I went into this with very high expectations. I’d seen it discussed by everyone who reads thrillers, it was one of the nominees for Goodreads’ best thriller of the year, and Lala from Books and Lala, who read all the Goodreads’ nominees, chose this as her favourite and talked about how surprising the twist was. Given how many thrillers she reads and that she can be quite critical, I figured this was high praise.
You cans see where this is going, can’t you? I wasn’t blown away. Lala was right, the twist took me by surprise and I definitely didn’t figure out all the twists before I got to them. So in that sense, it didn’t disappoint. I think the problem I had was mostly to do with pacing and the writing style. But let me back up and fill you in on the premise.
This is the story of a woman who, at the beginning of the book, seems to be a shell of a person. We learn that her marriage to a handsome and rich man ended, and that she essentially fell apart, moving in with an aunt and trying to keep her job as a salesperson at a department store to pay her bills. She comes across as pitiable and it’s easy to assume why this is.
As the book progresses, we slowly learn the details of her marriage, her past, and the truth about who she is and who her husband was. Obviously I can’t tell you any details about that without spoiling the book’s best aspect, so I’ll stop there. Suffice it to say that assumptions will not serve you well when it comes to this book.
I liked the concept of the book and the structure. I thought the idea behind it was stellar. But the execution didn’t work for me. There are a few reasons for this.
First, as mentioned above, pacing. Even when the book was at a point that should have been climactic, I wasn’t that interested. I wasn’t bored, exactly, I just wasn’t on the edge of my seat. Sometimes I saw where it was going enough to just want it to get there. Other times it just got carried away with details that weren’t necessary and drew out the reveal so long that by the time we got there, I didn’t really care anymore. I think this book could have been about a third shorter than it was, and I think it could have been more punchy.
The second issue I had is one that’s harder to define. It was a sense, while I was reading, that I could see the authors behind the scenes pulling the strings. I didn’t get lost in the story, I felt like I was watching it unfold from a distance and watching as the authors sat there going, “Oh, I know! Let’s have her do this here. And maybe if we throw in this character to do this that’ll tie it up nicely.” And because I could see the process happening, it made me feel like I couldn’t step into the story and become immersed. There was a sort of calculating smugness and self-consciousness to the writing that I found annoying, and it lessened the impact of the twists.
I’m not sure why this was. Maybe it was something to do with having two authors and that requiring more negotiation of plot and less natural flow. Maybe the authors were new to the genre and process and hadn’t quite figured it out yet. Maybe it’s just me. But whatever it was, I had a really hard time investing in the book, and I definitely didn’t have that intense need to find out what happened next that normally accompanies a thriller. I think I only finished the book because I wanted to see if it would pick up at some point.
I don’t think my experience with this book is typical. As I said, it’s been widely loved and recommended. I think there was at least a bit of over-hyping that played into my experience of the book. I think there was also a bit of it just not being what I expected.
If you are a fan of thrillers and read quickly, this might be one you will enjoy. I didn’t hate it – I enjoyed the structure and concept and did want to know what was going to happen. I just wish it had moved faster and with a more organic feel to the storytelling, so I can’t give it full stars.
I’d be interested to hear from any of you who have also read this book. Did you have a similar reaction to it? Or did you love it? If so, what made you love it so much? If you haven’t read it, do you think you will? And I’d really love to hear from anyone who has read both this and the duo’s newest novel, An Anonymous Girl, because I’m curious as to whether the writing loosens up in the second book. Share your thoughts in the comments!
When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.
You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.
You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.
Assume nothing.
Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage – and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love. – Goodreads
Book Title: The Wife Between Us
Author: Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
Series: No
Edition: Paperback
Published By: St. Martin’s Griffin
Released: October 30, 2018 (First published January 9, 2018)
Genre: Fiction, Thriller
Pages: 432
Date Read: January 19-February 8, 2019
Rating: 5/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.85/5 (111,130 ratings)
I’m totally with you on this one, unfortunately. I did not, and have no intention to, read the follow-up.
Yeah, I’m going to see what other reviewers have to say. If any discuss the two books side by side and think the follow-up has more going for it, I might give it a try. But I’ll need some convincing! Such a shame, because I think the bones of this book were good. It just didn’t come together perfectly for me.