What can I say about this book other than I love the characters. Every single one of them is a strong, unique woman that deals with issues in their own way.

From the first book we know that each of these women lost their partners in a plane crash that left their firm in peril. Add 80s hair and the mob and you have suspense! Book 2 is no different. I do have a hard time keeping everyone straight but after two books I'm ready for book 3!

Definitely love the style in which this book was written. I love all the authors and can tell it's a collaboration. Despite being a collab, the story flows well.

Thank you Netgalley and @sourcebooks for the opportunity to read this titles. All my reviews are unbiased

Desperate Deadly Widows was a fun, easy read, full of suspense, mystery, secrets, and drama. While I enjoyed it, it didn't have the same impact for me as the first book, Young Rich Widows did.

It was great reading about Camille, Justine, Meredith, and Krystle again, and the murder mystery was intriguing. It kept me guessing right to the end.

3.5 stars from me.

Thanks to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, Kimberly Belle, Vanessa Lillie, Layne Fargo, and Cate Holahan, for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love these characters so much and the way they deal with drama in a smart, but also sometimes hilarious way!

Book 2 in The Widows series, DESPERATE DEADLY WIDOWS by Vanessa Lillie, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan and Kimberly Belle asks how far will you go when you have nothing to lose, or everything to lose?

Two years after the plane carrying their husbands explodes, the widows are back! Krystal, trying to keep the law firm together, Justine learning the lawyerly ropes, Meredith owning the strip club and Camille who offers revenge for scorned women are faced with the dilemma when one of Camille‘s orchestrations goes horribly wrong and Mayor Tom is found dead. As the women try to figure out what happened they are racing against the clock and the police to try to clear Camille‘s name, all this while fighting one of Krystal’s former employees who is now poaching clients and meeting with mob bosses and rich ladies, the women are attempting to put the pieces together hoping to see the big picture. Will they accomplish their goals and save themselves or will Camilla or Meredith go to prison for murder?

I must say that I did not enjoy this one as much as the first in the series. As last time, there are so many characters that you need a dance card to keep them all straight and they’re not all pivotal to the story. This is a good read, however. The authors writing together makes for a good time and a few hours well spent. I look forward to seeing where the series goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Source Books for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
💅💣 Book Review: "DESPERATE DEADLY WIDOWS" by Vanessa Lillie, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, Kimberly Belle 💣💅
The Widows are back, baby, and they’re just as sassy, stylish, and scandalous as ever in "Desperate Deadly Widows!" I gave this one a fierce 4/5 stars and had an absolute blast reading it. If you like your thrillers with bite, sass, and a splash of dark humor, this is your next obsession. 💋🍾

It’s been two years since the infamous plane explosion took out their shady husbands (RIP-ish), and the ladies are thriving, mostly.

🍸Krystle is the fierce glue of the law firm, holding everything together with her unwavering willpower and her signature red lipstick.
🍸Justine’s faking it ‘til she makes it in law school.
🍸Meredith traded the pole for power and now owns the strip club she used to dance in.
🍸But it’s Camille who really knows how to turn up the drama. Orchestrating seductively scandalous revenge schemes is her specialty—until one of her tricks goes awry in the champagne room, landing her on the suspect list for the mayor’s murder. Plot twist! Suddenly, she’s the star of a thriller, and everyone’s on the edge of their seats!🎭🔪

What’s the cherry on top? Each character is penned by a different author, making them feel incredibly unique—imagine a murderous Real Housewives crossover but with four queens of suspense at the helm. 👠📖

So buckle up, bitches! If you loved the first book, you’re in for a treat. And if you’re a newbie to The Widows, get ready for one exhilarating ride! These widows aren’t just changing the game; they’re rewriting the whole damn rulebook!

❓Do you have what it takes to be one of these bad ass widows? 🅰️ I might have when I was young, but I'd rather just read about them now! 😱

Thank you to the author and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

This took me a long time to get through. There are A LOT of female characters and I truly had a hard time remembering who was who. Granted, I didn't read the first book in the series so there's a chance that it would have been better if I had. I love the female friendship but something was missing from the plot to help propel the story along.

Desperate Deadly Widows was an interesting read. I liked the characters; however there were times where the story was a little slow. There was a lot happening at the same time but also nothing happening at all. I enjoyed the ending and the development of the friendship between the four women. There was definitely a great story about the relationships of adult women and especially those who have gone through tragedy as these women have. I loved Camille. She was definitely my favorite of the group. Meredith was also a powerful character. Krystle and Justine felt just okay to me. There were also times where this book felt like it wanted to be a cozy mystery but just didn't quite get there. Meredith and Camille gave that feel. It was an interesting crossover between a thriller and a cozy mystery. Overall, I enjoyed this one but it did feel a little too long and with a little too much going on at once.

I love this book even more than the first one in this drama filled series!!!!¡!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More drama & scandal in this one to enjoy!!!!!!

A killer concept meets four powerhouse thriller voices in Desperate Deadly Widows, a propulsive and darkly satisfying ride through the tangled lives of women scorned—and unafraid to strike back.

When four very different women—each widowed under suspicious or downright scandalous circumstances—form a support group, it’s only a matter of time before secrets start to unravel. But grief is a powerful motivator… and so is rage. What begins as solidarity soon spins into something sharper: a pact, a plot, a blood-stained bond. Let’s just say these ladies aren’t lighting candles at memorials—they’re lighting matches.

Each author takes on a different character, creating a tightly woven, multi-POV narrative that somehow still feels cohesive. You can feel each woman’s distinct voice—witty, furious, fractured—but the transitions are smooth and the tension never slips. There’s a delicious sense of fun threaded through the book despite its darker themes, with biting commentary on marriage, power, and the way society treats "difficult" women.

It’s not quite a satire, not quite a straight thriller—more like Big Little Lies meets The First Wives Club, with a shot of vengeance and a body count. My only quibble? A few plot turns veer into the implausible, but honestly, it’s so entertaining I didn’t care.

Desperate Deadly Widows is the 2nd book from the writing team of Vanessa Lille, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan and Kimberly Belle.
This story takes place two years after the events of the first book when a murder threatens their law firm, their friendships and their freedom. Lots of 80's references and nostalgia (although as someone who came of age in the 80's - the Jersey version is a lot different than the Southern version)
There's lots of action and humor. Each widow is written by a different author so their personalities are very different. At times the plot is predictable. It can be read as a standalone but it's better if you read the first one to get a grasp of the characters.

It'll be interesting to see what direction they go from here.

Thanks to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Landmark for the chance to read this book!

This was a REALLY great fast paced book, a lot of action, def no time to get bored, but a lot of characters to keep track of, it's very easy to get the "widows" confused for each other for a bit. Other then that it was a great read.

Desperate Deadly Widows is a sequel that can be read as a standalone, but absolutely makes more sense if you read in order.

The characters were fun and full of personality, but the writing of their relationships didn't really make it seem like they actually had any previous kind of connection/bond. This may have something to do with the multiple writers, but d9nt take that as it being a disjointed book. The story was well put together and written overall. I just feel I didn't get the full picture coming into it on book 2.

One aspect I truly enjoyed is the emphasis on the struggles of the indigenous people as their land is trying to be seized. Highlighting this brings to light some of the issues that just keep happening, and how recently still that tribal lands are being seized for greed.

✨ The Vibes ✨
Four widows who support women’s rights…and wrongs

📖 Read if…
✨ You prefer when thrillers are equally driven by characters and plot
✨ You love stories told from multiple POVs
✨ Sassy characters are your jam

The Widows are back and ready for more lies, chaos, and mystery!

Young Rich Widows was a favorite of mine a few years ago, and I was super excited to see it was getting a sequel, picking up in the aftermath of the first book. It was great to see where Krystle, Justine, Meredith, and Camille ended up and learn that they are just as strong and sassy as ever. The strength of this series lies in the characters. Each book is told through the four POVs of the women, and each has such a distinct voice, it’s impossible to pick a favorite. If you like thrillers, where you learn a lot about the characters and their personalities, this is a must read.

I do think it would be hard for someone to pick this book up if they haven’t read the first, so if you’re interested, make sure to start with Young Rich Widows. Both books are simultaneously suspenseful and laugh-out-loud hilarious, and are a great pick for someone looking to dip a toe in the thriller genre.

Desperate Deadly Widows is out now. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the sequel to Young Rich Widows. It takes place a couple of years after the first book ends. Told from the points of view of each of the Widows, we follow them on the next case and catch up on their lives.
This book is fast-paced and a page turner. The overall story is interesting and keeps you engaged and reading. The only problem I had was the predictability of what would happen for the most part. Not how they would get there exactly, but who was responsible for the crimes was a little too obvious for me. It's still a good read, though.

In this second book in the series, you fall more in love with the widows and their crime solving abilities. They are so fun and I love this series and hoping that there will be more books in it! Highly recommend!

Four powerhouse thriller authors – Vanessa Lillie, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, and Kimberly Belle – join forces in Desperate Deadly Widows, a novel that's as wickedly fun as it is suspenseful. This isn't just a story; it's a high-octane thrill ride that will leave you breathless and begging for more.

Imagine a support group for widows... with a twist. These women aren't just grieving; they're starting to suspect their husbands' deaths were anything but accidental. And as they dig deeper, they uncover a conspiracy that's as twisted as it is deadly.

With each author bringing their unique voice and talent to the table, this collaboration is a masterclass in suspense. The plot crackles with energy, the characters are sharp and compelling, and the twists? Oh, the twists will leave you reeling.

If you crave a thriller that's smart, sexy, and utterly addictive, Desperate Deadly Widows is your next must-read. Prepare for a wild ride where alliances shift, secrets explode, and the only thing more dangerous than grief is the truth.

The widows are back… I just love the 80’s vibe and it’s so interesting how the characters are all written by a different author and how the story just flows perfectly. The widows are trying to keep the practice going and then the mayor ends up dead on the club Meredith owns with Camille it’s a crazy fun ride as the widows need to save themselves and find out who did it before it’s too late

Sneaky, witty, sexy, and suspenseful.
meridith is bad ass, these widows are crazy and will stop at nothing for the truth.

The first book was real housewives with murder, this is like 6 mo later but still with murder and more bad assness

I had it figured out who "did" tell deed but not who orchestrated it and I knew it was coming but the blows were undetectable.

Such a great fun read, I read this in 1 sitting!
(Highly recommend you read the first one before, it's referenced alot)

I love how diverse these characters are but how they are there for each other. It is how female friendships should be. Good mystery. Was unsure who did what till the end. I really hope there is still.more adventure and hijinks.

This was everything that someone who grew up in the 80s could ever want! From the clothing descriptions, hairstyles, using landlines, even the cars - it was so nostalgic. It was a campy who done it that reminded me of Knots Landing or Dallas! I loved it!