Well that was...convoluted.

The Widow of Weeping Pines is a fast paced novella that I guarantee you won't guess the end on, but I'm also not 100% sure that's a good thing! This was certainly an original story, and I enjoyed getting the occasional POV shift so readers could have pieces of information that our main character wasn't privy to. It meant we got a benchmark for how much Betts' sanity was slipping, how she was so sure and yet we were in the loop that she was totally off base.

Everyone in this story was a little bit crazy and totally unlikeable, so it was a little bit like a car crash you couldn't look away from. Definitely was left with a little bit of "WTF was that?" when I finished the story.

Even so, I'd still read more books from Amanda McKinney. She's clearly got the creative brain suited for thrillers and I'm excited to see what else she's come up with!

Thanks to Amanda McKinney, NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! The Widow of Weeping Pines is out now!

I picked this up on a whim and that's what I get for not looking more into it other than the cover. We should all know by now. I barely made it halfway, the plot was so convoluted and I really did not like the MC.

It was a page turning fun novella to read! Read the whole book in under 24 hours. But the ending was very confusing! Otherwise would have given 5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book! It was a very quick read. It's short but the writing style is easy to read. I did not see any of the twists and turns that came fast at the end one after the other. I was left guessing and confused at the beginning which is what I think makes for a good mystery. Definitely recommend.

Betty Lou is one of a kind! A “therapist” who has severe mental issues of her own, she becomes obsessed with proving her fiancé is having an affair with one of her clients. But we all know obsessions rarely end well and this story is no exception. Lots of surprises and twists!

Betts. Is an underground therapist holding sessions illegally in her basement. After her husband died a year ago she’s already engaged to Ian, a dentist with a struggling practise. She’s dealing with a client she assumes is having an affair with Ian and a detective who’s trying to uncover the ‘truth’ about her late husbands death.

All in all I found this book to be engaging, and a fast read. The way the author described the story was well done and painted a great picture. The point of view is from Betts mostly, and a few chapters from other characters.

While I mostly enjoyed reading this book, I found myself wanting more, Betts character was thoroughly introduced, while the others felt like background characters. I felt we needed more of Carmen and Ian.

Thank you NetGalley and HH Tisevich for the digital copy of this book.

Wow this little jem of a novella was amazing. It kept me guessing and that ending I didn't see coming. But I still have questions about Nick though and her husband. Guess we will never know.

I actually liked Betts, she went after what she wanted and didn't care what people thought of her.

The Widow of Weeping Pines by Amanda McKinney is the first in the 4 book MAD woman series. This novella is a bit of a psychological thriller that is fairly fast-paced and tight as far as plot goes. Betty Lou Abbott is a therapist and writer widow who begrudgingly lives in her late husband’s hometown. Though she lives in a gorgeous mansion in the woods, she is bored with her life. It seems that her fiancé, Ian, is having an affair with one of her clients. And that client, Carmen, might be a little more sinister than anyone knows. Oh- and Betty Lou’s therapy practice in the basement of her mansion? Not exactly on the up and up. Add in Nicolas Stahl, a busy-body cop who is determined to prove Betty Lou killed her husband. All of this should create an edge-of-your-seat page turner. Ultimately, it just didn’t work for me. I think the fact that it was a novella, and part of a planned 4 book series, meant that the characters were not developed in a way that built up any sort of back story beyond Betty Lou’s. So once the action really started, I wasn’t really invested. It was too much, too fast with no connection to the plot. McKinney sets a beautiful scene, and at times, builds nice tension; in fact, for me the problem wasn’t the writing, it was that there wasn’t enough of it! I wanted the story to be more drawn out, which for some people this type of fast-paced, short format could be the thing. It just satisfy me in the end. I still would recommend it as it is an intriguing premise. My random rating is 3/5. Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

I couldn't put this book down! This was a fast, crazy, fun ride of a book! It was a short book packed with a punch at the end, I never saw coming. First book I've read from this author and I will be reading more! Thanks to NetGalley and the Author for an advance copy.

"Sometimes I wish my husband would die".

With twists and turns and a main character that is fascinating and dark, this book had me hooked from the very first line.

Betts is our sort of reliable main character. She lives in the small town of Weeping Pines where she moved with her late husband, and no one really likes her. But, she found a way to be accepted by some people through her unofficial therapy sessions in the basement of her home in the woods. As Betts shares her interactions in the past and present with a handful of other characters, we begin to see a pattern emerge and more questions came to the forefront of my mind. I did not want to put this book down-I wanted to see how everything would unravel and play out, and I was not disappointed!

The chapters are tidy and concise and the book is the perfect length. This made for a fast and thrilling reading experience. I can't share much more because I would be spoiling the rest of the story and I highly recommend going into this story as blind as possible. If you are up for a unique domestic/psychological thriller with a feminist edge, then I highly recommend picking this book up immediately. As for myself, I can't wait to read the next book in this collection!

I read and reviewed an eARC of this book thanks to the HH Tisevich via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I found the title of "the Widow of Weeping Pines" intriguing, and I discovered throughout the book that the widow was just that, as well as many other facets to her personality. A wonderful character study and mystery that had me drawn into the plot. I would recommend this to all who like a good psychological mystery.

Strange but interesting. Not a favorite but like I said interesting and somewhat enjoyable read . Would I read the next, yes!

I promised myself I would get to bed early, it was a long and exhausting week and were leaving for Bermuda on Sunday but when I want to read.... I want to read.

I can't help it, reading is my outlet.

When I am super stressed I need to read, it's the only way I can shut off my brain and simple enough the only thing that calms me down is thrillers... go figure?

The Widow of Weeping Pines

The tile grabbed me, the synopsis hooked me, and then it was game over.

Hook, line, sink, this book is a doozie and I was all about it.

If you're looking for a book that will have your pulse racing and heart speeding, this is for you. The twist was wild and one that will leave you grasping for air.

Amanda McKinney, you're incredible.

Teaser :

Obsession turns deadly in this sleepy coastal town...

Therapist and struggling author Betty Lou Abbott has a secret, one she keeps locked in the basement of the historic mansion she inherited from her late husband. Her fiancé, Ian, also has a secret: he is having an affair with one of Betty Lou’s clients. She thinks so, anyway.

As Betty Lou’s life becomes intertwined with the beautiful, successful Carmen Marquis, her intention to expose the affair turns into a dangerous obsession. Especially when she learns there is more to Carmen than meets the eye.

Caught in the middle of this cunning pair of women is Nicholas Stahl, a crooked detective who is determined to prove the truth—that one of them is a cold-blooded killer.

The whole book you have this sinking feeling that Betts likely did something wrong and is still up to something but nothing prepares you for the end after all the action. I felt completely consumed by the story that was building and building in this book. I would recommend anyone who is into thrillers and enjoys a story from a “mad woman’s” perspective to check this one out (or the other books in the series.)

Wow... I kinda feel like I was sneak attacked and punched a few times by someone who then ran away screaming LOL
The characters were so intense and had so much going on for such a short story... The craziness of the characters with so many unanswered questions just felt like punches in the face. PSYCHO BETTY! (a few plot points) OBSESSIVE NICK! (a little more plot) BIG TWIST! SURPRISE CHARACTER! (tiny epilogue with little to no explanation) THE END!
If I'd been holding a paperback instead of a digital edition I would have expected it to self destruct at the end.
Now, that being said, it kept my attention. I blew through it, it's just that I finished it and was like Whoa, what was that? And I'm honestly not sure.

This title begins with great humour but quickly becomes very dark. So many of the characters are unhinged and I found this story quite confusing as all was not as it seemed.
Cleverly written. - short and sharp.
Three and a half stars.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Amanda McKinney/HH Tisevich for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wow!… Tense and captivating… Full of twists and turns and shocks!… Raced through it, eager to find out the ending – which was just brilliant!’

Well, this was…weird. And fun. And a bit disturbing. But in a good way.
It definitely was a fast read (you know I‘m a big fan of short chapters) with many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I‘m still not 100% sure what happened but I liked the writing style and I was hooked from the first sentence.

The Widow of Weeping Pines is part of the Mad Women Series - I haven’t read any of the other books in the series but the title definitely fits this book.

Betty Lou (or Betts) is a therapist running a (off the books) clinic in the basement of her home. It‘s actually her late husband‘s house and Betts is currently living there with her fiancé. When Betts suspects her fiancé of cheating on her and the small town Sheriff suspects Betts of having something to do with her husband’s death, things get a little ugly.

To be honest, I didn't really like any of the characters but that’s ok because they were still interesting and unique. Every character was a mess in their own way so be prepared not only for mad women but also mad men.

What I didn’t like was that I was left with a few unanswered questions. Throughout the first half of the book, there were repeated references to a certain twist, and I was a bit disappointed that that part of the story just wasn't mentioned anymore in the second half.

Who is telling the truth? What are people’s motivations? This book lives up to the blurb of psychological thriller in every way and offers so many intriguing characters to ponder. Really well written, the author has a knack for convincing dialogue even when presenting such a wide range of characters, all with their own quirks. And Betty Lou, I love you!

I really enjoyed the opening of this book and loved the writer's style of story telling. Unfortunately I felt it was entirely too short, with unlikeable characters and too many plot holes. Not for me.