This English Wife opens with the Prologue in Cold Spring, 1899. There is a ball going on and bits and pieces of gossip are being bantered about. Janie is listening to a few of the stories, but she is mainly wondering where Bay and Annabelle are. it is their party, after all. When her cousin, Anne, comes to asking if she had seen them, they decide to go looking for them. They make their way out into the cold gardens. There they find Bay laying on the ground with a knife protruding from his chest. As Janie glances around, she sees a glimmer of long hair in the river below.

From there the novel seems to jump around between years. The next chapter is New York, 1899. Then a couple in London, 1894 and back to New York, 1899. I believe that is was somewhat alternating between setting up all the characters and storylines in the past and then returning to the current situation in 1899. I normally have no issues with this technique, but in this case it was confusing. I think part of it was the similarity between the set ups of the characters.

Janie and Bay (brother and sister) have a cousin, Anne living with them. Their mother, a bossy tyrant, hates Anne. Bay falls in love with Georgie, who goes by the name Annabelle from some cousin that she used to live with, but who disappeared. For the longest time, I had trouble keeping track of Anne and Annabelle.

I think the the idea for the plot was a good one and I enjoyed the setting. The characters were too all over the place and the back and forth storyline, just made it even more confusing to me.

I received an ARC of this book.

This one started off really slowly for me, and I struggled to get into it. However, once Janie started investigating the murder, I was hooked and couldn't stop reading. I enjoyed the historical setting, the touch of romance, and most of all the mystery. Loved the ending! I always enjoy Willig's novels and can't wait to read the next one! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the preview copy.

Lauren Willig's latest historical mystery, set in the Gilded Age, The English Wife, tells the story of Bayard Van Duyvil and his English wife, Annabelle. The story begins when the body of Bayard, with a jeweled dagger in his heart, is discovered at a ball given to celebrate their new mansion on the Hudson, Illyria. Bayard is a golden figure in Knickerbocker society; handsome, educated at Harvard Law School, immensely wealthy and well-connected. His bringing home an English wife from a trip abroad no doubt destroyed the plans of many hopeful mamas. Even worse, Annabelle and Bayard have retired from the New York and Newport social whirl and are seemingly content to live with their twins in a family farmhouse. The seeming contentment ends with Bayard's plan to replicate Annabelle's family home, Lacey Abbey, bringing a young architect into their orbit. Bayard's sister, Janie, discovers the body just before he dies with the name "Georgie" on his lips. Who is Georgie and where is Annabelle? Janie thinks she may have seen her floating in the freezing waters of the Hudson but can that be true? The tabloid press of the day rise in force, scenting juicy scandal and brings Janie an ally in her search for the truth, James Burke, a reporter for one of the most prominent tabloid newspapers. James himself has secrets to keep.


The English Wife spans the period from 1894 England to New York in 1899. We learn that no one is who he or she appears to be and the secrets of the Van Duyvil family are poisonous. The novel puts me in mind of Daphne DuMaurier, but more My Cousin Rachel than Rebecca. I enjoy books that skip back and forth in time, revealing the truth and the characters slowly, but that may not be everyone's taste. The English Wife kept me guessing throughout; not only about the deaths but the characters themselves. After the somewhat slow beginning, I became enthralled. My understanding of both Bayard and Annabelle changed drastically several times.


I highly recommend The English Wife. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

Just a heads up, do not start this book unless you plan to stay up all night and read. This is one that you cannot start and put down to come back to later. You are going to be stuck until you know the absolute truth. Ms. Willig's writing reminds me of Daphne du Maurier.

Georgie has no illusions about the future, and what might be waiting for her. Memories of the past are just that, and she is determined to keep as far ahead of them as she can. Not all memories are good, and the ones that Georgie is running from would make another person cringe with fear. Not that she is not afraid, but she built up a wall - refusing to allow anything to get under her skin. She thought she could handle anything, but she did not count on Bayard Van Duyvil. When this sweeping young man comes into her life, she is anything but gracious. That he is rich is one thing, but men are always after just one thing. Bay is determined to prove her wrong, and over the next several weeks courts her quietly. While she wonders why he really is interested in her, her own feelings overwhelm her rational. Before long, they marry and prepare to return home, to face his formidable mother.
While they settle into their new lives, Georgie has restyled herself as Annabelle Lacey. While she hopes to meld into society easily, she is not one for normal convention, and neither is her husband. Having grown up under his mothers withering glare, he is slowly discovering his own independence. Stuck at home with their mother is his sister Janie. She has yet to find her means of escape. But when Bay is found bleeding to death on the ground of his new home, and his wife missing no one knows what is going on. Wild rumors spring to life, and the papers are running with the story.
Janie, as quiet and mold-able as she is, has a hidden stubborn side. While her mother has relegated her to the background as unimportant, Janie is determined to see that her brother gets justice, and his name cleared of the rumors that are swirling around him and his wife. Enlisting the help of one of the journalists, they embark on a journey of truths, mystery and dark secrets that have been lurking in the shadows for far to long.
While they begin to untangle the webs that have molded their family name, the truth might be something that no one can deal with, and leave some newfound truths in their wake...

Seriously enjoyed this book. There are some adult themes in the book, so not something that I would recommend to anyone under 18, but this story draws two worlds together and fleshes them out. Secrets, lies and half truths have been overlooked, and squirreled away all to protect a family name. The matriarch of the family is one that will go to any length to protect their good name - and perhaps even some lengths that others are not aware of - all to keep their standing within the community.
As I stated above, do not start this book if you have any plans on sleeping, it is one that will draw you in and keep you turning pages until the very end.

I’ve read a number of Lauren Willig’s earlier books and enjoyed them. When I read “The English Wife”, I was happily surprised at how much the author has grown in her ability to weave a multi-level story and keep my interest riveted throughout the book.

In this book, the story switches back and forth between events in the past and those in the present time of the story (1899.)


In the past storyline, Georgie Evans, a somewhat mediocre actress at a rundown theatre in London, becomes the object of attention of Bayard Van Duyvil, an American who is touring Europe. While she is not willing to do more than see the sights and talk with Bay, they develop a deep relationship. From the confidences she has placed with Bay, he guesses her past.

In the present story line, Bay is found dead with a knife in his chest. His sister, Janie, does not like the conclusions the press jumps to and looks for a way to find the truth. A journalist assists her in this endeavor though they both know she may not like the truth once they find it.

The movement from present to past is down well with the individuals involved in both timelines behaving consistently. There are red herrings and clues left for the reader to find. I guessed the whodunnit shortly before the author provides the answer in the story.

I will certainly be looking for more books by this author in the future. I liked her earlier works and am really impressed by her current work.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

After the well publicized murder of her brother and disappearance of her sister in-law, Janie ventures outside her privileged but caged life to discover the truth. She has help from Intrepid Reporter James Burke.

There are so many things I loved about this book, Janie's burgeoning faith in herself, the exciting mystery and the Gilded Age setting especially. While Janie was a bit milquetoast and generally the Intrepid Reporter trope feels stale, the central mystery was enough to keep me interested. Some of the basic events I guessed ahead of time, but the end was shocking!

Pretty good book. Full of intrigue and a little suspense. Some parts were a bit dull but I trudged through those and it got better. Can't say I couldn't put it down but all in all it was a good read and a good way to pass the time. This is certainly worth a reread.

This book takes place in the late 1800s and is chock full of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. The imagery was beautiful and the characters were all extremely different and full of life. While the story does start off slow, stick through it - this murder mystery is worth it!!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press and Laura Willig for the ARC to review. This was a very a great read. It had me captivated from the start. I loved the characters. I loved the story being set in London, Paris and New York. I love to read stories from the 1800's, Her depiction of this era was fabulous. I could picture myself being there, with the characters. Some you could love, some you could hate and some you just felt sorry for. However, the more you read this book, and the more the family secrets are revealed, well to put it plainly, " I was stunned". It made for page turning reading. I have not read anything else by this author, but she is very good at her craft, and a great storyteller. I highly recommend and will put Laura Willig on my authors, To Read list.

My first thought about The English Wife is YES PLEASE! The book takes the reader back to the gilded age, a time of mass wealth, high society, extreme social etiquette and secrets. And boy this book is full of secrets every step of the way!!

I echo other reviewers in that the start was a bit slow but once it found its stride, it was captivating and hard to put down. Romance, deceit, mystery and old fashioned cattiness at its best were all part of the plot. It took me back to a time in which perception was truth and a good reputation was everything.

We meet the Van Duyvils, a prominent and wealthy American family, who have a reputation to uphold in society.. Baynard and his wife Annabelle ate hosting a ball at their newly built mansion. Bay is murdered on the eve of the party and Annabelle has disappeared. What really happened and who killed Bayard Van Duyvil?

The story follows a twisty path of events leading up to and after the murder. We learn about Bay and Annabelle's marriage through the perspective of a young actress named Georgie. These chapters alternate with a present timeline told through the eyes of Bay's sister Janie Van Duyvil as she tries to figure out the truth of what happened that night.

The story is well written. It's dazzling and intriguing yet also relays a happy message. The characters are well developed and the romance hits all the right notes. I loved that the author stayed true to the times and was able to incorporate a historical flavor from start to finish. It's a well told Gothic mystery that leaves the reader wondering "who did it" until the very end.

Scheduled to post 1/20/18.

It's salacious yet tempered. Willig's written the story in such a way that it's compelling without being grossly overblown with drama. Two timelines play out over the course of the book: Janie's present timeline at the time of Bay's death and forward, and Annabelle's timeline a handful of years prior when she first met Bay up to his death. Of course the two eventually converge and all is revealed, but like I'm going to tell you what all happened. Read the book! It's good!

Janie is a rather stiff individual made so by her suffocating shrew of a mother who's more concerned with propriety and what will the neighbors think than the wellbeing of her daughter. But, you know. Whatever. One must carry on a name appropriately and all that. Janie's sheltered, but not unintelligent. She's actually pretty fast on her feet and it's nice seeing her break the chains her mother's put on her as the story unfolds.

There's a small tragedy in every character, even the harpy of a mother. Willig's designed these characters to signify that we are the products of our decisions. That's not saying certain characters got what they deserved or anything like that. But, for instance, Janie's mother is the product of her decisions in the same way Janie's a product of her decisions. Environment's got something to do with it, but if it were everything Janie would be exactly like her mother, and she's most decidedly not. Janie's mother didn't have to be that way. She chose to be that way. And that choice had consequences.

I really liked the developing relationship between Janie and Burke and even between Annabelle and Bay, for all the tragedy that was awaiting those two. Willig writes excellent characters that are captivating, repugnant, and yet wholly human. It's hard to turn away from them. THE ENGLISH WIFE felt like nothing to read. Willig's writing is effortless, simple yet compelling and able to portray rich characters without florid overwriting. It's really just an all around good book with a thrilling mystery thrown into the mix.

4

The English Wife by Lauren Willig was set in the Golden Age of New York. Extraordinary rich people moved from the social scene in New York City to the mansions in Newport. Fabulous displays of wealth were part and parcel of this lifestyle. It is here that Bayard brings his new wife, Annabelle. He discovered her in London as an actress in a dingy play in a dingy playhouse. They fell in love and saved each other, from what they were fleeing. Move forward in years, Annabelle and Bayard seem to have it all, a wonderful home, children, and yet gossip surrounds them. Things are not as they seem and secrets are revealed.

I have enjoyed Lauren Willig’s books in the past and found this one interesting. The beginning was a little slow, but once the twists, turns and various secrets start to appear, the book brings you on a ride to the conclusion. I found myself feeling sorry for the main characters and being tied into their story wanting only the best of resolutions, even though it was not possible. The book reminded me of the excesses of the Great Gatsby and the intrigue of Rebecca,

The English Wife is a good read.

This book kept me engaged from the first page. It's part love story, part mystery, part family drama. The narrator alternates between the past and the present, with the two finally converging on the truth of the mystery. It's fantastic! My review doesn't do it justice!

Wow! This novel really kept me guessing all the way through regarding the identity of the killer.

The book opens in January, 1899, with the stabbing death of a wealthy lawyer, Bayard Van Duyvil, at a ball celebrating the completion of a new house built in honor of his wife, Annabelle. Janie, Bay’s sister, also sees the body of Annabelle in the icy river at the edge of their estate, but her corpse cannot be found, leading to speculation that she may not be dead. From there, the book diverges in focus. In the present, Janie teams up with newspaper reporter James Burke to find out what actually happened to Bay and Annabelle when everyone else assumes it’s likely a murder-suicide scenario. In flashbacks, the reader learns about Annabelle’s past and Bay and Annabelle’s relationship—and it’s a complicated tale, indeed.

Purely as a mystery, this novel might be the best story that Willig has written. There are several credible possibilities for who the murderer might be, and it’s only as the story slowly unfolds that the reader starts to get a better feel for who it actually is. The only thing that might bother some readers who enjoy historical mysteries is the way the guilty party is punished, which is quite melodramatic. The book takes a very distinct turn to the Gothic at that point. (Shades of Edgar Allen Poe, actually.) I can’t say it wasn’t a fitting ending to the story, though.

One other thing I liked about the book was Janie, the POV character in the sections of the book that take place in 1899. She’s almost absent in the flashbacks, which goes to show how little regard her family has for her. In the present, though, she comes into her own, and I enjoyed the development of her character and the depiction of the growing feelings between her and Burke.

If you are a fan of Lauren Willig, you really must read this book! I’d also recommend it for historical mystery readers who don’t mind a bit of Gothic flair.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Publisher's Description:
"Brings to life old world New York City and London with all the splendor of two of my favorite novels, The Age of Innocence and The Crimson Petal and the White. Mystery, murder, mistaken identity, romance--Lauren Willig weaves each strand into a page-turning tapestry." -Sally Koslow, author of The Widow Waltz

"Her best yet...A dark and scintillating tale of betrayal, secrets and a marriage gone wrong that will have readers on the edge of their seats until the final breathtaking twist." -Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan's Tale

From New York Times bestselling author, Lauren Willig, comes this scandalous novel set in the Gilded Age, full of family secrets, affairs, and murder.

Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a charmed life in New York: he’s the scion of an old Knickerbocker family, she grew up in a Tudor house in England, they had a fairytale romance in London, they have three-year-old twins on whom they dote, and he’s recreated her family home on the banks of the Hudson and named it Illyria. Yes, there are rumors that she’s having an affair with the architect, but rumors are rumors and people will gossip. But then Bayard is found dead with a knife in his chest on the night of their Twelfth Night Ball, Annabelle goes missing, presumed drowned, and the papers go mad. Bay’s sister, Janie, forms an unlikely alliance with a reporter to try to uncover the truth, convinced that Bay would never have killed his wife, that it must be a third party, but the more she learns about her brother and his wife, the more everything she thought she knew about them starts to unravel. Who were her brother and his wife, really? And why did her brother die with the name George on his lips?

My Thoughts:
This tale is much more than a murder mystery, however the convoluted nature is confusing at times.
Are both the hero and heroine of this novel dead due to a murder/suicide or is there another murderer lurking in the background?
There are so many characters involved in this sometimes confusing tale that leads the reader to question just what is the nature of this story.
I gave this book 3.75 of 5.0 stars for story line and character development. There are just too many characters involved to keep them straight at times.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book via invitation from the publisher to read and review. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Lauren Willig is always on my must read list and for good reasons. Her books are filled with complex characters, interesting plot lines and engrossing stories. The English Wife is another hit! Without giving too much away, Willig demonstrates that the only two people who really know what their marriage is like are the spouses. Everyone can only second guess. You'll find yourself cheering for Janie and being sympathetic towards Annabelle and Baynard. Willig kept me guessing right up until the end. Thank you to Netgallery for providing an ARC, in exchange for my honest opinions. I really enjoyed reading The English Wife and highly recommend it.

I admit I'm a Lauren Willig fan- I've read all of her books and frankly, enjoy her diversions away from the Pink Carnation series. She's an expert at historical fiction; you'll get a very good sense of women during whatever era in which she sets her novels. In this case, it's London and New York in the 1890s. Georgie is an actress who is barely keeping her head above water when she meets Bay, a rich American who is in London to experience the world. Both of them have secrets. In her case, what happened to Annabelle, her half sister? In his, well, that will take longer to come out. They marry and in order to appear more gentile, she takes on Annabelle's name. Things are not so good when they return to stuffy New York society. The novel opens with Bay dead, with a dagger in his chest, and Georgie/Annabelle missing. Bay's very cool but under rated sister Janie (or, more properly, Geniveve) is determined to untangle what really happened the night of the ball. Terrific characters- from Janie, to Bay, to Annabelle/Georgie, to cousin Anne, the evil mother, and even young Viola (and the duck.). There's mystery, there's romance, there's a cool setting, and you'll learn a bit about the old NY Dutch families. All in all, this was a captivating and entertaining read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Recommend this for fans of gothic, historical fiction, or those looking for a well written novel.

Lauren Willig does time and place very, very well! In “The English Wife”, she tells a tale of the underbelly of Gilded Age society. Actresses, whores, parvenus, homosexuality… All of the reality of life that “society” chose to ignore but which were intrinsic to their world. The story is told by two narrators, and the interweaving of the two perspectives was fascinating.

Although I grabbed this book hoping for another in the Pink Carnation series, I was not disappointed to be introduced to another of Willig’s world.

Bay, the heir to the Van Duyvil fortune, meets the perfect woman on his trip around Europe and returns to New York a married man. His mother, who loathes not being in control of everyone and everything, is naturally not happy with the marriage. Bay builds his wife her dream home and they have a Twelfth Night ball to celebrate. What should have been a magical night ends in tragedy as Bay is found stabbed to death and his wife is missing and presumed dead.
This book is perfect for historical fiction fans as it is set in 1900. There is murder, scandal, rumors, and a love affair. What more could you want? I know I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think you will too.