The English Wife by Laura Willig
The Gilded Age where society counts, upper crust that is. The year is 1899 when we meet Bayard and Annabelle Van Duyvil, Bayard from an old Dutch family is wealthy is in the top 400 of society, while Annabelle comes from London also growing up in an English Manor house along the Moors. They meet in London, and after 3 months marry and eventually return to Bayard's home. Yet nothing is quite as obvious or as perfect.. Tensions abound, his mother is domineering and cruel, his spinster sister is kept under the thumb of their mother and his cousin scarcastic Anne whose parents are both gone also lives with his mother and sister. However, as life would have it not everything is what it seems and eventually that family tension overflows and begins to affect the couple. Deciding to have a ball calling it "The Twelfth Night" which is significant to Bayard and Annabelle, this ball is to celebrate the opening of their newly built home. But something goes strangely awry and Bayard is found dead in the garden with a knife in his chest , his last words "George" while Annabelle disappears. The newspapers are having a field day, the headlines screaming "Murder and Suicide on the Hudson." So who is "George" and where is Annabelle? While the police are doing their job, Bayard's sister Janie seeks the help of the press, namely James Burke, a reporter, to help her find the truth. Rumors abound, secrets revealed as the plot thickens, the characters claw at each other as cruelty takes over.
With a cast of characters, the book grabs your attention from beginning to end, leading you down many paths until we find out the truth, it is most definitely a cliffhanger. Ms. Willig is a skillful writer, whose novels over the years have made me a fan. This book is no different, she keeps you guessing, she keeps you intrigued right up to the last page. I would highly recommend it! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot wait to read this novel with our book group. This is a popular time period for our group and will appeal to all age groups. I have read Ms Willig's series and enjoyed each book, but this book is one of the best I have read this year.

Thank you for sharing with me

Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a wonderful life in New York. Despite rather insidious rumors, they seem to be doing fine. However, Bay is found dead and Annabelle is missing. Janie, the sister of Bayard, teams up with a reporter to find out the truth of what has happened.

This book was pretty good. It's the first time I've read anything by Lauren Willig and I definitely think it was worth the read. I didn't quite expect the culprit but I do love how the story wrapped up.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish this book which means I will not be able to review it. I truly appreciate the opportunity and apologize for the inconvenience the lack of review may cause you.

I loved The English Wife! This book takes place during the Gilded Age from two points of view at two different times--Janie in 1899 and Georgie in 1894-1899. I won't say more about what happens in the book because I don't want to give anything away. There are a lot of secrets revealed, and most of them I didn't see coming.
The story was a complex (all those secrets!) but not at all hard to follow. I wanted to keep reading and find out what was going to happen next...and of course, who the murderer was.

This was a wonderful historical mystery/romance. I especially liked Georgie and Bay and even though their relationship wasn't ideal, I admired the love that had for each other. It was interesting to see the progression of Janie's character, as she grew into a stronger woman, willing to stand up for what was right and just. What I enjoyed the most, was the fact that I couldn't figure out who was the guilty party and had committed the crime. I love a good mystery and this was definitely one of those—a real page-turner! I was given a copy of this book for my honest review, but would have gladly paid for a copy.

This was an engaging historical fiction/mystery/bit of Gothic novel that benefits from complex character development and the contrast of cultures and class in the Gilded Age. I'm not usually a fan of the braided plotline (past and present alternatively told, eventually coming together), but here it really worked. While some plot reveals were easy to guess, others took me by surprise. An entertaining read!

Greatly enjoyed this historical fiction novel — a mystery up until the very end. I enjoyed the dual narration and thought Willig did a great job developing the characters, particularly the two protagonists. Any fan of Willig, Beatriz Williams, or Karen White will adore The English Wife. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2157975007

I like how Lauren Willig writes and draws the reader into the story so that you feel like you are there with the characters. Her characters have enough depth that they come to life and feel very real. There is a lot going on in this book: mystery, history, romance, intrigue.

Bay is found dead on the night of the ball he and his wife Annabelle are giving to celebrate the completion of their new home. Annabelle, his wife has disappeared and no one believes Bay's sister Jane when she says that she saw Annabelle floating in the river. Jane, who has been under her domineering mother's thumb her whole life, shows her true character as she enlists the help of a journalist to find out the truth about Bay's death.

Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil would seem to have it all. Both born to wealth and privilege during the Gilded Age of 1890’s New York City, rubbing elbows with the Astor’s and the Vanderbilt’s in the “cottages” of Newport, not to mention the rest of the Van Duyvil family. But not all is as it seems and when, on the night of the Twelfth Night Ball, Bayard is found dead with a knife in his chest and Annabelle has gone missing, presumably drowned, all signs point to a murder-suicide. Not all parties agree however.

The novel is told from two separate time frames. First is from the days and weeks following the discovery of Bayard’s body from the point of view of his sister, Janie who forms a partnership with a reporter to find out what really happened. These chapters are interspersed with events that begin six years earlier from the intriguing points of view of Annabelle and Bayard themselves, allowing us to view the actual events as they unfold. The two time frames converge over the course of the entire novel leading to the climax at the end when the two time frames align. It’s a great way to tell a story and it kept me absorbed throughout.

This is a historical mystery/thriller that feels a lot like something that would result if Daphne du Maurier coauthored a novel with F. Scott Fitzgerald. Guided age novels often seem that way to me, especially if they are well written, as this one is. I’ve not experienced any other novels by Lauren Willig thus far but she seems to be a beloved author and I suspect this will not be my last one to read. Her characters are complex and fully fleshed out. The settings were vibrant and the plot was absorbing. One of my marks of a good novel is pacing, and the structure of this novel was perfect as a way to approach the story, keeping the suspense building slowly but surely into a fiery blaze of an ending. I also enjoyed the numerous red herrings and bits of innuendo from various characters that not only fleshed out their personalities but also kept me turning the pages past my bedtime.

It is the gilded age where money, power and prestige reign. Called such by the author Mark Twain, it was a period that dated from the 1870's until about the early 1900's. It was a time of amassing great wealth and the people who populated this age had last names like Astor, Carnegie, and Vanderbilt.

In all this luxury and unlimited money live Bayard and Annabelle VanDuyvil. They seem to have it all, he being part of an old Dutch family and she growing up in an English Manor in England. They met in London, fall in love, and marry returning to New York and the VanDuyvil way of life. Twins are born to the couple and though there are rumors of an affair between Annabelle and an architect hired to design a home just like the one Annabelle grew up in, things seem to be tense but life seems to be going forward. As we know in life what seems to be is not always what is true.

Bayard, at the coming out ball for the new home, is found murdered and Annabelle is the likely culprit since she is missing. This is high society and of course the newspapers go nuts with the headlines and stories, many of which are not true. Bayard's sister, Janie meets and starts to confide in a newspaper reporter. They pledge to one another to speak only what is the truth and a friendship forms between these two separated by society views. As his investigation continues, Janie learns more and more about her brother and the woman he married. Janie is constantly thwarted by her mother, a denizen of high society who never permits anything that she considers untoward occurring and has a cold nature. The mother is not bendable, clearly believing in herself and her moral ways. She imposes her views and her stringent ways on all her family including a niece, Anne who lives with them.

Who really are Bayard and Annabelle? Are things really as they seem to be? This family carries secrets, deep ones, that will eventually bring them to ruin and death and be the headline grabbers that Mrs VanDuyvil fears.

This was a riveting story told with a Gothic flair that keep the reader quite engaged as the truth is finally revealed and the killer brought to poetic justice.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital galley of this novel.

What a cracking good mystery/romance this book is. I've read several books by Lauren Willig in the past so I was excited to see what she had done with this historical story of an old-money society family in New York during the 1890's. The story takes place along two lines, beginning in London in 1894 as well as in New York state in 1899. Baynard Van Duyvil has arrived in London during his Grand Tour of Europe and meets a woman with a mystery in her past. Bay's sister Janie leads the story in 1899 when the consequences of that fateful London trip have to be dealt with.

Usually I prefer that my mystery novels not involve romantic entanglements because I feel they don't add anything to the story of the crimes to be solved. In the case of this book that feeling does not hold true. Without the romance portions this story wouldn't have any purpose. Lauren Willig kept me in suspense throughout the whole novel and I readily admit to having no idea who committed the murder(s?). The characters are finely written and believable. The city and state of New York at the end of a century are very well portrayed and play important parts in the novel. I have to say I very much enjoyed reading this novel with such strong and believable female characters.

Thanks St. Martin's Press and netgalley for this ARC.

Love all Lauren Willig's books. This one will really get your attention and your imagination going. Its timeless, a classic, and enthralling. Family secrets, ghosts, and so much drama, ghoulish characters, and surprises. Loved it!

Read the pink carnation series and loved it. This is a stand alone and it’s great. A fictional historical novel with mystery and some romance. Very interesting some what gothic but not overly. Good read.

I first fell in love with Lauren Willig with her Pink Carnation series but I never ventured into her other stand alone books because I simply liked her where she belonged—in the Pink Carnation series.

Her Pink Carnation series was so fantastic and I didn’t want to spoil it with a stand alone book that was subpar, so I avoided anything by her that wasn’t the Pink Carnation series.

That was until this stunning cover screamed READ ME! Just looking at this book promised something fantastic, especially for fall. I needed this book more than I knew and I was reminded exactly why I love Lauren Willig and why I need to get back to the Pink Carnation series!

Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a charmed life: he’s the scion of an old Knickerbocker family, she grew up in a Tudor manor in England, they had a whirlwind romance in London, they have three year old twins on whom they dote, and he’s recreated her family home on the banks of the Hudson and renamed it Illyria.


Yes, there are rumors that she’s having an affair with the architect, but rumors are rumors and people will gossip. But then Bayard is found dead with a knife in his chest on the night of their Twelfth Night Ball, Annabelle goes missing, presumed drowned, and the papers go mad.

Bay’s sister, Janie, forms an unlikely alliance with a reporter to uncover the truth, convinced that Bay would never have killed his wife, that it must be a third party, but the more she learns about her brother and his wife, the more everything she thought she knew about them starts to unravel. Who were her brother and his wife, really? And why did her brother die with the name George on his lips? (summary from Goodreads).

Admittedly, the prologue started off a little blah, until the last paragraph. I put it down and tried to go read something else but I kept going back to this book. That final paragraph of the prologue hooked me and I just needed to read the book already. So I abandoned the book I was going to read, in favor of this one.

I was immediately sucked into a story about the rich and famous, family secrets, the promise of love, and of course murder. This book felt a little like Rebecca or some other gothic romance novel in the vein of Victoria Holt.

There was something decidedly uneasy about the story from the get go. Clearly there were lies and family secrets that were probably best left unsaid and there was a sense of unease as some of the characters weren’t what they seemed….literally.

I loved discovering this book. The character development was outstanding. I loved watching Janie slowly come in to her own and stand up to her mother. I also loved watching how Bay and Annabelle’s marriage changed and evolved. The secondary characters were equally scandalous and intriguing.

This book had so much to recommend itself. Romance, murder, family secrets…..everything that make it the perfect fall read. I found myself reading late into the night and not anticipating all the little twists and turns in the story. I was so hooked by about 30% through and I found annoyed when I had to put it down for something as trivial as sleep!

Willig’s writing is witty, charming, and captivating. I loved this book on so many levels and just reading her words made me remember why I love her novels. I left off on the Pink Carnation series after the 5th book because I felt a little underwhelmed but now that I have read this I am inspired to continue the series and possibly her other stand alone books.

While this book was an easy 5 star for me, it wasn’t without it’s little flaws. Without giving too much away, I found that Annabelle’s plot rather unfinished and a big question mark. The last few chapters just left the audience hanging and I felt a little disappointed in that. I also didn’t like that Giles kind of became this ‘hero’ of sorts when so much had been put into casting him as the villain.

As I said, this was the perfect fall read for me. Even though it’s not coming out until January 2018, you need to go pre order this book. You won’t be sorry! It was captivating and alluring, calling my name from my nightstand all hours of the day and night. Pre order it now….you’re welcome!



Book: The English Wife by Lauren Willig

Kindle Edition, 384 pages
Expected publication: January 9th 2018 by St. Martin’s Press
ASIN B072TY6MS6
Review copy provided by: Publisher/Author in exchange for an honest review
This book counts toward: NA

Hosted by: NA
Books for Challenge Completed: NA
Recommendation: 5 out of 5

Genre: Gothic lit, historical fiction, romance, mystery, suspense

Memorable lines/quotes:

Thank you NetGalley for this e-galley. This book was all of my favorite genres rolled into one. It takes a lot for me to want to fight sleep at my age to continue to read until 4-5am and this book did it. I could not put it down. I loved the characters, the writing, everything this book offered. The part that surprised me the most is that I typically cannot stand dual narratives but each character was captivating! While I read the galley, I cannot wait to buy it when it is released. Thank you Lauren Willig for writing such a masterful book!!!

4 stars--I really liked it.

This is a gothic romance in the vein of Rebecca--lots of atmosphere, human cruelty, and family secrets, but no supernatural happenings. It's also quite sad.

It's been a long time since I read a historical novel, and this really brought the Gilded Age to life. Characters were finely drawn (and not static!), and I especially liked doomed Annabelle and clever Janie. The plot kept me reading (and guessing) until the end.

There are lots of allusions to Shakespeare's comedies in this book--ironic since it's a tragedy. I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

One young English lady is on the run from her dysfunctional family & falls in love with a sweet American lawyer who is on the run from his own dysfunctional family. Together they find happiness for a time. But when they are found dead it’s up to his mousy sister to clear the family name.
I enjoyed the twists & turns in this story as told simultaneously by Annabelle & Janie.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from The Great Thoughts

This was an interesting novel. I enjoyed the fact that I got to know the main characters both from a first person and third person perspective. It really helped to round them out and portray them in realistic and relatable manner. The story had some well plotted twists and turns. I look forward to reading future books by Lauren Willig.