This story is completely plot driven, which can work if done properly. However, that's hard to pull off when said plot is more tired than a sloth with narcolepsy.

On a more positive note, this is a very quick read, probably because there is less than zero character development.

This is a subpar non-thrilling thriller slash nothing mysterious mystery with nothing new to offer to the genre.

Lastly there are no surprises in this story. Don't let the other reviews fool you. I am telling you THERE IS NO TWIST.

I cannot recommend this book.


⭐⭐ because the writing is swift and to the point without being bogged down with unnecessary bullshit which is the only reason I was able to finish the book.


*** I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ***

I always try to start with something positive so...this book has a great cover. I like the title, although it does remind me of The Last Mrs. Parrish.

Other than that...the synopsis did grab me - Marlena goes from poor as dirt in a small Kentucky town to international model. Knowing that Michael Durst has 2 dead wives already, she seduces and marries him - but why?

This book was a classic example of telling vs. showing. Everything was laid out for the reader; twists and turns were just spelled out instead of written in a way that the surprise dawns on the reader. Characters are not well-written, well-thought out, interesting enough for an investment.

If I had been reading a paperback, I may have thrown it across the room when Marlena "convinced" the police to let her see her husband - accused of attempted murder - HER attempted murder - in an interrogation room by herself, I may have thrown it across the room. Since I was reading it as a galley on my Kindle, I finished it - and it just got more silly and outlandish from there.

Thank you Netgalley for this preview - unfortunately this one was not for me.

** I generously received an ARC of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review **

I just finished binge reading The Third Mrs. Durst, and my head is positively spinning. I am so freaking blown away, I wish I could have the experience of reading it for the first time all over again.

We first meet Marlena Altizer when she’s sixteen years old. She lives in extreme poverty with a drug addicted mother and several siblings in a backwoods, hillbilly town. Desperate not to fall into the same fate as her mother - old before her time, used by men for her body, stuck in that tiny town forever - she takes everything she has, packs up a backpack, and gets on a bus to go live on the streets of Nashville.

Marlena becomes close friends with another young girl like herself, Jenny. To their fortune, both girls are exceptionally pretty. Marlena engineers an encounter with a man known to other street kids for snapping up the pretty girls and putting them to work at his talent agency. Marlena quickly garners some success within the modeling industry.

She also attracts the attention of a man named Michael Durst. Michael Durst is by all accounts a very wealthy businessman, and he sets his sights on Marlena from the moment he first sees her. He likes young, malleable women he can mold into what he wants them to be. Before too much time has passed, and once Marlena is old enough, he’s courting her, then marrying her.

That’s when the real cat and mouse aspect of the story begins. You see, Marlena, for all her being a young, innocent looking girl from a backwoods town, is NOT naive. She has her own motives for marrying Michael Durst. And this girl? She has sharp claws.

I won’t give anything further away about the plot, because that would be doing both the book and its readers a grave injustice. I will say that I absolutely did not expect the insane twists and turns of this novel. It felt very much like being on a wild roller coaster ride at breakneck speed. The slow reveal was both shocking and incredibly satisfying and exciting. And the ending was everything I could have hoped.

This was an exceptional book, a true thriller, and everything a book in this genre should be. I give it my highest recommendation and a solid five out of five stars. I sincerely hope Ann Aguirre will write more books in this genre in the future, because I’m dying to read more. But I must say, this one will be very, very hard to top.

This was a fab melodrama , I have read similar stories but that didn't alter my enjoyment in any way . I would really recommend this as a holiday read , easy to read and fast paced . Great Fun !!

This was a great psychological thriller, the characters were interesting. The ending was a shock that you wouldn’t except, full of twists and turns. I’ll be looking out for more books by this author in the future
Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I was worried that this would be too similar to " The Last Mrs. Parrish" and wouldn't compare (much like how I felt about "The Wife Between Us"). Luckily, it held it's own and it helped by having the MC just come right out and say her husband was awful; that she set her sights on him because he was so awful. You can't help but root for Marlena and her crew.

** spoiler alert ** wow I this book was twisty and turning and kinda how I thought that ending would go. I didn't expect there to polyamory but it made sense. I was really glad to see that the guy had got what was coming to him. I knew that this book was adult but it felt that some scenes were just mentioned with honeymoon with jenny leaving to readers imagination but then more detailed with the man. Still an auto read author for me. I'm glad to hear why she went after him :) But he almost seemed like a christian grey ...not that i read those books but still

This is one of the craziest book I have EVER read. Seriously, and I've read some dark dark books before. This one almost seems schizophrenic, definitely sociopathic. It definitely NEEDS trigger WARNINGS! Even though they are writing extremely well. When I read the synopsis, I wasn't expecting what I found between the pages. The themes aren't just dark, they are brutal. Ann Aguirre is a master at writing something that is might be considered taboo in certain circles. It is riddled with messages and lessons from beginning till the end. Some of these touch you to your very psyche and soul.

Let us talk about the main characters voice, who is quite honest in her journey. Her voice is brazen and bold, sometimes very philosophical. But also very twisted. I usually never highlight anything in a book unless it is something I want to read again. This one has quite a few.

“I chose the road that looked prettiest from a distance, but I didn’t know then – sometimes the horizon is bright because it’s on fire.”
There is so much foreshadowing.

I mean just because a star shines the brightest doesn't mean it didn't start from coal. Let me talk Mr. Durst, what a $%#@%^%$^&. This is me letting you know that I despise this man for a specific reason. He is an abusive S.O.B, who deserves his pinkie (insert eggplant emoji) cut off.

I never knew which end was up. I mean I understood both characters to a point, and then I didn't. Like I said, I didn't know which end was up. That ending deserves a salute. I mean WOW.

You can't say too much about this book without giving away spoilers. I do believe that this would make an incredible movie. I would watch it! I don't read thrillers very much but this one was a great one. I do recommend anyone who is a fan of thrillers because this one is heart pounding and action packed.

4 Crazy Stars

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for this generously provided ARC.

As a fan of mysteries and thrillers, I was eager to read The Third Mrs. Durst. The book started off slow and was a little hard to follow. Typically with this genre, you are given bones along the way that help form story and make you eager to know what is happening next. This book flip-flopped the storyline until about halfway thru. The book description seemed plausible, but the storyline was not. The main character had a motive that wasn’t made entirely clear, and when it was revealed, didn’t move me. The Husband is a jerk and I can’t believe anyone would endure his self-righteous behavior for as long as she did. Side note...be warned that there are references of domestic violence against women, There were a few sexy scenes that were fun to read. I must admit the ending threw me for a loop. All in all, it was a good quick read, and perfect for your summer book list.

What a great book, I loved it. Could not put it down, so many great twists and turns. Would love to read more about these 3.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I thought that this book was an unique & thrilling ride with a lot of twists & turns & an unpredictable ending.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves this genre.
I would definitely read another book by this author.

It took me awhile to get around to reading this and I wish I hadn't waited, very well wrotten, clever with well developed characters

What a fantastic cover. I enjoyed this book, plenty of twists and turns and intrigue. and devious unlikeable characters. A little too much Christian Grey for my liking, but a good psychological read. Recommended.

This is a great psychological thriller! One I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much as I did.

It does remind me of some others in the genre, though that is probably why I enjoyed it so much.

I love the twists and turns...and that this isn't the Cinderella story it should be.

This was a stunning thriller. The writing is beautifully done and I had to go back and read a few paragraphs over again. Just for the beauty of it. This book deals with abuse and the “what if?”
Many thanks to Midnight Ink and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow! This book exceeded all expectations. Full of twists until the very end. This book does have some rated R content so reader beware. However, if you love thrillers, I would highly recommend this book!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I found this book too violent. otherwise the writing was well done. It would be a 5 star with less violence.

Marlena Altizer sets out at 16 to marry Michael Durst. The wealthy property developer has had two wives die after very short marriages and Marlena is determined to survive him.

The violence is very graphic at times, and always unpleasant, though an integral part of the story, I wonder if there is a way to dial it down.

The monster called Michael 'deserves to die' and Marlena is determined to make that happen.

There is more to Marlena then we are led to believe and it is fascinating to watch the truth unravel the lies and be revealed.

A fun, fast-paced thriller that reminded me of the Woman in the Window. A great summer read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ann Aguirre and Midnight Ink for this ARC.

This is a great fast paced, twisted psychological thriller. I really enjoyed it, and now I'm off to find more books by Ann Aguirre.

Great psychological thriller about Marlena and her difficult life which doesn’t end after leaving family home. Cinderella story gone wrong. Very quick read with twists and turns till the end. I definitely have to check other books by Ann Aguirre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Midnight Ink for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.