Six Weeks to Live, the story about three adult sisters (triplets) and their dysfunctional family which also includes separated parents and twin boys belonging to one of the sisters. The tale starts off well but then becomes full of fighting, deceit, anger and immaturity. The ending is a whooper! Certainly not one of my favs. Thank you #NetGalley#AtriaBooks

Not only did Jennifer just find out that she has a terminal brain tumour and only weeks to live, she is convinced that it was due to her being poisoned. Recently separated from her husband, she naturally focuses her suspicions on him. Her daughters think that this is just the result of her illness but some things are just not adding up. Can Jennifer uncover the truth before her time is up?

While a thriller at heart, for me this was mostly a family drama. I really liked the concept of this one and the multiple POVs. Each daughter had a different take on Jennifer’s illness while grappling with their own issues. I did however have a hard time connecting and liking any of the characters. This was not my favourite by her but that’s just a personal issue.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read Six Weeks To Live

Book Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cover Ratting : 🌟🌟🌟 💫
Genre: Mystery/ Suspense

Jennifer has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer and has 6 weeks to live. She also realizes that the cause of her cancer seems to be related the lead poisoning she suffered from the previous year. But who poisoned her ? Is she right to think that it’s her husband who has been pushing fir a divorce ?

✔️ a slow burning family drama shrouded in mystery and suspense
✔️ The family dynamics were quite interesting. Especially the triplets - where two were also identical twins . There’s not one likeable character in this family, but you still want to find more about them.
✔️✖️ I liked the ending, but I am not a big fan of final chapters/ epilogues that tell me exactly what happened.

Jennifer is dying and the clock is ticking with six weeks left to live. She’s forty-eight, separated from her husband, with twenty-five year old triplet daughters and twin grandsons. Jennifer didn’t take the separation well, in fact, she declined giving Jake a divorce. Then the shock of her diagnosis altered her reality. The final was shock was when Jennifer was convinced someone poisoned her a year ago giving her less than six weeks left to live. Jennifer sets out to find out, in this who-dunnit book, who poisoned her.

...and the count down begins. Catherine constructed a story about Jennifer’s life beginning at the six week mark. Jennifer searches for peace in the past in the present and in the future. Jennifer learns to let go of the anger from the past and the pain of the present while finding acceptance about the future. As Jennifer navigates her impending death sentence her daughters learn more about the life of Jennifer as a family supporter.

Jennifer and Jake had been married for over twenty years. He broke her heart when he asked for a divorce it might’ve even made her behave a little crazy. She was hurt that he could easily walk away and start a new life. It became a battle with the girls picking sides.

McKenzie weaves the past and present together while the clock ticks away Jennifer’s time. The secrets and lies come crashing down within the limited weeks left of Jennifer’s impending death sentence. Jennifer’s family is dysfunctional with its secrets and lies and McKenzie gave each daughter their own voice expressing the domestic drama. Jennifer is convinced her husband Jake poisoned her because she would not divorce him. She tries to convince her daughters that dear old dad wanted her gone. McKenzie does a great job of creating suspicion not only with Jake but with everyone else as well.

Some psychological thrillers are intense with danger lurking in every corner while others creep up on you in a slow methodical way. This is known as ‘slow burn’ writing style where the plot and scenes develop slowly building towards an explosive boiling point. Where this story lacks in danger it makes up for will family drama bouncing between Jennifer and her daughters. McKenzie wrote a convincing and compelling story about the lives of each of these characters. With its slow process I took to reading this book much the same way by spreading out my time over a weeks time rather than in one sitting. The drama is a lot to process so I set out to read a few chapters every night.
Where my interest thrived was within the last few chapters once the secrets were revealed. The final resting place for these secrets was worth the slow steady pace.

Six Weeks to Live
Release 05/04/2021

Aline, Miranda, and Emily are triplets. Their mother Jennifer is dying of brain cancer and has been given six weeks to live. She refuses to grant her husband a divorce, and she’s barley hanging on by a thread.

In the six weeks, lies, secrets, betrayal, and mental illness all surface, and the girls learn things about their mother that she wanted to take to the grave. But sometimes when you learn things about your life and your past, it's a way of closure for you and the person about to pass. In this book, no secrets were taken to the grave.

I can’t delve too much into this review because it’ll give too much away.
But I absolutely loved it
It’s def one of the best I’ve read so far this year 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I want to preface this review by saying that I have loved so many Catherine McKenzie books. Six Weeks to Live started off as a fast page turner. The idea that a woman diagnosed with a deadly cancer believes that she was poisoned the year before leads readers to imagine a twisty plot and unpredictable characters. The first 20% of the book intrigued me enough to hold out hope. I immediately felt disconnected to the characters. The triplet daughters of the main character were detached and their reaction to their mother's news was not authentic. Jennifer's mother Bea, was seemingly unphased (by most mothers of a dying child). I found it hard to bond with the characters but interested in reading on. About 40% into the book, the plot thickens but the characters still feel disconnected. Jake, I also felt that the underlying story between Jennifer and her ex husband Jake was not developed until later in the book. This book wasn't my favorite Catherine McKenzie book but I still love her writing and look forward to reading others.

Six Weeks to Live by Catherine McKenzie

I was late to work today… I stayed up too late finishing this book last night. It was so good, I could not stop reading.

Jennifer is has brain cancer and has 6 weeks to live. She had high levels of lead in blood last year which may have contributed to the brain cancer.

Jennifer and Jake are going through a difficult divorce, especially since Jake’s new (and young) girlfriend is pregnant. Her three daughters (Emily, Miranda and Aline) are triplets – two identical twins and one fraternal have their own secrets. And Jennifer has an even bigger secret. But, who poisoned Jennifer?

Told in alternating narratives between Jennifer and her daughters, this one had me guessing until the very end. Oh, so good!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND 5/5!

#psychologicalthrillerbooks #thrillerbooks #domesticthrillerbooks #bookstagram

I really enjoyed this book.

A mother of grown children finds out she has only a few weeks to live due to a brain tumor. But then she discovers some other medical information that makes her think she was purposely poisoned.

This story was part mystery (was she poisoned and by who), part family drama ( what really happened in the past) and part a book about the relationships between them all.

I kept reading to find out what was going to happen next. What was the big secret? Was she poisoned? Why are the sisters acting like they are? Is the dad a bad guy?

I want to thank #CatherinemcKenzie the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

Jennifer Barnes never expected the shocking news she received at her MD visit , she has a terminal brain tumor—and only six weeks left to live.

While stunned by the diagnosis, the 48 year old decides to spend the little time left with her triplet daughters. When she realizes she may have been poisoned a year earlier , she sets out who may have wanted her gone.

Jennifer suspects her ex husband as their pending divorce is toxic. Meanwhile the triplets don’t quite believe it. Emily is the perfect daughter who does anything asked, Ali e is a moody scientist who keeps everyone at a distance and Miranda has moved back home unhappily after failed adventures.

Her daughters doubting her campaign against their father, Makes Jennifer think maybe it’s all in her head or if it could be someone else?

Welp....the premise of this was really good. I liked the story line and the two big twists were HUGE so I appreciated that. The characters however are a different story. I literally hated all of them lol this is a first time this has happened to me. Like literally ALL of them are annoying. Self centered , ridiculous, loathsome. It made it hard for me to love this BUT I will not discount Catherine McKenzies other work. Her twists are just that good!

Thank you Netgalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

Oh my goodness! This is the kind of domestic drama that grabs your attention like a train wreck and you can't put it down until you get to the end, guessing all the way.

Jennifer Barnes is told that she has a grade 4 cancer, a primary glioblastoma (brain tumor) and has only 6 weeks to live. OK -- so you need to get past the fact that nobody in medicine gives those kinds of predictions these days and just go with the flow, suspending your disbelief and getting to the main theme of this story. Family. Children. Secrets. Lies. Jennifer is mom to 3 adult children, triplets in truth, but actually twins with a separate zygote. She has a distant relationship to them because of things that have happened in the past, most notably the fact that her husband has left her for a younger woman and wants a divorce that Jennifer won't grant. Jennifer is convinced that her cancer is due to poisoning and she immediately suspects her estranged husband, Jake. Her daughters, Emily, Aline and Miranda, are meant to be helping her through this horrible time but they each have their own issues going on as well. As Jennifer goes through these final weeks, the past comes to the surface and all the truths are revealed. NO SPOILERS.

First, you must get past the death date business. Then, you need to get over the fact that this is a collection of really icky people. Honestly, it was hard to be empathetic with all the revelations and the difficult relationships in this family. Other than that, it was fast and fun and what a crazy story. I enjoyed it as pure entertainment and though it was hard to see the messed up family dynamics, it played out pretty much how I expected. By the end, I did recognize that Jennifer was a mess but I still felt some pity for her and her surviving daughters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

I started reading this one thinking it'd be a fast paced, race against the clock, mystery with the hunt for a killer. It was not that. This one was quite slow for me, and a bit repetitive, I feel like it took a really long time to get to the climax. I did like where the book ended up, it took a few twists and turns, I just wish we could have taken a faster path there.

I'm a big fan of Catherine McKenzie but I just don't think this one is one of her bests, for me at least. I had a difficult time liking any of the characters, none of them really displayed any redeeming qualities. A lot of selfish, entitled and whiney people. I did find the whole idea of a mother facing death so quickly and absolutely very sad and heart wrenching to think about. No matter your relationship with your kids I cannot fathom staring down the tunnel of knowing you wont get to see so much of their lives.

Overall, this was a good read but not a binge worthy read!

Jennifer is a 48 year old mother of triplets- a set of identical twins (Aline and Miranda) and a fraternal sibling (Emily). Emily is the mother of twin boys. When Jennifer is diagnosed with cancer and told she has six weeks to live her entire world comes crashing down. She is left with many unanswered questions and seeks to answer 1 specific question: Did someone poison her and cause this cancer? While trying to find the answer, each of her daughters must cope and come to their own realizations before their mother is no longer there to answer questions on the past.
Personally, I found the book to move a little slow. Each of the girls had their own dedicated chapters which allowed for overlapping story lines, but I did not find most of it “edge of my seat” gripping. The last 5 or 6 chapters were by far my favorite and McKenzie did a great job at tying up all the loose ends. I would recommend this one for someone who likes a good slow burn. It is certainly a creative premise and has no shortage of emotions to wrangle while reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What would you do if you found out you had six weeks to live? This is what happens to Jennifer a 48-year-old grandmother and mother of triplets. Jennifers ex-husband want to divorce, Jennifers triplet daughters are all keeping their own secrets, Jennifers mother has her own issues, and Jennifer believes somebody has poisoned her.
The book is a countdown of weeks left, with each week revealing another family members secrets, each one with a different memory of how things were/ are.
Told from several points of view, with the best chapter names EVER!
I enjoyed this book and I do recommend it, just be prepared to be reading way past your bedtime.

‘I am a book that will remain unfinished, and I was very much looking forward to seeing how it would all turn out.‘✨

⭐️ Rating
4.5/5

My Thoughts 💭

Imagine you have only six more weeks to live... would you have a plan? What would you do? 😳

Six Weeks To Live is an emotional roller coaster exposing the dark secrets & lies of a family and their three daughters.

Last year I read You Can’t Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie & loved
~ her fast pace
~ the incredible well thought through plot, that kept you on your toes until the very end
~ and the strong female lead characters & their development.

I have to say, if you are looking for a new psychological thriller with all of these traits, Six Weeks To Live will definitely hit the spot again!

Thank you so much to Catherine McKenzie, Simon Schuster CA & NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for a review.

This one is out on April 20th 2021.

This is a story of a family, a story of many secrets, yes it is story about terminal cancer but it also a mystery, a story of lies and how the present reflects the past in us all

Six Weeks to Live starts with Jennifer being told she has Glioblastoma and has approximately six weeks to live. She becomes convinced her cancer is the result of someone having poisoned her with heavy metals ( a la Flint Michigan).
The story is more a psychological study of Jennifer and her three 25 year old daughters. Her daughters were minor celebrities when they were born, as they were two identical and one fraternal triplets. The daughters each have their own personality and agendas. We see how each responds to the news. And then there’s their father, seeking a divorce and possibly the one to have done the poisoning. This is one screwed up family!
I enjoyed seeing the family dynamics- the sibling rivalry, the alliances, the secrets that become exposed. I can’t say I liked any of these folks. Felt sympathy for, sure, but didn’t really like or understand.
I am a huge fan of Catherine Mackenzie. She is a master of suspense, leading the reader from one suspect to another. There was a nice underlying tension to the story. I felt the ending stretched my ability to believe but it worked well.
My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.

This story really kept me guessing! Six Weeks To Live by Catherine McKenzie is a psychological thriller that is full of who-done-it’s. Jennifer Barnes, a mother of adult triplets, learns that she is terminally ill and thinks that perhaps she’s been poisoned. With so little time left, she tries to figure out if this is so and if it is, who did it. That’s what really keeps you guessing. I would go from one character to another, always suspecting them because of different reasons. Because of this not knowing, it kept me interested and wanting to read as much as possible. Throughout the story, many family secrets are revealed that make everyone look like they could be guilty, and that they would have motive in doing so. But what I really liked was the twist at the end that revealed that it was someone that I had least expected. I enjoy stories like this that keep you hanging on but then surprise you in the end. I’d like to thank Atria Books for accepting my request and NetGalley for the arc to read, review and enjoy. This is a suspenseful read and one I’m sure many people will enjoy like I did. I’m giving it 5 stars!

Jennifer receives the news...a woman in her forties with a terminal brain tumor...her time left is six weeks, and she wants to spend it with her grown children and her grandchildren. After further review of test results, she is convinced that she was poisoned with lead a year prior, deliberately causing her cancer. The only person she suspects is Jake...her current husband who is moved out but has been pressing her for a divorce for quite sometime.

Everyone always suspects a spouse, I mean Jake is a lawyer, so he could probably cover his tracks, but we have some other key players to look at...her current boyfriend, her mother, her best friend, and then her three grown triplet daughters...Aline, Miranda, and Emily. Aline seems to have a strained relationship with her mother, she doesn’t feel sad about what is happening once she learns the prognosis. Emily seems as though she might have a stronger connection with her mother, more than the other two siblings, she seems the most mature, but just might not be living the perfect life everyone thinks. Miranda seems the most timid of the three, also the most needy. She often sides with her father but lives with Jennifer, leaching off of both parents. Miranda also has some skeletons in her closet. Jennifer is convinced it has to be Jake but everyone around her, including her therapist is telling her to listen to herself, that it essentially sounds preposterous.

The thriller aspect of trying to determine who is to blame while also seeing the weight unfold of how each of the three daughters try to cope with the raw emotional truth of losing their mother is absolutely gripping! This book keeps you hooked from beginning to end! The wheels start to turn as the past is brought to light, but also everyone is talking to each other behind Jennifer’s back and they are starting to unearth pieces to this puzzle and the plot thickens in a way you would never imagine! The ending was mind blowing! Just know that every choice comes with a price, a hidden cost...

This was a well written mystery filled with family drama and dysfunctional characters. It was not really a thriller but more mystery. It was a very enjoyable afternoon bread.
Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and Catherine McKenzie.
This is the story of Jennifer who is diagnosed with a brain tumour and is told by her doctor that she has six weeks to live. Upon receipt of her blood test results she realizes she has extremely high level of lead.
OMG she is being poisoned. She is determined before she dies to find out who her killer is.
Well written family drama with unexpected twists and turns.
Surprising family secrets
Recommend. 4 Stars