Evelyn Caldwell is an award-winning scientist and in the top of her field of genetics and cloning. It is with this great skill set, that her own husband Nathan, was able to create a replica of her. However the clone, he named Martine, was genetically programmed to be a softer, more docile version of Evelyn.
After leaving Evelyn and starting a new life with Martine, Evelyn is tasked with trying to move on from this betrayal. She works to keep her distance from Nathan and his clone wife for fear of getting wrapped up in Nathan’s ethical misconduct; clones are meant for scientific research only. She manages to start taking those steps towards a new life, that is until Martine calls Evelyn because she needs help with Nathan’s dead body…

I am really bummed to say that I really didn’t enjoy this book much at all. The whole premise of the book sounded amazing, but I feel like either the synopsis gave too much up, or the most interesting parts of the book were sped through.
We discover that Martine has killed Nathan and has asked Evelyn for her help within the first 10-20% of the book. Now for me that would have been okay, had there been some more twists or reveals throughout the book, but there really wasn’t anything else to spice up the book after that.
The majority of this book felt like non-stop internal dialogue of Evelyn thinking about how much she hated Nathan and how she was superior to him in so many ways.
The one aspect of this book that I did enjoy were the parts where Evelyn was in her lab and we followed her in her daily work. As a woman who herself works in a medical laboratory, I found these bits the most interesting and it felt like the author was either already knowledgeable in genetic science or did great research for this book.

This was super fun and creepy! My only qualm was how unmoored in reality the science is. Given that this is science-fiction, I understand that some liberties may be taken; however, the rules of the world did not seem to agree with the scientific aspects of this novel. I also felt that there was a missed opportunity in this novel to explore the ethical dilemma that pops up when dealing with cloning. I was looking forward to diving into that, especially given the premise, and was disappointed when we did not.

This book had potential, but it didn't seem to go anywhere. It's sci-fi, dealing with clones, which is a cool concept. Evelyn is a scientist working with clones. As is her husband. Well, her ex-husband. But then her husband decides to make a clone of Evelyn, eliminating traits that he doesn't like, and he leaves her for this clone, Martine.

The clone seeks out the original and it doesn't go well. And then there are more problems. As in a baby and a dead husband.

I think this book is trying to make you wonder about the ethics of clones and what they should and shouldn't be able to do as well as how to handle them. However, it doesn't quite get there. Rather, Evelyn is not a likeable character and while her upbringing was less than ideal, she is very straightforward about her research and how she handles things. She lacks compassion toward anyone.

There are some plot holes, as to be expected with a sci-fi book. It doesn't get too much in the woods with the science part, which is good, but it just didn't have much of a storyline to keep my attention.

Marriage is hard work and this book proves how much by having the good ole hubs clone his wife. Because why not have your ideal woman? I liked the premise of this book because sci-fi movies are my absolute fave and I have been watching shows like Orphan Black lately. I just didn't fall into this one. I felt like the story just didnt reach it's full potential. Wasn't bad though

I can't stop thinking about this book. It's contemporary-feeling, realistic, sci-fi, but almost dystopian thriller. Gailey does some brilliant work telling this story of a scientist who created adult cloning technology, and whose ex husband is now having an affair with one of her clones. Things go wrong quickly, so it has some thriller elements. I thought it did a fantastic job on providing commentary on the dichotomy/struggle of "having it all" as a woman (career and family life). It also comments heavily on abusive grooming, so trigger warning for that (read Gailey's acknowledgments for more). This was a sharp, tight book and it keeps echoing through my brain days after finishing it.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Initial reaction: So I liked "The Echo Wife" and thought it was a well told story for the kind of story it presents. I will say though that I wasn't in love with it as much I thought I would be. Part of it may be the emotional distance of the narrator (there's a good reason for it, though), and another part may be that I expected some emotional upheavals that never arrived. 3.5 star read overall for now, may adjust as I think about it.

Full review:

"The Echo Wife" is one of those sci-fi thrillers that aren't outright scary, but there's a definite sense of foreboding permeating throughout the novel. I felt how heavy and twisted this story was, found myself taken by the overarching journey as a whole. I could count the number of times on both hands where certain turns in the narration and plot made me go "Oh. OH! Oh, doggone, I wasn't expecting that. That's messed up."

The way it explores themes of personal identity, individuality and sisterhood is worth noting in particular, albeit with caveats. For the record, I like stories like this where you have a central protagonist who has a multitude of secrets that are gradually peeled back by layers, going deeper and darker with each one uncovered. On the surface of it all - you have Evelyn Caldwell, a brilliant scientist finally getting due recognition for her work as a clone researcher. She's deeply immersed in her career, has no plans for having children and really would rather spend her time deep diving more into her research than being the wife that her husband and lab partner Nathan would rather have. The latter aspect ultimately lead to the fall of their marriage, but that isn't the only thing.

It's noted that the research she was doing with her now ex-husband Nathan produced a clone named Martine. The problem with Martine is that she was created - by Nathan - to be everything Evelyn wasn't - subsequently replacing her for a more subservient version of Evelyn that he could use for his own whims. Further, Nathan had cheated on Evelyn with Martine during their marriage. But even with that part of the story noted in the blurb, Evelyn realizes that Martine's existence and relationship with her former husband are far from being the only problem that she has to contend with. The deeper the conflict goes, the more it threatens to unravel everything Evelyn's ever worked for and then some. She's desperate to keep those secrets hidden and will do anything for them to stay that way. And when I say anything...that goes in quite a number of twisted directions.

I knew going into this book that the connection between Evelyn, Martine, and Nathan were far from being the only source of conflict, but those parts of it were so well done. Evelyn navigates her history with Nathan in a brutally honest way that puts their triumphs and flaws on full display, ultimately marching towards what happens when Martine enters the picture and how Evelyn discovers the truth of the affair on her own terms. It's when Martine unexpectedly - and desperately - decides to show up in Evelyn's life with some stunning revelations that things further to an even darker turn. I wasn't sure how far it would go, but it just kept digging and digging, making it more urgent for Evelyn to cover the truths unearthed up.

Evelyn's narrative voice has a dark, bitter, sometimes intense and sometimes emotionally distant undercurrent. Much of this was understandable in following the contentions with her ex-husband and Martine's revealed identity. With Evelyn's interactions with Martine, it was also understandable that she was essentially collaborating with the other woman - who was in fact large parts of herself unveiled in another light. That made "The Echo Wife" a number of levels of WTFery that I found fascinating to watch unfold. However, I'd admit that this distance in narration provided a double-edged sword. She's cold and calculating, so it's no surprise that she would act in some of the ways she does with her desperation to keep things hidden, but there are certain revelations that she lacks an emotional response to that are hard and heavy in themselves. I didn't understand why she'd treat some revelations as afterthoughts compared to others.

Certain lulls in the overarching progression of plot also kept me from enjoying this book more, but I at least appreciated the exploration of the research, dedication to the execution of how Evelyn and Martine would cover things up and the subsequent falling out of those efforts. If nothing else, I think "The Echo Wife" can be enjoyed for what it offers - a slow-burn thriller with a sci-fi twist and an unlikely partnership. It's my first read from Sarah Gailey and I'll gladly pick up more of the author's work in the future.

Overall score: 3.5/5 stars.

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley from the publisher, but I also purchased an audiobook copy for my personal library.

I have enjoyed Mx Gailey's other titles and this one did not disappoint. A bit more science fiction than I normally would read, but it kept my interest.

Hmm. This book was not at all what I was expecting. I enjoyed the scientific elements, but the thriller elements fell flat. I was not as invested or as intrigued as I was hoping to be. I did enjoy the writing style, and will likely give her another go.

This was a very interesting topic for a novel. I enjoyed the story, but feel it was a little lacking in thrill. Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced reader digital copy of this book.

For a sci-fi thriller about cloning, I guess I should have anticipated the need to suspend all disbelief. While relatively fast-paced and with an interesting enough premise, <u>The Echo Wife</u> suffers from a plot absolutely riddled with holes... (See Goodreads review for spoilers).

The Echo Wife is the second book I’ve read by Sarah Gailey. Like Magic for Liars, the premise starts out interesting, but the story feels like it is missing something. The idea of clones in a domestic setting is intriguing, and there were some funny moments.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

This book is one I couldn’t put down. Sarah Gailey is a powerhouse, and an author I will continue to recommend to my patrons!

THE ECHO WIFE was absolutely brilliant! Such a fun play on the Bluebeard tale. I loved and devoured this book!

Thank you to the publisher for a free netgalley. I am truly unsure why I put this one off. I struggled with the print version, but finally scooped up the audio. That was a game changer. I listened to the book in one day.

I enjoyed this premise a lot and every time I thought we were on the downhill, another twist would happen. Highly enjoyed this one. Definitely recommend for those who want more of a sci-fi thriller.

Martine is a genetically cloned replica made from Evelyn Caldwell’s award-winning research. She’s patient and gentle and obedient. She’s everything Evelyn swore she’d never be.

And she’s having an affair with Evelyn’s husband.

Now, the cheating bastard is dead, and both Caldwell wives have a mess to clean up.

Good thing Evelyn Caldwell is used to getting her hands dirty.

This was a solid thriller. I'll definitely be back for more of Gailey's stories.

Overall this book wasn’t one I found engaging but I do think some others might like it. I’ll say it’s around three stars.

Sarah Gailey continues to impress and enrapture with their premises that dig their claws into you and just keep tearing. I always think I've signed up for some big, high-concept thing, but as soon as it's been set up, the rug is swiped from under me and I realize that, once again, I'm being confronted with a very personal interrogation of humanity and self.

The Echo Wife in particular delves in to what it means to be human, and the answers aren't comfortable, and also aren't quite answers.

And while the core of the book is in the personal and intellectual, that doesn't mean that the hooky premises don't deliver! I found myself gasping aloud on the bus at yet another twist, another reveal. I loved this one. Can't wait for the next Gailey, as always.

I received a digital advance copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really love the idea of this book. Imagine creating a clone that looks like you but has a completely different personality. Then finding out your husband is cheating on you with that clone. Then finding the husband dead. The whole concept was great but the book was not that exciting. There were plot holes and the books was not as fast paced as I was expecting. Overall it was an interesting read.

Holy cow this was so good! I was riveted the entire time. Like "Westworld" meets "The Need." The changes the reader goes through with their perceptions of the different characters was amazing.

Every book is a surprise from Sarah Gailey--you never know what subgenre they'll write next! This domestic thriller/cloning experiment gone wrong is a fun character study as we watch a scientist learn more about herself when she's able to watch from the outside.