How well do you know your partner? You love and care for them and commit to spending your lives together, but when you stop to think about it there are large parts of your lives that you have lived apart. It can even seem like you lived a different life before you met them. Your love for them builds trust that helps fill in the gaps for the parts of their life that you didn't experience with them. As the relationship progresses, you learn more and more about the person you love, but there will inevitably be things that simply don't come up. There will always be little unknowns between the two of you. In The Wife Upstairs, the buzzy new thriller that everyone seems to be reading, author Rachel Hawkins draws upon those unknowns to concoct a story of wealth, power, and deceit.
Jane couldn't be more out of place. Newly residing in Birmingham, Alabama, the penniless young woman has taken a job walking dogs for the residents of Thornfield Estates. Each day, she walks the sidewalks and dreams of the lives of those women who reside within the opulent manors that populate the gated community. Her own life couldn't be further from those of the people she works for. She lives in a rundown apartment with a man who could be described as manipulative at best, abusive at worst. Jane would do anything to switch her life for the life of one of the women she works for. As luck would have it, that very opportunity is about to present itself.
It wouldn't be accurate to call Eddie Rochester the most eligible bachelor of the neighborhood, but Jane can't help but be drawn to the quiet widower. Eddie's wife Bea, a prominent businesswoman in her own right, died in a tragic boating accident. Bea and her best friend were both lost in the ill-fated trip to the lake, their bodies never recovered after the tragedy. Jane is immediately drawn to Eddie and the potential for a change in lifestyle that he brings. She quickly inserts herself into his life, and the pair become inseparable. But everything isn't as it seems. The details surrounding Bea's death are murky, and Eddie seems more willing to forget about his past and move on than investigate things further. Little does he know that Jane is keeping her past a secret too. Behind the facade of a perfect relationship lies toxicity that is about to come to the forefront.
I love the kind of book that draws you in from the start and doesn't let go. The Wife Upstairs is exactly that. Rachel Hawkins writes intriguing drama, morally ambiguous characters, and enough twists and turns to keep the plot rolling from start to finish. The novel is a retelling of the classic Jane Eyre, but you don't have to be familiar with that book to enjoy this one. The Bronte book is one of those that I only skimmed through in high school, so I've never actually read it myself. Suffice it to say that The Wife Upstairs has enough intrigue to stand on its own. I won't say that this is the best thriller I've read this year. There are no traditionally likable characters, and the conclusion doesn't quite live up to the mystery that leads up to it. Still, Hawkins has written the kind of compulsively readable novel that begs to be read in one sitting, a fun if a bit flawed thriller.
For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2021, 6)
I don't always need a big-bang kind of ending if the journey is good. And it sounds like this one really was. I'm intrigued by the pairing of Eddie and Bea and what they're both hiding. Glad you enjoyed this one, Ethan!
ReplyDeleteI agree, the ending doesn't have to be fantastic if I like the journey getting there. There's plenty of secrets and revelations along the way!
DeleteThis sounds intriguing and I've seen it making its way around the blogs.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like everyone is reading it, and rightfully so. It is a real page turner!
DeleteI call these kinds of books popcorn reads. They don't fill you up, but they taste good in the moment. ;D
ReplyDeleteGreat comparison! That is my feeling on this one exactly
DeleteI do like me an engrossing thriller! This one is absolutely on my TBR list, although I might just re-read JANE EYRE first. It's a great book and it's been a few years since I read it. Glad you enjoyed this one!
ReplyDeleteI'd be curious to see if you think reading Janey Eyre would enhance this one.
DeleteI'd be curious to pick it up solely because it's a Jane Eyre retelling, but I'm to read your thoughts that show it's a good domestic thriller in its own right. So true about trust over a partner's unshared past.
ReplyDeleteYou know I can't pass up a good thriller haha
DeleteI just finished listening to this one last week - review not up yet. I didn't love it as much as you did Ethan. As I was familiar with Jane Eyre, it wasn't a new story to me.
ReplyDeleteAh I was curious what effect having read the classic novel would have on this retelling.
DeleteI enjoyed this one as well, and I think it's even better if you're not familiar with Jane Eyre, because as a re-telling there are certain expectations that fell short for me. The ending was a little disappointing for me, too. But I did enjoy the story over all. Wonderful review, Ethan!
ReplyDeleteI agree that the ending left more questions than answers.
DeleteI read Jane Eyre for a Uni class and really fell for it, a re-telling in any form would be fun
ReplyDeleteSo far the people who are familiar with Jane Eyre were less enthusiastic about this one than those who had never read it. Still, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on it!
DeleteI never read Jane Eyre, so I have no basis for this story, but I am glad to hear Hawkins' adult debut is a good one. I am a big fan of her YA books.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize she has written YA books! She didn't hesitate making this one very much into an adult novel!
DeleteI just really love it, Ethan, that I can ALWAYS find me a good thriller on your Blog :) Adding this one to my Goodreads once again!
ReplyDeleteOh yay! Buckle up, because I'm reading quite a few thrillers right now!
DeleteI already had this one on hold prior to your review, otherwise you would be in big trouble, mister! :) My TBR is not going to be happy with you this year either, lol
ReplyDeleteHaha just get ready. I'm finishing CJ Tudor's latest, and I'm pretty sure you'd love it too!
DeleteOh geez, we are only in the beginning of February...read a different genre for a while! lol
DeleteWell, I've got a supernatural thriller posting tomorrow, but my next read after that is a fantasy adventure. So that at least should be different.
DeleteThank you very much for giving my TBR a break, haha. I ended up reading this one and have mixed feelings on it.
DeleteI think mixed feelings are probably warranted with this one.
DeleteI really like the sound of this one, it’s still on NetGalley so I’ll try and get my mitts on it!
ReplyDeleteYes! It is the perfect binge read!
DeleteI have not read Jane Eyre so I wasn't sure if I should try this one. It sounds really good so I might have to add this to my tbr pile.
ReplyDeleteFrom what everyone has been telling me, you might even enjoy this one more if you haven't read Jane Eyre!
DeleteWhew. I am glad this one can stand on its own without needingto know Jane eyre bc let me tell you I hate that book.
ReplyDeleteHaha there are a few of the classics that make me feel the same way.
DeleteGreat review! I never read Jane Eyre so it's good you don't have to have done so to enjoy this.
ReplyDeleteLauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Thank you. I think you'd really enjoy this one!
DeleteI enjoyed this on audio, so I am glad to see you enjoyed reading it.
ReplyDeleteMe too. You know I can't pass up a thriller haha.
DeleteI planned to pass on this one and then I read so many reviews that were positive that I gave it a try. You are right about unlikeable characters but, a fun read.
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