The Wife Upstairs
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
304 pages
Published January 5, 2021 by St. Martin's Press
A delicious twist on a Gothic classic, The Wife Upstairs pairs Southern charm with atmospheric domestic suspense, perfect for fans of B.A. Paris and Megan Miranda.
Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates––a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name.
But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie––not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for.
Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past––or his––catches up to her?
With delicious suspense, incisive wit, and a fresh, feminist sensibility, The Wife Upstairs flips the script on a timeless tale of forbidden romance, ill-advised attraction, and a wife who just won’t stay buried. In this vivid reimagining of one of literature’s most twisted love triangles, which Mrs. Rochester will get her happy ending?
My thoughts about The Wife Upstairs ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)
First line—"It was the absolute shittiest day for a walk."
What a twisty, turning tale this book ended up being. The characters started out likeable enough and I thought I knew what was going on. And then people's true personalities started coming out and I had no clue who was who and what they were up to. Motives? Anyone's guess! And I loved it!!
Everyone had their own agenda and I was kept in the dark until the shocking, satisfying ending. When I got to the last page, I have to stop and ponder what I just read. I love when authors can do that for me.
I highly recommend The Wife Upstairs! It will keep you on the edge of your seat and it will be a story you will not soon forget.
About the author
Rachel Hawkins was a high school English teacher before becoming a full-time writer. She lives with her family in Alabama, and is currently at work on the third book in the Hex Hall series. To the best of her knowledge, Rachel is not a witch, though some of her former students may disagree.... ~ Amazon
Connect with Rachel
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I went into this one blind, and it took me a while to realize it was a retelling of a classic!
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