with him?

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Read my Book Review

Release Date: January 23, 2018
Genre: Domestic Thriller

The Wife is a multilayered domestic thriller. I found myself both obsessively reading this one while I had it in my hands BUT not feeling the desire to pick it up at any chance I could get. Hence the reason I gave it 3/5 stars. 

This book covers a lot. A rape accusation, cheating, and ultimately a disappearance. Sounds like a prime time thriller right? Well it is. Sort of. The pacing in this one was REALLY slow. There is so much going on (as mentioned above) that one would think it would be extremely exciting to read about, but it just wasn't. I felt like it fell a little flat even though I SHOULD have been hanging by the edge of my seat in anticipation of what was to come. I think the female lead (Angela) has a lot to do with this as she is present through much of the book. She wasn't all that likable. She presented herself as a victim, when in reality, she didn't FEEL like one. This is kind of a case where the author TELLS you that you should feel this way but doesn't SHOW YOU through actions, feelings, etc. I suppose it makes sense when the whole book comes to it's conclusion, but it didn't work for me. 

Another piece of the book that didn't work for me at all is the way it ended. I HATED the ending. It was not a closed case, rather one that will leave you speculating what happens even though there isn't a sequel. It sort of feels like a betrayal. I like my books wrapped up TIGHTLY and this doesn't happen with The Wife. So be aware of this if you are planning on reading it. Some readers are okay with it and that's perfectly fine, but it doesn't suit my tastes. 

On the upside, the plot for this book is riveting. It's a scandalous read with all the juicy things that suck readers into a story. And, while it may not have been the perfect read for my tastes I can totally understand why many readers loved this one. I suppose it's in the eye of the beholder to see whether this is the book for you or not. ​

★★★