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The Wife
"This year's Gone Girl."—Harlan Coben
His ScandalHer 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.
This much-anticipated follow-up to Burke’s Edgar-nominated The Ex asks how far a wife will go to protect the man she Will she stand by his side, even if he drags her down with him?
His ScandalHer 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.
This much-anticipated follow-up to Burke’s Edgar-nominated The Ex asks how far a wife will go to protect the man she Will she stand by his side, even if he drags her down with him?
Kindle Edition
First published January 23, 2018
About the author
Alafair Burke
54 books4,761 followersAlafair Burke is the New York Times, Edgar-nominated author of fourteen crime novels, including The Ex, The Wife, The Better Sister, and the forthcoming Find Me. She is also the co-author of several novels with Mary Higgins Clark. A graduate of Stanford Law School and a former Deputy District Attorney in Portland, Oregon, Alafair is now a Professor of Law at Hofstra Law School, where she teaches criminal law and procedure.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,578 reviews
December 22, 2017
This book was a sandwich of compulsive reading material; it begins and ends with a bang and in between it kept my eyes glued and my mind engaged. No really, the first and last sentences were chilled to perfection. There is currently a flood of domestic/psychological thrillers in the book market; they are selling well and everyone wants a piece of that success. If you're like me, you may be wondering how you can spot the ones worth reading without having to sift through all the mediocre wannabes. In short, it's taken trial and error on my part to be able to find authors I can count on to bring me new stories with a familiar touch. Alafair Burke is one of the few we can trust implicitly.
In an instant, I became the woman they assumed I'd been all along: the wife who lied to protect her husband.
One of the many reasons that Burke is such a widely acclaimed novelist is due to the fact that she writes about what she knows, what is relevant, and in a way that people can relate to and connect with. In this particular story, she includes knowledge from her legal background, as well as her experience as a professor, and blends it into the timely matter of sexual assault and how the media responds to such. This was a bold story, one that shows all sides of this type of case, but it's also riddled with side mysteries that were both clever and profound in their own way. There were many layers of complexity to the plot; I won't go into heavy detail, because doing so would risk spoiling some of the exciting surprises and that would be a crime, but just know that this isn't really the type of book the reader solves from the beginning. Sure, everything looks straightforward in the first couple of chapters, but then we start getting new information periodically. It was an absolute delight to find a novel that I didn't have figured out in the first 15 pages!
I'm dying to include more quotes, but I just can't risk setting off a bomb that might ruin the read for you, so I'll just say that I was surprised multiple times over with the reveals. I wouldn't say there is one major AHA moment; it more felt like every few chapters there was a new piece of the story revealed, and as each portion was thrown in it changed the story and showed things in a new light that we couldn't see before. I think this is an undervalued tactic, because so many readers focus on a whodunnit type of mystery and trying to figure it out before all is revealed; here you are at the mercy of the writer. So yes, the twists were wonderful and greatly appreciated, but I also liked that this was a book which made me think. I've always taken such a clear stance on sexual assault claims; I'm a huge proponent of supporting other women who are walking through the horror of surviving that type of trauma, but this book made me question so many of my beliefs and prejudices.
If you're looking for a domestic drama that includes just enough legal thriller and a dash of current events, this one's for you. I can't express how fulfilled I felt upon finishing this one; I was worried that I had finally burned out on the mystery/suspense/thriller genre, but I realize now that I just needed to pick up a classic, something that would hold my attention and blow me away with it's sheer genius. If you've never picked up one of Burke's novels-what are you waiting for? Seriously, pick up any of them! You can't go wrong! I'm so pleased that I've found a winner to recommend so early in 2018 to all my buds; put this on on your list for January folks and read it quickly, because I need to chat about it with you!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy; it was a pleasure to provide my honest thoughts here.
In an instant, I became the woman they assumed I'd been all along: the wife who lied to protect her husband.
One of the many reasons that Burke is such a widely acclaimed novelist is due to the fact that she writes about what she knows, what is relevant, and in a way that people can relate to and connect with. In this particular story, she includes knowledge from her legal background, as well as her experience as a professor, and blends it into the timely matter of sexual assault and how the media responds to such. This was a bold story, one that shows all sides of this type of case, but it's also riddled with side mysteries that were both clever and profound in their own way. There were many layers of complexity to the plot; I won't go into heavy detail, because doing so would risk spoiling some of the exciting surprises and that would be a crime, but just know that this isn't really the type of book the reader solves from the beginning. Sure, everything looks straightforward in the first couple of chapters, but then we start getting new information periodically. It was an absolute delight to find a novel that I didn't have figured out in the first 15 pages!
I'm dying to include more quotes, but I just can't risk setting off a bomb that might ruin the read for you, so I'll just say that I was surprised multiple times over with the reveals. I wouldn't say there is one major AHA moment; it more felt like every few chapters there was a new piece of the story revealed, and as each portion was thrown in it changed the story and showed things in a new light that we couldn't see before. I think this is an undervalued tactic, because so many readers focus on a whodunnit type of mystery and trying to figure it out before all is revealed; here you are at the mercy of the writer. So yes, the twists were wonderful and greatly appreciated, but I also liked that this was a book which made me think. I've always taken such a clear stance on sexual assault claims; I'm a huge proponent of supporting other women who are walking through the horror of surviving that type of trauma, but this book made me question so many of my beliefs and prejudices.
If you're looking for a domestic drama that includes just enough legal thriller and a dash of current events, this one's for you. I can't express how fulfilled I felt upon finishing this one; I was worried that I had finally burned out on the mystery/suspense/thriller genre, but I realize now that I just needed to pick up a classic, something that would hold my attention and blow me away with it's sheer genius. If you've never picked up one of Burke's novels-what are you waiting for? Seriously, pick up any of them! You can't go wrong! I'm so pleased that I've found a winner to recommend so early in 2018 to all my buds; put this on on your list for January folks and read it quickly, because I need to chat about it with you!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy; it was a pleasure to provide my honest thoughts here.
August 1, 2017
I am too biased to review the insides, but isn't the jacket pretty? Hope you enjoy what's behind the cover.
February 14, 2018
Holy freaking cow! All the Stars!!!! This was a 4 Star ⭐️ book for me. Then came part four and it went into full 10 Star turbo mode! Wow! What a way to end a novel!
Please don’t let the generic title or the cover sway you from reading this. I loved it!
This should be made into a movie. The subject matter is so timely and that ending would leave viewers gasping!
I listened to the audio version. The narrator was good but not great. Although I felt she did a fantastic job with the last part of the book.
The highest of recommendations! Love love loved it!!!
Please don’t let the generic title or the cover sway you from reading this. I loved it!
This should be made into a movie. The subject matter is so timely and that ending would leave viewers gasping!
I listened to the audio version. The narrator was good but not great. Although I felt she did a fantastic job with the last part of the book.
The highest of recommendations! Love love loved it!!!
March 24, 2018
5 STARS
Whew!!!! It feels like forever since I read a 5 star novel in my adored psychological thriller genre. THE WIFE is everything I am constantly on the lookout for in a book! I was starting to question my love for the unreliable narrator after so many alcoholic and agoraphobic narrators. Yawn. Yawn. OBVIOUSLY, they are unreliable! It's so much more fun for the reader to figure out IF the narrator is trustworthy or not. Are we being lied to? Who can we believe? I love the simple mystery of figuring out which characters we can trust.
In THE WIFE, Alafair Burke has created the perfect blend of a character driven suspense novel with some police investigation (just enough) and courtroom drama (again, just enough!). On top of that perfect combo, Burke is a gifted storyteller and creates tension in small ways. The story feels relevant and timely; seriously, this book feels like it was written this month, all the current events are spot-on accurate.
The story is full of twists, but not huge IN YOUR FACE twists, again, just small enough that you read a sentence a couple of times to make sure you got it right! There are clues all throughout the book, but until those last few pages can you start piecing together your suspicions. Even then, watch out for the last sentence!
If you are into listening to your books, the audio version is OUTSTANDING. The actress is unbelievably talented, I felt like I was listening to my best friend tell me a juicy story.
I'm crazy about THE WIFE and chances are... you will be too! Check out that lofty GoodReads rating of 4.01!!
Whew!!!! It feels like forever since I read a 5 star novel in my adored psychological thriller genre. THE WIFE is everything I am constantly on the lookout for in a book! I was starting to question my love for the unreliable narrator after so many alcoholic and agoraphobic narrators. Yawn. Yawn. OBVIOUSLY, they are unreliable! It's so much more fun for the reader to figure out IF the narrator is trustworthy or not. Are we being lied to? Who can we believe? I love the simple mystery of figuring out which characters we can trust.
In THE WIFE, Alafair Burke has created the perfect blend of a character driven suspense novel with some police investigation (just enough) and courtroom drama (again, just enough!). On top of that perfect combo, Burke is a gifted storyteller and creates tension in small ways. The story feels relevant and timely; seriously, this book feels like it was written this month, all the current events are spot-on accurate.
The story is full of twists, but not huge IN YOUR FACE twists, again, just small enough that you read a sentence a couple of times to make sure you got it right! There are clues all throughout the book, but until those last few pages can you start piecing together your suspicions. Even then, watch out for the last sentence!
If you are into listening to your books, the audio version is OUTSTANDING. The actress is unbelievably talented, I felt like I was listening to my best friend tell me a juicy story.
I'm crazy about THE WIFE and chances are... you will be too! Check out that lofty GoodReads rating of 4.01!!
August 6, 2018
*4 stars*
A fun and addictive surprise...
Brief review: After a slower start, this ended up being quite a good read with various twists and surprises—each one well-paced and cleverly-constructed.
The writing style is straightforward and unembellished, but strong and clear and delivers this story well.
This isn’t a heart pounding, race-to-the-finish experience, but a tame psychological voyage that entices you with its mystery and enchants you with its design.
Fans of the genre should certainly give this one a read when in the mood for a more humble thriller with mystery and mind play.
*Traveling Friends Read — special thanks to Norma for discussing this one to pieces with me ;)
A fun and addictive surprise...
Brief review: After a slower start, this ended up being quite a good read with various twists and surprises—each one well-paced and cleverly-constructed.
The writing style is straightforward and unembellished, but strong and clear and delivers this story well.
This isn’t a heart pounding, race-to-the-finish experience, but a tame psychological voyage that entices you with its mystery and enchants you with its design.
Fans of the genre should certainly give this one a read when in the mood for a more humble thriller with mystery and mind play.
*Traveling Friends Read — special thanks to Norma for discussing this one to pieces with me ;)
February 27, 2018
Addictive read about a wife who stands by her husband’s side even though he’s been accused of sexual assault. This is a multilayered, twisted psychological thriller that is much more than it initially seems!
On the surface, Angela and Jason have the perfect marriage. Married for six years, Jason’s career recently has skyrocketed and he has achieved celebrity status, making their marriage privy to the public eye. However, when Jason is accused of sexual assault, secrets of their marriage come to light. The more and more we learn about Jason, one wonders why would Angela choose to stay by this man’s side? Is she in denial or is there a lot more to Angela and Jason’s marriage than we know?
Told primarily through the Angela’s POV, we learn her rationale about why she chooses to stay by Jason’s side. The more she reveals, the more we learn about her own scarred history. She reveals little tidbits about her marriage, as well as about some personal events,
The Wife sucked me in immediately. In the beginning, I thought this book was going to focus on something else but it became so different as I read on (I can’t say much without giving things away). There are many different layers to the plot and Angela’s character. I appreciated that Angela is quite intelligent and very much aware of the flaws of the man she married. I have been reading a lot of books lately with some less than intelligent female characters and I was happy that I didn’t encounter another female character that I wanted to shake! This was my first read by Alafair Burke and it definitely won’t be my last!
On the surface, Angela and Jason have the perfect marriage. Married for six years, Jason’s career recently has skyrocketed and he has achieved celebrity status, making their marriage privy to the public eye. However, when Jason is accused of sexual assault, secrets of their marriage come to light. The more and more we learn about Jason, one wonders why would Angela choose to stay by this man’s side? Is she in denial or is there a lot more to Angela and Jason’s marriage than we know?
Told primarily through the Angela’s POV, we learn her rationale about why she chooses to stay by Jason’s side. The more she reveals, the more we learn about her own scarred history. She reveals little tidbits about her marriage, as well as about some personal events,
The Wife sucked me in immediately. In the beginning, I thought this book was going to focus on something else but it became so different as I read on (I can’t say much without giving things away). There are many different layers to the plot and Angela’s character. I appreciated that Angela is quite intelligent and very much aware of the flaws of the man she married. I have been reading a lot of books lately with some less than intelligent female characters and I was happy that I didn’t encounter another female character that I wanted to shake! This was my first read by Alafair Burke and it definitely won’t be my last!
August 14, 2018
3, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad, known as the Special Victims Unit stars!!!! *cue music*
They say opposites attract, right? Well, that couldn't be more true for Angela and Jason Powell. Jason is a tenured professor at NYU (with the coveted chili pepper next to his name on Rate My Professor), he's got a successful consulting firm, a best selling book and a beloved podcast - he's a man's man around town. On top of all of his successes he has a beautiful wife (Angela) and a spunky, smart 13 year old son (Spencer).
Angela, is a dutiful wife and mother. With a sordid past, she is uninterested in the lime-light and is reserved to almost an extreme. Her motto and goal in life is routine, so that she can live a "good and boring" day-to-day. While the first few years of their marriage were quiet and content, Jason's newfound fame is bringing unwanted attention to Angela and the past she has worked to keep hidden from the world.
In an instant, I became the woman they assumed I’d been all along: the wife who lied to protect her husband.
Enter: cluster-fuckery. Jason is accused by two prominent women of sexual assault and rape. Angela and her family are thrust once again into center stage, only this time it isn't full of praise. As Angela wades through the questions of whether or not Jason is innocent, how to hide her past and deal with her son viewing his father in this new light, things slowwwwwly devolve into mayhem once we find out one of these women - Kerry Lynch, has abruptly gone missing.
This is told from alternating POVs between Angela and the lead detective on the case Corinne Duncan. Interspersed with these POVs we're given emails between Jason and his attorney as well as court documents and evidentiary examinations. A lot of this book felt like an episode of Law and Order: SVU, which I would've loved (because, Benson + Stabler 5ever) if it hadn't been well overplayed.
The public's first instinct is to disbelieve the woman because we don't want to admit these horrible things actually happen. So to counter that instinct, we good feminists take the position that we believe every single woman every single time.
This is a timely book, especially given the #metoo movement and the allusions to this were handled deftly and not overwhelming. The Wife raised some great questions about where we draw lines for innocence and understanding. When does one's past excuse their future actions, if ever? How do we condemn one person, while forgiving another given their circumstances? It makes for excellent discussion but it got a little too caught up in it for my personal taste.
The pacing of this novel was achingly slow for me. There was so much wasted time on police procedural drama that in the end didn't particularly affect the outcome. I think this came from an effort to mislead the reader as the police were being mislead but it fell short for me here. I think if Burke had cut down on that a bit this would've been a more well rounded read.
Admit it. When you hear about a missing kid, or a murdered woman, you scour the article for clues. Not clues about the perpetrator. No, we search for clues about what makes that woman or child different from the women and children we know and love.
What I will give The Wife is that the last quarter of the book was Grade-A crazy pants. As I've mentioned before, I'm really a garbage detective and I was patting myself on the back because I felt I had it all figured out. While I did guess some of the low-hanging fruit, there's no way to anticipate the magnitude of the implosion that happens at the end.
I completed this as a Traveling Friends read and as mentioned, the discussion was wonderful. It's a great little mystery and if police procedurals are your thing, this is is going to be right up your alley! I can see why so many enjoyed this, it was just a bit too slow for me.
They say opposites attract, right? Well, that couldn't be more true for Angela and Jason Powell. Jason is a tenured professor at NYU (with the coveted chili pepper next to his name on Rate My Professor), he's got a successful consulting firm, a best selling book and a beloved podcast - he's a man's man around town. On top of all of his successes he has a beautiful wife (Angela) and a spunky, smart 13 year old son (Spencer).
Angela, is a dutiful wife and mother. With a sordid past, she is uninterested in the lime-light and is reserved to almost an extreme. Her motto and goal in life is routine, so that she can live a "good and boring" day-to-day. While the first few years of their marriage were quiet and content, Jason's newfound fame is bringing unwanted attention to Angela and the past she has worked to keep hidden from the world.
In an instant, I became the woman they assumed I’d been all along: the wife who lied to protect her husband.
Enter: cluster-fuckery. Jason is accused by two prominent women of sexual assault and rape. Angela and her family are thrust once again into center stage, only this time it isn't full of praise. As Angela wades through the questions of whether or not Jason is innocent, how to hide her past and deal with her son viewing his father in this new light, things slowwwwwly devolve into mayhem once we find out one of these women - Kerry Lynch, has abruptly gone missing.
This is told from alternating POVs between Angela and the lead detective on the case Corinne Duncan. Interspersed with these POVs we're given emails between Jason and his attorney as well as court documents and evidentiary examinations. A lot of this book felt like an episode of Law and Order: SVU, which I would've loved (because, Benson + Stabler 5ever) if it hadn't been well overplayed.
The public's first instinct is to disbelieve the woman because we don't want to admit these horrible things actually happen. So to counter that instinct, we good feminists take the position that we believe every single woman every single time.
This is a timely book, especially given the #metoo movement and the allusions to this were handled deftly and not overwhelming. The Wife raised some great questions about where we draw lines for innocence and understanding. When does one's past excuse their future actions, if ever? How do we condemn one person, while forgiving another given their circumstances? It makes for excellent discussion but it got a little too caught up in it for my personal taste.
The pacing of this novel was achingly slow for me. There was so much wasted time on police procedural drama that in the end didn't particularly affect the outcome. I think this came from an effort to mislead the reader as the police were being mislead but it fell short for me here. I think if Burke had cut down on that a bit this would've been a more well rounded read.
Admit it. When you hear about a missing kid, or a murdered woman, you scour the article for clues. Not clues about the perpetrator. No, we search for clues about what makes that woman or child different from the women and children we know and love.
What I will give The Wife is that the last quarter of the book was Grade-A crazy pants. As I've mentioned before, I'm really a garbage detective and I was patting myself on the back because I felt I had it all figured out. While I did guess some of the low-hanging fruit, there's no way to anticipate the magnitude of the implosion that happens at the end.
I completed this as a Traveling Friends read and as mentioned, the discussion was wonderful. It's a great little mystery and if police procedurals are your thing, this is is going to be right up your alley! I can see why so many enjoyed this, it was just a bit too slow for me.
February 26, 2018
It's been said the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. While this may not be a surprise to those who have read her work before, but as a first-time reader of Alafair Burke, I can definitely say that storytelling talent definitely runs in the family! (She is the daughter of one of my all-time favorite authors, James Lee Burke.) But the thing is, James Lee Burke never quite got my pulse pounding as hard as his daughter did in her new book, The Wife!
Angela Powell's husband Jason was quite the guy—smart, handsome, and successful; a best-selling author; a sought-after consultant; and a frequent expert seen on television programs. Ever since she met him when she was catering a high-end party in the Hamptons, he's always stood by her. Not many men would willingly start a relationship with a woman and her young son, but Jason was persistent, and within a year they were married, and she was able to leave her old life behind—which entailed many tragic secrets.
"We need an explanation, something to reassure us that the horrible things that happened to them could never happen to us."
As Jason's star rose, Angela stood beside him, always the dutiful, loving wife. She loved her husband, loved the life they had, even though his every foray into the public eye made Angela nervous that somehow she'd be dragged into it with him, that the careful façade she worked so hard to build might come tumbling down.
When Jason mentions that an intern at work is accusing him of inappropriate behavior, Angela finds it preposterous. If her husband is guilty of anything, it's being a little too handsome and smart at the same time, and maybe a little more flirtatious than is acceptable in the business world. But when a second woman, an executive for one of Jason's clients, steps forward with more serious allegations, Angela starts to wonder if her husband is telling the truth. Did Jason do what these women are accusing him of? If so, what will that mean for their marriage? Perhaps more importantly, what will it mean for her and her son?
As more evidence against Jason mounts, she still stands behind her husband. Perhaps he was unfaithful, and maybe she was in part to blame for some of his behavior, but she is unwilling to consider the ramifications of his guilt. However, she's decided to start taking a closer look at her husband, just be sure she isn't tying her own future to a liar. And when Jason's primary accuser goes missing, she doesn't know whether to feel relief or fear.
This plot summary just scratches the surface for fear of revealing any twists or surprises. Burke certainly has more than a few of those up her sleeve in this book. You may think you've seen all of this before, and perhaps you have, but not with Burke at the helm. She's a fantastic storyteller, leading you along and making you wonder if the story is going to follow the tried-and-true path, but all the while you're suspecting every character that makes an appearance. (Or maybe that's just me.)
I devoured this book in the matter of a few hours, and all the while I wondered why it's taken me so long to read Burke's books given how much of a fan I am of her father. Regardless, Burke is a writer all her own, deserving of praise on her own merits.
I fully anticipate this will be a popular vacation/beach read this year, because in addition to the requisite amount of suspense, and the he-said, she-said nature of some of the accusations, The Wife isn't a lightweight, throwaway book—it's one to wow you.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com, or check out my list of the best books I read in 2017 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2017.html.
February 10, 2018
Dance-y happy head!
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! I’m picky about my thrillers, but this one made it to 5-star-land, no sweat! Burke really had me going there. I could NOT put it down! Dance-y happy head after reading this!
Okay, now that I've gotten some gush over with, I have to tell you something very important, lol. I just found out that the author, Alafair Burke, is the daughter of the great mystery writer James Lee Burke! That just slays me, for two reasons.
One, the author doesn’t brag that James Burke is her daddy (and for this she gets huge points). In fact, she doesn’t even mention it anywhere on her Goodreads profile page. Even on her website, you have to scroll through a bunch of info until you get to a small paragraph about her family, where she says her mother is a librarian and her father was a professor and is “still a writer.” Maybe she doesn’t want to ride on her dad’s coattails, or maybe she isn’t all that fond of him, who knows. I only found out the connection because one reviewer mentioned that she’s the daughter of a master storyteller. Ding ding ding! Could she be the daughter of James Lee Burke? This sent me on an exuberant and manic Google mission, naturally, and yep, she sure is his daughter.
And the second reason the dad-daughter connection slays me is that I postponed reading a NetGalley book and chose to read The Wife instead. Guess what the NetGalley book was? Robicheaux, by James Lee Burke!! How weird is it that I’d postpone reading a book by a famous guy so that I could read a book by his accomplished daughter, but have no idea that the two authors were in any way related? To make matters even more cool, the main character in James Burke’s famous Robicheaux series has a daughter named Alafair—as in his own author-daughter’s name!
In a 2004 article from NPR about this father-daughter duo, it says that Alafair Burke was interested in writing mysteries when she was young: "As a kid... I would sneak into his office when he wasn't around and get on his manual typewriter and write mysteries before he was writing [them]." Check out the article if you’re interested:
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...
Now, back to this fabulous book. A married man is accused of sexual harassment by one woman and rape by another. With the Me Too movement under way, this story is a hot potato. At first, I had two worries: Because of all the current unrest and scandal, I thought that the writer was just cashing in on a current hot topic to get attention, but then I reminded myself that, duh, this book was written before the scandals were happening, so just throw that worry out the window, Ms. Debbie. And second, I worried that the story would be littered with stereotypes: the seemingly perfect husband who is really a sicko jerk, and the good wife who wants to stick by his side. Been there, done that.
But I didn’t have to worry—the characters were complex and the situation so well handled that instead of feeling like it was hackneyed, it had me questioning my beliefs and reactions to news in real life. In the book, I kept going back and forth: He did it, I’m sure of it. The next second, no, maybe he didn’t. The next minute, geez, it’s obvious he did it, what was I thinking? Hm.…maybe he IS innocent. And around and around. Who is telling the truth? The author messed with my head but in the best possible way.
The story is well-written and tight. I can’t think of one extraneous paragraph. The story is mostly told in first person by the wife, Angela. The other chapters are in third person, from the point of view of a detective, Corrine. This setup worked perfectly. One of the biggest things I liked about the book was the pacing. The author strategically places hints; it’s very artful the way she does this. Also, there are little twists that keep coming, and each one gave me the false confidence that I knew what was going on.
I don’t usually like books heavy on police procedurals or lawyer dramas, but this book had a little of each—not too much to bore me or send me running. (The author is a lawyer and a law professor, so she knows what she’s talking about.) Besides the husband and wife, there were well-drawn lawyers, cops, and friends. All of this—the plot, the pacing, the characters, the good writing, the twistiness, and the relevant theme—conspired to make this book un-put-down-able. I’ve learned that I like this new subcategory called domestic thrillers---but only if they’re done well, like this one.
I’m glad I read a couple of rave reviews, because based on the cover, I never would have picked this one up. So don’t hesitate because of the cover, please.
I’m definitely going to check out Alafair Burke’s earlier books. Hell, I’ll even read a series, which is something I’ve never done. Meanwhile, I’m going to start her dad’s book, Robicheaux, but I’m telling you, The Wife will be a hard act to follow.
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! I’m picky about my thrillers, but this one made it to 5-star-land, no sweat! Burke really had me going there. I could NOT put it down! Dance-y happy head after reading this!
Okay, now that I've gotten some gush over with, I have to tell you something very important, lol. I just found out that the author, Alafair Burke, is the daughter of the great mystery writer James Lee Burke! That just slays me, for two reasons.
One, the author doesn’t brag that James Burke is her daddy (and for this she gets huge points). In fact, she doesn’t even mention it anywhere on her Goodreads profile page. Even on her website, you have to scroll through a bunch of info until you get to a small paragraph about her family, where she says her mother is a librarian and her father was a professor and is “still a writer.” Maybe she doesn’t want to ride on her dad’s coattails, or maybe she isn’t all that fond of him, who knows. I only found out the connection because one reviewer mentioned that she’s the daughter of a master storyteller. Ding ding ding! Could she be the daughter of James Lee Burke? This sent me on an exuberant and manic Google mission, naturally, and yep, she sure is his daughter.
And the second reason the dad-daughter connection slays me is that I postponed reading a NetGalley book and chose to read The Wife instead. Guess what the NetGalley book was? Robicheaux, by James Lee Burke!! How weird is it that I’d postpone reading a book by a famous guy so that I could read a book by his accomplished daughter, but have no idea that the two authors were in any way related? To make matters even more cool, the main character in James Burke’s famous Robicheaux series has a daughter named Alafair—as in his own author-daughter’s name!
In a 2004 article from NPR about this father-daughter duo, it says that Alafair Burke was interested in writing mysteries when she was young: "As a kid... I would sneak into his office when he wasn't around and get on his manual typewriter and write mysteries before he was writing [them]." Check out the article if you’re interested:
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...
Now, back to this fabulous book. A married man is accused of sexual harassment by one woman and rape by another. With the Me Too movement under way, this story is a hot potato. At first, I had two worries: Because of all the current unrest and scandal, I thought that the writer was just cashing in on a current hot topic to get attention, but then I reminded myself that, duh, this book was written before the scandals were happening, so just throw that worry out the window, Ms. Debbie. And second, I worried that the story would be littered with stereotypes: the seemingly perfect husband who is really a sicko jerk, and the good wife who wants to stick by his side. Been there, done that.
But I didn’t have to worry—the characters were complex and the situation so well handled that instead of feeling like it was hackneyed, it had me questioning my beliefs and reactions to news in real life. In the book, I kept going back and forth: He did it, I’m sure of it. The next second, no, maybe he didn’t. The next minute, geez, it’s obvious he did it, what was I thinking? Hm.…maybe he IS innocent. And around and around. Who is telling the truth? The author messed with my head but in the best possible way.
The story is well-written and tight. I can’t think of one extraneous paragraph. The story is mostly told in first person by the wife, Angela. The other chapters are in third person, from the point of view of a detective, Corrine. This setup worked perfectly. One of the biggest things I liked about the book was the pacing. The author strategically places hints; it’s very artful the way she does this. Also, there are little twists that keep coming, and each one gave me the false confidence that I knew what was going on.
I don’t usually like books heavy on police procedurals or lawyer dramas, but this book had a little of each—not too much to bore me or send me running. (The author is a lawyer and a law professor, so she knows what she’s talking about.) Besides the husband and wife, there were well-drawn lawyers, cops, and friends. All of this—the plot, the pacing, the characters, the good writing, the twistiness, and the relevant theme—conspired to make this book un-put-down-able. I’ve learned that I like this new subcategory called domestic thrillers---but only if they’re done well, like this one.
I’m glad I read a couple of rave reviews, because based on the cover, I never would have picked this one up. So don’t hesitate because of the cover, please.
I’m definitely going to check out Alafair Burke’s earlier books. Hell, I’ll even read a series, which is something I’ve never done. Meanwhile, I’m going to start her dad’s book, Robicheaux, but I’m telling you, The Wife will be a hard act to follow.
April 3, 2018
.....I was hooked from the start.....wondering who the hell was telling the truth?
......Then wondering what everyone hiding?
......I was Intrigued about ‘The Wife’ ( Angela) from the start and thoroughly engaged and curious about every character and the sexual harassment claims against Jason.
I conclude the author, Alafair Burke, “LOCKED THIS PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE NOVEL *DOWN*”!!!
Great storytelling- crafting - Simply GREAT!
......Then wondering what everyone hiding?
......I was Intrigued about ‘The Wife’ ( Angela) from the start and thoroughly engaged and curious about every character and the sexual harassment claims against Jason.
I conclude the author, Alafair Burke, “LOCKED THIS PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE NOVEL *DOWN*”!!!
Great storytelling- crafting - Simply GREAT!
May 14, 2018
When you mess with the bull you get the horns.
Well, I've been charmed like a snake with the hypnotic writing of one Alafair Burke, non other than JLB's kid.
The wife is a gullible gal. The husband accused of a few inexcusable interludes that threaten their life along with her own hidden secrets. I was a little on the wtf side as she was allowing him his indiscretions at a cost that seemed way too high but Burke snake charmed me out of my basket and gave me a story that was totally unforeseeable.
Well done. Yep, she's got her daddy's talent and can stand all on her own. 4.25⭐️
Well, I've been charmed like a snake with the hypnotic writing of one Alafair Burke, non other than JLB's kid.
The wife is a gullible gal. The husband accused of a few inexcusable interludes that threaten their life along with her own hidden secrets. I was a little on the wtf side as she was allowing him his indiscretions at a cost that seemed way too high but Burke snake charmed me out of my basket and gave me a story that was totally unforeseeable.
Well done. Yep, she's got her daddy's talent and can stand all on her own. 4.25⭐️
March 29, 2018
The Wife by Alafair Burke is a 2018 Harper publication.
How well do you know your husband?
It’s that all too familiar, and oft dreaded question posed by law enforcement when it appears ones husband may have been leading a double life. Angela, just like many other loyal wives, swears her husband isn’t capable of murder, and even gives him a rock-solid alibi. But, deep down, Angela’s insecurities, traumatic past, and the mounting evidence against her husband, Jason, has forced her to take a good hard look at the man she married.
This book is just the kind of thriller I love and never seem to tire of. I openly admit, I’m a big fan of this author. However, despite my bias, I truly believe this book would have been highly successful no matter what. But, I must admit, the precision perfect timing of its release gave the story an added boost of power and a ripped from the headlines type of atmosphere, it might not have benefited from otherwise.
For authors these days, it’s more of a challenge than ever before to put a fresh spin on familiar plots or to keep their material fresh and original. Jaded readers, like myself, can often see a twist coming a mile off, which might be why some authors are trying to keep readers off balance by throwing in a multitude of over the top shocking twist and turns. But, that gets old in a hurry, and is more about shock value than true writing ability. So, it takes a very skilled author to weave a complex, clever tale around a timely storyline that will keep readers engaged, add in a nice balance of well -timed twist and turns, and top it off with a stunning conclusion they never saw coming. But, that is exactly what Alafair Burke has done with this story.
Usually I enjoy analyzing the plot and characters in more detail, maybe build up a little enticing curiosity about the book, but, in this case, it’s best not to say too much. But, I want to stress that this is not just another story about a woman standing by her husband after he’s been accused of misconduct. Trust me, there’s a lot more to this twisted tale than meets the eye!
This is a very clever, well thought out, skillfully constructed thriller I can’t recommend highly enough. It’s early in the year to start making a ‘best of 2018’ list, but I think it’s safe to say this one will definitely make the cut.
5 stars
How well do you know your husband?
It’s that all too familiar, and oft dreaded question posed by law enforcement when it appears ones husband may have been leading a double life. Angela, just like many other loyal wives, swears her husband isn’t capable of murder, and even gives him a rock-solid alibi. But, deep down, Angela’s insecurities, traumatic past, and the mounting evidence against her husband, Jason, has forced her to take a good hard look at the man she married.
This book is just the kind of thriller I love and never seem to tire of. I openly admit, I’m a big fan of this author. However, despite my bias, I truly believe this book would have been highly successful no matter what. But, I must admit, the precision perfect timing of its release gave the story an added boost of power and a ripped from the headlines type of atmosphere, it might not have benefited from otherwise.
For authors these days, it’s more of a challenge than ever before to put a fresh spin on familiar plots or to keep their material fresh and original. Jaded readers, like myself, can often see a twist coming a mile off, which might be why some authors are trying to keep readers off balance by throwing in a multitude of over the top shocking twist and turns. But, that gets old in a hurry, and is more about shock value than true writing ability. So, it takes a very skilled author to weave a complex, clever tale around a timely storyline that will keep readers engaged, add in a nice balance of well -timed twist and turns, and top it off with a stunning conclusion they never saw coming. But, that is exactly what Alafair Burke has done with this story.
Usually I enjoy analyzing the plot and characters in more detail, maybe build up a little enticing curiosity about the book, but, in this case, it’s best not to say too much. But, I want to stress that this is not just another story about a woman standing by her husband after he’s been accused of misconduct. Trust me, there’s a lot more to this twisted tale than meets the eye!
This is a very clever, well thought out, skillfully constructed thriller I can’t recommend highly enough. It’s early in the year to start making a ‘best of 2018’ list, but I think it’s safe to say this one will definitely make the cut.
5 stars
January 23, 2018
Happy Publication Day (January 23, 2018) to The Wife!
5 innovative, timely, and edge-of-your-seat stars to The Wife! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
The Wife grabbed me from the very first chapter. The writing was tight, and the pacing was on point. When Angela’s husband was accused of sexual harrassment, and later sexual assault of a different woman, would she continue to stand by her husband? How far would she go to protect him? And just what is it about her past that keeps her in this marriage?
The last chapter is perfection. I was able to figure out one of the twists, but not the other; but it took me until later in the book to put my finger on it. On another twist, I followed one red herring so far in the wrong direction that I practically landed in the water with it! 🐟
Yeah, I think I’ll end my review here. It’s another one where I feel like my hands are tied because I don’t want to ruin any of the reading experience with this review. Friends, this is a great thriller! #thehypeisreal
With the #MeToo movement and widespread media coverage of sexual harassment and sexual assault as of late, The Wife is a timely release that would offer plenty of discussion for book clubs.
Thank you to Alafair Burke, Harper/Harper Collins, and Edelweiss for the ARC to review.
5 innovative, timely, and edge-of-your-seat stars to The Wife! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
The Wife grabbed me from the very first chapter. The writing was tight, and the pacing was on point. When Angela’s husband was accused of sexual harrassment, and later sexual assault of a different woman, would she continue to stand by her husband? How far would she go to protect him? And just what is it about her past that keeps her in this marriage?
The last chapter is perfection. I was able to figure out one of the twists, but not the other; but it took me until later in the book to put my finger on it. On another twist, I followed one red herring so far in the wrong direction that I practically landed in the water with it! 🐟
Yeah, I think I’ll end my review here. It’s another one where I feel like my hands are tied because I don’t want to ruin any of the reading experience with this review. Friends, this is a great thriller! #thehypeisreal
With the #MeToo movement and widespread media coverage of sexual harassment and sexual assault as of late, The Wife is a timely release that would offer plenty of discussion for book clubs.
Thank you to Alafair Burke, Harper/Harper Collins, and Edelweiss for the ARC to review.
July 13, 2018
Blurb
His scandal. Her secret.
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 the man she married. And when she is asked to defend Jason in court, she realizes that her loyalty to her husband could unearth old secrets.
I loved this book. I just wanted to show some of the five star books that I have read recently. I am behind on reviews right now and I am only reviewing my Netgalley and Edelweiss books at this time, until I am not so behind. This was a fantastic thriller.
February 8, 2018
A multi-layered plot that was oh so clever and had me putting my other two reads to the side because I couldn't pull away from this one. Another addictive read that skillfully reveals pieces to the mystery one layer at a time and draws you into the story. The author's surprise twists had me coming to conclusions at every turn. Everything added up and made sense, but didn't "feel right". What was I missing? I HAVE to know...thus I have to keep reading!
The husband "flirty" Jason is mega successful and married to Angela (the narrator). They are living in a dream home in Greenwich Village and their son attends a prestigious private school. Rachel, an intern at work, enters the story with some accusations against Jason and things start to get "messy" in the couples dream life.
Angela will do anything to protect her husband (or will she)? The second narrator, Detective Corinne Duncan is relentless and keeps showing up on the couples front door step. We'll soon find out just how good an investigator she is and what Angela is willing to do or not do to protect Jason.
I love legal based thrillers and this one really picks up the pace and throws the punches. I don't want to spoil the ending. I'll just say oh my my.....
Thank you Harper Collins for my copy to review.
Read
April 25, 2018Because, you know, I don’t have seventy four thousand other books to read and review, let me pick up a library book!
August 22, 2018
4.5 Stars
At last a smart grown up thriller that had me guessing right to the end. I liked the slow burn of this one as it tended to build up the tension. Deftly plotted and just the right amount of drama to keep it edgy and believable.
I tend to have a love hate relationship with the thriller genre and while I do love to dip in now and again I am more often than not left feeling disappointed. But not so with The Wife by Alafair Burke which worked beautifully for me as it seemed to have the right amount of suspense and great characters that were complex and well formed but memorable and real.
I like the authors spin on the issues trending at the moment and how she forms the story around them, The powell family seem to have it all, a successful career, an affluent lifestyle, the right address in manhattan, the best school for their son, a lifestyle of the rich and famous but when your husband is accused of sexual harassment and secrets from the past threaten to get exposed, life can be turned into a nightmare pretty quickly.
A Perfectly paced and utterly compelling tale from page one. The author is a former prosecutor and now teaches criminal law, and her experience and knowledge give this novel the edge.
I really enjoyed this one and my favourite thriller of the year SO FAR.
At last a smart grown up thriller that had me guessing right to the end. I liked the slow burn of this one as it tended to build up the tension. Deftly plotted and just the right amount of drama to keep it edgy and believable.
I tend to have a love hate relationship with the thriller genre and while I do love to dip in now and again I am more often than not left feeling disappointed. But not so with The Wife by Alafair Burke which worked beautifully for me as it seemed to have the right amount of suspense and great characters that were complex and well formed but memorable and real.
I like the authors spin on the issues trending at the moment and how she forms the story around them, The powell family seem to have it all, a successful career, an affluent lifestyle, the right address in manhattan, the best school for their son, a lifestyle of the rich and famous but when your husband is accused of sexual harassment and secrets from the past threaten to get exposed, life can be turned into a nightmare pretty quickly.
A Perfectly paced and utterly compelling tale from page one. The author is a former prosecutor and now teaches criminal law, and her experience and knowledge give this novel the edge.
I really enjoyed this one and my favourite thriller of the year SO FAR.
May 18, 2018
This is a great story that shows how little we know about our spouses. Angela’s husband is first accused of sexual harassment from an intern. Then another woman accuses him of rape. Because of a past trauma in her life, she chooses to stand behind her man. Let’s just say, she’s a lot more forgiving and believing than I would be.
It’s also a fascinating study in how the law and legal system work. The story juxtaposes between Angela’s story and that of the female detective pursuing the case. Little by little, layers keep being added to what seems fairly black and white at the start. Nice, short chapters keep you engaged and the story moving at a brisk pace. And while I had a feeling who was to blame, I didn’t see any of the twists. This would make a great movie or tv miniseries. It’s the sort of thing Reese Witherspoon would excel at producing.
I listened to this and Xe Sands was a great narrator.
September 1, 2018
4.5 stars, rounded up
A Traveling Friends group read, this is a well-written, intelligent domestic thriller/police procedural that restores my faith in the genre. I was engaged with this book right from the start. Complicated characters, perfect pacing, and solid plotting combined with the author’s knowledge and experience in criminal law makes for a riveting tale.
Jason, a married college professor, is accused of rape and sexual harassment. Not exactly shocking news in the current environment. But what is different here is I couldn’t decide if he was a jerk and deserving of all the vitriol heaped upon him by the press and on social media sites or if he was innocent. Who, if anyone, is telling the truth and who is lying? To ramp up the tension even further, there’s a murder, and all the signs point to Jason.
Angela, the wife, is standing by her man. She's an interesting character with many layers and a past she doesn’t want revealed. The story alternated between Angela’s point of view and that of Corrine, the female detective. Corrinne is a smart cookie and I liked her character very much.
The author dribbled out information and dropped subtle hints along the way, which keeps the reader guessing throughout. The clues are all there but it isn’t until the end that it all clicks into place. Better yet, the ending makes sense and the twists are logical. There’s a lot to think about and discuss.
I don’t want to give away too much so I will end my review here. My recommendation: read it!
A Traveling Friends group read, this is a well-written, intelligent domestic thriller/police procedural that restores my faith in the genre. I was engaged with this book right from the start. Complicated characters, perfect pacing, and solid plotting combined with the author’s knowledge and experience in criminal law makes for a riveting tale.
Jason, a married college professor, is accused of rape and sexual harassment. Not exactly shocking news in the current environment. But what is different here is I couldn’t decide if he was a jerk and deserving of all the vitriol heaped upon him by the press and on social media sites or if he was innocent. Who, if anyone, is telling the truth and who is lying? To ramp up the tension even further, there’s a murder, and all the signs point to Jason.
Angela, the wife, is standing by her man. She's an interesting character with many layers and a past she doesn’t want revealed. The story alternated between Angela’s point of view and that of Corrine, the female detective. Corrinne is a smart cookie and I liked her character very much.
The author dribbled out information and dropped subtle hints along the way, which keeps the reader guessing throughout. The clues are all there but it isn’t until the end that it all clicks into place. Better yet, the ending makes sense and the twists are logical. There’s a lot to think about and discuss.
I don’t want to give away too much so I will end my review here. My recommendation: read it!
May 15, 2018
Angela Powell’s orderly and comfortable life is upended when her husband Jason, an NYU economics professor and best selling author, is accused of sexual harassment by a student. The situation escalates when another woman, Kerry Lynch, accuses him of rape.
I thought this was going to be another traditional story where the wife dutifully stands by her man to the bitter end until she’s wrenched into an alternate reality. This isn’t that story.
First of all, Angela has plenty of secrets, most notably an event from when she was a teenager that is slowly revealed throughout at well-placed moments. Jason is difficult to grasp as he’s a very layered character, a lot by his own creation. And then there’s Kerry who has accused him of an awful act and the lawyers begin to do their thing to undermine the character and motives of them both. In the meantime, we’re left to wade through it all as more details of the past are woven into the story. It’s a brilliant study in the midst of our current transformation of thinking and old paradigms about sexual harassment victims, perpetrators and accusers. I found my attitudes tested while trying to figure out truths and who to believe.
The ending. Wow. Did NOT see that coming. But, sort of should have. Even still. I’m still reeling. It was just perfect...in a way.
I know I’m being cryptic but once you listen to/read this story, you wouldn’t have me be any other way. I enjoyed Xe Sands performance, especially the second half of the story where she just didn’t get in the way, if that makes sense. In the first part, I wasn’t understanding her choice of delivery but it became clearer later on.
Run, don’t walk to the bookstore or your library or your online download site and get this book.
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review)
I thought this was going to be another traditional story where the wife dutifully stands by her man to the bitter end until she’s wrenched into an alternate reality. This isn’t that story.
First of all, Angela has plenty of secrets, most notably an event from when she was a teenager that is slowly revealed throughout at well-placed moments. Jason is difficult to grasp as he’s a very layered character, a lot by his own creation. And then there’s Kerry who has accused him of an awful act and the lawyers begin to do their thing to undermine the character and motives of them both. In the meantime, we’re left to wade through it all as more details of the past are woven into the story. It’s a brilliant study in the midst of our current transformation of thinking and old paradigms about sexual harassment victims, perpetrators and accusers. I found my attitudes tested while trying to figure out truths and who to believe.
The ending. Wow. Did NOT see that coming. But, sort of should have. Even still. I’m still reeling. It was just perfect...in a way.
I know I’m being cryptic but once you listen to/read this story, you wouldn’t have me be any other way. I enjoyed Xe Sands performance, especially the second half of the story where she just didn’t get in the way, if that makes sense. In the first part, I wasn’t understanding her choice of delivery but it became clearer later on.
Run, don’t walk to the bookstore or your library or your online download site and get this book.
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review)
February 28, 2018
5 oh my goodness stars
This book was totally awesome and kept me turning those pages to its "Woo Hoo" conclusion.
Jason Powell, a man we might all say is quite the catch is married to Angela who is the narrator of this story, They met and married and Angela breezes into a life of privilege. Jason is gorgeous, rich, and super successful. He is a dream come true right?
Angela has it all, a son at private school, a gorgeous home in Greenwich Village and a loyal husband who from the outside seems to adore her and his son. All is perfect right up until an intern of her husband's accuses him of inappropriate sexual suggestions. A complaint is filed with the SVU and Detective Corinne Duncan is assigned to investigate. Not too long after a second complainant comes forward with a much more serious complaint, that of rape and the Powells' whole world is turned upside down.
Add to all this upheaval is the secret that Angela carries that tends to undermine her and her relationships. She must at all costs keep that secret hidden, stay under the radar, never letting anyone into her inner world although Jason does know some of it. Chaos ensues as the author leads us into a page turning event right up to the end when the pieces come together.
This was a wonderful thriller that kept this reader turning those pages, coming up with theories, and wondering whose side to be on. Great story with a great ending. I recommend it to all those who love a twisty turning novel that offers many surprises through its pages.
This book was totally awesome and kept me turning those pages to its "Woo Hoo" conclusion.
Jason Powell, a man we might all say is quite the catch is married to Angela who is the narrator of this story, They met and married and Angela breezes into a life of privilege. Jason is gorgeous, rich, and super successful. He is a dream come true right?
Angela has it all, a son at private school, a gorgeous home in Greenwich Village and a loyal husband who from the outside seems to adore her and his son. All is perfect right up until an intern of her husband's accuses him of inappropriate sexual suggestions. A complaint is filed with the SVU and Detective Corinne Duncan is assigned to investigate. Not too long after a second complainant comes forward with a much more serious complaint, that of rape and the Powells' whole world is turned upside down.
Add to all this upheaval is the secret that Angela carries that tends to undermine her and her relationships. She must at all costs keep that secret hidden, stay under the radar, never letting anyone into her inner world although Jason does know some of it. Chaos ensues as the author leads us into a page turning event right up to the end when the pieces come together.
This was a wonderful thriller that kept this reader turning those pages, coming up with theories, and wondering whose side to be on. Great story with a great ending. I recommend it to all those who love a twisty turning novel that offers many surprises through its pages.
March 18, 2018
3.75 Stars (rounded up).
Angela’s life revolves around her son. Then she meets Jason and their whirlwind relationship takes her by storm. Once they marry, her life seems perfect. She has finally put her past behind her. Then Jason gets accused of sexual assault. Angela stands behind him. How could she not? And then another woman comes forward, this time she accuses Jason of rape and hiding is something that Angela is no longer able to do.
Told from the POV of both Angela and Corrine, the primary detective on the case, this is a mystery/suspense that sucked me in immediately. It was twisty and turny and kept me gripped to the storyline till the end. For me however, I felt that too much was revealed only at the end of the story and had certain elements been “let out” during the course of the novel, they might have worked a bit better.
I read this with Brenda and Kaceey and am glad I discovered this author with them. I will definitely be reading her books in the future!
Published on Goodreads on 3.18.18.
Angela’s life revolves around her son. Then she meets Jason and their whirlwind relationship takes her by storm. Once they marry, her life seems perfect. She has finally put her past behind her. Then Jason gets accused of sexual assault. Angela stands behind him. How could she not? And then another woman comes forward, this time she accuses Jason of rape and hiding is something that Angela is no longer able to do.
Told from the POV of both Angela and Corrine, the primary detective on the case, this is a mystery/suspense that sucked me in immediately. It was twisty and turny and kept me gripped to the storyline till the end. For me however, I felt that too much was revealed only at the end of the story and had certain elements been “let out” during the course of the novel, they might have worked a bit better.
I read this with Brenda and Kaceey and am glad I discovered this author with them. I will definitely be reading her books in the future!
Published on Goodreads on 3.18.18.
February 23, 2018
This was a 3.5 for me. I enjoyed this marital deception "who-done-it" for the most part but the narrator's persona (the wife, Angela) wore on me after a while. I also figured out who the unreliable character was about half-way through, so it made me impatient for Burke to just get on with it already and reveal the specifics. The last third took forever to get to the point. Honestly, this is all Agatha Christie's fault. I read all of her books years ago, and I can't read a mystery or thriller novel now without weighing and analyzing every sentence with the dedication of a private investigator. I'm always working the angles and trying to stay one step ahead of the author because Christie was so sneaky, I learned early to treat everything revealed with suspicion. That doesn't always make for the most relaxing reading experience - and it ruins the fun.
So, if you read this (and you should), just go with the flow and enjoy the story. Let the author surprise you and don't overthink it!
Sincerely,
Miss Marple
So, if you read this (and you should), just go with the flow and enjoy the story. Let the author surprise you and don't overthink it!
Sincerely,
Miss Marple
February 8, 2018
About: The Wife is a psychological thriller written by Alafair Burke. It was recently published on 1/23/18 by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins, 352 pages. The genres are psychological, thriller, suspense, mystery, and fiction.
My Experience: I started reading The Wife on 1/23/18 and finished it on 2/6/18. This book is a good read! I like following the professional relationship between Detective Corrine and DA King. I like their humor and banter. I like how sharp Detective Corrine is. An interesting read to what’s been going on in the media currently. A famous TV personality being accused of sexual harassment, except in this book, there is a twist with the wife having a whole other secret of her own. I like the discussion about how vulnerable it is for women to come forward to accuse men of their inappropriate behavior. I like to see the pressure a wife and family may feel when their private life is made public for others to scrutinize.
This book is told in the first person point of view following Angela Powell, wife to Jason and mother to Spencer. On the opposite side is Detective Corrine Duncan, told in third person point of view as she investigate the case against Jason. Angela’s husband is a celebrity and an economic professor at a university. Angela was a sought-after caterer and single mom before she married Jason. She lives life under the radar as opposed to her husband who stays on the top of the Google search results. One day, Jason’s student, Rachel Sutton and business client, Kerry Lynch accused Jason of sexual assault and their quiet life is exploded in the media storm. Angela fears that while investigations are digging through Jason to prove his guilt, that they will find her secret past where she tries hard to keep hidden. The mystery is how Angela’s past have anything to do with Jason’s current scandal.
This book has the best ending. I raise a whole star just for it. The overall read were a bit slow for me. It’s filled with a lot of technical law on harassment, rape, shady business, lawyer communication with the client, courtroom battle, etc. There were a few dead ends on the investigator’s side that I like and my favorite character, Detective Corrine didn’t let me down. The story is modern and relatable, I like how blogs are mentioned as a source for information to the public. I like how this book can act as a reminder that we should be careful about accepting a ride with a clean cut normal looking stranger. This book is still worth the read and I do recommend everyone to read it!
Pro: the ending, some humor, some investigation dead ends, blogs as an outlet for info
Con: slow paced,
I rate it 4 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Alafair Burke, publisher HarperCollins, and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for more details
My Experience: I started reading The Wife on 1/23/18 and finished it on 2/6/18. This book is a good read! I like following the professional relationship between Detective Corrine and DA King. I like their humor and banter. I like how sharp Detective Corrine is. An interesting read to what’s been going on in the media currently. A famous TV personality being accused of sexual harassment, except in this book, there is a twist with the wife having a whole other secret of her own. I like the discussion about how vulnerable it is for women to come forward to accuse men of their inappropriate behavior. I like to see the pressure a wife and family may feel when their private life is made public for others to scrutinize.
This book is told in the first person point of view following Angela Powell, wife to Jason and mother to Spencer. On the opposite side is Detective Corrine Duncan, told in third person point of view as she investigate the case against Jason. Angela’s husband is a celebrity and an economic professor at a university. Angela was a sought-after caterer and single mom before she married Jason. She lives life under the radar as opposed to her husband who stays on the top of the Google search results. One day, Jason’s student, Rachel Sutton and business client, Kerry Lynch accused Jason of sexual assault and their quiet life is exploded in the media storm. Angela fears that while investigations are digging through Jason to prove his guilt, that they will find her secret past where she tries hard to keep hidden. The mystery is how Angela’s past have anything to do with Jason’s current scandal.
This book has the best ending. I raise a whole star just for it. The overall read were a bit slow for me. It’s filled with a lot of technical law on harassment, rape, shady business, lawyer communication with the client, courtroom battle, etc. There were a few dead ends on the investigator’s side that I like and my favorite character, Detective Corrine didn’t let me down. The story is modern and relatable, I like how blogs are mentioned as a source for information to the public. I like how this book can act as a reminder that we should be careful about accepting a ride with a clean cut normal looking stranger. This book is still worth the read and I do recommend everyone to read it!
Pro: the ending, some humor, some investigation dead ends, blogs as an outlet for info
Con: slow paced,
I rate it 4 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Alafair Burke, publisher HarperCollins, and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for more details
August 30, 2018
4.5 Stars! Whoa! What an ending!!!
THE WIFE by ALAFAIR BURKE was an extremely fun, enjoyable, twisty, and surprising psychological domestic thriller that started out a little bit slow for me, but once I grasped the focus of this story, I was totally intrigued and immersed in this tale.
ALAFAIR BURKE delivers a multi-layered, well-written, and suspenseful story here that was cleverly written with some perfectly timed twists and turns along the way to make this quite the satisfying book to read.
This book pretty much had all the elements that I seek in my thrillers which made this an all around GREAT reading experience for me!
To sum it all up it was an entertaining, compulsive, appealing, quick and easy read with an ending that will definitely surprise you! Would highly recommend!
* Traveling Friends Review to follow soon once this group read is completed. This is just my thoughts on this book for now.
A special thank you to Kris for reading & discussing this one with me before my Overdrive copy disappeared!
Review can also be found on our Traveling Sisters Book Blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
THE WIFE by ALAFAIR BURKE was an extremely fun, enjoyable, twisty, and surprising psychological domestic thriller that started out a little bit slow for me, but once I grasped the focus of this story, I was totally intrigued and immersed in this tale.
ALAFAIR BURKE delivers a multi-layered, well-written, and suspenseful story here that was cleverly written with some perfectly timed twists and turns along the way to make this quite the satisfying book to read.
This book pretty much had all the elements that I seek in my thrillers which made this an all around GREAT reading experience for me!
To sum it all up it was an entertaining, compulsive, appealing, quick and easy read with an ending that will definitely surprise you! Would highly recommend!
* Traveling Friends Review to follow soon once this group read is completed. This is just my thoughts on this book for now.
A special thank you to Kris for reading & discussing this one with me before my Overdrive copy disappeared!
Review can also be found on our Traveling Sisters Book Blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
December 1, 2021
3.5 stars
The Long Island Hamptons are among the ritziest vacation destinations in the country, with a robust service industry composed of year-round residents. Summer visitors may date the locals, but that's usually as far as it goes. So it's a big surprise when Jason Powell proposes to Angela - the pretty Hamptons caterer he met at a party.
Jason and Angela are something of an odd duo. Jason is a gregarious economics professor at NYU and Angela is a reserved single parent who never went to college. Still, the two wed and settle in Manhattan with Angela's school-age son Spencer.
The couple lives quietly for a few years until Jason becomes an unlikely celebrity. The professor - a strong proponent of fairness in the workplace - publishes a book called "Equalonomics", which posits that companies can 'maximize profits by making corporate decisions based on principles of equality.' The book becomes a best-seller and leads to Jason becoming a talking head on television, opening a successful consulting business, and launching a popular podcast.
Jason's newfound fame and wealth allows the couple to buy a carriage house in Greenwich Village.....
......send Spencer to an expensive private school, and treat themselves to the best of everything. You'd think all this would make Angela happy.....but not so much. It turns out that Angela is hiding a big secret, which she fears might be exposed by her husband's renown.
Still, the couple's lives are rolling along smoothly until Jason is accused of sexual harassment by a student intern named Rachel.
Rachel claims that she went to Jason's office to deliver a memo, and - when she took the opportunity to show the boss her new engagement ring - he put his hand in his pants and made suggestive remarks. For his part, Jason says that he happened to be changing his clothes when Rachel entered his office, and the supposed 'suggestive remarks' were sardonic comments about getting married too young.
It seems like this 'he said - she said' incident might blow over until another woman, Kerry Lynch - who works for one of Jason's consulting clients - accuses Jason of raping her two months before.
This time Jason suggests that Kerry is making false allegations to deflect attention from her company, which was about to be exposed for shenanigans related to supplying fresh water to poor African villages.
As often happens in cases like this, Angela stands by her man - asserting that she believes Jason.
Moreover, Angela doesn't want to upset Spencer, who thinks of Jason as his dad.
Still, Angela becomes increasingly anxious, obsessively watching the news and scanning social media - to see what it says about Jason.....and herself.
The story is told from the dual points of view of Angela and Detective Corinne Duncan - the investigator who's looking into the charges against Jason.
Duncan - who doesn't need all the Dunkin' Donut jokes.....thank you very much 😏 - knows that sometimes accusers are mistaken or untruthful about accusations of sexual harassment and/or rape, but from a 'politically correct' perspective, all allegations have to be treated as gospel truth (at least at first).
Jason's life goes down the toilet when the indictments surface.....and heads to the bottom of the sewer when Kerry Lynch suddenly disappears.
The investigation escalates at this point, and secret after secret after secret is exposed, leading to an explosive climax.
The book has an interesting array of secondary characters, including Angela's close friend (and former catering client) Susanna - an aging television journalist who's worried about her job; Jason's best friend Colin - a lawyer who has a secret crush on Angela; and Angela's mother Ginny - a fierce woman who has Angela's best interests at heart.
The book's biggest problem (IMO) is that - for purposes of plot secrecy - the author withholds a lot of information. This makes Angela's behavior appear dubious and distorts the flow of the story. Thus the book starts off a bit too slowly, but escalates to a full on gallop by the end. Overall, I enjoyed the book and recommend it to mystery fans.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
February 24, 2018
I have mixed feelings on this book. The writing, suspense, and characters were good, but I am not thrilled about where the plot went. Honestly, I wish this book would have stuck to being an intense drama, and left out the plot twists. It was so close to being a good book for me, and now I just feel disenchanted because of the last bit of the book. This book had an opportunity to present a decent message, and completely failed. I just think that right now is not the time to say what The Wife says. I am also not saying what I feel outright so that I don't totally spoil the book for you.
That being said, everything leading up to it was amazing. The story is an addicting one, and it's something I would follow in real life. It was relevant (for the most part). I loved most of the book, but I'm still so frustrated by what happened.
That being said, everything leading up to it was amazing. The story is an addicting one, and it's something I would follow in real life. It was relevant (for the most part). I loved most of the book, but I'm still so frustrated by what happened.
November 14, 2017
I BLEW through The Wife by Alafair Burke. I loved every second of it. I don’t know how many times I can say it but shortish chapters are the best! Also, multiple POVs always gets me excited. I was hoooooked!
So what’s it about? Jason has many jobs, one of being a professor and the other a consulting business. Oh, he’s also a best selling Author. Jason seems to have it all. Money, jobs, an actual house in NYC. He is married to Angela and has a step son named Spencer. Angela has had a horrible and tragic past but has moved forward in life by marrying Jason. Because Jason is well known, Angela often times feels worried that her past life will come back to haunt her.
An intern from Jason’s business goes to the police after an incident in his office. SVU Detective, Corrine Duncan leads the investigation. (I really enjoyed Corrine and her ADA, Brian King.) Corrine decides there’s not much proof, more of a he said she said type of deal. “Somehow” the incident gets leaked in the paper. After the post another woman, Kerry Lynch, has come forward accusing Jason of something terrible. Eventually, Kerry ends up missing.
Angela sticks by Jason’s side through out it all. She believes he’s innocent. But is he really? Did Jason hurt these women? Betrayal, lies, secrets oooooOOo so juicy! So many twist and turns! And the last chapter: OMG!! I was GRINNING to myself after reading the final chapter. The HYPE is real
Well played, Alafair. Well played! Highly recommended. 5 Stars!
Thank you to Harper for the advanced copy via Edelweiss!
So what’s it about? Jason has many jobs, one of being a professor and the other a consulting business. Oh, he’s also a best selling Author. Jason seems to have it all. Money, jobs, an actual house in NYC. He is married to Angela and has a step son named Spencer. Angela has had a horrible and tragic past but has moved forward in life by marrying Jason. Because Jason is well known, Angela often times feels worried that her past life will come back to haunt her.
An intern from Jason’s business goes to the police after an incident in his office. SVU Detective, Corrine Duncan leads the investigation. (I really enjoyed Corrine and her ADA, Brian King.) Corrine decides there’s not much proof, more of a he said she said type of deal. “Somehow” the incident gets leaked in the paper. After the post another woman, Kerry Lynch, has come forward accusing Jason of something terrible. Eventually, Kerry ends up missing.
Angela sticks by Jason’s side through out it all. She believes he’s innocent. But is he really? Did Jason hurt these women? Betrayal, lies, secrets oooooOOo so juicy! So many twist and turns! And the last chapter: OMG!! I was GRINNING to myself after reading the final chapter. The HYPE is real
Well played, Alafair. Well played! Highly recommended. 5 Stars!
Thank you to Harper for the advanced copy via Edelweiss!
April 12, 2018
The Wife
Alafair Burke
MY RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️▫️
PUBLISHER Harper Audio
PUBLISHED January 23, 2018
NARRATOR Xe Sands
A timely and gripping psychological suspense novel that will leave you gasping for air.
SUMMARY
He makes a mistake and she may pay the price. All Angela wanted was to live a quiet life, maybe get married, have another child, and most importantly, stay out of the media limelight in order to avoid the press about nightmare that was her past. But six years into her marriage to Jason, a brilliant NYU economics professor, that dream began to crumble. Jason, handsome and well-dressed, had already become a media darling when he published a best selling book, developed a podcast and started a very successful corporate consulting firm several years ago. But it was when a intern in his consulting firm made an accusation against Jason, and another woman comes forward with a more troubling charge that their perfect life implodes. Jason says he is innocent of the charges. Angela wants to believe him, and but she really wants this all to just go away. Coming to her husband’s defense will put her and her troubling past in the media spotlight again. She’s not sure she can handle that.
REVIEW
One of life’s pleasures is a book that you begin reading with no expectation and in the end it just blows you away. The Wife is a skillful crafted and cleverly layered thriller that will definitely keep your head in the book. The investigation into the accusations against Jason, Angela’s troubled past, and her strained marriage all coalesce to draw you in, but it is the final chapters that will have you gasping for air. Alafair Burke’s storytelling is impeccable, and she has created just the right amount of tension within each of the multiple layers of the story. Her writing is smooth and easy to read, and Jason and Angela’s characters are well-drawn. I really appreciated Angela’s strength. Surprising to me that this was my first book by Burke, who is a best-selling crime novelist, a professor of law and a legal commentator. She is impressively the author of two series of crime novels featuring strong women as the main character. How did I miss those? Word on the street is that this newest novel, The Wife will soon be made into a major motion picture. Can’t wait!
Alafair Burke
MY RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️▫️
PUBLISHER Harper Audio
PUBLISHED January 23, 2018
NARRATOR Xe Sands
A timely and gripping psychological suspense novel that will leave you gasping for air.
SUMMARY
He makes a mistake and she may pay the price. All Angela wanted was to live a quiet life, maybe get married, have another child, and most importantly, stay out of the media limelight in order to avoid the press about nightmare that was her past. But six years into her marriage to Jason, a brilliant NYU economics professor, that dream began to crumble. Jason, handsome and well-dressed, had already become a media darling when he published a best selling book, developed a podcast and started a very successful corporate consulting firm several years ago. But it was when a intern in his consulting firm made an accusation against Jason, and another woman comes forward with a more troubling charge that their perfect life implodes. Jason says he is innocent of the charges. Angela wants to believe him, and but she really wants this all to just go away. Coming to her husband’s defense will put her and her troubling past in the media spotlight again. She’s not sure she can handle that.
REVIEW
One of life’s pleasures is a book that you begin reading with no expectation and in the end it just blows you away. The Wife is a skillful crafted and cleverly layered thriller that will definitely keep your head in the book. The investigation into the accusations against Jason, Angela’s troubled past, and her strained marriage all coalesce to draw you in, but it is the final chapters that will have you gasping for air. Alafair Burke’s storytelling is impeccable, and she has created just the right amount of tension within each of the multiple layers of the story. Her writing is smooth and easy to read, and Jason and Angela’s characters are well-drawn. I really appreciated Angela’s strength. Surprising to me that this was my first book by Burke, who is a best-selling crime novelist, a professor of law and a legal commentator. She is impressively the author of two series of crime novels featuring strong women as the main character. How did I miss those? Word on the street is that this newest novel, The Wife will soon be made into a major motion picture. Can’t wait!
February 5, 2018
Alafair Burke has outdone herself with her 2018 new release of The Wife. It's engaging, mysterious, powerful, message-filled, with one hell of a surprising twist...surprising to me anyway. Intentional or not, the timing couldn't be more perfect with the #MeToo movement in full force. Full of insight and perspective, with situations that allow you to explore rape culture, legal processing of allegations, and consequences experienced by victims, alleged perpetrators, and their families. Even though I probably make this book sound like a women's fiction drama, it is indeed a mystery/psychological thriller. Really, it's the best of both worlds. Check it out.
My favorite quote:
"The public's first instinct is to disbelieve the woman because we don't want to admit these horrible things actually happen. So to counter that instinct, we good feminists take the position that we believe every single woman every single time. And then the Rolling Stone article about West Virginia happens and it hurts us all."
1/23/18:
I did not see that coming. I love this woman’s work. RTC
My favorite quote:
"The public's first instinct is to disbelieve the woman because we don't want to admit these horrible things actually happen. So to counter that instinct, we good feminists take the position that we believe every single woman every single time. And then the Rolling Stone article about West Virginia happens and it hurts us all."
1/23/18:
I did not see that coming. I love this woman’s work. RTC
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