3 1/2 ⭐️‘S
Told in two voices, White tries for the big twist, but if you look for the early clues, it’s quite easy to figure out.  The characters were a bit underdeveloped, and the plot was on the convoluted side.  It had a very strong start, but was uneven in places.  The pace quickens near the end making up for some of the unevenness in the middle.  A dark tale that wasn’t bad, but lacked the suspense needed to really make it great!

This book was very gripping, from page one.  I read multiple books at once, but sometimes books that grab me are harder to share my time with, this is one that I had a very hard time switching to others with.  I got very involved in the characters, because they were so well developed, I absolutely needed to know what the heck was going on!  Be prepared for lots of emotions pouring out of you, while reading this book, as it’s full of thrills, chills, twists & turns, shocks, and some very heartbreaking parts!  Highly, highly recommend to any of those who love the same books as me!  
Will make sure to buzz this book up on different platforms!

I’m rounding up from a 4.5 star to 5 star review because this book did something that, as an avid reader, doesn’t happen often. It surprised me. It full on surprised me in such a good way that it made me flip back, then forth, then back again to make sure I read it correctly. I did. It was great. 

The back and forth narrative gives this story an extra edge, especially as we get to the climax of the book. 

Adding Christian White to my “must read” authors list right now.

#thewifeandthewidow #christianwhite #Netgalley #arc #booksofinstagram #books📚 #bookrecommendations #bookreader thank you to NetGalley for this fabulous read. It had me hook, line, and sinker. We have two main characters. Kate and Abby. The wife. And the Widow. As the story unravels you feel yourself getting sucked in to their story. You are thinking to yourself. Trying to figure out where this author is going with this tale. I didn't see the ending coming and that's what I absolutely adored about this book. I was gobsmacked at the ending. Four out of five stars. I definitely would recommend and buy this for a friend. You are in for a treat

It took me quite a while to get the "thing" about this book, which is a mark of good storytelling. Clever indeed. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

White pens a beautifully written novel where the two main characters ( Kate and Abby) offer so much.  I don’t want to give away too much but this is a perfect winter book!

Kate Keddie is married to John, a physician working in palliative care, and they have a 10-year-old daughter named Mia. John is supposed to be at a convention and Kate goes to the airport to pick him up as a surprise.  John does not come home and he is found dead a couple days later on the island where they have a summer home.   Abby Gilpin is married to Ray and they have two teenagers, Lori and Eddie.   The Gilpins live on the island where Ray is caretaker for the vacation homes.   Abby works at the local grocery store and money is tight.  The story goes back and forth from Kate's POV to Abby's.  There are lots of surprises and twists in this book that I enjoyed very much.  Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this highly suspenseful read that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Holy moly was this a twisted ride and I loved each and every one of those twists!! 4.5 Stars for this fantastic and entertaining book!

“If we don’t talk about the monsters in this world, we won’t be ready for them when they jump out from under the bed.”

**4.5 stars rounded up**

Wow. I started this book earlier this afternoon, and I've pretty much read it in one sitting. I found myself frantically turning pages trying to figure out the mystery and get answers to my many questions. I didn't want to put my Kindle down. What a beautifully written story. Christian White clearly has mad skills. His writing flowed effortlessly from one page to another...it was easy, effective, and so, so clever.

While I did figure out one thing fairly early on, but there are so many twists and turns, it didn't make one iota of difference. I've already started following Mr. White on social media and have added The Nowhere Child to my to read list. In other words, I'm officially a fan. Bravo, Christian White. Bravo.

**Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.

I'm a big fan of the Suspense genre so it wasn't a surprise when The Wife and the Widow caught my eye. An eerie island town? Secret lives of spouses? Count me in!
The Wife and the Widow started out strong as readers are enticed by a spouse's secrets and the cool 'spin' (not quite twist) that I enjoyed. But there are several aspects that I prevented me from giving this book a higher rating. 

First, the story moves too slowly and the regular the jumping between timelines was choppy. Second, for a 'suspense' read, it lacks the tension and self-described 'eerie' factor that I was promised. It's not atmospheric, it's just a small, quiet vacation town in the off-season. Lastly, I found the characters underdeveloped, bland and I was unable to feel anything for them. Not a good sign.

After reading rave reviews of White's debut thriller, Nowhere Child, I had high hopes for this book but, in the end, I was underwhelmed with its confusing plot, disappointing character development, lack of tension and contrived ending. This one just didn't grab me at all.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Minotaur Books for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this story. It was very well written and a little different. The novel spans over many years and gives the prospective from two women and how the actions of others, can effect lives for many generations.

The Wife and the Widow is the second novel by author Christian White. Told in alternating chapters between The Widow, Kate, and The Wife, Abby. In the first few chapters, Kate and her daughter Mia go to the airport to surprise her husband and he’s nowhere to be seen – He’s missing without a trace. She then finds out he quit his job months earlier without telling her and lied about the business trip he was supposed to be on. Kate has so many questions – Where is he? Why did he lie about his business trip? Did she ever really know her husband at all? Abby’s husband Ray, on the other hand has been acting differently and she is determined to figure out what is going on. He’s keeping some secrets from her. As a reader, we know that the two stories will somehow intersect and they do although it takes a while. I kept trying to come up with a theory as to how that was going to happen – because thats what I do! None of my theories panned out however and my jaw dropped at the twist. I did not see that ending coming. I recommend you read it when this book is released on January 21, 2020 and see if you guess the ending! This book was a quick read that I was able to finish in one day. I do like this author’s writing and I am most certainly going to check out his first novel The Nowhere Child which I just so happen to already own! I give this novel 4 1/2 stars – the only reason for the 1/2 point drop is I got a bit confused on the timeline in part of the book and the chapters didn’t indicate a difference in the time. It all made sense in the end but I think if that had been pointed out at the start of the chapters I would have had a quicker understanding – but perhaps that was the authors intent. Thank you Minotaur Books for sending me out a review copy of this excellent book in exchange for my honest review.

Set on a small island (equal parts claustrophobic and majestic), this mystery was refreshing and well worth the read.

Some thrillers are superficial - all they do is make you race to the finish, but by the time you close the book, you’ve forgotten the story.

This one was much MORE than that. It delves into the nuances of family, love, and the place you call home. It was both eerie and gripping.

And it reminds us that we all keep secrets - just some more than others.

**Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Entertaining but not great.  I finished it and enjoyed the story.  Three and a half stars.  A bit disappointed in the ending, but so goes life.

I can usually figure out most of the mysteries in thrillers before they're revealed.  Not this time!!  There were two parallel stories told and I wasn't sure how they were connected until it came out in the end.  Neither of the women featured - Kate and Abby - were especially likable but they were intriguing.  Kate found her own strength that she didn't know she had.  Abby had strength of her own but misplaced.

This was a real page-turner - an excellent thriller!

I was really interested to read this book, even though I never got around to reading the author's debut novel. This seemed like it was up my alley and would be a twisty read. While there were a few twists and turns, it all felt so predictable and boring. I honestly forgot I even finished the book and then had to reread the last part to recall what had happened because it wasn't anything too exciting. 

I think the  time jumps were a good idea, but it was kind of confusing at time and almost seemed like that was meant to be the big reveal more than the who the killer was. Pretty quick read, but would have liked more depth to the characters.

Kate and their daughter Mia head to the airport to surprise John, who is returning from a business trip, but he doesn't get off the plane. John's unknown whereabouts set in motion a missing person search, that soon tragically turns into a murder investigation. John's body is found on Belport Island, a place where they own a summer home. But why was John there and why did he lie about his location? Kate heads to Belport Island to uncover the truth about her husband and finds herself in the crosshairs of a cold-blooded killer.
Abby, Ray, and their 2 children are year-round residents of Belport Island. Dependent but resentful of the wealthy summer residents, the offseason requires creativity to just get by. Abby works in a grocery store while Ray takes care of all the empty houses. When Abby discovers bloody clothing, she wonders what her husband has done.
Cleverly alternating between Kate and Abby's perspectives, we learn what ties them together and what ultimately tears them apart. Shocking secrets and lies were revealed,  and I'll admit it, I did not see the ending coming. Kudos to the author for keeping me trying to puzzle out the clues, and ensuring that all my guesses were wrong! This book was fast-paced, provided an intriguing mystery, well -developed characters, and an unforgettable location.
I didn't read Christian White's, The Nowhere Child, but I will soon be rectifying that oversight. 4.5 stars.

3.5 stars for me. Set in Australia, with two intersecting storylines centering around female protagonists, family secrets, shame, and hidden selves. There’s some cleverness with timelines that creates a twist. I was in for the vaguely unsympathetic but interesting and evolving characters of Abby and Kate. And I didn’t predict the denouement. But: the amateur taxidermy—! I just couldn’t get over it.

I was provided with an advance copy of this book by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a meticulously, brilliantly-crafted story. With acidic prose, abrupt segues between story lines, and an unflinching honesty, a tale had been created that was as beautiful as it was bleak.

Gripping. Riveting. Haunting. 

This story may not warm your heart but it will seep into your bones. 

'The Wife and the Widow' just reset the bar for my opinion of a great psychological mystery and thriller. Unfortunately, all I've got is 5 stars to give and it is not nearly enough. This book was too good to be real.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Christian White for an ARC of 'The Wife and the Widow' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved how there was a moment about three quarters of the way in where I had to stop and have a ‘huh’ moment before returning to the book. The author describes the characters splendid lyrics so you’re rooting for everyone even though you know you wouldn’t normally. This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I’d love to read more.