Randy Susan Myers returns following Accidents of Marriage (2014) with her latest riveting domestic suspense, THE WIDOW OF WALL STREET — bold and edgy an inside look at betrayal in a marriage.

The blind love, lies, dark secrets; the unraveling, devastation, and the need to rebuild a life after the fallout of Wall Street and a fraudulent husband's Ponzi scheme. Was the wife living in denial? For fans of "The Good Fight", especially this week's episode.

Phoebe and Jake met when they were teens. Jake and Phoebe come from different backgrounds. Jake is obsessed with money and success. He wants and needs a different future than his childhood. He thinks this will earn him the respect he craves.

Phoebe makes a wrong decision, leading her to guilt and loyalty to Jake. They marry, despite her overbearing mom’s warning.

He soon excels and opens a brokerage house. Things go well. However, soon greed, power, and money get in the way. He is dishonest. He thinks it is temporary. He has a private fund. A Ponzi scheme. A crime soon to be uncovered. The time bomb. Fraud.

Phoebe is blind to it all. The money is flowing – wealth, prestige, homes, and power,

Starting from Nov 2009, we learn Jake is now in prison. They have lost everything. Phoebe takes a Greyhound bus to the upstate NY correctional prison. She despises him. He still has her under his thumb, worrying about what she is wearing and appearances. He still has not acknowledged his part in the disaster.

However, Phoebe is struggling. She has taken her husband’s side over her children, causing a huge strain. Her children are strangers to her now. She must face Jake’s crime. The wife of a demon.

Her entire marriage had been a battle against being known only as Jake’s wife—now she feared the battle could be over for good. She had become a widow to a living man and a childless mother.

How did they get to this place? People wondered if she knew. Was she this naïve? She trusted this man. Her life is shattered. How many people has he fooled? A monster.

The author takes us back to the early days to the 1960s, where we hear from two points of view: Phoebe and Jake. The roller coaster ride from mansions, and wealth to prison.

When yet another tragedy occurs, Phoebe is forced to make a decision. She has to cut Jake free, even though he felt he could straddle the world on other’s people’s legs. Love and loss. Survival. He had squandered and cheated people and fooled millionaires, and lessons never learned.

Can Phoebe survive this disaster and come out whole once again? A different person perhaps?

The author does an outstanding job with the couple's journey from both perspectives. What a ride. The dark secrets of a husband and his scheming. A financial empire crumbling. The betrayal. From domestic suspense to psychological.

If you enjoyed the Madoff miniseries, (good), assured to find THE WIDOW OF WALL STREET engaging. Of course, in Palm Beach we hear his name often; however, Trump has taken over the spotlight here on the island.

Randy Susan Myers tackles highly charged topics, telling deeply personal stories of women. Their complexities, fear, pride and despair are woven brilliantly into the absorbing narrative.

Fans of Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain, (A Stolen Marriage) Kimberly S. Belle (The Marriage Lie) and Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies) will appreciate the complex relationships and the emotional inner lives of women in crisis. Read the backstory.

A special thank you to Atria and NetGalley for an early reading copy.

JDCMustReadBooks

I was invited to read and review this title by Net Galley and Atria Books. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read it. What, Wall Street? What does that have to do with the real lives most of us lead? But when I noted that the story involves an enormous tumble off that golden pedestal, I was intrigued. I am really glad I accepted the offer to read, because it contains a feminist subtext that I had no idea would be here. This story will be available to the public April 11, 2017.

I had to read the reviews of others to learn that this is a fictionalized version of the Bernie Madoff scandal, but if you approach it as straight fiction it’s just as good. The premise is that Phoebe marries Jake when she is very young, and she’s grateful to him, because she’s in the early stages of pregnancy with a little gift planted in her by a college professor who groomed her, screwed her in the upstairs lounge at school, and then dumped her so he could move on to the next nubile young lady in her class. It’s a time in history when becoming a single mother was an absolute taboo for any Caucasian woman of the middle class. Perhaps you had to be there, but I am telling you it was simply unthinkable. Not only would she have lost friends; her entire family would have lost friends, and maybe relatives also. The social stain was one that did not wash out.

And while we are talking about the time period—starting in 1960—I need to point out that Myers has nailed, with brilliant yet discreetly woven detail, the settings of the time periods between then and now in a way that’s undeniable and that draws me further into the story. Some authors try to use shortcuts in writing historical fiction, and when they do it you can tell they don’t have a grasp of the period: they toss in the names of popular celebrities, clothing styles, and other prominent bits of pop culture that they could glean from a ten-minute web crawl. Myers does the opposite. She focuses on the story and character, character, character, but the time period comes out in the background, as it should, with every aspect from the slang of the period, to its social mores, to every aspect of daily living. This reviewer grew up during the 1960s and 1970s, and as the story progresses, I find myself thinking, “I remember that!” I highlighted a hundred references that won’t fit into this review just out of sheer admiration.

Those that just want a beach read can get this book and use it as such, but for those that want to peel off the layers and look for what’s underneath, the feminist message is one we can relate to today easily. The assumptions that are made about her as a wife, that she is an appendage, and the way her family treats her speak to me. In some ways, I find myself thinking of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”, in which a woman simply becomes part of the home environment; at one point Phoebe notes that her family doesn’t want to hear her talk, and they don’t even really want to share their own stories with her, but she’s like a lamp that should be present when desired for whatever purpose suits the moment.

In the end, when her husband goes to jail for having stolen every penny from his investors, Phoebe has a choice to make. She can stand by her man, trying to eke out a little stash for his prison account so that he can buy candy bars and stamps, or she can live her life without him. To some it might seem to be an obvious decision, but by the time he is jailed, she is past sixty; she has lived her entire adult life with this man, and the mind of a senior citizen is not as flexible as a younger one. The way she works through it is riveting.

Read it as a feminist folk tale or read it as a beach read; one way or the other, this novel is highly recommended. (less)

I recently read "Accidents of Marriage", by Randy Susan Meyers....
......which explores the topic of destruction of verbal abuse.
Red flag signs may not have been obvious 'before' the couple's marriage in "Accidents of Marriage" regarding anger issues.....
BUT....
In "The Widow of Wall Street"....the Red flag - trouble warning signs were visible 'before' marriage.

Phoebe and Jake begin their marriage with a lie between them....and 'young'.
Phoebe's mother tried to discourage Phoebe from the start during their dating days - not to get serious with Jake. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tee", said Phoebe's mother. Jake's father was involved in some shady business dealings......and history has a way of repeating itself.

*PERHAPS* MOTHER KNOWS BEST passing on traditional family Jewish customs. Lola, Phoebe's mother, told Phoebe what was passed down to her when she married her father. "Keep a knippel"....( hide cash) .....away from your husband: no matter how wonderful he is.
The message is "DON'T BE A 'SCHLEMIEL'.....( the implication being Jake may take advantage of her). No woman should be without financial independence.
Phoebe liked to brag to her mother that Jake was working hard - would never hurt her - and was making enough money to take all the vacations they want and more some. After taking the stockbrokers exam, Jake was building a successful enterprise. His company was called Jake Pierce Equity - JPE.
As a young bride - Phoebe would never admit to her mother that she was 'hiding money'.... but she was.

Phoebe attended college - she was very pretty ( considered the most pretty girl in a room).... but she herself wasn't interested in banking on her beauty - she wanted to work. She loved working at the Mira Stein Settlement House...on the lower East side.
However, after having children - she stopped working at the Mira House for many years to not only stay home and take care of their two children - Katie and Nolan...
but she got into the habit of 'pleasing' Jake. For example... he liked her to dress provocative for 'him'.....but conservative when he brought her to meet clients. It was the 'wives' he wanted Phoebe to impress enough to invest their money.
As the years went on --Phoebe felt Jake cared more about making a fortune for his clients than making her happy. Jake has tunnel vision about making money. The secret club he creates - the Ponzi scheme - is bound to fail.

If this story is beginning to ring of Bernie Madoff .....well, yes, possibly. There are many themes running through this story. Marriage -kids -business - money - lies - cheating -justification for extramarital affair- unfulfilled dreams -thwarted intentions - control - betrayal - manipulation - sex as a tool of power - the role of extended family ....etc.

Jake thought of everything --- he even bought his wife the same perfume that his lover wore to make life easier for 'him'.
"Crisp piles of money, scorching nights of sex, and silver framed-photos of flawless
family defined Jake's endgame". ----- we will see what Jake's endgame is!!!

The marriage between Jake and Phoebe is a roller coaster ride through the decades - beginning in the early 60's. -- We see Phoebe grow -she even begins to appreciate her mother in ways she never had -- and begins to value her parents marriage.

THE BEGINNING YEARS ...... ESPECIALLY caught my attention:?
Phoebe was not even 18 -but she had been dating Jake since she was 15 years old. He wanted sex with her. She had feelings - but said no for three years.
HOWEVER......
The 'reason' Phoebe chooses to have sex with Jake -at almost age 18- is one of those life changing pivotal moments ---worthy of discussion!!!! For me -- things that happened before their marriage is an important topic. I'd like to talk about this 'issue'.....( but no spoilers ), with young single women:
It's a relevant topic even today!!

This is the second book I've read by Randy Susan Meyers. She's terrific. A woman who knows people, life, and is a great storyteller!

A FUNNY: I laughed when Phoebe and their kids were making cupcakes ---
Phoebe had started a Cupcake business. Jake had just walked in the door.
They all needed to leave soon - a dinner at synagogue -- but grumpy Jake --- wanting to leave early --wasn't appreciating the joy of his wife and kids baking....
Nooooooo, the sour puss --- said, "I didn't know I was coming home to a Saralee sweatshop".

Thank You Atria Books, Netgalley, and Randy Susan Meyers ( enjoy your books!)

4.5 stars

This book was so oddly written - I did not like the writing style at all. It felt cold, distant and very formal and considering the subject matter, this did not mesh.

I found myself completely bored after forcing myself to read through the first 7 chapters or so. Could not even finish this.

I would like to thank Randy Susan Meyers, Atria and Netgalley for giving me this book for my honest review.
Review By Stephanie
5 Stars
The Widow of Wall Street was a provocative novel about the blind love of a wife and the loyalty during his demise. This book echoed a lot of the stories in the news currently or in the pass about the men of Wall Street and how they don’t let anything get in their way when it comes to demoting Wall Street.
Phoebe always saw the fire in Jake Pierce’s eyes. As a teenager he had big dreams and he was going to fulfill these dreams at any expense. They fell in love and Jake creature a lavish life for Phoebe, but the ways he built it was extremely shady but her vision was much shadier because she didn’t see the deception. Phoebe learning about the lengths Jake went to to build his empire. Phoebe was forced under the microscope by most, did she know….she had to know…. did she have a hand in stealing billions from charities and their friends and neighbors!

This story was amazing! Like I said before it was totally ripped from the headlines but this time we get the view of the blind love of the wife. She has loved Jake since they were teenagers how can she turn away from him….but with all the lies and deception how could she not.
The Widow of Wall Street is one of my favorites of 2017! The story was so complex! I truly cannot wait to read more from Randy Susan Meyers!

I have been a fan of Randy Susan Meyers ever since I read her debut novel, The Murderer's Daughters. She takes on social issues and makes them come to life with the stories she writes and the characters she creates.

The Widow of Wall Street is a deep love story, a love between two fifteen years olds who know they are meant to be together. Jake's ambition to not end up like his parents and to offer his wife and children so much more than he had, leads him astray as he finds himself working outside the law.

Phoebe stands by her man and trusts that he is an honest, law-abiding, and gentle man. As she learns more and more about this man she has known almost her whole life, she learns more about herself and discovers the strong woman that she has always been.

The Widow of Wall Street is another great story from a wonderful author. I really have loved all of her previous books and this is another one I can add to that list. Thanks for another great read, Randy!

I liked this book a lot, that being said if you have read any of the books about Bernie Madoff written by his children, you have read this book. Yes there were some differences but I have to say this book actually followed the same timeline with the same instances. I kept saying to myself next they will do this or that and yes it just followed along. I did as I said like the book but felt like I'd read it before

While I can kinda/sorta read a balance sheet, the financial world is not my forte. Thus, when the Bernie Madoff scandal hit a few years back, I was horrified by the people who lost their entire life's savings, yet also not completely clear about how something like this could happen. Randy Susan Meyers (Accidents of Marriage -reviewed Dec. 2014 - excellent book) has fictionalized the Madoff saga, with a greater emphasis on the wife. We meet Phoebe as a headstrong fifteen year old, born and raised in 1960's Brooklyn, daughter of a loving yet interfering mother, and infatuated with Jake, the boy who dreams big but lies and manipulates to get his way. As Phoebe's life unfolds, and poor decisions commence, her marriage to Jake takes precedent to all else. As the decades go by, we see the slow march towards unconscionable wealth, families persuaded to join the 'Club', Jake's special investment fund, Phoebe's involvement with a charitable organization, and the ultimate uncovering of a despicable lie. Meyers knows how to tell a story, unspooling the lies slowly yet insidiously, grabbing at one's emotions through ideas of loyalty, sexual intimacy, and deep familial bonds, and making one turn pages late into the night. This book was fascinating to me, a Pacific Northwest resident with little knowledge or attraction to the New York financial world, and the depth of the characters and tension of the story made it extremely hard to put this book down. Definite winner!

I just wasn't interested in any of these characters. I felt no empathy whatsoever.for anyone.

As it is inspired by a true event, the reader drawn into the life of this insecure woman that we all saw pictured in the newspaper. What was she thinking? The author deftly portrays what her life was all about---then and now. She gives a picture of the of Mrs. Madoff and others like her.inner life to the face

Phoebe started dating Jake when she was barely 15 years old. Pretty and popular her entire life, she couldn’t wait to be a grown up. But after a secret college affair that turned sour Phoebe was drawn immediately back to Jake’s strong arms. Jake adored her and promised the moon and the stars. His dreams shaped a future she could have never even imagined. Phoebe did not realize that ambition is not a switch you can adjust or turn off. Married young with two small children Phoebe became nothing more than arm candy for Jake’s skyrocketing success. Mansion on the beach in Greenwich, boats, cars and jewels – everyone wanted to invest with Jake Pierce because they wanted what he had. So in addition to the highrollers not afraid of a gamble, all of their friends and family sunk their life savings into his investment firm, he called the Club. As the economy fluctuated, as there is no question it will, Jake’s anxiety begins to build. Phoebe’s trust and naivete leave her caring for her home and children while avoiding arguments anytime she questions Jake’s values or motives. This fast paced, in-depth look at a Madoff like Ponzi scheme had me on the edge of my seat with sweaty palms. I could not get off this suspenseful, emotional rollercoaster by incredible author Randy Susan Meyers (Accidents of Marriage). She creates a world of likable characters (except for Jake, of course!) and even when the crisis looming is obvious you are still rooting for some way that Phoebe can fix this mess. She is faced not just with financial ruin, but the loss of her children, her sister and her faith. Highly recommend this unputdownable read that will be available in April! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to let my friends and fellow booklovers know that this is one they CANNOT miss!!