The Wife

By Alafair Burke

FLEW through this novel. We begin with a married couple. Husband is an NYU professor and author of a best-selling economics book, which has made him a semi-famous talking head on the news shows. Wife has a secret in her past which she is desperate to keep under wraps.

I loved the set up. I loved the twists. I love that this main character is a wife and a mother and above all, a survivor. I also love the slow unfurling of this character. The pace at which we learn about her is such a tease. Tiny bit by tiny bit.

With these psych thrillers, it’s hard to say much without giving anything away. I’ll put it like this: I loved the twists-especially near the climax, when every twist feeds into the next one until the end where you put the book down and go:   What. Just. Happened???

And that is exactly the feeling you want at the end of this book. It’s like the discovery of sea salt and caramel in combination. The first time you tried it, you couldn’t believe you hadn’t been eating it that way your whole life. Am I right?

A great read for the beach! But do beware: there are many books out there with the same title (including the one made into an Oscar-nominated film last year. Make sure you get the one authored by Alafair Burke. Bonus: they are working on a feature film adaptation – yay!

Want to snag your own copy? Grab it here.

Content: some sexual violence described, not graphic.