"Some people just need killing"

Wow! After a bit of a slow start I soon got hooked on the life of Marlena, a poor country girl who sets off to create a better life for herself, and starts a relationship with the incredibly rich and powerful businessman Michael Durst. However it soon transpires that there is more than meets the eye to both these characters, and Marlena's new fairytale life becomes a fight for survival.

The story takes some dark turns as the full extent of both characters true selves are revealed, and it becomes chilling to see the lengths Marlena's willing to go in order to get her revenge. I found it hard to warm to her character as she is so manipulative, but it was refreshing to see a strong, calculating female protagonist. I'd recommend this book to anyone wanting a dark, twisted story of revenge.

Thank you to netgalley and midnight ink for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, thriller indeed! I was eager to read The Third Mrs. Durst hoping it was similar to The Last Mrs. Parrish. They started off with similar feel, but Mrs. Durst quickly became much, much darker. I could hardly put this book down once I started, and I'm eager to try other titles by Ann Aguirre.

Thank you to Midnight Ink and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I really like this book. It is well written, with an imaginative and bold storyline, and a twist of epic proportions that makes it well worth the read. And gives a little chuckle at the end. Just how bad was Michael Durst?

Some people just need killing.

Marlena Altizer Durst lives in her husband's shadow. He controls her every move—what she wears, the food she eats, and the friends she's allowed to make. If she disobeys, there are...consequences. And he has all the power.

To outsiders, it seems that she leads a fairy-tale life. But nobody ever wonders if Cinderella was happy after she married the prince. Marlena has traded freedom and safety for luxurious imprisonment, and most days, that seems like a bad bargain. Death may be the only exit she's allowed. Just like his first wife. And his second. Unless she flips the script.

I loved this book, great read, definitely recommend.

I recieved an e-book ARC of The Third Mrs Durst from Midnight Ink, through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The Third Mrs Durst is 50 Shades meets Wild Things with a little Pygmalion sprinkled on top. I throughly enjoyed the plot and the twists, and liked the characters, especially Joanna (all things aside, I absolutely adore her).

The story follows Marlena on her quest to meet, seduce, marry, and the destroy Mr Durst. Along the way makes some friends and allies, encounters some unplanned obstacles, and sacrifices nearly everything as she strives to bring him down.

If you enjoy intense stories that keep you guessing, with strong female characters, I would recommend this book to you.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2732934816
Also posted same review in Readfeed, Litsy (not word for word), and LibraryThing apps.

"Some people just need killing."

Marlena, a young girl from a nowhere town flees the shotgun shack, drug addicted mother and passel of half siblings to strike out on her own.

She hears of a way to be “discovered” by a talent agent and makes sure that she is in the right place at the right time. She is quickly signed on to modeling jobs and catches the eye of a very wealthy man who paves her way into a long term job in Berlin.

Soon, here benefactor takes a much more involved role in her life and her schooling, proposes marriage and launches her on the path to become his “perfect” wife.

Her husband, Michael Durst is a charlatan who creates a pedigree for Marlena so that he can rub his nouveau riche elbows with the old money barons and beat them at their own game. He is fake with everything to lose.
It soon becomes clear that Marlena has her own reasons for going along with his schemes but quickly comes to realize that she is in over her head.

The book was very fast paced and edgy. I did not find any of the characters to be particularly likeable and would have liked to have seen some more developed characters. Although it was necessary to keep the motivations in the shadow, I think it would have been more satisfying to know a little more of the backstory.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book really easy to get into.
I liked that we started off with Marlena as a young girl, and had a bit of back story on her. However, I almost feel like this would have worked better if her backstory/years as a struggling model was the main setting for her story, because as soon as she became Mrs. Durst, it went downhill quite quickly.
There was very little build up into the controlling husband figure, but a very slow burn from the beginning of the abuse to her escape.
I also think the Dee angle was a bit rushed/forced and there could have been a bit more alluded to that earlier on, especially as we get to know her in the back story.
The Jenny love interest angle was also a bit out of nowhere. There was nothing earlier on that hinted at any romantic love between them, if anything it seemed more sibling-esque, so the sudden turn to romance seemed a bit off.
Likewise with Vin, there didn't seem to be enough build up to finding a strong connection.
Overall, it was an engaging story, but reads more as though it is an earlier draft of a completed work rather than something that's been through editing and polishing.

Crazy book, but so good. It was absolutely disturbing, thrilling, and blood chilling. It was one that started in a way I wasn’t sure I would enjoy, but soon the suspense started and I couldn’t stop reading. It was absolutely heartbreaking at time, but with twists and turns galore, and so much chills it’s unputdownable! I highly recommend to those who love the chilling, thrilling, disturbing books, which make your head spin with all the twists!
I will be highly recommending in Chapter Chatter Pub and using in a challenge!

Wow! What a great book! So many wonderful twists and turns. I kept interested all the way to the end. Can't wait to read more of her books!

Good potential plot, but wholly unbelievable.. Would have been better if the husband was not written as such a cliche. No real surprises here.

THE THIRD MRS. DURST is an original, tightly wound thriller that had me riveted up until the end.

Marlena is a model with an extremely rough background, who meets rich businessman Michael Durst. They marry after a whirlwind romance, but Marlena finds out that he is now going to control every aspect of her life and take away all of her freedom...and to make her the perfect wife. After all, it's his third marriage, and Marlena finds out the first two might not have ended the way Michael originally indicated. She's going to have to stay one step ahead of him and his head to survive the marriage and escape.

Ann Aguirre writes a captivating thriller that keeps building in suspense as everything unfolds. This held my attention and made it very hard to put down until maybe the last page or two, which I found a bit odd after everything that happened. Still a thrilling ride that I will recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ann Aguirre, and Midnight Ink for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received "The Third Mrs. Durst" by Ann Aguirre for free in exchange for an honest review. I was very excited upon learning this, as I have long been a fan of this author. One of my favorite book series ever was the Corine Solomon Series. (In fact, I think I may reread this again now!)

Okay-- so-- I knew this was a different type of book going into it. I liked the premise. It was dark and twisty and very reminiscent of "The Wife Between us." I could see what Ms. Aguirre was trying to do--it just didn't quite get there. The main character was not quite likable enough. The big reveal at the end wasn't that big of a reveal after all either-- too many hints were dropped. There wasn't enough back story about "Dee" either-- by the time the reveal came about, I couldn't recall ever having read about this Dee character-- which was surprising, as I read the book in less than 36 hours. The love interests-- Jenny and Vin were also not quite as built up as they should be for me to have any sort of feelings one way or another that they would work out. Many of the hints dropped like crumbs throughout the book were pretty obvious to me--to the point that I didn't feel that the main character was quite intelligent enough to come up with a plan to best her husband.

That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the book. I realize that this was a pre-publication read, so there will be some changes/improvements and edits done. (Hopefully with the formatting-- please! Sometimes it was hard to tell who was speaking due to problems with new paragraphs and spacing.) Usually if I don't like a book, I don't finish it. I don't have the time or energy to do so. This book was good-- I could just see some changes that would have made it that much better. It was almost there-- but not quite. I know that Ms. Aguirre can do it. She has in the past. I look forward to reading more by her and will always consider her to be one of my favorites.

I thought I had this book figured out but in reality I had NO IDEA. This book was super twisted and creepy and I LOVED it!! It gave me serious Gone Girl vibes and was pretty brutal, but in a good way!!

"Some people just need killing."

This book is a chilling cat and mouse game between two soulless individuals bent on the destruction of one another via marriage.

Marlena Altizer rises from humble, difficult beginnings, becomes a model and catches the eye of very wealthy and very controlling Michael Durst. It sounds like a modern day Cinderella story but as soon as Michael becomes her husband, the rules seem to change.

Each have secrets, private agendas and trust issues and thus begins the aforementioned cat and mouse game. Who will outwit the other? What are the rules? Is this a game to the death?

This is a fast, tight read that riveted me from page one and never let up until the end.

Thank you to Ann Aguirre, Midnight Ink and Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Midnight Ink for a copy of The Third Mrs. Durst by Ann Aguirre.
3* My rating is a soft three. Sadly, this story has been told so many times with not many new or interesting variations. Poor girl marries rich handsome man only to find out he isn’t what he seems. The author tries to change the typical narrative along the way but it came across as predictable and lacking much substance.
Marlena meets and marries Michael who promises her everything. The trouble with promises is there is always a hidden cost. After transforming Marlena into a cultured, educated and perfectly coiffed wife, things take a dark turn. Michael’s previous two wives have died. Will Marlena follow or can she change her destiny before time runs out?

This is not your typical HEA. I’m used to reading books where the asshole redeems himself. I guess with the book title it’s pretty self explanatory that this one will not.

Marlena, to me, is a pretty strong heroin. You probably won’t agree with me until closer to the end of the book.

This is my first book by this author and I’m completely blown away. The mystery, the suspense, the whole damn story kept me wanting more.

The writing was good, there wasn’t any part of this book that I found myself skimming through. I like how the story starts when Marlena is younger. That, to me, made me appreciate the ending more.

4.5 well deserved stars.

I got an advance copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I found it very difficult to Iike the protagonist. She was mercenary and calculating. I actually hoped her husband might succeed in killing her before falling in love with someone less awful. As bad guys go, he was pretty awesome. It's too bad the heroine was so unappealing.

This tries to be an edgy, sexier version of The Wife Between Us and fails. The back story is basic, and the characters fall flat, with the exception of Michael. The only description that rings true in the whole book is one of an old bathroom. (I really could picture that bathroom.)

The relationships feel forced, except the one with Vin, which she begins solely for her own benefit and he is cut right after they sleep together. The sex scenes are stilted and about as sexy as eating a very bland sandwich. The other relationship is with her best friend who she sleeps with one night with absolutely no build up or prior attraction. There are no straying hands, no touching accidentally/on purpose. Nope, they just bang, but once again, no detail. It's like getting on one of those trains that take you nowhere and with less scenery.

Also, the author adds things in that never happened or at least weren't mentioned at the time they happened. Her childhood in Kentucky is touched on briefly, but later in the book the fact that she was raped as a child was mentioned as if the reader should have already known. It's jarring and spoils the rhythm. The whole book is like that, from the weird disclosure of the rape, to the awkward lesbian sex that was less interesting than discovering that one is out toilet paper at a bad time.

I was disappointed and I had such high hopes.

The Third Mrs. Durst is a twisted tale about a small town woman who ends up in over her head. Marlena grew up with nothing before breaking into modeling and meeting her future husband, the infamous Mr. Durst. Outside of the public appearances and newspaper photos, there are many secrets between this seemingly perfect couple. I finished this book in one day because I could not put it down. If you enjoy a book that keeps you guessing until the end, I highly recommend this book.

Marlena came from very tough roots. Poor, with no father and a mother on drugs, Marlena took care of her siblings, as best as she could. At 16, she packed it in and tried her luck in Nashville. A man, Del Morton, was supposed to be there who could help her and her best friend, Jenny, 14 years old, get work. He actually did help them out. After prepping and primping and taking odd jobs to supplement their modeling careers, Marlena meets Michael Durst by chance. Del accompanies Marlena to Germany where she gets a break modeling lingerie in part due to a good word put in for her from Michael Durst. Jenny stays in Nashville.

Marlena wants to improve on her abilities and plans to quit the lingerie modeling, obtain her GED and go to University. At that time, Michael Durst reenters the picture. Marlena and Michael date. He pays her way through a university degree and proposes to Marlena just after her graduation. After signing a very tight pre-nup, Marlena marries Michael in Ibiza.

The ink is barely dry on the marriage license when Marlena finds out what a controlling jerk she married. She has a plan. He is quite wealthy and she puts up with his forced isolation, Croation learning and etiquette lessons.
She doesn't see Michael very often as he is often on business in Europe - they had moved to New York.
Marlena begins to rely on her bodyguard/overseer Vin, for company. She also learns that Michael has been married twice before. One wife died in a car accident - the other - suicide. Marlena's paranoia hits new heights.

Michael continues to treat Marlena increasingly harsher. However, Michael does provide her with an art gallery (to launder money through?). At Michael's request, Marlena befriends the uber-wealthy Joann Van Houten - first at Michael's request. But Joann has Michael's "number". Marlena and Joanna become real friends and bond over the gallery.

The remainder of the book will have you on pins and needles! So MUCH that you don't see coming!
This is a wonderful, suspenseful read (I had to read in one day!) HIGHLY recommend!!!

Many Thanks to Midnight Ink and NetGalley for a twisty suspense thriller that does not disappoint!

"Some people just need killing.". Woooooeee. This is the ultimate revenge book and I just gobbled it up in one sitting . Fast paced, suspenseful and delucious!