Cover Image: The Wife Upstairs

The Wife Upstairs

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Member Reviews

I really enjoyed listening to this! I listened along with a hardcopy because I like to alternate between the two sometimes and it really was a fun way to immerse myself into the process. Jane Eyre is one of my favorite classics novels and I appreciated the influence and take from that classic into this book. It was a fun time!

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The Wife Upstairs is a twisty work of fiction chock full of suspense. Although the plot felt formulaic and familiar, I did not predict the ending. This book was good as an audiobook and would be perfect road trip accompaniment. It was an enjoyable listen for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley, author, narrators, and publisher for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

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I loved this audio! My favorite ones are when you have multiple narrators. The story line was captivating and interesting. Definitely a must listen book.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was one big deja vu for me. It’s been years since I’ve read Jane Eyre but there were enough similarities (names, places) that there was an immediate connection and familiarity. That’s a positive and a negative... there are lots of pieces pulled from other stories so nothing was really fresh or original. To me, this was just a mash-up of Jane Eyre and one of the Real Housewives franchises.

I’m not a fan of ambiguous endings and while I initially thought that was the case here, the final
Minutes made it pretty clear that there was no ambiguity - I just hope the author doesn’t opt for a follow-up novel.

I listened to the audiobook and really did not like the voice actors. especially “Jane.”

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The Wife Upstairs was great on audiobook! I’m so glad I listened to it. It was a great story and I so liked Jane.
It was filled with twists and turns and who done its. It was easy to listen to and really enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

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I literally kept hearing about this book nonstop in all the book groups and on bookstagram! So I knew I had to read it!! I read it and then I listened to the audiobook and while the book was definitely an experience the audiobook was AMAZING!  If you go the audiobook route the characters and the narrarators match the characters and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Jane is down on her luck, she is trying to hide her past and start a new adventure! Jane is new to the area and so when she starts walking dogs in a very wealthy area of town she is doing pretty well. She keeps adding on new clients to walk their dogs and she's managing to thrift a few things to sell so that she can pay her rent to her tool of a roommate.
Now, let's talk about Eddie. Eddie is a man who is mourning because his wife and her best friend died at the lake about six months ago, and one day he meets Jane when he is backing out of his driveway and almost hits Jane.
That started their relationship. In the beginning  she was walking his dog too and then he asked her out for dinner and their relationship blossomed from there. Jane is swept away by Eddie the way he stood up for her to her tool of a roommate and the way that he provides for her.
As time progresses Jane and Eddie's relationship becomes more of a serious relationship and she tries to fit into the neighborhood.
Now there is Bea. Bea was Eddie's wife until something happened at Lake. Bea tells her own part of the story in different chapters and she's not the sunshine that everyone makes her out to be but did she die on the lake, was she murdered, or did something more sinister happen to her?
This is one of those thrillers that has you on the edge of your seat and you have to continue in the book because you have to know what the  secrets are and what actually happened!  There are some easy twists in the story that are kind of predictable but they are so good! If you like thrillers by B.A. Paris and Samantha Downing then this is the book for you! It's a great fast paced read that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

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I think the whole real housewives meets victorian literature should be the new thing we see more and more of. I will forever support authors retelling classic with their own twist and Hawkins definitely delivered with this! As a massive Jane Eyre fan myself I HAD to pick this up. Being so familiar with the base material I was needing to recalibrate at the beginning a bit because this is definitely a retelling and Jane, Rochester ect share little more than the name and role of the original (very fan -fiction esque). Would recommend when youre some fresh new thriller read!

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Even if you think you know the story of Jane Eyre, don't pass up on this twisty retelling turn domestic thriller.

Jane is leaving the ghosts of her old life behind, and making her way as a dogwalker in a ritzy suburb of Birmingham, AL. This is where she meets Eddie Rochester and becomes entangled in the suburban housewife drama of Thornfield Estates... and the mystery of Bea Rochester's death.

Great for fans of A Simple Favor and and Desperate Housewives, or anyone who has spent time in Alabama. You may have never met the women of Thornfield Estates, but trust me... you know them.


Thank your NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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An interesting take on Jane Eyre. It's been a while since I have read the classic, and I enjoyed recalling the original plot as I made the comparisons.

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Jane Eyre is my favorite classic and I have enjoyed other works by this author so I was excited to see this retelling. .I think this has retelling was wonderfully done. The writing style kept me captivated and I love the southern psychological thriller spin that the author put on this classic story. The narrators did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life. If you like psychological thrillers and the classic Jane Eyre, you should read this book. You don't have to be familiar with Jane Eyre to enjoy this novel.


Review will also be left on Amazon, Audible and Goodreads.

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A modern day retelling of Jane Eyre...set in Alabama. This was a fun one! I listened to the whole audiobook in a single day, thanks to the killer narration of this one. I loved the twist on a classic. It was enjoyable and definitely kept me wondering what was next. I don’t really think any of the characters were very likable, but I actually did find myself to be a fan of Jane. I enjoyed the multiple POV telling as well. This is a book that I actually recommend on audiobook, if you’re into them!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

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The Wife Upstairs is a suspenseful book with a shocking ending that had me invested from the beginning.

Jane is a dogwalker in a rich gated community called Thornwood Estates. She frequently steals jewelry and small items from her clients. Then she meets Eddie whose wife is presumed dead after a boating accident a year ago with her best friend. Eddie and Jane quickly fall in love and their relationship progresses. Jane is happy with the money and stability Eddie provides. However, Jane is living in Bea’s shadow and can’t seem to get away from comparison. Will Jane and Eddie’s secrets pull them apart or bring them closer together?

I was invested in The Wife Upstairs from the beginning. I loved the story. It definitely seemed predictable at times, but I didn’t want to put the book down. I really enjoyed the story. I didn’t really like Jane, but really wanted the best for her. There were definitely times I wanted to yell at her because I was so invested in the story. I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen next and was wrong multiple times. I love reading unpredictable books.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emily Shaffer, Kirby Heyborne, and Lauren Fortgang. They all did a great job and talked with emotion. Their voices really fit the characters, and I am so glad I listened to the audiobook.

I recommend The Wife Upstairs to fans of domestic suspense especially if you like books that seem predictable with a shocking ending.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, Libro.fm and NetGalley for The Wife Upstairs audiobook.

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I really enjoyed this. I haven't listened or read many psychological thrillers in awhile because I got burnt out on them, but this was familiar and yet still new. I knew there would be a twist, but it still wasn't exactly the twist I expected.

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Thank you Netgalley for this audiobook edition of The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins.

It took me an entire quarter of the way through until I finally realized that I was reading a modern day Bronte novel. But instead of a period Gothic, it's a southern Gothic, with slightly different twists and turns. You would think having a character named Eddie Rochester would be all it took to clue me in, but alas.

Jane is desperate to break into the elite scene of Birmingham Alabama, starting as a dog walker, hoping to move her way up. So when she meets Eddie Rochester, she sees her chance. Eddie is handsome and rich, but has an edge...and a past. Add to that, Eddie is very hesitant to discuss his ex-wife, who died mysteriously, and there have been strange noises in the house...

You see where I'm going with this right? But it was a very fun retelling, and actually tempted me to read Jane Eyre again. It was written well with all of the modern adjustments you could ask for. I kind of like these retellings of old classics.

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I’ve got to be honest; I wasn’t thrilled.

I enjoyed the writing. Rachel Hawkins has a very smooth, effortless style that made it easy to breeze through chapters, but I was still a little disappointed. I wanted more buildup, more excitement around the reveals and most importantly, more cat-and-mouse tension between the players. Unfortunately, I found too many things predictable which made this read feel a little vanilla. The story was good, everyone loves vanilla, but I needed a few more toppings.

Q: If I could change one thing about this book, what would it be?
A: The title. It gave everything away. I needed that one piece of information to be withheld in order for this to be a thrilling read.

I’m rounding up to 4 stars.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for an advance audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I feel like I went into this audiobook a bit blind - I have never read Jane Eyre and I thought I was listening to a book by Paula Hawkins. Even so, and even though I didn't like any of the characters in this book, and even though I had to suspend some disbelief (how could Jane not know there was an extra room in the house), I thought it was a compelling and enjoyable listen.

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One day when I was about 13 or 14, I spent the night at my grandmother’s house. She has an astonishing collection of the fancy leather bound gold embossed Easton Press classics and I, a little baby book lover, was enchanted. I picked up a copy of Jane Eyre and proceeded to stay up all night and read the entire thing in one sitting. I slept until noon the next day. Half a lifetime and an English degree later I don’t actually know where that particular enthusiastic attention span went, but I sure do have a soft spot for Jane Eyre.

You might see why a modern retelling would appeal to me. In fact as soon as I get the promise I was over the moon excited for a fusion of true Southern Gothic aesthetic with one of THE most iconic classic Gothic Romance. That assumption didn’t quite play out the way I had hoped—I would have reveled in a more pointedly Southern Gothic atmosphere. However, despite what I think is a missed opportunity on the aesthetic front, this story manages to be an incredibly engaging mystery that takes more than a few startling turns.

As far as modern retellings go, I was actually surprised to find that I enjoyed the characterizations here, despite the fact that pretty much none of the characters are likable—occasionally sympathetic, but never truly likable—and it <i>works</i> that way. There was never going to be a way to tell the classic story about a man who locks his wife away in the attic for years, in a modern setting, and have the characters involved in the cover up be truly good and kind people.

(I listened to this book as an audiobook, and was extremely happy with all three narrators. They add to the atmosphere, particularly Bea’s southern accent.)

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This was a book I was really looking forward to reading (ended up listening to audiobook) and I wasn’t disappointed. Just when I thought I had it figured out everything changed. Twists and turns I didn’t see coming and an ending that really caught me off guard. Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the privilege to read and review this book.

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Oh man, y'all. This book has been at the tip top of my most anticipated list from the moment that I heard that it is modern-gothic-mystery retelling of Jane Eyre. I wanted SO BADLY to love this, but ultimately I kinda feel like it was just okay? It wasn't a terrible book, but throughout the entire story I kept finding myself wishing that it would do more, or go a little bit further and it ultimately just never really hit the notes that I was hoping it would hit. I will say, if you do decide to read this one, I listed to the audiobook and I thought the narration was fantastic, but the story as a whole was just... a little lacking for me and I am big, big sad because I thought this was going to be an all-time favorite for me. Here's hoping that Rachel Hawkin's next adult book will hit a little harder for me!

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Wow!!! This modern day spin on the classic novel Jane Eyre was so good that I couldn’t put it down!!! I literally finished it in two days!
Every moment was intriguing and hooked me. The twist at the end was shocking.
I definitely recommend this book!!!
5/5

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