The Other Mrs. @MaryKubica @HarperCollins #intrigue #tension #thriller #fictionfriends #duoreviews @JanBelisle @absltmom

When Jan and I received an invitation to read Mary Kubica’s newest book we were quite happy and ready to dive right in as we needed a thriller that was thrilling and not one of the mediocre fare that seems to be floating around. So with lots of anticipation, and enjoying her previous books, we got down to business and read this book in three days. Now that’s a telling sign.

Jan’s review

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4

Is there anything more creepy than an old decrepit house on an isolated island off the coast of Maine in the dead of winter? Sadie, her husband Will, and their two boys move to Maine when his sister dies and they inherit the house and take custody of his teenage niece. It’s a chance at a fresh start for the family, who has had their share of trouble.

Told through three points of view, strange things soon begin happening, not the least of which is their next door neighbor is murdered. Sadie becomes a person of interest and it becomes clear that someone in Sadie and Will’s household may be responsible for murder.  But who? There’s no lack of suspects, and I had no idea who to trust. I don’t want to give away too many details, as they are best discovered as the story unfolds.

 I read this as a buddy read with Marialyce and we both enjoyed this one. It kept us engaged and guessing.  However, at the end the author took the story in a direction that required a fair bit of suspension of disbelief, especially for those of us in the medical field. Still, it’s a solid thriller that may not wow seasoned thriller fans but if you can set aside your inner critic the pacing is solid and it’s a perfect way to while away a few hours.  Netflix has bought the movie rights and I think it will make a terrific movie.

* I received a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Marialyce’s review

Imagine inheriting a house located on an island off the coast of Maine. A new home can offer so much, an escape from some painful happenings in one’s life, a new beginning, a time to restart a life that seems to have gone haywire.

For Sadie, a doctor, her husband Will, a professor, and their children it seemed like perhaps exactly what they needed. In inheriting the house from Will’s deceased sister, a victim of suicide, they also take on the responsibility of caring for Will’s niece, Imogen, who seems to have a plethora of issues.

The house has that sinister vibe and when the next door neighbor is murdered, it sets in motion a disastrous set of circumstances that seems to point to one of them as the culprit.

Sadie is worried about all of them, a one time unfaithful husband, a son who has been bullied and through an incident at school had been expelled, a niece who is recalcitrant and moody, and herself who seems to have an inability to remember details. of things that supposedly happened to her. Sadie is fearful that her life and the lives of those around her are threatened.

As tension rises and things spiral out of control, it seems that one and then another of the house occupants is a cold blooded murderer. But who is it, and why is it that Sadie seems to be the person the police are most interested in?

This was a fast paced thriller that kept one guessing throughout the entire story. A bit implausible at times, with a few plot holes, this story however, was one that held my interest and made me enjoy the eerie journey this family embarked upon. The ending was perfect and one that certainly held a surprise. Recommended for those who like thrillers and recognize they are meant to entertain and are definitely and firmly a piece of fiction.

Thank you to Mary Kubica, Harper Collins, and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of this book due out on February 20, 2020

and here’s the author

Interview starts at about 3 minutes.