Wow what a book! Loved this one so much. packed with twists you don't see coming. Tense and brilliantly addictive. A transporting read.

"I hate him because of what he did to my family; she hates him because of what he might do to hers”
...

Wow! This one takes the domestic thriller to a whole new level and even now, some days after finishing the book, I'm still not really sure what to make of it! Let me see if I can explain this convoluted plot, without giving away too many spoilers.
...

Evan Warner, his wife Lola and daughter Jessica, live in heartland Virginia. He works in law enforcement, having worked his way up from street cop to become Chief, where he now has a desk job dealing mostly with internal affairs, although his meteoric promotion had caused controversy amongst his peers, who had never considered him to be a good officer, with his promotion, in their opinion, a sideways move, rather than the outright dismissal he deserved. His right-hand woman is Miriam, middle-aged, dependable, highly efficient and who knows almost more about Evan than he knows about himself, definitely much more than he would like her to know, it transpires.

Lola had recently died in a tragic accident, leaving a stunned Evan and his distraught teenaged daughter Jessica, all at sea and unsure how to carry on with life. Neither of them are coping well with the day to day functions of sharing a home together and the regular chores that entails, and as communication between them is almost non-existent and barely civil, it is hard to see where they go from here. Miriam suggests that a housekeeper might be the way forward short-term, so with Evan's approval she sets off on a recruitment drive for just the right person, which she manages very conveniently to achieve within hours.

Ariel seems like the answer to Evan's prayers, even though Jessica is overtly rude to her and defiantly refuses to accept that she isn't there simply to replace her mother. So, at his wits end and with nothing more than Miriam's recommendation, Evan hires Ariel without a second thought. For the first couple of days, everything appears to be going well, with Ariel managing to restore a functioning household in double quick time. She even seems to be making progress with Jessica, although that is going to be much slower going, as she needs to be coaxed back into some semblance of normality almost every step of the way, especially as she is being influenced by a 'friend' she would be doing much better without.

It is only now, when both Evan and Jessica realise the benefits of having Ariel running the household, that the lady in question begins to let her guard down and little by little her real reasons for accepting a position in the Warner household becomes clear to the reader. A professional housekeeper she most definitely is not! Now, a deadly game of cat and mouse begins, as first Evan and then Jessica, begin to suspect that the person they have trusted and let into their home, is not there solely with their best interests at heart, or at least not for one of them. They begin to observe her closely and question her every move, although their motives for doing so may not be the same.

Eventually, when it is obvious that Ariel is getting a bit too close to the truth for comfort, Evan decides to dispense with her services, but the lady herself has other ideas and has made a copy of the Warner house keys. Letting herself into the property when Evan is at work and Jessica at school, Ariel's search for evidence, whilst fruitful, highly emotional and conclusive of wrongdoing, comes at a higher price than she could ever have imagined, not only for herself, but for those who had sought to help her unravel the mystery of Lola's untimely demise.

The thing to remember, is that in this story, no one is innocent and it is definitely not all over until 'the fat lady sings' as the saying goes! So make sure you keep reading right to the very last page.
...

Why so difficult to write a review for this book? Well, the story only has a handful of characters, ninety percent of the action takes place inside one house, and I have to be honest when I say that I did need to suspend belief a little at one point (can't say why, but you'll discover it easily for yourself). Despite all that, this was a real edge-of-the-seat thriller, where I always knew something much worse than the gruesome event which kicks off the opening chapter was going to happen, but I wasn't sure what, when, by who, or to whom! In other words - I never had a clue about the eventual outcome and there wasn't a single moment where I felt at ease whilst I was reading!

This intense, highly textured, multi-layered storyline, might have been a little too over-thought, as there were so many twists and turns, especially in the latter third of the book, that the cast of characters seemed to be falling over one another in their haste to throw one more spanner in the works before any kind of closure on events could be achieved. Fortunately, the chapters were short, well-signposted and very punchy, which is just as well, because it would have been easy to become confused otherwise. The main body of the story was narrated in dual perspectives by Ariel and Evan, as a chronological diary of dates covering a period of about one month, beginning approximately two weeks after Lola's death. There were also interspersed extracts from Lola's and Jessica's personal diaries, again narrated in their own voices, with Lola telling of events over the course of the month leading up to her death, whilst Jessica's began at the time of her mother's 'accident' and ran concurrently with those of the principal chapters. Sounds confusing, but it really isn't when you are immersed in reading, it's actually very well structured and dovetailed together.

Woven into the storyline, there was also quite a raft of societal issues, with either one or more of them being relevant to almost every character. Self-harming with the motive of incriminating someone else; drug abuse; alcohol abuse; extra marital affairs; forced adoption; coercion and psychosis. This is a story where absolutely everyone had secrets, some worse than others certainly, but all equally damaging nonetheless, to either themselves or others. With only five principal characters and detective Mike Maroni, who had been liaising with Evan and Jessica during the investigation into Lola's death, you can see how dark, depressing and morbid the atmosphere surrounding the Warner household seemed. However well drawn and compulsive this small collection of complex, manipulative humanity was, their disturbing and overwhelmingly dour, inanimate and lugubrious demeanour was constant, like wading through a field of treacle and never being able to make forward progress. They were definitely not in the least bit authentic, with little or no synergy between them, making them totally unreliable and unrelatable for me, which is just as author Emily Shiner intended I am sure.

As not only an avid reader, but also a confirmed 'armchair traveller', I admit to feeling just a little miffed that I read this entire book with only one single mention of a location, blink and I might have missed it! Even then, it might have been any street, in any town or city, so vague were any reference points. However, this was a story all about the plot and characters, which could easily have been set in any neighbourhood, in any country, with potentially the same outcomes, so I'm not going to get too hung up about it.

When I finished reading, I was still none too sure about the title of book, as I failed to grasp the significance of it in relation to the overall storyline. The cover also didn't resonate well with me either, as it didn't really depict the style of house the narrative would have us believe the Warner family lived in, it was all in the detail!

'The Wife In The Photo' asks how far we will go for love, and what happens when we reach our limit?

Now I know what I can expect from this author, I have no hesitation in looking forward to reading a second book by her, which I have lined up on my Kindle.

I recently delved into this captivating book to discover that it was brimming with drama and suspense. The author's writing was truly impressive, and I found myself completely engrossed in the story. The plot was centred around lies and deceit, which kept me on the edge of my seat with unexpected twists and turns, unsure who to trust.

The characters were intriguing, and the author, Shiner, did an excellent job of bringing them to life by presenting multiple points of view throughout the book. This added to the entertainment value and made the story even more enjoyable.

While there were a few chapters that I personally found to be a bit slow, overall, I believe that this book would make a top-class read for fans of the thriller genre. Shiner's writing style is captivating and engaging, and I am eager to explore more of her works in the future.

All in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling and suspenseful read.

The Wife in the Photo
By Emily Shiner
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Struggling to care for his home and teenage daughter after the tragic death of his wife, Chief of Police Evan Warner decides to hire a housekeeper. 

Ariel is an eager and efficient employee who seems to be the solution to all of Evan’s problems. But do her interests in their family go deeper than cleaning the baseboards?

💭 This thriller was a crazed tangle of multiple perspectives, before and after timelines, and lots of unreliable narrators. 

Sadly, the characters in this character-driven story all fell a bit flat. And while we see the story from each of their perspectives, we can’t trust a damn thing they say!

Twist predictions: Some I guessed, others surprised me in a good way 👏 I enjoyed the suspense and build up to the final scene - YIKES!

READ THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE…
🖐️ Multiple POVs
🤥 Unreliable narrators 
🧍🏻‍♀️ Creepy kids 
🔪 Graphic murder scenes

LOG TOUR HOST Sept 7th!

The queen of revenge plots, Emily Shiner (favorite author), returns following Her Husband's Secret and You Can't Hide with THE WIFE IN THE PHOTO —another clever diabolical cat-and-mouse thriller—but which character is the cat, and which character is the mouse?

Like a tennis match back and forth, your loyalties will change. Predator or prey? Trust no one! With a cast of unreliable narrators, be prepared for the unexpected and sharp turns and twists to the wicked conclusion.

A woman sets off on an obsessive path to justice, no matter what dark family secrets are revealed. She doesn't know she isn't the only one plotting her REVENGE! No one (and I mean no one) is what they seem. The fates of all the players twist and turn until the shocking truth emerges: You can't always get what you want. But sometimes, you get what you deserve.

Meet the Warners:
LOLA WARNER always wanted a home that looked like something from a storybook. A white picket fence. Lola wanted. Lola got. For a while, anyway. How many secrets can be hidden behind the flawless front door? Then, one day, out on the deck, a person is coming towards Lola. It is fast. She is on the edge. Her foot slips. She falls. She looks peaceful. However, she is DEAD. Who is the person at the top of the stairs?

What an opening!

Told from POVs.

EVAN:
Evan is a chief detective, the husband of Lola, and the father of teen Jessica. People have been coming by to babysit him since the funeral. He drinks more and needs help around the house and someone to help with Jessica. However, he needs to be careful. He must ensure he does not slip up and tell anyone the truth. He will hire a housekeeper. She cannot be young or good-looking as the neighbors may talk. His relationship with his daughter is strained. She stays in her room. They barely communicate.

ARIEL:
Ariel Anders is a stalker. She has been watching, waiting, and keeping tabs on Evan and Jessica. Lola deserves more. She must keep Jessica safe from Evan. It is time to put her plan into action. All the pieces are in place, and she is ready. Lola would want her to protect Jessica.

LOLA'S DIARY:
Readers get snippets from Lola's diary leading up to her death. She thinks Evan is disconnected. He seems distant and silent. He comes home late and gets in the shower. (yep). She needs to get his phone when he is not looking to check it. But oh no, he has changed his password. (not good) Is Evan finding comfort somewhere else? If he is having an affair (you bet). She thinks they can get through it. She wants to fix things, but does Evan? Then she finds the letter. She will ask him about the letter when he is not drinking. When she is sure, she will be safe. Of course, he denied it. He must end the affair, or she will end the marriage.

Miriam is Evan's assistant. A grandmotherly type. He will ask her if she knows anyone interested in a housekeeper position. A cook. A cleaner. Run errands—someone to come into the house and improve Evan's life.

Miriam knows Aerial. Upon her recommendation, Aerial gets the job as a housekeeper. She is not pretty or striking, so she will be PERFECT, Evan thinks. Aerial would like to move in and live there instead of her car, but Evans says it is not a live-in position. (darn) She will take what she can get. She needs to snoop. She will improve Evan and Jessica's house and then RUIN him.

Aerial knows the truth will come out, and it could get ugly when it does. She needs to make sure Jessica trusts her.

JESSICA's DIARY:
Jessica is a wild card. She and her father do not seem to get along. Aerial wants her to open up to her. Jessica is not happy her dad hired a housekeeper.

Evan is happy with Aerial's work. She is a great cook and housecleaner. All seems to be working until he notices his bedroom door is cracked. He tells her his bedroom is OFF LIMITS. That makes her want to snoop even more. (right?) What is he hiding? She thinks he murdered his wife. She must dig through photos, papers, life insurance policies, anything—to find something to incriminate him.

She plans to get rid of Evan and help Jessica. However, nothing is as it appears. Was Evan having an affair? With whom? What is he hiding? Everyone has SECRETS! Maybe Lola had a diary that Aerial needed to find. She thinks this house is evil. She finds a gun, but he is a cop.

Jessica could be in grave danger from her father. She seems to be acting out, smoking weed, being manipulative, and being disrespectful—poor thing. Aerial is sure Jessica has more secrets, and she must learn them all. But Evan does not trust Aerial so she may lose her job and her opportunity to gather info.

However, there may be MORE than ONE person plotting REVENGE! After all, accidents tend to happen. Who knows how to play the game? Who is using whom? Who will outsmart the other?

DYNAMITE! Devilishly clever, Emily Shiner ratchets up the suspense and misdirection with this twisty, thrilling game of cat-and-mouse and house of smoke and mirrors that will have you guessing, second-guessing, and then gasping with surprise.

THE WIFE IN THE PHOTO is a magnificent, intricately plotted psychological thriller that will have you questioning everyone’s motives until the stunning ending—a must-read for thriller lovers.

The twist-filled plot fearlessly delves into the depths of revenge, obsession, and family secrets with a final knife twist—be prepared for a 360-degree head spin. For fans of authors Freida McFadden and Miranda Rijks. Be sure to check out Emily's backlist and stay tuned for The Hotel! (Blog tour Sept 8th)

Get this one on your list! I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by Kate Handford and Todd Kramer for a highly entertaining performance and listening experience.

Thanks to Bookouture, Hachette UK, and NetGalley for a gifted ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Sept 7, 2023
Sept 2023 Must-Read Books
Sept 2023 Newsletter

This was a slow start, but quickly picked up. I love a book that has different POV’s per chapter. Told from the POV of Evan, Ariel and Jessica, along with diary entries from both Lola and Jessica, this story kept me gripped and surprised with each twist and turn. The story was kinda predictable but there was still a certain twist to the story I enjoyed.

Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2023

Holy unreliable narrator, Batman! There are three people telling us their side of the story and the details do not match up. Pop some popcorn for this one and hang on for a rollercoaster ride. We start the book with the tragic death of Lola, wife to the police chief and mother to 14-year-old Jessica. How can this family go on after such a tragedy? Ariel is conveniently available to step in to be their housekeeper. One or more of these three people are not what they tell us they are. Perhaps it is all of them? You will have to read the book for yourself and find out. This was shades of "Gone Girl" for me in the way these characters interact with each other. I have a new author on my Must Read list.

Thank you to Bookouture for both an audio and digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date is tomorrow September 7, 2023.

A hint of Verity? This was a slow start, but quickly picked up. The different perspectives per chapter kept me on my toes throughout. Very well structured.

This book asks many questions - how strong is the bond between father and daughter? Who is truly evil? Who do you believe? The last 25% of the book was unputdownable and really tied the story together. Ignore the typical family tropes with this one!

I absolutely loved this thriller. So many emotions,twists and turns. Your in for a rollercoaster. A definite recommend and must buy

Thanks Bookouture and Netgalley.
All thoughts and opinions are my own and aren't influenced by anyone else

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I felt like it was very predictable and I was not shocked by any of the plot twists.

I didn’t feel invested in the characters so when things happened I was not sad / shocked / upset. This book felt very slow until things started to pick up.. and when they did, I felt like there was a lot of information lacking as to why things happened… Parts of the plot weren’t making sense & there were WAY too many unanswered questions for my taste 🥲

Thank you NetGalley & Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC!

If you like Freida McFadden, you should definitely check read this!

SPOILERS AHEAD
*
*
*
*
*
*

This book sent me through so many emotions! I really enjoyed it and there were so many twists that I wasn't expecting. At first, I thought Ariel was a crazy stalker and was weirded out by her wishes to get close to Jessica. When it was revealed that she was her aunt, I was shocked! Then that she was Jessica's mom... wow. My ending opinion of Ariel is that she really 𝘪𝘴 crazy for wanting to be that girl's mother.

I went through so many emotions with Evan's character as well. I believed him to be a murderer and I felt angry that he was cheating on his wife. I was left feeling bad for him in the end despite him covering up the murder of his wife. No one deserves to be stuck in jail for murders they didn't commit.

I received an ARC of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Bookouture Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by Emily Shiner and perfectly narrated by Todd Kramer, Kate Handford - 4.5 twisty stars!

Evan's wife, Lola, died from a fall down the stairs. Evan is the town police chief and is having trouble keeping up with his job, the home, and taking care of their teenage daughter, Jessica. He hires Ariel as a housekeeper, but she has an ulterior motive - to find out what really happened to Lola. Ariel is convinced that the evidence that Evan killed is wife is in the house; she just needs to find it.

Told from the POV of Evan, Ariel and Jessica, along with diary entries from both Lola and Jessica, this story kept me gripped and surprised with each twist and turn. Every time I thought I had things figured out, I was wrong. None of the characters were particularly likable, but most of their actions were understandable. Most of them. It was a quick read, full of tension and twists - another great book by this author!

This is a psychological thriller told from the POV of Evan, Jessica and Ariel. Evan’s wife, and the mother of Jessica, recently passed away after apparently falling down the stairs. Ariel is then hired to help around the house to make life easier for Evan and Jessica. However it soon becomes clear that Ariel isn’t just there to help out-she’s got an ulterior motive for being there-but what is it? And was Lola’s death really an accident?
While this was fine in terms of being a thriller, it was definitely predictable and none of the characters were very likable so it was hard to get invested in them. There were several over the top, there’s no way moments that you absolutely have to suspend reality for in order to keep reading, but then again, that’s what fiction is for.
If you like cheesy horror movies from the 90’s you’ll probably love this book.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

A quick read that draws you in from the beginning.
Told from different points of view which keeps it compelling, you're soon lured down a path only to be u-turned so many times you won't know who to believe!
First time I've read anything from this author but definitely won't be my last.

First, I want to thank Emily Shiner, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review!!

OMG!! OMG!! DAMN!!! Never have I ever read a book that shocked me to the core as The Wife in the Photo!! This is one of Emily Shiner’s best written book (that I have read) WOW!! The secrets, the twists, the suspense, the jaw dropping revelations makes this book for a must read!!

The Wife in the Photo is insanely addictive and fast paced with all the drama that goes on! One minute Emily will pull on your heart strings and the next she will pull a 180 and I found myself yelling at the Kindle! It is a book where you will have a love hate relationship with the characters!

I absolutely loved the unique names Emily picked out for the characters! My favorites were Ariel and Dakota.

WOW!!! Never in a million years did invision Emily’s explosive insanely intense climatic ending! She had me on the edge of my seat and in total disbelief at the events unfolding!

Welcome to the Bookouture family Emily!!

This was a quick and fun read, though it was a little repetitive and I also don’t really know why it was titled the way it was. The story centers on the death of a woman named Lola, who leaves behind a husband (Evan) and teenage daughter (Jessica). Enter Ariel, who gets a job cooking and cleaning for them in the aftermath of Lola’s death, though it becomes quickly apparent that she has an ulterior motive.

The story is told from both Evan’s and Ariel’s POVs, for the most part. Neither is a likable character but the dual storyline helps the reader to understand their motives. I do think the story was a little repetitive as it covered their inner monologues, but perhaps the author was just trying to nail down their characters clearly for the reader. Both characters end up making stupid decisions that were expected based on what I had read so far, so I guess it worked! The last few chapters are really good and while I can’t say I was totally surprised, I do think they were well written and successfully tied up loose ends.

Overall, this is a quick and fun psychological thriller with some twists along the way; even if you figure out the end, it doesn’t disappoint! Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

★★★ 3.5 stars

The beautiful wife. The happily married couple. And the daughter who holds their secret...

After the tragic death of his wife, Evan Warner struggles to maintain his house and his fourteen year old daughter Jessica. Since Lola's death he and Jessica are adrift and he has no idea how to find their way back. The house is a mess, the dishes are piling up, the laundry needs doing...but no amount of cleaning will rid his house of the secrets that lurk beneath the surface. But he can try.

And so he employs a housekeeper, Ariel. The moment he walks in after work the first day, she has the place whipped into shape and the smell of a pot roast in the oven. He watches her from the doorway, humming as she works and using her hip to close the oven door. He frowns. The move seems familiar, like he has seen it before. But he shakes it off as soon as she sees him. He beams at her, knowing that hiring her was the best decision he has made.

But Ariel has a secret of her own. She has met Evan before. She even knew Lola. She has an ulterior motive for being here now. Lola called her in the weeks before her death. She wanted her help. And now she is here to do just that. To save Jessica from her father and to bring Lola's killer to justice.

And then she finds Lola's diary, hidden deep inside a closet. And her words from the grave change everything...

This is probably my third read by Emily Shiner and each one has been different. Like other reviewers, I'm baffled by the title as it doesn't reflect the story in any way. I did guess the main plot twist almost from the start but there were a few things I didn't see coming that were a surprise. The bloodbath near the end was a little far-fetched but doable. But from there, I could see how it was going to pan out. And I'm not entirely convinced I'm satisfied with the ending. But it was still a dark and chilling pageturner.

I would like to thank #EmilyShiner, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheWifeInThePhoto in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

The story is told via dual point of view, which I always enjoy.

We hear from recently widowed Evan, and his new housekeeper, Ariel, who is hired to help him and his daughter, Jessica, around the house, following the recent death of Lola, which authorities ruled as a tragic accident.

Ariel is hired to keep the house clean and in good order and to prepare meals for Evan and Jessica.

Ariel however, has her own agenda.

“I have to prove to him that I can not only help him but make his life a thousand times better. And then I’m going to ruin him.”

The diary entries from Jessica and Lola added to the story and kept me intrigued.

The ending was quite underwhelming for me, hence the star rating.

I look forward to reading more of the authors books as I really enjoyed the writing style.

Thank you Emily, Bookouture and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book before it’s release 📚💫

Wow! This was a quick read, that kept me engaged the whole way through. While some of the storyline was predictable, it was still enjoyable and with the read. The suspense was engaging!

This book had me interested from the beginning . I like that there was continuously twist throughout the book to keep me interested . Just when I thought I had things figured out something else would happen. I just wish more was explained at the end . I recommend this book, I think it’s perfect for someone just getting into thrillers .

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review .