The Widow by Fiona Barton Published by Berkley Books on January 17, 2017
Pages: 352
Goodreads
Following the twists and turns of an unimaginable crime, The Widow is an electrifying debut thriller that will take you into the dark spaces that exist between a husband and a wife.
There's a lot Jean hasn't said over the years about the crime her husband was suspected of committing. She was too busy being the perfect wife, standing by her man while living with the accusing glares and the anonymous harassment.
Now her husband is dead, and there's no reason to stay quiet. There are people who want to hear her story. They want to know what it was like living with that man. She can tell them that there were secrets. There always are in a marriage.
The truth--that's all anyone wants. But the one lesson Jean has learned in the last few years is that she can make people believe anything...
An NPR Best Book of the YearOne of The Wall Street Journal's 5 "Killer Books" of the YearA Publishers Weekly Best Book of the YearIncludes a Readers Guide and an excerpt of Fiona Barton's The Child.
The Widow by Fiona Barton was a debut novel that I read April 2016 and since I plan on reviewing her next book in the series The Child I thought I would repost this review. So the following is from my original review.
What can I say for this book except for the fact that I think there was more twist and turns then any book I have recently read. I really enjoy books like that because you are lead to think one thing and then question everything else. I hate when you know what happens half way through and this has you sitting on the edge of your seat until the very last page. I should say that we know what has happened and they are basically trying to find a way to proof that it was done. That is the thing that I thought was interesting about the book. Its easy to point the finger at someone but you have to have the proof to put them away.
One thing I have to say is that even though the story line is disturbing the author kept all the graphic material out. Which I have to say I appreciate as a mother. We all know from the premise of the book that a little girl is taken from her yard but we know really know how she died and I am okay with not knowing that just as long as she is found so that a family can be put to rest.
I really tried to hold myself back from trying to read it in one sitting and honestly it was hard because so much was happening that you wanted to stay and read to find out what was going to happen. It was a page turner.
The story is told in various view points such as the widow, reporter, detective, and there is alot of flipping back from 2006 to 2010 so you really have to keep on eye on who is talking in that chapter and what year it is. At first I found it to be a little distracting and trying to keep the story straight but once I kept track of the speaker and dates it was a little easier. I think it would have made it a little easier to read had it begun in 2006 and worked its way to 2010. That is just my personal thought.
Over all it was an interesting read but I have to say that its not really a Gone Girl or Girl on the Train kind of book that it was hyped to be like. So if you are expecting that you might be disappointed.